Sharla Lovelace's Blog, page 7

Come see my new book, DON’T LET GO!

My newest book, DON’T LET GO is out and having a great time today!  :)

It’s about first love, unspeakable choices, and second chances.  Here’s a little teaser to pique your interest…

***

Morning? Really? I opened my mouth to say something back, but nothing came out, so I licked my lips and fidgeted with my robe like a crazy woman.

“Too early?” he asked, as if that were a normal thing to say to me as well.

A laugh-scoff-snort thing fell out of my mouth, which I chalked up to rounding out the perfect start to the day. I coughed and cleared my throat.

“No, I’m—just getting ready for work.” I stepped back so he could come in, and held onto the door for dear life as I glared at Harley for just sitting there on the couch like a diva. Some guard dog. She should have had his leg chewed off by now. “Come in. There’s still coffee if you want some.” Oh, what the living hell was I babbling about?

Noah stepped in hesitantly, as if maybe he hadn’t thought things out that far. Maybe he expected me to slam the door or not be home or God only knows what. He gave me a sideways glance as he passed me, and I caught a subtle whiff of soap and shaving cream. I stared at the door as I closed it, as if it had betrayed me too, and then I turned on my heel and put myself in motion.

I walked straight past him to the open kitchen, trying not to really look at him. I knew he’d follow. He knew the way around my mother’s house. My house.

Harley’s curiosity finally got the better of her and she followed on his heels, making him turn around to check out the beast stalking him.

“Hey there, killer,” he said, holding out a hand for her to smell him, and then scratching her ears. “Are you nice?”

“That’s Harley,” I said. “I’m afraid growing up with two women has made her a big wuss.” I took a deep breath. “Coffee?” I asked again, opening a cabinet.

When he didn’t answer, I turned around, and felt my heart slam against my chest. He was standing on the other side of the big island from me, where I’d seen him so many times before. Except he was a man now. With something in his eyes that resembled lost.

“What?” I asked, though not much of the word came out.

Noah shook his head, and his expression cleared a little. “Just weird being back here, I guess. In this kitchen.” He gestured with a small hand flick. “Seeing you here.”

“I know the feeling,” I said softly, turning back to grab a mug whether he wanted one or not.

“Linny told me you were living here again,” he said. “Sorry to hear about your mom.”

My hands shook as I poured the hot black liquid and turned to set his mug on the counter.

“Thanks,” I managed to push out. “Sugar and creamer are right there,” I said with a gesture.

“Black’s fine,” he said.

I nodded and headed into the living room for my cup. Shit, Jules, breathe. I planned to come back, but he followed me. Shit. The kitchen felt more stable. We could stand up in there. Have the island between us. The living room was cozy and please-sit-and-stay-a-while. Granted, I did have to go to work—in an hour and a half. Shit.

I licked my lips again, and sat back down where I was earlier. Feet curled beneath me. Two pillows on my lap for security. I felt every centimeter of my nakedness under the robe, and wished for more clothing, but it was big enough for him not to know that. I just thanked God for giving me the wisdom to get ready early and not be sitting here with wet hair or raccoon eyes. And then I mentally kicked myself for caring. He didn’t. I wondered if his woman knew he was paying me a visit. Or if she even knew who I was.

***

Sound interesting?  Well you can click right here to go to the book page for DON’T LET GO and purchase links as well as a free sample of Chapter One will be there if you want them!

Have a great day!

Tagged: contemporary romance, don't let go, ebooks, first love, mothers and daughters, new release, old flames, romance, second chances, sharla lovelace, small towns, texas

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Then there’s the Sopapilla Cheesecake that Dani says is “death by butter,” and it is.

SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE…also served at Ella’s

2 cans crescent rolls (get the kind that are one sheet w/no perforations…it’s easier to handle)
2 8-oz tubs of cream cheese
2 tsp vanilla extract
cinnamon (up to you)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks of real butter (told you)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9×13 pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a bowl, mix cream cheese, 1 stick melted butter, 1 cup of the sugar, and the vanilla until smooth and creamy (I use a mixer). Line bottom of pan with the sheet from one can of crescent rolls. Sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon. (mixing the sugar and cinnamon together first makes this whole prep a little faster) Spread cream cheese mixture over the rolls. Layer second can of crescent rolls over the mixture. Melt the remaining 1/2 stick of butter and pour over the top. Mix remaining sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. It will still look juicy, let it set for 20-30 minutes. Eat in denial.

The post Sopapilla Cheesecake appeared first on Sharla Lovelace.

Banana Pudding Crumble from The Reason is You

There are a few tasty little gems in THE REASON IS YOU that I’d be wrong not to share.

First of all, there’s the Hot Banana Pudding that Jason recommends…

BANANA PUDDING CRUMBLE served at Ella’s

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups sliced ripe banana
vanilla wafers
graham crackers or graham cracker crust
4 egg whites ( I know…2 egg yolks but 4 egg whites… scramble the other two w/some milk & have an omelette)
1/4 cup sugar

Preparation

Combine flour and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly stir in milks and yolks, then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 8 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, then add vanilla extract.

Arrange some of the vanilla wafers on bottom of 2 quart baking dish, topped with 1 cup banana slices. Spoon 1/3 pudding mixture over bananas; cover with more vanilla wafers. Repeat, then top with a third layer of pudding. Arrange remaining wafers around inside edge of dish and on top; gently push into pudding.

Crumble graham crackers or graham cracker crust generously over the top.

Preheat oven to 325°. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add sugar 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves, for 2 to 4 minutes. Spread meringue over pudding. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Let cool for at least 30 minutes.

Worth every calorie…

The post Banana Pudding Crumble from The Reason is You appeared first on Sharla Lovelace.

Nana Mae’s Mississippi Mud from DON’T LET GO

Mississippi Mud

Cream together:

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter (the real thing)
1/3 cup of cocoa

Add:

¼ tsp. salt
4 eggs (one at a time.)
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 ½ cups chopped nuts
2 tsp. vanilla

Bake in a 9×13 pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. While hot, spread one jar of

marshmallow creme on top of cake and let cool (10 minutes).

Then mix this together separately:

½ cup butter (or 2 sticks margarine, melted)

1 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. vanilla

1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar

1/3 cup of cocoa

1/3 cup of Eagle Brand condensed milk

Spread on top of cooled cake.

Enjoy!

The post Nana Mae’s Mississippi Mud from DON’T LET GO appeared first on Sharla Lovelace.

Change in the Blogisphere…

Hey my friends!

Yes, it’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I’ve meant to come back in here and notify you all of the change, but life keeps pushing me around.

I’ve noticed that since getting published, time gets a little scarce.  (Really? Duh!)  And trying to do everything writing related, social media related, and promo related, while working full time and waving to my family on occasion –has made it difficult to stay on that roller coaster.  Since my writing takes priority, and my family will find me (they know where I live) if I don’t put them even higher on the food chain, something had to give.

I’ve decided that blogging can go.  I still contribute every 3 weeks to www.womenunplugged.wordpress.com and will guest blog on occasion when asked.   Also, I will likely throw a post in here now and then for new releases and such.  Just because that’s exciting and my family barely sees me on release day anyway.  LOL.

So you’ll hear from me on here now and then, but for a daily dose of my musings, “Like” my Sharla Lovelace, Author page on Facebook and add it to your interest lists.  I post something quick and short nearly every day, sometimes do giveaways, but really just have fun with my readers.  It’s a couple of sentences and I can handle that a day. 

Ciao!!

 

Tagged: facebook, sharla lovelace

A Month Of Memories: Day 3 The Tree

In my month of memories, today is about the Tree…as in with a capital T.

I tried to find a picture that really looked like our tree, but I couldn’t.  I think this one is close though.  It’s been a while.

Besides all that, the point is that we had a fake tree because of my brother’s allergies, and we had the kind that came in limbs marked in what looked like colored fingernail polish.  You matched the colors with corresponding paint marks in the holes.  It was my job to organize all the limbs and get it together as far as I could reach.

My mom kept that tree for probably 30 years.  It was familiar.  Why change? 

Share something of yours!

Tagged: before and ever since, december, month of memories, sharla lovelace, the tree

Day 2: The Anticipation… :)

I’m talking about my memories this month, sharing a Month of Memories since December is so full of so many traditions.

Today is Day 2, and my memory today is of helping mom drag all the decorations from the upstairs storage closet, giddy with anticipation as each box was opened.  She probably hated that part.  It was, after all, quite the task.  The storage closet was a bear to get things in and out of, and then once you did wrangle a giant cardboard box out, you had the curved stairway to contend with.  But I couldn’t wait.  I can still remember what that closet always smelled like.  To me, it was Christmas. 

Share another of yours!!

 

Tagged: before and ever since, december, decorations, month of memories, sharla lovelace

A Month of Memories…

I didn’t post all this week…still crazy from the holiday, and so much going on personally and at work.  So I thought I’d pop in on this bright and beautiful Saturday morning, the very first day of December.

There were alot of GRATITUDE posts floating around Facebook in November, everyone posting days of what they were thankful for.  November was all about thankfulness, as it should be.  We should stop and take notice of our blessings…we tend to spend way too much time complaining about what we lack.  So November was a great time to take stock and see things right side up.

December, to me, is about memories.  About all the traditions we had growing up, big and little.  Smells and sounds and tastes and tactile memories that define the month of December and Christmas.  So I’m going to do a little daily memory log this month, sharing my memories with you.  And hopefully it will trigger some of your own, and you’ll share yours!

Today, Day #1, is the smell and feel of cold air, drinking hot spiced tea on the old brick porch with my mom.

Enjoy your memories!

 

Tagged: before and ever since, december, family, holidays, memories, romance, sharla lovelace, spiced tea, womens fiction

Thanksgiving traditions…

I’m dishing about Thanksgiving dishes and what kinds of traditions we have over at Women Unplugged today…click here to view that post and join in the conversation.  What traditions do you have?

I’m also at Tina’s Book Reviews today on the last leg of my virtual blog tour.  Come by and enter to win some great prizes, including an e-basket of books from me!

Have a great holiday!

 

Tagged: before and ever since, blog tour, sharla lovelace, thanksgiving, tinas book reviews, women unplugged

Aunt Bernie’s Spicy Crackers! from BEFORE AND EVER SINCE

In the spirit of book-y love and snack addiction, I wanted to round out this week with the recipe for the spicy crackers Aunt Bernie makes in BEFORE AND EVER SINCE. 

Cassidy loves them, Emily loves them, even health crazy Holly loves them.  So here you are–your very own recipe to make them yourself.  EASY peasy and sooooo good.  Enjoy!

TEXAS FIRE CRACKERS

(served by Aunt Bernie… good as appetizer or with gumbo…)

1   tsp garlic powder

1   tsp onion powder     

1/2 tsp black pepper

3   tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

1  2/3 cup vegetable or olive oil

2   1-oz pkgs Ranch Dressing mix

1  16oz box Saltine crackers

Place vegetable oil, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, ranch dressing mix, and crushed red pepper flakes in a 2-gallon plastic zip lock bag, seal, and smoosh with hands to thoroughly combine the oil and spices. Place crackers into bag, seal, and turn over and over to cover the crackers with the spice mix. Let the bag sit for about an hour, then turn them again. Repeat several more times until crackers are well-coated with spice mix. The longer they sit in the mix, the better.  Remove crackers and let air dry.  Serve!

Now you can make these for your family…or make them for yourself as a wonderful snack while you curl up and read!  LOL!  Enjoy!

@ @ @ @ @

Tagged: aunt bernie, before and ever since, food, recipes, romance, sharla lovelace, texas fire crackers, womens fiction