Marie Force's Blog, page 27

Next Up on Book Club: Everyone Loves a Hero

Everyone loves a hero. That's the problem.

Hero pilot Cole Langston is learning to live with—and enjoy—his newfound fame and the rabid female attention that comes with it until a lucky punch knocks some sense into him and opens his eyes to true love.

When his copilot suffers a heart attack in flight, Cole lands the jetliner in a blizzard and revives the stricken captain. Catapulted to national hero status, Cole has more women vying for his attention than he knows what to do with. They all have one thing in common: they try without success to bring this happy-go-lucky pilot down to earth. Then comes an airport altercation, a punch to the face, and the lovely Olivia—a shy, timid artist who does what no other woman has ever managed to do: steal Cole's well-protected heart. With women coming on to him everywhere they go, Olivia struggles to believe that Cole is ready for a committed relationship. His biggest problem is getting rid of all his extra ladies before the only one he wants figures out that she's one of many.

Looking forward to chatting about my new book on Thursday, any time after 6 AM EST. I'll be giving away a signed copy of the book to one commenter. Hope to see you there!

Book Club: The Pretender by Celeste Bradley

By: Ronlyn Howe
(artwork courtesy of www.celestebradley.com)
The Pretender is the first book of the Liars Club series (which leads into The Royal Four series) and features Agatha Cunnington and Simon Rain. Set in 1813 England, The Pretender builds a world filled with spies and liars, sneaks and servants, intrigue and intelligence. From the moment Simon steps into Agatha's parlor we're trying to figure out who is telling the truth as well as what is the truth. Who is the spy master vs. who is being played? A series of assumptions (which of course are wrong) lead us down a path of hilarious twists and turns.

Agatha is on the hunt for her brother and is willing to go to any lengths, or tell any lie she needs to in order to find him. I admit that I typically believe in honesty to a fault, but Agatha is so wholly loveable while she lies through her teeth that I can't help but adore her. Simon is also on the hunt for James Cunnington, who he is forced to believe (due to surrounding circumstances) has turned traitor against the crown. He erroneously believes that Agatha is James's mistress and sets out to find out what he can through use of trickery and…yes, lies. Poor Simon is so bound by his service that he's fighting his attraction and interest nearly from the moment he crashes into her while posing as a chimney sweep. Agatha hatches a plan for Simon to pose as her fictitious husband, Mortimer Applequist, in order to gain her entry into parts of society that are strictly accessible to the married or jaded. Simon agrees to go along with it since it will serve his purposes as well.

It's no secret I love the Liars. I've been telling everyone about them since I stumbled onto the series several years ago. The heroines are vibrant and fun, the heroes are strong and sexy and the world of the Liars is filled with a supporting cast of characters that bring a smile to my face and make me wish I was capable of such subterfuge. Ok, maybe not that, but I'd love to match wits with any of the Liars.

I'm thrilled Celeste Bradley has agreed to join us today to talk about the Liars as well as the journey she's been on since leaving the Liars behind.

OREO TRUFFLES

Ingredients
1 package (1 pound, 2 oz.) Oreo cookies, finely crushed
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
sprinkles or additional crushed Oreos for coating truffles

Directions
Mix cookie crumbs and cream cheese until well blended. Refrigerate Oreo mixture for at least one hour. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in sprinkles or crushed cookies to coat. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Ronlyn's Notes
You can use low-fat Oreos and low-fat cream cheese. It really won't affect the flavor, but your truffles may be a little bit softer. You can also make these with mint Oreos, or for peanut butter truffles, try using crushed Nutter Butter cookies. Yummy!

Fatal Wedding Wrap Up and Grand Prizes

I can't believe it's over! The last 14 days have flown by in a frenzy of cake and shoes and dresses and rings. I had the time of my life hearing what you all thought of the choices Ronlyn and Aly came up with. I so enjoyed hearing you talk about characters I've created with such care and concern for what they'd want. I found it equal parts amusing, touching, entertaining and sometimes downright funny!

Tonight I went through all 14 posts and copied down every name from every comment and put all those names in the ice bucket in my hotel room. I used every single scrap of paper in the hotel room, including those coaster things they put under the glasses. For every comment you made, you received an entry into the grand prize drawing. From this photo, you can see there were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of entries.

For 14 days leading up to the Sept. 5 release of Fatal Destiny, I will reveal the winning choice for each category, so be sure to check in on August 22 and every day thereafter to find out what you all have chosen for Sam & Nick's Fatal Wedding! And mark your calendars for July 18 when Fatal Consequences will be released.

Since we had SO many entrants, I decided to do two more Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift cards for two runners up:

$25 Gift Card goes to: Jamie Lynn

$25 Gift Card goes to: Wantbaby (Heather)

AND THE GRAND PRIZE, FATAL BOOKS IN ADVANCE OF RELEASE DATES FOR THE LIFE OF THE SERIES, GOES TO.....

CORRINA!

Email me at marie@marieforce.com to claim your prizes!

To all who participated in the wedding planning, I can't thank you enough for making this such a fun experience for me and my characters. You exceeded my wildest expectations! I'm so looking forward to hearing what you think of the wedding when it's all put together in the Fatal Destiny novella.

And one more time: Alyson Hackett and Ronlyn Howe, I love you both forever and ever for doing such a great job putting this whole thing together. In a million years, I never could have done anything close to what you two came up with. THANK YOU so much!

Please come back for to join us for Book Club, every Thursday! Hope to see you there.
xoxo
Marie

Fatal Wedding Day 14: Honeymoon!

**Make sure to check the sidebar to see if you've won any of the random prizes over the last 14 days!**

Sam and Nick are finally getting a week off together—granted, they had to get married to make it happen! We need to send this special couple to a place where they can recharge, regroup and reconnect after some crazy months. I'll let the photos do the talking... Remember to comment to be entered into the grand prize drawing of advance Fatal Books for the life of the series. Be the very first to know what's up next for Sam and Nick!

Honeymoon Destination 1
The St. Regis Bora Bora Hotel, Tahiti, French Polynesia








Honeymoon Destination 2
Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort, Pacific Ocean







Honeymoon Destination 3
Paradise Island Resort & Spa, Maldives Islands, Indian Ocean







Vote here!

Phew! Well, that does it for the Fatal Wedding planning. I hope you've all had as much fun as I have planning Washington's Wedding of the Year. Sam and Nick asked me to tell you how very much they appreciate your input to their big day and how very much we ALL appreciate your enjoyment of their ongoing story. We'll release the results of your choices on September 5 along with the FREE Fatal wedding novella, Fatal Destiny.

A very special thank you my dear friends Alyson Hackett and Ronlyn Howe, who came up with all the beautiful choices for Sam and Nick. About five minutes after I had the big idea to involve readers in Sam and Nick's wedding, it dawned on me that it would be an enormous amount of work to put together the variety of choices we've given you over the last 14 days. Aly and Ronlyn LITERALLY saved my life (and saved Sam & Nick's wedding) by stepping up to the plate and hitting a grand slam. Thank you both so much!

Okay, watch the comments later tonight to find out who won the Grand Prize of advance Fatal Books for the life of the series!

Thank you all.

Next up on Book Club: The Pretender by Celeste Bradley

She had a secret she'd do anything to hide.
Agatha Cunnington, headstrong beauty from the country, has come to London in search of her missing brother James. The only clue she has is a cryptic letter signed "The Griffin." Agatha decides to disguise herself as a respectable married woman so that she can go about the city unnoticed. But for her charade to work she needs a suitable "husband," preferably someone tall, elegant and rakish—Someone like Simon Rain.

He had a secret he'd do anything to hide.
Simon Rain is a member of the Liar's Club, a renegade group of rogues and thieves in the service of the Crown. When someone begins murdering members of the undercover cabal one by one, Simon is given the mission to bring in James Cunnington, one of his comrades who is suspected of betraying his brothers. Simon goes undercover and infiltrates the home of "Mrs." Agatha Applequist—who he believes is James's mistress. Before Simon knows what's happened, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to Agatha's soft, feminine charms—and he is tempted beyond reason to break the first rule of the Liar's Club: Never fall in love.

Thursday, Feb. 17, beginning at 6 a.m. EST!

Fatal Wedding Day 13: Wedding Favors

Sam and Nick want to thank you for helping to plan their wedding! They've given a lot of thought to a gift they could give their guests to remember their special day. In the course of their work as a police officer and as a U.S. senator, they see a lot of need in their local community. So in lieu of favors, they are going to make a donation in the name of each wedding guest to one of their three favorite charities. Nick left it up to Sam to decide what three charities to offer as choices, and she chose three organizations near and dear to her:

Charitable Organization 1

Washington D.C. Police Foundation

The Washington DC Police Foundation is a group of Washington area business and civic leaders who work with the D.C. Police Chief to promote better public safety across the District of Columbia.

The DC Police Foundation was formed in 2000 by Washington area business and civic leaders under the aegis of the Federal City Council to generate resources to support crime prevention programs and programs for at-risk youth.

The Washington DC Police Foundation works to support key unmet public safety needs identified by the Chief of Police of the Metropolitan Police Department and other public safety leaders in the District of Columbia. We do this by giving support to MPD and by engaging directly on public safety policy initiatives in the city.

The Foundation relies on financial support and in-kind resources from our members who include the business and professional community, retailers, faith-based leaders, civic leaders, philanthropic foundations, and individuals who are interested in improving public safety in our Nation's Capital.

Charitable Organization 2

Big Brothers Big Sisters National Capital Area

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the National Capital Area is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of children through professionally supported long-term, One-To-One® mentoring relationships with carefully screened, caring and committed adults in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the Washington Region. We are the leader in One-To-One youth mentoring services. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of young people. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors children ages 6 through 18 in our community.

Charitable Organization 3

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation

The Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy. The Paralysis Resource Center (PRC) offer resources on spinal cord injury, paralysis and mobility related disabilities.

Vote here!

Remember to comment to be entered for random drawings for prizes and giveaways!

Fatal Wedding Day 12: Sam & Nick's First Dance

Those of you who've read Fatal Justice may have a "leg up" so to speak when it comes to choosing the first song Sam and Nick will dance to as husband and wife. If you want to know Sam's favorite, hurry up and read Fatal Justice! :-) I love that Ronlyn and Aly included Bless the Broken Road, which is one of my favorites, and they didn't even know that! Which one will I vote for? My favorite or Sam's? Hmmmm....

Here are our choices:

Song 1: At Last, Etta James 
Listen Here

Song 2: Thank You For Loving Me, Bon Jovi
Listen Here.

Song 3: Bless the Broken Road, Rascal Flatts
Listen Here

ADDED EXTRA TODAY: Write in your own choice for Sam & Nick's first song!

Vote here!

Remember to comment to be entered for random drawings for prizes and giveaways!

Fatal Wedding Day 11: The Groom's Cake

Pssst... I'm going to let you in on a little secret that you'll hear more about in Fatal Book 3, Fatal Consequences, coming July 18: Nick is a rabid fan of the Boston Red Sox. He grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts, which is just north of fabled Fenway Park. In FC, you will meet a new FON: Friend of Nick's, who will ask Sam about doing something special for Nick at the wedding. This is what they come up with together:

Groom's Cake 1:



Groom's Cake 2:



Groom's Cake 3:



I think Nick will be thrilled with any of these special cakes, but I leave the choice up to you!

Vote here!

Remember to comment to be entered into random drawings for prizes and giveaways!

Book Club: Talk of the Town by Karen Hawkins

By: Ronlyn Howe
Welcome to Glory, North Carolina! I've somehow managed to miss this adorable little town in all my literary travels, but I've been found it now.

To assist in my preparation of this book club discussion I've received a dossier on the main players:



Roxie Treymayne: recently went through an ugly divorce and dyed her hair blond, much to her mother's dismay. She's on a path to try to find herself and apparently that path got her into a tattoo parlor to get an eagle tattooed on her rear.



Sheriff Nick Sheppard, former town bad boy turned good guy. He returned to Glory after some dubious circumstances in Atlanta, where he was a police officer for a few years. He and Roxie have a history.



The Murder Mystery Club of the Pine Hills Assisted Living Center. I could tell you more, but they're top secret.



Miss Tundy Spillers. Roxie's maid has agreed to travel to Glory with Roxie and her brother to attend their ailing mother.



Lilah Treymayne, Roxie & Mark's mother who has fallen ill and inadvertently started everything in motion. She hates that. I probably should feel sorry for her.

So, now that you know who's who, stop by Micki & Maud's Diner for some peach cobbler and to greet Karen Hawkins! Karen will be offering up a copy of "Lois Lane Tells All," the follow-on to "Talk of the Town" to one commenter today. Find out more about Karen and her books.


PEACH COBBLER
Ingredients
• 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup boiling water

MIX TOGETHER:
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
4. Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

Fatal Wedding Day 10: The Cake

Mmmm, I love cake! Of course, I want it to be chocolate with buttercream frosting, but I digress. Here are the choices for Sam & Nick's wedding cake! There is one choice from each of the flower collections you viewed earlier.

Wedding Cake 1: Orchid



Wedding Cake 2: Calla Lilly



Wedding Cake 3: Tulip



Vote here!

Go forth and discuss. Remember, you have to comment to be entered into random drawings for prizes!