Pamela S. Thibodeaux's Blog, page 90

#ThursdayThoughts: Guest post by Lillian Duncan

Good Morning,

Today we welcome Lillian Duncan back to our blog with something to think about....

The Faith of a Child(cdndloven)

“I just came across this verse, Pink. Made me think of you. Want to hear it?”          Not really. “Sure.”          “In Matthew it says unless you become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”          “Yeah, I’ve heard that one before.”          “But what do you think it means?” His voice was insistent.          She leaned against the door, suddenly so tired she could barely stand. “I don’t know. What do you think it means?”          “It’s all about trust and faith. The kind children have. Especially the kind they have at Christmas. Think about it—kids just believe in Santa because their parents tell them he exists. Even though it makes no sense, they believe.”          Zoe slid down to the floor with her back against the door. “And you want me to have that kind of faith in you?”          “Not in me. In God.”
The above is a short excerpt from NO Home For The Holidays, my new Christmas-themed novella. In it, Chloe Sullivan needs a miracle but has given up on getting it. Ex-FBI turned preacher, Colton Douglas believes no miracle is too hard for God.
He has the faith of a child and he wants Chloe to have the same.
When we were children, we accepted the myth without question that Santa flies around the world, leaves gifts for every child, and even takes a moment to eat a bite or two of the cookies we left out. Our logical minds told us that it was impossible, but that was the magic of Christmas.
Faith comes easy when we’re children. Not so easy as adults. Our adult mind tells us:
Jesus couldn’t be the Son of God born of a virgin—that’s where faith comes in.Heaven sounds too good to be true—that’s where faith comes in.God couldn’t really love us after all we’ve done—that’s where faith comes in.
I can admit that sometimes my teeny-tiny human mind has difficulty comprehending such amazing concepts as heaven or forever or unconditional love. But I don’t need to understand it to believe it, just as I don’t need to understand electricity to believe in or to use it.
So this Christmas season close those adult eyes. Instead, look at Christmas through the eyes of a child—through eyes of faith. And be amazed at God’s love for each of us. Be amazed by the miracle we call Christmas.

To celebrate the release of No Home For The Holidays, Lillian is running a contest on her blog, Tiaras & Tennis Shoes. Five lucky winners will receive a $10 Amazon Gift card. So hop on over to www.lillian-duncan.com and leave a comment under the No Home For The Holidays blog post so you’ll be entered to win one of the gift cards.
You can purchase No Home for the Holidays right now for only $.99 cents at Pelican Book Group ($1.99 at Amazon) Lillian Duncan: stories of faith mingled with murder & mayhem!
Lillian is a multi-published writer with several Amazon bestsellers, including The Christmas Stalking and Betrayed. Lillian writes the types of books she loves to read—fast-paced suspense with a touch or two of romance that demonstrates God’s love for all of us
Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.
To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit: www.lillianduncan.net. Tiaras & Tennis Shoes is her personal blog at www.lillian-duncan.com. 
Hope you enjoyed today's treasure. Lillian will be back for Saturday Spotlight this month so drop by often!
Until later, take care and God Bless. PamT

#TuesdayTreasure: #HolidayRomanceandRecipes

Good Morning!

It is my pleasure to bring to you the author and book that started this Holiday Romance and Recipe blog exchange!

Diana Rubino has written a lovely cookbook titled, Around the World in 80 Meals and although it is not a romance, there are a lot of sexy meals to be treasured, like this one for Tiramisu....


Ingredients3 large eggs, separated¾ cup sugar8 ounces mascarpone cheese½ cup heavy cream2 cups espresso at room temperature2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine6 ounces savoiardi (crisp Italian ladyfingers)2 tablespoons cocoa powder 
Instructions
Beat egg yolks and ½  cup sugar in a large bowl until thickened and pale.Beat in mascarpone until barely combined.Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until they barely hold soft peaks.Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar continuing to beat whites until they barely hold stiff peaks. Beat heavy cream in a separate bowl until it barely holds soft peaks.Gently fold cream into mascarpone mixture until thoroughly mixed.Fold in egg whites.Stir espresso and Marsala wine together in a shallow bowl.Dip 1 savoiardi into espresso mix and for a few seconds each side.Place dipped savoiardi in a 2-quart glass baking dish.Dip 8 more savoiardi  and arrange in a snug layer in bottom of dish.Spread half the mascarpone mixture evenly over dipped savoiardi.Repeat process to make a second layer of dipped savoiardi and mascarpone.Cover and chill 6 hours.
Sprinkle with cocoa powder and serve.
mmmmm....who says desserts aren't romantic? Doesn't this just look like something you'd want to share with your significant other?
Imagine it....one serving...two spoons...feeding each other by candlelight....

Diana's book, Around the World in 80 Meals can be found at Amazon.
Around the World in 80 Meals: The Best of Cruise Ship Cuisine weaves gastronomic delights around an exotic seven-day dream fantasy cruise. Imagine waking up on a different ship in a new port of call every day, and treating your taste buds to a gourmet meal every evening, each carefully prepared by one of the best chefs afloat. This book highlights the most interesting menus and recipes of a diversity of cruise lines, from the luxurious Cunard Line, famed for its opulent ocean liners, to a small but highly exclusive line of yachts that offer the most personalized cruise experience. The reader can see daily snapshots of a week of luxury cruising. A chapter for each day briefly introduces each ship, explains where it is located, and gives information about each cruise line and its chefs. The main focus is on the dinner menu followed by recipes for recreating every delectable morsel in your own kitchen. Diana Rubino's passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance, FAKIN' IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, plays her piano, cooks, and devours books of any genre. Visit Diana at www.dianarubino.com, https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com, and on Twitter @DianaLRubino.

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed today's treasure. Stay tuned weekly for more Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights!
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Stacy Juba & Fooling Around With Cinderella

Good Morning and Welcome to another edition of Saturday Spotlight.

Today we welcome Stacy Juba back to our blog with her title, Fooling Around With Cinderella, Storybook Valley #1.

What happens when the glass slippers pinch Cinderella's toes? 
When Jaine Andersen proposes a new marketing role to the local amusement park, general manager Dylan Callahan charms her into filling Cinderella’s glass slippers for the summer. Her reign transforms Jaine’s ordinary life into chaos that would bewilder a fairy godmother. Secretly dating her bad boy boss, running wedding errands for her ungrateful sisters, and defending herself from the park’s resident villain means Jaine needs lots more than a comfy pair of shoes to restore order in her kingdom. First in the Storybook Valley series, a blend of sweet romance, chick lit, and fairy tale fun. 
Excerpt:Dylan scrutinized Jaine, arms folded across his royal blue shirt with the Storybook Valley logo stamped over the left in white block letters. “Do you wear contacts?” “I have plenty of media contacts. Wait. Did you say wear contacts? You mean instead of these?” Jaine fingered the earpiece of her gold-rimmed glasses. “Right. Contact lenses.”She gave a nervous chuckle. “I scheduled a consultation in college, but was too squeamish to insert the lens. I was more comfortable in glasses.” Was she really justifying her vision enhancement choices to her prospective new boss? Maybe he intended to discuss medical benefits. Or did he think she looked nerdy? What was the saying? Guys don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses? Not that she wanted him to make a pass even if he was hot. “How blind are you without glasses?” Dylan persisted.“You wouldn’t want to drive with me.”“How about if you’re walking around a building? Are you in danger of hurting yourself?” This interview had taken the Mad Hatter Freeway from Fairy Tale Land into Wonderland where nothing made a damn bit of sense. Did this guy have a glasses fetish, like those weirdoes with shoe fetishes?“I should be okay. I take them off for special occasions.” In fact, Jaine’s older sister Bree, who was getting married in August, remarked just last week, “You are losing the glasses for my wedding pictures, right?” What the hell. She’d be a good sport and hope Dylan would be so grateful to pick the brain of a real, flesh and blood, bespectacled person that he would appoint her marketing director. Jaine removed her glasses and the fine details of her surroundings fuzzed. She nodded toward the framed print hanging on a side wall, the picture a wash of symbols and colors. “I can tell that’s a park map, but the words and images smear together.”And that was myopia in a nutshell. Jaine adjusted her glasses back into place so she could see his reaction. Dylan examined her with such intensity that a blush stained her cheeks. She patted her blonde French braid, in case stray strands were straggling out. “Here’s the situation,” Dylan said. “I took over the general manager position a few months ago. I’m evaluating possible changes and researching how other theme parks run. My grandfather and father have worked with a marketing firm for years to create our brochures, billboards, print, and radio ads.” Jaine’s shoulders caved, imperceptible to him, but it felt as if her whole body was sinking. No fairy tale job ending for her.

Sounds like a fun, romantic story! Fooling Around With Cinderella, Storybook Valley #1 can be purchased at Amazon for Kindle and in Paperback, at B&N (Nook); Google Play, Kobo, iBookstore and Smashwords.
 Stacy Juba got engaged at Epcot Theme Park and spent part of her honeymoon at Disneyland Paris, where she ate a burger, went on fast rides, and threw up on the train ride to the hotel. In addition to working on her new Storybook Valley chick lit/sweet romance series, Stacy has written books about ice hockey, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths. 
She has had a novel ranked as #5 in the Nook Store and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. Stacy is also the founder of the Glass Slipper Sisters, a group of authors with Cinderella-themed romance novels. When she’s not visiting theme parks with her family, (avoiding rides that spin and exotic hamburgers) or writing about them, Stacy helps authors to strengthen their manuscripts through her Crossroads Editing Service. She is currently writing the next book in the Storybook Valley Series, Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty.
Find out more about Stacy by visiting her Website and blog, Facebook  Twitter  Goodreads  Amazon and the Glass Slipper Sisters Facebook group



Well Friends, hope you enjoyed today's Spotlight! Stay tuned weekly for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and of course Saturday Spotlight.
Until later...take care, God bless and remember....when the shopping gets tough, the shoppers go to a coffee shop (a little holiday humor I hope LOL!) 
Have a great day! PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Guest post by Monique DeVere

Good Morning Friends,

It is with great pleasure I introduce to you Monique Devere as she shares with us something to think about....


Be Careful What You Pray For, You Just Might Get It!
Have you ever prayed an earnest pray and had it answered in the most unexpected way?

I love humour. I love God’shumour. We can never guess quite how He will answer our prayers. We just hope that He would. I had an encounter with God’s humour about four months ago.
Now, for you to grasp the enormity of what I’m about to tell you, you must first understand that neither my hubby nor I are huge pet lovers. Over the years we allowed each of our four kids to have the occasional pair of budgies, fish, a couple of hamsters, and one or two rabbits, but never any animal with the potential for longevity. That sounds mean, but I grew up on a plantation with tons of animals, and my grandparents on both sides were farmers, so the thought of living with animals as an adult just didn’t work for me, and my husband is the world’s biggest softie when it comes to animals.
I am not exaggerating when I tell you the man wouldn’t kill a fly! It amuses me how he would gently shoot out flies, or carefully capture a spider and put it outside. So he never wanted pets because he finds it hard when they pass away. So here I am, not wanting pets because I’d had enough of them growing up, and hubby who finds it too sad when they die. Yet, we knew we couldn’t deprive our kids of the joy and experience of owning their very own pet. But, like I said, we were never going to own something like…let’s say…a dog!   
This is where the humour comes in. About 3 years ago, our first son—#2 child—agreed to dogsit for an acquaintance, only to discover two weeks later when it was time to return the dog that the owner had moved house. He’d duped my son into having a dog that he and his then fiancée—now wife—hadn’t planned on keeping. Needless to say my son fell in love with Mika, a white/golden Akita Shepherd, but struggled to keep her, what with work and a wife who had become extremely ill with undiagnosed Crohn’s disease. Eventually, my son changed jobs and was away from home a lot and of course his wife couldn’t cope with a pregnancy, home and dog. So they had to make the decision to let Mika go.
Did I mention that Mika had been badly mistreated by her first owners? No? It was very sad. I felt my son’s anguish at having to re-home her, but I also knew Mika needed to move on to a better home, so as a praying woman who does her battles on her knees, I went to the Lord. I prayed for Mika and asked God to help my son to find her a wonderful home with a Godly family who would show her unconditional love and affection. The type of family with kids who would love and spoil Mika. A home where she would live indoors, instead of having to live outside in a tiny dog house whatever the weather. My prayer was long and extensive, and filled with everything I could think that an abused dog would want in order to be happy.

A couple of weeks later my son found a temporary home for Mika, but the temporary keepers worked and Mika got bored alone at home each day and bit the handles off the cupboard doors. They returned Mika to my son along with a large repair bill.
Poor Mika.
Hubby and I exchanged a long look. I could tell what he was thinking, and I said, “No way!!!” and disappeared into my home office to write. Then the Lord touched my heart and a total sense of compassion brought tears to my eyes. Would it really be so hard to adopt Mika? She’d still be a part of my son’s family and if it’s one thing hubby and I know how to do, it is love.

After that touch from God, I sauntered out of my office to seek out hubby. But like all good stories, by the time I’d changed my mind, hubby had changed his also. We were yet again on opposing sides of the same coin. We discussed it, then called a mini family meeting with the two remaining children at home. We all agreed that we could, and should, offer Mika a loving home.

And that is how we came to own a beautiful Akita Shepherd when I never thought in a million years I’d ever willingly own a dog! Not a big one anyway—maybe just a teacup fluffball I could stick bows on and carry around in a doggie handbag :-)
We have grown deeply attached to Mika. I can’t imagine not having her around. We love her and spoil her awfully. These days she’s an indoor dog and always has her people around to keep her company, so she’s never lonely.
One of the remaining emotional scars we’ve noticed is that she’s very timid about going outside when it’s drizzling. She usually stops, looks up at whoever is letting her out with a sad puppy-dog look in her eyes as if she’s asking: are you going to shut me out in the rain? We never do. I pray that as we care for her, God will heal all her emotional scars and she can be free of her past.
This experience has taught me that sometimes when we pray, we just might unknowingly be the answer to that prayer.

Wow...great story, Monique! I think we can all identify at some point in our lives when we felt the same way about the power of prayer and God's sense of humor.

Monique DeVere is a full-time author of Sweet 'n' Spicy Romantic Comedy and Contemporary Romance. She also writes Christian Supernatural Suspense movie scripts. She was born on the beautiful island of Barbados, where she grew up on a large plantation with enough wide-open space to let the imagination run free. She moved to the UK as a teen and shortly after met and fell instantly, and irrevocably, in love with her very own strong-silent-type hero. When Monique isn’t writing or spending quality time with her family, she likes to armchair travel to distant and exciting parts of the world and considers herself to have the best job on earth.
You can visit her at moniquedevere.com where she invites you to join her exclusive Sweet ‘n’ Spicy Readers Club packed full of goodies for her members. Monique loves to hear from her readers, do contact her at monique@moniquedevere.com. Also connect with Monique on Amazon Author Page | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook Fanpage | LinkedIn | Wattpad| Pinterest| or visit her Blog! Monique's latest book, Party for Two is available now at Amazon. Here's a sneak peek....Her sexy weekend fling.Ex-lawyer turned pregnancy model Danielle Hampton has one simple rule; never date an attorney, even if he’s so deliciously hot she’s nicknamed him His Hotness Esquire. When her father asks her to strap on her silicone bump and pretend to be Casey Lowe’s pregnant fiancée in order to pull her family’s law firm out of trouble, her first answer is a resounding no! But she owes Casey for wrecking his pool.
Civil Rights Attorney Casey Lowe lives by a code of practice: never date his boss’s daughter, but he’ll do just about anything to make partner at the top law firm—even if it means violating his personal code. He hasn’t bargained on the fierce desire that burns hotter than the Mojave Desert and combusts every time he gets his boss’s daughter alone. She may drive him to distraction and melt in his arms, but will this party girl hang around long enough for him to convince her that all the best parties… are for two?

I hope you enjoyed today's thoughts. I certainly did!
Stay tuned each week for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!
Until next time...take care and God Bless. PamT

#TuesdayTreasure: Special Guest post and Contest by Lillian Duncan

Good Morning!

It is with great pleasure I bring you today's guest. Lillian Duncan is a fellow Pelican Book Group author and she is sharing with us something she treasures!

CELEBRATE!
My latest release is No Home For The Holidays , a Christmas-themed romantic suspense novella. Christmas and suspense? I love the challenge of finding a way to mix the two together. The gist of the story is about a “prodigal daughter” who wants to go home but knows she will put her family in danger as well as herself if she does.
In the story, Chloe is downright grinchy. Christmas reminds her of home and since she can’t go home, she refuses to acknowledge or celebrate Christmas in any way. I wonder how many of us do the same thing.
I’ve got no kids so why put up a tree?I’m alone now, so what’s the point of decorating?It’s too much work. I’m so busy.
Mmmm….Do any of those excuses sound familiar?
There’s nothing like a serious health crisis to teach us to appreciate life!  It started on April Fool’s Day in 2012 when I developed Bell’s palsy (an inflammation of the facial nerves). An MRI brought even more shocking news—bilateral brain tumors and a diagnosis of NF2, a genetic disorder.  It continues still today.
How it will end? Only God knows. It’s been a long and difficult journey, but God has taught me much. And one of those nuggets of wisdom is to celebrate life!
For the past several years, we’d cleared off our enclosed porch and filled it with Christmas trees--lots of them!  It's just for fun and just for us--no grandbabies around to enjoy it.  But when I started experience side effects from my second brain tumor treatment in 2013 much earlier than expected, we decided to forego the Christmas Porch.  Too much work and I didn't feel well enough to help.
But one morning I woke up to a porch full of Christmas trees, thanks to my sweet husband.  I can’t tell you how much joy I got from just seeing the Christmas Trees every time I walked past them.  And it taught me a lesson, life is worth celebrating, especially at Christmas. Last year there wasn’t even a question. The trees were going up!
At this time of the year, we have so much to celebrate--the birth of a babe in a lowly manger. A birth that changed the world! A birth that brought heaven to earth! It’s a time of the year when we should all be celebrating, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.
We’re celebrating the birth of Jesus, our king, our savior!
You're right, Lillian...the gift of LIFE is definitely something to treasure!

To celebrate the release of No Home For The Holidays , Lillian is running a contest on her blog, Tiaras & Tennis Shoes. Five lucky winners will receive a $10 Amazon Gift card. So hop on over to www.lillian-duncan.com and leave a comment under the No Home For The Holidays blog post so you’ll be entered to win one of the gift cards.
You can purchase No Home for the Holidays right now for only $.99 cents at Pelican Book Group ($1.99 at Amazon)
Lillian Duncan: stories of faith mingled with murder & mayhem!
Lillian is a multi-published writer with several Amazon bestsellers, including The Christmas Stalking and Betrayed. Lillian writes the types of books she loves to read—fast-paced suspense with a touch or two of romance that demonstrates God’s love for all of us
Whether as an educator, a writer, or a speech pathologist, she believes in the power of words to transform lives, especially God’s Word.
To learn more about Lillian and her books, visit: www.lillianduncan.net. Tiaras & Tennis Shoes is her personal blog at www.lillian-duncan.com. 
Hope you enjoyed today's treasure. Lillian will be back for Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight this month so drop by often!
Until later, take care and God Bless. PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger

Good Morning!

You'll remember today's guests from many visits in the past and their character, Skylar Drake from previous books.

Today Janet and Will are bringing us a brand new title, Strange Markings... .

The Pacific breezes blow many things in from the ocean, this time its power, greed, and murder. At the dawn of the television age in 1955, Skylar Drake is called to identify the remains of a fellow movie stuntman found buried in a shallow grave. While there, he is shown mysterious wounds and strange tattoos on two additional bodies.
A wealthy Bel Air matron sends her enticing niece to enlist Drake’s help in locating a missing nephew. The search takes him back to pre-statehood Hawaii where he stopped off on his way to the hell of the Korean War. Unexplained deaths, politics and superstitious locals turn the tropical paradise into a nightmare where nothing is what it seems and no one can be trusted. 

Since Strange Markings is set in Hawaii, Janet decided to send us a recipe instead of an excerpt!
Pineapple Haupia is a traditional dessert ata Hawaiian style Luau feast.
Ingredients1-1/2 c. coconut milk1/1/2 c. water1/2 c. +2 TB sugar1/2c. +2 TB cornstarch1 c. crushed pineapple, drainedIn a sauce pan over medium heat, combine coconut milk, water, sugar and cornstarch, stir until thickened. lower heat, continue to cook 5-10 minutes. Transfer mixture to 8-inch pan. Stir in pineapple. Refrigerate until set about 2 hours.
To serve, cut into 2-inch squares. Serves 8-10
Sounds Yummy! You can get Strange Markings at Amazon.
JANET ELIZABETH LYNN and Will Zeilinger are a husband and wife and authors in their own right. Janet has eight novels, Will has four novels. They decided to get together to write noir mysteries set in 1955. STRANGE MARKINGS is the second. The Skylar Drake Murder Mysteries series. They each bring separate talents to the writing team. Getting together to research, interview, and appearances, they complement each other. Traveling the world has given much insight, a long list of friends and a large basket of hotel shampoo and conditioner.
Contact info for Janet:Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/janet.lynn.5477Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/home?trk=nav_responsive_tab_homeTwitter: https://twitter.com/JanetLynn4Blog: http://janetelizabethlynnauthor.blogspot.com/e-mail: janet_lynn51@yahoo.comwebsite: www.janetlynnauthor.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Contact info for Will:Twitter:  @Will_ZeilingerFacebook:  www.facebook.com/wzeilingerLinkedIn

Janet and Will will return later this month for a Tuesday Treasure and Thursday Thoughts so come visit often!
Until later...take care and have a BLESSED day!PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: #Holiday Romance and Recipes with @TinaGayle!

Good Morning...

It's time for another Holiday Romance and Recipe blog exchange, today with Tina Gayle who has visited us before. So without much further ado....here's Tina!

Photo by belchonock from depositphotos.com
I have a friend who wrote an awesome cookbook. I wanted to share one of her recipes and tell you a little about her book Around the World in 80 Meals: The Best of Cruise Ship Cuisine weaves gastronomic delights around an exotic seven-day dream fantasy cruise.

If you love #cruising and #cooking, check out AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 MEALS, seven menus and #recipes from the world's greatest cruise ships, by Diana Rubino. #cookbooks
On sale at Amazon: http://amzn.to/15P4vF2
Here is one of the recipes I enjoyed.

Spinach and Pear Salad with Rosemary Vinaigrette Ingredients2 tablespoons red wine vinegar2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar2 tablespoons vegetable broth1½ tablespoons minced shallots2 teaspoons white miso – ( I left this out)1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary4 cups baby spinach4 teaspoons coarsely chopped toasted walnuts2 pears, unpeeled, cored, thinly sliced¼ cup crumbled blue cheeseInstructionsBlend vinegars, broth, shallots and miso in a blender until smooth. Mix in the herbs, and seasonto taste with salt and pepper.Toss spinach and walnuts in a large bowl and coat with dressing. Place spinach on salad plates.Top with sliced pears and cheese.Blend vinegars, broth, shallots and miso in a blender until smooth. Mix in the herbs, and seasonto taste with salt and pepper.Toss spinach and walnuts in a large bowl and coat with dressing. Place spinach on salad plates.Top with sliced pears and cheese.

This was easy and tasty. I like spinach with strawberries so I knew I’d like this too.

Tina's book, Marketing Exec's Widow is on sale for .99cents for a limited time! Check it out...

Four women...
One fatal car wreck...
Everyone's lives changed...

Blurb --- "Marketing Exec’s Widow”

Jennifer Larson, having lost her husband, friends and the perfect life she’d had plan, now faces the biggest challenge of her life, moving into an unplanned future. While the rest of the Executive Wife Club is still wallowing in the past, Jen is tempted into the future by a sexy chiropractor, Hagan Chaney.

But does he really love her or is he only after her money?

Excerpt –Why in heaven’s name did he ask her on a date?
And why did she care?
She had no plans other than a casual dinner for two.
He glanced up and a pretty-boy grin crossed his lips. The twinkle in his hazel eyes softened the square line of his jaw. “So have you decided what you want?”
Heat simmered low in her belly. Oh, yeah, answering that question the wrong way could get her into a world of trouble.
Tempted by wicked ideas, Jen blinked and stared at the menu. She’d do better if he didn’t know the wild directions of her brainwaves. “I’m not sure I can eat. I haven’t been this nervous since my first date with Craig.”
Ah, shit, I wasn’t supposed to mention him. Fire burned her cheeks and her gaze popped to Hagan’s befuddled expression.
“Craig?” Hagan lowered his menu.
“My...uh...husband. He died several months ago.” Jen’s grip tightened on the plastic folder and her heart raced into overdrive. Great, just what she needed to say to start the evening off on the right note. Mention your dead husband and kill the mood.
“Want to call the evening a bust?” she blurted out, angry at herself for failing so miserably at the dating game.
Hagan leaned forward and folded his hands above his menu. “No. I already knew.”
“What? How?” She clenched her hands together under the table. He said he moved here from Texas, having arrived a few months ago to set up his practice and to be near his dad. How could he have found out? Did someone tell him? But who?
“My dad told me. He read about your husband’s accident in the paper.”
“God, you must think I’m awful.”
“Not even in the ballpark as to what I think about you. Because I know you would never have said yes to a night out with me if you’d been happy in your marriage.”
His words hit her like a fist to the face and her head snapped backward, striking the wooden partition between the booths. Wow, how could he have guessed the truth when so many people who knew her hadn’t?
She closed her eyes and searched for an answer. For so long, she’d kept her emotions bottled inside, not allowing anyone to see the loneliness or heartache her unhappy marriage had caused. What now? Lie, or admit the truth?
The vinyl cushion squeaked, and a hand touched her shoulder, pulling her from her stupor. Hagan slipped in beside her, his thigh bumped hers and his arm slid along the back of the seat. In the space of a few seconds, his large athletic body blocked her escape from the confining booth.
Nerves pulsed in an agitated rhythm. She couldn’t sit still, and opened her mouth to tell him to back off, but the thin lines of concern marring his brow killed the comment.
“Hey, there’s no reason to get upset.” He cupped a hand over her shoulder and drew her close. “I’m happy you said yes.”
Jolted by his sudden nearness, she exhaled, and then fought to draw air back into her lungs. His crisp, masculine scent acted like a seductive lure, and she had to fight the urge to bury her nose in the curve of his neck.
Another sniff and her resolve weakened. She snuggled deeper into his embrace, savoring his strength, and allowed her cheek to caress the soft fabric of his sweater. Her breasts, crushed against the hard wall of his chest, grew heavy with need. Butterflies flapped wildly in her stomach. Alarms sounded, warning her to pull away.
Read the 1st chapter of any of Tina's books at www.tinagayle.net 
Marketing Exec's Widow is vailable at Amazon, Thanks for hosting me on your blog and I hope everyone has an awesome holiday season, Tina

#TuesdayTreasure: Food, Fun, and Friends!

Good Morning and Welcome to the first Tuesday Treasure of December 2015!

Yeah...I can't believe it's December already either. Guess the old saying "time flies when you're having fun" applies ... at least to today's post.

Instead of fighting crowds and getting trampled looking for the 'perfect' gift on Black Friday, my dear friend Jerrie Abshire and I went to Natchitoches, LA otherwise known as "the city of lights" which was made even more famous by the film, Steel Magnolias.

Neither of us had ever been so we made a whole day of it and had a wonderful time! We ate portabella mushroom fries at Maglieaux's Restaurant...yeah if you like fried mushrooms, you'll love these!


What was really wonderful was running into another high school friend we knew! That's Jerrie on the right and Cheryl in the middle.



After lunch, we drove along the Cane River Heritage Trail and, although we did not actually "tour" the plantation homes along the trail, we did drive or walk through where we could. We also visited a couple of historic cemeteries and viewed all of the buildings where Steel Magnolias was filmed. We even saw the stars' stars engraved in the sidewalk around one of the filming sites. 

I'm not a very good photographer, so I missed out on getting pictures of a lot of these sites, however I did get a few...

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Here is a huge Christmas tree on the river that reminded me of the one I saw in New York last year and a Nativity display along the river  (best I could do from a moving car LOL)




We drove through that evening to see all the lights set up along the river and streets which were packed with cars and pedestrians. Parking was atrocious so we didn't get any photos but believe me it was beautiful!

Suffice it to say another trip to Natchitoches is in my future and Jerrie and I plan to take many more trips like these whenever the opportunity arises. But these memories are some I'll treasure forever.

Hope you enjoyed today's treasure!

Until next time...take care and God Bless.
PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight: Niki Turner & Santiago Sol

Good Morning!

I pray your Thanksgiving was blessed and happy and, you survived any shopping you did yesterday LOL!

Back in October I introduced you to a brand new (to PBG) author Niki Turner and a sneak peek into her book, Santiago Sol . We gave away a copy of the book then. Well, today you'll get even more of Santiago Sol and we're giving away another copy!

So....enjoy....

When a beloved elderly friend in hospice care makes one final request, Tansy Chastain can't refuse, even though returning an heirloom to the patriarch of a powerful Chilean family will take her halfway around the globe. When she's robbed at the airport, a handsome Santiago businessman comes to her rescue. Sebastian Sandoval decides escorting a lovely American for a few days is a perfect distraction from his grandfather's growing pressure to find a lost family treasure. But even as Tansy breathes new life into Sebastian’s jaded perspective, the secrets they are keeping put them in the path of a dangerous, and desperate enemy.  Revealing the truth to each other now will destroy their growing relationship, but if they don’t, those secrets may destroy their lives.

Excerpt:  
Sebastian’s mouth tightened. He’d seen her hands shake, noticed the way she tensed every time the plane shuddered or groaned or bumped through turbulence. It was part of the reason he’d engaged her in conversation. In his experience, distracting the poor souls he encountered who were afraid of flying was often the only way to ease their constant tension. Now he wondered if her trip would end in a greater disaster. For the most part, Chile was a safe nation in terms of violent crime, but he doubted this young woman would make it from the baggage carousel to a taxi with all her belongings intact. “¿Hablas español?”She faced him, and he acknowledged with surprise the sudden, low hum of attraction. He’d already appreciated the swing of her hair—a rich, buttery shade of caramel with golden highlights—and the delicate shape of her profile, but he hadn’t paid much attention otherwise. Sebastian had dated Brazilian models, Argentinian heiresses, and a few Mexican television stars, but he’d never been drawn to any American women, due, he surmised, to a lifetime of negative references to his American-born mother. This woman was pretty in a quiet sort of way. Not the sultry beauty he was usually attracted to. The wide eyes she turned on him were a bright, quirky hazel, the kind that reflected everything from her feelings to her fashion choices. They were set in a pixie face with small features and smooth, pale skin. Her cheeks were flushed—because she was nervous, or too warm, he didn’t know—but the effect ratcheted the hum into a buzz at the base of his skull.“I don’t,” she replied. “I took two years in high school, but it didn’t stick with me. I think you have to be around a language all the time to really become fluent in it.” He had to blink twice to remember what he’d asked her.“I’m sure it will be all right. America tends to be the only country where its populace speaks one language,” she continued.The flight attendant returned, this time to present options for the main course. Sebastian chose the beef, with a glass of Chilean Merlot. He’d been raised on a vineyard. Not having wine with dinner was tantamount to blasphemy. She selected the beef entrée and a soda, and when the flight attendant moved down the aisle she faced him and grinned. “You’re a miracle worker! I think I’ve found my appetite. I hate to fly, and you distracted me. Thank you,” she said.“De nada. You’ve made an otherwise boring flight more enjoyable.”The flush on her cheeks deepened to a dark rose, and she fiddled with her napkin. “What about you? Are you headed home?”Home. The word slammed into his gut like a cannonball. His quest had been an abject failure. Of his grandfather’s two qualifications for claiming his inheritance, Sebastian was stymied on both counts. The walking stick was still missing, and Sebastian was still unmarried. He’d hoped that finding the walking stick would make up for his lack of a wife. Now, he had neither.When the main course arrived, the woman beside him prayed over her food, which prompted him to bow his own head. He thought of the conversation he needed to have with his grandfather and felt deflated. He glanced at the woman beside him. Perhaps it was time for an uncharted detour. If he could protect a naïve young woman from harm in the process, all the better.“I’m at loose ends for a few days. Would you allow me the honor of introducing you to my country?”Her eyes widened. “I... I don’t know. I mean, I don’t even know your name.“Sebastian. Sebastian MacKenna.” The name was out of his mouth before he could reconsider.“MacKenna? Is that a Scottish name?”“Irish. My great-great-grandfather emigrated to Chile in the 1800s,” he replied. “You haven’t answered my question, or told me your name.”She smiled. “Tansy Chastain.”“Mucho gusto, Tansy Chastain. Pleased to meet you.” He lifted her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles in the European fashion. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, Sebastian,” she said, “But I’m not sure I feel comfortable keeping company with someone I just met.”Sebastian leaned back. “No offense taken.” He raised his almost untouched glass of wine. “I hope you will find Chile a hospitable nation. But please take care.”

Santiago Sol can be purchased at Pelican Book Group and Amazon.
About the Author....
Niki Turner is a novelist, journalist, blogger, and the production manager for the Rio Blanco Herald Times weekly newspaper, one of the oldest continuously operating newspapers in Colorado. Her first completed manuscript earned second place in the Touched By Love 2009 contemporary category romance contest. She also blogs at www.nikiturner.netand is a co-blogger at www.inkwellinspirations.com.
Niki is a Colorado native who grew up in Glenwood Springs—home of the world’s largest hot springs pool. She married her high school sweetheart 25 years ago. They have four children, four grandchildren, and two West Highland White Terriers.
In 2014, she published “Sadie’s Gift” as one of the Christmas Traditions novella collection with eight other authors.  The Skiing Suitor, one of the Love’s Sporting Chance series published by Forget-Me-Not Romances, released in August 2015. 
Connect with Nikki on Facebook, Twitter: @NikiTurner716, Pinterest and Linked In.


Hope you enjoyed today's spotlight! Remember to leave a comment with your email address so you can be entered in the drawing for a copy of the book.

Come back often for more Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights!

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: #HolidayRomanceAndRecipes!

Good Morning and Happy Thanksgiving!

A group of authors and I are doing a Holiday Romance and Recipe blog exchange so I thought what better way to start than with a recipe that includes cranberry shared by Linda McLaughlin/Lyndi Lamont....

Photo by belchonock from depositphotos.com
The holidays are almost upon us, which means lots of opportunities to overeat! Holiday potlucks are a staple of the season, and if you’re looking for an easy recipe, I have one to share. Like me, it’s a little sweet and a little tart, fairly low-calorie, dairy free, nut free and gluten free. (Unless you doctor it up, that is.)
Lyndi's Cranberry-Blueberry Delight
Ingredients:1 14 oz. can of Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce1 package of fresh small blueberries (about 4 oz.)1 cup of golden raisins
Mix, chill and serve. That's it!
The recipe serves 8-10 ladies. (The attached photo doesn't reflect the full recipe. It's what is left over after a couple of days of snacking on it.) I’ve also spread it on turkey sandwiches in lieu of regular cranberry sauce.
Since it's so simple, it's easy to experiment. Add nuts for crunch or sweeten to taste, if it's too tart. I'm thinking about adding some of those little marshmallows next time for color and sweetness.

And if you’re looking for a bargain boxed set for holiday reading, may I suggest Hearts and Heroes? **Linda/Lyndi normally writes erotic or "hot" romance so check the heat rating before you buy.**

What do a cowboy, a biker, a pilot, a P.I. and a race-car driver have in common? They are the heroes of the new Hearts and HeroesBoxed Set of Five Contemporary Romances.
Books included:

THE COLTON CREEK COWBOY by Patricia Thayer
On the run… and right into a cowboy’s arms.
Stalked by an ex-boyfriend, Tori Slater escapes to the family’s homestead cabin in Wyoming where she meets the property’s caretaker. An ex-cop, Logan McNely wants a solitary life so he can forget his past, but finds he’s now protecting this intriguing woman. To save Tori, he has to save himself first before they can have a future together.

THE BAD BOY NEXT DOOR by Mindy Neff
She's thirty, single and on a husband hunt and her bad boy neighbor is definitely not on her list!

Hallie Fortune wanted to marry a safe, boy-next-door type of man. Her real neighbor, bad boy, ex-Marine, single-parent, Cody Brock, would never do. But suddenly, every time she had a date, Cody was there--at her house, at the restaurant, even at the grocery store! If Hallie didn't know better, she'd think Cody was sabotaging her husband hunt. And bringing his baby daughter along as an accomplice.

THAT WILDER MAN by Gillian Doyle
Max is back to save his hometown from a flood, only to be confronted by his past and the woman who betrayed him.

As teenagers, Max "Wildman" Wilder and his girlfriend Liza Jane had raised their share of hell--in town and in bed. Then Liza Jane betrayed him. Now richer and wiser, Max has come home. But he had no intention of giving Liza Jane another chance to break his heart.

THE RELUCTANT NERD by Sandra Paul
Going undercover can change a man in unexpected ways...
Concerned about nerdy Simon Primes' total lack of confidence, scientist Ernestine St. Bennett is determined to enhance his masculinity--and thus his social ease--by applying the principles used in her studies of fish. Little does Ernie know Simon is really Sam Pierce in disguise...and that no enhancement is needed!

WORTH THE RISK by Lyn O'Farrell
A publicity-shy librarian falls for a sexy single dad with a scandalous past, but is love Worth the Risk?

Children's librarian Amanda Lloyd values privacy above all else… until she meets a sexy single dad with a scandalous past.

Ex-racer Mitch Delaney’s life has been plastered across the tabloids more than once. But he believes that anything worth doing is worth a risk, and he wants Amanda in his life. Can he convince her to take a chance on love?
Buy links:
Amazon: http://amazon.com/dp/B011PFOP3QBarnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hearts-and-heroes-patricia-wright/1122617820iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/hearts-and-heroes/id1040997318?mt=11Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/hearts-and-heroes-box-setSmashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/563436

About The Author:
Lyn O'Farrell is the writing team of Anne Farrell and Linda McLaughlin. Their romance novel, WORTH THE RISK, was a finalist in RWA's prestigious Golden Heart contest and was first published in paperback under the title PRIVATE AFFAIR by Kensington Precious Gems. Anne and Linda live in sunny Southern California, the inspiration for the fictional town of Santa Elena.
Connect with them online:
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/author/lynofarrell
Linda’s website: http://lindalyndi.com
Anne’s website: http://annefarrellwriter.com


Wow..if you enjoy spicy (ie: hot, erotic) romance then this set is for you!
Hope you enjoyed the recipe and I pray your Thanksgiving Day is blessed and happy.
Until next time...take care, God bless and remember.... An attitude of gratitude will get you farther in life than one of anger and strife!
Something to think about.... Inspirational with an Edge! ™