Opposites Ignite, a Bangers Tavern Romance, book 2

Wild Women Authors is pleased to bring back author Sadira Stone and Opposites Ignite, her Bangers Tavern Romance #2. First up is Eddie Volkov, a man who does all things around Bangers while he dreams of opening up his own bar, this one with a Russian flair.

Good morning, Eddie. Thanks for joining us. Let’s start with where you’re from.  Tacoma, Washington.

Tell us a bit about Opposites Ignite.  Our story started when Dawn O’Malley, our boss at Bangers Tavern, hung up mistletoe at Christmastime. I’d been crushing hard on Rosie, a server at the bar, since she came to work here a year ago. Those curves, those tattoos, that electric blue hair! She’s a goddess. Took me forever to work up the courage and ask her for a kiss. I was floored when she said yes, and completely blown away when she came home with me on New Year’s Eve. Turns out she was blown away too, but not in a good way. She was convinced that fooling around with a coworker was a terrible idea. Convincing her otherwise got complicated when my babka—Russian for grandma—walked in on us. My family’s old-fashioned. No way would they understand the concept of a one-night stand—not what I had in mind either. Rosie agreed to pretend to date me for a few weeks, probably because she felt guilty for dumping me after just one night. She was sure a shy, strait-laced guy like me would never stick around with a wild woman like her. Of course, I made it my life’s mission to prove her wrong, and—well, you’ll just have to read the book to see how it turned out.

What did you think the first time you saw Rosie? I was floored. Like, literally stuck to the floor, mouth hanging open. Yeah, I’m not so smooth with the ladies.

What was your second thought? She’ll never go for a guy like me.

Did you feel it was love at first sight? Honestly, no, because love has to do with really knowing the person. Getting to know Rosie was tough at first. She hides behind snarky humor and flirty banter. Prying her armor open was tough, but so worth it.

What do you like most about Rosie? She’s so honest and brave.

How would you describe her? Like I said, she’s a goddess, so lush and earthy and confident.

How would she describe you? Uptight, but cute.

What made you choose bartending as a career? I always knew I wanted to run a business of my own, rather than taking over my parents’ dry-cleaning shop—ugh! Chemicals and wire hangers are not my idea of paradise. Once I came to work at Bangers, I realized a neighborhood bar was the perfect project. Dacha, my dream bar, will be homey and welcoming, like Bangers—a place to hang out and relax, but with Russian flair, a hundred different kinds of vodka, and Russian dumplings.

Can’t forget the dumplings. What is your biggest fear? Being stuck running that dry-cleaning shop, or some other soul-sucking job where I never get to use my creativity.

How do you relax? Okay, this is embarrassing, but I’m kind of obsessive about my notebook. I make lists of goals, ideas for my bar, I draw floor plans and create menus and jot down drink recipes…

Who is your favorite fictional character? That’s a tough one. Maybe Rick in Casablanca? Something about the 1930s and 40s speaks to me, I guess. Bogart was so tough and suave without all the macho bullshit posturing you see in movies these days.

What is the best piece of advice you ever received? My dedka, Russian for grandpa, told me, “Kiddo, you gotta build your dreams with the tools at hand.”

Thanks for this, Eddie. We appreciate it. Now we’d like to chat with Sadira.

What movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? I read tons of romance books, from historical to sci-fi, and I learn something from each , Sun.

What event in your private life were you able to bring to this story and how do you feel it impacted the novel? During the pandemic, I’ve really missed my weekly dart league. Every Tuesday and Wednesday we’d meet in local dive bars, a bunch of colorful characters who came to feel like family. I tried to infuse that warmth and comfort into Bangers Tavern.

And you did it very well. Makes me want to book a flight to Tacoma and pay a visit. BTW. what is the Tacoma octopus?

Tell us about your publisher, how you found them, why you stayed with them. This is my second indie-published book. I’m enjoying the control I have over every aspect of the story, from cover to blurb to price. But it takes a big team to produce a quality book—cover designer, beta readers, editors, and writer friends who help with promo and give advice.

What book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile? I’m currently reading The Switch by Beth O’Leary. Up next, Courtney Milan’s The Duke Who Didn’t.

Lastly, what's up next and when can we expect to see it on the shelves? I’ve just started writing Anna and Diego’s story, Bangers Tavern Romance 3. No title yet—that’s usually my last step. I hope to have it out this summer.

 

To purchase Opposites Ignite, go to:  https://books2read.com/u/m0wjvP

 

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