Selena Robins's Blog, page 5
August 2, 2022
Adorable. Inspiring. A true account of romance in the gym.
I am reposting this blog post from a few years ago for anyone who hasn’t read this heartwarming, real-life romance in the making account told by my friend and fellow author, Cynthia Sax.
***
Forget reality TV dating shows where it is all most likely staged, scripted, and dramatized for ratings.
Pull up a chair, sip on your favorite beverage and read an eyewitness account of a “real romance in the making.”
Please join me in welcoming USA Today Bestselling Author Cynthia Sax to my blog as she regales a true story about a couple’s blossoming romance she observed at her local gym.
Curvy Girl & Super Shy Hunky Guyby Cynthia Sax
Like many writers, I’m an introvert. I prefer to be stationed outside of a crowd, looking in, watching. I often share my observations on Facebook, hoping they’ll inspire other writers and give reading buddies a smile.
Some Background
I’m a curvy girl happily married to a fit, good-looking man (the Dear Wonderful Hubby). Readers sometimes think the Dear Wonderful Hubby is the exception, that no other gorgeous guy would find a curvy girl attractive.
Usually, I work out on my recumbent bike at home, but the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I traveled and decided to use an outside gym for two weeks. Being positioned on the recumbent bike for an hour a day gave me plenty of time to observe the couple. However, I was too far away to hear what they said. All I could do was watch their body language (which was a great exercise for me as a writer).
First Post
I’ve been watching a real-life romance between a super shy hunky guy and an oblivious curvy girl at the gym every day.
Hunky Guy runs on the treadmill daily, watching the business news as he works out.
Girls give him the eye (I admit to checking him out too – he’s no Dear Wonderful Hubby, but he is REALLY good-looking).
He pays them no attention.
Then this girl walks by. She’s a curvy girl, brown hair up in a ponytail, glasses, no make-up, wearing an oversized T-shirt, leggings, and black goth-like running shoes.
He almost gets whiplash, watching her pass him.
The next day, he changes his schedule, and gets there later.
She’s already walking on a treadmill.
He’s looking quite wolfish as he passes her, hungry.
Most of the treadmills are busy.
He has to take one positioned five treadmills away from her.
He runs, watching the business news.
The treadmill beside him, closer to Curvy Girl, frees up.
He moves.
The next treadmill frees up.
He moves again.
Eventually, he claims the treadmill beside her. He has a bounce in his step, happy like anything. He glances at her. She doesn’t notice him. He takes his earbuds out. She doesn’t notice him. He slows his super-fast pace to match her leisurely walk. She’s still oblivious. He changes his channel to watch the same TV show (The Big Bang Theory). Still no response from Curvy Girl.
She finally leaves. He watches her go, his mouth opening and closing, no words coming out.
He’s been doing this for three workouts thus far, always moving until he gets the treadmill next to her, never able to get up the nerve to talk to her.
If you’re a curvy girl and a hunk has been working out next to you for several days in a row, please give him a smile.
Additional Thoughts
I had observed them for a week, and Super Shy Hunky Guy hadn’t yet spoken to Curvy Girl. From how he reacted the first day he saw her, I got the impression he knew her (that’s why I call him Super Shy Hunky Guy). But I didn’t expect anything to happen.
And the next day, I was right.
Second Post
Went to the gym today.
Curvy Girl wasn’t there (it IS Sunday, so maybe she took the day off or worked out at a different time).
Super Shy Hunky Guy was looking for her. Every once in a while, he’d glance at the treadmill Curvy Girl normally uses.
Additional Thoughts
I really felt for Super Shy Hunky Guy. He clearly liked Curvy Girl but did she like him? Was she ignoring him because she was insecure about herself or because she didn’t like him?
Third Post
I arrived at the gym a little late yesterday.
Super Shy Hunky Guy was already running beside Curvy Girl (she was walking at her usual leisurely speed), and they were TALKING.
More specifically, she was talking.
I couldn’t hear what she was saying. I was too far away, and the music was loud. But she would talk quickly for a while. Then he’d say a few words. And she’d start talking again.
She seemed super nervous, and kept giving him half smiles.
He seemed happy. There was a bounce in his step.
He helped her wipe down her machine after her workout.
She went to the change rooms.
He lifted weights.
The problem with these real-life romances is I never get to see or hear the full story.
But I did get the impression that the attraction was mutual.
Yay for Curvy Girl!
Additional Thoughts
I could feel the magic in the air, the physical attraction, the way their gazes held a little too long, and how they’d lean slightly into each other.
Here were two people who could very well be falling in love.
But I could also sense how nervous they were. The first few moments in a relationship are so very fragile. I was afraid something would happen or be said to damage it.
Unfortunately, I missed their workout time slot for a couple of days.
Final Post
It was my last day in the gym today. I’ll be returning to working out at home.
When I arrived, Curvy Girl was walking on the treadmill.
There was a lady working out beside her.
The next treadmill was free.
Super Shy Hunky Guy walked past Curvy Girl to get to the free treadmill.
Curvy Girl watched him pass her, and she looked so disappointed—her body slumping.
About ten minutes later, the treadmill between them freed up.
Super Shy Hunky Guy moved beside Curvy Girl.
She said something (I couldn’t hear her) and beamed at him, her smile wide.
Super Shy Hunky Guy gazed at her as though she was some wondrous mythical being.
A slow sexy smile spread across his face.
(And I absolutely melted. There’s no doubt in my mind that he adores her.)
She’d talk. He’d say a sentence or two. She’d talk some more, acting less nervous and happier.
They finished working out at the same time.
He helped her wipe down her machine and then walked her to the change room, his head held high, proud as anything before he entered the guy’s change room.
If I were a betting gal, I’d put money on Super Shy Hunky Guy and Curvy Girl having a date of sorts after their workout.
(My Dear Wonderful Hubby is also very fit, and he loves me—a curvy girl.)
Additional Thoughts
Did I watch two people fall in love? I believe I did. These are the things romance writers (and often readers) live for.
Many reading buddies have asked me to write a fictional account of their story.
I doubt that I will. This was a magical experience for me, and I don’t want to do anything to change it. I want to keep it as a very special memory.
I DO often write about curvy girls and their hunky heroes. My next story, ONE AND DONE features a 30-year-old curvy gal and a smooth talking club owner. Smoke looks at Jenella the same way Super Shy Hunky Guy looked at Curvy Girl.
On release day, I can guarantee that someone will write me, telling me that type of romance would never happen in real life, that a hunky guy would never fall for a curvy girl.
You and I know it could and HAS happened.
ONE AND DONEby Cynthia Sax
He wants one night. I want forever.
Hit it and quit it—that’s Smoke Sheridan’s relationship philosophy. The tall, dark, and dangerous club owner never spends more than one night with any woman. He seduces the broken-hearted, leaving them with smiles on their faces and sexual confidence other men can’t resist.
I need his services.
My boyfriend of four years dumped me because I’m a lousy lay. Smoke can help me win him back, teach me how to make my man writhe in ecstasy. I’ll show him such bliss; he’ll bellow my name in the dark of the night, want me with an all-consuming desire.
This sounds like a great plan. Except I see the loneliness in Smoke’s eyes, feel the wistfulness in his touch, experience the wanting in his embrace. The player isn’t as shallow as he appears.
And I’ve never been good at letting go.
ONE AND DONE contains inappropriate humor, very bad pickup lines, a BBW heroine who doesn’t know what she’s doing, and a player who thinks he does.
This is a standalone story.
Buy Now Amazon USAmazon UK
ARe
Barnes & Noble
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About Cynthia Sax
USA Today bestselling author Cynthia Sax writes contemporary, SciFi and paranormal erotic romances. Her stories have been featured in Star Magazine, Real Time With Bill Maher, and numerous best of erotic romance top ten lists.
Sign up for her dirty-joke-filled release day newsletter and visit her online:
July 18, 2022
Is it breakfast or dessert?
Oatmeal is a breakfast staple in my home, but it can get monotonous with just adding fruit to it, so I whipped up a few ingredients with my oatmeal that’s not only nourishing and healthy but it can also be served as dessert.
Yes, you read that right. DESSERT.
Dessert for breakfast is a great concept, don’t you think?
In my version, I used blackberries (because I have a serious blackberry addiction) and canned peaches. However, you can substitute with your favorite fruit and berries.
2.5 cups rolled oats
2.5 cups vanilla Almond milk (substitute with regular milk if you prefer)
1 tsp. cinnamon (for spicier, measure cinnamon with your heart)
1/4 cup maple syrup (for sweeter, measure syrup with your heart)
1 no sugar added can of peaches, drained
2 TBSP melted butter
pinch of salt
Lightly coat a baking dish with non-stick spray and arrange the berries and peach slices.
In a bowl add; oatmeal, a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and mix well.
Add the following to the oatmeal: almond milk, maple syrup, and melted butter. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.
Pour the oatmeal mixture over the fruit, distributing it evenly.
Bake for 45 – 50 minutes.Can be served warm or at room temperature.This dish stores well in a sealed container in the fridge.Top it off with yogurt of your choice, nuts, frozen yogurt, or ice cream.
Enjoy this dish for breakfast to kick off your day, or as a dessert to end your day.
July 10, 2022
My New Life: Four Years later
After my husband died on July 10, 2018, I remember thinking there was no way I’d make it one piece past the first year, and at times, I still can’t fathom how I made it, but I did.
During these past four years; I’ve had unbearable days, I’ve had good days, I’ve had overwhelming days, I’ve had joyous days, I’ve had physically painful days, and I’ve had smile-filled days.
Contrary to the time heals all wounds platitude, time doesn’t heal the wounds of grief. Time does not eliminate grief. What I can attest to is that with time you’ll experience more good days because time allows you to adjust and learn how to co-exist with grief.
I’m not going sugarcoat it and tell you that time magically gets you to this point. It doesn’t. It’s hard work filled with many emotions, from crying, pounding a pillow–whatever it takes to let it out, and in doing so, time helps you shed the initial devastation of grief.
Grief lives deep in our souls, and it’s a permanent scar that never goes away, much like when one breaks a bone, it still aches on a rainy day. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t adjust to that ache. You do. That’s what time does. It helps you adjust to the pain and to the new life.
Even after four years into this new life, there are days that I cry and have those heart-aching moments, but I am finding that with time I recuperate faster.
The one thing time has not made any better is how much I miss him. I miss him every single day, but that doesn’t mean I steep myself into darkness because of that, it just means that he lives inside my heart and my memories.
I talk about him all the time, and I can smile and even laugh when relaying stories about our life. That’s what time has done as well.
I treasure my memories with my husband and guard them with my heart because memories are all I have left, and I hold on to them because it keeps him close to me.
All the adventures we’ve enjoyed together can never be lost or forgotten, and our deep connection, love, and friendship are a part of me, and will always be a part of me.
Like everyone else, our life had its challenges but together the Avengers had nothing on us—we slew it, using our sense of humour and our incredible bond that translated into teamwork no matter what the challenge.
David had the strength of a warrior and the heart of an angel, and I saw that especially when he was given the tragic news of his cancer diagnosis.
It was his decision not to let cancer define him and remained the same witty, strong, passionate, loving man throughout all the myriad of tests and treatments.
Together we made the most of every day he had left and didn’t allow the dark cloud of cancer to burst into a rainfall of dread.
It was tough. I’m not going to lie, and many times I retreated into my emotional stall–a scalding hot shower with the music turned up–where I would let the fear of what the future would bring without him, and I’d break down and cry.
I truly believe it was his optimism, and a home filled with hope and positivity that helped him live longer than his doctors expected.
I am forever grateful that we had lived our whole marriage by making the most of each day, and celebrating the little things in life so that he bequeathed us all with a treasure trove of beautiful memories.
There are reminders all around me of the beautiful life we shared and sometimes those reminders yank me out of a dark day, and at the same time, the reminders can also open a floodgate of tears at the most inopportune places. Like a grocery store.
You see, orange sorbet was the only thing he wanted to eat and could tolerate during the last few months of his life.
I walked by the ice-cream freezer section and spotted a tub of orange sorbet, and I burst into tears. I dug out my sunglasses and slipped them on.
So what if people thought I was having a rock star moment wearing shades in the grocery store. It wasn’t because I was ashamed of my tears, it was more that it was a private moment and I didn’t feel like sharing it with any concerned passerby. Widowhood allows us to control when we want to share a moment like this and when we don’t want to explain ourselves.
Then there are the memories that bring tears from laughter. I can still hear my husband’s laughter at all my–what he loved to call, Lucy moments.
Like the time we hiked one of the canyons in Sedona, Arizona, and I accidentally fell backward and landed on my behind on top of a cholla cactus plant.
I screamed as if I were going to audition for the next Chucky Horror movie. After helping me down to the Rangers station, my husband was informed that he would need to pluck out each of the little pricks lodged in my behind with tweezers. I had to lay face down in the car until we got back to our hotel.
All was well and I healed after a few days. Bless his heart, he never once reminded me that I should’ve paid attention to the tour guide’s instructions and he never uttered the, I told you not to take a detour to take pictures–he was also a smart man.
One of many memories where we both pulled out our sense of humour that helped us get through one of our embarrassing moments (admittedly, mostly my klutzy moments).
To the widowed brotherhood and sisterhood reading this who unfortunately relate to the emotions expressed in this blog post; to you I say, always remember, we’ve been battered by grief, we’ve endured the burning pain of heartbreak, and we’ve all, even on the most unbearable of days have remained upright, helped each other, our families, worked, and faced daily challenges, because we had no choice, and also because we are stronger than we ever realized we were.
Take pride in yourself for everything that you’ve endured.
Take pride in how you survived an undescribable heartbreaking pain.
Take pride in the fact that you kept going, even during the moments when you wanted to give up.
Take pride in your perseverance, and in your growth.
Give yourself the same grace and love that you gave to your beloved and that you give to your loved ones.
As for me, I’m still adjusting to this new life, and co-existing with my grief. As I continue to be a work in progress, I’m still navigating through all the emotional landmines, and I keep working on figuring out who I am now.
I continue to honour my husband’s legacy of love, life, family and acceptance of things out of my control.
I continue to enjoy our grandchildren, and we always talk about my husband and share many stories of our adventures, and their memories of the fun and loving times they had with him.
I continue to use my creativity as an outlet and most importantly, I begin and end each day with not only thoughts of my beloved husband, but also begin and end each day with a grateful meditation and prayer for the years that I was honored and privileged to love him and be loved by him and for the love and life we shared.
June 30, 2022
O’ Canada, we stand on guard to read . . .
Another trip around the sun for Canada as we celebrate the country’s 153rd birthday.
Come celebrate with us (if you’re not Canadian, I hereby anoint you honorary Canadian status) as I showcase a few of our Canadian talented authors and their books.
It wouldn’t be a Canadian celebration without diving into Canada’s quintessential national dish; the delicious concoction of fries, gravy, and cheese—poutine. Recipe below.
Lovers of well-written novels will devour these creations from contemporary romance to sexy women’s fiction, mystery, comedy, and fantasy; ranging from sweet heat to sizzle and everything in between.
Click here for more Canadian summer reads
POUTINE RECIPE
Ingredients:4 TBSP unsalted butter1/2 tsp black pepper1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 cup chicken broth1 cup beef broth4 lbs. russet potatoes, washed (peel on or peeled, your choice)2 cups white cheese curds, at room temperature – OR – 2 cups, low moisture mozzarella cheese, chopped into chunks (1 to 2 inches)peanut oil or any other light vegetable oil
French Fry Directions:
Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl filled with cold water and let sit in the fridge for one hour.While potatoes are sitting in the fridge, you can go ahead and make the gravy.After an hour (potatoes can be left even longer if you like the fries crispier) drain them well then pat them dry.Once your gravy is made and the potatoes are ready, it’s time to make the French fries.In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Test the oil by dropping a small piece of potato in the oil to ensure it’s hot enough (the piece should sizzle).Fry the potatoes in small batches for about 8 minutes.
Remove with a strainer and drain on the paper towels.Keep the oil on the heat, and once you’ve drained them add them back to the pot for a second fry.Fry the second time until they are golden brown (about 8 – 9 minutes.Drain the fries on fresh paper towels, then sprinkle with salt to taste.Gravy Directions:
Pour both broths (chicken and beef into a large measure cup or bowl) and set aside.Over medium-low heat, prepare to make a roux, by adding the butter to a pot, and melting it, then sprinkle in the pepper, and whisk for one minute to combine well.Continue to whisk and then slowly add in the flour, ensuring that you constantly whisk the mixture. After two to three minutes, the flour-butter mixture will become thick.Slowly pour the broth into the flour mixture, whisking constantly.
Whisk until smooth and well blended.Cook for 5 to minutes, until the gravy is thickened.Turn heat off, and set aside.Assembling:
Turn oven on to broil.Reheat the gravy until it is hot, and if the gravy is too thick, add a splash of broth.Divide French fries evenly into an oven-proof bowl or dish.Top with the cheese curds (or mozzarella), then ladle with hot gravy.Put under the broiler for 2 minutes.Serve immediately.
June 14, 2022
Italian Twist on a Classic #Recipe
Shepherd’s Pie – Italian StyleShepherd’s pie is a traditional stick-to-your-ribs meal. I’ve put an Italian twist to this classic dish.
Marrying Italian sausage with mashed potatoes is an English/Italian coupling that delivers a delectable, tangy, hearty, and comforting experience for your taste buds.
Ingredients:
Directions:
3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup buttermilk
3 TBSP butter
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound mild, bulk Italian sausage
3 TBSP oil
2 pounds Portobello (or any type you like) mushrooms, cubed
2 cups zucchini (or yellow summer squash), thinly sliced
1 small Vidalia onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 TBSP, fresh basil, finely chopped
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1/4 cup broth (vegetable, beef, or chicken)
1/2 cup, Parmigiano, grated
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a good amount of salt (water should taste like a well-seasoned soup) then add your potatoes, and cook until tender.
Drain potatoes, then return potatoes to the pot, add buttermilk and butter, and mash until smooth. (Have a taste and add more salt if needed) and then set the pot of potatoes aside.
In a large skillet, cook ground beef and sausage until no longer pink; drain well on paper towels.
In the same skillet, heat oil on medium-high, and then add the mushrooms.
Note: make sure not to overcrowd the mushrooms, and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To the mushroom pan, add: onion, parsley, and season with 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of black pepper, and cook for 10 minutes.
Next: stir in the minced garlic, tomato paste, and zucchini and cook for 1 minute.
Sprinkle flour over this mixture, stirring to coat all the vegetables, and let cook for 3 minutes.
Add broth and stir for 5 minutes.
Turn the heat off and sprinkle in the basil.
In a casserole dish, spoon the meat mixture, then spoon the vegetables over the meat.
Top with the mashed potatoes in an even layer. (If you want, you could add a few dollops of butter on top of the mashed potatoes.)
Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, and sprinkle the top with the grated parmesan cheese, turn the broiler on and broil for 5 minutes.
June 5, 2022
Naked EggRolls
If you love eggrolls, but don’t want to shed your comfy loungewear and fuzzy slippers to run out to your favorite take-out, or if you’re like me, and want to avoid the extra calories that come with eggroll wrappers, then this recipe where you undress the eggroll will satisfy your craving in a seriously delicious and so easy to make way.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey breast (you can substitute with ground pork, ground beef, or ground chicken)
2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
1.5 TBSP rice vinegar
3 tsp. minced fresh garlic
2 tsp. ground ginger (fresh or bottled)
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 TBSP hoisin sauce
1 bag dry coleslaw mix, 16 oz.
1 bunch of scallions, chopped or thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
**Optional: Sriracha sauce
Note: You can add additional vegetables if you want to bulk it up even more; peppers, mushrooms, bean sprouts–your choice.
Directions:
Heat a heavy bottom skillet (or Wok) over medium-high heat, and brown the ground meat, until it’s cooked. Drain and set aside.
Add the sesame oil and rice vinegar to the skillet, then add the garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Add the ground meat to the skillet, then add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and coleslaw mix, and mix all the ingredients together well.
Cook, stirring for about 7 – 9 minutes (or until the cabbage is wilted).
Remove the skillet from heat, add the chopped scallions, and toss all ingredients together.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
There you go, naked eggroll night!
May 29, 2022
Come tour magical Vermont for $0.99
There are times during the writing process when the words flow from from my frontal cortex onto the keyboard with delightful ease.
The scene I am going to share is in such a chapter. I remember writing this chapter, and with each keystroke I was excited for the reader to get a visual of what I was portraying.
I had so much fun creating the different shop names and the story behind their unique names, and visualizing how fun it would be to tour the town even though Rosemist is a fictional town.
Come take a tour with this excerpt, and I hope you enjoy it as much I
loved writing it.
Please note: (I edited out many passages and dialogue in this excerpt as they contained spoilers).
Scene set-up.
Jason and Sabrina bump into each other in town one afternoon:
“I haven’t had a chance to check out the town,” Jason said. “Do you have time to give me a tour?”
“I thought you weren’t interested in seeing the town?”
“I’m interested in seeing it with you.”
The butterflies in Sabrina’s tummy high-fived each other. “Sure.”
“Lead the way.”
They crossed the street. “We’ll start in the park as it circles the town’s core,” she said.
“How about we get a bite to eat later?,” he said. “My treat to thank you for showing me around.”
“Sounds good.” Remembering a conversation with Maggie, she flashed him a playful smile. “Are you going to throw down for guacamole?”
“Anything you want.”
You. Tonight? “I’m teasing.” At her comeback, he looked confused. “I don’t like guac.”
“Do you like sushi?”
“I’ve never tried it.”
He pointed across the street. “You’ve never been to Angler’s Sushi?”
“Angler’s Sushi is a bait shop.”
Blatant disbelieve crossed his handsome features. “Fishing bait?”
“Bait and tackle.”
“You’re messing with me.”
“So many ways to mess with you, but this isn’t one of them.” She led him further into the park. “Some of the small businesses in town have creative names. Great tourist attractions.”
“You mean eccentric?”
“That too,” she said. “There is a reason for the creativity. A lot of these businesses were handed down from generation to generation with a history behind the name.” They walked by the rock garden. “On your left are a mixture of original shops and newer ones. Can you guess what type of business Get-A-Spine is?”
“Chiropractor,” he said, sounding confident.
“Nope. It’s a bookstore.”
“Of course.”
“The next one is an easy one,” she said as they reached the sidewalk. “Guess what The Poppy Pusher sells?”
He placed his hand on her lower back, easing her away from the curb, positioning himself on the street side. “Don’t tell me it’s a drug store.”
She relished in the warm sensation his touch produced. “How did you get a drug store from Poppy Pusher?”
“Opium is made out of poppies.” His hand traveled from her lower back to around her shoulders. “I figured it was a play on words.”
“Not even close.” Goosebumps traveled from her shoulders to her neck. She wasn’t sure if it was his touch or the pink and purple streaks lining the sky behind the flower shop. “The owner’s great-grandfather started the shop after returning home from the first-world war. He designed poppy wreaths to honor the men and women who didn’t make it home. The community nicknamed him Poppy. The shop name and memorial arrangements have continued with each generation.”
He turned and faced her. “That’s a good story.”
“It is. Many of the local businesses have similar stories. They all struggled with the downturn in the economy. Still, the owners work hard to maintain the integrity of the originating businesses and keeping their operations in the family.”
His gaze held a soulful expression. “Like you want to do with Maple Manor?”
“That’s my goal,” she said. “I’m going to give you the name of another shop. Let’s see if you can get this one right. Ready?” At his nod, she said, “Hungry-Hungry-Hippo.”
“You should’ve picked something more challenging.”
She folded her arms. “What is it then?”
“Toy store.”
“Not even close. It’s a—”
He held his hand up. “Don’t tell me. I’ll get this.”
“You will, huh?”
“Yee, who has little faith. Let’s see. Hippos are vegetarian. Hungry people look for a place to eat.” He snapped his fingers. “A vegetarian diner.”
“You’re hot—”
“So I’m told.”
She gave his arm a light punch. “You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
“Not a chance.”
“I meant you’re hot in that your guess is close. Hungry-Hungry-Hippo is a vegetarian grocer.” She took a few steps toward the path. “I’m impressed on how you almost figured it out, City.”
“City?”
“Maggie likes to anoint people she likes with nicknames. That one’s yours.”
He put his arm around her shoulder as they walked around the marble fountain, heading to the other side of the park. “Did Maggie nickname you Tinkerbell?”
“Tinkerbell?” She enjoyed the pleasant prickles spreading across her shoulders. “That’s not my nickname.”
“I thought I heard Ryland calling you that.” He rubbed his thumb along her shoulder as they walked. “What is it then?”
The prickles joined the feel-good-tingles running up her spine. “If you can guess what the shop across from the Hungry-Hungry-Hippo is, I’ll tell you.”
“Deal.”
“The shop’s name is, Say Cheese.”
“A photographer.”
“I wish I had a loud buzzer.”
“I’m wrong?”
She laughed. “You say that like it’s something foreign to you.”
“It is,” he said. “Don’t tell me. Say Cheese sells mouse traps.”
“That’s a stretch.”
His deep chuckle made her soul smile. “You call that a stretch?”
“How could you not get this one right?” she said. “It’s a cheese shop.”
“Figures.” He pointed to the shop on the corner where the wooden slats were painted a different color of vivid reds, greens, yellows, and blues. “Sex and Samosas. Interesting name for a store. Should I guess?”
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that.” She wanted to hear him say the word sex, enjoying the way it rolled off his tongue. “What do you want to guess?”
“What the shop Sex and Samosas is all about?”
“Sure, give it your best shot.”
“Let’s see,” he said. “Sex and Samosas sells oils, lotions, incense.”
With his hands in his pocket, he rocked back and forth on his heels, making her insides rock back and forth.
“And,” he continued, “I would imagine they sell Indian cookbooks, specializing in samosas, plus books on yoga, Kamasutra, Tantric sex. . .”
Her mouth went dry at the mention of the latter literature, and she wasn’t sure what he said after tantric sex.
“Well, am I close?” he said.
“You’re in the right country, but again you’re wrong about what she sells.”
“This I have to hear.”
“Jasmine, the shop’s owner, sells handcrafted trendy ethnic fashion, tunics, sarees, scarfs, and traditional jewelry.”
“How does that even fit the name of the shop?”
“Jasmine renamed the shop from Colors of India to Sex and Samosas to pay homage to her best-selling novel of the same name.”
“You say this like it all makes sense.”
“Jasmine’s Cookie’s niece, and when you meet her, you’ll get it.” She smiled and pointed to the food truck. “Plus, it attracts a lot of customers. It piqued your interest, didn’t it?”
“It sure did.” He leaned in toward her. “I’m certainly interested.”
Lordy, so am I.
She noticed Fernando and his wife, Doreen walking toward them.
After exchanging greetings, Doreen said, “I’m trying to convince Fernando for a happy ending. Care to join us?”
Jason hiked his brows.
Sabrina rushed to explain. “Happy Endings is a pastry shop.”
Jason’s smile turned wicked, and once again, so did hers. “Of course.” He winked at her. “What else would it be?”
“No pie for me, sweetheart.” Fernando patted his tummy. “I need to add extra steps to my day and less pie. I can’t go getting all soft.”
Doreen smoothed her hand over her husband’s middle. “But I love you all soft.”
Fernando’s eyes lit up as if his wife had announced they’d won the lottery. “Pie it is, then.” He turned to Jason and Sabrina. “Hey, you two. Join us. I’m buying.”
“Thanks for the offer,” Sabrina said. “You two go ahead. I’m going to introduce Jason to M&M’s later.”
“Jason,” Doreen said. “First time dining at M&M’s is an experience, and the food is phenomenal. By the way, Sabrina, Ginette, and Sandra were looking for you. Did you meet up with them?”
“I haven’t seen them since the engagement party. Why?”
Doreen smiled. “I’ll let them tell you about it.”
“Aww, look, honey,” Fernando said, “she looks worried now. Sabrina, it’s nothing to fret about. They’re going to—”
“Shush, don’t give away the surprise. He’s right, dear. Nothing to fret over.” Doreen hooked her arm in her husband’s. “Enjoy your day.” They said their goodbyes and headed toward the crosswalk. “Honey, how about this? We go to RX-Plus first and get our blood pressure checked.”
“Blood pressure game. You’re on,” Fernando said. “What’s at stake today?”
“If yours is lower, we get a scoop of ice cream with the pie,” Doreen said. “If mine is lower, we get two scoops.”
“Win. Win.” Fernando chuckled as they crossed to the other side.
Sabrina let out a wistful sigh, wondering if she’d ever experience that kind of love, filled with affection, teasing, and the simple pleasures in life.
“I’m curious,” Jason said. “Why is dining at M&M’s going to be an experience? Do they serve candy pizza? Steak with chocolate gravy?”
“You’re reaching now.” She hip-bumped him. “It’s an Italian, Russian restaurant.”
“You mean fusion?”
“No fusing. One side of the restaurant serves Italian, the other side serves Russian, and there are no menus. One never knows what they’ll be served. Don’t worry, everything’s delicious.”
He gave a strand of her hair a light tug. “Is this how you decided to mess with me?”
“Nope. I have better ways,” she said.
***
You’ll want to read the whole chapter, as Sabrina continues the tour of the town where you will find out about the ONCE UPON A KISS shop, and the adventurous meal Sabrina and Jason shared at M&M’s as they revealed surprising things about their lives and pasts.
Purchase your copy for $0.99 by clicking on one of these retailers: Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo Chapters/Indigo Apple Books Click play to see what readers are saying about ONCE UPON A KISS.
May 6, 2022
Chocolate Orange Brownies & Sex on the Beach
The heroine in my novel WHAT A GIRL WANTS is not only full of mischief, but she is a ninja when it comes to chocolate in all its forms.
To celebrate the book’s current sale price of only $0.99 (great time to pick up this novel) I’m sharing one of Maddie’s favorite treats–brownies with my own citrusy twist.
Chocolate Orange Brownie RecipeThe scrumptious combination of a tangy orange and chocolate make these brownies heavenly showstoppers.
Ingredients:1-ounce good quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
1-ounce good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil
4 TBSP cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3 TBSP orange zest, finely chopped
Directions:Preheat oven to 350F
Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Boil water in a pot. Place a heatproof bowl over the pot, add the dark and milk chocolate in the bowl, and stir until melted and smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until creamy (about 5 – 7 minutes)
Add in orange juice and olive oil.
Then add cocoa powder and using a spatula, mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the creamy egg mixture, gradually mixing it.
Add the orange zest and mix.
Add in the melted chocolate and mix.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper. (11 x 9-inch pan, or any rectangular baking pan close to those dimensions)
Pour mixture into pan.
Bake for 35 minutes – 40 minutes.
Ingredients for Icing:
3 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
3 TBSP orange juice
3 TBSP unsalted butter
3 TBSP sugar
Directions for Icing
Cook all the ingredients in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, constantly whisking until the icing is smooth.
Serving suggestion: Drizzle with caramel sauce and a few dollops of whipped cream or ice-cream.
A small portion goes a long way to tease, invigorate and sate your taste buds, and appetite for something sinfully sweet and delicious.
Orange Chocolate Brownies & Sex on the Beach
The heroine in my novel WHAT A GIRL WANTS is not only full of mischief, but she is a ninja when it comes to chocolate in all its forms.
To celebrate the book’s current sale price of only $0.99 (great time to pick up this novel) I’m sharing one of Maddie’s favorite treats–brownies with my own citrusy twist.
Chocolate Orange Brownie RecipeThe scrumptious combination of a tangy orange and chocolate make these brownies heavenly showstoppers.
Ingredients:1-ounce good quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
1-ounce good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil
4 TBSP cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3 TBSP orange zest, finely chopped
Directions:Preheat oven to 350F
Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Boil water in a pot. Place a heatproof bowl over the pot, add the dark and milk chocolate in the bowl, and stir until melted and smooth.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar until creamy (about 5 – 7 minutes)
Add in orange juice and olive oil.
Then add cocoa powder and using a spatula, mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
Gradually add the dry ingredients into the creamy egg mixture, gradually mixing it.
Add the orange zest and mix.
Add in the melted chocolate and mix.
Line a baking pan with parchment paper. (11 x 9-inch pan, or any rectangular baking pan close to those dimensions)
Pour mixture into pan.
Bake for 35 minutes – 40 minutes.
Ingredients for Icing:
3 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
3 TBSP orange juice
3 TBSP unsalted butter
3 TBSP sugar
Directions for Icing
Cook all the ingredients in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, constantly whisking until the icing is smooth.
Serving suggestion: Drizzle with caramel sauce and a few dollops of whipped cream or ice-cream.
A small portion goes a long way to tease, invigorate and sate your taste buds, and appetite for something sinfully sweet and delicious.
March 31, 2022
Pasta Carbonara — My way… #recipe
Italian food is made with love and a few simple ingredients; it’s comforting and best of all quick and easy to make a nutritious and delicious meal in a bowl.
When you’re in the mood for a pasta dinner and you don’t have sauce on hand, not a problem, nothing will solve this as fast as diving into your pantry and fridge (because I’m sure you have all the ingredients already on hand) and whipping up pasta carbonara.
This is my version of pasta carbonara, it alters slightly from the basic recipe, but I guarantee you, it is heartily delicious.
1 pound dry linguini (or any long pasta like spaghetti or angel hair)
2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
6 oz pancetta (or bacon), cubed
1 head of roasted garlic, mashed (or 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped)
1 large egg
3 large egg yolks
½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. freshly grated lemon rind
2 tsp. lemon juice from a fresh lemon
1/2 cup pasta water
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 handful of parsley, finely chopped
Directions:Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
It’s important to salt your pasta water properly–it should taste like soup, not like sea water. Sea water, bad. Soup tastes good. Taste the water and adjust accordingly.
Once your water comes to a rolling boil, cook pasta according to package directions. I like mine al dente, so I decrease cooking time by 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, as water is coming to a boil–in a bowl, add egg, egg yolks, and beat well. Once beaten, add Romano and Parmesan cheeses. Mix well together. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over MEDIUM HEAT, and add the pancetta (or bacon) until it is crisp, and fat is rendered. Once it’s rendered, toss in the garlic and cook garlic for 1 minute–enough to soften the garlic if using raw garlic.
Turn the skillet heat on LOW.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and RESERVE about ½ cup of the pasta water.
Immediately toss the pasta into the skillet, and coat the pasta well with the bacon and garlic.
Remove the skillet from the heat and add the lemon juice, and toss to coat the pasta.
Pour the egg/cheese mixture into skillet.
Important – whisk the egg mixture quickly into the pasta, but do not scramble the eggs, which is why you don’t leave skillet on the heat. The hot pasta will heat up the eggs.
While coating the pasta, slowly add some of the reserved pasta water (you may not use it all). Pour enough until you like the consistency of the sauce.
Once well coated, season with several freshly ground black pepper and sprinkle with lemon rind and toss evenly.
Serve in a warm plate or bowl, and garnish with chopped parsley and add more cheese if desired.
Once you have made this once, you will be able to do repeat the process by memory for another quick and delicious meal.
