Krista Ames's Blog, page 94

Author, author... Elaine Calloway & EARTHBOUND

...read all about it !!





BLURB:
Some say history repeats itself, but for Terran, an Earth Elemental, history has returned and slapped
him in the face. Along the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, the Acobi Fallen Angels have decided to go underground–literally. They are resurrecting an old legend, shanghaiing innocent people into slavery. Underage girls are trapped and kept in holding cells, ready to be sold into the sex trade. Terran must stop the Acobi and keep the public away from the Shanghai tunnels, all while keeping his supernatural powers hidden. 

Kelly Habersham, overachieving real estate developer, has finally convinced her father and brothers to give her the Portland condo project, which would require extensive construction near the tunnels. Determined to impress her father and make a name for herself in the family business, she is not about to let a Save-the-Earth guy get in her way.
Terran and Kelly must work together and come to a truce–or they may be the next shanghai victims.
 


Elaine Calloway 
 Crafting Stories of the Living, the Dead, and the Eerie In Between.
Elaine Calloway grew up in New Orleans with a love of cemeteries, gothic architecture, and all things paranormal. She is currently writing The Elemental Clan Series, a good vs. evil set of tales involving Elementals and Fallen Angels. For more information and to connect with Elaine online, visit her website at  http://www.elainecalloway.com.      Follow Her!
Twitter – http://twitter.com/writerscanvasFacebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorelainecallowayMy Pinterest Page – http://pinterest.com/elainecalloway/Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13256243-elaine-calloway    GIVEAWAY!!
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Author, author.... Maddie James and The Matchmaking Chef Series

...read all about it !!   Please welcome the fabulous Maddie James !!




Who is Suzie Matthews, Anyway?
Hello, Maddie James here. There is a woman in my head who refuses to leave me alone. Her book has been written. And written. I gave her a man in Bed, Breakfast & You . I gave back her relationship with her long lost sister in Home for the Holidays . I even gave her an entire eight-novella series in The Matchmaking Chef collection. But she has more stories to tell, obviously, because her bugging hasn’t let up.
Her name is Suzie Matthews, and I’ve decided to get to the bottom of why this woman refuses to let go. Short and sweet, this is an interrogation, more than an interview (I think!?). Let that be known for the record.
MJ: Hi Suzie. It’s great to talk with you again. (like we don’t talk all the time, you are always in my head…) I was wondering why you love to occupy that space in my brain so much. I mean, it’s like you’ve camped out there….
SM: Well, Maddie, here is the deal. I like you. I like that you invented me, and I like that you want to be like me when you grow up. You see, I am really so much like you, and maybe we are twins, or something. Bonded, you know? That’s why I stick around.
MJ: But you are strawberry blonde. I’m brunette. We can’t be twins.
SM: Oh, sure we can! It goes much deeper than hair color, you know.
MJ: How so?
SM: Well, you and I, were think alike. We’re two peas in a pod. We cohabitate in the same brain, in many respects. You’re already said it—I am the you, that you want to be when you grow up. When will you grow up, Maddie?
MJ: *ahem* That’s a rather personal question, isn’t it? Who is interrogating who here?
SM. *laughing* No need for interrogation. I am an open book. Can you say that about yourself, MJ?
MJ: *silence*
SM: Well?
MJ: I am sooo an open book.
SM: Really. I am not so sure.
MJ: We are not here to talk about me, Mrs. Matthews. So let’s get back to the subject at hand. Here is what I want to know. For how long are you going to live in my brain? I have given you prominent billing in 10 stories now. Is there more to come?
SM: *laughs again* Maddie, my dear. You have the answer to that tucked away in your brain, don’t you? You know better than I do. You, of course, created me.
MJ: That I did. But I want your input. How many more stories, Suzie?
SM: Oh, all right. So let’s just get to it. Here is the deal, Maddie. I love the cooking gig, and I’ll never tire of living at Legend’s Landing B&B, but I am ready to ditch the show on the Food Channel. Brad is getting tired of me running off to New York for taping, now and again, and since we landed that deal with the home shopping channel, that’s taken up a lot of my time, too. And…I’m really, really tired of the matchmaker gig. It is sooo time consuming. What I really want to do now is stay home, be a mom to Petey (and maybe have another baby?) and do my thing.
MJ: So your thing would be running the B&B?
SM: And writing my cookbooks.
MJ: Anything else?
SM: *thinks* Yes. Well, I mean no. Oh, shoot. I didn’t want to tell you this. Not yet anyway. But, did you happen to read the obituary in the Legend Times the other day? Miles Branson is dead.
MJ: What? Your sister Chelly’s father-in-law? Matt’s father, Judge Branson? When did he die?
SM: Yes, yes. That’s him. Matt and Chelly are distraught. Even though the Judge isn’t really the official judge any longer, he sat in that seat for so long that everyone still calls him judge. It was very unfortunate and extremely mysterious. You see, he was killed with a deadly scoop.
MJ: *puzzled* A deadly scoop? You mean, like scoop shovel? Or a kitchen utensil?
SM: No, no. A deadly scoop of ice cream. Some fancy sort of chocolate, I gather, although I haven’t really had a chance to talk with Jillian yet to get the details.
MJ: Jillian Bass? I’m confused. What does she have to do with Miles Branson’s death?
SM: Hopefully, nothing at all. But old Miles died in her chocolate shop. Ice cream is on the menu now at Bittersweets. Didn’t you know that?
MJ: *scratching head* No, I didn’t know that. I don’t get how he died from chocolate ice cream, Suzie…
SM: Why, it was the poison, of course! And Jillian is in jail. You know she’s married to my husband’s brother. So this is a double family connection, and well…
MJ: So you have to do something about it. You, are going to fix this, Suzie?
SM: I’m going to do my darnedest. This has all the makings of a cozy mystery, doesn’t it?
MJ: In many ways, yes, it does…
SM: And you are going to write it. I suggest you get started right away, because Jillian is rather delicate and the Legend jail cell is not too comfortable, so…
MJ: Got it. A cozy mystery. Who woulda thunk?
Who would have thunk, indeed? Stay tuned and watch my blog and website for more news about when Suzie Matthews, Sleuth Chef, unravels this local Legend mystery….
 *     *     *     *     *    The Matchmaking Chef Collection by MADDIE JAMES The eight novellas of The Matchmaking Chef Series   When Suzie Matthews (Bed, Breakfast & You) accidentally cooks up a scene that causes her sister to get back together with her high school boyfriend (Home for the Holidays), she wonders if she can help other singletons living in the small mountain town of Legend, Tennessee find the loves of their lives.   Being a matchmaker isn’t really on her list of things to do—after all, she has a bed & breakfast to run, cookbooks to write, and a television show on the Food Channel to keep up with. But baking is her thing, and perhaps matchmaking can be her thing, too. After all, there is a song going through her head that goes something like this…   Matchbaker, Matchbaker, bake me a match? No wait. Make me a match. Nevermind! You get the picture, right?  Welcome to Legend, Tennessee. And welcome to the matchbaking, er, matchmaking world of Chef Suzie Matthews.  Includes the 8 novellas: Perfectly Matched, Dates Du Jour, Hot Crossed Buns, Side Dish, Mate To Order, Romancing The Scone, Better Than Chocolate, and Hard Candy Kisses, @ 133,000  Novellas also available separately. Available at the following retailers:  AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | IBOOKS | SMASHWORDS | ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS Blurbs from each novella:   Perfectly Matched, Book One Suzie Matthews is hard at work on her new cookbook, Perfectly Matched, when she asks the local “wallflower” to help her with a project. Mary Lou Picketts dreams of falling in love with country music star, Nash Rhodes, but is ready to settle for Thurman Phillips down the street. But she doesn’t want to. Not really. When Nash comes to Legend for a music benefit and stays at the lodge, Suzie wonders if she can perfectly match this miss-matched couple.   Hot Crossed Buns, Book Two Wild Katie Long, she’ll never settle down. But Chris Marks has had his eye on her for a long time. When Chris hires Suzie to set him up with a romantic dinner for two, Suzie does all she can to set the mood. Thing is, Katie isn’t about to be wooed and she’s hotter than hot crossed buns when she figures out what Chris is up to. Then Suzie turns the tables by supplying Chris with a couple of items that just might tame Katie after all—handcuffs and a leather riding crop.   Dates Du Jour, Book Three Speed dating? Speed eating is more like it. When Suzie sets up lunch date after lunch date for Lyssa Larkin, Legend’s homegrown homecoming queen of 1992, she knows she’s bit off more than she can chew. Lyssa rejects dates in two bites and sends them on their way. Suzie wonders if she really wants to date or just eat two lunches, and worries that soon Lyssa’s hips won’t fit on her dainty chairs. That is, until Suzie takes a risk with a man that Lyssa knows, but doesn’t, and who is falling for her hard and fast.
Side Dish, Book Four Becca North doesn’t want a boyfriend but her best friend Nora certainly does. Becca is soooo off men. But when Nora, owner of Nora’s Novel Niche, meets Suzie the Matchmaking Chef, during a booksigning at her store, she pays the matchmaker to arrange a romantic picnic date lunch for her—a blind date, no less. Nora drags Becca along all the way from Pigeon Forge for moral support and to check out her date. Thing is, Nora’s date would rather check out Becca, instead.   Mate to Order, Book Five When Suzie’s success as a matchmaker hits the national scene about the same time as her debut cooking show on the Food Channel, her new producer comes to her with a list of requirements—not for Suzie’s job, but for a husband. Patricia Plum has a specific list and if Suzie really wants to make it big in New York City, she’ll make every attempt to deliver, Patricia’s “Mate to Order.”   Romancing the Scone, Book Six High tea or sweet tea? As long as there are scones, it doesn’t matter. In fact, Sydney Schul, owner of Sydney’s Sugar Coffee Stop and Bakery,makes the best damned scones east of the Mississippi, and there was an article written about her in Southern’s Bestmagazine to prove it. All is well and life in Legend is good, until a mysterious male stranger comes to town, stalking her scones and coercing Legendarians to nab her recipe.   Better than Chocolate, Book Seven When Scott Matthews escapes to Legend to visit his brother, Brad and his wife Suzie, he has only one request—he doesn’t want to talk, smell, or taste chocolate. Nor does he want to discuss getting fired as chocolate taster from world-renowned Bianchi Chocolates. What Jillian Bass needs is to make it in Legend. This Manhattan transplant knows nothing about small town living other than she wants to make it big here real bad. Forget New York, she’s trying to set up her small chocolate shop and impress the locals. And all is fine until she smacks straight into Scott.   Hard Candy Kisses, Book Eight New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and Legend Elementary teacher Patti Jo Baker has tried every trick in the book to land a date for the annual New Year’s Eve Bash at The Lodge. This includes setting up a kissing booth at the Legend Elementary Winter Carnival—a booth which Principal Jim Hamilton promptly shuts down. Because if Patty Jo Baker is passing out kisses, any kind of kisses, he wants to be both first, and last, in line—and he definitely doesn’t want to sample them in front of the student body.     Giveaway Maddie is giving away 1 ebook copy of The Matchmaking Chef Series Collection
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Author, author... Wildwood Spring by Allison Merritt

Please welcome a guest post from Allison Merritt!!
*    *     *     *     *
Top 5 Favorite Things About Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Eureka Springs is where the book is set and it's one of my favorite places to visit, so I thought anyone who hasn't had the opportunity might like to learn a little about what makes it such a unique and interesting place.
 
1. The 1886 Crescent Hotel is known as America's most haunted hotel. It sure feel spooky when you step inside and see the Victorian inspired design. Once used as a cancer hospital, Norman Baker actually performed horrible experiments on his unsuspecting subjects. For all the sadness the building holds, it was also later used as girl's college. The grounds are beautiful and relaxing.
  
2. The Victorian houses scattered along the historic loop are the largest collection of such homes in America. They do a parade of homes at Christmas, showcasing several grand Victorians. You can feel the history as you winding along the streets, looking at some of the fantastic artwork local artists do as well.
 3. The trolleys! In the 19th and early 20thcenturies, they had actual trolleys with tracks embedded in the streets. Today they're more bus-like, but they run downtown and along the highway, taking tourists from hotels to shops. It's a great way to get around and see the town.
 4. Visiting the area's natural springs is a great way to see the town as well. There are roughly 121 springs and seeps in the area, and 19 are maintained by the Parks and Recreation Commission. They're usually lovely little sights will pull-offs so you can park and picnic. Basin Spring is one of the largest park sites and I added a scene in Wildwood Spring where the characters visit. It's worth checking out because they often have entertaining street performers in the spring and summer.
 5. Blue Springs is a botanical garden and historic site where Native Americans considered sacred as they passed through the area on their way to Indian Territory in the 1830s. There are around 33 acres to walk, but the trail to see the flowers and gardens only takes about ¾ of an hour to walk.
 
 If you ever have the chance to visit Eureka, jump on it! There are a ton of other things to do there including visiting Beaver Lake, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Thorncrown Chapel, riding the Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railway, exploring the shops downtown, and seeing Christ of the Ozarks.
*     *     *     *     *  Wildwood Spring by Allison Merritt     Blurb:
When they face their fears, they'll find the path to love.
 
No one goes to Wildwood Manor—a hulking stone house on a hill outside town. Legend has it crazy old man Wildwood owes his life to the magical water of the spring at the back of the property. Celia Landry needs that water to save her mother, and she'll brave anything to get it.
 
Turner Wildwood, the son of the house's eccentric builder, is growing as reclusive as his father. When Celia turns up at his door, he's drawn by her beauty and bravery. Wary of strangers, he doesn't reveal his identity, but agrees to her request. When she returns to Wildwood in wake of personal tragedy, he's waiting there with a stunning change in his heart. He knows he should tell her the truth, but he doesn't want to ruin their budding friendship.
 
Celia's curiosity leads her to part of the frightening answers hidden behind Wildwood's doors, but her own troubled past may lead Turner into danger neither of them suspected.
   Buy link:     Breathless Press - http://bit.ly/OfxF7J   
Excerpt:
"Would you like to dance?" Mischief sparkled in his blue eyes. "This is one of my favorite songs. Despite my almost solitary upbringing, dance was part of my education."
 
She felt heat scorch her cheeks. "Not part of mine, I'm afraid."
 
"I'll teach you." He faced her, putting one hand on her waist and taking her hand in his. "Do the opposite of what I do. I'll count."
 
He counted in fours, moving in time with the music. Celia stumbled, but after a few moments, she caught on. Turner led her around the room as they spun in circles. She laughed, forgetting her worries. It wasn't a ball and they were both in their nightclothes, but it was as elegant a dance as she could hope for.
 
Turner grinned as he pulled her a little closer. Their bodies came together, fitting perfectly. He dropped her hand, wrapping both arms around her waist. They stopped moving, standing in the shadow of the mastodon. Dark blond hair fell over his forehead, but it didn't hide the desire on his face.
 
"Turner?"
 
"Yes, Celia."
 
Her name was a delicate breath of air, and he clung to her as though afraid she was a dream. She was too wide awake to believe that. Her senses seemed sharper than ever. He smelled of the lemony soap Mrs. Southard used for washing the sheets and the coffee he'd had at supper. Even in the muted firelight, she saw him clearly, his golden hair bright as sunbeams, his blue eyes the color of the sky after a storm.
 
She'd never been a romantic, knowing all too well she'd either be a spinster or a housewife too busy with chores and children to consider stolen kisses. She'd never imagined a man would want to show her stars, or dance with her around the skeleton of an ancient beast. These were moments she could cherish forever, think of when her world came back into focus.
 
It all had to end.
 
He lifted his hand to her face, pushing a strand of hair over her ear. "You look upset."
 
"I'm grateful." She forced the words out. "It's not every day I get escorted around a ballroom."
 
"You mean it might never happen again." He looked somber. "You'll return to the kind of life you led before we met. One where you're often hungry, alone, and overworked."
 
She glanced away, hating the truth of his words. "It isn't that bad."
 
"Somehow I don't believe you."
 
He wouldn't, not after the way she'd reacted to everything he'd shown her in his life. They were from different places and he could never understand how she'd lived before. She couldn't explain it without risking his pity.
 
"You could always stay. I'll find something for you to do in the manor. Official book reader. In the evenings you could recount all my favorites and the new ones I don't have time for."
 
His breath stirred the hair near her ear, tickling her skin.
 
"I think I prefer the title of cookie sampler. Who wouldn't want to sit in Finny's kitchen all day tasting the items he draws out of the oven." She pressed her cheek against his velvet lapel and closed her eyes. "You should have taken me back to town when you found me at the spring."
 
"I couldn't do that." There was the slightest hitch in his voice, as though the idea caused him pain.
 
"I'll be ruined for life outside of Wildwood."
 
"Good. Then you'll have to come back."
 
Author bio:
A love of reading turned Allison Merritt into an author who writes historical, paranormal and fantasy romances, often combining the sub-genres. She graduated college with a B.A. in mass communications that's gathering dust after it was determined that she's better at writing fluff than hard news.
 
She lives in a small town in the Ozark Mountains with her husband and dogs. When she's not writing or reading, she hikes in national parks and conservation areas. 
 Social media:
Blog – http://havenovelwilledit.blogspot.com Facebook – http://facebook.com/allisonmwrites Twitter – http://twitter.com/allison_merritt G+ - http://gplus.to/allisonmerritt Goodreads – http://goodreads.com/AllisonMWrites
Pinterest - http://www.pinterest.com/allisonmwrites/
 

Guest Author Nana Prah

Are the words ‘come again’ considered dirty? By Nana Prah
 
I used to work as one of those people who put stickers on the upper right hand corner of cd covers. It sounds like something the author in me would make up, but I’m not that good. When I went to a temp agency, instead of sending me to an office, I got sent there. I became the fastest sticker placer in the building. Okay, I ranked third.  
 
I met an older man there who he had to be in his late fifties, sharp witted and had the tendency to make all conversations sexual.  I’m not a prude by any means, and can get dirty with the best of them as long as it’s not too crass, so we hung out and laughed a lot.
 
Here’s one of the conversations we had when someone referred to two other workers by saying “They came together.”
Calvin (with a smirk): Not likely.
Me: What are you talking about? I saw them, John and Rita came together.
Calvin: It never happens that a man and a woman come at the same time. Either one comes first and then the other follows or one comes and the other gets nothing. Never together. Not in real life.
 
It took me a few seconds, but when the light bulb flicked on I went back to my stickers with a chuckle.
 
It always tickles me when a person asks me to repeat myself by saying, “Come again.”  Get it?
 
Are there any innocuous words that get you laughing when you hear them?
 
 
 
The Blurb
Ghanaian nurse Aurora ‘Ora’ Aikins never expected to find the love of her life while on vacation in South Africa. Engaged to another and believing that love has no place in her life, she returns to Ghana, and puts duty and honor first.
 
Three years later, Dr. Jason Lartey still can’t get Ora out of his mind or his heart. After learning she never married, he takes a risk and moves to Ghana hoping to rekindle what they started. His sudden appearance in Ora’s Emergency Department sends sparks flying all over again.
 
They’re in the same country, working in the same hospital, and together but distance creeps between them. Can they make their destined love one for the ages? 
 
Buy Links
Amazon | Decadent | ARe | Barnes & Noble
 
 
About the Author:
Nana Prah was born in Ghana, West Africa, raised in the US and currently resides in Ghana where she loves her job as a writer and nurse educator. She has been writing since she can remember (in her journal) and has been an avid reader of romance novels since the eighth grade. She has finally been able to utilize the years and years of inadvertent research into writing her own romance novels where love always conquers all.
 
 
Contact Details:
Blog : www.nanaprah.blogspot.com
Twitter: @NanaPrah
Facebook: Nana Prah, Author
 
 
Enjoy the following excerpt for Midwife to Destiny:
Ora focused on putting one foot in front of the other as if she were a one-year-old learning how to walk. After turning the corner and seeing the back of his head, she froze. She would know that head anywhere. He’d grown his hair out a little, but his adorable, Will Smith ears gave him away. Initiating the process of pivoting and sprinting out of the ED unnoticed sprang to mind when he turned around and his gaze caught hers.
The air became charged with tension and neither of them moved. Her heart threatened to pop out of her chest with the force of each beat. The nurses stood between them, looking back and forth as if they watched a tennis match. They didn’t bother to hide their expressions of curiosity.
They’d never seen Ora behave in such a manner. Not cool as a cucumber super nurse. Like herself, they kept looking at the new doctor just because of his tall, broad-shouldered, gorgeous stature. The past three years had matured him, adding a few lines around his eyes and the new feature of a goatee with a moustache changed his countenance a little. But otherwise, the same man she’d met three years ago, at least in the physical sense, stood before her.
After an eternity, Ora snapped back to attention. “Akwaaba, Dr. Lartey. Welcome to the ward.” Madam Professional stuck out her hand for a handshake.
Her words seemed to drag him out of his own stupor. “Uh….”
She had rendered the man speechless. Ora’s gracious nature—that’s what she blamed it on, anyway—took pity on him and she touched his shoulder. The contact sent sensual awareness through her and she recoiled her hand.
“Hello, Aurora. Please forgive me. It’s just that I’m a little surprised to see you.”

“Not as much as I am,” she muttered, attempting to squash both the joy bubbling up inside of her at seeing him again and the overwhelming sadness of what she’d been missing for so long.

“Pardon me?” he asked.
“I didn’t expect to see you here. It’s a surprise to me, too.” She tried to smile, but it came out contorted, as if she’d been able to have a painful, rocky bowel movement after being constipated for seven days.
 *     *     *     *     *     *
 GIVEAWAY Nana is giving away a $20 Amazon Gift Card!  
 
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Tasty Tuesday & A Teaser ~ Lynley Wayne

 Every Tuesday we'll welcome an Author who will share a foodie type post with a recipe or two and some book promo! Today please help me welcome Lynley Wayne...
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Hello. I write M/M romance under the pen name, Lynley Wayne. In late 2011 I was lucky enough to sign my first contract with MLR Press. As far as I’m concerned, I have the best job in the world and am lucky enough to have the support of my friends and family.
 
When I’m in the zone, I sometimes lose track of time. If it wasn’t for my husband, I’m almost positive I would have starved to death by now. Thank goodness he’s a good cook and doesn’t mind stepping in on occasion.
 
I learned to cook with the help of my late grandmother and a lot of trial and error. When I was nineteen I moved thirteen hours away from the rest of my family. I wanted to prove to myself that I could make it on my own. After finding a place to live and a job, I quickly realized there was no way I could afford to eat out for every meal––not if I wanted to keep a roof over my head and the lights on. So I had no choice but to learn to cook.
 
Couldn’t be that hard, right?
 
It turned out to be harder than I thought. At least to make good food. In the beginning I threw out more food than I ate. Then I admitted defeat and called my grandmother. We spent hours on the phone with her walking me, step by step, through making this or that. Every few days I would call her up and we would try a new dish and, slowly but surely, I learned to cook.
 
I have improved since those early days, but my late grandmother gave me the foundation to build from. Sadly though, I still can’t make gravy to save my life. Sorry, Grandma. However, I was smart enough to marry a man who makes great gravy, so it worked out all right.
 *   *   *   *   *   *     Stuffed Peppers
 
1 pound of ground turkey
1 good sized green bell pepper
½ packet of taco seasoning
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 can of kidney beans
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut pepper in half, lengthwise (from top to bottom) Remove the seeds and the stem and discard. Set aside. 
In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey and then drain any excess fat. Add taco seasoning, tomato sauce and kidney beans. Stir until well incorporated.
Place peppers in a glass baking dish and fill with turkey mixture. I like to overstuff mine. Add about a ½ inch of water to the baking dish.
Then bake for 20-30 minutes or until peppers are fork tender. (Stick a fork in the side and if you can easily slide it in, they are done). If you want a bit of crunch then you can take them out earlier.
 Add sour cream and shredded cheese to the top and serve. This is optional, but really good.
 
*   *   *   *   *   *   A Life Interrupted by Lynley Wayne    Buy link  Blurb:
Dan and Travis met in college, the unlikeliest of pairs, and then became friends and lovers.  For the past twenty-two years Dan's lived his own version of happily-ever-after, with Travis by his side. Then tragedy strikes and life as they know it ceases to exist. Will they be strong enough to find their way back from a life interrupted?
While Travis fights for his life, Dan can' t help but relive all those little moments that made up their life. All those things that he took for granted at the time. Those very same events may end up being all he has left of the man who is his entire world.      Excerpt :
Dan pulled the only chair in the room over next to Travis’s bed and took a seat. Tears blurred his vision as he took hold of the hand he knew as well, if not better, than his own. He ran his thumb over the scar on Travis’s first finger. He’d gotten it while chopping vegetables the first year in their new house. Dan remembered how scared he’d been when he’d seen all that blood and how calm Travis had been while he held his hand over the sink. In his typical calm manner, Travis had asked Dan to please hand him a towel and grab him some shoes, because he was pretty sure it was going to need stitches.
Dan traced the callouses on the tips of each finger, from years of playing basketball, playing guitar, and working with his hands.
He pressed the palm of his own hand to Travis’s, aware of its warmth. Travis’s hand was much larger… manlier, than his own. From years of working in an office, Dan’s hands were soft with hardly a mark on them. Travis’s hands were strong— working man’s hands.
Those hands he loved so much had defended him, had loved him, had comforted him, and held him up over the years. So many memories. Dan traced the pale indention at the base of Travis’s ring finger, where his wedding band should’ve been. The worn gold band was on a string around Dan’s  neck, where he’d placed it when the nurse had given it to him a little over a week ago.
It was strange to see the hand he knew so well without that ring. Travis had worn it every day for the last twenty-odd years. Dan had placed the ring on his finger a year and a half after they first met in that horrible sports bar and not once had Travis ever willingly taken it off.
It was back before it was actually legal for them to marry, but Travis had wanted Dan to know he was in it for the long haul. So in true Travis fashion, he’d bought them both rings and right there in the living room of their tiny studio apartment, Travis had asked Dan to spend his life with him.
That day had been the happiest of his life. He could remember the tears streaking down both of their faces, voices quaking with emotion, as they made promises to one another before slipping the simple gold bands on each other’s fingers.   Bio: Lynley Wayne is the pen name of a thirty-something female living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When not writing, she can usually be found reading and thinking up creative ways to avoid housework. She is married to a very understanding husband who doesn’t complain when she spends hours in front of the computer and he ends up having to fix supper on occasion. Or when she asks random off the wall questions. Or when she talks for hours about whatever story she’s working on. Yeah, basically he’s vying for sainthood.
Lynley strongly believes everyone is entitled to their own version of happiness, no matter how it may differ from the norm. She writes characters she wants to read and hopes others enjoy them as much as she enjoyed writing them. 
While most people who know her wouldn’t guess, she’s a hardcore romantic at heart and loves nothing more than a happily ever after. Lynley may have come to romance later than some, but once she found it she never looked back. It was years later when she accidentally stumbled onto the male/male genre and knew it was where she was meant to be. From then on she’s spent endless hours writing about love in it’s many forms.
It is her hope that one day society will be able to look past the labels and see the person behind it. That they will realize we are all the same. Until that time comes, she will continue telling stories of a love others may believe is wrong, but she thinks is nothing short of beautiful.   You can find me at: www.lynleywayne.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com@LynleyWayne
Facebook Fan Page: www.facebook.com/LynleyWayne
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lynley.wayne.1I love hearing from readers. So feel free to email me at: lynleywayne@gmail.com
   

Blitz: Cold Day in Hell by Jerrie Alexander

 COLD DAY IN HELL
JERRIE ALEXANDER
 
Blurb:  Ex-Army Ranger Tyrell Castillo's first mission for Lost and Found, Inc. goes awry when his contact is kidnapped, and he's left scrambling for weapons and explosives. He'll have to blow up a drug cartel's compound, rescue the woman, and keep her safe while they cross the sweltering hot Colombian jungle.
 
Driven by the need for revenge, Ana Maria Vega Cisneros doesn't want to be rescued. She wants revenge. She'll risk her life to ensure the drug lord who killed her family suffers the same fate.
 
The cartel leaves a trail of blood on their hunt for Ty and Ana. When Ty receives the order to kill the drug lord with extreme prejudice, he and Ana will face the enemy head on. Can Ty protect the woman who's hell bent on vengeance? The woman he's grown to love?
 
Buy links:
AMAZON  BARNES & NOBLE
 
BIO:  A student of  creative writing in her youth, Jerrie set aside her passion when life presented her with a John Wayne husband, and two wonderful children.  A career in logistics offered her the opportunity to travel to many beautiful locations in America, and she revisits them in her romantic suspense novels. 

 
But the characters went with her, talked to her, and insisted she share their dark, sexy stories with others.  She writes alpha males and kick-ass women who weave their way through death and fear to emerge stronger because of, and on occasion in spite of, their love for each other.  She likes to torture people, make them suffer, and if they’re strong enough, they live happily ever after.
 
The author of THE GREEN-EYED DOLL, THE LAST EXECUTION, SOMONE TO WATCH OVER ME, HELL OR HIGH WATER, and COLD DAY in HELL, books 1 and 2 in the Lost and Found, Inc. series. Book 3, NO CHANCE in HELL is scheduled for release in early April.
 
Social media links:
http://jerriealexander.com- website
http://www.jerriealexander.com/category/blog/
http://www.twitter.com/jerriealexander
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerrie-Alexander /121521571355959?ref=hl
http://www.goodreads.com/jerriealexander
http://pinterest.com/jerriealexander/
 

Author, author... A Guest Post by Ute Carbone

... read all about it !! 

Please welcome Ute Carbone to A Passion for Romance... The CrossroadDeciding how and where to publish a book is like standing at the crossroad of a busy intersection. Signs point every which way, cars whiz by, and the poor author is scratching her head, wondering which direction to take.What you choose, and why you choose it, has a lot to do with who you are as a person and a writer. Back when I first put pen to paper, there weren’t many roads for a writer to follow. The route to publishing was simple—get an agent, preferably one with good New York connections, and let the agent shop the book around to the publishing houses.By the time I was ready to think about getting a book published, the landscape had changed considerably. E-books had come into play. The big New York houses were merging into giant conglomerates until, at last count, there were only five left. Some authors were, with varying degrees of success, publishing their work themselves on Amazon. What was a writer to do?I thought long and hard about the decision I made. I wanted, like most everyone, to get my books into the hands of readers. After much pondering and a few mistakes, I decided to give small houses a try. There were quite a few of them, popping up to fill in the  holes the big publishers left behind. From where I stood, they were (and are) well positioned in the market, able to be selective about the work they took on while still being flexible enough to take on projects the bigger houses might reject because they feared sales would not please their accounting departments.Through more trail and tribulation, I found two small houses that I love writing for—Champagne Books, a Canadian publisher of genre fiction that has become a home for my quirky comedies and, lately, the historical romance series I’m writing, and Turquoise Morning Press, a primarily romance and women’s fiction house that has been a great fit for my upmarket women’s fiction, who recently published Dancing in the White Room. I like what these houses offer—great editing, good covers, and a supportive group of fellow writers. I like that they are small enough for me to talk to the publisher directly if I need to and to be known and recognized by the publishing house staff.  I grew up in a small town, so maybe the small is beautiful model works for me. There are other choices you can make. You could, as a writer, take a shot at landing an agent and a big house contract. If you can manage it, you’ll likely see your book carried at all the major bookstores. You’ll get great editing and covers and a marketing department to help with promotion. You’ll get an advance, yours to keep no matter how small your sales. There is a downside. The first being the large conglomerates like big names and big sales. Unless you deliver, they aren’t going to be happy with you. If things go south, you might not be given a second chance. And big company authors aren’t getting big advances anymore. Their contracts aren’t as lucrative as they used to be.Or, you could go in the other direction and publish yourself. You have complete control over your product and you don’t have to share any of the profits. Trouble is, you’ll also be responsible for making sure the book is well edited, so you’ll have to pay an editor. And you’ll have to hire a cover artist and you’ll have to get someone to format for you—or learn to do it yourself. All that means an outlay of cash,  money that may be very difficult to make back. You’ll be swimming in a sea of unknown writers all trying to get noticed, and you’ll be swimming without any sort of a life jacket at all. Now, small publishers have a downside as well. They don’t have big promotion budgets and so a lot of promotion will fall on you. They don’t have the clout of big houses, so your book probably won’t be featured at the front of big book store. You’ll have to work hard to be seen. But, unlike self-pub, you won’t be going it alone. For me, that translates into more time to spend writing the next book. So, there you are, standing at the cross roads, trying not to get hit by an oncoming bus. There are lots of choices. My best advice—think carefully, consider who you are and what you need.  Then make the choice that best suits you.  *     *     *     *     *  Dancing in the White Room by Ute Carbone New from Turquoise Morning Press Contemporary Women’s Fiction   Dancing in the white room is slang for skiing or boarding in deep powder snow. The dancer is PD Bell, one of the best extreme skiers on the planet. Mallory Prescott, the woman who lives with him and loves him, is used to Bell’s exploits. A patrol woman at Whiteface Mountain near Lake Placid, New York, Mallory is no stranger to risk. But this time Bell is taking on the West Rib of Denali, highest and most dangerous mountain in North America. It’s a descent that has never been done, though it’s been tried. Five years ago, Bell had tried it. The attempt nearly killed him. Five years ago, he promised Mallory he wouldn’t try it again.      Over the six weeks in which he’s gone, Mallory begins to question her relationship with Bell. Does he really love her? Is he in it for the duration? What has loving him cost her?  Mallory’s life choices are thrown into stark relief when her daughter Emily takes a terrible fall. Together with her life-long friend Creech Creches, she must work her way through a maze of uncharted territory at a hospital miles from home.           Dancing in the White Room is the story of the love we keep, the price we pay for that love, and the forgiveness it takes to hold on to what is precious.  Buy links:    Amazon     B&N     TMP     Kobo Books
   
About the Author: Ute (who pronounces her name Oooh-tah) Carbone is an award winning author of women’s fiction, comedy, and romance. She and her husband live in New Hampshire, where she spends her days walking, eating chocolate and dreaming up stories.
Books and Stories by Ute Carbone:Blueberry Truth
The P-Town QueenAfterglowSearching for SupermanSweet LenoraThe Lilac HourTo The Wind  For more about Ute and her books, Please Visit:Web page:  http://www.utecarbone.com/Blog: http://ute-carbone.blogspot.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ute-Carbone/234417796596443Twitter: https://twitter.com/Wildwords2 Giveaway Ute is giving away a total of 3 ebook copies, winner’s choice of any of her current books, including Dancing in the White Room.
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Author, author.... Kimberly Quinton - HERO WORSHIP

...read all about her !!



Please welcome a Top Ten Guest Post from Kimberly Quinton!!   Hi! Thanks for hosting me today! So, I can talk about food all day long, but when I tried to come up with a list of top ten foods I was stuck. I asked my kids what they thought mommy’s top ten foods were and their answer—Bacon, Chocolate, Wine, Beer, Coffee, Cheese, Ice Cream, Donuts, Fruit salad, and Pizza.  Hmmmm, not sure what kind of nutrition habits I’m teaching them, but they did do a pretty good job of listing some of my favorites.   I love cooking, trying new restaurants, reading food blogs, collecting recipes and cookbooks and just fantasizing about food so instead of a top ten foods, I can give you my top ten cuisines.   10. Thai food ~ Suprisingly, hubs doesn’t believe that Thai would be in my top ten, but we live in a big city and see the nine cuisines I like more- Of course Thai isn’t my first choice when we have a date night but I do love a good Pad Thai.   9. Chinese ~ A fresh made eggroll and Hot and Sour soup or Lo Mein or Chicken and Cashews… I know it’s the Americanized version, but I love it.   8.  Steak house~ Not just for the steak, but the fish and salads and sides too.  A filet, grilled asparagus and creamed spinach is a fab meal to me.   7. BBQ ~ I’m southern… ‘nuff said.     6.  Italian ~ Not to be confused with Pizza which I consider it’s own category, but the traditional pastas and white tablecloth places. Great wine, savory pasta in a rich sauce, crisp salad and lots of bread. Yep- I’m all in.   5. Cajun~ True New Orleans Cajun cuisine is an experience and so much is craveable. The food is one of the biggest things I miss about living in New Orleans.   4. Mexican/ Tex-Mex~ Growing up on the border, my comfort food has always been  tex-mex but a trip to central Mexico also gave me a taste for true Mexican food. There’s so much more than enchiladas and tacos out there!    3. American Pub Food ~ Local Beer and wings or specialty burgers-Yum! And the perfect sunny afternoon on the patio kind of date.   2. Pizza ~ I’m loving the trend of wood-fired pizzerias and wine bar combos! Again, I could eat a different pizza every day.  Some of my favorites are the unusual ones with different kinds of cheese- pear and gorgonzola or chevre and fig. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.   1. Indian~ I could be a vegetarian if someone would cook me Indian food everyday! Spicy and rich, there is no need for meat!  *     *     *     *     *     *  Hero Worship by Kimberly Quinton   An Old Threat Returns….  After twenty years confinement on an island for crimes against humanity, the last thing disgraced H.E.R.O. Cole wants to hear is the world needs him. But the government’s sexy envoy peaks his interest and his honor.   Temptation…. Enhanced human and the government’s top negotiator, Caroline Sparks’ only mission is to bring in the last H.E.R.O. at any cost. When he asks for two months with her on his island when the mission is over, she can’t refuse even if it means exposing a secret he might kill her over.  Battle to save the world….  With disaster looming at every turn, Cole must choose between vengeance and duty. Can Caroline embrace her latent power and save her hero or will saving the world cost them both everything?   Hero Worship from Decadent Publishing Official Release Day~ February 21, 2014 Super Hero Romance 29k words, heat level: 3 flames   Buy Links:   Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Decadent Publishing  Exclusively first at All Romance ebooks ! http://www.allromanceebooks.com/storeSearch.html
    *    *    *    *    *    *   Enjoy the following excerpt for Hero Worship:   “Look, princess, I don’t have a knight-in-shining-armor side. You need to get around to my real side.” Caroline’s teeth clicked together at princess; her tongue barely escaped the sharp edges before she forced another breath through her nose. “And what side would that be? Your, I-want-my-own-island-and-the-rest-of- the-world-can-rot, side? Or how about your, I-need-a-new-woman-every-couple- weeks, side? Which one of those should I appeal to?” Her voice sounded strange to her ears, thick with frustration and on the brink of screeching. I never raise my voice. Pursing her lips against the tremble, she gripped the edge of her seat, doing her best to ignore his wide smirk. She needed this conversation under her control. He leaned back and tilted his head to look beneath the table, eyeing her legs. She stiffened but didn’t move further at his perusal of her from head to chest and back. A negotiator couldn’t be easily offended. “Definitely my I-need-a-new-woman-every-couple-weeks, side. You could be that woman.” “What?” Incredulity tightened her throat and her words sputtered out in a breathy puff. “Are you insane?” “Depends on who you ask.” He winked; a suggestive tilt broadened his smile. No way in hell. She squashed the butterflies that flapped in her belly, determined to ignore the temptation of his sun-kissed shoulders and golden abs, each muscle defined like a sculpted masterpiece. A perfect Hero. Physically. Too bad, of all the Heroes, only he remained. Caroline cleared her throat. “I’m here to negotiate your chance at freedom, not feed your lascivious appetites.” “Okay. Tell the AG the offer is rejected.” “Millions of lives are at risk. We can’t combat a cyborg army under the control of a terrorist on our own.” “Not my problem.”
“You used to be a hero. Now you’re heartless and cruel—pathetic.”
Caroline searched his face for a reaction, anything to tell her she’d gotten to him. He gave nothing but a shrug under a steady gaze. Her insults seemed to roll right off him. “Your brethren would be ashamed.” A flash of violence passed through his eyes as he thrust forward, shoulders raised, in a shift from nonchalant to coiled aggression, ready to strike at the next provocation. Here was the vengeance that cost a dozen citizens their lives and damages in the billions to government assets. She struggled not to react, but anger surged inside her, smothering her self-protective instincts. *   *   *   *   *   * About the Author: Whether she’s writing contemporary or paranormal romance, Kimberly Quinton is a romantic at heart who strives to tell stories about the power of true love. Since a teen, she’s loved romances and believes we can all live our happily-ever-after. Always a people watcher, it wasn’t until Kimberly shucked her Accounting major for Anthropology that her interest in people and cultures was nurtured. Kimberly has combined her natural curiosity (nosiness) with her love of romance for the sake of bringing the movies in her head to life on the page. A wife and mother of two, Kimberly spends her days chasing chores, wrangling active kids, and writing. She also enjoys traveling, cooking, great wine and sharing a laugh with friends and family. You can usually find her on Facebook or Twitter. Stop by for a chat.   Contact Details: Website: http://kimberlyquinton.com/about-kimberly/ Email: kim@kimberlyquinton.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyQuintonAuthor Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimquinton    Giveaway  Kimberly is giving away a $30 Amazon Gift Card  to 1 lucky winner !!
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Author, author..... Guest post by Pamela Aares ~ Love Bats Last

... read all about it !!



 
What is it about baseball All-Stars that makes them great lovers?
So what’s the scoop? Is there something about the selection process to choose Major League All-Stars that contributes to these men being better than good in bed? Are there aspects of the performance edge, of the pursuit of athletic excellence, that develop traits and qualities that make baseball All-Stars awesome lovers?
As the old swing song goes, “It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it.” And when it comes to love, it is a bit about what All-Star heroes (fictional and real) do, but it’s definitely about the way that they do it.
The performance level achieved by All-Stars requires discipline and practice, it’s true. But to get to the majors in the first place, the boys that become the men in the majors have to have certain qualities, and it’s those samequalities that are at the heart of the sensual game of love. So what are those elements and qualities?
1. Great body awareness. All-Stars carry an awareness of not only their own bodies, but a mindfulness of those around them. Top MLB All-Stars have exquisite spatial orientation; they have a tuned-up awareness and a consciousness of the field. These men know where others are, yet not just by being in tune with the physical; the best of them have learned to feel beyond vision and sound.
2. Exquisite Attention. Players at the All-Star level know how to focus. The same extreme focus that they turn to seeing the seams on a fastball can be turned to the women they wish to please. They’ve been practicing focus most of their lives. Need I say more?
3. A Love of Feedback. The best of these amazing men love feedback; in fact, they crave it. A player needs to accurately scrutinize the body language of his opponents and teammates in order to gauge how they’ll respond to the next play. They know that sensitivity to feedback allows them to excel and to hone their game. Refinement toward perfection is a lifelong practice and discipline. A woman’s sensual response is fuel to such a man. It’s a win-win feedback loop.
4. An Appetite for the Intense. All-Stars by nature seek out the climax, the exhilarating moment when energy peaks. That’s when great achievements are reached and when players transcend their former level of play. In those moments, all is risked. All is on the line. And the reward is exceptional. Ask any All-Star and he’ll tell you that in a team sport it’s the energy of an excellent opponent, the pressing up against the drive of another, which takes him to a new level. The energy of a skilled and involved opponent pushes an All-Star to the heights. It drives outstanding performance. The best encourage one another to greatness. And the results can be explosive.
5. Baseball is a Game out of Time. There’s no clock. You play the game until it’s over. That’s a lot like love and a whole lot like good loving. (I’ll say more about baseball and time in future blogs. In the meantime you can check out All-Star Alex Tavonesi, the hero in Love Bats Last , the first book in my Heart of the Game series that debuts on February 4th and tell me what you think).
6. Baseball is a Game of the Heart. Sure, the sheer strength and agility of baseball All-Stars is a plus, but it’s the subtle aspects of the mind-body connection that bring it all together, that make All-Stars truly special. And beneath the excellence—under the focus and drive and sheer physicality—it’s the heart of the man that makes the difference when it comes to love and loving. These men know what it means to follow their hearts and strive for their dreams. They know how to go the distance. I leave the rest to your very fine imaginations!
And a big P.S.: Being in love can make athletes perform better! Research reported on WebMD.com has linked being in love with an athlete’s on-field performance, showing that love can improve that performance. That makes sense: when you’re in love, you’re happy, life looks better, your mood is better and you even have more energy. Why wouldn’t all of these positives make a guy a better athlete?
And a plus for the reformed rakes in my books who go on to excel: The findings also showed that there was more to win than happiness. Athletes who were in committed relationships seemed to have overall better performances than those who were not.
So why wouldn’t a ballplayer look for love? Why wouldn’t a woman look for love in an All-star? All-Stars make great lovers and deserve great lovin’.
  *     *     *     *     *     *           Love Bats Last         Pamela Aares   Book Tagline When love’s in the game you can’t play it safe...   Book Description In LOVE BATS LAST, author Pamela Aares introduces you to the Heart of the Game series. Get ready for All-Star alpha males and the strong women they come to love!   A stormy night changes their lives forever...   The baseball diamond isn’t the only field for all-star player Alex Tavonesi; he also runs his family’s prestigious vineyard. What he can't seem to run is his love life. He’s closing in on the perfect vintage and the perfect game, but so far the perfect woman has eluded him.   Veterinarian Jackie Brandon is eluding her aristocratic past and memories of a soccer star who jilted her just before their wedding. She devotes herself to a marine mammal rescue center on the northern California coast, where hundreds of seals and sea lions are washing up dead.   A chance meeting in a midnight storm brings Alex and Jackie together to rescue a stranded whale. Watching her work, he realizes she's the passionate, courageous woman he thought he'd never find--he just has to overcome her deep distrust of jocks. Jackie's passion and courage lead her to discover what's killing the sea mammals. The culprits want to silence her, and Alex is the only one standing in their way. What will he sacrifice to save the woman he loves?   Quotes and Praise “Pamela Aares deftly weaves together the desires and strategies of world-class sports with the equally charged realm of the heart to create fast-moving tales you’ll wish would never end.” —Mary Beath, award-winning author of Refuge of Whirling Light on the contemporary series the Heart of the Game.   “A new star in the romance world!” —E. Alexander, New York Times best-selling author   About the Author Pamela is an author of contemporary and historical romance novels. Her first book, Jane Austen and the Archangel (Angels Come to Earth, #1) was released in 2012. Midnight Becomes You, (Angels Come to Earth, #2) will release in 2014, along with three more books in the Heart of the Game series, all releasing in 2014.
  Before becoming a romance author, Pamela Aares produced and wrote award-winning films and radio shows including Your Water, Your Life featuring actress Susan Sarandon and the NPR series New Voices. After producing The Powers of the Universe and The Earth’s Imagination, she knew without a doubt that romance lives at the heart of the universe and powers the greatest stories of all.   Pamela holds a Master’s Degree from Harvard and lives in the wine country of California with her husband and two curious cats. Her love of nature led to adventures scuba diving the coral reefs of Fiji, exploring the cliffs of Greece, sea kayaking the Rosario Straits and white water rafting the wild and scenic rivers of the west—and romance!   Web site:  http://www.PamelaAares.com GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomPamelaAares Facebook:   http://www.facebook.com/PamelaAares Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/PamelaAares Pinterest:  http://www.twitter.com/PamelaAares Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/author/PamelaAares Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/pamela-aares    

Tasty Tuesday & a Teaser ~ Neil Plakcy

 Every Tuesday we'll welcome an Author who will share a foodie type postwith a recipe or two and some book promo ! Today please help me welcome Neil Plakcy...  *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *




Eat Like a Hawaiian
When I first met Kimo Kanapa’aka, the hero of my Mahu Investigations, he was a single guy, like I was. He was gay, like me, and about my age, and he ate the way I did. He had a hibachi on his balcony that he used to grill chicken breasts, vegetables, and the occasional burger. He ate what he wanted, when he wanted.
That’s about where our similarities ended. He was a mixed-race homicide detective in Honolulu with a big family, a competitive athlete who’d spent a season on the pro surfing circuit. I’m a writer and college professor, my heritage is Russian and Jewish, I’m an only child, and the closest I come to athletics is regular dog-walking.
One thing Kimo and I share is a love of food. So when I began telling Kimo’s stories, I couldn’t help adding a culinary element into the mix, especially the unique and evocative cuisine of the Aloha State. I made his mother a great cook, so that there would always be delicious food when he visited his parents. And I tried to include the variety of dining, from the fast-food Zippy’s to high-style restaurants with equally high prices.
Hawai’i is a mix of cultures, and each ethnic group has contributed to the dinner table. In the first  book, Mahu, Kimo goes home for a family luau, where “We had every kind of food imaginable. Chicken long rice, poi, shark-fin soup, sweet and sour spareribs, Portuguese sausage and beans. And desserts, pineapple like crazy, ten different types of crack seed, malasadas, mango ice cream.”
Kalua pig, roasted in an in-ground oven called an imu, is a luau specialty. Kimo is part Hawaiian, part Japanese, and part haole, or white. All those cuisings show up throughout the series. He has a Chinese godfather, and friends descended from the Portuguese immigrants who came to the islands, mostly from the Azores, to work on plantations. He falls in love with a man who’s part Korean and part Italian, adding even more to the mix.
As Kimo matured, his eating habits changed, the way mine did. No more bachelor meals; he’s got a partner, a teenaged foster son and a golden retriever to feed. Now he’s more likely to bring home a pizza, let his partner grill burgers in the back yard or dine out, though his family is still throwing those extravagant luaus. Every time I write one of them, my mouth waters and I long to hop on a plane and fly to Honolulu to join them.
Instead I console myself with these cookies, which I bake in bulk for readings and book events. The coconut and the macadamia nuts are my tribute to Kimo and to my love for Hawai’i.
http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=MAHUMEN2
www.mahubooks.com
*     *     *     *     *   Chocolate Chip Coconut Macadamia Cookies Ingredients 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup flake coconut 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped   Directions Preheat oven to 300°F. Bring eggs to room temperature, and put butter out to soften. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well with a wire whisk. Pour both types of sugar into a large bowl, then blend at medium speed until they are combined. (I use my standing mixer, but you can use a hand mixer as well.) Add the butter and mix until you have a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and mix at low to medium speed until blended. Add the flour mix, two cups of chocolate chips, coconut, and macadamia nuts and blend at a low speed until mixed. Roll small balls with your fingers and drop onto a cookie sheet, leaving enough room to expand. (I use a Silpat non-stick silicone baking sheet over my cookie sheet so the cookies don’t stick and cleanup is easy. I suggest using non-stick spray or parchment paper if you don’t have a Silpat.) Stud the cookies with the remaining chocolate chips – usually three or four to a cookie. I like the way the cookies look with the chips on top. Sometimes I use colored or flavored chips for the studding. Bake about 20 minutes until golden. I like my cookies not quite done, so I watch carefully and pull them out as soon as they turn. I lift them off with a spatula and put them on cooling racks as soon as they’re set.  *     *     *     *     *     * Blurb:   The Beautiful tropical island of O'ahu is filled with predators, from high flying owls to bottom-dwelling criminals.  When the body of an island patrician is found in a warehouse fire, tracking his killers will bring openly gay Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa'aka into contact with many of those predators, natural and otherwise.  Kimo and his detective partner Ray Donne dig deep into the history of Hawai'i as the islands were teetering on the brink of statehood in order to understand the victim, his killer, and their motives. At the same time, Kimo and his partner, fire investigator Mike Riccardi, decide to become foster parents for a homeless teen who witnessed the crime and prepare to become dads themselves.  Here's the buy link:http://www.mlrbooks.com/showbook.php?book=NPNATPRD  Excerpt  – The Fire It was a cool, breezy morning in early March, and I rolled up the flaps on my Jeep for the drive down to the airport. Despite its name, which implied an unspoiled tropical atoll, Lagoon Drive was littered with abandoned warehouses, used car operations and small import-export businesses. A dozen sharp-edged wind turbines roosted along the roof line of a building at the far end of the drive like hungry vultures. A herd of fire department vehicles clustered ahead of me—three fire engines, a ladder truck, and a couple of SUVs driven by higher brass. The strobing lights were enough to give you an epileptic fit. There were two squad cars as well, the officers directing traffic and securing the area. I parked my Jeep beside a barbed-wire fence as a plane took off from the reef runway, shaking the air. The ground was barren and sandy; even weeds seemed to have a hard time living in the desolate landscape. And yet, in the other direction I could see a vast expanse of shimmering water and the dark green sentinel of Diamond Head in the distance. I saw Mike in his yellow fire suit and waved at him. He walked over, shrugging off the oilskin hood. “Two story wood-frame building,” he said. “Went up like kindling, especially after the run of dry weather we’ve had lately.” “Arson?” “Too early to tell. No obvious incendiary devices. I’ll have to analyze the fire load and the spread pattern before I can make a determination. But you know that already.” “It’s always nice to hear you explain it one more time. How about the body?” “How about it?” “You know what I mean.” “First responders saw a body of an older male on the floor of the building when they entered. He burned to a crisp before they could extinguish the flames, though. I don’t know how much you’ll get out of the ME.” “What a great start to the morning. Neither of us have much to work with.” “I’ve got to get back inside. I’ll talk to you later.” He turned and walked back toward what remained of the building. The air was heavy with ash, smoke and the distinctive smell of charred human flesh. I pulled out my digital camera and started taking pictures while I waited for Ray to show up. A couple of abandoned warehouses, wood-framed with sheet metal exteriors, sat in the area around the burned building. One brick warehouse still held the original owner’s name and the date 1884 engraved over the lintel, though all its windows were boarded up. *   *   *   *   *   *   * Author Bio: Neil Plakcy is the author of the Mahu Investigations, about openly gay Honolulu homicide detective Kimo Kanapa'aka, as well as the Have Body, Will Guard adventure romance series and the Golden Retriever Mysteries. He is an assistant professor of English at Broward College in South Florida, and former president of the Florida chapter of Mystery Writers of America.  He has been a construction manager, a computer game producer, and a second-place finisher on Jeopardy! Character-driven mystery, romance and mainstream novelswww.mahubooks.com   http://www.facebook.com/neil.plakcy