Curling up with a good book and a strong, fragrant cup of tea sounds like a great way to spend some time… It’s probably not a coincidence that tea shows up in several of my clients’ books. In fact the following passage was one of many evocative scenes in Saladin Ahmed’s Throne of the Crescent Moon that kept me reading:

Tea.

Adoulla leaned his face farther over the small bowl and inhaled deeply, needing its aromatic cure for the fatigue of life. The spicy-sweet cardamom steam enveloped him, moistening his face and his beard, and for the first time that groggy morning he felt truly alive.

And, courtesy of M.K. Hutchin’s blog, here’s a recipe: Cardamon Tea from Throne of the Crescent Moon

Tea makes a decided showing in Elizabeth Bear’s Range of Ghosts (coming out next week!) as well. Considering her well-known admiration for the beverage, this is not surprising.

Samarkar took the celadon porcelain tea bowl Payma placed in her hands and bowed her head over it. She could see at a glance the two or three wilted, translucent flower petals that rolled in the depths of the clear greeny-amber fluid. Sweetened with rose jam, in just the idiosyncratic manner Samarkar preferred when it was not served as a meal.

So, in celebration of tea, I am giving away a hardcover copy of Saladin’s Throne of the Crescent Moon and an ARC of Elizabeth Bear’s Range of Ghosts to one lucky tea devotee.

To enter: comment here about your most memorable cup of tea or visit to a tea house or favorite flavor of tea (please share details!)…

Contest runs from now until Friday, March 23rd, 5pm Eastern. One comment entry per person.