M.A. Church's Blog, page 107

Finicky Friday - Lemon Garlic Tilapia

 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. :)

Ingredients  40 m/4 servings/142 cals4 tilapia fillets3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon butter, melted 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes pepper to taste
DirectionsPrep: 10 mCook: 30 mReady In: 40 mPreheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then drizzle butter on top. Sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and pepper.Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 30 minutes.
FootnotesTip: Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier. We actually eat a lot talipia. It's easy, fast, and tastes good. :)
Recipe by: Eireann

"This is a delicious and healthy recipe that takes no time at all to make. You can bake it or even grill it. Tastes great either way!"

DsP Sense-ations Reads at ARe - To Touch the Sky 25% off

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know To Touch the Sky is featured in the June ad for All Romance eBooks.


Buy link: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-totouchthesky-1764782-147.html





Blurb:Leap of Faith: Book Two
He can run, but he can’t hide…
Centuries ago, Hawk made a terrible mistake which has haunted him since. Fear of responsibility and feelings of unworthiness leads him to denying the mate Wha-tay showed him in a vision. So now Hawk runs his bar, has casual sex, and never, ever dates men with blond hair and brown eyes. But then Simon walks into his bar, and the future he’s feared is about to end up in a brawl if Hawk doesn’t do something—fast.
Simon Carter has a smart mouth and a bulldog temperament. So when Hawk runs, Simon pursues the sexy man, only to be rejected. Just as Simon decides to give up, someone—or something—visits him to change his mind… and scares him to death. Now Simon is backpedaling, and Hawk is in pursuit.
Desperate to reassure Simon and keep him safe, Hawk is forced to reveal his secrets before he’s ready. Can Simon learn to accept things aren’t always as they seem? Is the connection between them strong enough to help Hawk overcome centuries of pain? The only way the two men will move beyond Hawk’s past is for both of them to take a leap of faith.

Excerpt:

ONE

ON A star-filled night, the full moon shone brightly over the untamed land. Predators—nothing but shadows in the dark—moved silently through the forest, hunting for unsuspecting prey. A symphony echoed all around: tree frogs sang, crickets chirped, and a raccoon prowled in search of something to fill his empty belly. A barred owl hooted, and his call reverberated into the night. Bats silently dipped and spun as they hunted for food on the air currents as danger lurked.

A mysterious shadow moved through the forest as it tracked the docile prey not far beyond the safety of the trees. Out on the moon-draped landscape, the plains reached for miles. The buffalo stood silently as the night held the land tight in its grip.
In this wild land, there was only one creature that walked upright, stalking the flat plains and rolling hills on two legs. The Great Spirit, called Wha-tay, had created Mother Earth. Then her children, The People, inhabited the land and settled at The Tree of Life—the soul of Mother Earth.

Wha-tay bound each child born to The People with a spirit. Once bound, they had the ability to use the gifts the spirit had and take the shape of that spirit’s earthly form. Children of Wha-tay lived in harmony with the creatures around them. The land provided what they needed to survive, and they gave thanks for the sacrifices made to support them.
“It’s too bright, Mapiya. Do something.”

“I am, Chetan. But if you rush me, I may accidentally hit you with lightning.”

“You haven’t had an accident with your powers since you were a young child.”
Mapiya just looked at Chetan.
Chetan rolled his eyes. “As usual your humor is as sharp as a dull blade.”

Mapiya cleared her thoughts, letting the words that would bring her powers fill her mind. Closing her eyes, she gave her body over to her totem spirit and called to the Spirits that ruled the air. Taking a deep breath, she began to chant. A cool, gentle breeze wrapped around her body.
The clear nighttime sky slowly filled with rolling clouds that blocked the moonbeams. The silvery light faded as the night darkened. Mapiya’s long hair whipped above her head as the breeze strengthened. Opening milky white eyes, glowing with power, she cast the land into shadows.

“Impressive,” Chetan whispered. “That’s good, Mapiya. The moon’s behind the clouds, and the land is cloaked in darkness.”
Mapiya turned to Chetan, a smirk on her face. “Try not to stumble over your own feet now, warrior.”

“I’m more worried about you hitting me with a bolt of light from the sky.”

“It’s crossed my mind.”

A low growl drew Chetan’s attention to a shadow that parted from the darkness. A sleek black cougar paced forward, nudging its head against Chetan’s deerskin-clad leg. He scratched the cougar behind the ear. “Ready to hunt, are you? The others ready?”

The black cougar, known as Hania in his human form, glanced back to the forest. There in the darkness, Chetan could see the glowing eyes of predators staring at him. Squinting, he saw several of The Children in shifted form. Chetan sniffed the air. Unless he was mistaken, there were golden cougars, wolves, coyotes, and several bobcats.

Along with those were animals that did not roam their land. More than a few big cats they had no name for waited silently too. Their coats were a reddish-orange with dark stripes. This was the largest of the big cats and weighed a vast amount. Other shifters had horselike bodies but were covered in black and white stripes.

Then there were shifters who resembled deer, but they had light brown coats with white underparts with distinctive black stripes on the sides. Their horns were long and pointed, with slight curvature. A few owls perched on branches, waiting for the signal. They would be their warning system. Behind them were more of their tribe in human form, carrying bows and other weapons.

“Mapiya, make sure the breeze doesn’t carry our scent to the buffalo. Keep our smell downwind.”

“This is not my first hunt.”

“Still.” Chetan shrugged as he turned to the group of predators that waited. “Everyone in shifted form, split up and come at the herd from the west and east. Those of us not shifted will get ahead of the herd. As they pass by, we’ll try to take as many as we can once the buffalo have stampeded toward us.”

The black cougar made a huffing noise, and Chetan glanced down at him. “Give us time to get into position, Hania. Remember, only take the weak and the old ones.”

Another warrior in human form, Lootah, shifted his bow higher onto his shoulder. “I’ll leave a little before the women finish skinning to make sure the fires are ready for the celebration.”

“Thank you. That would be helpful.” Chetan nodded. Lootah’s totem was one of those big cats for which they had no name. They assumed the animal existed somewhere in the world.

Chetan stared at a very young brave shifting from foot to foot. “Isi, you’re to stay with me at all times.”

Isi rolled his eyes. “Is that really—”

Chetan held up his hand, halting Isi’s words. “Yes. I promised your mother I’d keep an eye on you.”

Isi’s bottom lip stuck out. “You’re not my father.”

“True, I’m not. But your father’s with the other shifters, so responsibility for your safety passed to me. You’ve never stalked a herd this large, and I don’t want you getting hurt. Give me any problems, and I swear I’ll tie you to the nearest tree. Understand?”

“Yeah.”

Chetan stared at the young warrior.

Isi rolled his eyes but changed his answer to show the respect due. “Yes, Chetan.”

By the Great Spirit, this kid was going to be the death of him. He’d been involved in Isi’s life since the young brave had been born. This was his sister’s only child since Wha-tay hadn’t blessed Isi’s parents with more children. Chetan let his eyes wander over Isi. Isi was a man according to their ways, but he was still so young minded.
Isi didn’t show the maturity seen from the other young warriors, which worried Chetan. Privately he felt the young one was spoiled. But that wasn’t the only thing preying on Chetan’s mind. He glanced at his sister, Alaqa, who waited silently with several other women. She and her mate, Niyol, were among several members thinking about leaving the tribe to explore the wilderness, as were quite a few of the older braves. It was insanity. They wanted to leave the very foundation of their lives. He didn’t understand it.
A breeze caressed his cheek, refocusing his attention, and he gave an unvoiced prayer of thanks for the upcoming bounty. The buffalo provided everything they needed. Without it chance of survival was nil. The buffalo’s hides covered the tepees and made their beds, blankets, and winter coats.
Their drums, which pounded long into the night, also came from the hides. No part was wasted. They dropped red-hot stones into the animals’ stomachs, and those became their soup kettles. Cups came from the buffalo’s horns; the knives were his bones. Bowstrings and thread were made from the sinews. The ribs were fashioned into sleds for the young ones and hoofs became rattles. The buffalo’s mighty skull was their sacred altar.
Chetan took one last glance over the noiseless landscape and nodded. It was time. Softly he spoke, “After the hunt, we’ll give thanks to the mighty buffalo for his sacrifices, and to Wha-tay for her gift of such beasts. May the wind carry your arrow, may your aim be true, and may we all return safely.”

Chetan and the other braves moved like ghosts across the land to the locations they’d picked out several days before. While in his hawk form, he would’ve been useful with his keen eyesight, but his ability with the bow was unmatched. Between the bows and the spears, the males of his tribe were deadly.
He glanced at the sky. Overhead an owl tracked him and the others. Time crawled as all the braves took their positions, and the owl returned to the trees. Long moments passed as he readied himself for what was to come. Suddenly the energy in the air changed, became more electric. The ground rumbled under his feet as panicked buffalo charged across the plains.

Dust filled the air. As he left his hiding place, the strong, musky scent of their prey assaulted his nose. The excited, high-pitched cries of many braves echoed endlessly, causing more confusion among the buffalo. Fear and anticipation heightened his sense of awareness. His blood pumped through his veins in a pounding rush. Oh, how he wished he flew on the air currents so he could watch. What a sight it must be.

He chased the stampeding animals. Everything was working well. The shifted tribe members moved the herd the way they wanted. Chaos ruled the buffalo. Clutching his bow, Chetan took aim at the magnificent beast that charged past him and let his arrow fly. Power raced through his body as his arrow landed true.
The thrill of the hunt washed over him; his heart pounded in his chest. Nothing made him feel more alive short of taking to the skies. Sounds assaulted his ears—the dying shrieks of the animals, the howls of the wolves, the screams of the cougars, and the steady fall of hooves coming close….

Much too close.

“Oh spirits,” Chetan whispered. He’d let his attention drift from his nephew, and now…. His own cries joined the madness as a monstrous bull darted from the stampede and charged Isi.

The maddened animal had several spears embedded in its body. The night was cool, and steam blew from its nose. The rank smell of the animal nearly gagged Chetan. As reality slowed to a crawl, he saw Isi standing still, his hands by his side, staring. Sound distorted and warped as Chetan yelled for Isi to move, draw his bow, do something. His voice was hopelessly lost in the pandemonium raging around him.


Isi stood frozen as the buffalo charged.

Hop for Visibility, Awareness, and Equality winner

And my winner is:
Mari
Email has been sent out. :) Thanks to everyone who took part in the hop.~M

Pib’s Dragon by Beany Sparks – Early Download at Rainbow Ninja Press – 27th May

Title: Pib’s Dragon
Author: Beany Sparks
Part of a series? If yes, can it be read as a standalone? Yes and yes
Series Title: Twisted Fairy Tales
Number in Series: #1
Publisher: Rainbow Ninja Press
Release Date:
Early Download at Rainbow Ninja Press – 27th May
Third Party Pre Order – 3rd June
General Release – 10th June
Word Count: 21,699
Links:Rainbow Ninja Press
Rainbow Ninja Press – EU Customers
Goodreads
Categories: M/M Romance, Gay Fiction, Paranormal, Humor
Rafflecopter:a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blurb:A dragon is about to find out what happens when a cat discovers his cave of shiny treasures.

After nine years, Pib is finally free from his contract with the newly wed prince. Slipping out in the middle of the night to avoid getting stuck in another contract, Pib shifts into his cat and makes his way home to the little village he foolishly left, hoping his best friend Wil still lives there.

Dray is bored. His services as a princess-guarding dragon are no longer needed and even his gold and jewels are unable to cheer him up. His mood changes quickly when he catches someone in his treasure cave, and it starts a series of events that change his life forever.

When the two finally meet, sparks fly, but Dray will have to move quickly if he’s to save his cat after Pib gets kidnapped.
ExPib snuck into the darkened room, tiptoeing quietly so as not to wake the newly crowned prince Geraint and his princess. Looking around, he both thanked and cursed his shifter senses. While he was grateful he could see inside the room, the smell of sex throughout the air was something he could have done without.Reaching the desk on the far side of the room, he paused and glanced at the couple. Once he was satisfied they were still asleep, he eased open the cover and found what he was after—his freedom. After nine long years as the bastard’s slave, the letter freeing him from servitude almost brought tears to his eyes. Carefully folding it and placing it in his inside pocket, Pib gently shut the desk and tiptoed back toward the bedroom door, leaving the room as silently as he’d entered.He knew there was only a limited window of opportunity for him to make his escape. Even though the pompous bastard had made a production of signing the form and granting him his freedom, Pib knew it was all for show. If he didn’t escape now, Geraint would get him alone and force him to sign another contract and then make some sort of bogus announcement about how Pib wanted to stay.Pib snorted, unable to help himself. Luckily there was no one else around the castle at this time of the night, though even if there was, Pib didn’t care. He was leaving, and no one was going to stop him. Anyone who tried would have a close encounter with his knife, or his claws, he wasn’t picky.“Hey, Pib, where are you off to in the middle of the night?” asked the guard at the front door of the castle. Pib never bothered learning their names or getting friendly with them, especially since Geraint could force him to kill any of them at a moment’s notice. He’d learned that it didn’t pay for him to form any attachments with those surrounding Geraint.“Getting an early start on my retirement,” Pib replied, smirking at the man while he continued to stroll toward the exit.“Sorry, Pib, but I have to check. Do you have a signed letter from Prince Geraint?” The guard shifted from foot to foot, showing his unease.Pib stopped in front of him and forced a smile. “Of course,” he said, carefully extracting the letter and handing it over to the guard.He waited, watching the guard closely as he read the letter. One wrong move and Pib was going to gut him. Nothing could happen to that letter.“Looks good,” the guard said, handing the letter back to Pib. “It’ll sure be different without you around, but all the best. And, uh, don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope I don’t see you again.”Returning the letter to his pocket, Pib looked up and smiled a real smile at the man. He wanted to laugh when the guard’s face paled as he caught sight of Pib’s canines, but restrained himself. “Don’t worry, I hope never to see you again either.”With that, Pib walked out of the castle and made his way through the sleeping village. Pulling his hood up, he used the dark material to blend into the surroundings. He wasn’t taking any chances that Geraint wouldn’t wake up any moment and send guards running after him. After all, Pib was practically friends with all of the skeletons in Geraint’s closet.Pib reached the edge of the village and paused. After nine long years, he was finally free of Geraint, his orders, and most importantly, his shackle. The magical cuff that had decorated his right ankle for nine years had been removed after Geraint had signed his release. The cuff was the only thing ensuring Pib’s obedience, and finally, it was gone.
Taking a deep breath, Pib stepped over the invisible boundary line and felt the remaining enchantments shatter and disappear, leaving him standing as his true self for the first time in years. Reaching inside, he called out his inner cat to come out and play, and in seconds, his clothes disappeared and he was standing on all fours in his serval form. Stretching, he threw one last glance back at the castle and the village before slinking away into the trees, using the natural camouflage to shield him as he made his way toward the start of his new life.

Finicky Friday - Maple Salmon - Early lol!

Hey everyone, I have a post for Friday, so I did FF early. :) And this one is a healthy recipe. 

So, anyway lol... 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. :)


Maple SalmonRecipe by: STARFLOWER
1 hour/4 servings/265 cals


Ingredients1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound salmon

DirectionsPrep-10 mCook-20 mReady In-1 hour
In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.
Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture.
Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

Footnotes:
Note: The nutrition data for this recipe includes information for the full amount of the marinade ingredients. Depending on marinating time, ingredients, cooking method, etc., the actual amount of the marinade consumed will vary.
You never marinate fish for more than 30 minutes.

Tip:

Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

It's a blog makeover!!! *gasp*

Bear with me as I try to decide what I want to do with my blog lol.

Recently I ran across a thread where readers commented they prefer a white background with black writing. The way I had my blog set up was right the opposite… I had a black background with white writing. So many people said it gave them a headache (lol I actually prefer it that way) so I decided to change it around.

While the blog *is* mine, the main point of it is for communicating with you guys, so I want to make it as a visually appealing healing as possible. So if you guys prefer the white background, would ya let me know?

Thank! :)
~M

Top 100 Most Popular Authors in Science Fiction

HOLY SHIT. I made the Top 100 Most Popular Authors in Science Fiction - Amazon Author Rank. This is not just LGBT Science Fiction... its science fiction as a genre. OMG
#100 in Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction
http://www.amazon.com/M.A.-…/e/B007A8JA4C/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

It updates hourly, so I probably won't be there long LOL, but for short time I am!
The simple truth is, I wouldn't be on that list or any other without you guys. Y'all buy my books, talk them up, and leave reviews. None of this would be possible without y'all and for that I'm eternally grateful. I'm a writer who cannot come up with the words to properly explain this, LOL, except to say thank you. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.
~M

Finicky Friday - Cookie Dough Candy Bars

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. :)




Cookie Dough Candy Bars

Prep Time 20 MIN
Total Time 3 HR 55 MIN
Servings 16

Ingredients
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ chocolate chip cookie mix
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup canned sweetened condensed milk
1 cup finely chopped Snickers™ candy bars (about 8 fun-size)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons M&M's™ chocolate candies


Directions
1 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.
2 In large bowl, mix cookie mix, softened butter and egg until soft dough forms. Press two-thirds of the dough in bottom of pan; bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven.
3 Drizzle condensed milk over cookie base. Sprinkle with Snickers™ pieces and 1/2 cup of the M&M’s™ chocolate candies. Crumble chunks of remaining cookie dough over candy. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons M&M’s™ chocolate candies over top of crumbled dough.
4 Bake 23 to 28 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool completely, at least 3 hours. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.
Expert Tips
Fall, Spring, Christmas or Fourth of July -- take advantage of the array of seasonally colored M&M’s™ chocolate candies. This gooey bar will be a show stealer every day, whatever the occasion.

The secret for cutting bars easily is to line the pan with heavy-duty or nonstick foil. When it is time to cut the bars, just lift the baked bar with the foil out of the pan, and cut. This also makes cleanup extra easy.



http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cookie-dough-candy-bars/bf1fe38e-6ec7-4cf9-a5f1-3d023eb2cd34

Hop for Visibility, Awareness, and Equality

Hi! Welcome to the Hop for Visibility Awareness and Equality. You might know us as the Hop Against Homophobia, Bi and Transphobia.

Once again I'm proud to be taking part in this very, very special hop to help supports the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia on May 17th. If you've been part of the hop before then you know there are several people and publishers connected to this. I've been part of it since the very beginning. :)

And considering I live in Mississippi the timing is perfect. A week after Georgia governor Nathan Deal vetoed similar legislation, Mississippi governor Phil Bryant signed into law a “religious freedom” bill that would allow businesses to refuse to serve gay couples or transgender people on the grounds that doing so may violate the owners’ religious backgrounds.

Following Indiana’s passage of its Religious Freedom Restoration Act last year (not to be confused with the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993) and North Carolina’s slightly different anti-discrimination law in March, Mississippi is joining a list of states that will be risking financial sanction from business for their attitudes toward gay and transgender individuals.

*sigh* Way to go Mississippi. Wait to try and time travel back to the 60s. I swear, sometimes it's embarrassing living in the South.



Any way, let's get to the contest, lol! Drop me a comment below and make sure to add your e-mail addy! What does the winner get? An e-book copy of Trouble Comes in Threes.


1. B. A. Brock (BI TR GAY LES)  23. Amelia Bishop (MULTI)  45. Remmy Duchene (MM)  2. Jamie Fessenden  24. Moonbeams over Atlanta - Eloreen Moon (MM, REV, MULTI)  46. Sharita Lira writing as BLMorticia M/M  3. Rory Ni Coileain  25. Helena Stone (M/M )  47. Barbara Winkes (LES)  4. Erica Pike (M/M)  26. AM Leibowitz (M/M, F/F, BI, TR, NB, REV)  48. Bronwyn Heeley (m/m)  5. Andrew Jericho (GAY)  27. L.D. Blakeley (M/M, BI)  49. L. J. LaBarthe  6. Tempeste O'Riley (M/M (Bi) (NB)  28. Lila Leigh Hunter [M/M, BI]  50. VJ Summers (m/m, m/m/f)  7. The Macaronis [various]  29. Sharon Bidwell  51. Nikka Michaels (M/M)  8. Elin Gregory [mm]  30. Nicole Dennis (M/M, ACE, M/M/F)  52. Caraway Carter (LGBT)  9. Alexa MIlne  31. Lexi Ander  53. L M Somerton (M/M)  10. Nic Starr (M/M)  32. Barbara G.Tarn (M/M, ACE)  54. Taylor Law (GAY)  11. Evelise Archer (MM)  33. Kaje Harper M/M, TR, BI  55. Anastasia Vitsky (F/F, TR, BI)  12. Sue Brown  34. JMS Books LLC  56. Draven St. James (M/M)  13. Elizabeth Varlet (M/M, BI, NB)  35. JM Snyder  57. A.V. Sanders (GAY, ACE, NB)  14. Raven J. Spencer  36. Dean Pace-Frech  58. Lynley Wayne  15. Sharing Links and Wisdom (REV)  37. Kimber Vale  59. DP Denman (GAY)  16. Lisa Horan (REV/Multi)  38. Jacintha Topaz (BI, F/F, M/M, TR)  60. M.A. Church M/M  17. Archer Kay Leah (M/M, F/F, TR, NB, BI, ACE)  39. Prism Book Alliance® (MULTI)  61. Andrew J. Peters GAY  18. Alexis Duran (M/M)  40. Eva Lefoy (M/M, F/F, F/M/F, BI, MULTI)  62. Dianne Hartsock MM  19. Jules Dixon  41. Lou Sylvre (M/M)  63. M. LeAnne Phoenix M/M F/F  20. R.M. Olivia  42. Anne Barwell  64. Cherie Noel (M/M)  21. Heloise West (M/M)  43. Viki Lyn (M/M)  65. Chris McHart (M/M, Trans*)  22. Angel Martinez (M/M GAY BI TR)  44. Sean Michael  

At ARe - Sale on The Harvest : Taken and The Harvest: Journey's End

Okay, here's the deal, y'all! For the next twenty-four hours the Harvest series is going to be on sale at ARe. They're going to be marked half-price.

That's *only* at ARe. And it's *only* for twenty-four hours. After that they go back to their regular price.



Buy Link:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theharvesttaken-1638245-145.html











Buy Link:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theharvestjourney039send-1717002-145.html