I was sitting here thinking, trying to decide what wisdom I wanted to impart in this blog. I finally decided that there is a bit of advice that more experienced writers are always giving to budding authors trying to break into the business. You’ve probably heard it already. “Write what you know.” I think-particularly in these days of internet access-that this needs to be revised. I think the advice now should be “write what you want to know”-particularly if you write in the speculative genres. To me, there’s always been a problem with “write what you know.” It’s so limiting. I have always considered myself fairly educated, but if I stuck to only the things that I have direct knowledge of, I would never have written any of the novels I’ve had published. I’ve never seen a dragon, met an elf, traveled to fairyland, or played a lute. But I can imagine them. I can, in other words, “speculate” about what would happen if I were to do any of those things. To read more of Rie’s blog please click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.

April 2009On Sale: April 7, 2009Featuring: Augusta Simpson384 pages ISBN: 0425226204EAN: 9780425226209Trade Size$15.00 Women’s Fiction Buy at Amazon.com Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs Now in paperback from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Friday Night Knitting Club Shortly before turning 50, TV cooking show personality Augusta “Gus” Simpson discovers that the network wants to boost her ratings by teaming her with a beautiful, young new co-host. But Gus isn’t going without a fight—whether it’s off-set with her two demanding daughters, on-camera with the ambitious new diva herself, or after-hours with Oliver, the new culinary producer who’s raising Gus’s temperature beyond the comfort zone. Now, in pursuit of higher ratings and culinary delights, Gus might be able to rejuvenate more than just her career. Excerpt Chapter 1 February, 2006 Gus Simpson adored birthday cake. Chocolate, coconut, lemon, strawberry, vanilla– she had a particular fondness for the classics. Even though she experimented with new flavors and frostings, drizzling with syrups and artfully arranging hibiscus petals, Gus more often took the retro route with piped-on flowers or a flash of candy sprinkles across the iced top. Because birthday cake was really about nostalgia, she knew, about reaching in and using…