M.A. Church's Blog, page 105

Finicky Friday - Frosty Strawberry Squares

Hey everyone, I thought it would be cool to post some recipes I had found online. I’m going to *try* to do some of these beforehand, but I’m sure there’ll be times I won't. I'm going to call this Finicky Friday. :)


Frosty Strawberry Squares
6 h 30 m 24 servings 159 calsPrep 30 mCook 6 hReady In 6 h 30 m

Ingredients1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 egg whites
1 cup white sugar
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream

DirectionsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. 
In a bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, walnuts and melted butter. Toast in the oven until walnuts are fragrant, about 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Sprinkle 2/3 of the walnut mixture evenly over the bottom of the 9x13 inch dish.
In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with the lemon juice until they can hold a soft peak. Gradually add white sugar while continuing to whip to firm peaks. Fold in the strawberries.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer until stiff but not grainy. Fold into the strawberry mixture. Spoon over the crust in the dish and spread evenly. Top with the remaining walnut mixture. 
Freeze for 6 hours, or overnight.

Recipe by: TAMIELAW

~I chopped up my two cups of sliced strawberries to make them finer--the sliced strawberries got very hard when frozen and made the dessert hard to cut. The strawberry juices got into the fluffy mixture, turning it a pretty pale pink color. I had no problems cutting the frozen dessert then. I had a bit of a problem with the meringue portion, as my sugar didn't dissolve, no matter how much I whipped it. When I added the strawberries, though, the sugar dissolved just fine and the dessert came out fabulously.

Air-conditioning, Internet, and book covers... I swear, there's a plot bunny in there somewhere.

Hey everyone, sorry I went MIA there for a couple of days, but Comcast up and decided to delete my modem on my account.

Somehow they got the idea it was lost, so they deactivated it on Friday. No, I did not tell them to do that. No, the modem was not lost. Grrr. And no, I have no flipping idea why the hell they decided to do that. BIG GRRR!

Story of my life. Y'all think I make this crap up, but I swear I don't.

So, after several days of beating around the bush, I finally lost my cool on Monday with them. They overnighted a new modem, which I got Tuesday.  So yay, I finally have Internet now.

And during that time, our air conditioner went out again. Yes, I said *again*. But, to be fair, the unit is sixteen years old. We're looking at replacing the damn thing. Oh joy. I was really hoping it could limp along one more year, but it isn't looking good.

During this time I got the galley for It Takes Two to Tango. That's due back on sixteenth. Also got third round edits on A Country Boy at Heart, which are also due back on sixteenth. Aaaaaand... you know what I'm going to say, right? I got first round edits on Paws and Claws due a couple days after the sixteenth LOL.

Tango and Country Boy are Dreamspinner books. Tango is the third book in the werecat series. A Country Boy at Heart is part of the State of Love collection Dreamspinner is doing and also contemporary. Paws and Claws is part of an ARe collection they're putting out in October. You can probably tell by the title it's a paranormal. *grin*

Good times lol!

Oh yeah, I've also received the cover for Tango, which I haven't shown yet. Today I'm looking over the mockups for covers on Country Boy. *grin*

Busy, busy, busy hehe. Don't forget there's a GIVEAWAY going on for some swag on my blog too. I guess that's everything… y'all are officially caught up LOL.

Now I have to go beat the hell out of some plot bunnies that won't leave me alone and wrestle some edits into submission.

~M

Finicky Friday - Strawberry Soup

Swag giveaway HERE




Hey everyone, I thought it would be cool to post some recipes I had found online. I’m going to *try* to do some of these beforehand, but I’m sure there’ll be times I won't. I'm going to call this Finicky Friday. :)
Strawberry Soup2 h 5 m 5 servings 196 cals
Prep 5 mReady In 2 h 5 m

Ingredients
2 pints strawberries
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water (if want it more thin. For a thicker texture, don't add the water. )
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Directions
In a blender, combine the strawberries, yogurt, orange juice, sugar, water and cardamom. Puree until well mixed. Chill and serve.

You might want to add extra yogurt, though, to give it a thicker consistency.
You can substituted a bit of ginger and nutmeg for the cardamon. 

Recipe by: Michelle
This recipe uses plain yogurt not heavy cream so it's lower in fat and calories but it is still just as good. It is a very simple and refreshing soup.

Giveaway Alert - July! Who wants some signed swag???

It's a July giveaway LOL! This one has all of the following:

Behind the Eight Ball notebook this time
Shadows in the Night signed postcard
Perfect signed postcard
Pure signed postcard
The Harvest book #1 and book #2 signed postcards
several signed book marks
two magnets
pen
two pencils
four Harvest coasters
merman pin

Open to US residents only. If you enter the giveaway, please be aware you're going to have to give me your name and address so I can mail this to you.

All you need to do to enter is comment! Make sure to leave me your email. You have from now until July 26st to enter. Each month until GRL I'm going to do a swag giveaway. WHOOT!

~M

The Necromancer's Dilemma (The Beacon Hill Sorcerer Book 2) by SJ Himes

Even love can die without trust.



Blurb:

Angel’s brother, Isaac, has returned home, and the pair begins to make slow and awkward attempts back to each other. Learning how to be a brother to a grown man instead of a parental figure has Angel adjusting his behaviors and habits, and Isaac still remains a mystery. Was it merely entering adulthood that turned Isaac away from an overprotective Angel, or does Isaac carry a secret that will keep them from finally being a real family?


Daniel Macavoy, Angel’s new apprentice, is torn between his bond with Angel and the grasping machinations of his father. Dealing with a traumatized apprentice with dangerous holes in his magical education, saving Daniel may be harder than Angel first thought—especially since the biggest problem is not revenge, but guilt.


The one shining beacon in his life is Simeon, Elder vampire of Boston’s only Bloodclan. Four hundred years old and sexy as sin, Simeon is warrior and sage, patient and cunning. The strength Angel draws from Simeon’s devotion and the newborn mate-bond between them is steadfast and true…and the fount of death magic that animates the undead lord places Angel in the midst of a power struggle for control over himself, his lover, and his family.


Through it all, Angel is beleaguered by the unwanted attention of a troll-hybrid, the adventures of a dragon in the city, and a serial killer has decided to hunt the back alleys and midnight streets of Boston.




Excerpt:

While the Salvatores and Macavoys had spent a few hundred years sharing Boston, very rarely did the twain ever meet. The Salvatores claimed Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South Boston, west to Brookline, east to the Cape, and all the way south to the Rhode Island border and the ferries to the islands. The Macavoys claimed the area north of the Charles River, all of Cambridge and Somerville, north to Medford. The river separated them, and for almost two-thirds of Angel’s life, the river was the line they never crossed, unless they wanted blood spilled and spells tearing apart city streets and families. The limo, this one with blackout windows, two vampire guards in the front and one on the rear with them, crossed the Charles and headed northwest into Cambridge. Angel instinctively tensed when he saw the signs for MIT, and the limo cruised along, the suspension taking the rough winter roads and tight corners with smooth ease. Macavoy Court was ten minutes past the campus, and Angel pressed himself back against the leather seat, vibrating. Eroch purred and chirped, winding himself around Angel’s neck and nibbling on his skin, trying to calm him. Simeon was sitting to his left, and a big hand landed on his thigh, squeezing.Angel gave Isaac a searching glance, but his little brother appeared unperturbed, his eyes curiously scanning the dark side streets and elegant old homes they passed. For Isaac, this wasn’t a trip into enemy territory—this was a rescue mission, in a town he’d always had the run off once he grew up. If Angel had attempted to enter Cambridge when he was eighteen, his father would have beaten the magic out of him and grounded his ass for a decade. When Isaac was eighteen and running around town, the Wars were long over and the Town safe—well, as safe as a Salvatore could ever be in this city. It once took Angel the better part of three years to even think about crossing the territorial borders, even with the Macavoys in prison or dead, and the other allied clans decimated by police raids and exile. If one was to be truly technical, the Salvatores won the Blood Wars, but with only a pair of free or surviving people on each side, it wasn’t much to celebrate.It was an hour and half ‘til dawn, but as long as they got this handled quickly, Simeon should be fine, and if not, the limo had treated glass. Simeon and their vampire escort should be safe from the sun. As long as they weren’t ambushed by a troll hybrid and a fae lord. Angel doubted it—the fae lord and his minion had a hunting party after them, and would need to go to ground before they were caught, if they hadn’t been already. Simeon took down Stone by himself, so the half-dozen vamps after the duo should have an even easier time of it. While Angel wanted to know how the fae got the drop on his lover, he would wait until he reclaimed his wayward apprentice and they were safely back home. All of them. “How are you feeling?” Angel murmured to Simeon as the limo took one of the last turns before arriving at Macavoy Court. Less than a block now, and he tensed.Simeon lifted his hand from Angel’s leg and gripped the back of his neck, squeezing, chasing away the tension and nerves. He sighed quietly, trying to let go of his anxiety. He wasn’t afraid—this was just one place he never, ever, in his whole life wanted to be, much less go there purposely. He thought he could handle it fine from the safety of his own kitchen, but now he was learning how wrong he’d been.“I am well, mo ghra, healed and restored,” Simeon answered, leaning down and pressing a firm kiss to his temple. Angel peered back up at Simeon, looking for signs of weariness or strain, but the strong jawline and chiseled cheekbones, combined with his devastating emerald eyes and the charming slant of his lips made Angel humph grudgingly, but he could agree Simeon looked perfectly well.“We still need to talk about what happened,” Angel stated, and Simeon gave him a small half-smile. “We shall, I promise,” Simeon agreed, and Angel had to content himself with waiting until after the dealt with Daniel and his father.“Any plans?” Isaac grumped from the forward side seat, squinting as he tried to see past the dark window tint and the shadows outside. “Get Daniel and go home,” Angel said, and Simeon snorted softly in amusement. “That’s it? Get Daniel?” Isaac asked, incredulous. “No master plan? Just walk up and knock, then?”“Yup,” Angel replied, and despite the situation he smiled when Isaac gaped at him in dismayed shock. “I thought Dad taught you all these combat maneuvers and battle plans and stuff,” Isaac grumped, scowling. “Combat maneuvers and battle plans?” Angel chuckled, shaking his head. “He taught me how to survive, and how to keep others alive. Nothing more fancy than that.”“Any suggestions on how not to die, then?” Isaac snarked back, and Angel got the first real glimpse of the Isaac from the last few years. “Sure. Never make the first move unless it’s to save a life. Shields up, and watch your back. Never fails.”It failed all the time, actually, but handing over fear and doubt before a conflict was the fastest way to lose. He’d never tell Isaac how many times he saw friends and family members die in conflict during the Wars. That was one part of their history he was never going to share. The Wars were over.Isaac opened his mouth but shut it with a snap and a frown after a moment, brows making a dark slash across his brow. Angel could see his brother battling with questions he surely wanted to ask, but the limo coming to a stop on the street outside the main gates of Macavoy Court made them turn and look.Once a grand Georgian mansion, the seat of the Macavoy clan was in disrepair and falling apart. The tall, wrought iron gates were open, and the wide stone courtyard was strewn with debris and trash. The front of the mansion was dark, though just off to the right, a dim red glow came through partially open curtains. Someone was home.“Isaac, keep your shield ready to go, and don’t hesitate to tap the veil. Don’t do anything aggressive unless we’re met with violence. If Leicester or his servants give us any trouble, I will handle it. You’re to get Daniel out and into the limo. Our vampire friends,” Angel said, nodding to the soldiers who still sat quietly in the limo with them, “won’t be able to enter the premises without invitation. Simeon, too, but if anything goes to hell I will do my best to get it outside the building where you can help.”Isaac was nodding, and Simeon gave Angel a slow, single nod in agreement. “Okay, let’s go knock on the door.”Simeon held him back from exiting the limo first, but he didn’t mind as Simeon would be stuck out in the courtyard without an invitation while Angel and Isaac went in after Daniel. Angel wasn’t taking no for an answer—his apprentice was inside, and after learning about Leicester’s abuse, Angel would be damned before he let Daniel spend another hour under his father’s roof. Angel was fiercely pleased he wasn’t restricted to needing an invitation—as long as the mansion wasn’t warded he could get in.The wind cut through his sweater, and Eroch chirped in dismay from under his collar. Angel tugged the fabric up higher and drew in an even breath, calming himself before opening his mind and inner sight to the building in front of him. “No wards,” Angel murmured in surprise. Maybe they weren’t expected? Didn’t Leicester expect a visit from Angel once his apprentice was stolen? Rescuing Daniel was a certainty that Angel never disputed—but maybe not for everyone else?“I don’t see any spells or shields up, either,” Isaac volunteered, and Angel agreed. “I have no trust this is as innocent as it looks,” Angel said, and Simeon nodded, his sharp senses presumably searching the wide courtyard for dangers.“I smell Daniel, an older practitioner, and another human male, indeterminate age,” Simeon supplied after a few deep inhalations. “I can smell blood, though it is faint.”“Daniel’s?” Angel asked, breathing through his fear and anger. “Perhaps, but the scent markers are dulled by distance and the wind,” Simeon said, shaking his head, auburn hair catching the light from the few street lamps. “I can hear three heartbeats though, so the boy is alive.”“Perfect, let’s get him back. Don’t let anyone in or out except us. I don’t want company at a bad time.”“I will be waiting for you here, my love,” Simeon answered with a quick grin. Angel gave Simeon one last look before walking across the courtyard to the front door, Isaac at his shoulder.

 Amazon Buy links:USA: http://amzn.to/29nfGKCUK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01HVJZEM6Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01HVJZEM6Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01HVJZEM6






Name three things that would surprise your fans to know about you.

Hhhmmm. Three things? OK.

1. I am absolutely beyond terrified of spiders. I will set myself on fire to escape a spider. Or the house. Or someone else. I’m that cared of them. Large bugs make me very unhappy. I keep a bottle of industrial grade bug killer spray in my room at all times. Just in case.

2. I lived in a haunted house for 8 years in Indiana. I know what you’re thinking, ‘There’s no such things as ghosts!’ Well, tell that to the ghost in that house, maybe it’ll listen. Nothing says you’re living in a haunted house quite like having something grab your toes while you’re sleeping, force you to wake up, see the darned thing, then scream your head off. We turned on the lights and it was gone….door never opened, so where did it go? Saw it several times until I did a really doofy confrontational thing where I threatened to exorcise the house. Minor things after that but I never saw it directly after that day.

3. I went to school for veterinarian medicine and a major in genetics specializing in animal conservationism. I never made it all the way I came up against my great nemesis, mathematics. I sailed through everything EXCEPT the actual math classes. I had to give up and rethink my career goals. So I ended up working for TSA /Homeland Security for ten years before I took the plunge into fulltime author.

A lot of your writing contains nonhumanelements. What draws you to that?

A. It’s pure escapism. I enjoy the nonhuman elements because they represent to me the things I wish I could change about myself or other people. A new way to handle situations, problems, on frontations. Nothing makes me happier than magic. I struggle with writing contemporary novels for just this reason I have to play by the “rules” to solve problems, and I hate that.

How do you come up with a title?
A. I usually have the title before I have the book. I think with 4 of my books I knew what it was going to be called long before I wrote ‘The End.’ The rest of them came to me about 50% of the way through writing them. Usually the title has to do with the main character directly, or the main plotline of the book. No esoteric titles with me. My Bred For Love series is rather on point, as well as Saving Silas and Wolves of Black Pine.

Where do you get your best ideas?

A. I daydream. I used to daydream in school a lot. I was in some really advanced classes and even then I was really bored, especially in my AP English classes. So I’d occupy myself with creating stories in my head. This is actually now how I formulate and create my books. I daydream them into a fairly cohesive whole, and write the scenes out as I crafted them in my head, Everything else I write by the seat of my pants. Some of my favorite stories occur when I can’t find what I want to read. What I need doesn’t exist yet so I create it.

Is there anything you’d like to tell? Maybe something in the works you would like topromotion? Feel free!

A. My recent release The Necromancer’s Dilemma just dropped on July 1st. My next book out will be Bred For Love IV: A Sovereign Vow, the last book in the Bred For Love series. I’m planning on August 2016 for that book.



Social media links:Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterSJHimesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/SJHimes/Website: www.sjhimes.com

Author Bio:SJ Himes is the semi-accomplished author of the series, “How Not to Succeed.” Her accolades range from “My eyes, my eyes!!”, to “Why did you do that?”, and the often cited, “Dear GAWD STAHP.” 
She’s recently retired from her decade long career of teaching government employees how to milk hamsters instead of doing their actual jobs, and has frequently been seen at the scene of many a Red Tape Disaster. Not helping in any way, of course. That’s not what one does for Uncle Sam. 
SJ delights in taking short walks to the fridge, where she opens it, stares forlornly and without purpose, and then shuts the door with a sigh. She is often the type to wander into a room, forget why she was going in there to begin with, and then leave, only to remember once she’s gone. Her other pastimes include snarky comments and bewildering non sequitors, and her puns inspire animals into early migrations. Having more books than friends, she likes it that way, as friends require paying attention and that dreaded skill called listening.
Her latest release, “My Betta Friend: The Life of Falcor”, is a semiautobiographical novel set in Medieval Times—the event restaurant, not the era—and focuses on the woes of owning a fish instead of a cat. Downside: no snuggling. Good side: no litter box. Here's the fun part: What's true and what's not? *wink* 
I'm actually a self-
See my Author Page for Revella Hawthorne for upcoming releases in the Bred For Love Series.




The Necromancer's Dilemma72,000 words. Mature content. Violence, sex, gore. Contains mature content and extreme snark.
Bonus short story at the end, called "The Necromancer's Birthday Surprise.". Written for Crystal's Many Reviewers Birthday Celebration, March 2016.

My Love Wins Anthology story was accepted!

So I got the word tonight that my story, Chasing Tyme, will be included in the Love Wins Anthologies to benefit the victims and families of the Orlando shooting. There will be two
volumes: Summer 2016 and Holiday 2016. Money raised will be donated to the PULSE VICTIMS FUND through Equality Florida.

My story is just a little bit shy of 10K, which was the maximum word limit. It's also contemporary and it has a new couple. I really like these guys. Maybe later down the road I can take the story and expand it. I hope so because these two still have things to say. Oh, and that title? Tyme is indeed spelled correctly. It's spelled that way for a reason. 0.o

I don't know exactly when the first anthology will be released, but I think it's going to be some time near the end of the summer. I certainly heard back quickly, and Dreamspinner usually takes up to eight weeks to issue a contract.

As soon as I hear something, I'll let you guys know. :)

~M

Finicky Friday - Layered Lemonade Drops Drinks

Layered Lemonade Drops
BY NATALIE MIGLIARINI

Hey everyone, I thought it would be cool to post some recipes I had found online. I’m going to *try* to do some of these beforehand, but I’m sure there’ll be times I won't. I'm going to call this Finicky Friday. :)


TOTAL TIME: 0:10LEVEL: EASYSERVES: 4


INGREDIENT
6 oz. vodka
1 c. mango lemonade
1 c. pink lemonade blended with ½ cup of strawberries
1 c. regular lemonade
1 c. ice


DIRECTIONS
Fill blender with 1/3 of vodka and mango lemonade and ice. Blend and set aside. 
Fill blender with 1/3 of vodka and strawberry/pink lemonade. Blend and set aside.
Fill blender with 1/3 of vodka and then regular lemonade. Blend and set aside. 
Chill each mixture, and keep each layer chilled until ready to pour in glass. Pour into serving glass in layers starting with mango mix, then strawberry/pink lemonade mix, and lastly regular lemonade.
This drink was inspired by the memories of taking lemon drop shots back in the day at bars with friends. This version makes the boring shot into something beautiful you can make at home. Mango, strawberry/pink lemonade, and regular lemonade come together to create a fun, boozy lemonade that anyone can make. The secret is to chill each layer until its ready to be poured into the glass, which keeps the layers separate, but equal in the quest to booze things up.


It's the perfect lemonade drop cocktail for the dog days of summer... which we're about to enter. Did y'all know that, lol? "Dog Days" is the name for the most sultry period of summer, from about July 3 to Aug. 11. Named in early times by observers in countries bordering the Mediterranean, the period was reckoned as extending from 20 days before to 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius (the dog star) and the sun.
recipe: http://ht.ly/iR6H301zMls

It Takes Two to Tango excerpt

Blurb Can two very different men find the love they need to survive? Remi Ginn’s an easygoing werecat with a love of snarky T-shirts who would be perfectly happy with a human mate. Is that what the goddess Bast gives him? Of course not. Instead she gifts him with Marshell, a Vetala: a snakelike nonshifter who drinks blood to survive. A man who’s just as toppy as Remi—and even more powerful than the West Falls Clowder’s Alpha and heir apparent.While Remi decides whether he can handle the fates’ choice, hunters attack Marshell. In an explosion of passion, Remi and Marshell mate and Remi declares Marshell his. Now they have to figure out how to make their relationship work as they dance around each other. The clowder is in turmoil, and Remi’s acceptance of Marshell rocks the very foundation of the insular group. The consequences will be far-reaching. And if that isn’t problem enough, the situation with the hunters is far from resolved… as the appearance of an Alpha werewolf proves.







Chapter One—RemiFuck my life.I’d have to check, but I was pretty sure I had a shirt that said that somewhere in my closet. If I didn’t, it was next on the list of things to get. Because it fit—my life was fucked.Sighing, I turned the radio up in an effort to drown out my thoughts. I rattled down the road in my old beat-up work truck—which was another thing I needed to take care of. I’d owned a sweet ’69 Ford Mustang. Had being the key word. It went up in flames not long ago… with the mate of Dolf, our heir apparent and head beta, inside.Kirk made it out alive. My baby wasn’t so lucky, and I hadn’t replaced her yet. Yes, I was mourning a car. I loved her. Ugh. So much for drowning out my thoughts. I turned on my blinker and made the turn onto Alpha Armonty’s street for an emergency meeting he’d called.Bad enough this was Monday, but it was what humans called Cyber Monday, goddess help us. I turned the heat up a little more. December had arrived with what the South considered abnormally cold temperatures. Frankly I liked the cold—liked the snow, as long as we weren’t buried under a mountain of the stuff.As I pulled up in front of his house, I saw Dolf’s truck was already there. Dolf, our head beta, was the Alpha’s son and heir apparent. The other three betas—Heller, Aidric, and Brier—had arrived too. That left me. I was also a beta for the West Falls Clowder.I parked behind Heller and sat in my truck, staring sightlessly at the house. One of the reasons we were meeting was because I met my mate, Marshell Foles, a few days ago. Good news, right? Cue the canned audience applause.Now the bad news. My mate was possibly stronger than my Alpha and the heir apparent together. Okay, now cue the canned boos and hisses. Maybe I should’ve said life was fucked with a capital F.I flashed back to the night I found out he was mine and the heavy petting session we had on his couch. Now my cock was hard. Wonderful. Just what I needed—an erection right before I met with my Alpha.I pushed at the bulge, frowning. “Down, boy. I’m afraid you’re barking up the wrong tree.”In order for a shifter to mate, we had to share come and blood during sex—which involved bottoming. For my mate I could bottom. The thing was, I didn’t see myself doing it on a regular basis. I was a top—which was not that big of a deal, except so was Marshell.Somehow I didn’t see Marshell bottoming any more than I wanted to. The man screamed Alpha male. That was another can of worms, and not the only one by any means. And sitting here analyzing this was useless. I got out and walked toward the front door before one of them noticed me sitting out here in my truck like a dummy.Just as I got to the door, Dolf opened it, read my shirt, and promptly burst out laughing. “You have got to tell me where you get those.”Smirking, I shook my head. “It’s a well-guarded secret.”Today I wore a black shirt with white writing: Be careful when you follow the masses…. Sometimes the M is silent. “Masses” was in light blue, as was the letter M, to draw attention to the play on words. I’d been known to follow an ass or two in my day. Those days were over now.Dolf nodded at my truck. “I was wondering if I was going to have to come out there.”“I had a feeling you’d be tapping on the driver’s window if I didn’t get out soon,” I said as Dolf moved out of the way so I could enter the Alpha’s home.“I was counting down. Dad and the rest are already in his office.”“That’s where the food is, right? I just got off work, so I haven’t eaten.”Dolf clapped me on the shoulder as he shut the front door. “Of course. Come on back before they eat it all—damn bunch of vultures.”I followed Dolf. The smells coming from Alpha Armonty’s office made my mouth water. “Something smells good.”“Mom got hot wings. There are fries, coleslaw, and potato salad to go with it. And rolls too.”“Your mom rocks.” We entered the office. Everyone was still standing around helping themselves. Good. That meant there was still food, and I made a beeline for it.“Hey! Look what the cat finally dragged in.” Aidric shoulder-bumped me.“Oh, such sharp wit. It cuts like a dull knife.” I rolled my eyes. “And don’t think I didn’t notice you bumping me away from the table, you hog.”“Hot wings, man.” Aidric winked at me. “Food of the gods and hungry werecat shifters.”“You’re always hungry,” I griped, shoving Aidric out of my way. “Stop blocking the table, dude.”“Hey, Remi,” Brier greeted me.“Hey, how’s it going?”“Good, good. Just got through helping my sister, Breanna, move into her new apartment here in town. I swear, how does one person accumulate that much stuff?” Brier complained.“Oh that’s right. I forgot she was back,” I said. “Where was she living before?”“Philadelphia. She moved up there for her job, but she couldn’t stand the cold weather and endless snow. All she did was gripe, gripe, gripe. I finally got tired of hearing it and told her if she was that unhappy, then she should move back home. I was kidding, but I don’t think she got that. Next thing I know I’m getting a phone call and a due date for her to move.” Brier scowled at a chip on his plate. “Should’ve kept my mouth shut.”“What did you tell me she did?” I asked.“She’s an accountant. Now that she’s settled into her new place, she’s started job hunting. She’s got some savings, but that won’t last forever.”“Is she still unmated?” I asked.“Yep. She had a boyfriend, but they weren’t mates. And speaking of mates, I heard you found yours. Man, sorry I couldn’t attend the dinner. Congrats.” Brier sat down at the round table we always used for meetings.“Yeah, you should’ve seen his face.” Aidric chuckled.“Thanks,” I said, unsure if I should say more. Did Brier know the situation? Aidric did. He was there that night.“Welcome, Remi.” Alpha Armonty pointed at the side table where the drinks were set. “There’s several different sodas to pick from, and tea. Get yourself a plate and grab a seat.”“Yes, Alpha.” I filled a plate and got a drink. After we were settled, Alpha Armonty cleared his throat. All talking ceased.“We’re meeting for several reasons. First let me congratulate Remi. As I understand it, Remi met his mate during Heller’s Thanksgiving dinner, which I wish now the wife and I had attended.”“Yeah, you never know what kind of trouble Heller’s going to stir up,” Aidric joked.“Again, let me remind everyone Lawson’s to blame for the whole Thanksgiving deal. That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.” Heller nodded as though that was the end of the subject.“You chickenshit.” Aidric poked Heller in the ribs. “Look at you trying to throw it off on your mate, and the guy isn’t even here to defend himself.”“I’ll tell him,” I volunteered, flashing Heller an evil grin. “Knowing Lawson, he’ll hide Heller’s hair-styling stuff as revenge. Hmm, I might even have to suggest that. Just in case, you know.”“He’d need a storage unit for all of it,” Brier added and then took a drink of his soda.“And a forklift to get it to the storage unit.” Dolf snickered, licking the sauce from the hot wings off his fingers.“Just a damn minute here.” Heller threw his napkin at me. “How’d this discussion get off onto me anyhow? And Remi? You might want to remember Lawson’s like a brother to your mate. Maybe I’ll tell Lawson to tell Marshell how you picked on me… and I’ll have you in the doghouse, man.”“Doghouse? Really?” Dolf hooted. “Sounds better than cathouse.” Heller shrugged and then bit into a wing.

Finicky Friday - Cola-Nut Salmon

Hey everyone, I thought it would be cool to post some recipes I had found online. I’m going to *try* to do some of these beforehand, but I’m sure there’ll be times I won't. I'm going to call this Finicky Friday. :)

A friend of ours made this last weekend, and I absolutely loved it.  I will say the sauce isn't that great looking, but in this case looks are deceiving.  We also had grilled shrimp to go with our meal, and I ended up dipping the shrimp in the sauce for the salmon... and that was awesome too LOL. He did a great job on the meal. 



Cola-Nut Salmon

Ingredients
4 salmon fillets, with (preferred) or without skin
1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1/2 cup chopped pecans
12 oz. can of cola (not diet)
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp butter Mesquite chips



Directions

Preheat grill to medium heat, using Mesquite chips if this is an option.


Rinse salmon and pat dry, then brush with the oil.


If using skin-on fillets, cut 1-inch diagonal slits into the skin and set aside.


Toast the pecans in a skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until browned.


Remove the pecans from heat and set aside.


Pour the cola into the same skillet on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until cola is reduced by half. It will have the consistency of syrup.


Stir in the Tabasco sauce, butter and pecans. Keep warm over low heat.


Grill your salmon fillets, starting on the side without skin for 4 minutes.


Carefully turn salmon over and grill for 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness. Fish will be opaque and firm to the touch.


Remove salmon from the grill and serve with the sauce spooned overtop.

(, Of course, one of the reasons why I probably like this so well is because it's made with Coke lol.)

Riding the Tide - next merman book had been subbed to ARe

Okay, so yay! I submitted Riding the Tide tonight (6/23/16) to All Romance (ARe). This is the second book in that series. The first book was Beneath the Surface. I don't have a series name yet or release date since I just submitted it tonight. Usually it takes ARe about four months to get a book out, so we'll see.

Not sure if there'll be a third book in the series. I'll just have to see, but I'm pretty sure I won't be able to work on it this year. I've got one more story for the Love Wins anthologies to do, an erotic romance I want to do for an ARe Collection, and of course I'm working on Aidric's book—which is titled At Sixes and Sevens. Aidric's book is the main thing I'm focusing on, though.


While I wait to get word, I'll leave this here for ya: