Lily Graison's Blog, page 20

Friday First Kiss #29 :: Destined Hearts by Lily Graison – Contemporary Romance

 

The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.

Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.

This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Destined Hearts by Lily Graison.

Caitlyn sipped at the wine William had poured for her and glanced at the pond. A family of ducks splashed off the shore. Their joyful squawks mingled with the birds singing in the trees. The entire area was in a word…breathtaking.

Hearing the familiar tune of one of her favorite bands, she turned her head to look back at William.

“You can never go wrong with these guys,” William said, pulling his head from the car window and straightening.

Caitlyn grinned at the look on his face when he walked back to where she sat. He extended his arm to her and she sat her glass down before reaching up for his outstretched hand.

She stood, the butterflies in her stomach she’d won control over once again taking flight. She didn’t understand why William made her feel like a teenage girl with just a glance. She looked at him and felt almost juvenile.

The music coming from his car radio sounded like a soft hum in the background. Caitlyn took a step toward him, raising her free hand and placing it on his shoulder. He pulled her to him, tucking their joined hands in to his chest. The moment his other arm wrapped around her waist, a sense of familiarity overwhelmed her.

She had been here before, in his arms. Her dreams were now real.

Caitlyn inhaled, taking in his scent. Rich spices and soap overwhelmed her senses. Their bodies were close, almost touching, and the heat scorched her through her clothes. The music drifted over the area like a soft breeze and she smiled as they swayed to the music.

William’s breath rustled the hair by her ear, the warmth spreading through her body and wrapping around her like a glove. His fingers on her lower back ghosted across the thin fabric of her dress and he tightened his hold on her, pulling her flush against him.

She didn’t ever want to leave his arms.

“You’re trembling,” William whispered.

Caitlyn raised her head. The intense look in his eyes that she’d seen many times in her dreams caused her pulse to quicken. “I know,” she said.

William stared at her before a slow smile curved his lips. “You’re going to do wonder’s for my ego if a simple dance gets this sort of reaction from you.”

She laughed, ducking her head. “You make me nervous. The trembling is involuntary.”

“And why do I make you so nervous?”

“You just do,” she answered, not wanting to tell him the real reason. He’d think her crazy if she told him she dreamed of him.

“Well, I suppose kissing you is out of the question then?”

His voice was deep and sensual and caressed her flesh like soft velvet. Caitlyn looked back up at him. There was a subtle seductiveness in his gaze and the tremble in her limbs increased. His hand on her back lifted to her face, pushing stray tendrils of hair from her eyes before his fingers warmed the skin of her cheek.

Caitlyn waited for the kiss she knew was coming. She saw it in his eyes seconds before he lowered his head.

His lips brushed her mouth like a silken whisper, caressing it more than kissing. Soft gentle strokes, the warmth of his breath teasing her lips apart. The moist sweep of his tongue darting inside to explore the contours of her mouth caused her body to slack against him.

Images of them together filled her mind. A small glimpse…portraits from the past she’d seen in dreams but felt as real as this moment did.

Her stomach flipped; the butterflies dancing in erratic patterns stealing her breath before the contact was gone. She stood there, trying to fill her lungs of stolen air and opened her eyes.

William was staring at her. His breath hot against her moist lips, his fingers running through her hair and Caitlyn could only gaze up at him.

The kiss, although barely there, had left her breathless. It lasted seconds but a lifetime of memories flooded her body. She knew this man. There was no doubt now. She knew his body, his kisses, how his voice sounded as he made love to her and the trembles present before the kiss were now causing her knees to shake.

“I think I made it worse,” William chuckled.

“I think so.” They shared a laugh, Caitlyn burying her head in his chest. His arm once again moved to her back, the gentle caress of his fingers soothing and welcomed.

Destined Hearts by Lily Graison

A love that transcends time. A Passion that couldn’t be denied.

Caitlyn Edwards has always lived her life between two worlds. One…in the hustle and bustle of modern day Boston, where she spends her days taking care of her widowed father and helping him run their small auto repair shop. The other…in the arms of a man she only sees in her dreams. Her nights are filled with promises of a love so passionate, she’s spent the last fifteen years trying to find out who he is.

William Davenport is a man torn between duty and what he wants. He’s led a life only the privileged and very rich can afford, but his controlling father still feels the need to dictate his every move. A chance encounter with Caitlyn triggers dreams of a life he can’t remember living and soon a woman he can’t seem to forget, starts to invade his every day world.

Will Caitlyn and William discover their past in time to change their future? Will the mistakes of years gone by repeat themselves? Or will a love once denied be reunited?

 

 
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About Lily Graison

Lily Graison lives in the foothills of North Carolina with her husband, two high-strung Yorkies, more cats than she can count and the neighbors chicken who thinks he’s part of her family. First published in 2005, she is the author of over a dozen published books in the Western, Contemporary and Paranormal Romance genres.

When not writing, Lily can be found at her sewing machine creating 1800’s period clothing or participating in civil war reenactments and area living history events. When not portraying a southern belle, you can find her at a nearby store feeding her obsession for all things resembling office supplies.

To see the dresses Lily has created, visit her Pinterest page.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Google+

 

Authors, want to see your book featured on Friday First Kiss? Find out how HERE.

The post Friday First Kiss #29 :: Destined Hearts by Lily Graison – Contemporary Romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.

ManCandy Monday #24 :: Stuart Reardon

It’s been a long while since I’ve made a ManCandy Monday post and the reasons are many, but we’ll skip all that boring junk and head straight to this weeks deliciousness, Stuart Reardon!

I can not say enough about how gorgeous this man is without stuttering in my own drool. The ladies on my Street Team have come to apprecaite his fine self too and have graced me with daily pics of him so this weeks “special” post is for my Angels! I went and found a bit of something extra just for you. Enjoy!

 

 

Perfection! If you’d like to learn more about Stuart, then head over and visit the Stuart Reardon, Professional Athlete and Model facebook page or follow him on Instagram.

Have a great week!

The post ManCandy Monday #24 :: Stuart Reardon appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.

Cowboy Casanova Giveaway Hop

 

Welcome to the Cowboy Casanova Giveaway Hop! I’m tickled to be hosting my first hop and I’ve invited a few of my friends to come help me celebrate. This hop will run Feb. 12th – 16th.

Anyone who follows my blog or Facebook knows I have a weakness for cowboys so this hop is dedicated to the Cowboy Casanova! We all love ‘em and whether they’re modern day wicked or old west wild, ladies just can’t seem to get enough! Is there any wonder? With eye candy like that, who could possibly turn away?

The cowboys in my Willow Creek series are of the old west variety and can be as wicked as they come and none are more wicked than Colt, an Outlaw who takes what he wants and makes no excuses for it. Take a peek to see what I mean.

 

 

Colt tasted faintly of whiskey, his scent tickled her senses and she inhaled it, memorizing it before tentatively placing her hands at his waist. His hold on her tightened, that wicked tongue teasing and dipping until tingles raced down her limbs, causing tiny zaps of pleasure that left her weak and light headed. Small sounds escaped her throat, her breaths panted out as he fisted her hair in his hand, angling her head the way he wanted. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth, teased it with his teeth before his tongue once again invaded her mouth with rapid plunges, the whiskers from his growing beard rasping against the flesh around her mouth until her face felt lit with fire.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, leaned against him and mimicked him, kissing him with a growing hunger that left her dazed and pleasantly warm.

He let her go suddenly, holding her at arms length. They were both breathing heavily and Sarah was stunned when he turned and walked away, back to where the horse was, without saying a word. He stood there for long moments before turning his head to look over his shoulder. “Let’s go, sweetheart. We need to keep going.”

It took her longer than it should have to catch her breath, even longer to make her body react. She crossed the distance, staring at his back, and stopped when he turned to face her. The lustful look was still on his face and something she couldn’t even put a name on lurked in his eyes. It caused those butterflies to dance again. His gaze roamed her face, stopping on her kiss swollen lips before rising to her eyes. Sarah blinked at him and shook her head. “Why did you kiss me?”

He gave her a sudden, lazy smile. “So I’d stop thinking about doing it.” He reached for her, wrapping his hands around her waist and lifted her to the horse. He put her in the saddle this time and climbed in behind her. She wiggled her bottom to give him more room and gasped when his arm clamped around her waist and he pulled her back into his chest, his head lowering until his breath was warm against her ear. “And if you don’t stop wiggling that ass around on me I’m going to do everything else I can’t stop thinking about, too.”

 

 

See what I mean? Colt seems to be a reader favorite so the man is doing something right! *wink*

The prize I’m offering for this giveaway is signed paperback copies of the first four stories in the Willow Creek series. The four Avery men who introduced readers to my fictional little town will have you looking for your own Cowboy Casanova!

What is in the prize pack?

1 winner will receive a Willow Creek tote bag, signed print copies of the first four books in the Willow Creek series, The Lawman, The Outlaw, The Gambler and The Rancher, signed book swag and a Valentines Day mug filled with candy.

 

How To Enter This Giveaway

1. Sign up for my Newsletter using the form below.

2. Mark the Rafflecopter form confirming your newsletter subscription.

3. If you’d like extra chances to win, feel free to do the additional tasks.

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Friday First Kiss #28 :: The Lawman of Silver Creek by Lori Connelly – Western Historical Romance

 

The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.

Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.

This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, The Lawman of Silver Creek by Lori Connelly.

Frustration raced through his blood. She acted as though nothing had changed. Her only nod to caution when she roamed the countryside was the six-shooter she had belted around her hips. She refused to understand that a weapon wouldn’t protect her in every scenario. He tried to hold back the words that would reignite their last argument, but couldn’t.

“That gun won’t solve everything.”

“Between that and my good sense, you need to trust that I’ll manage.”

I trusted your judgment before and nearly lost you. Matt almost snapped at her. Instead, he chose another approach and managed to speak evenly. “And yet you were caught out in a storm that anyone could see has been brewing for hours.”

Her eyes warmed. “Believe me, I took note of the weather,” she unstrapped her gun belt, slung it over a chair back. “But I thought it worth the risk to see you.”

Heat shot through him even as Matt shook his head. “You’re trying to distract me from my point.”

“Am I?”

“You know what you’re doing.”

“I wasn’t denying it,” Claire smiled, “I wanted to know if I was succeeding.”

He leveled a look at her. His tone flat, “Yes you are.”

“Good.”

“No, it’s not. You’re smart and skilled but you’re a-”

“Woman?” Her eyes seemed to darken.

“Yes and-”

“I’m glad you noticed,” Her words were silkily smooth as her fingers moved to the top button of her bodice.

Stunned, his gaze followed the movement. Words died on his tongue. Lips still parted, his heart skipped a beat when she started unfastening her green as grass blouse. Although he’d tried hard to bury it, the desire for Claire burned as strongly as ever. He’d missed her so much.

His hands curled into fists. They would be husband and wife now if only she would… He tensed, rigid as a board.

“Stop.”

Silent, her gaze steady on his, she ignored him, freeing one button after another until the material parted. His gaze moved down to the shadowy valley between her breasts, enticed. The sight tantalized him for some seconds before he took action. He closed the distance between them and grabbed her wrists.

“I said stop.”

“Why?” Claire pressed closer.

Matt brought her arms down to her sides, releasing her only in order to reach up and pull her clothing back together. She rubbed her length against him, not discouraged in the slightest amount. His breath quickened. Her firm bounty slid against his hand. The touch of her bare flesh stole any rational thought he had left.

Heat coursed through him. His fingers moved in the barest motion of a caress. Her sigh feathered his skin. Before he had time to think logically again, she stood on her toes, looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to cover his mouth with hers.

Her heart raced. Held in the circle of his arms, his body felt lean and strong, the embrace shot pleasure along her nerves. Her fingers played with raven black hair, neatly trimmed and combed in place as always, which made her want to ruffle it wild.

Eagerly, her hands moved, stroking broad shoulders then down over arms of muscle gained by hard labor. Despite long hours upholding the law, Matt often helped his parents on their farm. He’d told her that the mindless chores helped him keep life in perspective. She found that selflessness as attractive as the physical form the work produced.

Claire broke off the kiss. For a second she admired the man who’d stolen her heart. His handsome features were tense, his expression creased in serious lines. Eyes of light brown with flecks of green and gold focused on her. His lips parted. She shook her head, forestalling his speech.

Guided by instinct, driven by longing, Claire nibbled along his jaw. His rapid breath rewarded her. Fingertips touched her face. She looked up, into his eyes. Shivers shot down her spine as desire intoxicated her.

The need to touch him became irresistible. With one hand, Claire plucked at the buttons of his faded flannel shirt. Soft fabric parted and she slipped her fingers inside, sweeping them over the bare plains of his stomach and then up over his chest.

“Claire I-”

“Want me?” Her tone was bold, certain of his answer.

His hand gripped her chin. “God help me, yes.”

The Lawman of Silver Creek by Lori Connelly

As sheriff of Silver Creek County, Matthew Marson’s job is to look after his town. But when he fails to protect the most important person in his life, Claire, from an attack, Matt feels as though he will never be able to forgive himself.

Her husband-to-be’s newly found overprotectiveness drives the headstrong Claire from his arms. She can’t see a future with a man who won’t allow her to follow her dreams.

In a small town where everybody knows your name and your business, it’s impossible for the pair to stay apart, especially as Claire finds that she can’t completely turn her back on the lawman that she loves.

 

 

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About Lori Connelly

 

I was born and still live in Oregon. Despite being a good student, my teachers complained about my tendency to daydream. The tales dancing through my imagination were frequently far more entertaining than real life. As far back as I can remember I made up stories, to calm my sister after a nightmare, entertain myself in boring classes and write in countless notebooks, many never again to see the light of day. I earned a BS from Eastern Oregon State College and married my best friend almost twenty years ago. I’ve three brilliant, handsome sons, one amazing daughter-in-law, a beautiful granddaughter and two spoiled dogs. When not writing I love to read, hike, camp, rock hound, and take long walks with my husband just after it rains.

Find Lori around the web at the following locations.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Harper Impulse | Wattpad | Written Fireside

 

Authors, want to see your book featured on Friday First Kiss? Find out how HERE.

The post Friday First Kiss #28 :: The Lawman of Silver Creek by Lori Connelly – Western Historical Romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.

ManCandy Monday #23 :: Nature Boy

 

We’re going to head outside this week to an imaginary land where its warm, green and there’s No Snow! 

And all the men have no shirts. 

And don’t know how to button their pants. 

And we’re all glad they have these minor imperfections.

Stay warm this week, people. There’s another ‘cold blast’ coming our way!

The post ManCandy Monday #23 :: Nature Boy appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.

Friday First Kiss #27 :: Not the Marrying Kind by Christina Cole – Western Historical Romance

 

The moment I crack open a new book, I always rush through the beginning, the budding relationship between the hero and heroine, and anticipate that spontaneous moment when one of them makes their move. The First Kiss. The first turning point in every story.

 

Every week here on the blog, I’ll be sharing First Kisses from my books and those of other authors.

 



This weeks Friday First Kiss comes from, Not the Marrying Kind by Christina Cole.

“Damn it, Kat,” he said, moving closer. “In the first place, we’re not going to catch any rustlers out here. Not with all the noise and chattering you’re doing. If there were any rustlers around, I guarantee they’re long gone by now. In the second place…”

“How many times do I have to remind you? I hired you. I’m asking you to do a job.”

Joshua’s gaze went directly to Kat’s mouth. Her rosy lips looked soft and inviting, the lower lip slightly fuller than the upper one. She stared back at him. Was he supposed to say something? What were they talking about? Oh, right. He was working for her. She was the boss.

She only thought she was in charge.

Joshua chuckled and took a step closer, licking his lips as he breathed in the sweet fragrance that rose around Kat. Vanilla. Sugar. A touch of cinnamon.

The light from the full moon pooled over her. She stood before him like a mystical goddess with hair of shimmering, silvery flames. In the stillness of the night, the air seemed suddenly charged, suddenly intimate, and suddenly dangerous.

Kat’s delectable mouth was open a little. Her eyes were fixed on him.

He took another step forward. She didn’t back away as he’d expected but stood her ground. This close to her, he saw how smooth and soft the skin of her face was. Almost like velvet. No, smoother than velvet.

He had to touch it, to see if it felt as soft as it looked. His fingers barely grazed her skin, moving down her face in a feather-light touch that set off a flood of pleasurable sensations.

Still, she didn’t move back.

As his hand moved farther down her face to cup her chin, she trembled slightly. Her breath caught in a sudden gasp, and she lowered her gaze, yet she didn’t draw away. Joshua’s fingers continued their slow exploration, brushing over the soft nape of her neck. His loins stirred.

Her body quivered and she looked up again, lifting smoldering eyes to him. He immediately recognized the signals those blue eyes were sending, although he doubted Kat had any idea. She was too young, too naive, too innocent. And far too tempting to resist.

He pulled her close, and his fingers tangled in the wild mane of her hair. Joshua covered her lips with his. Her mouth was hot and moist. Her lips parted in an instinctive response to his kiss.

Years of longing surged through him. He tightened his hold, and her body yielded naturally, molding itself to him. Desire rippled through him, down his spine into his buttocks, up from his toes into the rock-hard erection between his legs. He pressed against her.

Kat stiffened. Her hands at his chest turned rigid. Her breathing ragged, she tore herself away and staggered back. “Stop it…please…don’t…” Her eyes were wide, filled with both fear and desire.

He clenched his hands together and inhaled a deep breath, fighting to steady himself. What in hell had he done now? He’d wanted to prove something, but what? That he was still a man? That he was in charge?

And Kat thought she wasn’t much of a woman? Holy shit! With one single kiss she’d proved herself woman enough to be his undoing. Raking a hand through his hair, he struggled to regain a semblance of control. Every inch of his body still burned as though her lips had set him aflame.

She stood a few feet away, her hand pressed to her mouth. She drew it away and stared up at him. “What did you do that for?”

“What?” Like an idiot, he shrugged.

“You kissed me.”

He grabbed for the first plausible thought. “You said you didn’t think you were much of a woman. I just thought I’d show you otherwise.”

She rubbed a hand over her forehead, then rolled her eyes at him. For a moment, Joshua thought she might say something else, but she shook her head, muttered something he didn’t quite catch, and turned away.

“Look, Kat, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking, and don’t worry, I won’t let it happen again.”

“We came here to do a job,” she said. Her voice shook, and Joshua knew the kiss had affected her deeply. “I trust you’ll keep your mind on work now.”

She was wrong to trust him.

 

 

Not the Marrying Kind by Christina Cole

Kat Phillips is not the marrying kind. She can’t cook, keep house, or sew a stitch. When her father takes sick and decides to sell the Rocking P ranch, Kat must either follow his wishes and marry the lackluster minister in town or find a husband for herself.

Joshua Barron comes to the Colorado Territory to make a new start. Nothing means more to him than freedom. He arrives at the cabin where he’ll be staying with his reclusive, crazy-as-a-coot cousin, and realizes Cody desperately needs a wife. His thoughts go at once to the long-legged redhead he met in the foothills.

When Kat realizes the handsome stranger is looking for a wife, she’s determined to prove she’s got all the skills required to please a man…even if she has to lie to do it. She has no idea that Joshua is involved in a few lies of his own.

 

Not the Marrying Kind is the first in “The Sunset Series”, a series of romances set in the fictional town of Sunset, Colorado. The second book of the series, Keeping Faith will be available later this year from Secret Cravings Publishing.

 

BUY THE EBOOK FROM:

Secret Cravings Publishing

 

About Christine Cole

 

Christina Cole writes old-fashioned love stories about imperfect men and women who fall in love despite the odds and who come to realize that love is a powerful force for good. She believes love strengthens us, heals us, and makes us better people. Through her writing, she hopes to bring more love into the lives of her readers.

She fell in love with words at a very young age. She’ll always be grateful to her grandfather and his patience as he taught her the joys of reading. Throughout her childhood she loved telling tales. Her grandfather also taught her to type on his old Underwood, and she spent many days contentedly pounding those keys and seeing her stories come to life.

Things have changed now. Her grandfather is gone, and so is the old typewriter, but Christina’s love for story-telling has remained strong. She now does her typing on a computer in a cozy little writing room filled with books, treasures, and a much-cherished photograph of her grandfather.

She is married, lives in the midwest, loves history, hates winter, and is happily at work on her next historical romance, “Keeping Faith” — Book 2 of “The Sunset Series”.

Website | Facebook | Riding Into The Sunset

 

Authors, want to see your book featured on Friday First Kiss? Find out how HERE.

The post Friday First Kiss #27 :: Not the Marrying Kind by Christina Cole – Western Historical Romance appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.

Writer Wednesday: Old Habits Are Hard To Break

 

Most every writer has a certain ‘way’ of doing things. They either plot or they don’t (I don’t). They edit as they go or they don’t (I do) and they get words onto the page quickly or they struggle with every word (I do both).

Anyone who reads my books knows it takes me forever and a day to release one. The main reason for that is I’m a bit neurotic. Everything ‘has’ to be perfect. Well, as perfect as I can get it. I also have a serious case of separation anxiety when I near the end of a story. A Willow Creek Christmas could have been finished two months before it was IF I had only stopped stressing over it and just let my characters go.

It sounds crazy to some but when I spend months, sometimes up to a year, with certain characters inside my head, they become ‘real’ to me. They’re real people who live in an imaginary land I can only reach inside the pages of a book and just like real-life relationships, its hard saying good-bye to people you love. My reluctance to say good-bye is why the Willow Creek books always feature as many of the characters from previous books that I can squeeze in. I want to know how they’re doing. I want to SEE their Happily Ever After. And most of the time, I do. And seeing them again is what makes moving on so difficult.

Starting a new story is like walking into a new job. You know no one. You have no idea what the ‘routine’ is, if the people you’ll be surrounded by are nice or ill tempered so it takes days, sometimes weeks, to become comfortable with your new surroundings. The same goes for a new story.

Willow Creek book 7 has been started but like most new books, it’s a very slow start. I still don’t have a good ‘feel’ for the characters. I’m sure there are authors out there who know exactly who their characters are before they even sit down but it takes me longer to flesh them out. I put them on the page and have to watch closely to see what they do. How they react to situations and find out if they’re snarky or serious about everything, and until I figure that out, the first chapter is written and rewritten a dozen times. Which…is the case with ‘this’ story.

I’m on my third re-write of chapter one and that old habit I mentioned in the post title? Well, this time, I was determined to ‘try’ writing this book differently. There’s tons of articles out there on how to write faster and I ran across one that said to…just write. To get it on paper and pretty it up later and I tried. Man, did I try! LOL But its JUST not happening! I can not get on with the story when I KNOW there are glaring holes in chapter one. Until its PERFECT…I’ll be hanging out on the Montana prairie with Evan and Phoebe, my hero and heroine of the new book. I have a title for the book but I’m going to keep that under wraps for a bit longer. In the meantime, my vision of Phoebe and Evan, and other story inspiration photos can be found over on the books new Pinterest page. “Follow” it so you’ll get all the newest pins when I add them.

Follow Lily Graison’s board Story Board for Willow Creek book #7 on Pinterest.

The post Writer Wednesday: Old Habits Are Hard To Break appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.

ManCandy Monday #22 :: Lazy Day

 

I’m feeling a bit lazy today so I found a few fellows who felt like being lazy right along with me!

Anyone else feel like staying in bed now?

The post ManCandy Monday #22 :: Lazy Day appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.

Sunday Sweet #2 :: Cinnamon Bun Cake

 

Mmm….I’m thinking this would make a mighty fine breakfast. A big ole slab of cake and a cup of coffee. Thats the breakfast of champions, right there. Or it is for those of us addicted to sweets! *wink*

 

 

Cinnamon Bun Cake

What you’ll need for the Cake:

3 cups of flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup of sugar

4 tsp. of baking powder

1 1/2 cups of milk

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup melted butter

For the Topping:

1 cup of butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients for the ‘cake’ together, except for the butter, until smooth. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9×13 pan.

For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Pour it evenly over the batter and swirl the mixture around with a knife.

Bake the cake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

For the Glaze:

2 cups of powdered sugar

enough milk to make a runny glaze – about 6 or 7 tablespoons

1 tsp. vanilla

While the cake is still warm, drizzle the glaze over the top and enjoy!.

(I’ve seen others say this is best the day its baked so wait until you have enough people to finish it….Or hide in a closet and eat it all yourself. Either will work fine.)

Has anyone had this before? And does it taste as good as it looks?

I saw this recipe over on the blog Housewifery. I’m not sure if its an ‘original’ or not but just in case…I’m linking. Check out the other blog posts while you’re there. I found a lot of neat stuff to explore when I visited.

The post Sunday Sweet #2 :: Cinnamon Bun Cake appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.

Newsletter Changes

 

I’ve been having a hard ‘think’ about my newsletter lately. It feels a bit like a wasted oppurtunity to me. I only send them out when I have something ‘important’ to say, mainly because I don’t want to fill readers’ inboxes with a bunch of mail they don’t want. But… that sort of defeats the purpose ‘of’ a newsletter.

I’ve been growing my subscriber list for two years now but I think its time for a change as I realize not every reader wants the same thing. Some just want to know when new books have come out. Others like the extra stuff they get throughout the year. So…in order to accommodate everyone, I’ve created a ‘NEW’ subscriber list.

To sign up for JUST book release alerts, enter your email address below. This list will ONLY email you when there is an actual book release. You’ll receive no other email thorughout the year.

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Subscribe to the New Release book alert list.

To sign up for the monthly newsletter, enter your information below. This list will go out once a month and contain giveaway information, book news, (as in what I’m working on and my progress), special promotions and exclusive ‘newsletter subscriber’ contest.

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You can unsubscribe from any of these list at the bottom of the actual newsletters you receive. For those of you already on my main newsletter list, starting in February, I’ll be releasing a new Free Read, a few chapters every month until the story is told, plus a brand new Gift Card giveaway in every issue, just for subscribers.

The Februray newsletter will go out soon so make sure you’re on my (monthly) list to be included in the exclusive, newsletter only, giveaway.

The post Newsletter Changes appeared first on Romance Author Lily Graison.