Adult romance fans of Plant City were in for a treat July 21, when Bruton Memorial Library hosted a “Tea-esta” to remember.
The event brought writer M. Garnet to the library’s meeting room for a two-hour chat with a room full of local women. No topic was off-limits and Garnet went into great detail about her writing style, the publishing process and where she looks for inspiration.
“It’s not so much looking as it is, it seems like, it walks up and slaps me in the face,” Garnet said. “I could be talking to somebody and, all of a sudden, I think, ‘We should say a little more about that.’”
Garnet, whose real name is Muriel G. Yantiss, is best-known for her “steamy” romance novels and those who attended the “Tea-esta” were most curious about them. But Garnet is also a prolific science fiction author — her favorite genre to write, she said — and also pens the occasional mystery novel.
Garnet, who lives in Pinellas County, does five to six speaking engagements like the “Tea-esta” per year around the Tampa Bay area.
The “Tea-esta” began at 3 p.m. and guests got to snack on chips and salsa and slices of key lime pie while sipping cold tea and socializing. Garnet sat at a lectern to speak and answered questions until shortly before 5 p.m. She then met personally with the guests, sold books for $8 and offered to sign them upon purchase.