Sloane Taylor's Blog, page 122
October 1, 2013
It's Wednesday. So What's Cooking?
A long time favorite that Sam Cheever adapted to make our busy lives a little easier. Take it away Sam!
We've recently moved the zoo to a new house. With all the unpacking and disorganization I needed a quick but tasty dinner for us humans. A quick rummage through two boxes and the fridge and I was good to go. Here is our first night's dinner. Add a crisp salad and a chilled bottle of white wine for a romantic touch. We loved the clean taste and I think you will, too.
SAM'S EASY MAC & CHEESE
2 cups dried pasta
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup loosely packed shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Combine the pasta and milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir often. Cook over low heat until the pasta is soft, approximately 20 minutes. Do not allow the milk to boil.
Stir in the mustard, salt, and cheese (if you’re going to bake it, reserve about ¼ cup of the cheese for sprinkling over the top).
Cover and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir well and serve. Or bake it in a 375°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.
Add 1 can of drained tuna and bake as above to make tuna casserole!
Now if you want something with more bite, here's an intro from my erotic romance Cupid Only Rings Twice.
This Valentine’s Day, Rori’s gonna meet an honest to god Cupid. And he’ll use more than arrows to win her love.
Rori Foster is too beautiful to find love. Men just can’t seem to look past her exterior to recognize the human being inside.
Unfortunately he’ll have to save her from the bad intentions of a cocky Love Demon first.
But Damios is determined to protect her. Even if he loses her in the process.
MINI EXCERPT:
Damios lowered his head, capturing her exquisite lips in a kiss that was less a tender wish and more an urgent promise. Her mouth opened under his and he accepted her offer, slipping his tongue past her lips to savor her sweet taste.
She moaned softly as his hands slipped around her waist, up her back, and pulled her tightly against his chest. Her body heated under his kiss and her incredible scent slipped over him.
Damios broke the kiss long enough to say, “I lied. I want to come inside.”
They both stilled for a moment, Damios realizing how his declaration had sounded and Rori’s lips twitching under a suppressed grin.
He rested his forehead against hers, finding it hard to breathe. “Sorry. That came out wrong.”
She chuckled huskily, skimming the tip of one velvet thumb across his bottom lip. “No. It came out just right.”
Damios bit her thumb softly and slipped his hands down her body, cupping the firm roundness of her buttocks. His lips found hers again and he groaned as she ground herself against him.
Their kiss gained heat, their bodies thrumming under the imperative of a building need. Their tongues tangled, danced, and their hands skimmed, exploring with growing intensity...
To read more or purchase Cupid Only Rings Twice please click the vendor's name.
Musa Publishing | Nook | Kobo |
Sony | ARe | Kindle | Amazon.uk
| Amazon.ca
Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!
Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.
She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 11 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.
Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.
We've recently moved the zoo to a new house. With all the unpacking and disorganization I needed a quick but tasty dinner for us humans. A quick rummage through two boxes and the fridge and I was good to go. Here is our first night's dinner. Add a crisp salad and a chilled bottle of white wine for a romantic touch. We loved the clean taste and I think you will, too.
SAM'S EASY MAC & CHEESE
2 cups dried pasta
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup loosely packed shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Combine the pasta and milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir often. Cook over low heat until the pasta is soft, approximately 20 minutes. Do not allow the milk to boil.
Stir in the mustard, salt, and cheese (if you’re going to bake it, reserve about ¼ cup of the cheese for sprinkling over the top).
Cover and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir well and serve. Or bake it in a 375°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.
Add 1 can of drained tuna and bake as above to make tuna casserole!
Now if you want something with more bite, here's an intro from my erotic romance Cupid Only Rings Twice.
This Valentine’s Day, Rori’s gonna meet an honest to god Cupid. And he’ll use more than arrows to win her love.
Rori Foster is too beautiful to find love. Men just can’t seem to look past her exterior to recognize the human being inside.
Unfortunately he’ll have to save her from the bad intentions of a cocky Love Demon first.
But Damios is determined to protect her. Even if he loses her in the process.
MINI EXCERPT:
Damios lowered his head, capturing her exquisite lips in a kiss that was less a tender wish and more an urgent promise. Her mouth opened under his and he accepted her offer, slipping his tongue past her lips to savor her sweet taste.
She moaned softly as his hands slipped around her waist, up her back, and pulled her tightly against his chest. Her body heated under his kiss and her incredible scent slipped over him.
Damios broke the kiss long enough to say, “I lied. I want to come inside.”
They both stilled for a moment, Damios realizing how his declaration had sounded and Rori’s lips twitching under a suppressed grin.
He rested his forehead against hers, finding it hard to breathe. “Sorry. That came out wrong.”
She chuckled huskily, skimming the tip of one velvet thumb across his bottom lip. “No. It came out just right.”
Damios bit her thumb softly and slipped his hands down her body, cupping the firm roundness of her buttocks. His lips found hers again and he groaned as she ground herself against him.
Their kiss gained heat, their bodies thrumming under the imperative of a building need. Their tongues tangled, danced, and their hands skimmed, exploring with growing intensity...
To read more or purchase Cupid Only Rings Twice please click the vendor's name.
Musa Publishing | Nook | Kobo |
Sony | ARe | Kindle | Amazon.uk
| Amazon.ca
Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.
She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 11 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.
Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.
September 29, 2013
Real Place, Fake People
by Holley Trent
Love by Premonition is a paranormal-themed book that I wanted to set in a realistic environment, so I constructed a world out of my ancestors’ stomping grounds. The rural setting and deep family roots of North Carolina’s Halifax County make the place ripe for some stranger-than-fiction scenarios. I like strange, so I ran with it! Now, just because a book is fiction (especially campy paranormal romance fiction) doesn’t mean the author didn’t do research. I’ve been studying Enfield’s families for more than a decade trying to unravel my family tree, so I know a bit about the history. Furthermore, I’m a North Carolinian so I know the culture.
Here are few “real” nuggets from the novel.
1 – Surnames. The names I gave my supporting characters are typical of Eastern North Carolina, and Halifax County specifically. The Silvers? Braswells? Bryants? The area is bursting with them. Although the characters aren’t modeled after any specific people, I felt like I couldn’t ignore those famous families. (And by famous, I mean “really freaking big.” If you have ancestry from that area that doesn’t overlap with one of those families, I’d be shocked. [For you genealogists stumbling onto this via Google, let’s chat, huh?])
2 – Overly dramatic locals. That’s not to say everyone in Halifax County are emotionally erratic, but in such a rural place that folks are just more comfortable putting their quirks on display. (You should see my private Facebook stream. Y’ALL. OMG. I see everything from weapon brandishing to communicated threats [e.g. “When you see my car in your yard tomorrow, come on outside and get your beat-down.”] on a daily basis.)
So, brazen tramp showing up at the mayor’s wake with a bogus will? Same audacious hussy being walloped in the street by mayor’s widow? Wish I could say I conjured that sub-plot out of thin air. (That particular subplot is actually a combination of my own family experience and, again, unbelievable Facebook shenanigans.)
3 – Rampant miscegenation. My protagonist—Marcia—explains some local history, including the ripe conditions in Enfield for creation of a tri-racial isolate. That’s a real thing. I swear. It’s a historically accurate inclusion, but the locals may not know it by that fancy phrase. They call that “skeletons in the closet.” More accurately, “skeletons in the family tree.”
4 – Hinky supernatural stuff. Hang with a born Southerner of a certain age long enough, and you’ll hear the stories. You may even start to witness some pretty wild stuff yourself. I have personally been anointed with holy oil (in my sleep) as a defense against demons. (Ahem.) So…Marcia’s grandma Sophia? I didn’t just conjure her from thin air.
Here's a brief intro of my just released novel for you;
The psychic didn't go looking for love, but she should have seen it coming.
Marcia Andrews is a freelance psychic consultant. Sick of living hand to mouth, she accepts a contract with Raleigh Police. A new gang called The Cardinals is terrorizing The Triangle, and Marcia gives the department an edge in tracking them. Help that she is, one cop isn’t so keen on her involvement, and makes sure she knows it.
Detective Nat McCoy would rather see Marcia in his bedroom than the bullpen. The gorgeous Scotsman isn’t the typical chauvinist pig, though. He’s keeping a secret that even the psychic doesn’t anticipate.
A close encounter with a Cardinal’s bullet knocks Marcia off her game when the police need her most. She loses hours to trances and ghosts haunt her sleep. She can hardly function, and everything she thought she knew about playboy McCoy suddenly seems questionable. McCoy thinks he knows the cure for what ails her—him. But can she trust him?
Love by Premonition is available for purchase now at the Musa store and also at third-party vendors such as Amazon.com and All Romance eBooks.
If you’d like to stay up to date on my progress with its spin-off, visit me on my blog or follow me on Twitter .
Holley Trent is the author of Executive Decision, Mrs. Roth’s Merry Christmas, and Her Resident Jester – all available now from Musa Publishing's Calliope Romance Line.
To see all of Holley Trent's Musa Publishing books, please click HERE .
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
Twitter
Amazon Author Page
Love by Premonition is a paranormal-themed book that I wanted to set in a realistic environment, so I constructed a world out of my ancestors’ stomping grounds. The rural setting and deep family roots of North Carolina’s Halifax County make the place ripe for some stranger-than-fiction scenarios. I like strange, so I ran with it! Now, just because a book is fiction (especially campy paranormal romance fiction) doesn’t mean the author didn’t do research. I’ve been studying Enfield’s families for more than a decade trying to unravel my family tree, so I know a bit about the history. Furthermore, I’m a North Carolinian so I know the culture.Here are few “real” nuggets from the novel.
1 – Surnames. The names I gave my supporting characters are typical of Eastern North Carolina, and Halifax County specifically. The Silvers? Braswells? Bryants? The area is bursting with them. Although the characters aren’t modeled after any specific people, I felt like I couldn’t ignore those famous families. (And by famous, I mean “really freaking big.” If you have ancestry from that area that doesn’t overlap with one of those families, I’d be shocked. [For you genealogists stumbling onto this via Google, let’s chat, huh?])
2 – Overly dramatic locals. That’s not to say everyone in Halifax County are emotionally erratic, but in such a rural place that folks are just more comfortable putting their quirks on display. (You should see my private Facebook stream. Y’ALL. OMG. I see everything from weapon brandishing to communicated threats [e.g. “When you see my car in your yard tomorrow, come on outside and get your beat-down.”] on a daily basis.)
So, brazen tramp showing up at the mayor’s wake with a bogus will? Same audacious hussy being walloped in the street by mayor’s widow? Wish I could say I conjured that sub-plot out of thin air. (That particular subplot is actually a combination of my own family experience and, again, unbelievable Facebook shenanigans.)
3 – Rampant miscegenation. My protagonist—Marcia—explains some local history, including the ripe conditions in Enfield for creation of a tri-racial isolate. That’s a real thing. I swear. It’s a historically accurate inclusion, but the locals may not know it by that fancy phrase. They call that “skeletons in the closet.” More accurately, “skeletons in the family tree.”
4 – Hinky supernatural stuff. Hang with a born Southerner of a certain age long enough, and you’ll hear the stories. You may even start to witness some pretty wild stuff yourself. I have personally been anointed with holy oil (in my sleep) as a defense against demons. (Ahem.) So…Marcia’s grandma Sophia? I didn’t just conjure her from thin air.
Here's a brief intro of my just released novel for you;
The psychic didn't go looking for love, but she should have seen it coming.Marcia Andrews is a freelance psychic consultant. Sick of living hand to mouth, she accepts a contract with Raleigh Police. A new gang called The Cardinals is terrorizing The Triangle, and Marcia gives the department an edge in tracking them. Help that she is, one cop isn’t so keen on her involvement, and makes sure she knows it.
Detective Nat McCoy would rather see Marcia in his bedroom than the bullpen. The gorgeous Scotsman isn’t the typical chauvinist pig, though. He’s keeping a secret that even the psychic doesn’t anticipate.
A close encounter with a Cardinal’s bullet knocks Marcia off her game when the police need her most. She loses hours to trances and ghosts haunt her sleep. She can hardly function, and everything she thought she knew about playboy McCoy suddenly seems questionable. McCoy thinks he knows the cure for what ails her—him. But can she trust him?
Love by Premonition is available for purchase now at the Musa store and also at third-party vendors such as Amazon.com and All Romance eBooks.
If you’d like to stay up to date on my progress with its spin-off, visit me on my blog or follow me on Twitter .
Holley Trent is the author of Executive Decision, Mrs. Roth’s Merry Christmas, and Her Resident Jester – all available now from Musa Publishing's Calliope Romance Line.
To see all of Holley Trent's Musa Publishing books, please click HERE .
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
Amazon Author Page
September 17, 2013
It Wednesday. So What's Cooking?
A fabulous salad from my good friend author Holley Trent. This dish is great for summer and, actually, any time of the year. The kitchen is all yours, Holley!
Hi everyone!
This easy cold salad is great for potlucks and outdoor parties, and travels well. Combine everything except the dressing the night before to save time the day of your event.
Holley’s Low-fuss Summer Salad
2 cup pearled barley, cooked tender but not mushy
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
2 green onions—whites and greens—sliced thin
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1/8 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. water
Drain cooked barley and allow to cool.
Toss barley with tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onions. If serving the next day, cover and refrigerate.
Half an hour before serving, mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin with water in a small jar with lid. Shake well. Pour over salad and mix gently.
Serve salad at room temperature.
Easily serves 8.
*Mix extra dressing if you like a less dry salad.
**Salad can be easily doubled or tripled.
Here's a brief intro of my latest release for your reading pleasure.
The psychic didn't go looking for love, but she should have seen it coming.
Marcia Andrews is a freelance psychic consultant. Sick of living hand to mouth, she accepts a contract with Raleigh Police. A new gang called The Cardinals is terrorizing The Triangle, and Marcia gives the department an edge in tracking them. Help that she is, one cop isn’t so keen on her involvement, and makes sure she knows it.
Detective Nat McCoy would rather see Marcia in his bedroom than the bullpen. The gorgeous Scotsman isn’t the typical chauvinist pig, though. He’s keeping a secret that even the psychic doesn’t anticipate.
A close encounter with a Cardinal’s bullet knocks Marcia off her game when the police need her most. She loses hours to trances and ghosts haunt her sleep. She can hardly function, and everything she thought she knew about playboy McCoy suddenly seems questionable. McCoy thinks he knows the cure for what ails her—him. But can she trust him?
Love by Premonition is available for purchase now at the Musa store and also at third-party vendors such as Amazon.com and All Romance eBooks.
If you’d like to stay up to date on my progress with its spin-off, visit me on my blog or follow me on Twitter .
Holley Trent is the author of Executive Decision, Mrs. Roth’s Merry Christmas, and Her Resident Jester – all available now from Musa Publishing's Calliope Romance Line.
To see all of Holley Trent's Musa Publishing books, please click HERE .
I won't be around for a week. Studs and I are going on well deserved vacation. See you all September 30. Until then...
Eat well and read to your heart's content!
Sloane Taylor
Twitter
Amazon Author Page
Hi everyone!
This easy cold salad is great for potlucks and outdoor parties, and travels well. Combine everything except the dressing the night before to save time the day of your event.
Holley’s Low-fuss Summer Salad
2 cup pearled barley, cooked tender but not mushy
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
2 green onions—whites and greens—sliced thin
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1/8 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. water
Drain cooked barley and allow to cool.
Toss barley with tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onions. If serving the next day, cover and refrigerate.
Half an hour before serving, mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin with water in a small jar with lid. Shake well. Pour over salad and mix gently.
Serve salad at room temperature.
Easily serves 8.
*Mix extra dressing if you like a less dry salad.
**Salad can be easily doubled or tripled.
Here's a brief intro of my latest release for your reading pleasure.
The psychic didn't go looking for love, but she should have seen it coming.Marcia Andrews is a freelance psychic consultant. Sick of living hand to mouth, she accepts a contract with Raleigh Police. A new gang called The Cardinals is terrorizing The Triangle, and Marcia gives the department an edge in tracking them. Help that she is, one cop isn’t so keen on her involvement, and makes sure she knows it.
Detective Nat McCoy would rather see Marcia in his bedroom than the bullpen. The gorgeous Scotsman isn’t the typical chauvinist pig, though. He’s keeping a secret that even the psychic doesn’t anticipate.
A close encounter with a Cardinal’s bullet knocks Marcia off her game when the police need her most. She loses hours to trances and ghosts haunt her sleep. She can hardly function, and everything she thought she knew about playboy McCoy suddenly seems questionable. McCoy thinks he knows the cure for what ails her—him. But can she trust him?
Love by Premonition is available for purchase now at the Musa store and also at third-party vendors such as Amazon.com and All Romance eBooks.
If you’d like to stay up to date on my progress with its spin-off, visit me on my blog or follow me on Twitter .
Holley Trent is the author of Executive Decision, Mrs. Roth’s Merry Christmas, and Her Resident Jester – all available now from Musa Publishing's Calliope Romance Line.
To see all of Holley Trent's Musa Publishing books, please click HERE .
I won't be around for a week. Studs and I are going on well deserved vacation. See you all September 30. Until then...
Eat well and read to your heart's content!
Sloane Taylor
Amazon Author Page
September 15, 2013
You Have to Love a Shy Guy in Uniform
Author Sara Daniel has convinced (coerced?!) Wyatt Truman, leading man from the Finally Ever After romance Wyatt's Guilt, to consent to an interview.Wyatt, thank you for coming to chat with us today. Why do you think Sara Daniel choose you to represent her?
You’re welcome. But I’d think the answer would be obvious from the title Wyatt's Guilt. Clearly, she thinks I have some issues that need to be resolved.
You don’t agree?
Oh, I admit I have regrets about the past. But I’m only going to discuss them with the person I have a reason to feel guilty toward. Unless your name is Nicole DeMonde, this is none of your concern.
All right, then. Moving right along…What do you feel comfortable telling our readers about yourself.
My name is Wyatt Truman. I’m the police chief of Dentonville, Illinois, population 1,463. I was born and raised in this town—was even captain of my high school baseball team. We would have made it to the state championships too if I had been expelled at the end of my senior year, but never mind that. The important thing is I plan to spend the rest of my life in Dentonville, carrying out justice and keeping my family, friends and neighbors safe.
Where have we seen you before?
I’m Julianne’s brother, so you might have seen me in Zane’s Art. But honestly, I felt like I was portrayed like a jerk in that book, and that’s not true at all. Of course, I have to protect my sister from any guy who thinks he can take advantage of her, especially one like Zane who already broke her heart.
If you don’t mind me saying so, I think you’re wound pretty tight. What do you do to relax?
If I’m off-duty, I’ll put my feet up and have a beer in front of the TV. Hopefully, a Sox game will be on that I can tune into. An evening my squad car, patrolling town while everything is quiet and everyone else is asleep, is probably when I’m most at peace and relaxed.
Well, you do sound pretty mellow now. What really pushes your buttons?
Injustice. If someone does something wrong, they’ve got to atone for it and do what they can to make it right. The last thing I want to do is bring up the past with Nicole, but I’m going to do it and I have to apologize. I fully expect her to rip me to shreds for it. But that’s good because then justice will be served.
Thank you for joining us, Wyatt. Good luck with those guilt issues. I guess we’ll have to read the book to find out how they get resolved.
Nicole trusted Wyatt with her heart once. She won’t make the same mistake twice.BLURB:
Nicole DeMonde’s car breaks down the moment she returns to her hometown for her brother’s wedding. The cop who stops to help her is none other than local hottie Wyatt Truman, who slept with her then dumped her when they were teens. She has no choice but to accept his help. However, she knows better than to trust him with her heart twice.
Wyatt is determined to earn Nicole’s forgiveness and make amends for his callous past. Once he lays eyes on her, he can’t help wanting a lot more than forgiveness, despite his intention never to hurt her again.
Just as Wyatt starts thinking his best intentions are of the forever variety, Nicole decides to work Wyatt out of her system with a one night stand. Can either of them make peace with the past in a single weekend, let alone survive with their hearts intact?
To read an excerpt from Wyatt's Guilt, please click HERE .
Buy Links:
Musa Publishing
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
Learn more about Sara Daniel on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Be sure to subscribe to Sara’s newsletter for updates on her latest books and contests.
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
Amazon Author Page
September 10, 2013
It's Wednesday. So What's Cooking?
How about Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella? Mix up a big salad and uncork a good white wine and kick back.
Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella
½ package any curly pasta
3-4 plum tomatoes, diced
¾ cup olive oil
fresh basil leaves
1 clove fresh garlic pressed
fresh mini Mozzarella balls quartered
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the pasta al dente.
While the pasta is boiling, sauté garlic in olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn or your dish will be bitter.
Drain the pasta. Place pasta in a serving bowl.
Add the oil/garlic mixture, Mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Toss well.
Serve the Parmesan on the side.
And now whet your reading appetite, here's a little from my latest release.
Lace and handcuffs...tools of the trade.
New Yorker Samantha Bradley has a fun, sexy career designing ladies lingerie. Now that her business is on the rise, she treats herself to a well deserved break on the French Riviera where the women are glamorous and the men are gorgeous. After a few days Sam is eager to sample more than just the local cuisine.
Cisco Bernier is France's key criminal prosecutor, but his courtroom charm falls flat outside the hallowed halls of justice. From family relationships to romantic trysts, his success rate is abysmal until a chance encounter with a sensuous young American businesswoman spins his staid world out of control.
Sam and Cisco sizzle together, but any future is threatened when their pasts collide. Her mob-connected father and his deceitful mother resurface and drag them into a corrupt world of lies and danger.
For an adult rated excerpt of FRENCH Tickler please click HERE .
To read excerpts from my other erotic romances, please click HERE .
I'll be back Monday. Until then...
Enjoy many great meals,
Sloane
Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella½ package any curly pasta
3-4 plum tomatoes, diced
¾ cup olive oil
fresh basil leaves
1 clove fresh garlic pressed
fresh mini Mozzarella balls quartered
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the pasta al dente.
While the pasta is boiling, sauté garlic in olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn or your dish will be bitter.
Drain the pasta. Place pasta in a serving bowl.
Add the oil/garlic mixture, Mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Toss well.
Serve the Parmesan on the side.
And now whet your reading appetite, here's a little from my latest release.
Lace and handcuffs...tools of the trade. New Yorker Samantha Bradley has a fun, sexy career designing ladies lingerie. Now that her business is on the rise, she treats herself to a well deserved break on the French Riviera where the women are glamorous and the men are gorgeous. After a few days Sam is eager to sample more than just the local cuisine.
Cisco Bernier is France's key criminal prosecutor, but his courtroom charm falls flat outside the hallowed halls of justice. From family relationships to romantic trysts, his success rate is abysmal until a chance encounter with a sensuous young American businesswoman spins his staid world out of control.
Sam and Cisco sizzle together, but any future is threatened when their pasts collide. Her mob-connected father and his deceitful mother resurface and drag them into a corrupt world of lies and danger.
For an adult rated excerpt of FRENCH Tickler please click HERE .
To read excerpts from my other erotic romances, please click HERE .
I'll be back Monday. Until then...
Enjoy many great meals,
Sloane
September 8, 2013
From 9 to 90
the reading public is excited the Legend of the Timekeepers, the new middle grade book in the The Last Timekeepers Time Travel series by Sharon Ledwith, is now available. Sharon Ledwith has a style that grabs you and sets you right in the middle of the action. You are going to enjoy this book many times over.
There is no moving forward without first going back.
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
EXCERPT:
“Why are you here?” Lilith asked. “You’ve already got your life seal.”
“I have more questions for Istulo.” She continued to stare at the disk.
Lilith sighed. “My name is Lilith. What’s your name?”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. A hint of a smile broke out on her face. Her upturned nose wiggled. “She-Aba. I was born here in the Black Land. Both my parents arrived from Atlantis fourteen years ago yesterday. My mother gave birth to me the next day.”
Lilith perked up. “That would make today your birthday!”
She-Aba beamed. “Yes. That’s why I’m here. For my birthday last year, I had my lifereading done by Istulo. But recently, there’s been a hiccup in my plans. It’s like my life seal rearranged itself, and now I’m confused. I’m here for a reaffirmation.”
“What’s the problem?”
She-Aba traced her life seal with the tip of her perfectly shaped fingernail. “My lifetime occupation was supposed to be to design clothing for the people of the various positions in the court and temples.”
Lilith smirked. “That makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right? So why, all of a sudden, would my life seal change from designing clothing to something completely different?”
Lilith arched a fair brow. “How different?”
“Well, instead of clothing people in lavish robes and gowns for others to appreciate,the seal suggests that I’ll be doing the opposite by covering up and hiding the truth. I don’t understand it at all. I thought my life was all planned out for me.”
“I thought mine was too, until my country blew up and slid into the ocean,” Lilith muttered.
“Hey, look at the bright side, at least your hair isn’t red like mine.”
Lilith eyed She-Aba carefully. “What’s wrong with red hair? My uncle has red hair andit suits him fine.”
She-Aba moved in closer. “If you haven’t noticed already, there aren’t many redheadsaround here. The natives think red is magical, and anyone with red hair isconsidered a freak of nature.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Lilith said loud enough to cause an echo down the marble hallway.“Is that the reason why those artists were rude to you? Because you have red hair?”
“Red is a very powerful color,” a raspy voice said from behind both girls.
Lilith and She-Aba jumped. They slowly turned to find Istulo hovering over them.
Wearing the same white gown and orichalcum headband Lilith saw her dressed in before, Istulo nodded slightly before she said, “Red represents the essence of life—ifwe are drained of blood, we are drained of energy. The people of the Black Landunderstand this, and therefore red is reserved only for their gods and goddesses.”
Lilith giggled. “Don’t tell She-Aba that, she’ll think she’s a goddess.”
BUY LINK
If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel,
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis
, here’s the blurb…
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.
To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis , please click HERE .
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page .
BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing
Amazon Link
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
When Sharon Ledwith is not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
There is no moving forward without first going back.
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
EXCERPT:
“Why are you here?” Lilith asked. “You’ve already got your life seal.”
“I have more questions for Istulo.” She continued to stare at the disk.
Lilith sighed. “My name is Lilith. What’s your name?”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly. A hint of a smile broke out on her face. Her upturned nose wiggled. “She-Aba. I was born here in the Black Land. Both my parents arrived from Atlantis fourteen years ago yesterday. My mother gave birth to me the next day.”
Lilith perked up. “That would make today your birthday!”
She-Aba beamed. “Yes. That’s why I’m here. For my birthday last year, I had my lifereading done by Istulo. But recently, there’s been a hiccup in my plans. It’s like my life seal rearranged itself, and now I’m confused. I’m here for a reaffirmation.”
“What’s the problem?”
She-Aba traced her life seal with the tip of her perfectly shaped fingernail. “My lifetime occupation was supposed to be to design clothing for the people of the various positions in the court and temples.”
Lilith smirked. “That makes perfect sense.”
“I know, right? So why, all of a sudden, would my life seal change from designing clothing to something completely different?”
Lilith arched a fair brow. “How different?”
“Well, instead of clothing people in lavish robes and gowns for others to appreciate,the seal suggests that I’ll be doing the opposite by covering up and hiding the truth. I don’t understand it at all. I thought my life was all planned out for me.”
“I thought mine was too, until my country blew up and slid into the ocean,” Lilith muttered.
“Hey, look at the bright side, at least your hair isn’t red like mine.”
Lilith eyed She-Aba carefully. “What’s wrong with red hair? My uncle has red hair andit suits him fine.”
She-Aba moved in closer. “If you haven’t noticed already, there aren’t many redheadsaround here. The natives think red is magical, and anyone with red hair isconsidered a freak of nature.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Lilith said loud enough to cause an echo down the marble hallway.“Is that the reason why those artists were rude to you? Because you have red hair?”
“Red is a very powerful color,” a raspy voice said from behind both girls.
Lilith and She-Aba jumped. They slowly turned to find Istulo hovering over them.
Wearing the same white gown and orichalcum headband Lilith saw her dressed in before, Istulo nodded slightly before she said, “Red represents the essence of life—ifwe are drained of blood, we are drained of energy. The people of the Black Landunderstand this, and therefore red is reserved only for their gods and goddesses.”
Lilith giggled. “Don’t tell She-Aba that, she’ll think she’s a goddess.”
BUY LINK
If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel,
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis
, here’s the blurb…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.
To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis , please click HERE .
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page .
BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing
Amazon Link
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
When Sharon Ledwith is not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
September 3, 2013
It's Wednesday. So What's Cooking?
Quick Pasta Bake from my British friend author Susan Lodge. This delicious recipe is one I make when I even have time to cook. The kitchen is all yours, Susan.
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's an short introduction to Susan's latest contemporary release.
Lyn enjoys reading romance novels, especially when she can combine it with relaxing in the Caribbean sunshine. But when a mysterious stranger joins the cruise ship, fiction and fact become dangerously confused.
When Lyn Redford’s sandal hurtles across the deck of the cruise ship, it makes her first introduction to Henry Matasie rather hostile. It wasn’t just that the man was seriously grumpy; he was a walking wardrobe disaster. Do you really need to wear woolen socks with your shorts in the Caribbean heat?
Following an embarrassing encounter in the cocktail bar with Henry, Lyn and her travelling companion Shona try to find out the reason for his strange behaviour. Later, when Lyn accidentally reads his e-mail, she is convinced the man in the blue flowered shorts is deadly dangerous.
When Henry swaps his awful holiday clothes for a dress suit to attend the gala dinner the transformation sets Lyn’s pulse racing. But she is convinced he still hides a guilty secret and she is intent on discovering what it is.
To read an excerpt from The Man in the Blue Flowered Shorts please click HERE .
To read excerpts from Susan’s Regency romances please click HERE .
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
Only a Hero Will Do
. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.
Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered -
The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
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 Bake300gm (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's an short introduction to Susan's latest contemporary release.
Lyn enjoys reading romance novels, especially when she can combine it with relaxing in the Caribbean sunshine. But when a mysterious stranger joins the cruise ship, fiction and fact become dangerously confused.When Lyn Redford’s sandal hurtles across the deck of the cruise ship, it makes her first introduction to Henry Matasie rather hostile. It wasn’t just that the man was seriously grumpy; he was a walking wardrobe disaster. Do you really need to wear woolen socks with your shorts in the Caribbean heat?
Following an embarrassing encounter in the cocktail bar with Henry, Lyn and her travelling companion Shona try to find out the reason for his strange behaviour. Later, when Lyn accidentally reads his e-mail, she is convinced the man in the blue flowered shorts is deadly dangerous.
When Henry swaps his awful holiday clothes for a dress suit to attend the gala dinner the transformation sets Lyn’s pulse racing. But she is convinced he still hides a guilty secret and she is intent on discovering what it is.
To read an excerpt from The Man in the Blue Flowered Shorts please click HERE .
To read excerpts from Susan’s Regency romances please click HERE .
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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
Only a Hero Will Do
. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered -
The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
September 1, 2013
TO ALL MY FRIENDS
Wishing You All
a
Fun-filled Day!
August 27, 2013
It's Wednesday. So What's Cooking?
Hobo Chicken from a good friend and multi published author Marci Boudreaux. The kitchen is all yours, Marci.
Sometimes dinner just needs to be simple. And cheap. That is why I love making Hobo Chicken. So easy, so cheap, and it is super easy to clean up. The best thing though, everyone (including the picky 8 year old) loves it!
This is a dish that can be done in the oven, on the grill, or if you’re the outdoorsy type over a camp fire. I don’t have a fancy recipe for this, that’s kind of the point, right?
So on those days when I don’t feel like doing something fancy or standing over a hot stove, I pull a whole chicken out of the freeze and let it thaw all day.
It has to cook for about an hour and a half to two hours, so I throw this together mid-afternoon.
When you’re ready to go, cut up the chicken. My husband and I each get a breast and we give the wings and legs to the kids. Rub it down with chicken rub or whatever your preferred seasoning would be, even just salt and pepper would taste amazing on this.
Prepare a separate foil packet for each person. Set the seasoned chicken in the middle of a large piece of heavy duty foil, surround it with your favorite veggies. I use corn on the cob, onion, potatoes (peeled for the picky 8 year old), and carrots. Sprinkle those with seasoning and add about two tablespoons of butter (add a little more for the wings and legs since they don’t make as much juice).
Wrap that bad boy up in the foil and pop it into the oven at 350°F for about 1½ hours. If you want browned or crispy chicken, open the foil to expose the chicken and cook for another 15 minutes at about 450°F.
That’s it. The entire meal in a foil packet. Plop one of those down on a plate and serve it up. If you are going to do this on a grill or open campfire, it will take about three hours for the chicken to cook, but the smokiness of the chicken will be divine and well worth the wait.
Here’s the official recipe (if you can call it that):
Hobo Chicken
1 whole chicken cut up
Seasoning of your choice
corn, potatoes, onion, carrots or veggies you prefer
Butter
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare a separate foil packet for each person.
Rub chicken with seasoning.
Set the seasoned chicken in the middle of a large piece of heavy duty foil. Surround it with your favorite veggies.
Add about two tablespoons of butter. Wrap tight.
Bake about 1½ hours. Roll back foil to expose chicken and bake for another 15 minutes at 450°F if you want darker/crispier skin.
Serve and let the family be amazed by your awesomeness.
Here's a little from Unforgettable You, my latest contemporary romance, for your reading pleasure while you sit back with a glass of chilled wine and wait that wonderful chicken to cook.
Is their love strong enough to survive their real lives?
Desperate to keep her ailing mother-in-law Doreen in the family home, Carrie Gable agrees to board a few of Hollywood’s elite actors. Despite her resentment of their demands, she can’t stop her attraction to actor Will Walker.
Will, out to save his failing career, agrees to a project that bores him. The more time he spends with his egotistical co-stars, the more drawn he is to their hostess. Long nights talking with Carrie make him realize he wants a simpler life, but his ties to L.A. refuse to let him go.
The temptation to regain stardom pulls Will in one direction while the obligation to family tugs Carrie in another. Against all odds, the couple struggles for a solution to save their new found happiness.
To read an excerpt from Unforgettable You, please click HERE .
Check out the trailer for Unforgettable You HERE .
Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Sometimes dinner just needs to be simple. And cheap. That is why I love making Hobo Chicken. So easy, so cheap, and it is super easy to clean up. The best thing though, everyone (including the picky 8 year old) loves it!This is a dish that can be done in the oven, on the grill, or if you’re the outdoorsy type over a camp fire. I don’t have a fancy recipe for this, that’s kind of the point, right?
So on those days when I don’t feel like doing something fancy or standing over a hot stove, I pull a whole chicken out of the freeze and let it thaw all day.
It has to cook for about an hour and a half to two hours, so I throw this together mid-afternoon.
When you’re ready to go, cut up the chicken. My husband and I each get a breast and we give the wings and legs to the kids. Rub it down with chicken rub or whatever your preferred seasoning would be, even just salt and pepper would taste amazing on this.
Prepare a separate foil packet for each person. Set the seasoned chicken in the middle of a large piece of heavy duty foil, surround it with your favorite veggies. I use corn on the cob, onion, potatoes (peeled for the picky 8 year old), and carrots. Sprinkle those with seasoning and add about two tablespoons of butter (add a little more for the wings and legs since they don’t make as much juice).
Wrap that bad boy up in the foil and pop it into the oven at 350°F for about 1½ hours. If you want browned or crispy chicken, open the foil to expose the chicken and cook for another 15 minutes at about 450°F.
That’s it. The entire meal in a foil packet. Plop one of those down on a plate and serve it up. If you are going to do this on a grill or open campfire, it will take about three hours for the chicken to cook, but the smokiness of the chicken will be divine and well worth the wait.
Here’s the official recipe (if you can call it that):
Hobo Chicken
1 whole chicken cut up
Seasoning of your choice
corn, potatoes, onion, carrots or veggies you prefer
Butter
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Prepare a separate foil packet for each person.
Rub chicken with seasoning.
Set the seasoned chicken in the middle of a large piece of heavy duty foil. Surround it with your favorite veggies.
Add about two tablespoons of butter. Wrap tight.
Bake about 1½ hours. Roll back foil to expose chicken and bake for another 15 minutes at 450°F if you want darker/crispier skin.
Serve and let the family be amazed by your awesomeness.
Here's a little from Unforgettable You, my latest contemporary romance, for your reading pleasure while you sit back with a glass of chilled wine and wait that wonderful chicken to cook.
Is their love strong enough to survive their real lives?Desperate to keep her ailing mother-in-law Doreen in the family home, Carrie Gable agrees to board a few of Hollywood’s elite actors. Despite her resentment of their demands, she can’t stop her attraction to actor Will Walker.
Will, out to save his failing career, agrees to a project that bores him. The more time he spends with his egotistical co-stars, the more drawn he is to their hostess. Long nights talking with Carrie make him realize he wants a simpler life, but his ties to L.A. refuse to let him go.
The temptation to regain stardom pulls Will in one direction while the obligation to family tugs Carrie in another. Against all odds, the couple struggles for a solution to save their new found happiness.
To read an excerpt from Unforgettable You, please click HERE .
Check out the trailer for Unforgettable You HERE .
Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
August 25, 2013
The Summer of “Can’t Put Down” Books
by Nancy DiMauro
Back to school is around the corner and I’m helping my two boys, who waited until the last minute (again) to complete their book reports. I decided to lead by example. I’ve already confessed to being a not-so-closeted romance reader and writer. You also know that my favorite time for reading romance novels is at the beach, and we’ve just returned from our family vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. So, I thought I’d share 10 books from my summer reading list. It’s also a bit more eclectic than normal since I’m researching my next novel, Schrodinger Effect, which features Vonna from Paths Less Traveled. In no particular order:
1. Neil Gaiman – The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Fantasy.
Neil Gaiman started out writing a short story, but ended up with this lovely little novella. A suicide releases a supernatural creature into our world. In trying to send the creature back, Lettie Hempstock unwittingly allows it to lodge inside a 7 year old boy. Years later, that boy returns home for a funeral and discovers he’s forgotten about that summer day and the magic at the end of the lane.
This is a great little story. I fell into the narrator’s voice, spellbound. I finished it in one sitting, pausing only grudgingly to get a plate of food before the teenagers at the beach ate it all. The only criticism I have of it is the price-point. At $15.00 it’s expensive for a novella, and at $9.99 it’s a really expensive e-book. Now, I bought my advanced copy through Barnes and Noble because it was a signed copy. Still, I think the price is well worth it.
2. Kevin J. Anderson – Veiled Alliances – Fantasy.
In my opinion, Kevin is one of the greatest world-builders writing today. Veiled Alliances is a prequel to his Saga of the Seven Suns series. One hundred and fifty years after the Earth sent out its generation ships, Earth’s government has given way to a puppet king controlled by the Hanseatic League. The generation ships are found and given safe harbors by an alien race. With the gift of FTL (Faster Than Light) engines, Earth is poise on the brink of becoming a major player in the universe.
I “read” this one on audio book. The 4 plus hour recording got me most of the way to the beach. Unlike some prequels this one wasn’t forced or awkward. A large part of that is likely due to Kevin’s detailed outlining. Before Kevin had written the first word for the series, he would have already known the events set forth in this prequel. Whether you’ve read the other books in the series, or Veiled Alliances is your first journey to the Seven Suns, it’s definitely worth reading.
3. Jeaniene Frost - Halfway to the Grave. – Urban Fantasy with Romance.
Cat, the kick-butt heroine, is half-vampire. She hunts the undead in an effort to find and slay her father for destroying her mother’s life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire and vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership. Cat agrees to help Bones cull the undead population in return for his help finding and exterminating her father. Life and unlife is never that simple though, and Cat finds Bones more tempting than any man with a heartbeat.
I also finished this one in a day. The tone and take no prisoners heroine reminded me a lot of Gini Koch’s Alien Series. One of my friend loaned me this book at the beach when I’d run out of other stories. It was the first time I’d read anything by Ms. Frost. I’m definitely looking up the rest of the series.
4. Sloane Taylor –
French Tart
(Naughty Ladies of Nice) – Erotic Romance.
Donatienne Dubois pins her hope for a “normal” life on an exclusive cooking school in Nice, France. But one by one her expectations are shattered. Donni’s lifesaver is a bad boy too hot not to handle. For his part, Mark Anderson, is incognito, hating every moment. To pose as a student while keeping tabs on a rich wild child is his version of hell, until he partners with the dish of Crème Brulée good enough to eat.
I love Sloane’s writing and her ability to transport a reader to the exotic locations she sets her stories and her characters. French Tart, a novella, lived up to all my expectations for Sloane’s work. I especially loved the foul-mouthed parrot that develops a crush on Donni.
5. John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker – The Cases that Haunt Us – Nonfiction.
Certain homicide cases maintain an undeniable, almost mystical hold on the public imagination. This analysis of seven of the most notorious murder cases in the history of crime -- from the Whitechapel murders to JonBenet Ramsey -- often contradicts conventional wisdom and legal decisions. Using modern profiling techniques, the book reexamines cases we all know, and sometimes reaches fascinating and haunting results.
This is one of the many resource books I’m using for Schrodinger Effect. The writers take you through the criminal investigative process for each of the cases, noting how preconceptions or just investigative mismanagement affected the ultimate outcomes. A great resource and well-handled and sensitive narrative given the topics.
6. Brenda Novak - Whiskey Creek series – Romance
Brenda Novak’s romances are great examples of the genre. One of the things I like about this series is that the first book, When Lightning Strikes, introduces us to a group of high school friends approximately 10 years after graduation, and each book in the series (so far) has focused on one character’s happily ever after. The world Brenda Novak builds has a high degree of continuity and characters from the other books continue to interact as they really would have in any small community.
7. Lee Child – Jack Reacher series, Books 1-5 – Thrillers. Jack Reacher is a retired
Military Police officer with a monster case of wanderlust. His travels seem to leave him in the right places at the right time to become enmeshed in kidnapping, murder and mayhem. Given his military background and specialized MP training, Reacher’s highly competent in many areas, and more than holds his own against FBI and Secret Service experts. I’ve listened to these books on audiotape. Dick Hill is a fabulous narrator.
8. David Farland – Drawing on the Power of Resonance in Writing – Nonfiction.
A must read for every writer. Dave has long spoken about by drawing power from stories that came before; resonating with their readers' experiences, and by resonating within their own works. Frankly, Dave could sell this book for LOTS more and it would still be worth every penny. He teaches you exactly what resonance is and how to use it to make your stories more powerful with examples of how it is used in literature and other art forms, and how one writer, J. R. R. Tolkien, mastered it in his work.
9. John Scalzi, Editor - METAtropolis – anthology – Post-apocalyptic fantasy
Audible was running one of its book specials, and out of the audiobooks I could get for $4.95 was this anthology. I have to admit I picked this one because it had one of the longer run times (I drive about 3 hours a day), and the high quality writers who contributed to the work.
METAtropolis is a shared-world anthology, where all the stories take place in the same created urban fantasy world, but it’s more than that. A typical anthology has a common theme – ex. Humorous horror stories – and the writers have little direction beyond that. A braided anthology has a through line and character. This is another step up in continuity. The five writers collaborated on the world. They all had the same blue print when they set their characters free and let them interact with this world.
10. Harlan Cobin – Six Years – Thriller/ Suspense
Grammar Girl , Mignon Fogarty, recommended Six Years on her podcast. I met Mignon several years ago at Superstars Writing Seminar , and have often liked the books she’s recommended. She didn’t let me down. Again, this was an audiobook for me.
Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of hiding a broken heart by throwing himself into his career as a college professor. Six years of keeping his promise to leave Natalie alone, and six years of tortured dreams of her life with her new husband, Todd. Then Jake comes across Todd’s obituary. At the funeral, Jake gets the glimpse of Todd’s wife…but she’s not Natalie. As Jake searches for the truth, his picture-perfect memories of Natalie begin to unravel. His search for the woman who broke his heart, who lied to him, soon puts his life at risk as it dawns on him that the man he has become may be based on a carefully constructed fiction.
This is another “can’t put down story.” It’s not a romance since the love story plays second fiddle to the mystery Jake’s trying to unravel. Cobin handles both the romance and the mystery with a deft touch. The characters are believable and I was rooting for Jake to solve the mystery, find the girl and live happily ever after. But you’ll have to read it to find out if he did.
Here's another book that will stand the test of time.
To restore Daphne to her nymph form, Apollo must bargain with treacherous Hades, but Death may demand too high a price.
Shot by a golden arrow, Apollo has only truly loved Daphne. He visits her each eclipse, and longs for reunion. He seeks the Fates’s advice and learns he may finally restore Daphne to her true water nymph form by enlisting other gods’ assistance.
If Apollo fails Daphne will be lost to him forever. To regain Daphne’s soul, Apollo must deal with the devil, King of the Underworld. Love-torn and treacherous, Hades would slay the pantheon to remain with his wife for the full year. Apollo’s quest might just give Hades the leverage he needs to do so.
Will Pheobus Apollo surrender the sun to try to reclaim love? Can he break Daphne’s curse or will his attempts destroy her forever? Will she still love him after millennia as a soulless tree? With the end of the quest see Apollo rising, or in sunset?
To read an excerpt from Apollo Rising please click HERE .
To read excerpts from Nancy DiMauro's other Musa Publishing books, please click HERE .
Learn more about Nancy DiMauro and her impressive work on her website Falcons Fables and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Back to school is around the corner and I’m helping my two boys, who waited until the last minute (again) to complete their book reports. I decided to lead by example. I’ve already confessed to being a not-so-closeted romance reader and writer. You also know that my favorite time for reading romance novels is at the beach, and we’ve just returned from our family vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. So, I thought I’d share 10 books from my summer reading list. It’s also a bit more eclectic than normal since I’m researching my next novel, Schrodinger Effect, which features Vonna from Paths Less Traveled. In no particular order: 1. Neil Gaiman – The Ocean at the End of the Lane - Fantasy.
Neil Gaiman started out writing a short story, but ended up with this lovely little novella. A suicide releases a supernatural creature into our world. In trying to send the creature back, Lettie Hempstock unwittingly allows it to lodge inside a 7 year old boy. Years later, that boy returns home for a funeral and discovers he’s forgotten about that summer day and the magic at the end of the lane.
This is a great little story. I fell into the narrator’s voice, spellbound. I finished it in one sitting, pausing only grudgingly to get a plate of food before the teenagers at the beach ate it all. The only criticism I have of it is the price-point. At $15.00 it’s expensive for a novella, and at $9.99 it’s a really expensive e-book. Now, I bought my advanced copy through Barnes and Noble because it was a signed copy. Still, I think the price is well worth it.
2. Kevin J. Anderson – Veiled Alliances – Fantasy. In my opinion, Kevin is one of the greatest world-builders writing today. Veiled Alliances is a prequel to his Saga of the Seven Suns series. One hundred and fifty years after the Earth sent out its generation ships, Earth’s government has given way to a puppet king controlled by the Hanseatic League. The generation ships are found and given safe harbors by an alien race. With the gift of FTL (Faster Than Light) engines, Earth is poise on the brink of becoming a major player in the universe.
I “read” this one on audio book. The 4 plus hour recording got me most of the way to the beach. Unlike some prequels this one wasn’t forced or awkward. A large part of that is likely due to Kevin’s detailed outlining. Before Kevin had written the first word for the series, he would have already known the events set forth in this prequel. Whether you’ve read the other books in the series, or Veiled Alliances is your first journey to the Seven Suns, it’s definitely worth reading.
3. Jeaniene Frost - Halfway to the Grave. – Urban Fantasy with Romance.
Cat, the kick-butt heroine, is half-vampire. She hunts the undead in an effort to find and slay her father for destroying her mother’s life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire and vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership. Cat agrees to help Bones cull the undead population in return for his help finding and exterminating her father. Life and unlife is never that simple though, and Cat finds Bones more tempting than any man with a heartbeat.
I also finished this one in a day. The tone and take no prisoners heroine reminded me a lot of Gini Koch’s Alien Series. One of my friend loaned me this book at the beach when I’d run out of other stories. It was the first time I’d read anything by Ms. Frost. I’m definitely looking up the rest of the series.
4. Sloane Taylor –
French Tart
(Naughty Ladies of Nice) – Erotic Romance. Donatienne Dubois pins her hope for a “normal” life on an exclusive cooking school in Nice, France. But one by one her expectations are shattered. Donni’s lifesaver is a bad boy too hot not to handle. For his part, Mark Anderson, is incognito, hating every moment. To pose as a student while keeping tabs on a rich wild child is his version of hell, until he partners with the dish of Crème Brulée good enough to eat.
I love Sloane’s writing and her ability to transport a reader to the exotic locations she sets her stories and her characters. French Tart, a novella, lived up to all my expectations for Sloane’s work. I especially loved the foul-mouthed parrot that develops a crush on Donni.
5. John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker – The Cases that Haunt Us – Nonfiction.
Certain homicide cases maintain an undeniable, almost mystical hold on the public imagination. This analysis of seven of the most notorious murder cases in the history of crime -- from the Whitechapel murders to JonBenet Ramsey -- often contradicts conventional wisdom and legal decisions. Using modern profiling techniques, the book reexamines cases we all know, and sometimes reaches fascinating and haunting results.
This is one of the many resource books I’m using for Schrodinger Effect. The writers take you through the criminal investigative process for each of the cases, noting how preconceptions or just investigative mismanagement affected the ultimate outcomes. A great resource and well-handled and sensitive narrative given the topics.
6. Brenda Novak - Whiskey Creek series – Romance
Brenda Novak’s romances are great examples of the genre. One of the things I like about this series is that the first book, When Lightning Strikes, introduces us to a group of high school friends approximately 10 years after graduation, and each book in the series (so far) has focused on one character’s happily ever after. The world Brenda Novak builds has a high degree of continuity and characters from the other books continue to interact as they really would have in any small community.
7. Lee Child – Jack Reacher series, Books 1-5 – Thrillers. Jack Reacher is a retired
Military Police officer with a monster case of wanderlust. His travels seem to leave him in the right places at the right time to become enmeshed in kidnapping, murder and mayhem. Given his military background and specialized MP training, Reacher’s highly competent in many areas, and more than holds his own against FBI and Secret Service experts. I’ve listened to these books on audiotape. Dick Hill is a fabulous narrator.
8. David Farland – Drawing on the Power of Resonance in Writing – Nonfiction. A must read for every writer. Dave has long spoken about by drawing power from stories that came before; resonating with their readers' experiences, and by resonating within their own works. Frankly, Dave could sell this book for LOTS more and it would still be worth every penny. He teaches you exactly what resonance is and how to use it to make your stories more powerful with examples of how it is used in literature and other art forms, and how one writer, J. R. R. Tolkien, mastered it in his work.
9. John Scalzi, Editor - METAtropolis – anthology – Post-apocalyptic fantasy
Audible was running one of its book specials, and out of the audiobooks I could get for $4.95 was this anthology. I have to admit I picked this one because it had one of the longer run times (I drive about 3 hours a day), and the high quality writers who contributed to the work.
METAtropolis is a shared-world anthology, where all the stories take place in the same created urban fantasy world, but it’s more than that. A typical anthology has a common theme – ex. Humorous horror stories – and the writers have little direction beyond that. A braided anthology has a through line and character. This is another step up in continuity. The five writers collaborated on the world. They all had the same blue print when they set their characters free and let them interact with this world.
10. Harlan Cobin – Six Years – Thriller/ Suspense
Grammar Girl , Mignon Fogarty, recommended Six Years on her podcast. I met Mignon several years ago at Superstars Writing Seminar , and have often liked the books she’s recommended. She didn’t let me down. Again, this was an audiobook for me.
Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of hiding a broken heart by throwing himself into his career as a college professor. Six years of keeping his promise to leave Natalie alone, and six years of tortured dreams of her life with her new husband, Todd. Then Jake comes across Todd’s obituary. At the funeral, Jake gets the glimpse of Todd’s wife…but she’s not Natalie. As Jake searches for the truth, his picture-perfect memories of Natalie begin to unravel. His search for the woman who broke his heart, who lied to him, soon puts his life at risk as it dawns on him that the man he has become may be based on a carefully constructed fiction.
This is another “can’t put down story.” It’s not a romance since the love story plays second fiddle to the mystery Jake’s trying to unravel. Cobin handles both the romance and the mystery with a deft touch. The characters are believable and I was rooting for Jake to solve the mystery, find the girl and live happily ever after. But you’ll have to read it to find out if he did.
Here's another book that will stand the test of time.
To restore Daphne to her nymph form, Apollo must bargain with treacherous Hades, but Death may demand too high a price.Shot by a golden arrow, Apollo has only truly loved Daphne. He visits her each eclipse, and longs for reunion. He seeks the Fates’s advice and learns he may finally restore Daphne to her true water nymph form by enlisting other gods’ assistance.
If Apollo fails Daphne will be lost to him forever. To regain Daphne’s soul, Apollo must deal with the devil, King of the Underworld. Love-torn and treacherous, Hades would slay the pantheon to remain with his wife for the full year. Apollo’s quest might just give Hades the leverage he needs to do so.
Will Pheobus Apollo surrender the sun to try to reclaim love? Can he break Daphne’s curse or will his attempts destroy her forever? Will she still love him after millennia as a soulless tree? With the end of the quest see Apollo rising, or in sunset?
To read an excerpt from Apollo Rising please click HERE .
To read excerpts from Nancy DiMauro's other Musa Publishing books, please click HERE .
Learn more about Nancy DiMauro and her impressive work on her website Falcons Fables and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
