M.A. Church's Blog, page 79
August 16, 2019
Join ~~The Needy Boy by Sean Michael~~ release party on Aug 18th
Sean Michael is having a having a party in their group to celebrate the new release! These authors are coming to play: Tara Lain, K.c. Wells, Mary Calmes, Felice Stevens, Shannon West, M.A. Church, Julia Talbot, Morticia Knight, Jodi Payne, LM Somerton, Rj Scott and B.a. Tortuga!
Join us on August 18 between 10:30 am and 5:30 pm (est) for fun, giveaways and what's sure to be naughtiness!
Sean's FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/260491564133793/
August 15, 2019
Finicky Friday - Garlic Parmesan Chicken
45 minutes to prepare; serves 4
INGREDIENTS
6 bone-in chicken thighs (skin-on, optional)
1 pound baby Dutch potatoes, halved or quartered
3-4 cups baby spinach, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Fresh parsley, optional
Sauce:
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 400º F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat and sauté spinach until just wilted. Remove from heat.
For the sauce: lower heat to medium and add butter to skillet. Add minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn.
Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, or until roux is thick and golden brown, then slowly whisk in chicken broth until incorporated.
Stir in parmesan cheese and half-and-half, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until thickened, then stir in thyme, basil and oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and Italian seasoning and place in baking dish.
Place chicken thighs skin side up in your greased baking dish, then top with sauteéd spinach and halved potatoes. Top with cream sauce, then place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Optional: broil for final 5 minutes, or until skin is crispy, if not already seared.
Remove from oven and serve hot.
link: https://recipes.cookingpanda.com/garlic-parmesan-chicken/?utm_source=rm-cpall&utm_medium=social-fb&fbclid=IwAR0IPsv_ANUZythLdSi8cmB0ORPlbVenOlFad6efldfDteMXsSOlSyfu5yE
August 13, 2019
Trouble Comes in Threes is now in KU
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WD77Y43/
Cover by: Morningstar Ashley https://morningstarashley.com/
Blurb:A snowstorm in the South—on New Year’s Eve—is a perfect recipe for a catastrophe. After two soul-crushing bad breaks, Kirk’s waiting for disaster number three to strike when, naturally, two stray cats arrive on his doorstep during the storm and decide to make themselves at home. Tenderhearted Kirk lets them stay even though there’s something decidedly odd about his overly friendly felines.
Out of the punishing weather and full of tuna, Dolf and Tal are happy to be snug in Kirk’s house. But then their human goes outside for firewood and suffers a nasty fall that leaves him unconscious. Now the two cats have no choice but to reveal themselves.
Kirk wakes up to find the two kitties are actually Dolf and Tal. They’re cat shifters—and his destined mates. Being part of a feline threesome is enough for Kirk to grapple with, but soon he learns they come from a clowder that doesn’t believe humans and shifters should mix. Kirk knew those two cats would be trouble. Little does he know the real trouble lies ahead.
**Second Edition, Previously Published**
This book has been previously published. The cover has changed, but the title, author, and story content have not changed from the first version originally published in 2014. If you have that version in your library, please do not purchase again.
August 12, 2019
Tuesday Teaser
I'm not far enough into the next young book to do a teaser yet, so let's take a look back at an older book of mine. :) This teaser is from Beneath the Surface.
DUSK HAD long since passed. Darkness blanketed the land, and, with it, protection from prying eyes. The full moon shone brightly on the rippling waves. Nisha’s head broke the surface and he bobbed in the water, his long hair floating around his shoulders. A lengthy tail battered the surface in annoyance. Nisha watched the human called Kannon walking along the beach. Sometimes he’d just stop and stare restlessly out over the reflective surface of the ocean, his hands in his back pockets, the water splashing so close to him.
Then he’d started off again. His human seemed sad. And distracted. When the lights of the resort came fully into view, Kannon turned back. Obviously his human wasn’t in the mood for company. Good.
Nisha’s webbed fingers played with the necklace that held several shark teeth around his neck. He dove under the water, his tail slapping the surface. Time and distance had allowed him to see that maybe what he’d done that day to Kannon could’ve been a little scary.
But he’d seen the human in the water, and his scent—that scent called to him. He couldn’t resist that call any more than the tide could resist the moon. If he’d been more rational, he would’ve known his actions would scare the human, but he wasn’t. Rational, that is.
Of all the things he was expecting that day, finding his mate was not one of them. He certainly wasn’t expecting his mate to be human. That, in and of itself, rocked his world. While he didn’t regret finding Kannon, he did wish he’d thought things out better.
The last thing he meant to do was scare Kannon. Not to mention his actions made mating with the human much, much harder. Things would go easier if Kannon came into the water, but if necessary, he’d go onto land to claim what was his.
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XFK2FBV
August 11, 2019
Pucker Up Monday
Welcome to Pucker Up Monday! It's not what you think, lol.
Since Mondays do tend to suck, I though I'd try to start the week off right for y'all. We're gonna do something a little different this time too. ;)
So... pucker up!
And OMG the plot bunnies are screaming over this.
August 10, 2019
August 9, 2019
Finicky Friday - Banana Pudding Dip
YIELDS: 6
PREP TIME: 15 MINS
TOTAL TIME: 15 MINS
INGREDIENTS1 box instant vanilla pudding, plus ingredients called for on box8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature1/4 c. powdered sugar1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract1/4 tsp. kosher salt1 banana, chopped1 c. whipped topping, divided1 1/2 c. crushed Nilla wafers, plus more whole wafers for servingBanana slices for garnish, if desired
DIRECTIONSPrepare pudding according to instructions on box.In a large bowl using a hand mixer, whip cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined. Fold in prepared pudding, sliced banana and 1/2 cup whipped topping until fully incorporated.Transfer to a smaller bowl and line with whole Nilla wafers. Top with whipped topping, crushed Nillas, and banana slices. Serve.
link: https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a53843/banana-pudding-dip-recipe/?utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=socialflowFBDEL&utm_medium=social-media&fbclid=IwAR1S5waTYdiNfxrhex3ZKy4HKcyWG-kEMp99KSKeANjhTUTGsU9NW1VdPQk
August 5, 2019
Tuesday Teaser
One last teaser from The Only and Only. This comes near the end of the book, so I've deleted some stuff--don't want to give anything away lol. ;)
Seth exhaled loudly. “Okay, you asked me a question about my abilities. I can manipulate any shadow around me at any time of the day or night. If there’s a shadow nearby, I can step into it and disappear.”
“Fuck,” Remi whispered. “Dude, not going to lie, that’s a scary ability. I’ve also heard rumors you can teleport via shadows.”
“Yes. I can. I can reappear next door, or in the next town, or on the other side of the planet,” Seth said. “Um, I can see from the shadows too. That’s how I recognize where I’m going.”
“So, are you saying you could go explore the Titanic?” Remi asked.
Dolf spluttered.
“Well, never tried, but yes. As long as I stayed in the shadow world—meaning I didn’t step out of the shadows—I could. Don’t really care to drown, you know.” Seth chucked.“Shadow world?”
“That’s his… realm. His domain. It’s a completely terrifying place.” Brier shuddered. “No color, no scent, no sound. It’s a void of nothingness.”
Dolf’s eyes widened. “You’ve been there?”
“Tyler has traveled my world with me several times when circumstances called for it. I took Brier because he has the right to know exactly who and what I am.” Seth hesitated. “I can manipulate any kind of shadow to do my bidding too.”
“Well, that’s not terrifying at all.” Remi joked then ran his hand through his hair. “Goddess, I’m glad you’re on our side.”
Tyler frowned at Remi. Briar knew what prompted that reaction from Tyler. He also noticed Tyler didn’t mention he spoke to Bast. It was his secret to share, so Brier kept his mouth shut. Tyler probably thought Dolf and Remi would ridicule him.
Brier understood. He found it hard to believe himself at first, until a certain goddess made herself known to him. Speaking of the goddess, should they tell Dolf why Seth and Tyler were here? Bast had made such a big to-do about threats, changes, bad things happening and so on.
Then there was the whole ‘one and only’ thing, and whatever that meant, which kept cropping up. Shouldn’t Dolf know that? This was information he’d surely want, right? Or would he think Tyler wasn’t all there in the head? He really needed to speak to Tyler in private, which he couldn’t do here. Too many werecats with keen hearing around.
Dammit.
“Thank you, Seth, for being so honest with me,” Dolf said. “I appreciate it. If I could make a suggestion, Brier? It might best for the three of you to mate and do it as quickly as possible.”
Brier’s grin was as bright as the sun. “That’s going to be taken care of tonight.” He winked at Tyler, who was slowly turning red. “Or possibly as soon as we get home. It’s been a long few days.”
Seth snickered.
“Good. After that—”
Raised voiced interrupted Dolf.
“He’s in a meeting. No, you will not! You have no right to barge into my house and ignore what I tell you.”
The sound of a struggled seeped through the closed door of the office. Dolf surged up, and his chair flew back, nearly hitting Remi, who yelped.
“What the hell?” Remi shoved the chair out of the way. “Dolf?”
Dolf growled, and the loud noise reverberated through the room. As Brier watched, Dolf’s eyes turn blue.
“Um…?” Tyler eyed Dolf nervously.
“Shit, Kirk, move. You don’t have the strength to stop…. Oh, hell no! You did not just shove my mate! Fuck, Kirk? Are you alright? Dolf!”
Dolf roared and leaped across the table.
August 4, 2019
Pucker Up Monday
Welcome to Pucker Up Monday! It's not what you think, lol. Since Mondays do tend to suck, I though I'd try to start the week off right for y'all. So... pucker up!
July 29, 2019
Tuesday Teaser - The One and Only
~More from The One and Only~
“Omigodomigodomigod.” Tyler hopped up. “I told you once we find our mate, we’re done. No one will ever draw our attention, that you wouldn’t even be able to get hard, because you wouldn’t feel desire. Remember that?”“Yeah, so… well shit.” It hit Seth what Tyler was saying. “I got hard.”“And the only one who should make you respond is me! Since I wasn’t there….” Tyler gestured wildly. “Do the math!”“He’s our other mate, but we kind of already knew that, Tyler. This just proves it.”“Fuck. Fuck.” Tyler paced in front of Seth. “Did he react to you?”“I… that tingle when we touched. I think he felt it.”Tyler groaned. “Babe, stop pacing.” Seth reached out and snagged Tyler’s hand. “I’m pretty sure he didn’t know what was happening.”Tyler took a deep breath, held it, then slowly released it. “Yeah. If he’d thought you were his mate, he would have reacted differently. Wonder why he didn’t.”“I doused myself with that cologne you hate so much, remember? Even you said it messed up your sense of smell, so I’m going to assume it played havoc with his. And I smoked on the way there too.”“I… I guess. I just don’t understand how he was fooled. I mean, you present as human. You smell like one. I took one look at you, smelled you, and knew.”“I wasn’t trying to hide from you. I was him. Well, not him per se, just werecats in general. I don’t have answers, babe. For all we know, Bast may have done something so he couldn’t tell I was a mate.”Tyler groaned. “Great. Lovely. Sure. Why not? That makes as much sense as anything else. Fuck, what did you say his name was?”“Brier. He’s about 6-foot-tall with a swimmer’s build—you know, long, lean, and toned. Like most of your kind actually. He has shoulder length, light brown hair that was parted on one side and flipped over. He’s lightly tanned, has an angular face with a slim nose with a mustache with hair on bottom of the chin. He’s sexy, Tyler. I won’t lie.”Tyler pursed his lips. “He sounds like it. But he’s a werecat, and that worries me.”
