You know I love tea, but what about other writers? Turns out, I'm not alone. I've asked some other authors to share their favorite teas with me today, and what they love about them.
Carol A. Strickland
Author of Touch of Danger
Temporarily powerless, superhero Valiant must outrun a mercenary army across an otherwise deserted South Pacific island, accompanied by beautiful psychic Lina, who is acutely phobic to touch. What the world's greatest superhero asks for is what she's unable to give.
Her favorite tea: Chai
What she says about it:
"I couldn’t begin a day without a cup of chai; I’m addicted. I love the spice, the sweet, the latte! It may rack up more than a few Weight Watchers points, but it’s worth it. I drink Oregon Chai because the brand is fairly easily found, and a box of 8 packets still costs less than one Starbucks chai. (Though if you really need to wake up, Starbucks’ version is the way to go.)"
Debra Mullins
Author of Prodigal Son
A bounty hunter descended from the ancient Seers of Atlantis uses his power to pursue criminals, but his latest case sends him in pursuit of a mystical stone from the legendary city, and a woman he can’t resist.
Her favorite tea: "English Breakfast"
She says about tea:
"I am solely a tea drinker, iced or hot. I don't care for most herbal teas and drink almost exclusively black teas. My grandparents came to the U.S. from Ireland, and I picked up their habit of drinking tea with milk and sweetener from my dad. That’s why I prefer the black teas. Herbal teas just can't stand up to all that stuff. And it has to be milk, not cream. I love Starbucks black iced tea, but for hot teas, my current favorite is English Breakfast. I also love Bigelow's Vanilla black tea and Constant Comment."
Rhett Bigler
Author of Murder and Mochas
A fun genre mash-up, Murder & Mochas bounces a sarcastic and gritty detective off aliens and life in a small southern town to produce an amusing, page-turning mystery.
Favorite tea: White Christmas Tree
What he says about it:
"My favorite tea is White Christmas Tea by Harney & Sons. For me this tea combines the sweet tingle of writing, with the cozy warmth of spending a winter’s day inside reading. It has an incredible almond and vanilla aroma that carries over to a delicate flavor. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a book (being written or read)."
Cecilia Dominic
Author of The Mountain's Shadow
Recently fired Chronic Lycanthropy Syndrome researcher Joanie Fisher's inheritance has problems: disappearing children and sexy werewolves. Resuming her research will unravel the mysteries of Wolfsbane Manor, but she'll unearth painful secrets and risk the loss of love, friendship, and family.
Lorenda Christensen
Author of Never Deal with Dragons:
The first in a new series, a human mediator bites off more than she can chew when she agrees to partner with an ex-boyfriend to stop a war between two dragon monarchs.
Her favorite tea: "Earl Grey, hot"
She says about Earl Grey:
"Mostly because I'm a Star Trek fan, but I like the hint of orange in an otherwise normal cup of tea. Not to mention there are tons of desserts out there that use Earl Grey as a (yummy) ingredient. It's nerdy and tasty, all at the same time!"
DM Simpson
Author of The Ties that Bind
Arriving in Boston after graduating college, unaware of what the future holds, Lyric walks through the doors of the Mainwaring Family Law Firm for her interview--her chance to escape her fears and find herself where no one knows who or what she is...or isn't.
Her favorite tea: PF Chang's mango tea
Why she loves it: "The flavor is very mellow. It reminds me of the time I spent in Dakar, Senegal, and had my first taste of the mango fruit!"
Fritz Freiheit
Author of The Red Rook
Penny would rather be appreciated for her brains than her powers. But when one of her school mates disappears, she'll have no choice but to take up the mantle of superhero. Because in The Red Rook, you don't get to choose which piece you are, only how you play the game.
His favorite tea: Genmaicha
He says about it:
"Oh, so very difficult to choose a favorite tea! The first one to come to mind was Earl Grey (how cliché! but good), then simple black tea (because I drink so much of it), and green tea (a habit I picked up in Japan). I finally settled on a variation of green tea, called genmaicha, which is green tea mixed with toasted rice, for its rich, almost nutty flavor."
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| Favorite tea: Chai! |
Author of Touch of Danger
Temporarily powerless, superhero Valiant must outrun a mercenary army across an otherwise deserted South Pacific island, accompanied by beautiful psychic Lina, who is acutely phobic to touch. What the world's greatest superhero asks for is what she's unable to give.
Her favorite tea: Chai
What she says about it:
"I couldn’t begin a day without a cup of chai; I’m addicted. I love the spice, the sweet, the latte! It may rack up more than a few Weight Watchers points, but it’s worth it. I drink Oregon Chai because the brand is fairly easily found, and a box of 8 packets still costs less than one Starbucks chai. (Though if you really need to wake up, Starbucks’ version is the way to go.)"
Debra Mullins
 |
| Favorite tea: English Breakfast! |
A bounty hunter descended from the ancient Seers of Atlantis uses his power to pursue criminals, but his latest case sends him in pursuit of a mystical stone from the legendary city, and a woman he can’t resist.
Her favorite tea: "English Breakfast"
She says about tea:
"I am solely a tea drinker, iced or hot. I don't care for most herbal teas and drink almost exclusively black teas. My grandparents came to the U.S. from Ireland, and I picked up their habit of drinking tea with milk and sweetener from my dad. That’s why I prefer the black teas. Herbal teas just can't stand up to all that stuff. And it has to be milk, not cream. I love Starbucks black iced tea, but for hot teas, my current favorite is English Breakfast. I also love Bigelow's Vanilla black tea and Constant Comment."
Rhett Bigler
 |
| Favorite tea: White Christmas Tree! |
A fun genre mash-up, Murder & Mochas bounces a sarcastic and gritty detective off aliens and life in a small southern town to produce an amusing, page-turning mystery.
Favorite tea: White Christmas Tree
What he says about it:
"My favorite tea is White Christmas Tea by Harney & Sons. For me this tea combines the sweet tingle of writing, with the cozy warmth of spending a winter’s day inside reading. It has an incredible almond and vanilla aroma that carries over to a delicate flavor. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a book (being written or read)."
 |
| Favorite tea: English Breakfast! |
Author of The Mountain's Shadow
Recently fired Chronic Lycanthropy Syndrome researcher Joanie Fisher's inheritance has problems: disappearing children and sexy werewolves. Resuming her research will unravel the mysteries of Wolfsbane Manor, but she'll unearth painful secrets and risk the loss of love, friendship, and family.
Her favorite tea: English Breakfast
What she says about it: "Call me boring, but I'm a fan of basic black English Breakfast tea. Yes, I like tea that tastes like tea. The good quality stuff doesn't need anything added to it and has a nice caffeine kick, strong but not bitter flavor, and often some floral notes. I usually have a cup every afternoon and like to pair it with something sweet if possible. And, of course, I like to have a cup nearby while I'm writing."
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| Favorite tea: Earl Grey! |
Lorenda Christensen
Author of Never Deal with Dragons:
The first in a new series, a human mediator bites off more than she can chew when she agrees to partner with an ex-boyfriend to stop a war between two dragon monarchs.
Her favorite tea: "Earl Grey, hot"
She says about Earl Grey:
"Mostly because I'm a Star Trek fan, but I like the hint of orange in an otherwise normal cup of tea. Not to mention there are tons of desserts out there that use Earl Grey as a (yummy) ingredient. It's nerdy and tasty, all at the same time!"
 |
| Favorite tea: Mango! |
Author of The Ties that Bind
Arriving in Boston after graduating college, unaware of what the future holds, Lyric walks through the doors of the Mainwaring Family Law Firm for her interview--her chance to escape her fears and find herself where no one knows who or what she is...or isn't.
Her favorite tea: PF Chang's mango tea
Why she loves it: "The flavor is very mellow. It reminds me of the time I spent in Dakar, Senegal, and had my first taste of the mango fruit!"
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| Favorite tea: Genmaicha! |
Penny would rather be appreciated for her brains than her powers. But when one of her school mates disappears, she'll have no choice but to take up the mantle of superhero. Because in The Red Rook, you don't get to choose which piece you are, only how you play the game.
His favorite tea: Genmaicha
He says about it:
"Oh, so very difficult to choose a favorite tea! The first one to come to mind was Earl Grey (how cliché! but good), then simple black tea (because I drink so much of it), and green tea (a habit I picked up in Japan). I finally settled on a variation of green tea, called genmaicha, which is green tea mixed with toasted rice, for its rich, almost nutty flavor."
There you have it--no author is complete without his or her favorite tea! Have you tried any of these great brews? How'd you like them? And do you have any recommendations for the authors to try next?
For those who like the black teas, I will always recommend the Irish Breakfast Tea, it's a little less bitter and has a few floral/citrus notes that make it a little less of a kick in the head. Plus it's well caffeinated enough to substitute for coffee (always a bonus in my book).
ReplyDeleteOh, yes! I've drunk that tea when I've had a "decaf won't cut it" day. ;)
DeleteSorry, technical difficulties...
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun post! Thanks again for including me.
Now that I know about the kick to Irish Breakfast tea, I'll have to check out the fully leaded version again. I have a box of the decaf at the office.
Thanks for joining! It's always great to meet fellow tea lovers!
DeleteIrish tea, eh? Capt. Picard might approve of that as well. He can't drink the same thing ALL the time, can he? I'll be looking for that.
ReplyDeleteLol--I bet he's actually got quite a tea palate. Now that would be interesting; Picard discussing his other favorite teas. 10:1 he goes for English Breakfast, too.
DeleteVery cool post, the Irish tea sounds like something I should try. I have never been a coffee drinker and with the weather being so cold, soda is just not a good thing when trying to get warm and wake up. Thanks for including me!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining! I got into tea for much the same reason, when I discovered I couldn't stand the taste of coffee, but a morning dose of caffeine was (and still is) frequently required.
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