Explore the Fun Side of Angela Benson, author of Sins of the Father
Would you say you are an extrovert or introvert?
I’m definitely an introvert. While I enjoy being around family and friends and am often the life of the party, I get my energy from my time alone.
Do you like to cook? If so, what are your favorite dishes to cook?
I don’t like to cook. Actually, I can’t cook. Literally. Every time I have to cook a dish, I have to call my mom. I blame my brother for this. When we were kids, my mother had two jobs so she gave me cooking tasks for after school. Unfortunately, her first task for me was fried chicken. How hard could that be? Well, things fell apart when my brother took his first bite of my golden brown chicken and it began to bleed. From then on, he refused to eat anything that I cooked so my cooking opportunities were severely reduced.
What movie(s) have you watched recently that you would recommend?
Transformers. I loved that movie. I think I’m in love with Bumblebee.
Do you like books being turned into a movie? If so, what is your favorite book-to-movie?
Let’s put it this way, as an author, I’d love to see one or more of my books turned into movies.
If Sins of the Father was turned into a movie who would you cast to play your characters?
Denzel would play Abraham, Angela Bassett would be Saralyn and Whitney (the old Whitney) would be Leah.
Which social networks do you enjoy the most?
Definitely, Facebook. I’m hooked. I really love it over there. You can find me at http://www.facebook.com/angelabenson every day. Come on over and join the fun.
What’s next for you?
My contract with Avon/HarperCollins is up with Sins of the Father. I recently submitted a proposal to them for my next book. I hope to have some good news in the next few weeks. In the meantime, I have a novella in the upcoming Millions of Blessings anthology being published by Dafina in March 2010. Marilynn Griffith and Tia McCollors, two wonderful people and great authors, have novellas in it as well.
About the Book
Successful media mogul Abraham Martin has great wealth, an elegant wife, Saralyn, and a rebellious son, Isaac. He also has a secret: a second family that no one knows about. Now, after thirty years—driven by the urging of his long dormant conscience—Abraham is determined to do the right thing by finally bringing his illegitimate children into the light…and into the family fold.
But beautiful, manipulative Saralyn will never accept the proof of her husband’s indiscretions. Isaac the heir, shaken by his father’s revelations, will fight mercilessly when his world is threatened, and may lose everything that matters as a result. And while Abraham’s forgotten daughter Deborah is open to the undreamed-of possibilities suddenly awaiting her, son Michael cannot forgive the man who cruelly abandoned them to near poverty. And he’s driven by only one desire: revenge!
Angela Benson’s Sins of the Father is a powerful story of a house bitterly divided—a rich, multi-layered family saga of betrayal and redemption, rage and compassion, faith, forgiveness, and ultimately, of love.
Follow the blog tour at http://bitly.com/SinsoftheFather.
For more information about Angela, visit her at AngelaBenson.com.
Can’t wait to read Sins of the Father. I enjoyed reading The Amen Sisters.
Angela, thanks so much for stopping by and sharing with us. You know I’m laughing at your cooking story, right? That happened to me when I was younger too and to this day I don’t really fry chicken. But, I didn’t let it stop me from throwing down and do claim the title of “great cook” and it’s not even a title I gave myself. LOL.
And, oooh, I liked BumbleBee too in Transformers. That was an awesome, awesome movie. Now the new on that came out, hmmmmmmmm…. I didn’t like that one as much and I wasn’t feeling the “black” Transformers. Have you seen it? (They did have some great special affects though.)
I have SINS OF THE FATHER on my list to read and I’m looking forward to it. I love the cover!! I’ll be peeking for your on FB and will definitely keep you posted. Our review should clear within the next few weeks.
-Tee
Great interview. I liked Transformers but GI Joe had better action scenes. Anyway, I loved Sins of the Father. You have a remarkable gift of storytelling & I pray for your continued success.
Sharon, Tee C and Monique, I don’t believe you ladies beat me here this morning. I appreciate your being here though. Your kind words and your support mean a great deal to me.
Thanks so much, Tee C, for hosting me today. You know, I do need one signature dish that I could brag about. It used to be lasagna until I found that Stouffer’s Family Pan. So much for that dish.
You know, I didn’t think I would like Transformers so it took me forever to see it. And then I loved it. I haven’t seen Transformers 2 or GI Joe but I will as soon as life settles down a bit. They’ll both probably be at the dollar movie by then.
I’ll be checking in throughout the day.
LOL!! Let me know if you like seafood as I have one for fish w/cream sauce over rice that everyone raves about. If not that, I have a banana nut coconut cake which is heavenly!
-Tee
Banana nut coconut cake….OMG Tee…you’re killing me over here…..LOL!!! Please ship me a cake.
Greedy! ROFL
-anonymouse
LOL!!
Another great interview Angela! I wish you much success in your career. (Sorry for the late check-in)
Thanks, for hosting Angela on RAWSistaz today.
Thanks for stopping by, Ty. You don’t come this way often, so it’s a treat to see you. And it’s great getting to know more about Angela.
-Tee
Angela, I can relate to the fried chicken incident. The exact thing happened to me and to this day those traitors (my mother, brother and sister) won’t let me forget it. Since then I’ve learned to prepare several exceptional dishes that they enjoy, go figure!!!
Sins of the Father sounds like an intriguing read and I’ve added it to my reading list.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us today!!!!
LOL @ “those traitors”. Too funny.
-Tee
Hey Angela, Thanks for sharing. I cannot wait to read this book and I will look for you on FB. I can definitely relate to your cooking story. I am a much better baker than cooker. I love to cook, but my meals don’t exactly turn out how I envisioned them in my mind…..it boggles me to no end. LOL.
Tee, that Banana Nut Coconut Cake sounds absolutely divine!! SCRUMPTIOUS!!
I’ll post it in a bit. Let me find the recipe.
-Tee
Angela,
I can’t wait to get a copy of Sins of The Father. It sounds very interesting. I’ve read Up Pop the Devil and enjoyed it. I have The Amen Sisters and getting ready to start reading that one.
I love Tranformers also; it was my #1 movie last year. Tranformers 2 was just as good. G. I. Joe was awesome. It is a must see.
Thank you for the glimpse into your life during the interview.
Brenda
Y’all are making me feel better about my cooking. I can’t believe how many of us had that same experience with fried chicken. Maybe it’s a rite of passage or something.
Tee C, I think the consensus is that I go for the Banana Nut Coconut Cake. Now can I make this with splenda and other sugar free ingredients. I like to be bad but not that bad. LOL!
Jaime, Susan and Brenda, you’ll have to let me know what you thought of Sins of the Father after you read it. Thanks for your support.
Okay, ummm….
Angela, you’re trying to mess up a masterpiece with some Splenda? Oh no, my sista. LOL.
-Tee
Angela,
Don’t worry about the cooking thing. My first attempt at frying chicken involved corn meal and I won’t go any further than that.
I agree with you about the Stouffer’s Lasagne. That is some good stuff. If I can buy it already made, then my work has been done in the kitchen. LOL
Brenda
Corn meal on chicken, Bren? Ahahahhaha. Ahem, sorry.
-Tee
ROFL!!!! EWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I picked up Sins of My Father yesterday and I am reading it. Love it!
Oooh, Alice, I’m so jealous!
-Tee
Your book sounds like a great read. It will definitely go on my list. I’m gonna agree with everyone else on the movies and the food. Just listening has made me hungry.
Okay Angela (and everyone else), I’m still not sure about the Splenda and making it healthy, so if you try it, definitely let me know. (This is so good, I can eat it without the frosting, so consider that before you mess up this with some nasty Splenda. ROFL.)
I don’t remember where I got this recipe from, but I make this cake 4-5 times per year and it’s always a hit. (As a tip, I do cut down on some of the pecans and coconut because I don’t like it to overwhelm it. Also, I use pecan pieces. And, for the icing I cut down a bit on everything. It makes a LOT.)
-Tee
————
BANANA NUT COCONUT CAKE
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chopped pecans
2 cups shredded coconut
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9×13 inch pan (I use a bundt pan).
2. Cream white sugar and 1/2 cup of the butter or margarine; add the eggs and 3 of the mashed bananas, mix well
3. Sift flour and soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixing well after each addition. Blend in 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Fold in 1 cup of the pecans and 1 cup of the coconut. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees (175 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely before frosting with Banana Nut Frosting.
5. To Make Frosting: Cream together 1/2 cup of the butter or margarine and 4 cups of confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in 1 medium mashed banana, 1 cup pecans, 1 cup coconut, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and mix well. Use to frost cake.
LOL @ you ladies and your cooking antics. Growning up in AL not learning to cook wa un-heard of been cooking full course meals since I was 12 years old. Waiting on my amazon.com delivery which will include Sins of the father.
Can’t waait to read the book Angela. Will you be doing a signing in Jacksonville, FL or Savannah , GA?
Angela, I know you were going to pass on the fish recipe, but I promise you it’s simple AND somewhat healthy…ahaha.
-Tee
Fish w/Shrimp sauce over rice
In a skillet, sauté your seasoned fish (I use catfish, salmon or talapia & season with Tony Chacheres, a little basil & pepper) in about 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides. In a separate skillet, heat 1 tbsp of butter and add celery, green pepper and green onions (optional for all of these last three ingredients—I’ve made it without before and it’s just as good) and cook until tender. Add shrimp (I add in the Tony Chacheres again here–just a dash or two) and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Then add the cream of shrimp and ½ cup of water, red pepper and paprika.
I normally pour the shrimp & sauce over the fish & rice.
The cream of shrimp isn’t overly fattening, but I’ve also cooked it in a skillet by itself, first adding the celery, onion & green pepper and cooking until tender. If you do this, you’ll have to do your shrimp separately and I use the Land o Lakes Light Butter and cook for 2-3 minutes. I taste test the shrimp as they are NOT good if you overcook them. And, then I simply add the shrimp over the fish and then drizzled a tablespoon or two of the sauce.
It’s delicious! Matter of fact, I’m making it for dinner tonight. Everyone’s invited over for a taste.
-Tee
Okay, Tee, thanks for the recipes. I really don’t think splenda is going to help the banana nut coconut cake so I may just add more nuts and more bananas and call it a day. I may even try the fish. Give me two weeks. I hope it counts if the recipes are cooked in my house even though I’m not necessarily the one who uses them. That does count, right?
Hey, Brenda, even I know flour goes on chicken and meal goes on fish, or something like that, right? Anyway, I think you and I have the same philosophy when it comes to cooking: Why do it?
Toni, stop bragging about the cooking. I’m not touring with this book beyond online. But given your cooking reputation, I may just have to make a special trip to the Jacksonville/Savannah area.
Toni, Tanisha and Alice, thanks for getting the book, or planning to get it. Now you have to let me know what you think of it.
LOL @ Angela. Isn’t cake always calorie free? :::giggling:::
Go for it, girl and it counts if it’s made in your house. LOL. But on those nuts or bananas…trust me, you don’t need anymore. And the older this cake gets, the better it is. (I’ve also found it works best with ripe bananas).
It’s been so fun having you with us today. Hopefully you’ll come back once we’ve read the book and do a Blog Chat (Book Discussion) with us.
-Tee
I’ve had a lovely time with you today, Tee, and I’d love to come back for a book chat. Just let me know. Thanks again for hosting me.
Hi, Angela. Your cooking story was hilarious. I’m not much of a cook myself…so I can definitely relate.
I’m looking forward to reading Sins of the Father. I, too, read Up Pops the Devil and enjoyed it! Thanks for joining us on today.
Hope, thanks for having me over here today. I’m having a lot of fun. I can’t wait to taste that banana nut coconut cake. Of course, mine will be calorie free.
Aw dang it! I missed this. I loved her book Up Pops the Devil.