Brenda Sparks's Blog, page 23

WACKY WEDNESDAY GIF TO MAKE YOU GIGGLE

Christmas decorating at our house.

A #Holiday #Recipe from romantic suspense author @Kris_Bock

Please welcome author, Kris Bock. She stopped by to share one of her favorite recipes and a little about her latest story. Welcome, Kris, let's start with your recipe.

Crock Pot Cheese Fondue Dip


This is a wonderful treat for a holiday party!

1 (10.75 oz) can cheddar cheese soup
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1/4 cup or more green chiles (these can often be found canned in the Mexican section of the grocery store)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. chives
1 Tbsp. garlic
Serve with corn chips, celery sticks, cauliflower, etc.


Combine all ingredients in a fondue pot or small crock pot.Heat on medium, stirring frequently, until smooth and well blended.Adjust heat to warm and serve in the pot, with chips or veggies on the side. If it starts to get too thick, stir in a little more milk.

​
 
See “the dead man’s treasure bonus material” in the left-hand column of Kris Bock’s website for more New Mexico recipes.
 
Photo credit: New Mexico green chile, by Littlemisslibrarian, Creative Commons License
 

​ The Mad Monk’s Treasure
 
The lost Victorio Peak treasure is the stuff of legends—a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. When Erin, a quiet history professor, uncovers a clue that may pinpoint the lost treasure cave, she prepares for adventure. But when a hit and run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?
 
Erin isn’t sure she can trust Drew with her heart, but she’ll need his help to track down the treasure. She heads into the New Mexico wilderness with her brainy best friend Camie and a feisty orange cat. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to sudden storms. Plus, the sinister men hunting Erin are determined to follow her all the way to the treasure, no matter where the twisted trail leads. Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight, but is she ready to risk her life—and her heart?
 
“The story has it all - action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship....”
 
“Great balance of history, romance, and adventure. Smart romance with an “Indiana Jones” feel.”
 
 Well-written with an attention to detail that allowed me to picture exactly in my head how a scene looked and played out.”


Excerpt:
 
Among all the legends, all the fact and fiction, one story stood out. The Victorio Peak legend had it all. A Franciscan priest and a swindler. Torture, murder, a government cover-up. Where was the truth, among all the stories? Erin wanted to find out. Over time, and with Camie’s encouragement, she’d started to take the treasure hunt more seriously. It wasn’t so much for the treasure itself—that would most likely belong to the government or the landowners. But it would make her reputation, open up new job opportunities—change her life in ways she hardly dared dream.
 
She touched the book gently. The pages were falling out; she didn’t want to risk carrying it around. Instead, Erin snapped a picture of the petroglyphs with her phone. That would be enough to show Camie for now.
 
The timing was perfect; she just had to turn in grades and field a few tearful last-minute requests for extensions, and she’d be done for the semester. What better way to spend the summer, than hunting for buried treasure?
 
Erin shook her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such an adventure?
 
 Erin wheeled the bike around the front of her house and mounted. At the corner, she paused and looked both ways. The long frontage road was dangerously narrow, with a cement wall on one side and a ditch on the other. Fortunately, traffic was normally light, and at this time of day the road lay empty. Erin pushed off, still grinning from her find. She rode on the right side, by the ditch, instead of facing traffic, because it was just too frightening to ride alongside the wall when a car passed.
 
She’d gone a block when she heard the hum of a car engine as it pulled out from a side street behind her. She rode along the very edge of the pavement, even though the car would have plenty of room to pass her without oncoming traffic.
 
Erin glanced over her shoulder. The black SUV 20 feet behind her hadn’t bothered to pull out into the road at all. Jerk. When would drivers learn to share the road with bicyclists? Erin pulled onto the two-foot wide gravel strip between the pavement and the ditch. She couldn’t stop without risking a skid, but she slowed so the SUV could pass.
 
The engine roared. Erin glanced back again.
 
Black metal bore down on her. Her heart lurched and the bike wobbled. This guy was crazy! She whipped her gaze forward, rose up in the seat, and pumped the pedals with all her power, skimming along inches from the ditch. He was just trying to scare her. She’d get his license plate and—
 
She felt the bumper hit her back tire. The bike seemed to leap into the air, and she went flying. The dried mud and weeds of the ditch seemed to rise up to meet her.
  
She didn’t even have time to scream.
​Kris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.
 
Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.
 
Get The Mad Monk’s Treasure for FREE!
 
Instafreebie is quick and convenient for people to grab their favorite file type, and you can even set it up so it knows your preference. Feel free to grab a copy! Honest reviews are always appreciated.
 

A Yummy #Holiday #Recipe and a Little Romance too from M.S. Kaye

Happy Holidays!
I hope you enjoy this recipe. I’m rather picky about my cookies; of course, anything with sugar is probably good, but I like soft cookies much more than crispy and dry. This recipe delivers.
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1½ cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 bag desired chips
Drop onto a cookie sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes at 400°.
Now for a great book to read while you eat these delicious cookies! Once & Forever is the 3rd book in my Once series, but each of them is a standalone read.
Once & Forever
book 3
by M.S. Kaye
​Who is the mysterious Santa who leaves toys on the convent steps?
After a twelve-year separation, Eden is finally reunited with her brother, Thomas, but why hadn’t she reached out to him in all those years? Eden, a nun, is constantly struggling against her dark past of living on the streets, and her attraction to Trace, an ex-convict farm worker. As Eden and Trace confess their pasts to each other and grow closer, will they be able to resist getting too close?
​
Amazon  |  Kobo  |  iBooks  |  Goodreads

 Once, book 1
Her first and also her once.
Jonathan and Rebecca’s paths cross at exactly the right moment, when each most needs to hear what the other has to say.
But Jonathan is three days from entering the priesthood, and Rebecca leaves him to his peace. But he is unable to find peace.
Without each other’s comfort and strength, they must each struggle to forge a new path, with only memories of the one day that changed everything.
But are they able to forget and let go?
​Amazon  |  Kobo  |  iBooks  |  B&N  |  ARe  |  Goodreads
Once & Again, book 2
​She was once his secret desire… Will she be again?
Father Aiden, an ex-marine and new priest, falls in love with Maylynn, but he struggles to stay away from her. He’s successful for many years, though he can’t keep her out of his dreams.
Then one day she shows up for a pre-marital counselling session with her fiancé, Davis. Aiden soon realizes Davis isn’t who he says he is, but what does that mean for Maylynn, and for himself?
​Amazon  |  B&N  |  iBooks  |  Kobo  |  ARe  |  Goodreads
Excerpt book 3:
“You know what he did to git sent to prison?” one of the convenience store clerks murmured to the other.
Trace could just hear them over the horrible rendition of “Jingle Bells” playin’ through the speakers. He ignored them, like he always did. He tried to come into town late in the evening to avoid people as much as possible, but that also meant it was quiet enough that he could often hear what people murmured about him. Once he’d grabbed some protein bars and a can of beer, he headed up to the counter to pay.
The clerk with a buzz-cut told him the total, and Trace handed him some cash.
Neither of the clerks made eye contact with him, but they both hovered over the cash register as if he might snatch it and run.
Buzz-cut closed the cash drawer right quick and handed Trace’s change back.
“Thank you.” Trace stuffed the change in his pocket, took the bag of protein bars in one hand and his beer in the other, and walked out of the store.
He headed for the back lot toward the alley. He could get through most of downtown by way of the alley. This late at night it was almost too dark to see where he was goin’, but that was part of what he liked about it.
“Bitch,” someone growled. And then the sound of something—or someone—smacking into the brick wall of the back of the convenience store.
Trace moved more quickly and turned the corner, and he caught sight of a skinny, young woman punching a man in the face. His head snapped back. But then another man slammed his fist across her jaw. She looked so frail that the punch seemed like shooting a cannon ball at a piece of notebook paper.
“Hey!” Trace roared and ran at them. “Git away from her.” Author Bio:
M.S. Kaye has several published books under her black belt. A transplant from Ohio, she resides with her husband Corey in Jacksonville, Florida, where she tries not to melt in the sun. Find suspense and the unusual at www.BooksByMSK.com.
To receive news on upcoming releases, sign up for email updates on her website.
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Google+  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  TSU  |  Pinterest  |  LinkedIn

A Yummy #Holiday #Recipe and a Little Romance Too From Linda McLaughlin

Romance Super Bundle 4: Endless Love
By Dale Mayer, Lois Winston, Donna Marie Rogers, Amy Gamet, Stacey Joy Netzel, Edie Ramer, Wendy Ely, Linda McLaughlin, Ava Bradley, and Georgina Lee
 
The USA Today bestselling bundle is back again! From hot Navy SEALS and secret babies to amnesia, small towns and bad guys in pursuit, you're sure to find all your romance novel favorites in this set of ten full-length novels.

 SEALs OF HONOR: MASON, Dale Mayer—Kill or be Killed. Part of an elite SEAL team, Mason takes on the dangerous jobs no one else wants to do – or can do. When he’s on a mission, he’s focused and dedicated. When he’s not, he plays as hard as he fights. Until he meets a woman he can’t have but can’t forget.
 
FINDING HOPE, Lois Winston (writing as Emma Carlyle)—When Hope lands her dream job, she doesn’t expect to fall for her married boss and keeps her feelings to herself, even after his wife walks out on him and their triplets. Ben finds himself developing feelings for Hope he knows better than to act on, given past mistakes. But three very determined tykes are out to find everyone a happy ending.
 
NEVER LET ME GO, Donna Marie Rogers—Hannah Porter’s had a crush on Sheriff Chase Lowell since she was a kid, which seems to be the problem—he thinks of her more as a little sister than a romantic interest. But something changes following a robbery at the diner where she works. When Chase makes her safety his personal mission, Hannah makes it her mission to get him to see her in a different light.
 
STRANDED WITH THE SEAL, Amy Gamet— Former Navy SEAL Trevor “Hawk” Hawkins is on an unsanctioned mission to take down the man who killed his teammate. But when his car careens into another on a snowy mountain road, he finds himself stranded with a beautiful woman who has no memory of her life. The storm outside worsens and passion flares between them, but the woman's true identity has the power to destroy them both.
 
AUTUMN WISH, Stacey Joy Netzel—secret baby with a twist...Confirmed bachelor Sam Mallin hasn’t the first clue how to care for the baby girl dropped on his doorstep. When his beautiful neighbor Nikki offers to help, he finds himself falling for both females. Is it possible Nikki’s falling for him, too, or is he just the convenient, ready-made family she so desperately wishes for?
 
TRUTH ABOUT LOVE & MURDER (Love & Murder Book 1), Edie Ramer—The truth is that life is uncertain. Meg Quinn is co-guardian of her dying best friend’s son along with her friend’s brother, a former Marine. As the couple search for a missing veteran, they find out the truth about life and love … and murder.
 
SPLIT DECISION, Wendy Ely— Sports reporter Grace Avery is up for a promotion, but only if she gets an interview with the notoriously private, heavy weight champion, Rally Brewer. Grace discovers who Rally is beyond the boxing ring. Little does anyone know, as Grace gets Rally to open up, a two-year-old secret is in jeopardy. Is revealing his secret worth gaining Grace’s love?
 
LILY AND THE GAMBLER, Linda McLaughlin—Respectability is in the eye of the beholder, or so Lily hopes. After her lover’s death she pretends to be his widow and travels to California to marry a mine owner. Then she meets King Callaway, a charming gambler. King knows he’s found his Queen of Hearts. But can he convince her to take a chance on a foot-loose card sharp? Only Lady Luck knows for sure...
 
EDGE OF MIDNIGHT, Ava Bradley—A wounded cop, a frightened woman, a desperate race to save a child in danger….Two people adrift in their own personal tragedies join together to save an innocent child from a power-hungry geneticist intent on creating a superior race. A Golden Heart award winner.
 
DEATH ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, Georgina Lee—Tetra Martin finds her roommate dead in a cave accessible only at low tide…and learns she’s the main suspect. Her only hope is David Haines, her sexy supervisor who keeps her at a distance. But as the tide rises, so does Tetra’s desire for him. Along with the killer’s intent to make Tetra the next victim. USA Today Bestselling author.
 
Release date Nov. 28, 2016; available for pre-order now at:
 
Amazon: 
BN/Nook:  
iBooks: 
Kobo: 
 
Add to your TBR shelf at Goodreads: Goodreads: 
​
​Excerpt from Lily and the Gambler by Linda McLaughlin, 
Sensual Western Historical Romance
 
(In this excerpt, Lily has agreed to an evening stroll on a riverboat with a charming stranger.)
 
Lily entered her private cabin, removed her hat, sat at the marble-topped dressing table, and studied her reflection in the mirror. She hoped this wasn’t a mistake. A proper widow would have refused Mr. Callaway’s suggestion outright, but Lily had rarely done anything proper in her life.
 
And, at this point, she was weary of her own company. On the long journey, she’d forced herself to remain aloof from the mostly male passengers. From the start, she’d seen the speculative glances cast her way and decided it best not to encourage any of them. Her image as a respectable widow was at stake. So she was left with only her maid, Molly, who had shared her Spartan cabin, for company. She would have dispensed with a maid to save a bit of money, but Uncle Arthur had insisted, even sending some money to help with her expenses.
Since Molly abandoned her for a fast-talking sailor, Lily had to be more cautious of her reputation than ever. She couldn’t let herself be taken in by a charming and handsome man. And Creighton Callaway qualified in both categories with his dark curly hair, hazel eyes and a ready smile. Though he dressed like a gentleman, in a black suit and frilled white shirt, she suspected he was a rogue at heart.
 
Outwardly, he appeared to be the complete opposite of Nigel. He was dark, the shadow of his beard giving him a manly aura, whereas Nigel had been fair and blue-eyed with a light beard. But like Nigel, Callaway had the devil dancing in his green-gold eyes. She should stay in her cabin, but she didn’t want to be alone, and a few minutes of flirting should cause no harm.
Leaving her hat behind, Lily slowly strolled from her small cabin on the texas deck on her way to meet Creighton Callaway. He was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairway to the main deck. He smiled and offered his arm.
 
Lily placed her hand in the crook of his arm, enjoying the feel of his strong muscles. As they began to stroll along the deck, she caught a whiff of bay rum, and felt a twinge of sadness. She had always identified that scent with Nigel. It had been a long time since she’d been this close to an attractive man, and she felt both giddy and guilty. After all, it had only been ten months since his death. Was it so wrong for her to enjoy some masculine company? He certainly would not have waited had she been the one to die.
 
What about the man I’m now supposed to marry? What would he think of my behavior? With that disconcerting thought, she slipped her hand from his arm.
 
Available now at Amazon Kindle US: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MYMEKMD/ 
Coming soon to other online retailers. Linda’s Original Holiday Recipe:
 
Lyndi's Cranberry-Blueberry Delight
 
Ingredients:
1 14 oz. can of Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1 package of fresh blueberries (about 4 oz.)
1 cup of golden raisins
 
Mix, chill and serve. That's it!
 
The recipe serves 8-10 ladies. (The attached photo doesn't reflect the full recipe. It's what is left over after a couple of days of snacking on it.) I’ve also spread it on turkey sandwiches in lieu of regular cranberry sauce.
 
Since it's so simple, it's easy to experiment. Add nuts for crunch or sweeten to taste, if it's too tart. I'm thinking about adding some of those little marshmallows next time for color and sweetness.
​Author bio:
 
Linda McLaughlin grew up with a love of books and history, so it's only natural she prefers writing historical romance. She loves transporting her readers into the past where her characters learn that, in the journey of life, love is the sweetest reward. Linda also writes steamy to erotic romance under the name Lyndi Lamont, and is one half of the writing team of Lyn O'Farrell. A native of Pittsburgh, PA. she now lives in Southern California.
 
You can find her online at http://lindalyndi.com
Blog: http://lindalyndi.com/reading-room-blog/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LindaMcLaughlinAuthor
Twitter: @Lyndi Lamont https://twitter.com/LyndiLamont

​#Holiday #Recipe #Tirgearr Romantic Suspense Spotlight on Deadly Alliance @RowlandKathleen

Please welcome Kathleen Rowland, author of heart-stopping action-packed romantic suspense.  Kathleen rings in the holidays with healthy Goat Cheese Tartlets with Spiced Apple-Fig Compote.  This festive appetizer is 50 calories per serving and makes 30 tartlets.  Ingredients
•    30 item(s) mini phyllo shell(s)
•    1/3 cup(s) fat-free cream cheese, softened
•    5 1/3 Tbsp soft-type goat cheese, softened (1/3 cup)
•    1 item(s) egg white(s)
•    2 Tbsp honey
•    1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
•    2 medium Granny Smith apple, peeled, coarsely grated (about 3/4 cup)
•    1/2 cup(s) jam, fig variety
•    1/8 tsp ground allspice
•    1/4 cup(s) mint leaves, fresh, for garnish
Instructions
1.    Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange phyllo shells on a cookie sheet.
2.    In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, goat cheese, egg white, honey and flour until thick and creamy, about 5 to 6 minutes; spoon 1 teaspoon of filling in each shell. Bake until set, about 15 minutes; remove from oven and let cool.
3.    Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine apple, jam and allspice; set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until jam melts and mixture thickens slightly (juice from apples will evaporate); remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Just before serving, spoon 1 teaspoon apple compote onto each tart; garnish with mint. Yields 1 tartlet per serving. 

Now a little about Kathleen's BOok, Deadly Alliance, On Sale for only $0.99! Blurb for Deadly Alliance
Finbar Donahue, former Army Ranger, walked on the wild side in Iraq, but now he lives in the shadows. After his evasive partner, Les, was shot in a random drive-by, Finn discovers cash is siphoned monthly. He fights to keep his investment company afloat. When the late partner’s girlfriend, Amy Kintyre, applies for his bookkeeping job, Finn suspects she knows about his company drain and hires her.
Amy needs a nine-to-five with free evenings and weekends to get her fashion design business back on track. She unearths Les’ s secret bank account and alerts Finn. Freezing of the money laundering account sets off havoc within an Irish gang. Amy witnesses a gang fight between a brutal ISIS fundraising organization and the Irish. Desperate to escape a stalker’s crosshairs, she seeks refuge with Finn. As danger heats up, sparks fly hotter.

Deadly Alliance Excerpt:
The front door opened. 
“Sorry, we’re closed.” Holding a broom, the owner of the bar swept behind the bar. Burlie didn’t look up.
Finn stepped closer. Drunken merrymakers, they were not. His heart hammered like it was stuck in overdrive.
“We offer protection.” Speaking with a Spanish accent, the shortest of the trio dressed like the others, and donned the ISIS-style  black ski mask.  
“I have protection.” Burlie’s big mouth nailed his coffin.
A second thug grabbed the bartender’s hand and pulled out clippers. “You’ll change your mind, one finger at a time.” 
“I just paid the Irish.” Panic burrowed into Burlie’s high-pitched cry. He thrashed his arms as he tried to pull his hand back.
“Us you pay.”  His utterance with the object in the first position identified him as an Arab speaker.  Light glinted off shiny metal.  The thug pulled a combat knife, grabbed Burlie’s arms, spun him, put the blade to his neck. Finn dialed 911 and then shouted, “Finn Donahue here. Gang trouble. Burlie’s Jazz Club.”  To grab their attention even more, he heaved in a breath and released a long whistle. His distraction worked. 
Burlie broke from the hold, and Finn thanked God for the curious. 
“Where are you?” Heavy boots pounded toward him.
Finn’s phone vibrated, but he killed the call and darted into the first door he saw, the one with the frosted pink window. He spotted Amy at the sink and pointed his index finger up.
He took off his coat and wrapped it around his fist. After rapping on the glass, he wound up and threw a hard punch through the window. Glass splintered as he connected with the thug’s nose. Prepared to jump aside, he opened the door.
Amy followed and jumped over the guy spread on the floor, holding a hand over his bleeding nose.
 He struggled to stand. Finn patted him down, took his gun, and pointed it at him. After the guy stood, Finn walked him to a chair. “Don’t move.”
“I’ll phone the police.” A high-pitched squeal came from the back of her throat. “Never mind. Police are here.”
From the street, the blue light of a cop car radiated across the club’s interior like a strobe. Uniforms burst through the door.
The first officer made radio contact with homicide, and the second, much younger, rushed to the nearest thug and pulled out flex-cuffs.
“Stand over there, Amy.” Finn motioned toward a corner.
She rolled her eyes and dashed toward Burlie who wrestled with the Arab and tried to keep him from moving toward the young rookie. Amy pulled an item from her purse. A Swiss army knife? Out came a miniature cork screw. 
The rookie cop turned the Arab around to be handcuffed and leaned him against a wall. The thug used the hard surface as leverage to throw himself against him.
Finn saw it coming. A switchblade sprung from the Arab’s sleeve. In a split second, he drove it into the cop’s shoulder, but Amy stabbed him in the back with the wine opener.
The Arab spun and pulled a knife from his jeans’ pocket. Amy dodged, but he thrust it into a cop’s gut before running.
Finn waited for an opening and shot him in the hip.
 Howling about uncivilized barbarians, he dropped.
Up from his chair, the loser with the broken nose swung his fists, raining blows and a kick to the nuts which Finn deflected.
“Don’t make me shoot you.” Finn stunned him with a chop to the neck, caught him in a headlock. With a gun at his back, he marched him forward.
Amy broke into the center of the room and turned around, taking in the menacing scene. The girl-next-door had street smarts, competency with the corkscrew, and fearless determination.
He walked over and touched her weapon-holding hand. “You didn’t have pocket-knife experience on your resume.” It didn’t make her invincible. Nor did it mean he should hire her.
She shook her head. “Never used it this way. It’s handy when hiking She looked at her pocket knife, folded and stuffed it in her pocket.  Her eyes blinked in frenzy in spite of her bravery.
Buy links:
Amazon US 
Amazon UK
Nook
​
​How about romantic travel to Lake Arrowhead, California, where Deadly Alliance takes place?  Fall colors mix with evergreens around this pristine mountain lake. Bring a picnic basket and rent a pontoon!
Book Buyers Best finalist Kathleen Rowland is devoted to giving her readers fast-paced, high-stakes suspense with a sizzling love story sure to melt their hearts.   Lily’s Pad and the Intervenus Series: A Brand New Address and Betrayal at Crater’s Edge are sweet.  Deadly Alliance and her work-in-progress, Unholy Alliance, are contracted with Tirgearr Publishing and written for adults.
Kathleen used to write computer programs but now writes novels.   She grew up in Iowa where she caught lightning bugs, ran barefoot, and raced her sailboat on Lake Okoboji.  Now she wears flip-flops and sails with her husband, Gerry, on Newport Harbor but wishes there were lightning bugs in California.
Kathleen exists happily with her witty CPA husband, Gerry, in their 70’s poolside retreat in Southern California where she adores time spent with visiting grandchildren, dogs, one bunny, and noisy neighbors.  While proud of their five children who’ve flown the coop, she appreciates the luxury of time to write.  If you’d enjoy news,  sign up for Kathleen’s newsletter at http://www.kathleenrowland.com/
Tirgearr Publishing - Leading The Pack
You can find Kathleen at these wonderful site:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/786656.Kathleen_Rowland
http://www.amazon.com/Kathleen-Rowland/e/B007RYMF7S/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1450835163&sr=1-2-ent
https://twitter.com/rowlandkathleen
https://kathleenrowland.wordpress.com/
http://www.kathleenrowland.blogspot.com
https://www.facebook.com/kathleen.rowland.50

WACKY WEDNESDAY GIF TO MAKE YOU GIGGLE

Thanksgiving at our house. 

A YUMMY #HOLIDAY #RECIPE AND A LITTLE ROMANCE TOO FROM Anita Philmar

Please welcome, Anita Philmar to the blog. She stopped in to share her favorite holiday recipe and a little about her latest book. Enjoy! Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Oatmeal no bake cookies.
 
1 stick of butter
 
1/2 cup brown sugar
 
1/2 peanut butter
 
2 oz of chocolate unsweetened chocolate
 
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
3 cups oatmeal old fashion
 
melt butter and add brown sugar, stir and microwave 30 seconds. Break up unsweetened chocolate and stir into butter and sugar mixture. Microwave 15 seconds at a time until chocolate is melted.
Add peanut butter and vanilla - stir until smooth
 
Add oatmeal.
 
Stir until oatmeal is coated.
Then cover cookie sheet with parchment paper, drop spoonful onto parchment paper.
 
Place pan of cookies in freezer and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
 
Eat when ready.
 
Other alternatives reduce oatmeal 1/2 cup before add one of the alternatives
 
1/2 cup nuts
1/2 cup coconut    The Warrior in Me – Erotic Murder Mystery/ Romantic suspense
 
Blurb:
 
Special Security Agent Sebastian Berlin is eager to track down his partner's killer. Instead, he’s assigned the job of baby-sitting a scientist. His boss thinks she's the key to an Ancient Warrior Prophecy. Science never interested Sebastian, but the know-it-all female standing at the end of his Alaskan dock could persuade him to do a little experimenting. That is, if he can keep his Neanderthal Warrior genes from taking control.
DNA specialist Lily Sinclair is in need of a vacation, or so her over-protective ex-husband tells her. Arriving in chilly Alaska instead of sunny Cancun, she's tired and cranky and so not in the mood for her bodyguard's he-man tactics. Still, there's something about the sexy eye-candy that makes her want to lick him all over even as she's demanding to go home.
 
Then Lily's ex is poisoned, and Sebastian is certain the two murders are connected and she could be next. She knows he's hiding something, but with the worldwide release of Neanderthal DNA project only days away, she has no choice but to trust him to protect her. But can she trust him with her heart?
 
 
Excerpt:
 
She blinked.
He had to be joking.
Lifting her hand to her chest, she sputtered, “Excuse me, what did you say?”
“Cain was murdered outside your lab.” He rephrased the sentence, but her brain registered only one word…—murdered.
She jumped to her feet and planted her hands on his desk. “Why didn’t anyone tell me this before now?” She glanced around for her purse. “I need to call Mark. We have to call the police and find out what the hell happened. Did they break into the lab?”
Without waiting for his reply, she turned and headed back down the hallway to where he’d left her suitcase. She didn’t see her handbag anywhere near it. Did she leave it in the small, tin-bucket-sized plane? Or had Bruce left it on the dock?
Desperate for answers to a whole host of questions, she rushed outside. “Damn it, Bruce, how do you expect me to stay in touch with home if you fly off with my purse?”
 
 
Now available at 
 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M9C5QLQ
 
http://wildcatalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-erotic/4749-the-warrior-in-me.html
 
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-warrior-in-me-anita-philmar/1124858213?ean=2940156758746
 
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-warrior-in-me-1
 
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewarriorinme-2158657-153.html
​Bio Anita Philmar
 
Anita Philmar likes to create stories that push the limit. A writer by day and a dreamer by night she wants her readers to see the world in a new way.
Influenced by old movies, she likes to develop places where anything can happen and where special moments come to life in a great read.
Naughty or Nice?
Read her books and decide.
 
Website:  http://www.anitaphilmar.com/
Email: anitaphilmar@yahoo.com
Blog: http://www.anitaphilmar.blogspot.com/
FB: www.facebook.com/anita.philmar
GR: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1329767.Anita_Philmar
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitaphilmar
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Anita-Philmar/e/B002BMBE8C
 ​

A Yummy #Recipe and a little #Holiday Seduction by DW Adler

Please welcome author DW Adler to the blog. He stopped in to share a favorite holiday recipe and a little about his book. Enjoy!
​


​Recipe:
In honour of my Irish main character, I present a holiday treat from Ireland!
 
Porter Cake (from olums.ie/recipies/porter-cake/)
 

INGREDIENTS:
 
450g / 1lb Odlums Cream Plain Flour
Pinch of Salt
1 level teaspoon Baking Powder
1 level teaspoon Mixed Spice
225g / 8oz Sugar
225g / 8oz Butter
450g / 1lb Sultanas
125g / 4oz Candied Peel
300ml / 1/2 pint Guinness (Porter)
2 Eggs (beaten)
 
METHOD:
 
Preheat oven 180°C/350°F
Line a 20cm/8″ round cake tin with greaseproof paper.
Sieve the flour, salt, baking powder and mixed spice into a bowl and add the sugar.
Rub in the butter and add the fruit and mix.
Add the porter to the beaten eggs and add to fruit mixture.
Mix well.
Transfer to the prepared tin and bake for approximately 2 hours.
Place on a low shelf position in the oven.
 
NOTES:
Check cake after an hour and if it is browning too quickly, cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper until baked.

Title: The Spring of Seduction (Shelter from the Winter series Book 1)
Author: DW Adler
Genre: Paranormal LGBTQS
Romance/Erotica

 
Book Blurb:
Brijit McRaith has been on the run for centuries. Pursued by her mad creator for most of her years as a vampire, she has finally found peace and sanctuary in her native Ireland. But a modern world on the brink of war has caught up with her and after decades of quiet, Brijit finds herself on the run again. To add to her personal chaos, she becomes smitten with mortal Kelly O'Donnell, and Brijit’s initial plans to lay low fall by the wayside. With an uncertain future ahead of her, can Brijit protect her newfound love from a world on the edge of destroying itself?
 
This book contains scenes of explicit erotica and is meant for readers 18 years of age or older.
 
Buy links:
From my publisher, eXtasy Books
Amazon
Smashwords
Apple iBooks
Kobo:

Excerpt:
   Brijit reached up and put her hand behind Kelly’s head, intertwining her fingers with curly locks of dark red hair. “You feel it too, don’t you?”
   Kelly’s breathing quickened and her cheeks burned red as Brijit’s touch made her body tense with conflicting emotions. Her eyes closed halfway and the fear started to morph into something resembling ecstasy. “Uh huh,” she murmured. “What have you been doing to me all evening? I can’t think straight when you look at me.”
   Brijit stroked Kelly’s hair, pulled her hand away and pushed her fingers back through the strands, starting at her temples and ending at the back of her head. Her fingertips pressed into Kelly’s scalp with the slightest of pressure, which excited the nerves in her skin. “I’m not doing anything. I don’t do vampire mind tricks. I feel this connection with you…it’s rare that it’s this strong. There haven’t been many over the centuries that make me feel like this.” 
   Kelly looked into the green eyes and felt the fear and terror turn to waves of want and lust. She brought her hands to Brijit’s face, feeling the soft yet strong skin so very cold beneath her fingertips. Brijit smiled and leaned in slowly. Her lips found Kelly’s. Slowly, she brushed by them.
   Kelly felt her breathing quicken as the vampire teased her, their mouths hovering near each other. Finally she moved in closer, craving the touch of Brijit’s lips. She pressed into them gently and felt their softness meet her own in a kiss that was gentle yet tentative at the same time… Author Bio:
DW Adler ("Call me Don") was born and raised in beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada. After receiving a degree in psychology and an almost-minor in Irish Studies, he learned how to fix computers. He now sweats profusely in Florida where he does IT support for a living when he's not writing.
Don counts such authors as Anne Rice, JRR Tolkien, and Edgar Allan Poe, as well as a love for Irish/Celtic myth and folklore as his influences. He loves to read sci-fi, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, and anything having to do with vampires.
Other than sipping tea and writing, Don dabbles in computer animation and graphic design, is a doting father to his little girl, and a loving husband. He is constantly plotting how to get back home to Nova Scotia and flees there whenever the sight of snow becomes a necessity.
No, he will not fix your computer.
 
Author Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/D.-W.-Adler/e/B00BFFUUJU/
Website: http://www.dw-adler.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdlerDW
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dw.adler.5
Google+: https://google.com/+DWAdler
​

WACKY WEDNESDAY GIF TO MAKE YOU GIGGLE

How I feel when I realized Christmas is just around the corner.

WACKY WEDNESDAY GIF TO MAKE YOU GIGGLE

It's the most wonderful time of the year AND it's almost here. Can't wait!!