P.G. Forte's Blog, page 16
December 1, 2024
Check out The Naughty List!
Happy Release Day Ashley Zakrzewski!
You can grab her book Unruly Kris here: https://amzn.to/4gcyxFE
Or sign up to read the whole Naughty List Series: https://amzn.to/49e8snC
UNRULY KRIS
She’s strict, he’s wild.
With the holiday season fast approaching, Lieutenant Colonel Catherine Black is ready to spend Christmas with her boyfriend and now roommate, Kris.
Kris Avery’s injury sustained while shooting his new movie has had him out of commission for the last six weeks, but he continues to show Christmas spirit as he pushes through his recovery.
When Catherine accompanies Kris to a charity event for the LA Children’s hospital, she finds out that he is an even better man than she thought.
As things take a hot and heavy turn, can Kris show Cath how to embrace her wild side?
November 27, 2024
Wine Wednesday: Frisby Cellars:Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2017 Paso Robles
So today I opened my last bottle from Frisby's Lake Forest, CA location. I haz a sad.
Prior to the pandemic--prior to March 15, 2020, to be exact, which is when California closed everything down. I know the date because I was actually at the winery at the time the news was announced. And it was the Sunday before St. Patrick's Day, which was the reason behind the timing. Or, at least, the reason that was given at the time.
Which was probably a good idea (I said what I said) even though, at the time, none of us (none of us at the winery, that is) could understand the urgency at all.
Well, there was wine involved, after all.
This wine has a lovely dark purple color. I'm not seeing much in the way of legs. That might be an age thing, I can't remember what it tasted like in 2020, or 2019, or whenever I first had it. The nose is luscious, blackberries and spice, maybe a little bit of cocoa and caramel. The taste...notes of cherry pie, lavender and oak, a little jammy with a bit of a bite. I may not remember what I thought about it four of five years ago, but I can definitely see why I bought it. It's yummy.
As for what I'd pair it with...I'm enjoying it with a pomegranate, while I chat with a couple of author-friends and we discuss our upcoming winery-set stories. I wouldn't exactly recommend pomegranate with cabernet, but it's not the worst pairing. However, there used to be a place in Yountville that made the best burgers--charcoal grilled, topped with melted blue cheese, tomato-pepper jam and bacon. I think this wine would be amazing with that. Or brisket. Brisket is good.
November 26, 2024
Romance Writers Weekly ~ Favorite Holiday Recipes ~ #LoveChatWrite
So, my only real problem with sharing recipes is that I almost never measure. So trying to explain what I do is problematic. Also, I think I shared my cranberry recipe last year and that's the easiest-to-measure one.
So, let's try this. In my husband's family it is known as potato cake. You start with mashed potatoes. I'm not going to tell you how to do that, or how much you need to make--it's your holiday gathering, not mine. What I do, is boil potatoes, scald some milk on the stove, add some butter and green and/or grated onions and let it come almost to a boil. I add that and more cream and butter to the potatoes, mash them, add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Nutmeg adds flavor to so many things.!
Next, I add mozzarella cut into cubes and mixed in well. Also grated parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings...to taste? I really don't know. You want enough cheese that it's really obvious. Then beat an egg and add that to the potato mixture. Turn the whole thing out into a buttered baking dish, dot with butter, cover with bread crumbs, and bake at 350ish degrees until the cheese has melted and the breadcrumbs have browned and (if there's enough butter) it's bubbling around the edges.
All of Brenda’s books are available to read for free with a KOBO Plus subscription. And not just hers! For a low monthly fee, you have access to millions of e-books and audio books, with no limits. The app is easy to download to your phone or tablet. Check it out today!
https://www.kobo.com/en/plus
ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS
AN OBERON CHRISTMAS DUOLOGY
https://www.pgforte.com/only-for-the-holidays
One Holiday weekend. Two special stories; filled with sugar plums, spice and everything nice…
If Only in my Dreams
Scout is heading home for the holidays when her flight is re-routed to Alternate-Universe Oberon, where nothing is as she remembers it.
Spicy Nick
When his wife finally returns from her unexpected adventure, Nick is ready to greet her with a little holiday spice.
Individual titles are now available for pre-order.
Duology will be available in print only. Info coming soon
November 25, 2024
Musical Monday: Not Ready to Make Nice (The Chicks)
Well, it's Thanksgiving in the US this week, which means many of us will be seeing extended family for the first time since the election. And won't that be fun? I was really hopeful that we'd be able to move on, but I guess not. The losers are feeling raw and bereft. The winners are...angry? Threatening? Un-fucking-hinged?
Beats the hell out of me. My filters are gone again, and I'm afraid I don't really care. So this song is going out to the half of this very divided nation that's not being hateful--because hateful people suck. Also, since I truly believe that "A nation divided against itself cannot stand," I figure we're in for a rocky ride these next few years. So, let's all take a moment to be grateful for the fact that we're still standing...if not for long. Let's take a deep breath, because I'm sure we'll all need it. And, I don't know...have a nice meal?
By the way, that divided nation quote either originated with Lincoln, or with Sam Houston. Take your pick. Considering I'm currently living in Texas, I should probably be giving Home Boy the credit.
November 20, 2024
Wine Wednesday: Mystery Pinot
Generally, when I go out to eat, I read the wine menu first (or the beer menu, if it's that kind of place) and then choose my meal to pair with whatever wine I want to try. Yes, really. I'm just that crazy.
This usually works out well, but sometimes there are hiccups. Last week was an example of that. I tried to order three different wines, only to find that the restaurant was out of all of them. They're undergoing rather extensive reconstruction/remodeling, atm. They didn't have the dessert we requested, either.
Eventually, the manager sent a sample of a Pinot Noir that was available, and I gave up and said, fine. I guess I'm drinking Pinot today.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the name, but I think it's probably Elouan out of Willamette Valley, Oregon. But I'm not really sure and I have no idea about the vintage. It was not a bad choice. It went okay with my meal--steak, salad, loaded baked potato, but probably not what I would have ordered to go with that meal. At least not if there had been any Cabernets available.
I think we've discussed my prejudice against Pinot Noirs. It's unfair, and I can't honestly say I dislike them, I just tend not to order them on principle. So, it was probably good that I was more or less forced into trying this wine.
This is a soft, light-bodied wine. The color is dark, inky black-red. Medium legs. I thought the nose was very interesting. There were notes of juniper, strawberry jam and dark fruit...boysenberry or black current. There was also an intriguing smokiness--both to the nose and the taste. The tannins were soft, which I think is typical of a Pinot Noir, and this was particularly noticeable on the finish which was very, very soft. The taste kind of faded out--not in an unpleasant way, necessarily. But definitely noticeable to someone who tends to drink more robust Cabs and Zins.
The taste was ripe fruit--maybe plum? Along with a little minerality, and a hint of cocoa.
I might try Elouan on purpose next time I see it, just to compare. But preferably when I'm eating something else. Like I said, it didn't go badly with the meal I had, but it didn't do it any favors, either.
November 19, 2024
Romance Writers Weekly ~ Where do you work? ~ #LoveChatWrite
I'm a creature of habit. I'm not neat (one of the great understatements of the millennium, unfortunately) but I don't like having my stuff messed with. So, I generally work at my desk. On my desktop computer. With everything exactly the same, other than the ever changing amount of clutter. And whenever I change something-- computers, keyboards, mouses, calendar pages, desktop screensavers, or basically ANYTHING at all within the room, it throws me off my stride. Which is unfortunate since I am currently sharing this office with my husband.Ask me how well that's not going.
OTOH, there are times when I have to write in longhand to get my muse up and running, and I can only do that at my dining room table, because my desk is too crowded. Or at a coffee shop, or other remote location.
And OTOH again (which is far too many hands, but who cares?) I do a fair amount of traveling and an entirely unfair amount of moving, so...I have a (now, sadly outdated) laptop for those not-rare-enough-IMO occasions when I have to be away from home but still want/have to write. Which is basically all the time.
Harper Forbes embarks on a journey of a lifetime as she follows her friend to Scotland, only to discover that she, too, has been mysteriously transported back in time to the 1500s. In this unfamiliar and perilous world, Harper must navigate through dangers and challenges she never could have imagined. But amidst the chaos and uncertainty, she finds not only her friend but also a love that transcends time itself. What will fate have in store for her? Join Harper on an unforgettable adventure filled with romance, danger, and the timeless power of true love.
https://shorturl.at/DnYjN
Love and Espresso
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Espresso-Zakrzewski-Anthologies-Ashley-ebook/dp/B0CSKS814M
This collection features meet-cutes that take place in a bookstore/coffee shop. The heroines are looking for their HEA but never expected it to happen while picking up a cup of coffee or picking out their next book boyfriend.
Giada Mazzi is Living her Best Life
life is more than just the lies we try and tell ourselves about what we’ve done and who we are.
I guess the truth is that I never stopped loving Ben. And I never stopped imagining how different my life might have been if he were only the person I needed him to be, instead of the person that he is. Which is silly, right? I mean, truly; it’s laughable. Because if he were someone else, he wouldn’t be him. And the world is already full of people like that. What good is one more gonna do me?
Besides, if I’m honest, Ben wasn’t ever the problem. That was me. I was never the person he believed me to be. Oh, I thought I was, in the beginning. I tried hard to be, and that worked for a while. Sort of. But eventually I reached the point where I had to make a choice between living life for myself, or for everyone else.
And when it came right down to that…how could I not choose me?
November 18, 2024
Musical Monday: Give Me Something to Sing About (Buffy the Musical)
I posted this a couple of weeks ago--the morning of November 6, to be precise--and, yeah, other than the fact that the ending is entirely more optimistic than I was feeling then...or now. Although, "the hardest thing in this world is to live in it," kinda rings true.
It also seems fitting to "celebrate" this moment with a song penned by someone who's been accused of abusive behavior and professional misconduct . I mean...yeah. that's where we are now.
November 13, 2024
Wine Wednesday: Becker Vineyards RVM
This wine from Becker features Roussanne, Viognier, and Marsanne--hence the RVM. I'm only really familiar with the Viognier, which might explain the trouble I'm having describing it. The nose is candied bacon--all smoke and sugar--with maybe some overblown roses. It's a full-bodied wine, with a creamy mouthfeel. This is one of those biscuity wines--where biscuit is used in the British sense. IE, it tastes like a cookie, dry, buttery, with a hint of sweetness.
I taste honey, melon and grapefruit. And more of those sweet and smoky burnt sugar notes. Toasted oak. Like a night in a ski lodge, soft doeskin gloves drying in front of a fire. A glass of cider, a plate of s'mores. I'm not sure what I'd pair this with--other than the aforementioned s'mores. Brunch, perhaps? Summer fruit pies, or tea sandwiches?
Wine Wednesday: Becker Vineyardss RVM
This wine from Becker features Roussanne, Viognier, and Marsanne--hence the RVM. I'm only really familiar with the Viognier, which might explain the trouble I'm having describing it. The nose is candied bacon--all smoke and sugar--with maybe some overblown roses. It's a full-bodied wine, with a creamy mouthfeel. This is one of those biscuity wines--where biscuit is used in the British sense. IE, it tastes like a cookie, dry, buttery, with a hint of sweetness.
I taste honey, melon and grapefruit. And more of those sweet and smoky burnt sugar notes. Toasted oak. Like a night in a ski lodge, soft doeskin gloves drying in front of a fire. A glass of cider, a plate of s'mores. I'm not sure what I'd pair this with--other than the aforementioned s'mores. Brunch, perhaps? Summer fruit pies, or tea sandwiches?
November 12, 2024
Romance Writers Weekly ~ The Importance of Happy Endings ~ #LoveChatWrite
Sooooo...this week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop, we're asked to, "Discuss why happy endings matter in romance fiction." Which, I gotta admit, feels ironic AF, atm. So, I'm gonna start with this quote from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel:
"Everything will be all right in the end... if it's not all right then it's not yet the end."
Now, to be honest, I'm not sure how much I believe that's true in real life. Especially right now. But when it comes to Romance, the happy ever after--the HEA--is one of the absolute non-negotiables. Even more important than, "don't kill the dog" which is something that I've also done, but that's a story for a different day.
I also think it's one of the genre's strengths. It's one of the things that make these stories so valuable--comforting, healing, hopeful. I believe the world--and maybe women in particular--need that right now. To borrow a phrase from another movie (Romancing the Stone) I am, as most romance authors are, a hopeful romantic.
Now, hop on over to Brenda Margriet's page to find out how she feels about HEAs in fiction. And don't forget to check out her book, The Promise of Frost :
The Promise of Frost
An adventurous kitten, a curious dog, and a matchmaking eight-year-old guarantee this will be a holiday to remember.
Luca Tannon’s new neighbour is a sexy but surly single dad. Which is all for the best since she’s intent on reclaiming her life after a toxic long-term relationship.
Caleb Frost won’t let anything distract him from ensuring his son’s first Christmas as the child of divorced parents is perfect. And that includes the irritatingly intriguing woman living next door.
Everything is going as planned…until it’s not.
https://books2read.com/PromiseOfFrost
Dream Under the HillOberon, Book 8.0
https://books2read.com/DreamHillThe Spring Equinox falls in the month that nearly all Native Traditions recognize as being one of Big Winds--big changes. And big changes have certainly come to Oberon this spring, along with an ancient evil that must finally be laid to rest.
Cara Matthews is a girl with a troubled past and a very troubling present. The teenage girlfriend of Oberon's newest guru has always looked for love in all the worst places. And it doesn't get much worse than the Church of Truth, Light and Vision.
Former cop Liam McKnight could have told her that, but he's infiltrated the cult in hopes of discovering some clue to the whereabouts of his missing family members, and he can't jeopardize his mission--not even for her.
In a month marked by birth, death and marriage, the inhabitants of Oberon must all come to terms with what's really important to each of them--important enough to die for. Only one thing is certain; when the winds of change finally stop blowing nothing, and no one, will be the same.
