Colleen Houck's Blog, page 34
March 1, 2015
Egyptian Make Up Looks **Reawakened Prize**
With Colleen’s new series coming out this year, and the hints that we will be visiting Egypt in these new stories I thought it would be fun to check out some fun ways to pull together an Egyptian make up look. When you go see Colleen her during her tour or other events this year these looks would be so fun to wear! So sharpen your black eyeliner and find some teal and gold eyeshadow and start practicing.
There are so many fun ways to create your Egyptian look. As long as you have a good black eyeliner and wing it out much farther than you think you should, then the rest is just letting the artist in side you play with all the pretty colors.
Even when the beautiful Elizabeth Taylor played the role of Cleopatra in 1963 she wore heavy winged black liner, and then many different eye shadow colors depending on her many, many costumes. At the time of this movie in 1963 she won the Guinness World Record title, “Most costume changes in a film.”
Here are some fun looks to try out while you wait for the books.
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Here are some fun tutorials on how to do Cat Eyes, and other cute Egyptian looks.
To win the Egyptian Eye Make-up Package and an early copy of Colleen’s 1st book in her new series Reawakened all you need to do is retweet on Twitter this post and share it on Facebook. I’ll set it up so you can do it each day. Good luck!
Shara
February 25, 2015
Movie Review: Jupiter Ascending
I always give spoilers so consider yourself warned. =)
Colleen’s Movie Review
Romance: Loved the line where Jupiter says she loves dogs. Like the two of them together but the romance was just a bit forced. It didn’t have time to develop naturally. A few more interactions between them and a few less action scenes would have cemented the relationship a bit more. Other than his eye twitches there was no way to tell if Caine had feelings at all, let alone romantic ones.
Special Effects: One of the coolest special effects movies I’ve seen in a long time. Loved the rocket shoes and the space ships and pretty much everything. It was beautiful. Worth seeing in 3-D.
What I Liked: The costumes. The special effects. The story (mostly). The getting documents thing was really funny but you’d think there’d be a VIP line for royalty.
What I’d Change: The ending was a little sad. Really? Back to scrubbing toilets when you own the Earth? The romance wasn’t powerful enough for me. The bad guy’s whisper voice. Why did he talk that way? Was he a smoker? Did he need to be reincarnated? It was strange. Didn’t need the full backside view of the woman in the pool. Got the idea she was naked already. Speaking of her, she seemed more important in the beginning of the movie and nearly inconsequential at the end. Liked Titus as a bad guy much more than Balem. It’s the cheeky, handsome villains you need to watch out for the most. Too much action not enough dialogue.
Another thing. If you’re seeding planets and farming people, doesn’t it make sense to cull the herd rather than obliterate them? If I wanted to raise beef cattle, I wouldn’t kill off the entire group. I’d save some to repopulate. Maybe it would panic the masses, I don’t know. It just seems like a strange idea. I think the story would have worked better if the people were just being harvested like the Borg do when they happen upon a populated world. The idea of seeding the planet and leaving them alone for billions of years and then killing off everyone is strange. Unless there’s a better reason for waiting, like they reach optimum harvest levels or something.
The Tagline: Expand your universe
Pretty good.
Hunky Hero: Caine Wise (Channing Tatum) does a really believable job as a soldier. He’s nice to look at. Zip on emotion. I get that he’s a super soldier but then the love that’s inspiring him to risk his life over and over needs to be epic, and it didn’t feel that way. Liked his wings at the end.
The Villain: Both villains were interesting. Didn’t like the strange voice of Balam and I thought Titus was the more sinister, crafty of the two. I would have appreciated a bit more interaction since they are brothers.
Best Line:
Caine: Your Majesty, I have more in common with a dog than I have with you.
Jupiter Jones: I love dogs, I’ve always loved dogs.
Best Scene: I’m a sucker for gorgeous costumes so I liked the wedding scene. I also liked the standing in line at the universe’s version of a DMV.
Recommended for YA Fans: Yep. Despite the fact that I had more written about what I didn’t like, than what I did like. I recommend this movie. I really liked it a lot.
Compared to the Book: There should be one.
Trailer:
A Guy’s Perspective
Bio: I’m Colleen’s husband, Brad. I’m the youngest of four kids. I’ve been Deaf since I was five so I watch every movie with caption glasses. I love sports and reading (I’ll admit I’ve read Twilight but prefer thrillers like Jack Reacher). My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip. I’ll never turn down a taco. I write poetry. My man credentials include: a high school career in wrestling, watching sports every time my wife is too busy to notice, a receding hairline, two repaired ACL’s, and a stockpile of Axe body wash.
Review:
Jupiter Ascending
This was a purely entertaining sc-ifi flick that I really enjoyed, despite its flaws with the plot. Actually, it was not until after the film that my savvy author-wife nearly ruined the film for me by pointing out the plot holes large enough to drive a truck through (yes, I ended the sentence with a preposition…get over it). Regardless, I won’t let her review deter me from giving this film a favorable review.
Early on, I was pulled into the film with some great world-building that is often missing in most sci-fi/fantasy films. It starts off really well and we were treated to some amazing action, special effects, and space cinematography. With a $176 million budget, the director (Wachowski) did not pull any punches and the results in 3D format are truly impressive. The characters literally skate on air along the Chicago skyline and the fight scenes were extremely well-done. I wish I could continue praising the film, but with the exception of some solid acting, that’s pretty much where its ascension ends.
I was hoping for more character development but the characters mostly stayed one-dimensional and I thought the plot could have been a bit more fleshed out. Indeed, had the movie focused more on the story and less on special effects, there was great potential for a franchise, what with its fantastic universe-building. I did enjoy Milas Kunis as the main character and Channing Tatum was decent; their chemistry was believable. And as much as I like him, Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne did nothing more than spit, shout, and fume, but his onscreen brother (Douglas Booth) was a far more intriguing villain.
Still, I relished the film from start to finish because it had unique elements, had great potential, and seeing in 3D was a treat.
I give this film a generous 7 Hulk Smash Fists.
Brad
February 24, 2015
Book Review For Kids, By Kids- Artemis Fowl
For those of you who are looking for new books appropriate for middle grade that both boys and girls might enjoy, this is the place to look!
Every month, at least one new book will be added for review right here and they will be reviewed by the best critics, KIDS! That’s right, the one’s who read them will be the judge!
This blog is written by my fourteen year old niece, Rebecca. She’s extremely creative, smart, and follows in her father’s footsteps when it comes to her love of questing books such as The Hobbit, LOTR, or Star Wars. She’s dabbled in writing her own short quests and designing fashion, namely elf fashion. She has a great love for reading and writing and anything that involves creativity. Right now she’s reading the Spiderwick Chronicles but she just finished Artemis Fowl, book 1.
First, may I introduce the lovely Rebecca. . .
” Hi. I am a freshman in high school and yes, this picture is a Simpson character version of me. I do have blonde hair and play guitar but I don’t have lips quite like that or have just four fingers. Smile! So, here are a just a couple things about me. I like Pokemon, pineapple, astronomy and mythology and I despise tomatoes, English, nails on a chalk board and unoriginality. I love apple pie filling and hate if someone touches my food. I’m not into “girly” books but love to read. My favorite hang spot is my room because it is where I can play my instruments and it is where I keep all my books and art tools.”
And now, introducing our third middle grade book review for kids, by kids!
Book Review of Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Setting:
This book takes place at Fowl Estate. Fowl Estate is a huge mansion that has top of the line security and is almost impenetrable located in Ireland. The house looks like a Middle Age castle.
Main Character:
The main character is Artemis Fowl who is a child genius and a criminal mastermind. He is the first human to see a fairy and remember it. He is also a criminal mastermind that can get away with anything. His father disappeared when he was young so Artemis had to figure out how to support his family, and his plan was to kidnap a fairy and hold her for ransom to regain his family fortune.
Personal Review:
I liked this book because you can learn a lot from it and there is a lot of sarcasm and jokes. The idea that fairies are real and how they portray them is also just amazing. They also have some graphic novels you can read if you don’t like reading the full book.
It’s a fast paced series and the characters, like Mulch Diggums and his explosive gas will never leave your memory. The books are in the works to be made into a movie by Disney.
There you have it, Rebecca’s take of book one of the Artemis Fowl series. If you’ve read this book, we’d LOVE to hear what you thought! Just leave a comment below and share with all of us. Stay tuned next week for another book review by Rebecca on Spiderwick Chronicles!
Till next time,
Linda Louise & Rebecca
Here’s a list and link to the other books we’ve reviewed:
The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) by Roald Dahl
How to Train Your Dragon: How to Break a Dragon’s Heart, Book # 8 by Cressida Cowell
February 19, 2015
Modern Ink Society- What the Heck is Steampunk?
FEATURING GUEST
Suzanne Lazear
What the heck is steampunk?
Welcome to the thirteenth session of
THE MODERN INK SOCIETY!
“As soon as I saw you,
I knew an
ADVENTURE
was going to happen”.
— Winnie the Pooh
Introducing the lovely
Suzanne Lazear
What the heck is Steampunk?
“I spend a lot of time explaining Steampunk. There are plenty of people still don’t know what Steampunk is, though it’s been around for decades. Even my own husband didn’t know what it was until a couple of years ago.
Hubs: Honey, have you heard of Steampunk? It looks like something you’d like.
Me: You know that series of books I sold. They’re steampunk.
Hubs: Oh.
I have to confess, while I’ve loved steampunk for a long time, I didn’t actually know what it was called until 2007. So, for all of you who still blink and nod when it’s mentioned, allow me to explain.
Imagine a world where steam and natural gas, not coal and electricity, are the primary power sources. Steampunk transports us to a place abounding with airships, gas lamps, gears, cogs, and brass goggles and populated with mad scientists, philosophers, adventurers, and air pirates. Steampunk stories are filled with exploration, optimism, curiosity, technology, and rebellion. They boldly go new places, explore and invent new things, and ponder the what ifs and never wases of technology and history. HG Wells and Jules Verne are huge inspirations for Steampunk.
It seems to me that by its very nature Steampunk is a genre meant to challenge itself. Lately, Steampunk has grown from its SciFi roots to really cross genres and boundaries. In YA especially, there’s a whole crop of steampunk mashups, where authors explore the breadths and depths of steampunk to the very limit, sometimes creating something new altogether.
My Aether Chronicles series falls into that “mashup” category. I call it “Fairytale Steampunk.” I sought to combine my favorite things—fairies, Steampunk, and fairytales—into one book. I didn’t want to steampunk an existing fairytale; I wanted to create my own.
Book 1, Innocent Darkness is set in an alternate version of 1901 Los Angeles, one filled with flying cars and airships. It tells the tale of sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock, a mortal girl who’d rather fix cars than attend balls and who’d like to save her family by going to the university and becoming a botanist, not getting married—something unacceptable by society. A single wish tears her from her realm and throws her into The Otherworld, the realm of faerie word filled with bad bargains, huntsman, and evil queens. If she doesn’t die, an entire civilization will.
Charmed Vengeance, continues the story of Noli, V, James, and Kevighn. Book two is set mostly in the mortal realm and is an adventurous tale of quests, automatons, airships, air pirates, and cake. Much more of the traditional steampunk aesthetic is in this story because so much of it transpires in the mortal realm.
Fragile Destiny, book three, follows Kevighn, V, James, and Noli as they work to keep a powerful artifact out of the wrong hands. There’s a jewel heist, a ball, a bridal shower, ladies night at a steampunk burlesque hall, and cake. Lots of cake. It takes place in both our world and the Otherworld – and yes, our favorite air pirates return.
One of the things I love about Steampunk is the 19th century aesthetic. There’s something about all that brass, the balls and bustles, and the ornate details that calls to me. However, technology is an important part of Steampunk. There could still be extraordinary technology in this 19th- centurish world, all done with 19th century materials and in 19th century styles.
There can be Steampunk airships, spaceships, computers, and brass robots. In Innocent Darkness I have flying cars and hoverboards, in Charmed Vengeance we see a lot more Steampunk technology, since a large portion of the book takes place aboard an airship (run by air pirates, of course). Fragile Destiny has more of the same. While it may not be technology, I do love the fact that I got to write a ball scene and a wedding in Fragile Destiny.
Steampunk stories are hardly limited to Victorian London. They can be set in the past, in the future, or on another planet. They can be set in Victorian London, the Wild West, Asia, another world entirely – you are only limited by your imagination. The Aether Chronicles series has a very heavy Victorian feel to it and takes place in an alternate version of the early 1900’s, where technology has evolved a little faster. Book 1 is set in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and the Otherworld.
In Book 2 we revisit those places but also get peaks at other cities, such as Denver, Boston, and New York City. Book 3 we’re in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, and some very interesting places in the Otherworld, including a pub called The Thirsty Pooka.
One of the things that really makes Steampunk attractive to me is that it IS so many things. There literally is something for everyone in Steampunk. There is so much to explore. No two Steampunk worlds are alike, so if you don’t like one Steampunk tale, try another. Steampunk is also more than just stories—there’s music and art, handicrafts and beautiful clothing, conventions, balls, and so much more. Put “steampunk” into etsy.com to get just a peak at what it’s become. Go, explore Steampunk and see what you can find.
Let the adventures begin.”
To learn more about her books or everything Suzanne, check out her website at www.suzannelazear.com
A huge thanks to Suzanne for sharing some insight into the world of steampunk. I love the idea of steampunk and I didn’t know it even existed until I attended YA book conventions in the last few years.
If any of you would like a chance to win FREE books from Suzanne and Colleen, be sure to participate in the live chat on Goodreads Feb. 25th, Wednesday, by leaving a comment/question.
~Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
February 14, 2015
Blushing ***Prize***
Blushing is an involuntary response. It’s the way your nervous system responds to an emotional situation. Maybe you blush when that cute guy in your class catches you stealing a glance in his direction. Wooosh…and your cheeks turn pink. Embarrassing, but now you look super pretty.
We also get flushed and rosy when we exercise or when a cold wind bites our cheeks in Winter and Fall. Which ever way it happens it makes us look alive, and it’s one of those visual clues that can hint to what were thinking about.
How can you get that natural pink glow in your cheeks and keep that youthful look of blushing? Easy, just find the perfect blush for your skin tone and a fluffy brush to apply it. It might take some time to find the perfect color but that will be the fun part. Head to the mall and try on some different colors. The ladies behind the counter will help you narrow down your search. Most of us stick with one or two favorite blushes (a pink color and a peach color) so don’t go crazy collecting blushes you probably won’t use. Plus, blush lasts a really long time so take your time, and don’t forget to go out in the sun and see if the color works outside as well.
There are some high end blushes like Nars, Tarte, and MAC to name a few. They have many colors to choose from, and are very pigmented. Thankfully companies like NYX, Wet n’ Wild, Elf, and Milani make dups (duplicates) for these expensive brads. They all have great pigmentation like the expensive brands. Remember more pigment normally equals long lasting color and a higher quality blush, but you need a fluffy brush not a dense brush to airbrush it onto your cheeks. A dense brush will make it hard to blend the color, and don’t forget to tap off the excess before you touch the blush to your cheeks or you might have clown like blush.
Video Which color blush for your Skin Tone
Video Which blush for your Skin Tone and how to apply it
Video Blush for Face Shapes
Video Best Blushes of All Time
Video Drugstore dupes for high end blushes
So go look for a pretty new blush just in time for Valentine’s Day.
I have two wonderful blushes for you to win. In order to win one of them head over to GoodReads.com and sign up for Colleen Houck’s Bookclub for 1 point, and then add her upcoming book Reawakened on your “Want to Read List” for another point. There are two prizes so good luck!
NYX Blush in Summer Peach is on the left.
NYX Baked Blush in Chiffon on the right.
Shara
February 11, 2015
Annual Contest Winner for 2014
This is our first Annual Contest for all the contests winners throughout the 2014 year, and anybody who has received a prize from Colleen at a school or an event. We only had a few months to collect pictures from you and these are the pictures we collected. Congratulations to Maddie Ann and Wendy Gritton! We look forward to more pictures next year so I can work on my video skills and create a video of all you fans with Colleen.
February 7, 2015
Salt Lake Comic Con
Colleen-This was my first ever Comic Con. I’ve always wanted to go to one but never knew any existed outside of San Diego. Why didn’t you all tell me I was missing out? It was everything I hoped it would be so thanks to my good friend, Bree Despain, for getting me invited.
Day 1 (Wednesday)
Shara-My daughter I up arrived a bit early so we could walk around and see some of the local sites. We arrived too late for the famed Salt Lake Temple Christmas lights, but we did have a chance to walk around. The weather was chilly, but with gloves a jacket, and a hat we enjoyed our tiny tour of SLC.
Colleen-My sister/assistant Shara and her daughter arrived first and took advantage of the opportunity to sneak into the conference early and shoot some pictures. We ate dinner at the hotel but other than the cute basket the sweet potato fries were brought in, there wasn’t anything to write home about.
Day 2 (Thursday)
Shara-We did some shopping to start the day. Since Colleen got us in extra early we had 1st dibs. There is so much to look at for nerds like us. In my family we are fans of Dr.Who, Avatar -The Last Airbender, Pokemon, Star Wars, Star Trek, Studio C, Lord of the Rings, etc. There are action figures, posters, lunch boxes, pins, comic books, t-shirts, stuffed animals, jewelry, costumes, treats of all sorts, and everybody was in their costumes.
The goodies we found at SLC Comi Con.
We found this great booth that made chocolates in many cool shapes. They had Mockingjay pins made out of chocolate, all sort of Dr. Who characters, the Death Star from Star Wars, and many more.
Colleen-I had a book signing and a panel. The panel was on villains and the structure of it and the mix of personalities meant I didn’t get to say as much as I would have normally. Most of my panels were made up of men predominately and there’s nothing wrong with that, but in my experience men have a hard time sharing the stage with one another. Even when the moderator says to keep it brief, they go on and on. Women, on average, share a little better and are more sensitive to their fellow panelists I think.
The book signing was awesome. Met three of the actors from The Walking Dead and took pictures. So cool to see them up close and, you know, not running for their lives. After we saw the picture, we decided we needed to study the way they pose and how they do their makeup. It looks so flawless!
Day 3 (Friday)
Shara-We started off the day together attending Christopher Lloyd’s panel, and then Brandon Routh’s. Good gravy he’s a handsome guy! Brandon was so good with the cute little kids dressed in Superman costumes. Then we ran over to Colleen’s 2nd panel. Doesn’t she look pretty. I love to do her make-up before events.
Colleen-Started off the day attending the Christopher Lloyd panel.
It was fun to hear him talk about his various experiences and projects. Next was the Brandon Routh panel.
He is just a good looking man. I miss the Superman blue eyes though.
Did a panel on how to write Middle-Grade/YA and then did photos with Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura from Star Trek TOS and Carrie Fisher who brought her dog. If I didn’t know who she was, I don’t think I would have recognized her at all.
Did another book signing where I met a girl who got all dressed up. She’s so cute! Love her homemade Fanindra.
Then finished off the day with another photo op with Brandon Routh. I was impressed that he said hello to each fan and shook their hand. Nice guy. He’s the total package. Good looking, a great husband, and a doting father. He mentioned in his panel that he’d recently done a Hallmark Christmas movie. I’m going to check it out. Okay…I found it. Now I have to watch it. It’s called The Nine Lives of Christmas. Gorgeous fireman who saves cats. What’s not to love ladies?
Shara and my niece headed home which meant they missed out on the busiest day at the con and missed out on the Brandon Routh photo op!
Day 4 (Saturday)
Colleen-The convention sold out which meant there were 50,000 people in the convention center and it felt like it. It was so packed that any free time I had, I spent mostly in the green room where I could sip a soda and look out over the chaos.
Had two panels on Saturday. One was for Writing YA Fiction and the second was on how to Get Published. Got to meet Richard Paul Evans. He’s a very sweet guy and I’ve been a fan of his for years.
Checked in on a few friends doing book signings and then lined up to get my picture taken with Paul Wesley from The Vampire Diaries. Now that boy is a charming young man. He asked us how we were doing and apologized for sitting in the picture. Apparently, he had an injury.
We flew home on Sunday. Nice to be home but the convention was a blast. Hope I get to go to one again. =)
Blog Post Question Of The Day-Who would be your number one pick to meet at a convention? Think of a person or two you’d really fan-girl over. Personally, I want to meet Damon from The Vampire Diaries. Wouldn’t mind posing with Robert Pattinson. Would really, really fan-girl over Leonard Nimoy.
February 5, 2015
January Contest Winner Announced!
We’ve had over 2,200 entries, so I guess there’s a few of you who feel like Tiger’s Curse experts! Before I announce the winner, here are the questions and the answers to January’s contest:
Question: Why did Kishan and Ren fight when reunited?
Answer d. Kishan stole Ren’s love
Question: What university did Kelsey attend in Tiger’s Quest?
Answer c. Western Oregon University
Question: What is Kelsey’s favorite icecream?
Answer a. Tillamook Mudslide
Question: In Tiger’s Quest, Kelsey, Ren and Kishan visited Tillamook Cheese Factory followed by a night at the beach. What was the prize Kishan and Ren were racing for?
Answer b. A kiss with Kelsey
Question: When did Ren first appear in his human form?
Answer d. jungle
The winner of January’s Contest of the Month is . . .
AMBER GONZALEZ
(Be sure to respond to email to claim your prize. If their be no claim, then another lucky contestant will be chosen.)
What’s in it for AMBER? She will be receiving a
Tillamook Cheese Factory Gift Package!
*Includes Tillamook t-shirt, hat, sweatshirt, socks, playing cards, writing pens, and signed copy of Tiger’s Promise!!!
If you’ve never heard of Tillamook Cheese Factory, it’s where they make the famous Tillamook cheese, ice-cream, butter and sour cream located just off the coast in the small town of Tillamook, Oregon. Check out the pics below.
~Till next time,
Linda Louise
Colleen Houck Book Club- February 2015
BOOK FOR THE MONTH OF
FEBRUARY- Fragile Destiny by Suzanne Lazear
If you didn’t get a chance to read last month’s pick, Waterfell by Amalie Howard it’s not too late to check it out. For those of you who participated in the live chat on Goodreads with authors Amalie and Colleen Houck, thanks! It was so much fun! For the next reading selection Colleen picked…
FRAGILE DESTINY
by the lovely Suzanne Lazear
THE AETHER CHRONICLES (YA Fairytale Steampunk)
Here’s a little teaser
“Noli and her true love V fear the worst if the Staff of Eris—a potent Otherworld relic—falls into the wrong hands. Broken into pieces and hidden in the mortal realm long ago, the staff bestows vast powers on whoever possesses it. Ciarán, the dark king, is trying to rebuild the staff, intending to use it to install a new queen.In a desperate effort to keep the Otherworld from falling into darkness, Noli and V plot the daring theft of a jewel Ciarán needs to complete the staff. But Ciarán is not so easily defeated. Through his devious machinations, he has set a plan in motion for a final showdown that will decide who rules the Otherworld once and for all.“
Introducing Suzanne Lazear
Colleen first met Suzanne at Romantic Times and has never seen her out of character. She is steam punk through and through! While her outfit might scream dark and twisted she’s anything but. She’s super sweet and fun and throws the best events. If you’ve never read steampunk you should give Suzanne’s books a try!!
Check out more on her website at http://suzannewrites.blogspot.com
I’m very excited to check out her novel and I look forward to discussing it at the end of the month with all of you on Goodreads for the live chat.
So everybody who wants to join us, go get your hands on this book and if you’ve already read it then awesome! You can start leaving your questions right away (but don’t share spoilers just yet).
For fun there will be a GIVEAWAY including the novel Fragile Destiny and a signed copy of Tiger’s Curse during the live chat! You won’t want to miss this one!
Stay tuned for the next edition of THE MODERN INK SOCIETY featuring guest blogger- Suzanne Lazear!
Happy reading everyone!
~Till next time,
Linda Louise Lotti
February 1, 2015
Candlelight and Ren **Win a Date Pack Prize**
The Perfect Date
Imagine yourself dressed in silk fabric that caresses your skin as you walk. Your fragrant hair perfectly framing your face in thick shiny waves. You have just the right amount of make up to enhance your jewel like eyes, and some killer heels.
Then you see HIM.
His hair is freshly trimmed and that piece of hair by his ear is reaching for you to put it back in place. He’s wearing a perfectly tailored suit, his crisp white collar is open, your eyes linger on the warm skin at his neck and you swear a wave of spicy sandalwood is in the air and it floods your senses.
(What is it about a tailored suit, fresh hair cut, and some warm cologne? Sigh)
Now what? What is Kelsey going to say when a candlelit Ren is in front of her and using every last bit of his charm on persuading her to choose him, to choose them? Ren uses lines like, “Kelsey, when a man spends time with a beautiful woman, he needs to pace himself.” Then he whispers in her ear that he knows what she is thinking as she contemplates running from the scene and says, “…you can either take a seat and have dinner with me like a normal date,” he grinned at his word choice, “or,” he paused thoughtfully then threatened, “you can sit on my lap while I force-feed you.”
Slipping into Kelsey’s Shoes
As a reader I love this scene starting on page 358 of Tiger’s Curse. There is some delicious “tension” that makes you uncomfortable, intrigued, and starts your mind thinking of how you can get your hands on a plum dress like Kelsey’s and some male taming strappy black heels. Not to mention, wondering what in world does Sandalwood smell like.
Scents and sights engrave memories into the soul. We can’t be on the date with Ren, but there’s no harm in sampling some of Kelsey’s experiences.
Let’s set the scene with Colleen’s favorite candles which are the Sandalwood Candle and Vanilla Sandalwood from World Market.
Orange Dinner Rolls
Then I want to dive into warm Dinner Rolls with wisps of steam rising from the basket. Imagine little fleck of orange zest perfuming the air mixing with the homey scent of freshly baked bread. Heaven!
Then come the aromatic entrees. Macadamia Nut Crusted fish, Roasted Lamb Curry, and Saffron Rice.
Exotic Dates at Home
If you haven’t tried these dishes you must! If there is a place you are dying to visit then start at home in the kitchen. The macadamia nuts add a sweet crunch to your favorite fish. My favorite inexpensive fish is Tilapia and I add coconut to the breading and top with drizzle of a sweet Asian sauce. My favorite Indian dish Chicken Tikka Masala with some Naan bread. The juicy chicken and thick creamy sauce with torn and dipped piece of Naan bread (Costco has large yummy packages at my store) is my idea of a exotic comfort food.
How to Win the Date Night Prize
Write us and tell us about your best dream date or what you want for a dream date. Answer these questions and comment below or Tweet it to @ColleenHouck.
Where would you go?
What would you wear?
What would you eat?
Most importantly who would you take?
Don’t forget some man taming strappy shoes! Here’s a few that make me want to go shopping.
1st Place Prize
Full size Body Mist, Lotion, and Shower Gel from Bath & Body Works with the pink sponge in Morocco Orchid & Pink Amber. Plus a full size Shower Gel for your guy, and a Sandalwood candle that smells like Ren from World Market.
2nd place Prize
A Sandalwood candle that smells like Ren from World Market
Shara
