Sharon Wray's Blog, page 87

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chocolate Strawberry Cake

It’s finally time for dessert to be served at Rafe and Juliet’s Valentine’s Day Dinner. And Chocolate Strawberry Cake is the on the menu! Rafe is proud because he made it himself, and Juliet is stunned because, well, he made it himself. And he made it in a tiny kitchen in their even smaller apartment. Valentine’s Day is almost over, but for Rafe and Juliet this is just the first of many Valentine’s Days to come.

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Rafe: “Dinner was delicious and I’m intensely proud of my dessert. I’m not a big fan of sweets, but this cake is delicious and not too hard to make.

Juliet is smiling at me as she eats, offering little sighs of satisfaction with every bite. Yes, dinner was a success. Dessert even more so. But now I’m looking forward to what comes next. Then again, after being away for eight years, I’m grateful for any time spent with my wife.”

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Serves 12

506The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chocolate Strawberry Cake

This recipe has a lot of ingredients, but it's not complicated. It's a basic cake recipe with a buttercream frosting with sliced strawberries layered in between the cakes. It doesn't just taste wonderful, it's also beautiful to look at. It's a perfect go-to cake for celebrations with family and friends. It's also important not to use dutch-processed cocoa. I love the Cacoa Barry cocoa powder and you can find it on Amazon.

40 minPrep Time

40 minCook Time

1 hr, 20 Total Time

Author:


Sharon Wray

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Ingredients

Cake:1 cup boiling water3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder (NOT dutch processed cocoa powder), plus extra for dusting1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/4 teaspoon salt2 cups sugar8 Tablespoons plus 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened3 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 1/4 cups buttermilkStrawberry Butter Cream Frosting:1 cup unsalted butter, softened3 1/2 - 4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted4 tablespoons strawberry syrup1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract2 tablespoons heavy creampinch of saltStrawberry filling1 pint fresh strawberries, cut into 1/4" slicesGarnishFresh mint leavesWhipped cream

Instructions

CakePreheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter two 9" round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Dust pans with cocoa, tapping out excess.In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the boiling water and cocoa until smooth. Let cool completely.In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat sugar and butter until creamed, about 4 minutes.One at a time, beat in the eggs.Beat in the vanilla and the cooled cocoa mixture.Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed, beating until smooth.Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.Bake cakes until they begin to pull away from the sides of the pans, 35 to 40 minutes.Transfer to wire racks. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of each pan to release the cake. Invert the pans onto the racks, lift off the pans, and peel off the parchment paper. Turn each cake right side up and cool completely.Strawberry Butter Cream Frosting:In a large bowl and using an electric mixer, cream the butter. Then add confectioner's sugar, making sure to add it slowly, only 1/4 cup at a time and only adding the next 1/4 cup when the first is fully blended. After finishing each cup of sugar (four 1/4 cups), add 1 Tablespoon of the strawberry syrup.After the four cups of confectioner's sugar and 4 Tablespoons of strawberry syrup have been added, beat in the vanilla.Beat batter at high speed for 20 seconds to make the frosting fluffy.Add cream, one tablespoon at a time, until the buttercream has reached a consistency where it will hold it’s shape.Add salt and whip on high for another 20 seconds.Use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to three days.To use after it's chilled, let frosting reach room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth.Finishing CakePlace 1 cake layer, bottom side up, on a cake plate.With a spatula or knife, spread the top of the layer with a generous 1/2 cup of the frosting.Add half the strawberry slices on top of the frosting.Place the second layer, top side down, on top of the first layer. Frost the top, then the sides, with the remaining frosting.Garnish with remaining strawberry slices and mint leaves.Serve with whipped cream.7.8.1.281http://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-chocolate-strawberry-cake/

[image error]Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Gracealways defeats Reckoning.

Her acclaimed debut book EVERY DEEP DESIRE, a sexy, action-packed retelling of Romeo and Juliet, is about an ex-Green Beretdetermined to regain his honor, his freedom, and his wife.

 EVERY DEEP DESIRE is available on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | IndieBound| Kobo|  Google

And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!

EVERY DEEP DESIRE is available on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | IndieBound| Kobo|  Google

The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Chocolate Strawberry Cake appeared first on Sharon Wray.

Daring Debuts ’19: Felicia Grossman’s New Release Appetites & Vices

Today I’d like to welcome Felicia Grossman and her new historical romance release APPETITES & VICES to the Daring Debuts blog!

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APPETITES & VICES tells the story of Ursula Nunes, the least popular Jewish heiress in 1840’s Delaware, and Jay Truitt, a recovering opium addict hiding behind his rich playboy persona. 

What starts as a faux engagement to help Ursula’s social standing, turns into actual love. The novel follows Jay’s struggle build a new life and Ursula’s struggles to fit into both Jewish and gentile society, while discovering that everything is a little easier with a partner. The book explores of the difficulties of American Jewish identity, addiction and interfaith romance.    

SHARON: Welcome, Felicia! I love the premise of your story. Can you share a teaser:

FELICIA: Of course!

  If she’d been fortunate, she’d have been born docile-but-plain or at least a sedate pretty. Society rewarded conformity. The woman was doomed. Ursula Nunes was a four-time deviant. Her Jewishness, her wealth, her near-aggressive beauty, and her charm—or lack thereof— made her almost hopeless.

SHARON: It’s such a wonderful idea for a story. Where did it come from?

FELICIA: APPETITES & VICES is a faux engagement story and I love that trope (romance is all about the tropes). And I really, really, really wanted to write a heroine in a historical romance that could’ve been my ancestor (there’s no British nobility in my blood, I promise), who got to have a really big character arc because why should the heroes have all the fun screwing things up? 

SHARON: I agree! How did you come up with the title?

FELICIA: APPETITES & VICES comes from my CP (critic partner) group. My original title was terrible and they would not let me query with it so, led by my writing bestie, MJ Marshall, we brainstormed and everyone else along the way loved it. 

SHARON: Can you tell us something we won’t find out just by reading the book jacket?

FELICIA: Both APPETITES & VICES and its sequel, DALLIANCES & DEVOTION are parents-and-children books in a lot of ways. The romantic relationship is primary but the biggest secondary relationships are those sort of family bonds. 

SHARON: Can you tell us about your favorite character?

FELICIA: Let’s be real, I usually put a little bit of myself in all my characters, especially my heroines, but there’s a TON of younger me in Urs. A lot of embarrassing things that I look back and cringe on, and a lot of the good stuff as well. Urs is spoiled, indignant, high-tempered, impetuous, pushy, bossy, and socially-awkward, but she’s smart, loyal, brave, determined, and ultimately very kind She values fairness and justice and may say the wrong thing, but would never “punch” (or throw) down.  

If you could tell your younger self anything, what would it be? Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You only grow and change if you learn and you can’t learn what you don’t know. ~ Felicia Grossman @HFeliciag #DebutAuthors19
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SHARON: She sounds like an amazing heroine. If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and what would you do? 

FELICIA: I love me some Urs. She always knows where the good desserts are and she has a monkey! 

SHARON: OMG! I want a monkey! Are your character based on real people, or do they come from your imaginations? 

FELICIA: I plead the fifth on everyone but Urs. Especially Hugo and Lydia. 

SHARON: How long did you take to write this book?

FELICIA: I started writing APPETITES in August of 2017. My heroine was originally a grandmother in a book I was querying so I gave her a backstory for fun. I finished editing around November of 2017 and did some initial test queries/pitching in December #pitmad. I really queried in February of 2018 and got an agent through a #kisspitch like. It sold in July of 2018 so it’s been really fast. 

SHARON: Wow! That is fast!! What kind of research did you do for this book? 

FELICIA: It’s historical so a ton of research. It’s set in my area of the country (Delaware and Philadelphia)—where I grew-up—just a few centuries earlier—so I kind of knew where to go, i.e., Rebecca Gratz’s letters and writings as well as Winterthur Museum and Gardens etc. 

SHARON: I love Winterthur Museum, especially at Christmas. What did you remove from this book during the editing process? 

FELICIA: Oh gosh, before querying, I removed original chapters three and four as well as the first half of chapter one, because they were cute but didn’t push the plot forward. I also added a bit of backstory to my hero after an R&R. But other than that initial stuff, I didn’t remove anything else big. 

SHARON: What is your favorite part of your writing process? 

FELICIA: I love editing, especially big edits. It feels like spring cleaning and because you are finally molding your clay. Drafting is throwing the clay down on the wheel, editing is where the fun begins. 

SHARON: I feel the same way. I’d much rather do a huge revision than draft a story! What is the most challenging part of your writing process? 

FELICIA: First chapters. Getting that perfect hook is always so key because it sets everything, including the pacing, up later on. 

SHARON: Can you share your writing routine? 

FELICIA: I’m a mom and I have a full-time day job so I write whenever I can. In hallways, when the kids go to bed, anywhere and everywhere.

SHARON: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? 

FELICIA: Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You only grow and change if you learn and you can’t learn what you don’t know. 

SHARON: How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have? 

FELICIA: Um…are we counting the ones I wrote in college? If so, ten? I think? 

SHARON: That’s how many I have.

2019 Mid-Winter Middle Grade and Young Adult Book List

I’m so excited to announce the 2019 Mid-Winter Middle Grade and Young Adult Book List. Like I’ve mentioned before, this isn’t a bestseller list or a new release list. It’s a cumulative record of the books the kids (boys and girls) in my Reading Army have loved, kept, shared, and sleep with.

[image error]Photo courtesy of Ben White on Unsplash

Some of the newly-added books have just been released (or are about to), some are just new-to-us authors and books. As the kids grow and move on, so do their reading tastes. I want to thank my teen readers for their help and suggestions, as well as my blog readers who’ve made this list such a popular download. You are all awesome!

This year there are a few changes to the list. Due to its size, I had to eliminate the cover images. It’s still divided into sub-genres and is now alphabetical by author’s last name. It should also be easier to see on a mobile device

All covers and blurbs below are courtesy of Amazon.

Below are a few highlights (in no particular order), but for the entire printable list, click here: 2019 Mid-Winter MG/YA Book List.

[image error]Photo courtesy of Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

This bi-annual compilation offers a good cross-section of genres for teens and tweens. There were a lot of new YA Romance, Fantasy, and Science Fiction books released this past year. I’ve also added a large number of new Middle Grade Action/Adventure stories. There are books on the list for all readers just in time for more snow days! 

YOUNG ADULT

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It all started with the accident. The one that caused Sophie’s dad to walk out of her life. The one that left Sophie’s older sister, Meredith, barely able to walk at all.

With nothing but pain in her past, all Sophie wants is to plan for the future—keep the family business running, get accepted to veterinary school, and protect her mom and sister from another disaster. But when a hurricane forms off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and heads right toward their island, Sophie realizes nature is one thing she can’t control.

After she gets separated from her family during the evacuation, Sophie finds herself trapped on the island with the last person she’d have chosen—the reckless and wild Finn Sanders, who broke her heart freshman year. As they struggle to find safety, Sophie learns that Finn has suffered his own heartbreak; but instead of playing it safe, Finn’s become the kind of guy who goes surfing in the eye of the hurricane. He may be the perfect person to remind Sophie how to embrace life again, but only if their newfound friendship can survive the storm.

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Coming in April 2019, Juliette and Warner’s story continues in the thrilling fifth installment of Tahereh Mafi’s New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series.

Juliette Ferrars isn’t who she thinks she is.

Still reeling from the explosive events of the Continental Symposium and the secrets Warner has been keeping, Juliette has nowhere to turn and doesn’t know who she can trust. 

She’s desperate for answers, but to get them, she’ll have to face the nightmares that have been chasing her for a lifetime.

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Seventeen-year-old Evie Dasher knows firsthand the devastating consequences of humanity’s war with the aliens. When she’s caught up in a raid at a notorious club known as one of the few places where humans and the surviving Luxen can mingle freely, she meets Luc, an unnaturally beautiful guy she initially assumes is a Luxen…but he is in fact something much more powerful. Her growing attraction for Luc will lead her deeper and deeper into a world she’d only heard about, a world where everything she thought she knew will be turned on its head…

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Princess Vela’s people are starving.

Stranded on a planet that lacks food, Vela makes the ultimate sacrifice and becomes an Aegis for her people. Accepting a genetic modification that takes sixty years off her life, she can feed her colony via nutrition pills. But her best friend is still getting worse. And she’s not the only one.

Now the king is dying, too.

When the boy she’s had a crush on since childhood volunteers to give his life for her father’s, Vela realizes her people need more than pills to survive. As tensions rise between Aegis and colonists, secrets and sabotage begin to threaten the future of the colony itself. 

Unless Vela is brave enough to save them all…

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Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—derailing the War Between the States and changing the nation forever.

In this new America, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Education Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead.

But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose.

But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. 

And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

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Carlos Portillo has always led a privileged and sheltered life. A dual citizen of Mexico and the United States, he lives in Mexico City with his wealthy family, where he attends an elite international school. Always a rule follower and a parent pleaser, Carlos is more than happy to tread the well-worn path in front of him. He has always loved food and cooking, but his parents see it as just a hobby. 

When his older brother, Felix—who has dropped out of college to live a life of travel—is tragically killed, Carlos begins hearing his brother’s voice, giving him advice and pushing him to rebel against his father’s plan for him. Worrying about his mental health but knowing the voice is right, Carlos runs away to the United States and manages to secure a job with his favorite celebrity chef. As he works to improve his skills in the kitchen and pursue his dream, he begins to fall for his boss’s daughter—a fact that could end his career before it begins. Finally living for himself, Carlos must decide what’s most important to him and where his true path really lies.

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Mare Barrow learned this all too well when Cal’s betrayal nearly destroyed her. Now determined to protect her heart—and secure freedom for Reds and newbloods like her—Mare resolves to overthrow the kingdom of Norta once and for all . . . starting with the crown on Maven’s head.

But no battle is won alone, and before the Reds may rise as one, Mare must side with the boy who broke her heart in order to defeat the boy who almost broke her. Cal’s powerful Silver allies, alongside Mare and the Scarlet Guard, prove a formidable force. But Maven is driven by an obsession so deep, he will stop at nothing to have Mare as his own again, even if it means demolish everything—and everyone—in his path.

War is coming, and all Mare has fought for hangs in the balance. Will victory be enough to topple the Silver kingdoms? Or will the little lightning girl be forever silenced?

In the epic conclusion to Victoria Aveyard’s stunning series, Mare must embrace her fate and summon all her power . . . for all will be tested, but not all will survive.

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Face your demons…or feed them. 

Nikolai Lantsov has always had a gift for the impossible. No one knows what he endured in his country’s bloody civil war—and he intends to keep it that way. Now, as enemies gather at his weakened borders, the young king must find a way to refill Ravka’s coffers, forge new alliances, and stop a rising threat to the once-great Grisha Army.

Yet with every day a dark magic within him grows stronger, threatening to destroy all he has built. With the help of a young monk and a legendary Grisha Squaller, Nikolai will journey to the places in Ravka where the deepest magic survives to vanquish the terrible legacy inside him. He will risk everything to save his country and himself. But some secrets aren’t meant to stay buried—and some wounds aren’t meant to heal.

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In this war, trust is a dangerous game…

The Order’s plan to wipe out the Resistance in one massive set of coordinated attacks has Harper on edge, because news of the planned assault comes from the most unlikely source. The ruby priestess, Magda Thorn. 

Is Magda telling the truth? Or is this all an elaborate trap? Harper, Jackson, Lea, and Aerden are finally reunited, only to face their deadliest challenge yet. 

Because trusting your enemy is madness, but sometimes trusting your friends will get you killed. 

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Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn’t so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind? With Maurene Goo’s signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look.

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You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne.

Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.
When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

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They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us. Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

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No one believes in them. But soon no one will forget them. 

It’s 1889. The city is on the cusp of industry and power, and the Exposition Universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. Here, no one keeps tabs on dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Séverin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission, Séverin is offered a treasure that he never imagined: his true inheritance. 

To hunt down the ancient artifact the Order seeks, Séverin calls upon a band of unlikely experts: An engineer with a debt to pay. A historian banished from his home. A dancer with a sinister past. And a brother in arms if not blood. 

Together, they will join Séverin as he explores the dark, glittering heart of Paris. What they find might change the course of history–but only if they can stay alive.

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Best friends Corey and Kyra were inseparable in their snow-covered town of Lost Creek, Alaska. When Corey moves away, she makes Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return. 

Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated—and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town’s lost daughter, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she’s a stranger.

Corey knows something is wrong. With every hour, her suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets—chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter…

MIDDLE GRADE

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The Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard trilogy may have concluded, but we haven’t heard the last of our favorite einherji and his friends. The nine Norse worlds are rich with lore, as this collection of nine original stories, each told from a different character’s point of view, will prove.

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Dara longs for stardom—but when she isn’t cast in her middle school’s production of The Sound of Music, she get suspicious. It can’t be because she’s not the best. She was born to be a famous movie star. It must because she’s adopted from Cambodia and doesn’t look like a typical fraulein. (That’s German for girl.) 

So irrepressible Dara comes up with a genius plan to shake up the school: write a play about her own life. Then she’ll have to be the star.

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Be careful what you wish for…

With big-time villains Rumpelstiltskin and Alva still on the loose and the citizens of Enchantasia on high alert, things at Fairy Tale Reform School have been a little…stressed. So when Maxine finds an old lamp that turns out to house an overly-enthusiastic genie, she knows exactly what to do; wish for everyone to be happy! But the wish has some unexpected consequences…suddenly, ex-villains are singing, trolls and ogres are getting along, and the whole school is more focused on putting on a musical than figuring out how to deal with Rumpelstiltskin. 

Can Gilly help Maxine break the spell before it’s too late?

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Eleven-year-old Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every week: One week she’s Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son Darren living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. The next week she’s Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend John-Mark in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves.

Because of this, Isabella has always felt pulled between two worlds. And now that her parents are divorced, it seems their fights are even worse, and they’re always about HER. Isabella feels even more stuck in the middle, split and divided between them than ever. And she’s is beginning to realize that being split between Mom and Dad is more than switching houses, switching nicknames, switching backpacks: it’s also about switching identities. Her dad is black, her mom is white, and strangers are always commenting: “You’re so exotic!” “You look so unusual.” “But what are you really?” She knows what they’re really saying: “You don’t look like your parents.” “You’re different.” “What race are you really?” And when her parents, who both get engaged at the same time, get in their biggest fight ever, Isabella doesn’t just feel divided, she feels ripped in two. What does it mean to be half white or half black? To belong to half mom and half dad? And if you’re only seen as half of this and half of that, how can you ever feel whole?

It seems like nothing can bring Isabella’s family together again—until the worst happens. Isabella and Darren are stopped by the police. A cell phone is mistaken for a gun. And shots are fired.

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Picking up where The Royal Ranger: A New Beginning left off, this next installment continues the story arc featuring young apprentice, Maddie, and the student-turned-master, Will Treaty. The time has come for the next generation to assume the mantle and become protectors of the kingdom of Araluen. 

After passing her third-year assessment as a ranger’s apprentice, Maddie is called home to Castle Araluen. Forced to keep her ranger training a secret, Maddie feels trapped by the monotony of castle life and longs to find a way out. But there are whisperings of a new threat to the kingdom. The mysterious Red Fox Clan, a group of anarchists all donning fox masks, have threatened Castle Araluen and question Princess Cassandra and Madelyn’s succession to the throne. Will they succeed in unseating Cassandra and Madelyn and take the throne for themselves? 

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Tristan isn’t Gifted or Talented like his sister Jeanine, and he’s always been okay with that because he can make a perfect chocolate chip cookie and he lives in the greatest city in the world. But his life takes a turn for the worse when his parents decide to move to middle-of-nowhere Petersville—a town with one street and no restaurants. It’s like suddenly they’re supposed to be this other family, one that can survive without bagels and movie theaters.

His suspicions about his new town are confirmed when he’s tricked into believing the local general store has life-changing chocolate cream doughnuts, when in fact the owner hasn’t made them in years. And so begins the only thing that could make life in Petersville worth living: getting the recipe, making the doughnuts, and bringing them back to the town through his very own doughnut stand. But Tristan will soon discover that when starting a business, it helps to be both Gifted and Talented, and It’s possible he’s bitten off more than he can chew…

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Elise carries a notebook full of tallies, each page marking a day spent at her new public school, each stroke of her pencil marking a word spoken. A word that can’t be taken back. Five tally marks isn’t so bad. Two is pretty good. But zero? Zero is perfect. Zero means no wrong answers called out in class, no secrets accidentally spilled, no conversations to agonize over at night when sleep is far away.

But now months have passed, and Elise isn’t sure she could speak even if she wanted to—not to keep her only friend, Mel, from drifting further away—or to ask if anyone else has seen her English teacher’s stuffed raven come to life. Then, the discovery of a shocking family secret helps Elise realize that her silence might just be the key to unlocking everything she’s ever hoped for…

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At breakfast, I sit at the table and work on three things:

1. A bowl of Rice Krispies with sliced banana on top 
2. My courage 
3. How exactly to tell Mom I’m moving to the roof 

Joyce is desperate to get out of the room she shares with her older sister. All she wants is some peace and quiet, not the kind that fills the space left by her missing brother and tastes like butterscotch gone sour, the kind where you can breathe deep and see the stars. 

So she moves to the roof. Up there it’s nothing but blue sky. Blue sky and….another roof dweller? Joyce soon discovers she’s not the only one who’s been driven to rooftop living. With the help of a pair of binoculars, a sketch pad, and a pen, Joyce makes an unexpected friend and sets in motion a summer she’ll never forget.

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Lu was born to be co-captain of the Defenders. Well, actually, he was born albino, but that’s got nothing to do with being a track star. Lu has swagger, plus the talent to back it up, and with all that—not to mention the gold chains and diamond earrings—no one’s gonna outshine him.

Lu knows he can lead Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and the team to victory at the championships, but it might not be as easy as it seems. Suddenly, there are hurdles in Lu’s way—literally and not-so-literally—and Lu needs to figure out, fast, what winning the gold really means. 

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Disclaimer: Some of these books are (or once were) controversial. Some older YAs have closed-door or open-door adult situations, and others (YA & MG) deal with harsh issues such as suicide, bullying, war, poverty, and loss of a parent. As a librarian, reader’s advisor, and mother, I’ve learned that tweens and teens tend to read within their comfort zone, both emotionally and reading-level wise. All of these books offer a chance for parents and kids to discuss which topics are appropriate now and which books are best left for another time. But I hope you all find books that will give your family new adventures and imaginary friends.

See you this summer for the 2019 Mid-Summer Young Adult and Middle Grade Book List!

*The books listed in this blog post and on the list are in no particular order.

All covers and blurbs courtesy of Amazon. Feature photos courtesy of Unsplash.

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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

Her acclaimed debut book EVERY DEEP DESIRE, a sexy, action-packed retelling of Romeo and Juliet, is about an ex-Green Beret determined to regain his honor, his freedom, and his wife.

EVERY DEEP DESIRE is available on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo |  Google

And adding it to your  Goodreads TBR list  is also always appreciated!

The post 2019 Mid-Winter Middle Grade and Young Adult Book List appeared first on Sharon Wray.

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Slow Cooker London Broil

I can’t believe this is the third week of Rafe and Juliet’s Valentine’s Day Dinner, and dinner is about to be served. Today Rafe is serving the Roasted Asparagus he made last week along with his Slow Cooker London Broil. Now that everything is set, they can eat dinner . . . and look forward to dessert!

[image error]Photo courtesy of Miro Slava on Unsplash

Rafe: “The asparagus is ready and so is the meat. Juliet is giving me a hard time because dinner is just meat and veg. But I like meat and asparagus so why add extra things no one wants to eat? Besides, I want to leave room for dessert.

And, I’m hoping, that after dessert Juliet will be so happy she’ll shower me with kisses. Although I have to admit I wouldn’t mind one of those hearts filled with chocolates as well!

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Serves 6-8

494The Hungry {Romance} Writer:

The slow cooker turns this cut of meat into a tender and juicy roast. And it comes with its own sides! While browning the meat takes a few minutes, it's worth it on the other end. And to save a little time, I sometimes buy the onions pre-sliced and use jarred garlic. (In a slow cooker meal, I can't tell the difference between fresh and jarred garlic!)

10 minPrep Time

4 hrCook Time

4 hr, 10 Total Time

Author:


Sharon Wray

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Ingredients

3 lb. London Broil (on sale!)1 Tablespoon butter4 cups beef broth1 pounds baby red potatoes, washed1 1/2 cups baby carrots1 onion, sliced1/2 Tablespoon garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)salt and pepper, to taste2 bay leavesfor Gravy1 Tablespoon cornstarch2 Tablespoons cold water

Instructions

In a skillet, melt butter and brown the London Broil. Put into slow cooker.In order, layer onions, garlic, salt, pepper, potatoes, and carrots on top of the meat. Add more salt and pepper on top of vegetables. (I just sprinkle a bit of both. I don't measure it)Add beef broth and cook on high for 4 hours.Put meat onto a cutting board and vegetables into a bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water and slowly whisk into the juices in the slow cooker to thicken the gravy.Carve meat and serve with veggies, potatoes, and gravy.

Notes

The gravy (sometimes) can take up to 15 minutes to thicken. Stirring the gravy is a perfect way to get kids involved!

7.8.1.214http://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-slow-cooker-london-broil/

Because every romantic dinner needs a song, I think this one is Perfect.

A Short History of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day, is one of my favorite holidays. Because of the history behind this holiday, it even plays a part in my romantic suspense novel EVERY DEEP DESIRE since the prologue, where the heroine Juliet discovers her husband Rafe has supposedly abandoned her, happens on Valentine’s Day. 



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I love this holiday, not because of the chocolate or cards or flowers, but because of the man himself. A courageous Bishop known as St. Valentine.

Born during the reign of Claudius II, a Roman Emperor who hated and persecuted early Christians, St. Valentine was an early Bishop who married young couples in Christian ceremonies in flagrant violation of Claudius II’s edicts. Since Claudius II believed his soldiers fought better without wives or families, and he hated Christianity, he had St. Valentine arrested.

Turns out St. Valentine had also been marrying couples right before they were martyred and had been aiding the Christian families of those left behind. Enraged, Claudius II told St. Valentine to renounce his faith or be martyred. After St. Valentine gave a forceful “No“, Claudius II had St. Valentine beaten with clubs and beheaded outside the Flaminian Gates in Rome on February 14, 269 AD (approx year).

According to legend, two days before his execution, St. Valentine miraculously healed the jailor’s blind daughter and on the day of his death left her a letter signed “your Valentine“. (I guess you could say St. Valentine was one of the first romance writers!)

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Sometime between the years 492 and 496 AD, the date February 14 was chosen to replace the February 15 pagan feast known as Lupercalia, a day set aside to worship the pagan god Lupercus. On this day, young Roman men would draw the names of young women whom they would then keep for a year as their sexual companions.

Pope Gelasius I, not happy with this annual event, came up with a new lottery. On February 14, young people would choose the name of a Christian saint whose example they would try to emulate throughout the year. But since young men still hoped to seduce young women by sending them handwritten notes, the Pope elected Saint Valentine to be the patron saint of the day. Hence the custom of sending cards from “your Valentine“.

Below is an excerpt of the prologue from EVERY DEEP DESIRE. Although it’s sad, made even more so because it takes place on Valentine’s Day, I promise there’s a happy ending!

EVERY DEEP DESIRE PROLOGUE

Juliet’s daddy had always told her to stay away from men who bowed. But tonight, as she struggled with her groceries in the snow, she almost asked the stranger in the shadows across the street for help. He bowed as she walked by and, as creepy as that seemed, she was reconsidering her daddy’s warning. It was still Valentine’s Day, after all.

She blinked against the freezing wind, and the man had disappeared. She made it to her apartment and almost stepped on the ivory envelope. Balancing her bags in one arm, she picked it up. From its weight and polished paper, a letter instead of a bill.

A valentine, maybe? From Rafe?

Flurries blew as she unlocked the door. Five months apart. Five months since their argument. Five months and he’d finally sent her an apology. The ache in her heart loosened, and she went inside. Frigid, mildew-tinged air blasted at her, and her breath came out in cold, white gusts. The heat was off. Again.

She placed the bags on the kitchen counter and turned the envelope over. The linen stationery felt thick and expensive. Someone had sealed it with a wax stamp of a sword piercing a heart and written her name in script on the other side. It wasn’t Rafe’s familiar, irregular printing.

After trading her coat for her favorite sweater, she curled up on the couch. Her husband was undercover with his A-team. Had someone else sent the letter on his behalf? It wouldn’t be the first time he’d broken the rules. Still, five months wasn’t the longest they’d gone without contact. Last year he’d been away for eight. Except this goodbye had been different. They’d argued, said things she prayed they hadn’t meant, and hadn’t made love before he left.

Something that had never happened before.

She held the letter to her heart and looked at the unpacked boxes stacked around her. Rafe had left the week they’d moved from Fort Bragg’s temporary housing into this apartment, days after his mother’s funeral, and she’d refused to unpack completely. Without him, it didn’t feel like home.

Worry and lack of sleep had left her exhausted. Nightmares plagued her nights. Dreams she’d had since childhood that only Rafe’s touch could heal. For the past few weeks, she’d been obsessed with a heavy feeling in her heart she could only define as doom.

She broke the seal and read. The back of her throat burned. Her sweaty hands gripped the edges of the stationery, tearing it. And she read the letter again. It wasn’t a valentine.

No. No. No.She fell off the couch and crawled to the bathroom. She barely made it before the eruption hit. Minutes later, she rinsed her mouth and leaned her forehead against the window. The room smelled like vomit, bleach, and mold. It reeked of betrayal.

Outside, the moon hung full, like on the night he’d left. Another wave of nausea drove her to her knees. She rolled into a ball, her arms tucked in close. He wasn’t dead. He just wasn’t coming home. Ever.

The doorbell rang, and she ignored it. She lay there for minutes or hours or days. When even the moon turned in, she shifted onto her back and stared at the stained ceiling. The brown concentric circles reminded her of constellations. The star patterns she and Rafe identified together out on the Isle when they were kids.

“Pegasus.” She raised one arm to reach the sky. The winged horse constellation had been her favorite, only visible a few weeks of every year. She’d always dreamed of flying away from the Isle, her father, her poverty. But instead of reaching the stars, she’d married the man she’d adored since she was four and he was eight.

When the doorbell rang again and again and again, she got up, determined to send whoever the hell it was away. She flung the door open to find two Army MPs in full uniform, wearing pistols, standing side by side. Their grim faces shared identical hard angles. Cold air burst into the room, chilling her even more.

“Mrs. Montfort?” the first MP asked.  

“Yes?”

“Ma’am.” The second MP held out a pair of handcuffs. “You’ll need to come with us.”

[image error]Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

Her acclaimed debut book EVERY DEEP DESIRE, a sexy, action-packed retelling of Romeo and Juliet, is about an ex-Green Beret determined to regain his honor, his freedom, and his wife.

EVERY DEEP DESIRE is available on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo |  Google

 

And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!

 

The post A Short History of Valentine’s Day appeared first on Sharon Wray.

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Roasted Asparagus

Today is the second installment of Rafe and Juliet’s Valentine’s Day dinner. Rafe has served Juliet’s Muddled Strawberry Cocktails and even set the table. Since he’s not an experienced cook, the vegetable of the evening is simple. It’s also one of Juliet’s favorites: Roasted Asparagus.

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Rafe: “I’ve spent most of my life in combat, and a few years in prison, so cooking this meal is a huge deal for me. Luckily, Juliet likes simple foods and it doesn’t get much simpler than roasted asparagus.

Juliet has been teasing me while I prepare the asparagus, trying to distract me in the ways only a wife could. But despite her kisses, or the fact she’s put on the Creole Waltz we danced to at our wedding, I’m determined to get this tray in the oven.

But once that’s done, I’ve got ten minutes to spare before dinner is served. And I know exactly what to do with those ten long minutes. (We’re going to dance!)

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Serves 4-6

23The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Roasted Asparagus

I make this recipe at least twice a week. It's one of the few vegetables that everyone in my family will eat without moaning and it goes well with most meat, poultry, and fish dishes. Save the leftovers and chill. The cold asparagus is great on tomorrow's salad!

10 minPrep Time

10 minCook Time

20 minTotal Time

Author:


Sharon Wray

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Ingredients

1 lb. Fresh Asparagus5 Tablespoons Olive oilKosher salt, to tasteFreshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.Thoroughly was the asparagus. Then snap off the end of each stalk. (Each stalk will be a different length, but that doesn't matter)Dry well.Put asparagus in a bowl or a glass baking dish and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepperLay out the asparagus in a single layer on an oven tray lined with tinfoil.Bake for ten minutes. (Don't overcook--you want the asparagus to be cooked on the outside but still "snap" when you eat it!)7.8.1.280http://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-roasted-asparagus/

In case you were wondering, this is the waltz Rafe and Juliet are dancing to while the asparagus roasts in the oven.

Daring Debuts ’18: Suanne Schafer’s New Release A Different Kind of Fire

[image error]Today I’d like to welcome Suanne Schafer and her new release A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRE to the blog!

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A Texas ranch girl dreams of being an artist. Against the wishes of her family and fiancé, she enrolls in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and takes off for Philadelphia. The choices she makes while there mold her life in ways she could never have foreseen.

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Suanne Schafer’s A Different Kind of Fireis a powerful story of a Gilded Age artist who brooks convention both in her art and her love. Read this book: It has both the depth of emotion of a modernist novel and the epic scope of a historical saga.—Alicia Rasley, author of The Year She Fell, an Amazon bestseller

 

If you love historical novels about women who throw off the shackles of feminine convention, then this book is for you. In spare but sensuous prose reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy and E. Annie Proulx, Schafer brings Ruby Schmidt to life–a woman who doesn’t belong in the late nineteenth century but gradually finds her place in the twentieth. —Helena Echlin, co-author of Sparkedand author of Gone

 

I was amazed by Suanne Schafer’s poetic and laconic turns of phrase. She has the gift of being simultaneously ornate and succinct, which is no easy task.—Joshua Mohr, Author Sirens, All This Life, Fight Song, Damascus, Termite Parade, Somethings That Meant the World to Me 

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SHARON: Welcome to the blog, Suanne! Can you describe what A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRE is about?

SUANNE: Torn between her childhood sweetheart, her forbidden passion for another woman, the nobleman she had to marry, and her dream of becoming a painter, Ruby Schmidt’s choices mold her in ways she could never have foreseen. A woman who doesn’t belong in 19th century America, she finds herself as she—and our country—move into the 20th.

SHARON: Can you share a teaser?

SUANNE:  Of course!

A stout, middle-aged woman watched over the door to the Antiquities Room. She beckoned to Ruby. “Come on in, dearie. It’s Thursday, Ladies’ Day. No men allowed.”

Glad she happened to come when the galleries were open to women artists, Ruby entered, her heart thumping with anticipation. Inside a dozen women, uniformed in dark smocks, stood before easels and sketched. All her life, she had seemed singular in her desire to study art. She was no longer alone.

SHARON: It’s such an interesting  premise. Where did you get the idea?

SUANNE: For years I’d wanted to write my paternal grandparents’ love story. Once I started, though, I realized that I wanted more than a family history, and the book morphed into a herstory, with more feminist view of the 1890s. The American Gilded Age was such an exciting time for women with suffragettes, the Free Love movement, and a woman running for President of the United States. I wanted my heroine to experience that first-wave feminism while walking a tight-rope balancing her career with home and family.

SHARON: Is there a story behind the title?

SUANNE: At one point, Ruby’s beau tells her he wishes she had the same fire for him as she did for art, and she replies, she does, it’s just a different kind of fire. I am also fascinated with the psychological links between passion for art and sexual passion.

SHARON: Can you tell us about your favorite character?

SUANNE: I definitely have a soft spot for Bismarck, Ruby’s childhood beau. He’s based on my grandfather and is the iconic laconic cowboy. He’s definitely a good guy but not perfect. He definitely has a wobble or two in his personality.

SHARON: If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and what would you do?

SUANNE: I’d go horseback riding with Bismarck and skinny-dip in the waterhole.

SHARON: That sounds amazing. Especially since it’s the middle of winter here in Virginia right now. Are your characters based on real people, or do they come from your imagination?

SUANNE: Bismarck, Ruby, and d’Este are based on family members but highly fictionalized. Some of the artists and other folks Ruby interacts with are real, but her interactions with them are, of course, straight out of my imagination.

SHARON: How long did you take to write this book?

SUANNE: When I started the Stanford University On-Line Creative Writing Certificate Program in 2011, I had the basic idea. When I finished the program in 2014, I had a complete draft. I spent another year polishing it, then started querying in 2015. In May 2016 Fire won a literary contest that came with a publishing package. It’s debuting in November 2018, so that’s roughly seven years.

SHARON: Persistence always pays off! What kind of research did you do for this book?

SUANNE: The storyline obviously came from my own experiences, but I did extensive research on Buffalo Bill, the Panic of 1893, 19th century artists and academic painting, mixing pigments from scratch, Winsor & Newton art supplies, boarding houses for women, clothing, suffragettes, the Free Love movement, and women’s legal rights.

If you could tell your younger writing-self anything, what would it be? Start sooner. ~ Suanne Schafer @SuanneSchafer #Authors18
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SHARON: Are you a plotter or a pantser?

SUANNE: 100% pantser. The one book I outlined, I’ve never done anything with because, emotionally, it feels finished—no joy of discovery remains.

SHARON: What is your favorite part of your writing process?

SUANNE: I like to push my characters beyond their limits and see if they survive.

SHARON: I love to do that too. What is the most challenging part of your writing process?

SUANNE: Carving out the first sentence, forcing the reader to delve further into the world I’ve created. I spend an undue amount of time trying to make that first glimpse something priceless.

SHARON: I struggle with first sentences as well! Can you share your writing routine?

SUANNE: Since 2011, with rare exception, I’ve written every day. Now that I’m retired, I drink coffee and write as soon as I get up and continue until I get tired, seven days a week. I begin by revising what I wrote a day or two before, then moving on. If I have a particularly difficult scene to write, I tend to avoid it and move on, writing the most emotionally-fraught scenes last.

SHARON: Have you ever gotten writer’s block?

SUANNE: I usually work on several projects at a time, so I have multiple open windows on my computer. If I get antsy with the way one story is going, I switch to another.

SHARON: If you could tell your younger writing-self anything, what would it be?

SUANNE: Start sooner.

What’s your favorite writing advice? Don’t stop querying. Your book just hasn’t appeared before the right person’s eyes.~ Suanne Schafer @SuanneSchafer #Authors18
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SHARON: How did you get into writing?

SUANNE: I was nearing my sixtieth birthday and started doing bucket list things—like going on a three-week safari through the Serengeti—and thinking about what I’d do with my life once I retired. So instead of retiring, I started my third or fourth career—writing.

SHARON: Can you share something about yourself most people probably don’t know?

SUANNE: I fell in love with Tarzan as a teenager. Though I’ve had to fight off rivals like anthropologist Jane Goodall and author Robin Maxwell, I still have a soft spot for the Ape Man.

SHARON: I love that answer! What are you working on right now?

SUANNE: I’ve just finished the edits Hunting the Devil in which incorporates my travels and my experiences raising a biracial son. Like A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRE, it has a strong female protagonist. It’s due out September 15, 2019. Three ideas are pinging off my brain right now, waiting for me to decide which I’m going to write next: a retelling of The Odyssey set in the Dust Bowl in West Texas, a 1960s second-wave feminist group of women who start a matriarchal commune in West Texas, or a fantasy about a slave girl who rises to be the top military commander in her country.

 SHARON: They all sound like great ideas. What’s your favorite writing advice?

SUANNE: Don’t stop querying. Your book just hasn’t appeared before the right person’s eyes.

SHARON: Thank you so much for spending the day with us, Suanne! I hope your book is a huge success and am looking forward to your next one.

[image error]Suanne Schafer, born in West Texas at the height of the Cold War, finds it ironic that grade school drills for tornadoes and nuclear war were the same: hide beneath your desk and kiss your rear-end goodbye. Now a retired family-practice physician whose only child has fledged the nest, her pioneer ancestors and world travels fuel her imagination. She’d originally planned to write romances, but either as a consequence of a series of failed relationships or a genetic distrust of happily ever-after, her heroines are strong women who battle tough environments and intersect with men who might—or might not—love them.

You can find A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRE here:  Amazon  |  Waldorf Publishing  |  Barnes & Noble

You can find Suanne here: Website  |  Facebook  | Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Goodreads  |  Tumblr

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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

Her acclaimed debut book EVERY DEEP DESIRE, a sexy, action-packed retelling of Romeo and Juliet, is about an ex-Green Beret determined to regain his honor, his freedom, and his wife.

EVERY DEEP DESIRE is available on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo |  Google

And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!

The post Daring Debuts ’18: Suanne Schafer’s New Release A Different Kind of Fire appeared first on Sharon Wray.

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Juliet’s Muddled Strawberry Cocktail

Happy first day of February! Today I’m so excited to start the month-long event celebrating Rafe and Juliet’s first Valentine’s Day dinner together.

[image error]Photo courtesy of Joel Overbeck on Unsplash

In my debut romantic suspense novel Every Deep Desire (a contemporary retelling of Romeo and Juliet), ex-Green Beret Rafe returns to Juliet after having been gone for eight years. While she’s not happy he’s back, she’s desperate to understand why he left, why he’s returned, and why she’s in danger.

What Juliet learns, and what she must do to save Rafe, changes her forever. She starts the story out unable to rely on others and ends as a woman who’ll sacrifice anything for the people–the husband–she loves.

Valentine’s Day is significant because it was on that day, eight years earlier, that Juliet learned Rafe had disappeared: leaving her and his men behind.

Because this is a romance novel, there’s a happy ended-, including a June wedding. But this Valentine’s Day, their first a a newly-remarried couple, is special. And Rafe has come up with a plan to celebrate in a way Juliet will always remember.

[image error]Photo courtesy of Marcus Cramer on Unsplash

Rafe: “It’s Valentine’s Day and it’s raining in Savannah. But it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is the woman I’m waiting for in St. Julian’s alley. When my wife Juliet closes up her shop Juliet’s Lily and comes outside, I’m waiting–in the rain–with a bouquet of flowers.

She smiles, opens her umbrella, and covers both of us. She wonders why I’m there, getting wet, when our apartment is across the courtyard. I tell her I’m escorting her home because I have a surprise: I made dinner. She laughs and I tell her that not only is it true, it’s not macaroni and cheese or canned tomato soup.

We run across the courtyard, past the fountain, and hurry into our tiny apartment. While she changes, I pour her the first course of the night–a cocktail a buddy of mine who bartends in a local hotel named for her. Juliet’s Muddled Strawberry Cocktail.

When she comes out in a simple pink dress and bare feet, I hand her the very pink drink and we clink glasses. I toast to our past, which we’ve forgiven, and our future that’s filled with more hope and happiness than I deserve. She smiles, kisses me, and I remind her that is just the first course. The best is yet to come.”

Serves 2

190The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Juliet’s Muddled Strawberry Cocktail

This is a lovely cocktail not just because it's delicious, but because it's easy to make, pretty in a glass, and not too sweet. This drink comes from a combination of recipes cobbled together. If you prefer less sweetness, adjust the amount of simple syrup. And, if you can, use the freshest strawberries you can find. Fresh picked is the best!

5 minPrep Time

5 minTotal Time

Yields 2 drinks

Author:


Sharon Wray

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Ingredients

3 ounces Light Rum (I like Bacardi Superior)1 ounce Pineapple Rum (I like Plantation).4 ounces (1 teaspoon) fresh lime juice1 1/2 ounces simple syrupDash of grenadine3 muddled strawberriesCrushed ice• 2 whole strawberries for garnish

Instructions

To muddle the strawberries, take off the stem and gently crush the berries in a small bowl until they become pasty.Mix all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake for thirty seconds.Strain over a two glasses, pouring slowly.Garnish with fresh strawberries.7.8.1.285http://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-juliets-muddled-strawberry-cocktail/

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Because every epic love story needs a song, especially on Valentine’s Day, here’s one for Rafe and Juliet.

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Rum Raisin Cake

I know today isn’t Friday, but it’s the last day of the month which makes it a bonus THRW day! It’s also the last segment of Carina Prioleau’s New Year’s Brunch. Carina is a character in my romantic suspense Deadly Force Series and this month she’s been hosting a brunch for the other women in the series.

It’s been so much fun learning more about Carina and today’s she’s serving Rum Raisin Cake.

[image error]Photo courtesy Roman Kraft on Unsplash

Carina Prioleau: “I can’t believe it’s time for dessert! Since it’s warmed up outside, I’m serving Rum Raisin Cake and Coffee Hot Chocolate in the conservatory. Although we’ve been talking about the men we love, and how they drive us crazy, our conversation has floated back to my Christmas Toy Foundation and how Sarah, Juliet, and Samantha have agreed to serve on the board to help the Foundation grow. They’re so excited and the ideas are flowing.

Sarah has handed out pencils and notebooks (which she keeps in her handbag) and started with the list-making and delegating. As a natural delegator, I’m impressed with how quickly Sarah has organized the new ideas. Today, for the first time, I feel like I’m spending the time with friends instead of just fundraising, campaigning, and ordering others around. (I don’t order others around, but my twin brother believes I do!)

It’s been a wonderful party and, as the women prepare to leave, I can’t believe how quickly the time has flown. It’s been a bittersweet holiday since it’s the first year without my husband, but today has given me hope and reminded me that as long as I have friends I’ll never be alone. “

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Rum Raisin Cake

I love this recipe. I found it in my grandmother's recipe box and then found another, similar recipe in my 1960 copy of the Good Housekeeping Cookbook. The GH recipe had more raisins and my grandmother's had more rum. So I split the difference between both and added the confectioner's sugar on top. It's a perfect, not-too-sweet holiday dessert for those who are sick of chocolate and/or cookies. And make sure to soak the raisins in DARK rum overnight for at least twelve hours. The soaking, along with DARK rum (versus light) makes a huge difference.

12 hr, 15 Prep Time

50 minCook Time

13 hr, 5 Total Time

Yields 12 servings

Author:


Sharon Wray

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Ingredients

1/2 cup raisins4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons dark rum1 3/4 sticks butter, room temperature1/2 cup superfine sugar3 eggs, lightly beaten1 1/2 cups flour3/4 teaspoon salt2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder4 tablespoons whole milkextra butter for greasing panextra confectioner's sugar for garnish

Instructions

Place raisins in a bowl and cover with rum. Cover and keep in a cook, dark place overnight.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Using extra butter, grease a 9" round cake pan. Line the bottom with 9" round piece of non-stick parchment paper.In a small bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder.In a bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs just until blended.Add flour and milk and beat until until mixed, scraping the sides with a spatula.Stir in raisins and extra rum.Pour into pan. With a knife, smooth the top.Bake 45-50 minutes, testing with a toothpick to make sure it's done.When cake is cool, sift confectioner's sugar over top.7.8.1.286http://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-rum-raisin-cake/

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As we drink our coffee, eat dessert, and make plans, this song is playing in the background. Norah Jones has set the perfect mood for today’s party and we’re all humming along.

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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

Her acclaimed debut book EVERY DEEP DESIRE, a sexy, action-packed retelling of Romeo and Juliet, is about an ex-Green Beret determined to regain his honor, his freedom, and his wife.

EVERY DEEP DESIRE is available on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo |  Google

And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!

The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Rum Raisin Cake appeared first on Sharon Wray.

Daring Debuts ’19: Danielle M. Haas’s New Release Bound By Danger

Today I’d like to welcome Danielle M. Haas and her new romantic suspense release BOUND BY DANGER to the Daring Debuts blog.

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The disappearance of a local girl leads Special Agent Graham Grassi to the sexy redhead that has haunted him since they thwarted a hijacking. Questioning Mickey O’Shay cuts through him as he informs her about her missing goddaughter. Mickey’s determination has him ready to handcuff her—or kiss her—in place. As time runs out, the stakes run higher. They struggle to ignore their attraction as they unravel a web of deception.

And here’s a teaser from BOUND BY DANGER:

He lifted his hand and tipped her chin up with his index finger. His eyes searched hers, as if waiting for some sort of signal or answer to an unasked question. Her pulse picked up and she moistened her lips, preparing for what she hoped was to come.

SHARON: Welcome to the blog, Danielle! Can you please tell us more about BOUND BY DANGER?

DANIELLE: Special Agent Graham Grassi is on a quest to stop a sex-trafficking ring from infiltrating Chicago. His path keeps crossing with sexy red head, Micky O’Shay. The stakes raise higher when Mickey’s goddaughter is taken, and her connections to the case leave Graham wondering if she’s just another victim in a sick game, or if she knows more than she’s letting on. Together, they race against time to unravel a web of deception before it’s too late.

SHARON: What a compelling premise! Where did you get the idea?

DANIELLE: My initial idea sprung from wondering what would happen if a flight attendant had a blind date with a man she’d already met…a man she’d just told to stop trying to join the mile high club on a flight she worked. Then I realized this wasn’t very heroic behavior, and I had to figure out what situation could he possibly be in to take him from sleezy to dreamy. Of course NONE of this made the final version, but it led me to a great story I never expected to tell. 

SHARON: Of course it didn’t end up in the final version. My favorite scenes never do either! Can you tell us more about the title?

DANIELLE: The original title was Grounded by Danger, but the publisher thought BOUND BY DANGER sounded like more of a romance novel.

What is your favorite part of the writing process? When I get completely caught up in where the story is going and all of a sudden it takes a surprise turn that I wasn’t expecting! ~ Danielle M.Haas #Authors19 #authordhaas
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SHARON: Can you share something we won’t find out just by reading the book jacket?

DANIELLE: Although Mickey and Graham are in a high-stakes emotional situation, they still have a lot of witty banter between them. Graham even serenades Mickey—with a horrible singing voice—to one of my favorite songs by Journey. 

SHARON: I love that detail about the Journey song! Do you have a favorite character?

DANIELLE: I love Mickey! She’s sassy and spunky and refuses to be bossed around. She’s also strong and willing to do whatever it takes to find her goddaughter. 

SHARON: I can’t wait to read about her! If you could spend a day with one of your characters, who would it be and what would you do?

DANIELLE: I’d go to Mexico with Mickey! Flight attendants do so much traveling and would know all the best spots to hit up! 

SHARON: I bet they do! How long did you take to write this book?

DANIELLE: I started writing this book in August of 2017. I wrote the first draft in about three months, followed by a lot of revisions after my beta readers got a hold of it. I received a contract offer in April of 2018.  It will be published on January 28, 2019.

SHARON: Wow! That’s fast in publishing time! What kind of research did you do for this book?

DANIELLE: I did a lot of research into sex-trafficking. It was horrific! But it opened my eyes to this dark world that exists everywhere and I now have a passion for advocating against. I even ran my first 5K in support of raising money to help victims of sex-trafficking. 

SHARON: I bet doing that research was horrific. What did you remove from this book during the editing process?

DANIELLE: I had a pretty intense car chase scene that my editor wanted removed. She said my characters needed a breather and wanted a “fun and games” scene to show them getting to know each other. 

SHARON: I know all about cutting scenes. LOL. Are you a plotter or a pantser?

DANIELLE: I’m a pantser with a tiny bit of plotter thrown in. 

What is the most challenging part of the writing process? Finding the time to sit down and write, and not feel guilty about doing so. I’m a stay at home mom and my son isn’t in school yet. It’s hard to balance. ~ Danielle M. Haas…
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SHARON: What is your favorite part of your writing process?

DANIELLE: My favorite part is when I get completely caught up in where the story is going and all of a sudden it takes a surprise turn that I wasn’t expecting! This is why I could never go full-blown plotter! 

SHARON: I love those moments too. What is the most challenging part of your writing process?

DANIELLE: The most challenging part is just finding the time to sit down and write, and not feel guilty about doing so. I’m a stay at home mom and my son isn’t in school yet. It’s hard to balance. 

SHARON: I started writing with kids in preschool and I promise it does get a little easier (until they become teenagers!). Can you share your writing routine?

DANIELLE: I normally write at my desk or at the island in my kitchen. I work better in the morning, so after I get my daughter on the school bus I give my son time to do his own thing (TV, Kindle, Puzzles, Play-dough) and I work on getting in my word count. My brain shuts off around 5:00 and it’s tough for me to get back into my writing at that point.

SHARON: Have you ever gotten writer’s block?

DANIELLE: Yes! Several times with my last manuscript, which I wrote in the middle of the summer with two kids home and moving to a new house. I didn’t beat myself up (too badly) for taking a step away from my writing, and then I pushed myself to sit down and just write. NaNo helped with that a ton this year!

SHARON: NaNo is always a great motivator! If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

DANIELLE: Be patient and find your writing tribe! The people in this community are amazing, and their support and advice have been life-changing. I wish I would have known they were out there sooner. 

SHARON: How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

DANIELLE: I have three unpublished manuscripts that are all under contract. One will be out this year, the other two will follow shortly. I also have two unpublished/uncontracted manuscripts out on submission. 

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? Be patient and find your writing tribe! The people in this community are amazing, and their support and advice have been life-changing. ~ Danielle M. Haas…
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SHARON: Do you have any writing quirks?

DANIELLE: I talk to myself a lot when I write. It’s hard for me to concentrate and I have to move, talk to my pets, or just talk to myself as I go along. I’m sure it’s pretty entertaining to watch. 

SHARON: LOL! Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

DANIELLE: I am a stay at home mom with a three-year-old son and six-year-old daughter. I have a shar-pei/pit-bull who I absolutely adore and cat who is kind of shithead…but I love anyway. I live in NE Ohio with my family, and have a completely useless degree in Political Science. 

SHARON: How did you get into writing?

DANIELLE: I’ve always loved writing. When my son was 6 months old, I thought I was going to go stir crazy with only focusing on my children and husband. I decided to sit down and try to write a book based off my hometown and I fell in love with writing! That book, a small-town contemporary romance, will be published later this year!

SHARON: Congratulations! Can you share something about yourself most people probably don’t know?S

DANIELLE:  I changed my major in college seven times! I started in creative writing, but the idea of having to read my work in front of other people scared me so bad I just keep changing majors and looking for something else I’d love to do. 

SHARON: What are you working on right now?

DANIELLE: I just finished another romantic suspense, which is book two of a three book series. Each book focuses on a crime where a dating app is used by the villain/and or suspects in the novels. 

SHARON: What’s your favorite writing advice?

DANIELLE: Keep writing, keep learning, and have an open mind. After I finished my first manuscript, I thought it was the best thing ever…until my paths crossed with my now critique partner who pointed out everything I did wrong! Instead of being defensive and offended, I listened to her wonderful advice and used it to improve my writing. I still do this daily! 

What's your favorite writing advice? Keep writing, keep learning, and have an open mind. ~ Danielle M. Haas #Authors19 @authordhaas
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SHARON: Thank you so much for spending the day with us, Danielle. We’re so excited about your new release and hope it’s a great success!

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Danielle grew up with a love of reading, partly due to her namesake—Danielle Steele. It seemed as though she was born to write out the same love stories she devoured while growing up.

She attended Bowling Green State University with a dream of studying creative writing, but the thought of sharing her work in front of a group of strangers was enough to make her change her major to Political Science.

After college she moved across the state of Ohio with her soon-to-be husband. Once they married and had babies, she decided to stay home and raise her children. Some days her sanity slipped further across the line to crazy town so she decided to brush off her rusty writing chops and see what happened. 

Danielle now spends her days running kids around, playing with her beloved dog, and typing as fast as she can to get the stories in her head written down. She loves to write contemporary romance with relatable characters that make her readers’ hearts happy, as well as fast-paced romantic suspense that leaves them on the edge of their seats. Her story ideas are as varied and unpredictable as her everyday life.

You can find BOUND BY DANGER here: Amazon  |  Apple  |  Kobo  |Nook

You can find Danielle here: Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  | Pinterest  |  Goodreads

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Sharon Wray is a librarian who once studied dress design in the couture houses of Paris and now writes about the men in her Deadly Force romantic suspense series where ex-Green Berets meet their match in smart, sexy heroines who teach these alpha males that Grace always defeats Reckoning.

Her acclaimed debut book EVERY DEEP DESIRE, a sexy, action-packed retelling of Romeo and Juliet, is about an ex-Green Beret determined to regain his honor, his freedom, and his wife.

EVERY DEEP DESIRE is available on: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo |  Google

And adding it to your Goodreads TBR list is also always appreciated!

The post Daring Debuts ’19: Danielle M. Haas’s New Release Bound By Danger appeared first on Sharon Wray.