Sloane Taylor's Blog, page 103
August 11, 2015
Easy Comfort Food
My British friend, author Susan Lodge, is here with a delicious recipe that I make even when I have time to cook. The kitchen is all yours, Suze.
The world moves faster now and we all have time crunches that take away from home cooking. But here is the perfect meal for when you are really pressed to feed the family.
Quick Pasta Bake
300gm (10oz) dried pasta Penne works well
1 large onion chopped
3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
4 rashers of thick bacon cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
1-2 tbsp. of olive oil
125 ml (4 oz) water or wine
400gm (14 oz) tin of plum tomatoes.
1 tsp. dried mixed herbs
110 gm (4oz) of hard cheese grated or mozzarella sliced.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F.
Cook the pasta for the prescribed time on the packet.
In a large pan gently fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes until soft and transparent.
Add tomatoes, water/wine, bacon, and mixed herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer gently for five to ten minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Combine the drained pasta and tomato mixture and turn in to an oven proof dish.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake ten minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Nice served with a green salad and some crusty bread.
Here is a peek at my Historical Romance releasing October 6, 2015 through Crooked Cat Publishing. This is a tale of treachery and passion set against the backdrop of Nelson's Navy. I hope you enjoy it.
The naval frigate was his life. It was her nightmare.
Spring 1803
Daughter of England’s foremost code breaker, Jane Charlesworth is the only person thought capable of deciphering a vital Government document. But when a naval frigate is sent to enlist her services and transport her to Malta Jane is filled with horror. Haunted with terrible memories of an earlier voyage, she has no intention of putting herself under the protection of the Admiralty ever again.
Anxious to be at the forefront of the action, as the Peace with France crumbles, Adam Marston is livid when his ship is diverted to collect a reluctant blue stocking whose accusing eyes and insolent manner hold nothing but contempt for him and his orders. Sparks fly when Captain and code breaker find they have different ideas on how to handle a French attack, a malicious Chaplain, and boisterous midshipmen.
Duty and desire collide as Malta approaches but Jane is determined that her judgment will not be clouded by the Captain who, once he has dispatched his Rebellious Cargo , will sail out of her life and back to his convoy. But as the ship docks Jane’s life becomes a nightmare and she is forced to gamble that Adam is the one person she can trust.
As passion battles with duty will future orders throw them together or tear them apart?
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. Susan believes the romance genre lends itself superbly to funny moments, as love can make people act very oddly.
Susan has a science degree and always wanted to be an astronaut, but instead spent most of her career in the Civil Service. She would love to secure a seat on Richard Branson’s space flight. However, to find the funds she needs to either write a best seller or win the lottery.
After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she and her husband moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise their family.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
The world moves faster now and we all have time crunches that take away from home cooking. But here is the perfect meal for when you are really pressed to feed the family.
Quick Pasta Bake
300gm (10oz) dried pasta Penne works well1 large onion chopped
3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
4 rashers of thick bacon cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
1-2 tbsp. of olive oil
125 ml (4 oz) water or wine
400gm (14 oz) tin of plum tomatoes.
1 tsp. dried mixed herbs
110 gm (4oz) of hard cheese grated or mozzarella sliced.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F.
Cook the pasta for the prescribed time on the packet.
In a large pan gently fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes until soft and transparent.
Add tomatoes, water/wine, bacon, and mixed herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer gently for five to ten minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Combine the drained pasta and tomato mixture and turn in to an oven proof dish.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake ten minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Nice served with a green salad and some crusty bread.
Here is a peek at my Historical Romance releasing October 6, 2015 through Crooked Cat Publishing. This is a tale of treachery and passion set against the backdrop of Nelson's Navy. I hope you enjoy it.
The naval frigate was his life. It was her nightmare.Spring 1803
Daughter of England’s foremost code breaker, Jane Charlesworth is the only person thought capable of deciphering a vital Government document. But when a naval frigate is sent to enlist her services and transport her to Malta Jane is filled with horror. Haunted with terrible memories of an earlier voyage, she has no intention of putting herself under the protection of the Admiralty ever again.
Anxious to be at the forefront of the action, as the Peace with France crumbles, Adam Marston is livid when his ship is diverted to collect a reluctant blue stocking whose accusing eyes and insolent manner hold nothing but contempt for him and his orders. Sparks fly when Captain and code breaker find they have different ideas on how to handle a French attack, a malicious Chaplain, and boisterous midshipmen.
Duty and desire collide as Malta approaches but Jane is determined that her judgment will not be clouded by the Captain who, once he has dispatched his Rebellious Cargo , will sail out of her life and back to his convoy. But as the ship docks Jane’s life becomes a nightmare and she is forced to gamble that Adam is the one person she can trust.
As passion battles with duty will future orders throw them together or tear them apart?
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. Susan believes the romance genre lends itself superbly to funny moments, as love can make people act very oddly. Susan has a science degree and always wanted to be an astronaut, but instead spent most of her career in the Civil Service. She would love to secure a seat on Richard Branson’s space flight. However, to find the funds she needs to either write a best seller or win the lottery.
After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she and her husband moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise their family.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
August 9, 2015
Tough Girls Win
HL Carpenter is here with their fabulous middle grade fantasy The SkyHorse. This entertaining novel nails life as a young girl with all the good and the awful. A excellent read for all ages.
Tovi thinks finding a flying horse is fabulous luck - until a mysterious stranger says finders aren’t always keepers.
When fourteen year old Tovi Taggert moves to Honeysuckle Hollow to take care of her grandmother, she has a hard time fitting in. For one thing, she’s been tagged with the hated nickname Too-Tall Tovi. For another, everyone at Honeysuckle Hollow High believes Tovi played the Choking Game with someone else’s boyfriend – and made out with him besides.
As if she doesn’t have enough problems, after the latest stand-off in the school hallway, Tovi finds a gorgeous speckled egg nestled in a feather lined nest.
She takes the egg home – and mysterious visitors begin appearing almost immediately. Even more worrisome, whatever is inside the egg starts chipping its way out.
When the egg hatches, revealing a winged horse, Tovi’s troubles multiply.
As she struggles to return the horse to the magical land where he belongs, Tovi must make a courageous decision – and accept what that decision will cost her.
EXCERPT
They want me to cry.
I won’t.
I WON’T.
I stand in the middle of Honeysuckle Hollow High’s noisy hallway, towering over everybody.
Too-Tall Tovi, that’s me.
Kids swirl past like blobs of sea foam. No one meets my gaze. No one stops. No one offers help. Why would they? They only know two stories about me, neither of them good. They also know interfering with the three girls in front of me will bring the wrath descending on them instead.
Jennifer Stokes stabs her index finger through the air. “I can’t believe what you did, Tovi Taggert!”
M.J. Maher dives in, her too-long teeth pushing out her upper lip. “Chase told us all the details!”
Terri Benton shoves her pointy chin forward. “We thought you wanted to be our friend, Toe-vee, but you’re no friend of ours!”
I did want to be their friend. I do want to be their friend. Tears well in my eyes.
I will not cry. I will NOT.
I clench my jaw.
It’s all mental, Tovi. You can’t cry when you’re smiling. Gramma’s always saying stuff like that. Sometimes what she says comes in handy. Like now.
I force my lips into a fake smile, the only defense I have. Almost. I can also rely on what Mom calls my smart mouth.
“You’re no friends of mine, either.” The words settle my nerves, the smile dries my tears.
Thanks, Gramma. You were right. It is all mental.
The three of them glare at me. Jen’s hand clenches around the strap of her black backpack, as if she’s barely keeping herself from clawing my eyes out with her fingernails. Red splotches spread across her skinny neck and her green eyes glitter as brightly as sunbeams off the waves in the Gulf of Mexico. She looks like a mutant sea turtle.
Even smart-mouthed me knows better than to say so.
“Stay away from us, you…you giant. Stay away from the game tonight. And stay away from Chase. He’s my boyfriend.” She whirls and shoves through the crowd, her straight blond hair splashing against the back of her shirt with every step.
“You don’t fit in here and you’re never going to.” M.J.’s smile is eel thin. “Why don’t you go back where you came from?”
I wish I could. That doesn’t seem like the right response either.
M.J. jerks her head at Terri. The two of them hurry after Jen. They stomp through the double front doors of the old school building without looking back and disappear into the waiting bus.
I didn’t cry. I won’t cry.
A weight heavier than my book bag and as real anchors me in place. The fake smile and false courage ebb. I tremble as I stand in the middle of the hallway, interrupting the flow of students like a boulder in a river. A five-foot-eleven and three-quarter-inch boulder.
Kids stream around me, bump into me, rush past me, gush out the door to the parking lot. It’s Friday afternoon, the last day of the first week of school. A few hours ago I was as anxious as everyone else for classes to be over and the weekend to start.
That was before Chase Webber told Jen what happened in Honeysuckle Hollow Park last night.
No, that’s not true. He told her his version of what happened.
I don’t know why he lied. All I know is I didn’t tell about the Choking Game and I didn’t make out with Chase. Well, not exactly. I mean—oh, what’s the difference? Jen’s not interested in my side of the story.
I trudge out of the brick building into the Florida September afternoon.
Chase has lived in Honeysuckle Hollow all his life. He’s hot. He’s smart. He’s popular. Of course Jen would take his word over a newcomer who arrived in town two months ago. A giant she nicknamed Too-Tall Tovi.
Even so, I hoped she would listen to me. I thought she was my friend. I thought Chase was too.
I’m a jerk.
And I’m going to have to sit in the school bus being ignored by Jen, M.J., and Terri and surrounded by the whispers of everyone else. My stomach sinks. Where’s the bus monitor? Mrs. Morrison, the principal, is on duty today. She has her hands full with a group of tenth graders who are chucking the week’s assignments into the air.
Now’s my chance.
I hurry down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. At the end of the building, I turn left and look over my shoulder to make sure I’ve gotten away without being spotted.
“Well, if it ain’t Too-Tall,” a familiar voice says. “Wanna meet me in the park again tonight?”
Chase and his duo of best buds are leaning against the side of the building, smoking cigarettes from a pack one of them probably shoplifted. All three wear cowboy boots, jeans, and dark mirrored sunnies. They look like a country band. They’re all beyond cool.
Six reflections of my brown eyes stare back at me in the surface of their uptilted sunglass lenses. My hair sticks out. It never stays in the ponytail holder.
Why am I worried about what I look like? Real friends wouldn’t care what I look like.
I blink away the surge of wetness in my eyes and smile at Chase. “Okay. What time?”
His thick dark eyebrows crawl into a frown. They resemble fat, fuzzy caterpillars as they disappear beneath the metal frame of his sunglasses.
“Whoa, Chase, you were right about her.” Ted Eskew’s teeth flash in the sun, bright white against last summer’s beach-party-and-volleyball tan. He exhales a stream of smoke. “Why don’t you meet us all in the park tonight after the game, Too-Tall?”
Ray Mead, who never has an original thought, says, “Yeah! I’m for that!”
The three of them start laughing and poking each other. I walk through the stink of sweat and cigarette smoke mingled with body spray, holding my head high.
“Look at her stick that nose in the air. Wonder what the weather’s like at that altitude.” A mocking tone replaces Chase’s frown. “Hey, Too-Tall, you sure were a lot friendlier last night.”
Ted and Ray hoot with laughter and reach out to grab me. I dodge sideways and break into a run.
“Get her!”
To read more of The SkyHorse, please click a vendor's name Amazon - Amazon UK - Smashwords
HL Carpenter is the pen name of a Florida-based mother/daughter duo who writes from their studio in Carpenter Country, a magical place that, like their stories, is unreal but not untrue. When they're not writing, the Carpenters enjoy exploring the Land of What-If and practicing the fine art of Curiosity. Learn more about HL Carpenter and their multi-genre books on their website and their Amazon Author Page .
Stay connected on Pinterest , Linkedin , and Google+ .
Tovi thinks finding a flying horse is fabulous luck - until a mysterious stranger says finders aren’t always keepers.When fourteen year old Tovi Taggert moves to Honeysuckle Hollow to take care of her grandmother, she has a hard time fitting in. For one thing, she’s been tagged with the hated nickname Too-Tall Tovi. For another, everyone at Honeysuckle Hollow High believes Tovi played the Choking Game with someone else’s boyfriend – and made out with him besides.
As if she doesn’t have enough problems, after the latest stand-off in the school hallway, Tovi finds a gorgeous speckled egg nestled in a feather lined nest.
She takes the egg home – and mysterious visitors begin appearing almost immediately. Even more worrisome, whatever is inside the egg starts chipping its way out.
When the egg hatches, revealing a winged horse, Tovi’s troubles multiply.
As she struggles to return the horse to the magical land where he belongs, Tovi must make a courageous decision – and accept what that decision will cost her.
EXCERPT
They want me to cry.
I won’t.
I WON’T.
I stand in the middle of Honeysuckle Hollow High’s noisy hallway, towering over everybody.
Too-Tall Tovi, that’s me.
Kids swirl past like blobs of sea foam. No one meets my gaze. No one stops. No one offers help. Why would they? They only know two stories about me, neither of them good. They also know interfering with the three girls in front of me will bring the wrath descending on them instead.
Jennifer Stokes stabs her index finger through the air. “I can’t believe what you did, Tovi Taggert!”
M.J. Maher dives in, her too-long teeth pushing out her upper lip. “Chase told us all the details!”
Terri Benton shoves her pointy chin forward. “We thought you wanted to be our friend, Toe-vee, but you’re no friend of ours!”
I did want to be their friend. I do want to be their friend. Tears well in my eyes.
I will not cry. I will NOT.
I clench my jaw.
It’s all mental, Tovi. You can’t cry when you’re smiling. Gramma’s always saying stuff like that. Sometimes what she says comes in handy. Like now.
I force my lips into a fake smile, the only defense I have. Almost. I can also rely on what Mom calls my smart mouth.
“You’re no friends of mine, either.” The words settle my nerves, the smile dries my tears.
Thanks, Gramma. You were right. It is all mental.
The three of them glare at me. Jen’s hand clenches around the strap of her black backpack, as if she’s barely keeping herself from clawing my eyes out with her fingernails. Red splotches spread across her skinny neck and her green eyes glitter as brightly as sunbeams off the waves in the Gulf of Mexico. She looks like a mutant sea turtle.
Even smart-mouthed me knows better than to say so.
“Stay away from us, you…you giant. Stay away from the game tonight. And stay away from Chase. He’s my boyfriend.” She whirls and shoves through the crowd, her straight blond hair splashing against the back of her shirt with every step.
“You don’t fit in here and you’re never going to.” M.J.’s smile is eel thin. “Why don’t you go back where you came from?”
I wish I could. That doesn’t seem like the right response either.
M.J. jerks her head at Terri. The two of them hurry after Jen. They stomp through the double front doors of the old school building without looking back and disappear into the waiting bus.
I didn’t cry. I won’t cry.
A weight heavier than my book bag and as real anchors me in place. The fake smile and false courage ebb. I tremble as I stand in the middle of the hallway, interrupting the flow of students like a boulder in a river. A five-foot-eleven and three-quarter-inch boulder.
Kids stream around me, bump into me, rush past me, gush out the door to the parking lot. It’s Friday afternoon, the last day of the first week of school. A few hours ago I was as anxious as everyone else for classes to be over and the weekend to start.
That was before Chase Webber told Jen what happened in Honeysuckle Hollow Park last night.
No, that’s not true. He told her his version of what happened.
I don’t know why he lied. All I know is I didn’t tell about the Choking Game and I didn’t make out with Chase. Well, not exactly. I mean—oh, what’s the difference? Jen’s not interested in my side of the story.
I trudge out of the brick building into the Florida September afternoon.
Chase has lived in Honeysuckle Hollow all his life. He’s hot. He’s smart. He’s popular. Of course Jen would take his word over a newcomer who arrived in town two months ago. A giant she nicknamed Too-Tall Tovi.
Even so, I hoped she would listen to me. I thought she was my friend. I thought Chase was too.
I’m a jerk.
And I’m going to have to sit in the school bus being ignored by Jen, M.J., and Terri and surrounded by the whispers of everyone else. My stomach sinks. Where’s the bus monitor? Mrs. Morrison, the principal, is on duty today. She has her hands full with a group of tenth graders who are chucking the week’s assignments into the air.
Now’s my chance.
I hurry down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. At the end of the building, I turn left and look over my shoulder to make sure I’ve gotten away without being spotted.
“Well, if it ain’t Too-Tall,” a familiar voice says. “Wanna meet me in the park again tonight?”
Chase and his duo of best buds are leaning against the side of the building, smoking cigarettes from a pack one of them probably shoplifted. All three wear cowboy boots, jeans, and dark mirrored sunnies. They look like a country band. They’re all beyond cool.
Six reflections of my brown eyes stare back at me in the surface of their uptilted sunglass lenses. My hair sticks out. It never stays in the ponytail holder.
Why am I worried about what I look like? Real friends wouldn’t care what I look like.
I blink away the surge of wetness in my eyes and smile at Chase. “Okay. What time?”
His thick dark eyebrows crawl into a frown. They resemble fat, fuzzy caterpillars as they disappear beneath the metal frame of his sunglasses.
“Whoa, Chase, you were right about her.” Ted Eskew’s teeth flash in the sun, bright white against last summer’s beach-party-and-volleyball tan. He exhales a stream of smoke. “Why don’t you meet us all in the park tonight after the game, Too-Tall?”
Ray Mead, who never has an original thought, says, “Yeah! I’m for that!”
The three of them start laughing and poking each other. I walk through the stink of sweat and cigarette smoke mingled with body spray, holding my head high.
“Look at her stick that nose in the air. Wonder what the weather’s like at that altitude.” A mocking tone replaces Chase’s frown. “Hey, Too-Tall, you sure were a lot friendlier last night.”
Ted and Ray hoot with laughter and reach out to grab me. I dodge sideways and break into a run.
“Get her!”
To read more of The SkyHorse, please click a vendor's name Amazon - Amazon UK - Smashwords
HL Carpenter is the pen name of a Florida-based mother/daughter duo who writes from their studio in Carpenter Country, a magical place that, like their stories, is unreal but not untrue. When they're not writing, the Carpenters enjoy exploring the Land of What-If and practicing the fine art of Curiosity. Learn more about HL Carpenter and their multi-genre books on their website and their Amazon Author Page .
Stay connected on Pinterest , Linkedin , and Google+ .
August 4, 2015
A Perfect Way to Go
by Chris Pavesic
Death by Chocolate Ice-Cream Cake is a special cake that I make for friends/family who love chocolate. It is a perfect treat for a summer birthday. This is a big cake, so be sure to invite a lot of people to celebrate!
For this recipe you will need three 8-inch cake pans. I use the disposable aluminum ones (eco friendly brands of course) because I have yet to find 3 glass ones that are the right size.
Ice Cream Filling
Use any type of ice cream or frozen custard that you want. For the cake pictured here, I used cherry vanilla. A single half-gallon will fill the pan completely.
Take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it soften for a few minutes. Line the cake pan with Saran Wrap before adding the softened ice cream so it is easier to remove after it re-freezes.
Spoon ice cream into the cake pan and smooth until it is level.
Place another piece of Saran Wrap over the top before putting it back in the freezer. Refreeze for several hours. (You can do this step the night before to ensure that it is frozen completely.)
Chocolate Cake
2 cups organic cake flour
2 cups organic white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter
4 tbsp. cocoa
1 cup water
1 cup whole milk or 1 cup Silk (Almond Milk)
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift together the cake flour, sugar, soda, powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In a saucepan set on medium heat, mix the butter, cocoa, and water until the butter is melted. Bring to a boil and then pour the mixture over the dry ingredients.
Blend the milk, eggs, and vanilla together and gradually add to the mixture, stirring constantly. (You can also use a hand mixer on low at this stage.) The batter should be fluffy and form stiff peaks.
Add in the package of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir with a spoon at this point until they are distributed evenly.
Divide the mixture between the two remaining baking pans. The pans should be lightly buttered and floured prior to pouring in the batter.
Bake 20 minutes or so.
Let the cake cool completely. Remove the two layers from the pans and place on plates.
About an hour before serving, place the two cakes in the freezer.
Whipped Cream and Chocolate Topping
1 can Redi-Whip Whipped Cream
1 bar dark chocolate 80% or higher cocoa
Using a knife or vegetable peeler, chop/shave the chocolate bar. It may tend to crumble a bit if you shave it—this is OK. (This step is a bit messy so you may want to do it in advance and just save the chocolate shavings/pieces in a plastic baggie until you add it to the top of the cake.
To Assemble
You have to work quickly. Remove the bottom cake from the freezer and place it on the platter/plate you intend to use for serving. Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Remove the Saran Wrap from the top and invert it onto the frozen cake. Remove the bottom of the Saran Wrap. Take the second cake from the freezer and place on top, pressing lightly to level. “Frost” the cake with the Redi-Whip, creating a border on the top. Inside of the border, sprinkle the chocolate pieces/shavings.
Serve immediately.
Cheers!
Here is a brief introduction to Wonderland, the latest fantasy book by Chris Pavesic. Enjoy!
You may think you know her story.
You don't.
Throughout her life Alice has faced fear and isolation, but she has never given up hope. In the City by the Bay she has one last chance to find happiness; one last chance to find friendship; one last chance to find Wonderland.
Click here to watch the YouTube video.
Read excerpts from all of the books written by Chris Pavesic on Amazon.
Chris Pavesic is a fantasy author who lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, steampunk, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends. Learn more about Chris on her website .
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Death by Chocolate Ice-Cream Cake is a special cake that I make for friends/family who love chocolate. It is a perfect treat for a summer birthday. This is a big cake, so be sure to invite a lot of people to celebrate!For this recipe you will need three 8-inch cake pans. I use the disposable aluminum ones (eco friendly brands of course) because I have yet to find 3 glass ones that are the right size.
Ice Cream Filling
Use any type of ice cream or frozen custard that you want. For the cake pictured here, I used cherry vanilla. A single half-gallon will fill the pan completely.
Take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it soften for a few minutes. Line the cake pan with Saran Wrap before adding the softened ice cream so it is easier to remove after it re-freezes.
Spoon ice cream into the cake pan and smooth until it is level.
Place another piece of Saran Wrap over the top before putting it back in the freezer. Refreeze for several hours. (You can do this step the night before to ensure that it is frozen completely.)
Chocolate Cake
2 cups organic cake flour
2 cups organic white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks butter
4 tbsp. cocoa
1 cup water
1 cup whole milk or 1 cup Silk (Almond Milk)
2 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sift together the cake flour, sugar, soda, powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In a saucepan set on medium heat, mix the butter, cocoa, and water until the butter is melted. Bring to a boil and then pour the mixture over the dry ingredients.
Blend the milk, eggs, and vanilla together and gradually add to the mixture, stirring constantly. (You can also use a hand mixer on low at this stage.) The batter should be fluffy and form stiff peaks.
Add in the package of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir with a spoon at this point until they are distributed evenly.
Divide the mixture between the two remaining baking pans. The pans should be lightly buttered and floured prior to pouring in the batter.
Bake 20 minutes or so.
Let the cake cool completely. Remove the two layers from the pans and place on plates.
About an hour before serving, place the two cakes in the freezer.
Whipped Cream and Chocolate Topping
1 can Redi-Whip Whipped Cream
1 bar dark chocolate 80% or higher cocoa
Using a knife or vegetable peeler, chop/shave the chocolate bar. It may tend to crumble a bit if you shave it—this is OK. (This step is a bit messy so you may want to do it in advance and just save the chocolate shavings/pieces in a plastic baggie until you add it to the top of the cake.
To Assemble
You have to work quickly. Remove the bottom cake from the freezer and place it on the platter/plate you intend to use for serving. Remove the ice cream from the freezer. Remove the Saran Wrap from the top and invert it onto the frozen cake. Remove the bottom of the Saran Wrap. Take the second cake from the freezer and place on top, pressing lightly to level. “Frost” the cake with the Redi-Whip, creating a border on the top. Inside of the border, sprinkle the chocolate pieces/shavings.
Serve immediately.
Cheers!
Here is a brief introduction to Wonderland, the latest fantasy book by Chris Pavesic. Enjoy!
You may think you know her story.
You don't.
Throughout her life Alice has faced fear and isolation, but she has never given up hope. In the City by the Bay she has one last chance to find happiness; one last chance to find friendship; one last chance to find Wonderland.
Click here to watch the YouTube video.
Read excerpts from all of the books written by Chris Pavesic on Amazon.
Chris Pavesic is a fantasy author who lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, steampunk, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends. Learn more about Chris on her website .
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
August 2, 2015
Wiccan House is Open and Waiting for You
Multi published author Dominique Eastwick has a new paranormal romance you will want to read over again. Shifting Hearts is Book 1 in the captivating Wiccan Haus series. Be sure to get your copy and snuggle in with a sexy shape-shifter.
The last of his kind…
Rekkus is the last of the great Black Tiger weres, and he’s happy to stay that way. Working as head of security for the Wiccan Haus, a magical spa for inner healing, he has enough danger to keep him busy. Unfortunately, the Fates are not content with him being comfortable.
Alone and discouraged…
Dana has walked away from everything—her fiancé, family, job, and apartment. A stay at the Wiccan Haus may be the only way she can move on. But what she finds isn’t what she expects, nor is it what she thought she’d been seeking.
If they can open themselves up they might discover that being together can be better than being alone and learn that passion can burn in those who least expect it.
Meet the unusual residents of the Wiccan Haus.
The staff can get a little hairy, and not all of the guests eat what’s served in the dining hall. But the Rowan siblings do what they can to make the resort a place of healing and peace, using all of their years of practice. At the Haus, where humans and paranormals reside side by side, everyone in need of the services are welcome. If some happens to fall in love then all the better.
Welcome to the Wiccan Haus.
EXCERPT
“It’s not safe for you here with me. I left you alone last night, but, if you stay, I’m not sure I can honor a request to stop a second time.”
“I felt it, too,” she blurted, unable to keep it to herself any longer.
Rekkus moved so fast, she never saw him actually take a step. Strong, wet arms wrapped around her, and her breasts pressed against his chest. His eyes searched hers. He must have seen what he searched for because his lips were on hers with feverous desire before she formed another thought, demanding she open for him. And no part of her considered denying him anything. Butterflies churned in her stomach until she shook. In all the years with Frank, and it had been a great many, she’d never felt this, like fire threatened to engulf her.
Dana wound her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his damp hair and deepening the kiss. His moan allowed her to gather the nerve and strength to urge him forward. He forced her past her comfort zone into accepting the sexy seductress screaming to be let out. She knew what he most desired because she wanted it too. Wanted him, all of him, every naked inch, right there, next to the lake, not even a ten-minute walk from the Haus. Anyone might stumble across them, and she didn’t care. It almost added to the allure of having him. What she needed it to be.
Amazon - Amazon UK - ARe - Kobo
Award-Winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat. Because of that, traveling is one of her favorite pasttimes. When not writing you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera.
Learn more about Dominique Eastwick on her website , blog , and Amazon author page . Be sure to join her Newsletter for up to the minute info on new releases, contests, and more.
Stay connected on Twitter , Tublr , Tsu , and Pinterest .
The last of his kind… Rekkus is the last of the great Black Tiger weres, and he’s happy to stay that way. Working as head of security for the Wiccan Haus, a magical spa for inner healing, he has enough danger to keep him busy. Unfortunately, the Fates are not content with him being comfortable.
Alone and discouraged…
Dana has walked away from everything—her fiancé, family, job, and apartment. A stay at the Wiccan Haus may be the only way she can move on. But what she finds isn’t what she expects, nor is it what she thought she’d been seeking.
If they can open themselves up they might discover that being together can be better than being alone and learn that passion can burn in those who least expect it.
Meet the unusual residents of the Wiccan Haus.
The staff can get a little hairy, and not all of the guests eat what’s served in the dining hall. But the Rowan siblings do what they can to make the resort a place of healing and peace, using all of their years of practice. At the Haus, where humans and paranormals reside side by side, everyone in need of the services are welcome. If some happens to fall in love then all the better.
Welcome to the Wiccan Haus.
EXCERPT
“It’s not safe for you here with me. I left you alone last night, but, if you stay, I’m not sure I can honor a request to stop a second time.”
“I felt it, too,” she blurted, unable to keep it to herself any longer.
Rekkus moved so fast, she never saw him actually take a step. Strong, wet arms wrapped around her, and her breasts pressed against his chest. His eyes searched hers. He must have seen what he searched for because his lips were on hers with feverous desire before she formed another thought, demanding she open for him. And no part of her considered denying him anything. Butterflies churned in her stomach until she shook. In all the years with Frank, and it had been a great many, she’d never felt this, like fire threatened to engulf her.
Dana wound her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his damp hair and deepening the kiss. His moan allowed her to gather the nerve and strength to urge him forward. He forced her past her comfort zone into accepting the sexy seductress screaming to be let out. She knew what he most desired because she wanted it too. Wanted him, all of him, every naked inch, right there, next to the lake, not even a ten-minute walk from the Haus. Anyone might stumble across them, and she didn’t care. It almost added to the allure of having him. What she needed it to be.
Amazon - Amazon UK - ARe - Kobo
Award-Winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat. Because of that, traveling is one of her favorite pasttimes. When not writing you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera. Learn more about Dominique Eastwick on her website , blog , and Amazon author page . Be sure to join her Newsletter for up to the minute info on new releases, contests, and more.
Stay connected on Twitter , Tublr , Tsu , and Pinterest .
July 28, 2015
Even Time Travelers need to Eat
Sharon Leswith is here to share a delicious meal that you will truly enjoy. And cleanup is a snap. So take it away...
I LOVE this recipe. I used it for my first book launch party in May 2012. My reason? The characters in my time travel series The Last Timekeepers got to sample a 13th century version of bread bowl rabbit stew, so I thought for my book release—why not imitate art? Since rabbit is a bit harder to find at the local supermarket, I settled on beef for the main ingredient. I believe my party-goers were happy with that decision as my recipe went over fabulously even though it was a tad hot to serve on the sunny, humid day we experienced. But on those cool, damp days, this steamy stew will bring a smile to your face, and comfort to your soul.
This recipe takes about fifteen minutes to prepare and eight or five hours to cook. Serves four.
Bull’s-Eye Beef Stew
4 bread bowls (click HERE to see how to make one)or if you prefer, large Kaiser buns
1 cup 25%-less-sodium beef broth
½ cup Bull’s-Eye Guinness Draught Beer Blend Barbecue Sauce you can substitute this sauce with your favorite brand
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 lb. (450g) stewing beef, cut into 1¼ inch cubes
1 lb. (450g) red potatoes (about 4), quartered
4 large carrots (1 lb./450g), cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, cut into chucks
3 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp. water
Mix broth, barbecue sauce and oregano in slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients except flour and water; toss to coat. Cover with lid. Cook on low 8 to 9 hours or on high 4 to 5 hours.
Transfer meat and vegetables to bread bowl with slotted spoon; cover to keep warm.
Mix flour and water until blended. Stir into juices in slow cooker; cover. Cook on high for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Spoon over meat and vegetables and serve.
While you’re waiting for the stew to cook, there’s plenty of time to relax, get cozy, and delve into that novel you’ve been planning to read. Time travel story, anyone?
Children are the keys to our future.
And now, children are the only hope for our past.
When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.
Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.
EXCERPT
Amanda Sault silently studied the words she just scrawled: May 1st, 1214—Games and songs and revelry, act as the cloak of devilry. So that an English legend may give to the poor, we must travel to Nottingham to even the score.
She frowned. She was the Scribe. Amanda knew that meant she was supposed to understand what this riddle meant. But she didn’t have a clue. All she knew was that she, her four annoying classmates, and two offbeat adults were standing in what was left of the lost continent of Atlantis and they were supposed to be the Timekeepers, the legendary time travelers handpicked by destiny to keep Earth’s history safe from evil. But no one had told them how they were supposed to do it.
Their problem: no matter what happened—good or bad—they weren’t supposed to mess with the past. Period. Dot. End of story. Amanda felt hot liquid build in her throat. Her thumb traced the words of the arcane riddle. Their first Timekeeper mission. Amanda knew this wasn’t the end of the story.
This was just the beginning.
To read more of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Mirror World Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter , Google+ , and Goodreads . Look up her Amazon Author page for a list of current books.
Check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES Facebook page .
I LOVE this recipe. I used it for my first book launch party in May 2012. My reason? The characters in my time travel series The Last Timekeepers got to sample a 13th century version of bread bowl rabbit stew, so I thought for my book release—why not imitate art? Since rabbit is a bit harder to find at the local supermarket, I settled on beef for the main ingredient. I believe my party-goers were happy with that decision as my recipe went over fabulously even though it was a tad hot to serve on the sunny, humid day we experienced. But on those cool, damp days, this steamy stew will bring a smile to your face, and comfort to your soul.
This recipe takes about fifteen minutes to prepare and eight or five hours to cook. Serves four.
Bull’s-Eye Beef Stew
4 bread bowls (click HERE to see how to make one)or if you prefer, large Kaiser buns1 cup 25%-less-sodium beef broth
½ cup Bull’s-Eye Guinness Draught Beer Blend Barbecue Sauce you can substitute this sauce with your favorite brand
1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 lb. (450g) stewing beef, cut into 1¼ inch cubes
1 lb. (450g) red potatoes (about 4), quartered
4 large carrots (1 lb./450g), cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, cut into chucks
3 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp. water
Mix broth, barbecue sauce and oregano in slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients except flour and water; toss to coat. Cover with lid. Cook on low 8 to 9 hours or on high 4 to 5 hours.
Transfer meat and vegetables to bread bowl with slotted spoon; cover to keep warm.
Mix flour and water until blended. Stir into juices in slow cooker; cover. Cook on high for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Spoon over meat and vegetables and serve.
While you’re waiting for the stew to cook, there’s plenty of time to relax, get cozy, and delve into that novel you’ve been planning to read. Time travel story, anyone?
Children are the keys to our future.And now, children are the only hope for our past.
When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.
Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.
EXCERPT
Amanda Sault silently studied the words she just scrawled: May 1st, 1214—Games and songs and revelry, act as the cloak of devilry. So that an English legend may give to the poor, we must travel to Nottingham to even the score.
She frowned. She was the Scribe. Amanda knew that meant she was supposed to understand what this riddle meant. But she didn’t have a clue. All she knew was that she, her four annoying classmates, and two offbeat adults were standing in what was left of the lost continent of Atlantis and they were supposed to be the Timekeepers, the legendary time travelers handpicked by destiny to keep Earth’s history safe from evil. But no one had told them how they were supposed to do it.
Their problem: no matter what happened—good or bad—they weren’t supposed to mess with the past. Period. Dot. End of story. Amanda felt hot liquid build in her throat. Her thumb traced the words of the arcane riddle. Their first Timekeeper mission. Amanda knew this wasn’t the end of the story.
This was just the beginning.
To read more of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Mirror World Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter , Google+ , and Goodreads . Look up her Amazon Author page for a list of current books.
Check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES Facebook page .
July 26, 2015
Rhea Rhodan at Her Best
I'm happy to introduce you to a gifted author I enjoy reading. Rhea Rhodan writes award-winning sensual romance with a twist of magic, and a touch of paranormal. Here's a little from her latest novel. This book is a definite keeper.
Two haunted souls seeking peace find each other instead.
Kidnapped by human monsters, Grace Thorne was ripped from her quiet intellectual life and left deeply scarred. She’s hidden herself for five years, but there’s no escape from the nightmares of the past, or visions of the future. When one foretells tragedy, she gambles her fragile defenses on a haunted man to prevent it—only to discover love is the biggest risk of all.
Jack Daggery doesn’t need a mirror to know why people avoid him, not that he cares. After years working deep undercover, immersed in betrayal and death, all he wants is some peace and the quiet security company he co-owns.
Dagger has no idea why the foul-mouthed little server of questionable gender bothers him. But he does know that living with the ghosts of his past was hard enough without being tormented by the mysterious thorn in his side—or finding how much he needs her.
EXCERPT
“Someone’s going to die.”
Dagger was already late. He didn’t have time for this shit. Especially not this pint-sized, purple-haired shit. The voice was surprisingly rough coming from the small frame, and the way the kid moved didn’t quite…well, there were a lot of those in the catering business. Thank God he’d finished getting dressed.
He’d thought the employee coat room would be a safe place to make a quick change, what with the party being well underway and all. Why would a server be in here now? They should all be busy.
Wait, that raw voice had been responsible for some damn creative cussing he’d heard a minute ago through the not-so-thin door. If he’d heard it, everyone else in the place must have, too. It had followed the loud crash that could have only meant the brutal end of a lot of glass. Someone had barked something after that, but the only word that made it through the door to Dagger’s ears was "fired."
Okay. So, not just short and queer in at least one way, but foul-mouthed and currently unemployed, too. Dagger shook his head.
"What do you mean, ‘someone’s going to die’? Is that supposed to be a threat?” Not that Dagger could blame the kid. He took a step closer anyway. "And why tell me?"
The little purple head cocked to the side. “You might be able to stop it. You're security, right?"
If Dagger had been expecting an answer, that wasn’t it.
“Actually, I'm a guest," he said through gritted teeth.
He and his partner had been invited to the charity ball by a prospective client. The CEO was only in town for the night. He’d refused to give Blackridge his business until he'd met both of them. So here was Dagger, squeezed into the biggest tux the rental place had buried in the back, making his best attempt to be presentable so they could land the account. The kid wasn’t buying it and he doubted anyone else would, either. He knew who he was, or who he’d been, anyway. The way he looked on the outside wasn’t the half of it.
The kid thrust up his chin about a foot and half below Dagger’s and glared at him through large, dark-tinted glasses. Brave little shit, anyway.
"Yeah, right. And I'm Paul-fucking-Bunyan. You fit in with these mothball penguins like Babe The Blue Ox in a goddamn china shop. I just don't want anyone to get hurt, okay? Look for a green van. I gotta go." He pulled a wool cap over his ears, shrugged on an over-sized ratty jacket and ducked past Dagger’s grab, fast. Damned fast.
Dagger hesitated a moment before following. Yes, he was late. But no, he really didn’t want to be here. And what if the tip was solid and he ignored it? There was that, after all.
When he stepped out the back door, he could see the kid stomping sneakered feet under the streetlight at the bus stop in the falling snow. That thin jacket didn't look like it was going to make it through the winter and now the kid was out of a job. The pang of empathy he felt caught him off guard. It had been a long time, but he still remembered what it felt like to be cold and broke, if not queer and undersized.
A green van rounded the corner just as he was about to step back inside and face the party. When he looked back at the streetlight, the kid was disappearing into a bus.
“Damn,” he muttered under his breath and stepped into the shadows, watching while it pulled into the parking lot and cruised slowly through.
His eyes roamed the rows of late-model, high-priced German cars and a few even pricier imports, then back to the green panel van. That didn’t mean the piece-of-shit on wheels didn’t stick out here as bad as he did, tux or no.
The van moved back onto the street and Dagger turned to go back to the party again, fighting his disappointment at the loss of a reprieve. Then he stopped. It wouldn’t hurt to wait five more minutes, just to make sure the van didn’t come back. He really kind of had to, didn’t he? Just in case the kid wasn’t some whack job trying to get someone in trouble or something. He moved inside the door, leaving it open a crack, and checked his watch...
BUY LINKS
Amazon eBooks - Amazon Print - Barnes & Noble - iBooks
Rhea Rhodan lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota and has been telling herself stories since long before she could write. She attended the University of Minnesota with a focus on Journalism, then Brown Institute for Broadcast Journalism. After many adventures, misadventures, and a couple of short marriages, she found the love of her life in Regensburg, Germany, and has been living happily ever after since.
She journaled her adventures, but didn't combine her writing and story-telling until several years ago. At that time one of the stories grabbed her by the throat and shook her like a rag doll until she gave in and wrote it. Having tasted freedom, her muse refuses to return to the confines of her head, and has successfully turned the tables, keeping her at the keyboard to appease it.
Her stories always had a twist of magic or a touch of the paranormal. Why the romance? Because she believes in happy endings, and helping people imagine them.
Learn more about Rhea Rhodan on her website . Stay connected with Rhea on Facebook , and her Goodreads Author Page . You can also read more about Finding Grace on Goodreads Books .
Two haunted souls seeking peace find each other instead.Kidnapped by human monsters, Grace Thorne was ripped from her quiet intellectual life and left deeply scarred. She’s hidden herself for five years, but there’s no escape from the nightmares of the past, or visions of the future. When one foretells tragedy, she gambles her fragile defenses on a haunted man to prevent it—only to discover love is the biggest risk of all.
Jack Daggery doesn’t need a mirror to know why people avoid him, not that he cares. After years working deep undercover, immersed in betrayal and death, all he wants is some peace and the quiet security company he co-owns.
Dagger has no idea why the foul-mouthed little server of questionable gender bothers him. But he does know that living with the ghosts of his past was hard enough without being tormented by the mysterious thorn in his side—or finding how much he needs her.
EXCERPT
“Someone’s going to die.”
Dagger was already late. He didn’t have time for this shit. Especially not this pint-sized, purple-haired shit. The voice was surprisingly rough coming from the small frame, and the way the kid moved didn’t quite…well, there were a lot of those in the catering business. Thank God he’d finished getting dressed.
He’d thought the employee coat room would be a safe place to make a quick change, what with the party being well underway and all. Why would a server be in here now? They should all be busy.
Wait, that raw voice had been responsible for some damn creative cussing he’d heard a minute ago through the not-so-thin door. If he’d heard it, everyone else in the place must have, too. It had followed the loud crash that could have only meant the brutal end of a lot of glass. Someone had barked something after that, but the only word that made it through the door to Dagger’s ears was "fired."
Okay. So, not just short and queer in at least one way, but foul-mouthed and currently unemployed, too. Dagger shook his head.
"What do you mean, ‘someone’s going to die’? Is that supposed to be a threat?” Not that Dagger could blame the kid. He took a step closer anyway. "And why tell me?"
The little purple head cocked to the side. “You might be able to stop it. You're security, right?"
If Dagger had been expecting an answer, that wasn’t it.
“Actually, I'm a guest," he said through gritted teeth.
He and his partner had been invited to the charity ball by a prospective client. The CEO was only in town for the night. He’d refused to give Blackridge his business until he'd met both of them. So here was Dagger, squeezed into the biggest tux the rental place had buried in the back, making his best attempt to be presentable so they could land the account. The kid wasn’t buying it and he doubted anyone else would, either. He knew who he was, or who he’d been, anyway. The way he looked on the outside wasn’t the half of it.
The kid thrust up his chin about a foot and half below Dagger’s and glared at him through large, dark-tinted glasses. Brave little shit, anyway.
"Yeah, right. And I'm Paul-fucking-Bunyan. You fit in with these mothball penguins like Babe The Blue Ox in a goddamn china shop. I just don't want anyone to get hurt, okay? Look for a green van. I gotta go." He pulled a wool cap over his ears, shrugged on an over-sized ratty jacket and ducked past Dagger’s grab, fast. Damned fast.
Dagger hesitated a moment before following. Yes, he was late. But no, he really didn’t want to be here. And what if the tip was solid and he ignored it? There was that, after all.
When he stepped out the back door, he could see the kid stomping sneakered feet under the streetlight at the bus stop in the falling snow. That thin jacket didn't look like it was going to make it through the winter and now the kid was out of a job. The pang of empathy he felt caught him off guard. It had been a long time, but he still remembered what it felt like to be cold and broke, if not queer and undersized.
A green van rounded the corner just as he was about to step back inside and face the party. When he looked back at the streetlight, the kid was disappearing into a bus.
“Damn,” he muttered under his breath and stepped into the shadows, watching while it pulled into the parking lot and cruised slowly through.
His eyes roamed the rows of late-model, high-priced German cars and a few even pricier imports, then back to the green panel van. That didn’t mean the piece-of-shit on wheels didn’t stick out here as bad as he did, tux or no.
The van moved back onto the street and Dagger turned to go back to the party again, fighting his disappointment at the loss of a reprieve. Then he stopped. It wouldn’t hurt to wait five more minutes, just to make sure the van didn’t come back. He really kind of had to, didn’t he? Just in case the kid wasn’t some whack job trying to get someone in trouble or something. He moved inside the door, leaving it open a crack, and checked his watch...
BUY LINKS
Amazon eBooks - Amazon Print - Barnes & Noble - iBooks
Rhea Rhodan lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota and has been telling herself stories since long before she could write. She attended the University of Minnesota with a focus on Journalism, then Brown Institute for Broadcast Journalism. After many adventures, misadventures, and a couple of short marriages, she found the love of her life in Regensburg, Germany, and has been living happily ever after since.She journaled her adventures, but didn't combine her writing and story-telling until several years ago. At that time one of the stories grabbed her by the throat and shook her like a rag doll until she gave in and wrote it. Having tasted freedom, her muse refuses to return to the confines of her head, and has successfully turned the tables, keeping her at the keyboard to appease it.
Her stories always had a twist of magic or a touch of the paranormal. Why the romance? Because she believes in happy endings, and helping people imagine them.
Learn more about Rhea Rhodan on her website . Stay connected with Rhea on Facebook , and her Goodreads Author Page . You can also read more about Finding Grace on Goodreads Books .
July 21, 2015
Ready for a Perfect Italian Dessert?
from Dominique Eastwick
Italian Raspberry Torte
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar & ¼ cup sugar
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups fresh raspberries
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9" springform pan: set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine 2/3 cup sugar, ½ cup sour cream, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and ¼ tsp. almond extract with an electric mixer.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Beat until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 15 minutes. Remove partially baked cake from oven and place on wire rack.
In a new bowl beat cream cheese and ¼ cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
Beat in remaining sour cream and almond extract.
Spoon cream cheese mixture over top of partially baked cake, Spread mixture carefully to edges. Return cake to oven. Bake 20-25 mnutes or until top is set and edges are brown.
Place cake on wire rack. Mound berries on cake, pressing some of the berries gently into cake top.
Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan.
Cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan.
Serve chilled. Add mint sprigs, if desired.
Makes 12-16 servings
Nothing goes better with a cool dessert than a hot book. Here's a peek at my latest erotic release. I hope you enjoy it.
The mysterious and intimidating lone wolf, Z, has returned to Los Lobos. Descended from a long line of gifted yet secretive shifters known as Infiltrators, his people are the spies of the shifting world, rarely seen and harder to track.
Ripley Greystone has a big problem—her pack is Alpha-less and a local coyote band knows it. The safety of her pack rides on trusting Drew, the new Alpha of the Black Hills Wolves. But, admitting the reason for needing his help isn’t something she’s quite ready to do.
Drew senses there’s more to Ripley’s request to join his pack than what she leads him to believe. There’s only one way to know for sure—send an Infiltrator to spy on Ripley and her pack.
Forced to infiltrate her pack to discover its hidden secrets and protect it from the coyotes determined to claim the she-wolves for themselves, Z finds more than he expects—all the while fighting the need to claim Ripley as his mate.
EXCERPT
A hairsbreadth divided them, and it took all the willpower he processed to fight the building desire to pull her into his arms. Her breathing quickened, and as he gazed into her blue eyes, her raw sensuality forced him deeper into the cavernous pit he’d fallen in when he’d first seen her.
The words came out on a whisper. “You feel it, too, don’t you?”
“This attraction?” Z raised an eyebrow.
She closed her eyes. “It won’t work. I have secrets you could never understand.”
“We all have secrets,” he said then gave in to his animal nature and claimed her lips, though touching her nowhere else. He burned himself into her, forcing her to recant her words of denial.
It will work. He didn’t know how, but he didn’t think he could walk away from these feelings again. Having ensured the Greystones posed no threat to the Tao Pack, he could make his top priority the safety of his mate. His second would be to figure out the logistics of having a mate not of his pack.
Her deep groan rumbled through him, and every thought but Ripley faded. Passion swirled and something new, something different…something more, accompanied by a fizz running along his spine and through his nervous system, charging his powers. The urge to howl grew.
Get your copy of Black Hill Wolves Infiltrating her Pack from Amazon .
Award-Winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat. Because of that, traveling is one of her favorite pasttimes. When not writing you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera.
Learn more about Dominique Eastwick on her website , blog , and Amazon author page . Be sure to join her Newsletter for up to the minute info on new releases, contests, and more.
Stay connected on Twitter , Tublr , Tsu , and Pinterest .
Italian Raspberry Torte
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
2/3 cup sugar & ¼ cup sugar
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract
1 8 oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups fresh raspberries
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 9" springform pan: set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl combine 2/3 cup sugar, ½ cup sour cream, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and ¼ tsp. almond extract with an electric mixer.
Add flour mixture to sugar mixture. Beat until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 15 minutes. Remove partially baked cake from oven and place on wire rack.
In a new bowl beat cream cheese and ¼ cup sugar with an electric mixer until smooth.
Beat in remaining sour cream and almond extract.
Spoon cream cheese mixture over top of partially baked cake, Spread mixture carefully to edges. Return cake to oven. Bake 20-25 mnutes or until top is set and edges are brown.
Place cake on wire rack. Mound berries on cake, pressing some of the berries gently into cake top.
Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan.
Cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan.
Serve chilled. Add mint sprigs, if desired.
Makes 12-16 servings
Nothing goes better with a cool dessert than a hot book. Here's a peek at my latest erotic release. I hope you enjoy it.
The mysterious and intimidating lone wolf, Z, has returned to Los Lobos. Descended from a long line of gifted yet secretive shifters known as Infiltrators, his people are the spies of the shifting world, rarely seen and harder to track.Ripley Greystone has a big problem—her pack is Alpha-less and a local coyote band knows it. The safety of her pack rides on trusting Drew, the new Alpha of the Black Hills Wolves. But, admitting the reason for needing his help isn’t something she’s quite ready to do.
Drew senses there’s more to Ripley’s request to join his pack than what she leads him to believe. There’s only one way to know for sure—send an Infiltrator to spy on Ripley and her pack.
Forced to infiltrate her pack to discover its hidden secrets and protect it from the coyotes determined to claim the she-wolves for themselves, Z finds more than he expects—all the while fighting the need to claim Ripley as his mate.
EXCERPT
A hairsbreadth divided them, and it took all the willpower he processed to fight the building desire to pull her into his arms. Her breathing quickened, and as he gazed into her blue eyes, her raw sensuality forced him deeper into the cavernous pit he’d fallen in when he’d first seen her.
The words came out on a whisper. “You feel it, too, don’t you?”
“This attraction?” Z raised an eyebrow.
She closed her eyes. “It won’t work. I have secrets you could never understand.”
“We all have secrets,” he said then gave in to his animal nature and claimed her lips, though touching her nowhere else. He burned himself into her, forcing her to recant her words of denial.
It will work. He didn’t know how, but he didn’t think he could walk away from these feelings again. Having ensured the Greystones posed no threat to the Tao Pack, he could make his top priority the safety of his mate. His second would be to figure out the logistics of having a mate not of his pack.
Her deep groan rumbled through him, and every thought but Ripley faded. Passion swirled and something new, something different…something more, accompanied by a fizz running along his spine and through his nervous system, charging his powers. The urge to howl grew.
Get your copy of Black Hill Wolves Infiltrating her Pack from Amazon .
Award-Winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat. Because of that, traveling is one of her favorite pasttimes. When not writing you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera. Learn more about Dominique Eastwick on her website , blog , and Amazon author page . Be sure to join her Newsletter for up to the minute info on new releases, contests, and more.
Stay connected on Twitter , Tublr , Tsu , and Pinterest .
July 19, 2015
The Power of Being Alice
by Chris Pavesic
Liddell & Boyd (Alice in the looking glass works)_by Karl Beutel 2011
2015 marks the 150th Publication Anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The story itself originates in 1862 when a girl named Alice Liddell and her two sisters rowed from Folly Bridge, Oxford, to Godstow with Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) and his clerical friend, Robinson Duckworth. During this journey the girls were told the first version of the story to keep them entertained. Later the work was expanded and published in the version we now know and love.
Alice by Arthur Rackham 1907 Bridgeman Art Library
For me, the character of Alice has always been a remarkable one in childhood literature. She displays an inner strength in every situation, no matter how bizarre it may be (and in Wonderland the situations are never normal!). In an interview for ScreenCrave, Tim Burton explains his attraction to the character of Alice:
Warehouse 13 Character of Alice Lidell
It is this type of boldness that attracted me to the character and the tone I tried to emulate in my story, Wonderland, which is based on parts of both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Wonderland is set in a version of modern-day America, but still maintains the fearlessness, strength, and curiosity of the original character. One reviewer on Amazon.com writes:
Salvador Dali Alice Adventures in Wonderland
Artists have taken inspiration from the works to produce vivid and beautiful interpretations of the characters and the world. For example, the “Alice in Wonderland” works are considered to be one of the rarest and most sought after Salvador Dali suites.
If you are interested in attending an event celebrating anniversary of this, please check out the following information at the Lewis Carroll website . The site lists 95 events in 11 countries.
For a free copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, check out the Project Gutenberg edition online .
Here is a brief introduction to Wonderland, the latest fantasy book by Chris Pavesic. Enjoy!
You may think you know her story.
You don't.
Throughout her life Alice has faced fear and isolation, but she has never given up hope. In the City by the Bay she has one last chance to find happiness; one last chance to find friendship; one last chance to find Wonderland.
Click here to watch the YouTube video.
Read excerpts from all of the books written by Chris Pavesic on Amazon.
Chris Pavesic is a fantasy author who lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, steampunk, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends. Learn more about Chris on her website .
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Liddell & Boyd (Alice in the looking glass works)_by Karl Beutel 20112015 marks the 150th Publication Anniversary of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The story itself originates in 1862 when a girl named Alice Liddell and her two sisters rowed from Folly Bridge, Oxford, to Godstow with Lewis Carroll (Charles Dodgson) and his clerical friend, Robinson Duckworth. During this journey the girls were told the first version of the story to keep them entertained. Later the work was expanded and published in the version we now know and love.
Alice by Arthur Rackham 1907 Bridgeman Art LibraryFor me, the character of Alice has always been a remarkable one in childhood literature. She displays an inner strength in every situation, no matter how bizarre it may be (and in Wonderland the situations are never normal!). In an interview for ScreenCrave, Tim Burton explains his attraction to the character of Alice:
For example, when she falls through the earth, Alice does not react with terror. She thinks, she talks to herself, and she analyzes what is actually happening and what may happen in the future. Even though it is a bizarre situation, Alice deals with it in a logical way:
It’s a story about somebody using this kind of imagery and this kind of world to figure out problems and things in their own life, and what’s fantasy and reality and dreams and reality — how they are not separate things, that they’re one thing. It’s how we use those things to deal with our issues in life.
'I wonder if I shall fall right through the earth! How funny it'll seem to come out among the people that walk with their heads downward! The Antipathies, I think--' (she was rather glad there WAS no one listening, this time, as it didn't sound at all the right word) '--but I shall have to ask them what the name of the country is, you know. Please, Ma'am, is this New Zealand or Australia?' (and she tried to curtsey as she spoke--fancy curtseying as you're falling through the air! Do you think you could manage it?) 'And what an ignorant little girl she'll think me for asking! No, it'll never do to ask: perhaps I shall see it written up somewhere.'Alice retains this quality throughout the novel and its sequel. She is curious, logical, and prepared to give as good as she gets in arguments. It doesn’t matter if Alice speaks to a caterpillar, a rabbit, a footman, a grinning cat, or a queen; she works to make sense and to analyze the situation.
Warehouse 13 Character of Alice LidellIt is this type of boldness that attracted me to the character and the tone I tried to emulate in my story, Wonderland, which is based on parts of both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Wonderland is set in a version of modern-day America, but still maintains the fearlessness, strength, and curiosity of the original character. One reviewer on Amazon.com writes:
There have been many versions of Alice’s story through the years, including (but not limited to) the Disney animated version, the Resident Evil franchise, and the most recent version by Tim Burton. The character of Alice has appeared in many different television programs, including Warehouse 13. The images of Alice and her Wonderland compatriots appear almost everywhere on household goods, clothing, and technology.
Chris Pavesic’s Wonderland is set in the U.S. and references modern events. You will see all of the characters that you know and love from Carroll’s work, but they are in relatable forms for those of us “across the pond.” For example, the Tea Party takes place at a sorority house during pledge week. The dormouse is a pledge from a near-by fraternity who has overindulged in alcohol. One of his “brothers” has used a Sharpie marker to draw a mouse nose and whiskers on his face.
Salvador Dali Alice Adventures in WonderlandArtists have taken inspiration from the works to produce vivid and beautiful interpretations of the characters and the world. For example, the “Alice in Wonderland” works are considered to be one of the rarest and most sought after Salvador Dali suites.
If you are interested in attending an event celebrating anniversary of this, please check out the following information at the Lewis Carroll website . The site lists 95 events in 11 countries.
For a free copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, check out the Project Gutenberg edition online .
Here is a brief introduction to Wonderland, the latest fantasy book by Chris Pavesic. Enjoy!
You may think you know her story.
You don't.
Throughout her life Alice has faced fear and isolation, but she has never given up hope. In the City by the Bay she has one last chance to find happiness; one last chance to find friendship; one last chance to find Wonderland.
Click here to watch the YouTube video.
Read excerpts from all of the books written by Chris Pavesic on Amazon.
Chris Pavesic is a fantasy author who lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, steampunk, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends. Learn more about Chris on her website .
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
July 14, 2015
Two Devilish Delights from Sexy Sara Daniel
I love to eat deviled eggs—as long as someone else makes them! But as I approached my fourth decade of life, I realized maybe I need to cross this item off my bucket list even though the creation seemed way too complicated and fancy. I’m a busy mom with a full-time writing job. When it comes to food, I don’t do complicated or fancy.
This past spring I had a bunch of leftover Easter eggs and a whole lot of company coming over. I needed my guests to eat those eggs, so they weren’t sitting in my fridge until Halloween! So I scoured recipes online (Thanks Google!) and simplified the simplest recipe. I haven’t figured out a way to simplify peeling hard boiled eggs, but once I got past that part, these eggs were easy-peasy to make.
Easy Deviled Eggs
1 dozen hard boiled eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. honey Dijon mustard
Paprika
Peel hard boiled eggs. (Muttering and cursing is optional, but I find the eggs respond better to threats and bad temper!)
Slice eggs lengthwise. Scoop yolks into a bowl. Mash yolks, mayonnaise, and mustard together.
Scoop mixture with a small spoon into egg white halves. (If you want to use some fancy thing to make pretty, complicated designs, knock yourself out!)
Sprinkle with paprika. Cover with cling wrap and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
Here's a peek at my hot new release to enjoy while you nibble on a few of your delicious eggs.
After a grenade took Marine Luke Cox’s leg and ends his career, he cuts ties with his wife to free her from the burden he’d become. On the day his divorce is to be finalized, he travels to meet a woman for a 1Night Stand date—a woman who doesn’t care about his missing leg or his sudden wealth from a business venture. However, things don’t go as planned, and when he arrives for his date, he’s still legally married.
Rosalind Cox tends to the horses on her cousin’s ranch resort, her love for the animals the only thing keeping her going since her husband turned his back on her. When he appears at her stables, all the longing and rising hope is crushed by the realization he’s only sought her out to gain his freedom.
She’ll give him what he wants, but she can’t resist taking one last kiss for herself. The kiss reopens emotions and attraction that neither can deny. To give in will only complicate the tangle as they try to unwind their lives. But even though Rosalind doesn’t care about Luke’s missing leg or his money, as long as he refuses to accept himself as whole, one night with his wife will be his last.
Buy Links:
Amazon - All Romance eBooks - Kobo - Barnes & Noble - Google Play - iBooks
Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction, was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels, and loses her car keys several times a day.
Learn more about Sara on her website and blog . Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter .
Stay connected on Facebook , Twitter , and Pinterest .
This past spring I had a bunch of leftover Easter eggs and a whole lot of company coming over. I needed my guests to eat those eggs, so they weren’t sitting in my fridge until Halloween! So I scoured recipes online (Thanks Google!) and simplified the simplest recipe. I haven’t figured out a way to simplify peeling hard boiled eggs, but once I got past that part, these eggs were easy-peasy to make.
Easy Deviled Eggs
1 dozen hard boiled eggs1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. honey Dijon mustard
Paprika
Peel hard boiled eggs. (Muttering and cursing is optional, but I find the eggs respond better to threats and bad temper!)
Slice eggs lengthwise. Scoop yolks into a bowl. Mash yolks, mayonnaise, and mustard together.
Scoop mixture with a small spoon into egg white halves. (If you want to use some fancy thing to make pretty, complicated designs, knock yourself out!)
Sprinkle with paprika. Cover with cling wrap and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
Here's a peek at my hot new release to enjoy while you nibble on a few of your delicious eggs.
After a grenade took Marine Luke Cox’s leg and ends his career, he cuts ties with his wife to free her from the burden he’d become. On the day his divorce is to be finalized, he travels to meet a woman for a 1Night Stand date—a woman who doesn’t care about his missing leg or his sudden wealth from a business venture. However, things don’t go as planned, and when he arrives for his date, he’s still legally married.Rosalind Cox tends to the horses on her cousin’s ranch resort, her love for the animals the only thing keeping her going since her husband turned his back on her. When he appears at her stables, all the longing and rising hope is crushed by the realization he’s only sought her out to gain his freedom.
She’ll give him what he wants, but she can’t resist taking one last kiss for herself. The kiss reopens emotions and attraction that neither can deny. To give in will only complicate the tangle as they try to unwind their lives. But even though Rosalind doesn’t care about Luke’s missing leg or his money, as long as he refuses to accept himself as whole, one night with his wife will be his last.
Buy Links:
Amazon - All Romance eBooks - Kobo - Barnes & Noble - Google Play - iBooks
Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction, was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels, and loses her car keys several times a day.
Learn more about Sara on her website and blog . Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter .
Stay connected on Facebook , Twitter , and Pinterest .
July 12, 2015
Marci Boudreaux Touches Your Heart
and stirs your soul with her new release Friends Without Benefits Book 2 in the Stonehill Romance series by Marci Boudreaux. This heartwarming sweet romance is one you won't want to miss.
Dianna Friedman never expected her husband to leave her. Who does? But she's making the most of what she has left--two nearly-grown sons and a mountain of debt she can't pay. She's in over her head, but she is determined to survive.
Even if everyone else saw it coming, Paul O'Connell was blindsided by his wife's affair and attempt to bleed him dry. He reaches out to Dianna--the woman who caught their spouses cheating--in hopes that her testimony at his divorce hearing will prevent him from paying alimony.
Dianna and Paul become fast friends and maybe a bit too dependent on each other, but who are they hurting? No one. At least not until Dianna's life takes yet another unexpected twist and she and Paul have to reevaluate everything...including what they mean to each other.
EXCERPT
Paul washed his hands as the silence in the room pressed down on Dianna. She still had no idea why he was in her kitchen. He finally quit fussing and sat across from her at the table, adding creamer to his coffee. He stirred the liquids together much longer than needed. Each passing of the spoon added tension to the knot in Dianna’s stomach.
Finally, the quiet overwhelmed her. “Mr. O’Connell?”
He stopped stirring and met her gaze. “Paul. Please.”
“Paul, why are you here?”
He tapped the spoon on the edge of his mug before deliberately setting the utensil on a napkin. “I feel like I should—” He drew a deep breath and let it out loudly. “I’m sorry. For what she did.”
Dianna creased her brow. She didn’t know what she thought he was going to say, but that certainly wasn’t what she expected. “Why?”
“Why?”
“Why are you apologizing for your wife sleeping with my husband? Didn’t she cheat on you as much as he cheated on me?”
“Yes. She did.”
“So, why are you apologizing?”
“Well. Someone should. Don’t you think?”
His question sunk her heart. Her eyes, which were still irritated from her last bout of tears, began to sting anew. Yes. She did deserve an apology. Too bad one of the two people who should be sorry for what she was going through hadn’t offered it, though.
“Yes.” She swallowed in an attempt to tame her emotions. “I think someone should. But I don’t think that someone should be you.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Michelle sure seemed to think her affair was my fault.”
“Oh, yes. I didn’t understand his needs anymore.”
“I smothered her. I needed her too much, put too much pressure on her to make me happy.” Paul looked far more than miserable. He looked guilty, as if he were to blame for being on the receiving end of his wife’s adultery.
Dianna wanted to assure him he wasn’t, but she didn’t have the conviction. She’d failed to buy that line too many times to try to sell it to him.
Instead, she looked into her mug so she couldn’t see the pain in his eyes. “Do you know… Do you know what today is? Is that why you’re here?”
“No. I’ve been meaning to stop by, I just hadn’t worked up the courage.”
“Oh.”
“What is today?”
Her lip quivered. “My divorce hearing was today. I just got home not too long ago, actually.”
“Jesus,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. May I ask how it went?”
The stress of the judge’s decision hit her again. “Um…not well, actually. I don’t know how I’m going to—” She gestured lamely at the room around her. “Our oldest son Jason is away at college, and Sam is a high school senior so the judge didn’t feel that Mitch owed me anything. I’ve been a housewife since we got married. I’m not sure how I’m going to…you know...” She pushed herself up from her seat when a sob started building in her. “When I get stressed, I bake. Would you like some cookies?” She didn’t wait for him to respond. She grabbed a container off the counter. “I made oatmeal and chocolate chip. Sam ate most of the chocolate chip ones as soon as they were out of the oven, but”—she put the container on the table and sat down—“there’s plenty of oatmeal left. Please. I don’t need to eat all those myself.”
He hesitated for a moment but then grabbed a cookie. The silence returned as he took small, measured bites. She watched until she noticed the light glimmering off his wedding band.
“He wasn’t wearing his ring,” she said before she could stop herself.
Paul lifted his brow in question. “I’m sorry?”
“This morning. At the hearing. It’s the first time since we were married that I’ve seen Mitch without his wedding ring.”
Paul nodded, as if he understood exactly how much that had hurt her. He took the last bite from his cookie and carefully brushed the crumbs from his hands onto a napkin which he folded and used to wipe the table clean. He chased the bite with a sip of coffee. “Look, there’s never going to be a good time for me to ask this, but I was wondering…”
“What?”
“I, um, I’m so sorry, but… When Michelle told me she was leaving me, I asked her what she was going to do when this great guy she was seeing decided he didn’t want to leave his wife. She said that wasn’t going to be a problem because you had caught them together. Is that true?”
Her mind again flashed to the night she’d walked in on Mitch and Michelle having sex in his office. He had her bent over his desk as he gripped her hips and thrust into her. Those sounds returned—skin smacking against skin, soft moans. Michelle’s black skirt was hiked up onto her back, her hands clinging to the edge of Mitch’s desk, his face tense as he neared release—a look Dianna knew all too well.
She winced. The painful memory still struck her like a slap across the face. “Yes. It’s true.”
Paul’s cheeks lost a few shades of color as if she’d confirmed something he was trying to deny. “Well, now she’s trying to say that her relationship with your husband wasn’t sexual.”
Dianna laughed bitterly. “Oh, it was sexual, all right.”
The muscles in his jaw tightened, and she had the sudden urge to reach out and stroke his face to help ease his tension. Her hand was several inches off the table before she realized what she was doing and stopped herself.
“I know it can’t be easy for you,” he said quietly, “especially having just gone through your hearing, and I swear to you I wouldn’t ask if there were any other way, but would you be willing to testify on my behalf? About when you caught them together.”
Dianna exhaled slowly. She’d give anything not to have to think about her husband’s affair ever again. She didn’t want to remember how completely unexpected catching Mitch cheating had been. Or how she’d walked into the room, as she’d done a hundred times before, carrying his still-warm dinner. How the Tupperware container fell to the floor. How the sound of plastic crashing onto the tiles pulled the lovers from their passion as shock rolled through her, numbing her mind and freezing her body. She didn’t want to remember how Mitch gasped out her name, or how the woman he was screwing lifted her face off his desk to smirk.
Dianna closed her eyes and hot tears slid down her cheeks. She didn’t try to hide them. Her pain overpowered her dignity, as it had so many times in the last six months. How could she care that this stranger was seeing her cry when her heart hurt so much?
“Please, Mrs. Friedman—”
“Dianna,” she spat. “I really hate the Friedman part right now.”
“Please, Dianna. She doesn’t deserve alimony.”
She scoffed. “God. Wouldn’t that be something? I was informed that I don’t deserve alimony because I am capable of work. Yet, you think she’ll get alimony when she’s got my husband to support her.”
“I think she’s got a hell of a better attorney than you had.”
“Yeah, well, I couldn’t afford to pay the bills, support our children, and pay for a top-notch attorney, could I?”
He didn’t respond.
“Sorry,” she whispered as her angry words lingered between them. “That wasn’t directed at you.”
“I know. I have no right to ask you to go through this again, but she will get alimony if I don’t stop her.”
“Well, that hardly seems fair. To either of us.”
“So, you’ll testify?”
Those damned memories flashed through her mind again, bringing with them the familiar stinging and crushing of her soul. She reached into the container sitting between them and grabbed a cookie. She’d likely eaten a dozen the night before, but that didn’t stop her from biting into another as she debated.
“Yes,” she said, finding a conviction that she hadn’t felt for a long time. “Yes, I will testify.”
AMAZON BUY LINK
Presenting the covers for all the books in the Stonehill Romance series.
Marci Boudreaux lives with her husband, two children, and their numerous pets. Romance is her preferred reading and writing genre because nothing feels better than falling in love with someone new, and her husband doesn't like when she does that in real life.
As well as writing erotica under her pen name Emilia Mancini, Marci is a content editor for Lyrical Press, an imprint of Kensington Publishing. She earned her MS in Publishing from University of Houston-Victoria in 2014 and worked with Des Moines publishing company Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc. until she recently opted to focus on working in books.
She has been published with Liquid Silver Books, Musa Publishing, and Sweet Secrets Publishing. With the recent closure of Musa Publishing, Marci has ventured into self-publishing.
Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Dianna Friedman never expected her husband to leave her. Who does? But she's making the most of what she has left--two nearly-grown sons and a mountain of debt she can't pay. She's in over her head, but she is determined to survive.Even if everyone else saw it coming, Paul O'Connell was blindsided by his wife's affair and attempt to bleed him dry. He reaches out to Dianna--the woman who caught their spouses cheating--in hopes that her testimony at his divorce hearing will prevent him from paying alimony.
Dianna and Paul become fast friends and maybe a bit too dependent on each other, but who are they hurting? No one. At least not until Dianna's life takes yet another unexpected twist and she and Paul have to reevaluate everything...including what they mean to each other.
EXCERPT
Paul washed his hands as the silence in the room pressed down on Dianna. She still had no idea why he was in her kitchen. He finally quit fussing and sat across from her at the table, adding creamer to his coffee. He stirred the liquids together much longer than needed. Each passing of the spoon added tension to the knot in Dianna’s stomach.
Finally, the quiet overwhelmed her. “Mr. O’Connell?”
He stopped stirring and met her gaze. “Paul. Please.”
“Paul, why are you here?”
He tapped the spoon on the edge of his mug before deliberately setting the utensil on a napkin. “I feel like I should—” He drew a deep breath and let it out loudly. “I’m sorry. For what she did.”
Dianna creased her brow. She didn’t know what she thought he was going to say, but that certainly wasn’t what she expected. “Why?”
“Why?”
“Why are you apologizing for your wife sleeping with my husband? Didn’t she cheat on you as much as he cheated on me?”
“Yes. She did.”
“So, why are you apologizing?”
“Well. Someone should. Don’t you think?”
His question sunk her heart. Her eyes, which were still irritated from her last bout of tears, began to sting anew. Yes. She did deserve an apology. Too bad one of the two people who should be sorry for what she was going through hadn’t offered it, though.
“Yes.” She swallowed in an attempt to tame her emotions. “I think someone should. But I don’t think that someone should be you.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Michelle sure seemed to think her affair was my fault.”
“Oh, yes. I didn’t understand his needs anymore.”
“I smothered her. I needed her too much, put too much pressure on her to make me happy.” Paul looked far more than miserable. He looked guilty, as if he were to blame for being on the receiving end of his wife’s adultery.
Dianna wanted to assure him he wasn’t, but she didn’t have the conviction. She’d failed to buy that line too many times to try to sell it to him.
Instead, she looked into her mug so she couldn’t see the pain in his eyes. “Do you know… Do you know what today is? Is that why you’re here?”
“No. I’ve been meaning to stop by, I just hadn’t worked up the courage.”
“Oh.”
“What is today?”
Her lip quivered. “My divorce hearing was today. I just got home not too long ago, actually.”
“Jesus,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. May I ask how it went?”
The stress of the judge’s decision hit her again. “Um…not well, actually. I don’t know how I’m going to—” She gestured lamely at the room around her. “Our oldest son Jason is away at college, and Sam is a high school senior so the judge didn’t feel that Mitch owed me anything. I’ve been a housewife since we got married. I’m not sure how I’m going to…you know...” She pushed herself up from her seat when a sob started building in her. “When I get stressed, I bake. Would you like some cookies?” She didn’t wait for him to respond. She grabbed a container off the counter. “I made oatmeal and chocolate chip. Sam ate most of the chocolate chip ones as soon as they were out of the oven, but”—she put the container on the table and sat down—“there’s plenty of oatmeal left. Please. I don’t need to eat all those myself.”
He hesitated for a moment but then grabbed a cookie. The silence returned as he took small, measured bites. She watched until she noticed the light glimmering off his wedding band.
“He wasn’t wearing his ring,” she said before she could stop herself.
Paul lifted his brow in question. “I’m sorry?”
“This morning. At the hearing. It’s the first time since we were married that I’ve seen Mitch without his wedding ring.”
Paul nodded, as if he understood exactly how much that had hurt her. He took the last bite from his cookie and carefully brushed the crumbs from his hands onto a napkin which he folded and used to wipe the table clean. He chased the bite with a sip of coffee. “Look, there’s never going to be a good time for me to ask this, but I was wondering…”
“What?”
“I, um, I’m so sorry, but… When Michelle told me she was leaving me, I asked her what she was going to do when this great guy she was seeing decided he didn’t want to leave his wife. She said that wasn’t going to be a problem because you had caught them together. Is that true?”
Her mind again flashed to the night she’d walked in on Mitch and Michelle having sex in his office. He had her bent over his desk as he gripped her hips and thrust into her. Those sounds returned—skin smacking against skin, soft moans. Michelle’s black skirt was hiked up onto her back, her hands clinging to the edge of Mitch’s desk, his face tense as he neared release—a look Dianna knew all too well.
She winced. The painful memory still struck her like a slap across the face. “Yes. It’s true.”
Paul’s cheeks lost a few shades of color as if she’d confirmed something he was trying to deny. “Well, now she’s trying to say that her relationship with your husband wasn’t sexual.”
Dianna laughed bitterly. “Oh, it was sexual, all right.”
The muscles in his jaw tightened, and she had the sudden urge to reach out and stroke his face to help ease his tension. Her hand was several inches off the table before she realized what she was doing and stopped herself.
“I know it can’t be easy for you,” he said quietly, “especially having just gone through your hearing, and I swear to you I wouldn’t ask if there were any other way, but would you be willing to testify on my behalf? About when you caught them together.”
Dianna exhaled slowly. She’d give anything not to have to think about her husband’s affair ever again. She didn’t want to remember how completely unexpected catching Mitch cheating had been. Or how she’d walked into the room, as she’d done a hundred times before, carrying his still-warm dinner. How the Tupperware container fell to the floor. How the sound of plastic crashing onto the tiles pulled the lovers from their passion as shock rolled through her, numbing her mind and freezing her body. She didn’t want to remember how Mitch gasped out her name, or how the woman he was screwing lifted her face off his desk to smirk.
Dianna closed her eyes and hot tears slid down her cheeks. She didn’t try to hide them. Her pain overpowered her dignity, as it had so many times in the last six months. How could she care that this stranger was seeing her cry when her heart hurt so much?
“Please, Mrs. Friedman—”
“Dianna,” she spat. “I really hate the Friedman part right now.”
“Please, Dianna. She doesn’t deserve alimony.”
She scoffed. “God. Wouldn’t that be something? I was informed that I don’t deserve alimony because I am capable of work. Yet, you think she’ll get alimony when she’s got my husband to support her.”
“I think she’s got a hell of a better attorney than you had.”
“Yeah, well, I couldn’t afford to pay the bills, support our children, and pay for a top-notch attorney, could I?”
He didn’t respond.
“Sorry,” she whispered as her angry words lingered between them. “That wasn’t directed at you.”
“I know. I have no right to ask you to go through this again, but she will get alimony if I don’t stop her.”
“Well, that hardly seems fair. To either of us.”
“So, you’ll testify?”
Those damned memories flashed through her mind again, bringing with them the familiar stinging and crushing of her soul. She reached into the container sitting between them and grabbed a cookie. She’d likely eaten a dozen the night before, but that didn’t stop her from biting into another as she debated.
“Yes,” she said, finding a conviction that she hadn’t felt for a long time. “Yes, I will testify.”
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Presenting the covers for all the books in the Stonehill Romance series.
Marci Boudreaux lives with her husband, two children, and their numerous pets. Romance is her preferred reading and writing genre because nothing feels better than falling in love with someone new, and her husband doesn't like when she does that in real life.As well as writing erotica under her pen name Emilia Mancini, Marci is a content editor for Lyrical Press, an imprint of Kensington Publishing. She earned her MS in Publishing from University of Houston-Victoria in 2014 and worked with Des Moines publishing company Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc. until she recently opted to focus on working in books.
She has been published with Liquid Silver Books, Musa Publishing, and Sweet Secrets Publishing. With the recent closure of Musa Publishing, Marci has ventured into self-publishing.
Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
