Lee McKenzie’s TV Talk Show Interview

Being asked to do this interview on the Harlequin American Romance Authors’ blog is really an honor, and it reminded me of a dream I’ve had for a long time—to be interviewed on a TV talk show. It’s never going to happen. I’m not a celeb and I haven’t done anything talk-show-worthy, but we all have these secret fantasies, right? The kind that include an Oscar, Olympic gold, a standing ovation, recognition for a selfless act of bravery. A moment in the spotlight.

So please bear with me. I may never be a guest on a TV talk show, but thanks to my imagination, I am about to walk onto the set of the Rachael Ray Show.

Why her show? I think she’s funny and quirky and practical all at the same time, and I respect her down-to-earthness.

Okay, deep breath, and here I go.

RR: Please join me in welcoming romance author Lee McKenzie. Thank you for being here today.

LM: Thank you for having me. This is the thrill of a lifetime.

[hug, mwah, mwah]

RR: Lee is joining me in the kitchen today and we’re going to make her favorite homemade tomato sauce while we chat. Before we get started, here’s the recipe:

Lee's Favorite Tomato Sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
2 to 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

RR: Sounds great. Let’s get started, shall we?

LM: Absolutely. The first thing we want to do is chop all the vegetables.

RR: Sounds like a plan. While we work on that, why don’t you tell us a little bit about your yourself. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

LM: I read a lot, and I enjoy nature so I try to get out for a walk as often as possible. And I love to cook.

RR: So you’re a gourmet?

LM: Not even close! I like simple, tasty meals made from as many fresh, natural ingredients as possible.

RR: Sounds gourmet if you ask me. Okay, now that everything’s chopped, what’s next.

LM: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. We want it hot enough to cook the vegetables without browning them.

RR: Gotcha.

LM: Now we toss in the onion, carrot, celery and parsley, give it a good stir, turn the heat down to low, and pop on the lid.


RR: So the veggies aren’t sauteed?

LM: No, we want them to cook gently and slowly. I think the Italian word for this is soffrito.

RR: You speak Italian?

LM: Not a word. Except soffrito.

RR: How long do we let this cook?

LM: About 15 or 20 minutes. I like to check it and give it a stir every 5 minutes so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

RR: While that cooks, why don’t you tell us a little more about yourself. How long have you been writing?

LM: Since I was in high school. In those days I churned out a lot of dreadful poetry—angsty teenage stuff. At the time, I thought it was deeply profound. It wasn’t. I also used to write a lot of letters to friends and family.

RR: Real letters? The handwritten kind?

LM: That’s right. I love computers and email—I use them everyday—but it’s sad that letter writing has become a thing of the past. There’s something soothing and reflective about putting words on paper the old-fashioned way.

RR: Did you want to be a writer when you grew up?

LM: I did, although I didn’t think I could make a career of it. Oddly enough, my first real job was as an advertising copywriter. Not terribly creative, but I was in my early twenties and being paid for writing.

RR: That’s very cool. What inspired you to write your first book?

LM: I’ve always been an avid reader, and much of what I’ve read has been an inspiration in one way or another. Good authors make writing and storytelling look easy. Turns out, it isn’t. But I didn’t know that until I was hooked.

RR: Was The Man for Maggie your first book?

LM: It was the first to be published, but it was the sixth full-length manuscript I’d written.

RR: Really? So what happened to the first five?

LM: I submitted them to publishers and filled a file folder with rejection letters. But it’s not as bad it sounds. Every writer goes through a learning process. In my case, with each book I learned something new and my writing skills improved. I hope that continues forever.

RR: When can we expect your next book?

LM: I’ll finish my third book this spring, but I don’t have a publication date yet. It’s the first of a two-book series I was working on when I was diagnosed with melanoma almost a year and a half ago. Since then I’ve had surgery and a year-long course of immunotherapy. Not exactly a recipe for writing.

RR: A whole year? That must have been rough.

LM: It was like having a bad case of flu—fever, achiness, headaches—and a lot of other side effects. And yes, a year is long to feel sick, but that’s all behind me now. It’s been a year and three months since the surgery, and as of right now I’m clear and healthy and enjoying life to the fullest.

RR: Good for you. Do you have any health advice for people?

LM: Avoid excessive exposure to the sun, and trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right, see your doctor. Early detection and treatment saves lives.

RR: Do you think you’ll incorporate this experience into one of your books?

LM: Maybe someday, but I’m not ready to write about it yet. It’s still too new and a little too raw to go into a book.

RR: I hear you. And I’m smelling something pretty yummy in the kitchen.

LM: Those veggies are cooked. So now we’ll turn up the heat and add a little more olive oil—just a splash—before we add the garlic. Once that’s sizzling, dump in the basil and give it a good stir. After about a minute, pour in the tomatoes.


RR: Your recipe says to use either canned or fresh. Which do you prefer?

LM: I always prefer fresh, but in this case I almost always use canned because they’re fast and convenient. Now we’ll add a pinch of salt—

RR: And toss a little over the shoulder for luck.

LM: I can always use a little of that. Now we’ll give this a quick stir, turn down the heat, and let it simmer uncovered for 10 or 15 minutes until it thickens.

RR: All right. That gives us a few minutes to get back to your writing. If you had to pick one word to describe your writing, what would it be?

LM: Lighthearted.

RR: Sounds like my kind of read. I know Harlequin publishes lots of different kinds of romance novels. Why did you aim for their American Romance line?

LM: They’re fairly traditional romances about a man and a woman who overcome obstacles and fall in love, within the broader context of family and community. They range in sensuality and in tone, from serious to comedic. They’re a thoroughly enjoyable read, which makes them thoroughly enjoyable to write.

RR: My kind of read, too. How’s that sauce coming along?

LM: It’s looking good.

RR: It’s smellin’ pretty darned great too, isn’t it? So is this it?

LM: There’s one more step. I like a smoother sauce, so I put it through a food mill. A food processor will also do the trick, but I recommend doing it in small batches and pulsing it just enough to make is smooth. Otherwise it tends to liquify.


RR: This looks great. Mmmm! Tastes great, too. What kinds of meals do you make with this sauce?

LM: Pasta dishes My family’s favorites are spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken cacciatore. Even on it’s own, it’s great on pasta with a little grated Parmesan. For anyone who’s interested, I’ve posted our chicken cacciatore recipe on my blog, The Writer Side of Life.

RR: Wonderful! I’d like to thank Harlequin romance author Lee McKenzie for being on the show today.

LM: It’s been a lot of fun, Rachael! Thanks for having me.

RR: One lucky member of our audience will receive an eBook copy of Lee’s second book, With This Ring. The winner will be drawn at random from those who leave comments on this post. Goodbye, and we’ll see you when we see you.