Hangin' Out with Christa Allan with Bonus Giveaway!

Today, I'm so pleased to welcome Christa Allan for a very fun interview!  Christa contacted me more than 6 months ago about a feature, and we are finally finally finally getting around to making it happen.  :o)   Christa is known as the author of "not your usual Christian fiction," and it is an absolute treat to have her as my special guest today. I hope y'all enjoy getting to know her better, too!

Welcome, Christa!

***

Not including writing, what was your first job?

I worked as a cashier at Winn-Dixie Supermarkets, and I always helped cashier at my father’s hardware store.

What is one movie that you could watch over and over again?

Kelly’s Heroes, which is an offbeat comedy/war film about a group of WWII soldiers who go AWOL to rob a bank behind enemy lines. The characters in that movie just crack me up, and one of my favorite lines is , “Think the bridge will be there, and it will be there.” (It’s much funnier in context in the movie.) I’ve actually found that quote applicable to quite a number of areas of my life!

If you could have any one superpower, what would it be?

I’d love to be able to transport myself from one place to another just by snapping my fingers. Come to think of it, there are a few people I’d like to be able to snap and send away...

But it would be wonderful to eliminate that whole plane, train, auto issue. That way I could spend more time with my children and grandgirls who are six hours away.

When all the book deadlines have been met, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

Reading, watching all the episodes of Glee and Castle that my husband recorded for me and, generally, just knowing I don’t have to bond with my laptop.

Which magazine do you pick up when you’re stuck in a waiting room?

People. Usually they’re months old, so I’m way behind on the latest gossip.

People seems to be the magazine of choice by you author gals.  :o)

Have you ever met anyone famous?

No, but I once stood three feet away from Billy Crystal at a Bacchus Mardi Gras ball. Do Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disney World count?

Absolutely!  I met Bugs Bunny at Six Flags once, and always thought all those creatures qualified as a brush with celebrity!  :o)

What did you do growing up that got you into trouble?

I was such a nerd growing up; in fact, I’m still one…just older. One incident, though, I vividly remember is sticking my tongue out at my mother after she walked away from me. I didn’t know, though, that my father was standing off to the side. Let’s just say I never did that again.

LOL!  Sounds like something I might've done, too...and also, to be caught by my dad!

Having just visited New Orleans a few weeks ago, and since your latest book is set in New Orleans, I gotta ask... What is one thing you love about New Orleans?

One thing...oh, my...I love the unabashed, passionate, no holds barred, crazy energy we have when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds...and the food. I know, I know...that’s two, but I couldn’t answer that question without mentioning the food!

You have the opportunity to choose between appearing on American Idol or Dancing with the Stars. Which reality tv show beckons your participation?

Let me say, up front, there is a reason my mother didn’t name me Grace. It would be painfully apparent within seconds of stepping out on the dance floor. And that’s assuming I could even do that without tripping over an invisible thread on the ground.

American Idol would be the lesser of two humiliations, but I’m certain I’d be the female version of William Hung.

Hey, he had 15 minutes of fame.  Most of us don't even get that!

***

Christa, thank you so much for being my special guest today, and I'm glad our schedules worked out well enough to have you here just around the time of your latest book release.  We'll have do this again sometime!  :o)

Folks, if you'd like to connect with Christa, feel free to visit her website, find her on Facebook, or find her on Twitter.  And of course, if you'd like to leave any comments for Christa, just mosey on down to the comment section at the end of this post.

And part of our fun every week is a giveaway!  Thanks to Christa, there's a copy of her newest book, Love Finds You in New Orleans, Louisiana, up for grabs.  (Don'tcha just *love* that cover?!)  Simply fill out all the fields in the form below no later than Tuesday, 4/24, 11:59pm. A winner will be chosen through third-party site, random.org. Odds of winning are based upon number of entries, and contest eligible for US addresses only. I am not responsible for lost or damaged prizes.