Interview with Marie Lavender

Dear Reader,

It was my great pleasure to be interviewed recently by multi-genre author Marie Lavender. 

She's the author of Victorian maritime romance trilogy, Heiresses in Love, and 21 other books. Since 2010, she has published 24 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, dramatic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction, poetry, children's stories, and YA fiction.  

Check out more about all of her books here.

I particularly enjoyed reading her romance titled, Blue Vision: Code of Endhivar Series Book 1. I found it to be a classic romance, the kind I love, with the added twist that he's an alien. Romance readers will fall in love and look to the skies for a hero of their own!

Marie began Writing in the Modern Age in 2013. Her dedication to her craft is apparent there as well as in her other blogs. For romance readers, check out her blog which is exclusively dedicated to the topic of romance here.

Marie's blog Writing in the Modern Age is a place for writers but also readers in search of their favorite new author. 

Please check out the interview here. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Sincerely,

Tina Proffitt, writer and lover of romance

Banana Bread Muffins

Makes about two dozen.

• 3/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large, ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix wet ingredients (oil, eggs, bananas, vanilla) in stand mixer until well blended.
3. Add sugar and mix.
4. Add dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, nuts), mixing well.
5. Using a large scooper, add batter to cupcake paper lined tray.
6. Bake 12-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
7. Remove muffins from oven. Allow muffins to cool on a rack for two minutes. Remove from tray with an off-set spatula.

Bonus Idea: To take these from a breakfast treat to a real dessert, try adding cream cheese frosting.

To one 8 oz. package of cream cheese, add one cup of powdered sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and mix well. Spread about a tablespoon on top of each muffin. 
Enjoy!
*All of my recipes are personally tested and tweaked by me in my own kitchen and the photos are taken by me as well.