Brenda Sparks's Blog, page 22

13 Things I love about the #Holidays

With the holidays fast approaching, I started thinking of things I loved about the season. While many things came to mind, I decided to share 13 of my favorite with you. Please leave a comment and let me know if any of these resonate with you. 13 things I love about the holidays Reading romance novels set during the holidays, even if they are a paranormal romance like my newest release, Alpha Lover.The Hallmark Channel. The ENTIRE CHANNEL is dedicated to showing Christmas themed movies, and it’s glorious.Singing Christmas carols, especially ones I can harmonize with.Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.A Charlie Brown Christmas. Takes me back to my childhood.Lavish department store window displays.Everyone is encouraged to bring a tree inside and fill their home with that Christmassy pine smell.Strangers bond over horror stories involving delivery companies and the post office.Christmas lights. Inside or out they add to the festivities. You could decorate a garbage can with twinkle lights and it would look magical.Seasonal spices! Just dump some cinnamon, peppermint or ginger in anything you’re cooking, and it suddenly “tastes like Christmas.”Eggnog. YUM!Dinner with the family. Dramatic or peaceful, there’s nothing like a dinner with loved ones to make life interesting.Riding through the snow in a horse drawn sleigh. I’m suck a sucker for this romantic scene, I included a sleigh ride in Alpha Lover. The hero in the story, Nicholai, is such a romantic. He won my heart.Here is a little more about the story... Book Blurb:
Starved for blood, vampire, Nicholai Peterhof is greatly relieved when two tourists decide to grace his restaurant, but one sip from the pretty brunette and his world is forever turned upside down. Juliette Staint-John is everything he could have asked for in a heartmate; pretty, smart, built with curves in all the right places…and totally unavailable.

Juliette doesn’t want anything to do with the handsome, young-looking Nicholai. As if their differences aren’t enough, the acute grief over the loss of loved ones keeps her heart guarded. He may be her fantasy, but that’s all he can ever be.

To get past Juliette’s defenses and in order to keep her safe, Nicholai must prove himself worthy of her love and trust. Unbeknownst to the couple, her personal demons are not the only ones threatening their relationship. Hiding virtually unseen by the vampires, Demon Royalty plots to destroy not only the couple but the entire vampire breed. Luckily, Nicholai will do anything for Juliette—even if it means sacrificing himself.
Buy Links:
Amazon 
Barnes and Noble
iTunes
Kobo
The Wild Rose Press 
Excerpt
 Julie’s gaze swept the landscape. The moon’s rays glittered on the snowy bows. The birch trees stood with their trunks painted white to match their limbs. Thick pine branches held fast under the weight of the new fallen snow, making them appear as if they wore white blankets made of virginal cotton about each limb. Sparkling mounds cluttered the ground between the trees, hiding the forest’s treasures beneath.
  Save the sound of the hooves pounding on the ground, they journeyed through the silent night to a clearing in the trees. Nicholai clicked to his stallion, and with a flick of the reins, the steed increased into a rolling canter up a steep incline. Julie’s thighs pushed against the sides of the horse as she tried to match the new rhythm.
  Nicholai’s breath warmed her ear when he spoke. “Not too much further. It’s right up ahead.”
  “What’s up ahead?” Just as the words left Julie’s mouth, they crested over the ridge.
  The frozen valley below took her breath away. A glaciate waterfall stood still as a statue against the rocky terrain. The cascading water, stopped as if by magic, reflected the moon’s soft rays and cast tiny prisms on the snow below.
  Julie’s breath hitched in her throat. She took in the serene beauty of the land as they cruised at a slow trot. Debris rolled under Kedar’s hoofs. It created a hollow rattle in the night, barely audible to Juliette.
  When they reached the valley, Nicholai pulled up the stallion and handed the reins to Julie. She patted the horse’s steaming neck as her lover dismounted with a fluid grace. He turned, grabbed Kedar’s reins, then reached up for Julie. Her thick coat seemed to melt as his strong hands clasped around her waist. She put her hands on his shoulders, and the bulge of muscle under his coat played under her fingers when he helped her down. A thrill went through her body.
  Her breath frosted the air in a white plume. The lovers held each other, his hands about her waist, hers resting on his shoulders. Quiet as the moon above, they stared deeply into each other’s eyes. Nicholai captured her lips in a gentle caress that welcomed her to this special place.

WACKY WEDNESDAY GIF TO MAKE YOU GIGGLE

Christmas morning at our house. 

My Accidental Fab-Favorite #Holiday Fudge #Recipe from J. Rose Allister (@jroseallister)

Please welcome J. Rose Allister to the blog today. She stopped by to share her favorite Holiday recipe and her latest story. They are two holiday treats you won't want to miss! My Accidental Fab-Favorite #Holiday Fudge #Recipe
J. Rose Allister
I make no secret of the fact that I’m a die-hard chocolate fanatic. (Even if I did, I fear my waistline might give me away.) Although I sneak chocolaty treats into my diet all year long, there’s one mega-indulgence that I only bring out during the holidays. It’s a creamy, super easy fudge recipe that was elevated from great to fabulous one year by accident. I sent my husband to shop for the ingredients, and he came home with milk chocolate chips instead of my trusty old semi-sweet. I tried them out with a skeptical heart, and the results rocked our world.
This fudge comes as close as I’ve ever gotten to duplicating my absolute childhood favorite: the pan fudge sold at the candy stores at Disneyland. Yum. Even better, it only requires four ingredients and no candy thermometer.
Ingredients:
24 ounces (approx. 1 ½ bags) of milk chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
 
Directions:
In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate chips together with sweetened condensed milk and salt. Stir constantly to avoid scorching. As soon as chips are melted, remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and pour into a greased 8x8 inch pan. Chill until solid, cut into squares.
Makes about 24 squares (depending on the size of your cuts!)
Optional: add a handful of chopped nuts OR substitute the ½ bag of chocolate chips with flavored chips of your choice or about ½ cup nut butter.
  Holidays Bite
By J. Rose Allister
An erotic paranormal holiday romance
Get it now!
Amazon
(https://www.amazon.com/Holidays-Bite-Siren-Publishing-Classic-ebook/dp/B004K6MCQA)
Apple iBooks
(https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/holidays-bite/id577554189)
Nook/Barnes and Noble
(http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/holidays-bite-j-rose-allister/1100404507)
Bookstrand
(http://www.bookstrand.com/holidays-bite) ​ 
 
What goes together more naturally than vampires and Christmas?
 
When an annual holiday tradition turns into a near-fatal accident, Stephanie regains consciousness to find herself alone in a cabin with her rescuer, Thomas—a man who is gorgeous, dangerously sexy...and undead.
 
Despite the winter storm and her injuries, she knows she should run. So why does she keep winding up in the powerful, seductive embrace of the vampire who has exiled himself from humans to avoid his worst time of year for temptation?
 
“...more than just a Christmas tale...this is a story that can be read multiple times because it has so many rich layers to be discovered.” –Happily Ever After Reviews
 
Excerpt:
Stephanie walked out of the bathroom with as little limp as she could muster, thankful when a flood of adrenaline aided the cause. She wanted to give the impression she was less helpless and pathetic than the picture she’d painted thus far. Thomas stood by a newly stoked fire, and she ignored his searing gaze while she headed for the couch. Her socks, boots, and parka lay nearby, tempting her. Donning the latter now would be too obvious, however. She’d have to make a grab for the coat on her way out.
“Brr,” she said, making a show of rubbing her arms. “Cold after that shower.” She sat on the couch and pulled a quilt around her shoulders to give the appearance of settling in while she tugged on her socks and footwear. “But hopefully I smell better now.”
“Stephanie.”
She went on ignoring him and laced her boots tight.
“Stephanie.” He moved toward her.
“Hmm?”
She threw him a quick glance and a smile, refusing to meet his eyes. Then he knelt in front of her and took hold of her chin so she couldn’t look away.
His eyes searched hers. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“What I’m thinking?” She tried to keep an innocent tone. “I don’t know what you mean.”
His arched brow told her he knew she was lying. “You think I’m a vampire.”
She laughed. “Vampires don’t exist.” Please, God, let him laugh along. Her smile faded when he didn’t. “So, it’s true then?”
He glanced away, his lack of response providing all the answer she needed and didn’t want.
She shook her head. “Guess I didn’t do a convincing job pretending I didn’t know.”
“We can sense those who see us for what we are. It’s a built-in survival trait.”
“Handy skill.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to figure this out.”
She rubbed her arms again, this time against a true chill. “You’re a vampire. That just figures.”
“What does?”
She raised her arms. “Oh, just the old Stephanie Mars luck. I go for a simple outing and get dragged off by a raging creek. I meet the perfect guy, and he turns out to be an undead monster. No offense.”
His brow rose. “You think I’m the perfect guy?”
She shrugged. “What I think is that none of this is really happening. Maybe I bashed my skull so hard that this conversation is all going on in my head while I’m lying unconscious in a hospital somewhere. So yeah, if I have to be stuck in a concussive hallucination, why not include the perfect guy?”
A smile lit his dark expression out of nowhere and threatened to steal her breath. When white teeth flashed, she couldn’t help but look for sharp points. She saw none, and the smile vanished as fast as it had appeared. “So what if it turns out this isn’t a hallucination?” he said. “What if your so-called perfect guy is real, and he’s a vampire?” ​About J. Rose Allister
 
I tend to dream up stories while either lying in bed at night, sitting at my desk at work, or anywhere I happen to be at the moment. It’s exciting to watch a story unfold, especially when my characters say or do something unexpected!
When I’m not busy playing chase-the-muse around my laptop, I enjoy spending time with my family, movies, and reading books. I rarely go anywhere without a reading device, even if it’s on my phone! I’m also a big fan of chocolate and coffee, even better together—and best alongside a book!
 
Author links:
Site: http://jroseallister.com
Blog: http://jroseallister.blogspot.com
                                                              Twitter: http://twitter.com/jroseallister
                                                              Facebook: http://facebook.com/JRoseAllisterBooks

A Yummy #Holiday #recipe and a Little Romance from Patricia Preston (@pat_preston)

#Holiday #Recipe Easy Peach Cobbler by @pat_preston

1 c. self-rising flour
1 c. milk
1 c. sugar
1 stick butter
1 can of sliced peaches (lite or heavy syrup)

Heat oven to 350 and melt butter in baking dish
Mix flour, sugar and milk together with whisk.
Pour this on top of melted butter in baking dish.
Open can of peaches and pour on top of mix.
(I use lite peaches and the cobble is always sweet enough.)
Put in oven and bake about 25 minutes or until top is 
golden brown.  IT STARTED WITH A FLING...

Six years ago, ambitious med student Marla Grant gave into temptation with a gorgeous man. Now a busy doctor and a loving single mom, the past comes back to haunt her when she learns the powerful, persuasive man of her long-ago fling and the unsuspecting father of her child is
cutting off the charitable contributions to the community clinic where she works. Billionaire Carson Blackwell has never forgotten bright, beautiful Marla. When he discovers that she runs the clinic his grandmother's foundation funds, it's the perfect chance to put an end to his ongoing infatuation and use his leverage to cement a new business deal. He needs a fake girlfriend for one week in Hawaii, and Marla is just the woman for the job. It's a win-win situation, until they realize the attraction between them isn't feigned, and the heat has never died down. Only the secrets they're both keeping stand in the way of a future together and a love that could last a lifetime.

Read Chapter 1

Christmas Sale  99¢ !  Nov 27 to Dec 31.
Links: 
Amazon   http://amzn.to/1SCo3li
Nook http://bit.ly/1VmaHru
Kobo   http://bit.ly/1Vma8Oe
iBooks http://apple.co/1W6y6l6 Patricia Preston writes fun, spicy romantic novels with a feel-good atmosphere where love matters most. In her new contemporary series set in the fictional town of Lafayette Falls, Tennessee, romance creates havoc, heartache and humor for a cast of unsuspecting doctors until they realize love heals all. Besides contemporary romance, she also loves writing short comedies and historical romances set in New Orleans. Must haves in her writing cave include sweet tea and music. Besides writing, she loves bargain hunting, movies, taking country road trips, and anything containing chocolate. Her dream-come-true would be a townhouse in the French Quarter. 

She welcomes readers to visit her at 
www.patricia-preston.com 
Twitter: www.twitter.com/pat_preston 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Patricia-Preston-Author-Page-127261867330755/

Don't Miss This Amazing Sale on the Fabulous Stories From N. N. Light (@NNP_W_Light)

Author Biography: N. N. Light is the best-selling husband-wife writing team, commonly known as Mr. N and Mrs. N. Mrs. N. has been creating stories ever since she was little. Her grandfather remembers when she was two years old, she would stand at the top of the stairs and tell him a story filled with emotion (and in a language foreign to him) with her hands on her hips. Let’s just say she was a born storyteller.
 
They’re blissfully happy and love all things chocolate, books, music, movies, art, sports, trains, history, cooking and baking. Their mantra is to spread the Light.
 
Most of the time you can find them on Twitter or getting new ideas on how to spread the Light on Pinterest. They’re a proud member of ASMSG and Independent Author Network.
 
In addition to being authors, they’re also book promoters/reviewers, social media marketers/influencers and the owners of N. N. Light Author Promotions. They both love books, have ever since they were young. Matching up books and readers is something that gives them great pleasure.
 
They’d love to connect with you either via email or via these various social media sites:
Website: http://princessofthelight.com
Blog: https://princessofthelight.wordpress.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/nnlight
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NNP_W_Light
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-n-light
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/nnlight
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/n-n-light/90/1a7/902
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/118060034268079734144/posts
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/nnlight
Independent Author Network: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/n-n-light.html
 
​‘Tis the season to save big money and we’ve said good-bye to Scrooge and hello to embracing the Christmas Spirit. All our books are on sale for 99 cents at Amazon US (slightly higher in other countries) and even one short story is free! Hurry, this is a limited time sale (December 16 – 19).
 
Title: Planting the Seeds of Love: A Novella
 
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, New Adult Romance
 
Blurb:
Torn between two men, Sally must follow her heart and decide if love will lead her to the city or the countryside.
 
Twenty-Two year old Sally Rayton returns to the family farm she deserted four years ago to bury her grandfather. Her plan: to settle her grandfather’s estate and return to her life in the city with her boyfriend, Trevor Mattson.
 
Her childhood friend, Jack Smith, has other ideas.
 
Jack convinces Sally to transform the farm into a brewery and fulfill her grandfather’s dream while keeping the Rayton Farm in the family. Sally works side-by-side with Jack while Trevor is hundreds of miles away in the city. The more time she spends with Jack, the stronger her feelings are for him.
 
When Trevor shows up to propose to Sally right before Christmas and finds her in Jack’s embrace, she must make the biggest choice of her life: true love.
 
Book Trailer: 
https://animoto.com/play/emNoj04aSL9tWY0iuIb5Gw?autostart=1
 
Excerpt:
"But that's not what's bothering you." He paused. "Is it?"
 
She sighed.
 
"No," she whispered.
 
"Grandpa knows best." He patted his chest. She laid her head on his chest, curled up in a ball and wrapped her arm around him.
 
"Oh Grandpa..." she cried. "I'm so confused."
 
He held her close as she cried. When she was done, he gave her his red handkerchief. She blew her nose before continuing.
 
"I love them both. Insane, isn't it?"
 
He shook his head.
 
"It's perfectly natural to love two men at the same time. You love Trevor for the man he is and for the life you have in the city. He's a good man, with a good family. He can offer you security and he loves you very much."
 
Sally chewed on her lower lip as she thought about Trevor.
 
"Jack, however, holds a special place in your heart. Always has and always will. You grew up together. He's a brave man, willing to do anything for you, even if it means letting you go. His love for you goes beyond the here and now; he's loved you his whole life."
 
"Jack? He's loved me all this time?" She looked up into his warm eyes.
 
"Of course. But his love is not in question. What about you? Do you love him?"
 
She furrowed her brows.
 
"I... I don't know."
 
"You love Trevor." He paused. "Can you imagine spending the rest of your life with him? Have children with him? Build a life in the city with him, leaving all this behind?"
 
She scrunched up her face, as if in pain.
 
"I don't know. I guess that's what I have to figure out." She sat up straight. "What do you think?"
 
He laughed.
 
"Don't put this on me, girl. It's not my life, not my heart. You have to choose."
 
"But I can't choose." She stood up and started pacing back and forth.
 
He watched her agony for a moment before dealing the blow.
 
"Can you imagine life without Jack?"
 
Sally sucked in her breath. Pain spread throughout her whole body, as if someone punched her in the stomach.
 
"You've had Jack in your life since you were little, always depending on him and him always being there for you. What if he wasn't there? What if he was gone forever? Could you live without him?"
 
She paled at the thought.
 
"You're right, Jack's been with me, through thick and thin." She sat down next to him, hugging her knees to her chest.
 
"Unconditional love, like what I have with your grandma, comes along once. Both of these men love you unconditionally. You have to choose which one you want to spend your life with."
 
He stood up and pulled her to her feet.
 
"My time is up, my child. Think about what I've said." He hugged her tight.
 
Sally lifted her chin to let it sit on his shoulders.
 
"I love you so much!" She choked up. "I wish you didn't have to go."
 
He cupped her face in his big hands.
 
"I love you, always have and always will. I'm still alive in your heart, your memories. Follow your heart, Sally."
 
Buy it on sale:
Amazon US http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01581XM50 (99 cents)
 
Amazon CA http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01581XM50
 
Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01581XM50
 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26134330-planting-the-seeds-of-love
Title: Poetry of Love: The Engagement Year
 
Genre: Poetry, Love Poetry
 
Book Blurb:
Amazon Best-Seller and Hot New Release
I had been searching for love my whole life. It took the opening up of the world via technology for me to find my soulmate. Once I laid eyes on her, at the arrivals gate, I knew I was never going to let her go. The following is a collection of poems I wrote to my angel, from our first meeting up until our wedding day. I was working crazy hours as a chef and I had a long commute. I chose my commuting time to pen her a poem each day. These poems speak of our life, our challenges and our growth together…in every aspect they speak of our love.
 
May this book give someone the courage to let their special someone know how much they care for them and how much they mean to them. Saying I love you is a gift you can give many times a day.
 
Excerpt:
As My Beauty Sleeps
 
I love to lay and listen
As my beauty sleeps.
 
The sound of each breath
As my beauty sleeps.
 
I think how I will awaken her
As my beauty sleeps.
 
To kiss her softly
That is my plan
As my beauty sleeps.
 
My lips move close
But I just enjoy listening
As my beauty sleeps.
 
Buy it on sale:
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Poetry-Love-Engagement-N-Light-ebook/dp/B01M13IKRH  (99cents)
 
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Poetry-Love-Engagement-N-Light-ebook/dp/B01M13IKRH
 
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Poetry-Love-Engagement-N-Light-ebook/dp/B01M13IKRH
 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32054659-poetry-of-love
Title: Princess of the Light
 
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Inspirational Romance
 
Blurb:
Mary Miller receives a startling visitation from Gabriel, the Messenger of God. The Archangel reveals an astounding truth–Mary is the Princess of the Light and even more amazing, her destiny is to battle Lucifer’s army of demons and restore the balance of good and evil on Earth. It’s getting harder to fulfill her new role and keep her identity secret while juggling her personal life, and when Than, Lucifer’s second in command, amps up the attacks on her, she knows she needs help.
 
Joe Deacons is everything she’s ever wanted in a man. And as providence would have it, in a moment of great need, he’s the Warrior of Light–the one who can help her defeat the forces of darkness.
 
Not so simple when they confront Lisbeth, a demon hell-bent on usurping Than and Lucifer himself. When Lisbeth wages war and several innocent people die, Mary must form an alliance with her enemy in order to destroy her. But will this be a grave error or the choice that saves their world?
 
50% of the proceeds go directly to Food Banks in USA and Canada.
 
Excerpt:
Joe began to go after André, but I stopped him. Longing and pride were deeply engrained in André, and he had put up a barrier against the Light trying to make its way into his heart. He wanted a heart of stone, to stop the pain.
 
I laid a hand on Joe's chest and he looked at me with tears of his own. I could feel in my heart that he didn't understand how André had become homeless. He looked utterly grief-stricken. It was almost too much for me.
 
I turned to watch André's departure. I could still sense the darkness battling with the good inside his soul. You will not defeat the Light, and André will be free of you. I hoped the darkness could hear me.
 
A shooting pain in my forehead brought tears to my eyes. I blinked rapidly and before I knew what happened, images of André and Joey flashed in front of me.
 
 
André was dressed in a suit and was laughing with Alfred. There were about twenty people in a room and it was a birthday party for a little boy. Alfred paused as the birthday boy appeared at his side.
 
André bent down and ruffled the boy's hair. "Hey there, Joey, how does it feel to be a year older?"
 
"It's great, Mr. A. Did you know I'm six now?" Joey beamed.
 
"You are? Well, you're almost the same age as my daughter, Katherine."
 
Joe looked around. "Did you bring her today? I don't see her, sir."
 
Alfred cleared his throat and smiled sympathetically at André. "Son, she couldn't come today."
 
André sniffed and cleared his throat nervously. "Little Joey, buddy, Mr. A could really use something to drink. Could you help me find your mama?"
 
"Sure, Mr. A, sir. I can find her and tell you all about new friend, Ronnie. He makes the best mud pies. All the girls hate them." Joey grabbed André's hand and led him away.
 
As the vision faded, I knew that if Joe went after him, it would only make things worse. What I wasn't prepared for was the naked pain in Joe's eyes and being able to sense his emotions as if they were my own.
 
Joe was hurt that André was the Walking Man and knowing him made this all the more personal. It will happen, as the Light has planned, I wanted to say. Instead, I whispered, "Joe, I am sorry."
 
Joe closed his eyes for a moment and replied in a shaky voice, "Mary, he was a friend of my father's. I knew him. I mean, I know him." He opened his eyes and looked past me at André walking away. "Why did you stop me?"
 
I dropped my hand from Joe's chest and said, "Joe, he was embarrassed at you giving him things. We should be glad that he took them at all."
 
I looked up to see two demons appear in a cloud of black behind André, dressed as teens in black leather. They pushed André and knocked the bags from his arms. The male teen shouted, "This is my park, old man! These belong to me!"
 
André said nothing, just shrugged and stepped back.
 
My head started pounding as I heard Gabriel yell, Stop! My eyes narrowed and before I even noticed he moved, Joe was halfway to André.
 
I screamed, "Joe, stop!"
 
I knew it was a demon ambush and started to run after Joe.
 
Buy it on sale:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Light-N/dp/1502438453 (99cents)
Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Princess-Light-N-ebook/dp/B00N19FDKO
 
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23009005-princess-of-the-light
 
 
Title: Thirsty for Water: A Short Story
Genre: Young Adult, Time Travel, Short Story
 
Book Blurb:
Juliet can’t wait to graduate from high school and finally move on with her life. Five more days and she’s free. She gazes out the window while her history teacher, Mrs. Johnson, drones on about war, famine and lack of water in Africa.
 
A gong rings, startling Juliet out of her daydream. She looks around to see if it was one of her classmates pulling a prank when a little boy carrying a spear appears. Is he a ghost or something more? He pleads for her help and before she can argue, she is transported to a small village in Africa. History comes alive like never before and Juliet must decide how she can help Noko and his village before it’s too late.
 
Thirsty for Water tells the story of Africa and the need for water in an approachable way for children of all ages. A great learning tool for teachers, parents and libraries.
 
Get it FREE:
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Thirsty-Water-Short-N-Light-ebook/dp/B00O98EL3Q?
 
 ​​

Love in Times of War: #NewRelease #HolidayRecipe #LuvNWar @jacqbiggar

​Hi, Jacquie! Thank you for stopping by today to share your yummy recipe and new release with the readers.

​The Christmas season is my favorite time of year. An air of festivity takes hold as stores bring out their holiday decorations and old time favorites play on the television.
One of my favorite Christmas recipes came from my grandmother, Waldorf salad. Every year I'd look forward to seeing that fancy glass bowl filled with chopped up apples taking pride of the place on our dining room table. It was Grandma's donation to our holiday dinner.
We've kept the tradition going, even though she passed away a few years ago. Now, when I look upon that simple bowl of salad every year, I feel her presence among us and smile.


WALDORF SALAD
6 Spartan or Mac Apples
3 Stalks Celery
1 cup Chopped Walnuts
1 cup Mayo, 2 tbs. sugar, 4 tbs. milk whipped together
 
Use lemon juice or citric acid to whiten apples.
Peel and chop apples and celery into bite-size pieces, sprinkle with lemon juice. Add walnuts. Stir in dressing and refrigerate until use. Enjoy. ​

Love in Times of War: boxed set romance bundle by Uvi Poznansky  (Author), Tamara Ferguson  (Author), Jacquie Biggar  (Author), D.G. Torrens  (Author), Angelica Kate (Author), Traci Hall  (Author), Jennifer St. Giles  (Author), Regina Puckett  (Author), Suzanne Jenkins  (Author), S.R. Mallery (Author), Susan Jean Ricci  (Author), PJ Fiala  (Author)
 
​
At no other point is passion put to the test as in dire times of war. From the American Civil War to WWII, from Vietnam to the War in Afghanistan to the Persian Gulf, the stories in this boxed set summon the strength of true lovers. Written by bestselling, award-winning, and USA Today authors, the novels and novellas in this collection tell of overcoming loss, injuries, and separation, to celebrate the victory of love.
If you like Military Romance, Wounded Warrior Romance, Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, or Romantic Suspense, this anthology invites you to triumph over the worst of conditions and find the courage to bring forth the best in us.
Buy Link:  Amazon
Love In Times of War is up for pre-order at any of these fine venues:

A Yummy #Recipe and a Little #Holiday Romance by Katherine Bone (@katherinelbone)

 Please welcome, Katherine Bone to the blog today. She dropped in to share her favorite recipe  and a little about her latest book. 
​
Thanks for welcoming me aboard ship, Lady Brenda. The holidays ARR a perfect time to celebrate romance and try out new things, especially recipes. Special thanks to Author Tina Gayle for organizing this #Holiday Romance and #Recipe Exchange. I’m looking forward to the tasty additions I’ll be adding to my recipe file! Huzzah!
As you can see, I love the holidays. ’Tis the season for sharing and I’m especially happy to reveal one of my all-time FAVorite recipes, one that comes from my days as an Army wife. This salad is a healthy and delicious addition to any meal, any time of the year. The reds and greens are super festive and punch up the color at the dinner table. I get loads of compliments on this one!
Dewitt Salad
Ingredients:
Head of Broccoli (small pieces)
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 cup Onion, chopped
½ cup Green Pepper, sliced
1 cup Red Grapes, halved
1 cup Green Grapes, halved
½ lb. Bacon, fried crisp
½ cup Pecan, optional
Dressing:
1/3 cup Sugar
1 cup Miracle Whip
1 tsp. Vinegar
 
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Best to prepare ingredients then add dressing closer to serving time.
 
When your feet are too tired to walk, your shopping is done, and you’ve got spare time on your hands, there’s nothing like diving into a good book. Here’s a peak at my latest release, The Pirate’s Debt, the continuing story of the Black Regent in my Regent’s Revenge Series.

​Lady Chloe Walsingham is an enthusiastic gothic romance reader and hopeless romantic focused solely on finding her perfect hero. She also happens to have a penchant for getting into trouble. So when the man she loves disappears after a scandalous duel, she decides to follow him to the ends of the Earth. To do so, however, Chloe must evade her brother, an infamous revenue man, and board a ship bound for Penzance. And nothing in her beloved books can prepare her for the harsh realities of wreckers who ply the coast.
After his father destroyed the lives of countless innocent people, Basil Halford, Earl of Markwick is willing to do anything to earn back his honor. Betrayed by his blood and his reputation ruined, Markwick answers the request of a well-heeled duke and dons the Black Regent’s mask to repay the debt. His task? Rescuing a young woman who is chasing down a ghost of a man.
But a pirate has plenty of enemies, and Markwick isn’t any different. No matter how diligent a captain he may be, sailing to Lady Chloe’s rescue involves risking not only the Regent’s legacy but the last thing he can afford to lose…his heart.
  
Amazon             Nook             Kobo             Apple
 
~ Excerpt ~
 
Seated in Markwick’s cutter, cloaked in his clothing, Chloe felt incredibly shallow. To think that she’d cast all inhibitions to the wind and sailed off for an enterprising adventure, only to need to be rescued by the very man she’d set out to find. Though she hadn’t known she’d be finding the Black Regent.
Regent sightings were rare for the average villager. She’d never known anyone who’d actually met the gallant hero that stole from the rich and gave to the poor.
Oh, to be sitting so near to him now, to have touched him, to be in love with him, is even more exceptional than I imagined it would be!
She fought to curb the jubilation pulsing through her veins, igniting her headstrong passions, and forced herself to remember this was all about her devotion to Markwick and the lives lost on the very ship on which she’d obtained passage. To anyone else, the Black Regent might be a dashing pirate who’d just plucked her off the Mohegan’s decks and saved her from certain death, but Markwick was also the man she loved.
She sighed, half trembling, half in despair. Unable to tear her gaze away, she desired to stretch out her fingers and touch the man, to assure herself that he wasn’t a figment of her imagination. What kind of nightmare would that be, to discover she was dreaming and that Markwick really wasn’t there?
Oh, but the blackguard truly was just as she’d envisioned! In her mind’s eye, he’d been a swashbuckling champion born from the pages of fiction and fantasy. Now, sitting before her, was the living man whose very existence defied her infatuations because he was the man she loved. Broad-shouldered, lean, with a firm authoritarian profile, he stood a head taller than she did, and oh . . . when he’d held her in his arms on board the Mohegan, a lightheaded euphoria had immediately stunned her. Markwick had stood behind her before but only to teach her how to shoot a bow and arrow. Not like this. Never like this!
Her gaze lowered to his upper arms. They were thick, flexing muscular limbs capable of sweeping her off her feet at a moment’s whim. And oh, she wanted to be his Matilda. She wanted him to be her Theodore.
Bother. Matilda and Theodore were Horace Walpole’s creations. She and Markwick lived in the real world. She inhaled a breath of frigid, moist, salty air.
Admit the truth, you silly girl. Markwick triggered breathless exhilaration and the unbridled beat fluttering within her breast, not the Black Regent. For her, there had always only been the Earl of Markwick. ​
National best-selling historical romance author Katherine Bone has been passionate about history since she had the opportunity to travel to various Army bases, castles, battlegrounds, and cathedrals as an Army brat turned officer’s wife. Who knew that an Army wife’s passion for romance novels would lead to pirates? Certainly not her rogue, whose Alma Mater’s adage is “Go Army. Beat Navy!” Now enjoying the best of both worlds, Katherine lives with her rogue in the south where she writes about rogues, rebels, and rakes—aka pirates, lords, captains, duty, honor, and country—and the happily-ever-afters that every alpha male and damsel deserve.
 
Ports of Call:
 
                            Website      Facebook- Official Fan Page      Twitter 
                                      Amazon Author Page      Goodreads

Thank you for allowing me to share one of my all-time FAVorite holiday recipes with you and your readers, Lady Brenda. I wish you all a very tasty and hearty holiday season!
Blessings,
Katherine

A Yummy #Holiday #Recipe and a Little Romance too From Trevan Rogers (@TrevannRogers)

Please welcome Trevann Rogers to the blog. She's sharing a yummy holiday treat and little about her latest book. 


After Midnight
Prequel to House of the Rising Son
Living After Midnight Series
Genre: Urban Fantasy
 
Improbable love. Impossible life. Immeasurable danger.
 
Jewell’s stepfather thinks she’s worthless. She agrees. When she looks in the mirror she sees an overweight, overemotional, overeating mess who can’t keep her fangs to herself.
 
Ria hails from a family of old world vamps who'd be happy to share their wealth with her, if only she’d fall in line. Fat chance, especially since being in that line includes not being gay.
 
Being in love is easy for Ria and Jewell—the young vampires belong together like vodka and tomato juice. Adding Cheyenne, a talented and sexy incubus, to their union is the hot sauce in their Bloody Mary. The only problem? Vampires and incubi are mortal enemies.
 
Despite the odds Ria, Jewell and Cheyenne find their way to happiness. But Jewell is hiding a huge secret, one that defies the laws of procreation: She’s going to have a baby.
 
While she tries to figure out how to break the unbelievable news to her lovers, a horror from Jewell’s past slithers into her present, forcing choices no one should have to make.
 
Will it be love or death? Happiness or safety? She has until dawn to decide...and it's already After Midnight.
~~
Excerpt:
The choice between staying in on a Saturday night to clean and going to see Cheyenne at his first real gig hadn’t been a complicated decision. He was a world-class rocker who could play the guitar like a fiend and had a voice that made you feel…everything. Or made you horny. And fuck if she didn’t love him. Damn incubus.
She reached across him and caressed Jewell’s side. Jewell’s eyes opened and she stared expressionless at the ceiling, hyper-alert to danger. It always took a few moments after resurrecting for her to remember where she was and who was with her, but since moving into their new home it seemed to take even longer.
Ria sighed. She’d do anything if it would help Jewell feel safe enough to die each dawn and awaken peacefully. “All is well, Babydoll. It’s just me. Time to rise and twinkle with the stars.”
“Already?” Jewell scrunched her eyes and blinked as if trying to focus them.
Cheyenne lay his head on the soft swell of Jewell’s belly. “Didn’t we just go to bed?”
Ria kissed his back and licked a slow trail down his spine. “Hours ago. Did we tucker out the poor little sex demon?”
“Not hardly, dead girl.”
She grabbed a fistful of his hair and turned him to face her. “That’s undead girl, thank you.” She bit his lower lip and let it drag between her teeth. “Show us what you’ve got left.”
~~
You can find After Midnight at Amazon
 
About Trevann
 
Trevann Rogers writes urban fantasy and LGBT paranormal romances. Her books include HOUSE OF THE RISING SON and its prequel novella, AFTER MIDNIGHT. Trevann's stories incorporate an unquenchable addiction to music and her love for vampires, Weres, incubi and rock stars. Like these elusive creatures, Trevann learned long ago that sometimes being yourself means Living After Midnight.
 
You can find Trevann online at:
www.trevannrogers.com
www.facebook.com/trevannr
www.pinterest.com/trevannr
Twitter: @TrevannRogers ​
​Apple Pie Bars
 
Ingredients
1 package sugar cookie mix
1 egg
1/2-cup butter, melted
3/4 of can of apple pie filling
2 tbsp. brown sugar
Ground cinnamon to taste
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 8 x 8 in baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine sugar cookie mix, egg and melted butter.  Set aside ONE cup. Press the rest of the dough into bottom of pan.
 
Spread apple pie filling over dough. Break reserved cup of dough into small pieces and distribute evenly on top of filling.
 
Combine brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of dough. Bake for 30 minutes or until edges are brown and dough is cooked through. (Depending on your oven this could take longer.)
 
If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream. (I highly recommend it.)

#Holiday #Recipe and a Little Romance from Alina K. Field (@AlinaKField)

Please welcome author Alina K. Field to the blog today. She dropped in to not only share her favorite holiday recipe but also her latest story. 

My sister-in-law gave me this recipe many years ago. With all the butter, nuts, and cream cheese, it’s rich and yummy, a holiday favorite at my house!
 
GOLDEN CUPS
 
Crust:
2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt
1 cup margarine or butter
1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
 
Cream together margarine and cheese. Add flour and salt. Mix and then chill dough a couple of hours. Once chilled, divide dough into 4 equal parts, then divide each part into 12 balls and place in miniature muffin tins, pressing around sides and bottom.
 
Filling:
2 eggs
1 ½ cup light brown sugar
2 tbsps melted margarine
1 ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
¼ tsp vanilla extract
 
Beat eggs, mix with remaining ingredients. Fill prepared muffin cups.
 
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from muffin tin. If desired, top with a sifting of powder sugar.



The Marquess and the Midwife
By Alina K. Field
​

​Tag:
Separated by lies, united by secrets


Logline:
Finding the woman he lost turned out to be easy. Winning her is another matter.


Blurb:
 Once upon a time, the younger brother of a marquess fell in love with his sister's companion. He was sent off to war, and she was just sent off, and they both landed in very different worlds. 
 
Now Virgil Radcliffe has returned from his self-imposed exile on the Continent to take up his late brother's title and discover the whereabouts of the only woman he's ever loved. 
 
Abandoned by her lover and dismissed by her employer, Ameline Dawes has found a respectable identity as a Waterloo widow, a new life as a midwife, and a safe, secure home for her twin girls. Called to London at Christmas to attend her benefactress's lying-in, she finds herself confronted by an unexpected house guest--a man determined to woo her anew and win her again. 
 
But, is loving the new Marquess of Wallingford a mistake Ameline cannot afford to repeat? 
 
Excerpt:
Ye gods, but her ladyship needed more maids, and a couple more footmen with both arms and both legs, at least for this type of fetching and carrying.
Ameline chided herself for being insensitive and balanced the steaming bucket. She set down the lamp momentarily to gather her skirts, along with the lamp handle.
A pair of men’s boots moved into view and the lamp bobbled. Fine boots they were.
She sighed, gritting her teeth. Lord Hackwell’s visits had unnerved his lady, and Ameline had counseled him to leave.
Very well, she’d thrown him out, once almost literally. He would wonder what she was doing below stairs. He might send for the accoucheur he was mumbling about, and his lady would not like it.
“I’ve just popped down to the kitchen for a word with Alton, my lord,” she said. “All is going well, except he’s a bit short on staff.”
“We have noticed that.”
The skin on her back rippled and she shivered. This wasn’t Hackwell—it was him.
Panic flared in her and her hands and ankles began to tingle. He carried no light. She let her own lantern dip lower and stepped to one side. What was he doing on the servants’ staircase in the middle of the night?
If he saw her, he would remember her, but he would not want to, unless he would think to befriend her again. Heat flamed in her.
She took in a breath. “Let me pass, Lord Hackwell,” she said.
“Let me carry that bucket for you.”
“No.” She forced in another breath, willing herself to speak calmly. “That is, no thank you. I shall send a servant for you when it is time.”
Footsteps scurried on the stairs. “Mrs. Dawes?” Jenny called, breathless.
Her heart raced again. She’d tarried too long in the kitchen. “I’ll be right—”
Heat touched her hand as the bucket came out. The lantern, too, lifted higher, and she looked up into the face of Lord Virgil Radcliffe, now the latest Lord Wallenford.
“Mrs. Dawes?” His eyes widened and then narrowed, and his lips curved down.
Anger spiked in her. “Lord Wallenford.”
He moved down to the step below her, putting them at eye level, and crowded her against the hand rail.
“Give me the bucket, sir. I can manage quite well without your help.” Quite, quite well.
“Can you, indeed?” he drawled, sounding just like his brother the day he’d sacked her.
Blast him. Blast the Wallenfords. Blast the Hackwells. “Alton has a bottle set out. Best go and fetch it.”
His lips quirked.
She gritted her teeth. “Give me the blasted bucket, Virgil.” 

Buy Links
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Award winning author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but her true passion is the much happier world of romance fiction. Though her roots are in the Midwestern U.S., after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California and hasn’t looked back. She shares a midcentury home with her husband, her spunky, blonde, rescued terrier, and the blue-eyed cat who conned his way in for dinner one day and decided the food was too good to leave.
 
She is the author of the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best winner, Rosalyn’s Ring, a 2015 RONE Award finalist, Bella’s Band, and a 2016 National Reader’s Choice Award finalist, Liliana’s Letter, as well as her latest release, The Marquess and the Midwife. She is hard at work on her next series of Regency romances, but loves to hear from readers!
 
Visit her at:
http://alinakfield.com/
https://www.facebook.com/alinakfield
https://twitter.com/AlinaKField
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173518.Alina_K_Field
https://www.pinterest.com/alinakf/
https://www.instagram.com/alinak.field/
​

Tina Gayle Shares a #Holiday #Recipe and Marketing Exec’s Widow #99cents @AuthorTinaGayle

​Quick Peach Cobbler
 
1 large can of peaches
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 box of vanilla wafers
1/4 cup of butter
 
Preheat the oven to 350.  Pour can peaches, sugar, and cinnamon in a casserole dish large enough to hold everything I use the 2quart size. After stirring these items together, then add most of the box of vanilla wafers, set enough aside to pull on top.  Once you have the wafers arranged on top, slice the butter in to small pieces and set on top of the wafers.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
 
Serve with ice cream or whipping cream.

​Four women... One fatal car wreck...
Everyone's lives changed...
 
Blurb --- "Marketing Exec’s Widow”
 
Letting go and rebuilding a life comes at a price.

Having come to terms with losing her husband, Jennifer is ready to move on, but she faces opposition from her friends, in-laws, and brother-in-la. He see himself as her future husband. None of them know of Jen’s marital problems and she is afraid of their reaction when they learn she has a date for Friday night?

Hagan Chaney is not anything like Craig. He tempts Jen into the future but is she willing to give love another chance after the heartache she faced the 1st time around?
 
 
Excerpt –
“Thank you.” Jen tilted her head and narrowed her gaze. His tall, lean form topped hers even with three-inch heels on, a welcome rarity from the men she usually met. In addition, he had strawberry-blond hair, a known weakness of hers. The reddish-gold locks danced along the collar of his black shirt, teasing her with the idea of running her hands through the thick mass. Her fingers twitched. She dropped her gaze. Tight jeans covered a round, squeezable butt. Hot awareness suddenly sizzled, stunning Jen with its power. She knotted her hands into fists and fought the unwelcome attraction.
No way, I’m his real estate agent, not his date for the evening. And it’s only been four months since...
 “Elkhorn’s main street isn’t large, but the Little League baseball field and the restaurants should attract people to the area.” Hagan’s dark brown…no, hazel, his eyes were hazel she realized abruptly when his gaze met hers. He cocked a brow. A sexy smile teased the corner of his lips. Oh, darn, the man had nailed her ogling his backside.
Heat burned her cheeks. The air between them sizzled. Goose bumps popped out on her arms. Her internal timer ticked off each day she’d gone without sex—well over a year.
His smile grew wider and visions of his mouth melting onto hers slammed home the impossibility of the situation.
Give it up, girl. It’s not happening.
She swallowed and searched the room for a distraction, some way to gain control of her raging hormones and maintain the professional image she’d strived so hard to develop the last five years. “I agree. It is in a great location.”
 
Purchase Links

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​ An author with over 30 books, Tina Gayle writes in a number of different genres: Romantic contemporary (as Tina Gayle) and  Erotic Romance. Her books range from contemporary, paranormal to mystery and suspense
As an indie author, she has worked hard to have a social presence and reach her readers. You can visit her website and read the 1st chapter of any of her books.  Or you can download a free ebook and join her newsletter group.
http://www.tinagayle.net//newsletter.html
 
Find Tina Gayle everywhere
 
Home - www.tinagayle.net
Blog - www.tinagayle.blogspot.com
Twitter - https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorTinaGayle
Goodread - http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1641826.Tina_Gayle
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/tina.gayle
​