Jennifer Shirk's Blog, page 21

And the release goes on...

Hey, all!

Thank you so much for all the well wishes on my new release KISSING KENDALL!

In case you're looking for another opportunity to win a copy, stop by Diane Estrella's blog today.

I'm talking about when cliches are good. :-)

Cover Reveal!

Hey, all!

I am SUPER excited to announce the release of my new romance KISSING KENDALL from Entangled Publishing, which so happens to be out today on Nook and Kindle!

And here is the cover:
Isn't it pretty?
One of the things I really liked about it was the hesitation in the kiss. Very romantic.
Sometimes it's the little things you notice. :-)


Here's the blurb:

Kendall Grisbaum is finally taking charge of her life—pouring her heart into opening a new bakery business and even allowing her best friend Georgie to play matchmaker for her. Trouble is, the one guy she secretly wants is Georgie’s older brother, Brad, who is decidedly off limits.

Brad can’t seem to get his little sister’s best friend out of his mind. He and Kendall used to be close friends, too, and as a local policeman, Brad can’t help but play protector, looking out for Kendall. When he offers to help her renovate her new bakery space on the side, their friendship—and their attraction—flares back to life.

Amid the temptation of doughnut muffins and blueberry cobbler, a new temptation draws them both closer. Can they take a chance on love when it means risking their friendship, even when not doing so risks everything?

And to kick off this new release, I'm over at TWO blogs today, giving away an ebook copy to some lucky commenter!


I'm talking about doughnut muffins at A WRITER’S RUSH today. Stop by and tell me what your favorite bakery goodie is. http://awritersrush.blogspot.com/
I'm also at Julie Jarnagin’s blog today, talking about Writing Productivity. How do you set your writing goals? http://juliejwrites.blogspot.com/ Leave a comment there for a chance to win too! Happy release day to me!! LOL!

Entangled Under the Mistletoe!

WHAT.
A.
WEEK.

That's all I'm saying. Mom was in the hospital for 3 and 1/2 days, but all is GREAT now.
She's back to her old self and we were able to laugh about everything that went on until we were crying.
But still, it was hectic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At least I had this to look forward to today:




This holiday season, get Entangled Under the Mistletoe!
 Entangled Publishing is hosting its very first blog hop and with over 50 authors participating, all of whom are signed with Entangled Publishing, this is your chance to win a ton of fantastic prizes from your favourite authors!The hop runs from December 7th to 14th, and make sure to visit all these authors’ blogs during that week!
You really don’t want to miss these giveaways.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PS. I have a little confession.

I bought myself a Christmas gift.

Is that wrong?

It was $49 but I got 20% off. Does that make it better?

Well, it's too late. I can't take it back because I already used it. LOL

I bought myself  a... Yonanas.

No, seriously.

I love banana whips--which is basically frozen banana "whipped" into a creamy healthy sugar-free dessert. But I found the frozen banana was slowly killing my food processor. :(
Then, I kept seeing this machine advertised in all the catalogs I was getting so I finally decided that I deserved to treat myself--oh, and the family, of course.

Now, I can make creamy ice cream like desserts out of bananas and even sorbets with other frozen fresh fruit. It's easy to clean too, which is a plus.

So far, I'm loving this and happy I bought it for myself.

What about you?
Did you ever buy yourself a gift for Christmas? What did you get yourself?
Have you heard of Yonanas?



The authors participating in the hop are:Diane Alberts
Rachel Harris
Ophelia London
Lisa Burstein
Nicola Marsh
Jenna Bennett
Barbara DeLeo
Sarah Gilman
Chloe Jacobs
Kate Avelynn
Aleah Barley
Candace Havens
Tiffany Allee
Natalie J. Damschroder
Robin Covington
Coleen Kwan
Karen Erickson
Crista McHugh
Patricia Eimer
Roxanne Snopek
Taryn Elliott
Michelle McLean
Melissa Bourbon Ramirez
Victoria James
Annie Seaton
Boone Brux
Robin Bielman
Lisa Kessler
Christine Warner
Jus Accardo
Rosalie Lario
Stacey Kennedy
Robyn DeHart
Laura Kaye
Cari Quinn
Stephanie Draven
Paige Cuccaro
Katee Robert
Bronwen Evans
Rita Oberlies
Nina Croft
Marisa Cleveland
Michele de Winton
Jennifer Shirk
Amy Andrews and Heidi Rice
Ros Clarke
Rachel Lyndhurst
Hope Tarr
Aimee Carson and Kate Hardy
Sara Daniel
Lea Nolan
Abby Niles
Jane Kindred

GIVEAWAY: I have a new BLISS romance release with Entangled this Monday, so I will be giving away a ebook copy of KISSING KENDALL.
All you have to do is comment on this post any time between now and Dec 14th.

Good luck and have fun!

Cherish This Christmas!

Hi, all!!
Since December is upon us, it would be a great time to showcase a new author with a very special book and giveaway going on now for Christmas !

The Women's Ministry of my church talked about something similar at our Advent coffee we had this past Saturday.
I wish I could have read this book before we put our program together!

Luckily for you, the author is giving away a 2 copies!
See below for details!


Christmas is coming!
Do these words fill you with joyful anticipation…or dread at the thought of approaching chaos and clutter?
On December 31st do you wonder what happened instead of wondering at Christ’s birth?

I invite you to cherish Christmas as never before. Journey back in time as you get to know those who were there, and bring new meaning to your own holiday.

Cherish This Christmas helps each of us discover our unique role during this precious time of year as we get to know the One whom we celebrate differently…maybe a little better.
This year let’s cut through the chaos and choose to... Cherish This Christmas!
This collection of daily devotions will take you back to the days of Jesus' birth and help bring more meaning to the chaotic days of December.

Through scriptural insight and personal reflection, Paula will help you to Cherish This Christmas.

You can purchase the book here at Amazon, the Kindle edition here, or at Paula's CreateSpace store.
About the Author: Paula Davis’ writing encourages her readers to apply God’s Word to everyday life. When years of searching for “Mr. Right” left her heart empty, she turned to God for comfort and found so much more. Paula now knows firsthand that completeness and contentment is only found when her eyes are focused on Jesus. She wants others to know this truth as well. Paula loves to share with others what she’s learning about the depth of God’s Love. At Christmas time, you'll find her in Central New York reading, baking or cuddling her little dog, Lucy, while sipping a good cup of coffee.

You can follow her blog at www.pauladavispeace.com.

Giveaway: For the release of her debut book, Paula is celebrating and you're invited to join along with her giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive:
Two copies of Cherish this Christmas, one to keep and one to give to a friendA $25 Amazon Gift Card**Enter today by heading over to Paula's blog and jumping on the Rafflecopter.
But hurry, the giveaway ends on December 15th. Winner will be announced at Paula's website, December 16, 2012.

I entered for sure!

 

Freaky Friday!

Happy Friday!

Some of you may have seen this video already, but in case you haven't CHECK IT OUT.

This is some kind of reality TV show in Brazil, similar to our Scare Tactics.

Anyway...watch this and tell me you would FREAK (just a little bit) if this happened to you.



Watch those elevators...

And have a GREAT weekend!

Let the Shopping Begin!

Happy Monday!
Hope all you Americans had a happy Turkey Day!

PS. My Pumpkin Dump Cake was a smashing success.

I'm one of those anal types so right after dinner on Thanksgiving, I got a notepad and pen out so I could ask and write down Christmas suggestions for my family.

Of course, this is the year, I made a list of possible gift ideas for myself and NOBODY ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED FOR CHRISTMAS.

Figures.

So in case any of my family/friends are reading this and need some help with their shopping, I thought I'd post my list here. :)

THINGS I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

* one of those perfect portion batter dispensers for cupcakes and muffins
*a new chips and salsa bowl
* a salad spinner (yes, there is a food trend here)
*socks to wear with jeans (OK, this list is boring me now)
*gloves
*a travel toiletry kit (one I can also hang up in the bathroom)

Honestly, the list looked more exciting when I first wrote everything down. 

But these are things I truly want/need. (I gave my hubby a list too;one that was a bit more extensive and included a laptop)

He told me to just go buy my own. Well. You don't have to tell me twice.

So the next day I actually went shopping on BLACK FRIDAY.
My way of also helping the economy.

You're welcome. :-)

I actually had a bad sleep Thanksgiving night because I had a cup of coffee after dinner at my brother's house and I think the caffeine ruined me. So I had NO trouble getting up at 4AM on Friday to head down to Staples. But I scored a laptop for $299 and a printer for $39.

Not too shabby. Then I headed to the mall.

I'm a little more than halfway done my shopping now, which is crazy productive of me. And it's not even December yet!

How about you?
Did you go out Black Friday?
Have you done any Christmas shopping yet?

Don't Judge a Recipe by its Name

Happy Monday!

Can't wait until Thanksgiving this Thursday!
I love it for TWO reasons in particular:

1) it's a no pressure holiday--

I don't have to buy gifts for anyone. I don't have to make sure the house is decorated. No cards. It's just about being grateful--and of course, the FOOD.

I'm all over that.

2) my sister-in-law ALWAYS cooks Thanksgiving.
(My gig is Christmas Eve)

Again. I'm all over that.

The only thing I have to do is show up.
Oh, and bring dessert.

*cough cough*

I happen to be bringing this recipe:

                  Pumpkin Dump Cake Ingredients1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree1 10 oz can Evaporated Milk1 cup light brown sugar3 eggs3 tsp pumpkin pie spice1 box yellow cake mix1 cup (2 sticks) butter melted1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans How to MakePreheat oven to 350Spray a 9×13 baking pan lightly with cooking/baking sprayIn a large bowl combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.Pour into your prepared pan.Sprinkle your entire box of cake mix on top, followed by your nuts or graham crackers.Pour your melted butter evenly on top. (I was told NOT to melt it, cut it up and sprinkle on top)Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is set and edges are lightly browned.
Yeah, I know, couldn't they have called it something else?
Like Pumpkin Oh-So-Good Cake? or Pumpkin Hurry Up and Get in My Belly Cake?

Trust me. Don't judge this cake by its name
THIS IS SO Fantastic!!!!
I'm making homemade whipped cream to go with it.

Whatever you're making or eating, have a Happy THANKSGIVING!!

The Next Big Thing

Happy Friday!

My bloggy friend, author Romy Sommer invited me to take part in a blog event entitled
THE NEXT BIG THING -
a series of questions and answers about what’s happening next in my writing life.

Fun, right?
Well, it IS.

So here it is:
The Next Big Thing


What is the title of your book? KISSING KENDALL
What genre does your book fall under? Romance (sweet romance)


Which actors would you choose to play your characters if it were a movie? Funny you should ask! I did pick out character pictures before I started writing.


Emma Roberts would play “Kendall”  
 



Bradley Cooper would play "Brad"(original, I know)  



   What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?A young widow must decide if she’s ready to move on with her love life—with her deceased husband’s best friend.


Will your book be self-published or traditional?
Traditional (Entangled’s BLISS imprint)

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? If you're not done, how far along are you into the first draft? Ugh. A long time. I think this one took me about 8 months to write.
The longest EVAH.


What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Ooh, tough. This isn’t really an “original” storyline—Nora Roberts has done it, as well as other Montlake Romance and Harlequin authors.


Who or What inspired you to write this book? Enough people and reviewers who read GEORGIE ON HIS MIND who hinted that they wanted me to write Brad’s story.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Even though it’s kind of a sad story (due to my heroine being a widow) it really does has sprinkles of humor mixed in as well.
And a cute little puppy.
And donut muffins!

See? I told you that was fun!

Now I must invite 3 to 4 other writers to share too.

So I would love to hear THE NEXT BIG THING from Linda Grimes, Carol Kilgore, Julie Jarnagin, and Jessica Lemmon!

Have a GREAT weekend!

Good News!

Happy Monday, all!

Well, I've hinted to some news but now I can officially share/announce that I will have a new sweet contemporary romance book entitled KISSING KENDALLcoming out this December 3, 2012!

WOOT!

I'm very excited to have been working with such a great team over at Entangled Publishing.

So how did this all come about?

Well, as some of you know I have written for Avalon Books in the past. Then they were bought out by Amazon and I was left with the decision of what to do with this manuscript. I have a book called GEORGIE ON HIS MIND that was published with Avalon back in 2010 and many people asked me back then if I was going to write a book for Brad and Kendall, who were secondary characters.

My answer was, "Nnnn--er, yes." LOL
(To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it, but enough people asked, so I figured I should. And so I did.)

I had thought about self-publishing this book, but many authors friends pointed me in the direction of Entangled. I still wasn't sure. Then...lo and behold Entangled announced they were launching a new sweet romance line called BLISS, and well, at that point I figured I couldn't get a better sign. I had to try and sub to them.
And well, you know the rest... :-)

My editor is super nice and she's a super fun tweeter too. You can find her on TWITTER HERE and her full of awesomesauce assistant HERE.

~~~~~~~~~~~
In other news...it was Halloween this past Saturday. Yeah, a little late for us because of the hurricane, but we're fortunate we were able to have it at all.

The kiddo:
You can't tell from the picture but she had her hair sprayed pink to match her punk rock skeleton costume. She got a TON of candy. But... not one full-size Twix bar!!! (my personal fav)

We (meaning she) just fun size Twix, which in my opinion are WAY too small to be any "fun". :)


So that's the good news for me.

Any good news you want to share?
Did you get a lot of trick-or-treaters this year?

Book Fuss

Happy Friday!

Life is almost getting back to normal here since the hurricane. The garage (and contents) are just about disinfected.
Here's a little tidbit of info you may not know:
You need to really clean after a flood because that water contains a lot of GUNK--
fancy talk for mold, bacterias, sewage, etc...
So you want to clean with bleach and water.
I was also told concrobium mold control is supposed to be good too.
(Just a little FYI)

Yeah, so fun happenings in the Shirk household...

And now it's time for BOOK FUSS .
Thank Goodness. Book talk take me away!

I actually had about 3 or 4 books I wanted to fuss over this week so I had to decide the old fashioned way which one to highlight.

I did eeenie meenie miney moe.

The winner was EASY by Tammara Webber.

The New York Times Bestseller by Tammara WebberRescued by a stranger.Haunted by a secretSometimes, love isn't easy…He watched her, but never knew her. Until thanks to a chance encounter, he became her savior…The attraction between them was undeniable. Yet the past he'd worked so hard to overcome, and the future she'd put so much faith in, threatened to tear them apart.Only together could they fight the pain and guilt, face the truth—and find the unexpected power of love.A groundbreaking novel in the New Adult genre, Easy faces one girl's struggle to regain the trust she's lost, find the inner strength to fight back against an attacker, and accept the peace she finds in the arms of a secretive boy.
This book is what is termed: New Adult or Mature Young Adult.

I have to be honest...
Reading this description did not make me want to rush out and buy this book. *shrugs*
But it seemed as if whenever I logged on to Goodreads this book came up with one of my friends gushing and for lack of a better word FUSSING over it.
So needless to say I must now read it and find out exactly why everyone is recommending it to me. :)

And in case you want to check it too, it's up for a Goodreads giveaway now: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13548456-easy Until Nov 20.

I hope I win it!

Have you seen the fuss on this book? Have you read it?
Have you ever heard of the New Adult/Mature Young Adult genre?

When you see a book on Goodreads enough times do you add it to your TBR pile or do you need to find out more info on it?