Amanda Usen's Blog, page 2

Release Day for ONE NIGHT STAND EVER AFTER!

Cue the trumpets, the swans, and especially the belly dancers! The final book in the Unforgettable Fire series is available, and I’m thrilled to share it with you!

Max is obsessed with rules. Anna has never met a boundary she didn’t want to push. Especially Max’s – he’s fascinated her since they were teens. Ten years later, she gets the chance to rock his world – and maybe get a little payback for all the times he teased her back in the day.

This book is for readers who love: opposites attract, brother’s best friend, teenage fantasies come true, small town romance, belly dancing, burlesque…and pancakes.

A shout-out to my writer pal, Kelsey Maxwell, who suggested a trivia contest. I had so much fun writing that scene (and the scene after it, which includes a dock and underwater fireworks)!

Here’s a snippet:

She chuckled softly. “What’s the bet?”

“Winner makes new rules?” She’d wanted an encore, and he’d blown it. He wasn’t going to blow it again.

Her honeyed gaze heated. “To be clear, are we talking about sex?”

He bent to speak directly into her ear. “Did your crush on me inspire any other teenage fantasies? If so, I’d love to make them come true.” He just had to win, so he could make the rules.

“You’ve got a deal.” She stuck out her hand, and he took it, feeling electricity shoot from his fingers to his balls. She pumped his hand once—a motion he felt everywhere. “But I’m still going to kick your ass at trivia first.”

Game on.

One Night Stand Ever After is available in eBook and print copies from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, Google Play and more!

I’m going to celebrate with my besties and D.A. Taste TACOS.

And I just might have one of these:

Because it’s the heroine’s go-to drink, and the only thing better than a classic margarita is a margarita with unsweetened cranberry juice! Why? Because it’s good for your bladder! And citrus helps prevent scurvy. Basically, I’ll be enjoying a healthy beverage! (Get the recipe for the Best Homemade Margarita here. Full recipe video available soon!)

I hope you’ll raise a glass (and a copy of ONE NIGHT STAND EVER AFTER) to the final book in the Unforgettable Fire series!

Buy the Book

Lazy Chef’s Guide to Awesomesauce: Effortless Recipes That’ll Blow Your Mind

I like to eat a GOOD dinner. Sometimes I wish I were a person who could happily eat a bowl of cereal and call it good, and maybe I can manifest that for my next incarnation, but I’m not there yet.

Lunch? I don’t really care. I’ll throw anything on top of lettuce, eat whatever is in the fridge (that isn’t fuzzy), or scarf three granola bars and keep working. Breakfast? I forget it, drink it, or eat leftover pizza. So dinner’s gotta be good!

Since I’ve had at least a finger in the food service industry for the last few decades, I’m pretty good at spotting recipes that will work.

Here are my last 3 winners:

Greek Chicken Marinade from The Forked Spoon: Want to make your meat not boring? Throw your chicken parts in a bag with these ingredients, and wow your family, friends, or lucky self. No picture because grilled meat just looks like grilled meat. I’m no food stylist wizard lol.

Quick Pickled Red Onions from Ela Vegan: Pickled onions jazz up tacos, salads, sandwiches, breakfast, lunch, dinner, you name it. And they’re so easy to make! Admittedly, they are a lot easier if you are a foodie type with a mandoline, but a sharp knife will get the onions thin enough to be delicious!

Pickled onions in a treasured jar from my collection.

That salad dressing packet from the grocery store: Aldi, Wegmans, Kroger, Good Seasonings, Hidden Valley, whatever. They’ve all got them in the salad dressing aisle! I like the Italian one, the balsamic one, and the garlic and herb one. Yes, I bought the carafe with the lines on it for oil and vinegar. It’s so simple, I can’t believe I only started doing it this year! And I may never have discovered it without my writer pal, Amy Gamet, who loves it, too.

With a fantastic, easy salad dressing, you can throw whatever is in the fridge on top of lettuce and STILL have a good dinner!

Romaine, avocado, chicken, feta, chic peas, carrots, cucumber, corn, and magic salad dressing.

There are lots of easy dinners in my future with ONE NIGHT STAND EVER AFTER releasing on June 17th! Pre-order your copy, and you’ll be able to read it while eating soon. (Everyone reads while eating, right?!)

Get ONE NIGHT STAND EVER AFTER

Everything Seems Impossible Until It Doesn’t

Last night, I wanted to learn how to make Amazon A+ content for my Come Again series, but graphics, charts, and diagrams confuse me. I’d already put in a full day of work in the bakery, so when I found myself staring off into space, useless, I put myself to bed.

Right after dinner.

It’s been a while since I took to my bed. My bout with insomnia and anxiety left me afraid to take naps or go to bed too early. Waking up at 2 am with every single thing on my mind sucks ass. But I’m better now, so I went to bed with a pile of comfort books and The Bear. (I fell asleep during S2 E6 a few weeks ago, and when I finished the series, it was clear I needed to review.)

Indulging myself was GLORIOUS, and today, I RULED A+ content. Instead of being a chore, it was fun. I not only created content for 3 books, I also corresponded with Amazon KDP and Author Central, AND I did another hard thing I’d been putting off for ages.

Everything seems impossible until it doesn’t.

If you are the type of person who never gives yourself a break, and you are sitting in the harness, beating your own ass backward, and getting NOWHERE…go to bed. Or outside. Or watch TV. Or read a book. Give yourself a damn break, and make it longer than however long you think it SHOULD take you to recover.

Even better, learn to do that every day BEFORE you are sitting there, glassy-eyed and drooling and wondering if just one more cup of coffee will fix you up. If you can learn to put as much effort into self-care as you put into work, you’ll be INVINCIBLE!

Rest like it’s your JOB.

And please enjoy the new, improved cover for SoloPlay! I always wanted this series to have fun covers, and I really love this look.

And can I get an A+ for my A+ content?!

If you like your sex toys with a little fantasy, then SoloPlay is the story for you!

Get SoloPlay

The Dreidel Do-Over is LIVE!

Oh what fun it is to ride…on a Hanukkah Harbor Cruise!

In the spirit of Jewish Joy and Holiday Miracles, Jessica Topper and I bring you the MATZO BALLERS HANUKKAH ROMANCE series!

Whether you’re Jewish and looking for YOUR holiday read, curious about Hanukkah and want an easy way to learn about latkes, or just want a couple of quick, fun reads, we’ve got you covered.

Eventually, we’ll put them in print – and an eight-book box set. For now, we’ve got e-books available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google (The Dreidel Do-Over) and Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google (The Hanukkah Hook-Up)!

I’ll be posting recipes from the books soon, but for now, I’m rolling around in the Hanukkah joy – and Hanukkah mischief!

“Strip dreidel? Are you kidding?” Was he proposing they potentially get naked together on their first not-even-a-date?

Talia Katz, The Dreidel Do-Over

Happy Hanukkah to all, and to all a GOOD night!

Buy The Dreidel Do-OverBuy The Hanukkah Hook-Up

Jew Gotta Bestie, Too?

Once upon a time, I was standing in the Hebrew school pick-up line admiring this hot mama with a wild mane of salt and pepper curls. I’d always planned to go silver whenever it happened (like my Mom did), but nope. And, as I stick straight-haired girl, I envy curls. Hell, I envy hair with body, period.

I have no idea what my first words to Jessica Topper were, but I think they were probably something like this: “Hey, this is probably a weird thing to say, but damn you have fantastic hair. I’m jealous.”

TLDR: The first two books in the Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance series release in ONE WEEK!

We then discovered we have a lot in common. (She tells that story better.) We set up a playdate for our same-age daughters. Then I blew off hanging out with her during said playdate because I was on deadline. Jess being Jess (forgiving of my faults, a collector of info, a WRITER) wanted to know more, so we reconnected after I finished the book.

It wasn’t long before I learned Jess was writing the book that became LOUDER THAN LOVE, a recluse rocker/widowed librarian kick-ass love story, and I harassed her until she finished it. If you haven’t read it, you should. Everyone should!

Jess and I have been through some tough times these past few years. We lean on each other, and I often refer to her as my “emotional support human.” Writing is difficult work, and one of the most challenging parts for both of us is prioritizing our words until we reach THE END.

NOT THIS YEAR!

As soon as I handed in ONE NIGHT STAND EVER AFTER, we sat down at my kitchen table every Sunday (and many hours in between) and hammered out the concept for an eight-book Hanukkah romance series!

Dude, the only thing more fun than being in the writing zone…is being in the writing zone with someone who dumps gas in your tank to keep you going.

I’m grateful for my writing bestie, and we can’t wait to share THE DREIDEL DO-OVER and THE HANUKKAH HOOK-UP with you next week!

Want to join the OG Matzo Ballers on their yearly Hanukkah harbor cruise? Want to experience Manhattan like never before with friends who’ve become chosen family?

Pre-order The Dreidel Do-Over and/or The Hanukkah Hook-Up!

The Dreidel Do-Over Coming in December!

A couple of years ago, my friend Jessica Topper and I started tossing around ideas for a Hanukkah romance series. But I was in the middle of writing the Unforgettable Fire series, changing jobs, reframing my life, etc..

She was writing Pretty Wreck, her winery book, and also doing fifty thousand other things.

So all we did was talk…

Until THIS YEAR!

Lo and behold, I handed in ONE NIGHT STAND EVER AFTER (the final book in the Unforgettable Fire series), and she finished Pretty Wreck. In the spirit of YOLO and why the hell not, we rolled right into writing the Matzo Ballers Hanukkah Romance series!

I often refer to Jess as my “emotional support human.” As a former librarian and a hardcore researcher at heart, she’s my go-to for the first step of pretty much everything. If she doesn’t know, she knows how to find out, and she’s so kind that she never makes me feel like I’m asking the dumbest (or laziest) question possible-even when I am. She knows which bridge is the best one to take when we go to Canada (and how to cross the border without getting strip searched). She understands the NYC subway system. She’s the Empathy to my Achiever, and we bond in our Intellection balconies (and basements).

How did we kindle our decade-plus friendship turned literary collaboration?

At Congregation Shir Shalom in line to pick up our kids from Hebrew school, OF COURSE. She has a fabulous mane of salt and pepper curls, and I’m the type of person who compliments random strangers on great hair days. It was meant to be! (Jess would have a relevant Yiddish word for kismet.)

When our kids became friends and we set up a play date, Jess and I discovered we share a love of writing, yoga, coffee, carrot cream cheese muffins, wine, cheese, and pretty much everything except fresh berries. I love them. She hates them. But she tolerates the sight of them because I love them. And I love HER for that!

But for all our simpatico-vibes, we have VERY different writing styles, so we NEVER thought collaborating would work. But sharing a world and writing our own books, working together and encouraging each other, and eating carrot cream cheese muffins and plotting out loud with our mouths full? HELL YES.

We wrote feverishly before and after our day jobs, and we gathered at my kitchen table (horking breakfast casseroles and swilling Nespresso) on Sundays to share ideas and keep the fire lit.

We had a BALL.

Right up until October 7th, when Hamas attacked Israel. Our hearts are breaking for Palestine and Israel, and we struggled with whether to release such light and fun books amidst horror and devastation.

Ultimately, we decided the world could use as much love – and light – as possible.

So I’m thrilled to share that THE HANUKKAH HOOK-UP and THE DREIDEL DO-OVER will release on December 5th, just before Hanukkah begins. Our books are a celebration of Judaism, and our mission is to bring more light and love into the world—now more than ever.

Pre-order them NOW from your favorite retailer, and get ready to celebrate with us.

Single Books2Read LinkSeparate Old School Links

One Night Stand With Benefits is LIVE!

I wrote One Night Stand With Benefits during what Brené Brown would call a “spiritual awakening.” The more popular term is “breakdown.” To be specific, a post-pandemic, job change, hormonal unraveling that took place slowly and surely over the course of more than a year.

Two separate editors asked me to make the book more light hearted. Another asked me to add emotion and deepen the point of view. These were big asks since my heart was heavy, and I didn’t want to get anywhere near my own emotions. Channeling two people falling in love? HAHAHAHAHA.

Fortunately, every time a pass of edits arrived, I was in a good place and crushed it.

So many things in this book changed from first draft to final file that I doubt my beta readers would recognize it! Thank goodness. (Especially for the 12 pages of proofreading changes. Best proofreader ever!)

I knit the book back together as I put myself back together, and I’m FREAKING THRILLED to report we’re both in great shape now. Xavier and Brittany always had plenty of steam, but now they have heart, too.

Pick up your copy of One Night Stand With Benefits and buckle up for a bump-y ride!

Now available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, and Google.

ONE NIGHT STAND WITH BENEFITS

Whether it’s the boardroom or the bedroom, hotelier Xavier Rodriguez knows what he wants. When he has a chance to work with an incredible nonprofit—and they throw his personal life into the spotlight—he’s tasked to clean up his reputation. Which is exactly when delicious temptation steps into his path…

Between her burlesque troupe, launching her own business, and planning her bestie’s wedding—not to mention her hard-to-please, extra-privileged family—Brittany Adair has exactly zero interest in anything more than a bit of fun tonight. And with Xavier, it’s a lot of fun.

One incredible night, no strings. That’s all it was ever supposed to be. But soon, what started as a hot little hook-up results in them sharing a tiny little secret that’s due to arrive in about nine months…and what happens next is anyone’s guess—especially when emotions get involved.  

Cover Reveal: One Night Stand With Benefits

I’m thrilled to announce One Night Stand With Benefits, the 2nd book in the Unforgettable Fire series, has a cover! Links, a blurb, and a for-sure release date coming soon, but all signs point to April 17th as a great day to pour a glass of whatever you love and settle down with Brittany and Xavier for some steamy one-night stand/unexpected pregnancy fun.

The series starter, One Night Stand After Another, got an update!

Ha-linking the graphic to my book page showed me that I need to update the cover on MY website. One thing at a time…

Looking for a fun road trip with great snacks and even better sex? Grab your copy of One Night Stand After Another today! (And, yep! It’s in Kindle Unlimited. It’s also coming out in audiobook format on March 28th!)

10 Ways to Love Yourself Better

Hello, February! Whether you love Valentine’s Day or hate it…get ready! Personally, I love heart-shaped cookies, and I’m looking forward to making them with my son and his girlfriend. (Luckiest mom ever!) Which reminds me–I need to find a frosting recipe that tastes better than royal icing, but dries a little so the cookies don’t get smudged…

Anyway, if you’re wondering why it’s been so long since I posted, I fell into the pit of despair. It happens. I’m climbing out! Maybe you can relate?

But as I scaled the walls and paced a groove in the floor, I discovered a few self-lovely ways to be kind to myself. Then, as I was pondering newsletter topics this morning (sign up here if you want to be the first to know about my book news), I decided to share them. And to ask you if you’d like to share YOURS.

After all, you never know when you’re going to need a little boost–or where you might find it. If you’ve got a good tip, share it in the comments or find me on FB. I’m going to do a round-up for my next newsletter. Let’s share the self-love! As we’ve learned in a myriad of ways these last few years, we’re all in this together.

Need a boost? Try one of these 10 ways to love yourself better:

TAKE YOUR VITAMINS. For some reason, I tend to forget on weekends or when I’m feeling blue. Is it subconscious self-sabotage? A break in routine? Who knows, but I feel better when I take them, and maybe you will, too. Be good to yourself.USE EXTRA LOTION. If your inner world takes a dive, you might as well pamper yourself on the outside. A nice rub and showing some love for the bod that carries you around in the world might change your state of mind.BREATHE. OMG I’ve been doing yoga for over a decade. I breathe ALL the dang time. Intentionally. Deeply. But last week I caught myself holding my breath at my desk…and I think maybe I’ve been doing it for a year. And breathing in my chest not my belly, which can lead to feeling anxious. I love Yoga with Adriene and subscribe to her app, but she has two incredible “Yoga for Anxiety” practices that are free on YouTube. Both of them start with alternate nostril breathing, which chills me out EVERY TIME. This simple 16-minute Yoga with Adriene practice is great before bed. This 30-minute practice is a little more advanced (hello, warrior three), but it will get you out of your head.DRINK TEA. Or whatever floats your boat. I like Yogi brand Honey Lavender Stress Relief (soothing serenity blend). Maybe it’s the ritual. Or the herbs. The heat? Dig in to whatever grounds you, and reach for it when you need it.FILL A LARGE CONTAINER OF WATER IN THE MORNING. Hydration is essential for good health, and I always drink more water when I fill up my enormous water bottle in the morning. I can’t count on myself to fill up eight individual glasses of water every day, but if it’s already there? Glug, glug, glug. Maybe it will help you hydrate, too.CHECK IN WITH YOURSELF. I’ve tried a bunch of different things to chart my emotional progress during this challenging year. This 3 Minute Positivity Journal is pretty cool. But journaling in the morning is my current go-to. I write down my wins, the things I’m grateful for, and things I’m trying to remember. When I do this, reading over the week makes me feel good. I learned the hard way that writing down what was troubling me every day made me feel worse when I read over the week. Framing your day, your week, your life, your SELF positively can make a huge difference!EAT DARK CHOCOLATE. Science backs up the happy-making effects of dark chocolate! The catch: it only takes a half-ounce, so we can’t use that as an excuse to eat the whole chocolate bar…at least not every day. But if you like chocolate, eating it can have positive physical and psychological effects. YES!REACH OUT TO A FRIEND. I’m grateful to have a few people I can count on for companionship (via text or whatever) on good days, bad days, and every day in-between. Just having someone know my state of mind makes me feel better. And staying connected with friends gives us the opportunity to be there for them, too, another mood booster.BUY THE GOOD SEX TOY. MANY years ago, a wise friend and I went to an upscale adult toy store, and she splurged on a vibrator with a price tag that made me blink…and blink…and blink. I’ve replaced a half dozen of my cheapo “BOBs” since then, and you know what my wise friend says about hers? “Worth every penny.” Oh look, they’re having a Valentine’s Day Sale… YOU ARE WORTH IT. I feel like this article in Vogue magazine was written just for us! Appreciating the Orgasm as an Act of Self-Care. YES!FIND A NEW BOOK. As a lifelong reader, I NEED to know what I’m reading next. Distraction is a great way to weather rough patches in life. (Full disclosure: I also discovered a few new TV series that made life better. The Morning Show. Minx. New Amsterdam. I also watched all of the Lord of the Rings movies again LOL.) I ask friends for recommendations, check out my Bookbub recommendations, read Smart Bitches Trashy Books reviews, and troll the Libby app for library options… If a new book gives you a mood boost, don’t deny yourself the pleasure!

So there you have it! 10 ways (and there are more, trust me) I’ve learned to love myself better. Have you got a good one? Something you’d like to share in case it gives someone else a much needed boost? Leave it in the comments or find me on FB. I’ll get a longer list together, and we can help each other rise above the pit of despair–and love the hell out of ourselves!

Chocolate Chai Chippers From ONE NIGHT STAND AFTER ANOTHER

So what’s happening now that ONE NIGHT STAND AFTER ANOTHER is out in the world? It’s getting rave reviews, which is delightful. It has over 4 stars on Goodreads! They don’t hold back their true opinions over there, so YAY!

Here’s my current favorite review:

EXACTLY! Fun and hot. YASSSSSSS!

I received the first pass of edits on Book 2, ONE NIGHT STAND WITH BENEFITS, also delightful. I thought that book was a disaster of darkness, but my editors liked it. They did notice the darkness, so I have my work cut out for me making it as much fun as ONE NIGHT STAND AFTER ANOTHER, but I have faith.

I also put a new recipe on the site! The Chocolate Chai Chippers from the Slip Stitch Café in Denver, CO. No, it’s not a real place, but Clara and Zane visit it in the book! The cookies are irresistible, if I do say so. Chewy, chunky, oaty-to-the-tooth chocolate chip cookies with just enough spice to make them interesting. If you make them, let me know what you think.

Next up is the Slip Stitch Sandwich, or at least the Green Goddess dressing that goes on it. I’m a sucker for ranch dressing and anything green. And veggie burgers. And spicy things!

Aaaaand I have to get cranking on Book Three. It’s in me, somewhere. I can feel it. Kind of like when you know you’re forgetting something but can’t quite figure out what room to enter to trigger your memory. I’ll have to wander around on the page until I find what I need. It’s hard to keep showing up when the magic doesn’t appear. I’ve started this book at least twice already! Maybe three times. But I’ll start again.

The joy is in the process. I give myself permission to suck. Progress not perfection. It’s always hard. I always do it. All of that. Pretty sure I wrote a blog called “Ride the Hard,” about a million years ago…

Yes, we can do hard things. Eating cookies helps! Enjoy the Chocolate Chai Chippers. Fall will be here before we know it…