Guest Post: Olivia Cooper, author of Shadow

Devouring a Book by Olivia Cooper

Pot roast. Cinnamon rolls. Butterscotch pudding. Am I making you hungry? Although my books are thrillers (and not cookbooks), I love involving food in the story. I personally love to cook and bake (and eat!) and I’ve always been told to write about what you know.

Some of my favorite books have involved food somehow. I’m not talking about books where food is an important part of the main storyline. I’m talking about books that are about something else altogether, but take the time to describe the food in detail. One series that always leaves my mouth watering is the Comissario Brunetti mysteries by Donna Leon. The stories take place in Venice and, although it’s about a detective who solves gruesome mysteries, great time is spent describing the meals he eats. I love reading about the Italian food in these books – in my mind, it’s what makes the series so great.

Another great book that highlights food is A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. If you’ve never read it, it’s about Hemingway’s adventures in Paris with his first wife and son. In the book, he spends time describing the Parisian food they eat at picnics and cafes. The food is one of the most memorable parts of the book, in my opinion.

Many people have commented to me that they love how I’ve involved food in my latest book, Shadow. I think reading about food is something that people can immediately relate to. It affects their senses. Every time I read a Brunetti mystery, I get hungry as I’m reading the food descriptions and it makes it easier to picture what Venice is like, even though I’ve never been there. It certainly makes me want to go there!

Hopefully your next book is entertaining…and appetizing as well.

About Shadow:

Angelina Hathaway was a baby when her mother gave her up for adoption. Now eighteen years old, she meets Guillermo - a handsome, arrogant boy who was sent from Europe to tell her that she’s inherited a vast fortune from her birth parents along with an explosive secret about her lineage that will change her forever. 

Unfortunately, there are people who know her secret and will stop at nothing to control her for their own purposes, or even kill her. In order to escape, she must decide between those she can trust and those she can’t…before it’s too late.

About the Author:

Olivia Cooper lives in Northern California with her husband, two children, goat, five chickens and two cats. She enjoys reading, hiking and baking. She's written for various magazines, newspapers and radio. She holds a bachelor's degree in Communication.

Olivia is currently offering the book for free on Amazon Kindle from August 5th - August 9th! You can click HERE to take advantage of the deal.