Top 10 with Author Tracie Banister

Today author Tracie Banister has stopped by the blog to answer the Top 10.

Soon I will be reviewing her book IN NEED OF THERAPY.

An avid reader and writer, Tracie Banister has been scribbling stories since she was a child, most of them featuring feisty heroines with complicated love lives like her favorite fictional protagonist Scarlett O'Hara. Her work was first seen on the stage of her elementary school, where her 4th grade class performed an original holiday play that she penned (Like all good divas-in-the-making, she, also, starred in and tried to direct the production.) Her dreams of authorial success were put on the backburner when she reached adulthood and discovered that she needed a "real" job in order to pay her bills. Her career as personal assistant to a local entrepreneur lasted for 12 years. When it ended, Tracie decided to follow her bliss and dedicate herself to writing full-time. Her debut novel, the Hollywood-themed Blame It on the Fame, was released in January, 2012. And she's following that up with the fun summer read, In Need of Therapy. 

1. fav song/singer?

My fav song of the last couple of years would have to be Maroon 5's "Moves Like Jagger." I'm always compelled to tune up the radio for that one. Fav singer (rather than group) - I'd have to say Katy Perry. Her music is always fun to sing along to.

2. fav season? Autumn. I love the cooler temps and watching the leaves turn such beautiful, fiery colors.

3. pet peeve? I hate how rude people have become because of technology. If you are spending time with a live person (be it friend, family member, or significant other), you should give them your full attention, not ignore them and text, check e-mails, tweet, etc. To me, that's the equivalent of saying, "I've got better things to do than interact with you."

4. guilty pleasure? Watching Dancing With the Stars. I love the flashy costumes, the sexy pro dancers, the judges and their over-the-top comments, and it's exciting because it's live and you never know if someone is going to kill a dance or make a total fool out of themselves.

5. fav book and/or author? It doesn't get any better than Jane Austen for me. And Pride and Prejudice is one of the few books I enjoy reading over and over again.

6. one item you cannot live without? My DVR. I love being able to record/watch up to three shows at a time. And even more, I love being able to FF through commercials so that I can watch my fave shows quickly, without any annoying interruptions.

7. hobby? I don't know if this would count as a hobby. But when I'm not working/writing, my fav thing to do is spend time with my three dogs. They all love to play and get so excited when their toy box gets pulled out.

8. fav movie/actor/actress? Gone With the Wind is at the top of my fav movies list. I've been enamored of Scarlett/Rhett's story ever since I first saw the movie on TV when I was 11. Fav actor at the moment is Michael Fassbender. I think he's incredibly talented and charismatic. Fav actress? Probably Meryl Streep. She's amazing in everything she's done and she's so versatile!

9. fav food? Fav healthy food - grilled salmon (yum!) Fav not-so-healthy food - salt and vinegar potato chips.

10. who would you like to meet? (dead or alive?) Princess Diana. I was fascinated with her all throughout my teen years. I would love to have the opportunity to sit down and have a chat with her and find out what her side of the story was - Did she have regrets? How did she feel about being a royal? Did she ever find love or happiness in her life?

Book blurb: Lending a sympathetic ear and dispensing sage words of advice is all part of the job for psychologist Pilar Alvarez, and she’s everything a good therapist should be: warm, compassionate, supportive. She listens, she cares, and she has all the answers, but how’s the woman everyone turns to in their hour of need supposed to cope when her own life starts to fall apart?

While working hard to make a success of her recently-opened practice in trendy South Beach, Pilar must also find time to cater to the demands of her boisterous Cuban family, which includes younger sister Izzy, an unemployed, navel-pierced wild child who can't stay out of trouble, and their mother, a beauty queen turned drama queen who’s equally obsessed with her fading looks and getting Pilar married before it’s “too late.” Although she’d like to oblige her mother and make a permanent love connection, Pilar’s romantic prospects look grim. Her cheating ex, who swears that he’s reformed, is stalking her. A hunky, but strictly off-limits, patient with bad-boy appeal and intimacy issues is making passes. And the sexy shrink in the suite across the hall has a gold band on his left ring finger.

When a series of personal and professional disasters lead Pilar into the arms of one of her unsuitable suitors, she's left shaken, confused, and full of self-doubt. With time running out, she must make sense of her feelings and learn to trust herself again so that she can save her business, her family, and most importantly, her heart.

Get in touch with Tracie....

Tracie's blog: http://traciebanister.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/traciebanister

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tracie.banister

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Tracie-Banister/e/B006ZONWX2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5448518.Tracie_Banister

Get her book...

Amazon

Amazon UK

Will be up on Barnes and Noble soon