Ann Everett's Blog, page 5

Lentil Salad and a Bit of Romance

With summer right around the corner, it’s time to think about eating dishes that won’t heat up the kitchen! What better than a delicious salad? This is super easy and a great cool dish on a hot day. I hope you’ll give it a try. I intend to do just that! I want to thank Jana for sharing the recipe, and one of her books. Be sure and check it out, and follow her on all of her social media. Followers mean so much to authors!!

FOOD

Lentil Salad

This is one of my go-to recipes. I’ve taken it to many pot-luck dinners. Not only is easy to make and nutritious, it’s delicious. My family loves it!

19 oz. can lentils, drained

4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

1 red pepper – finely chopped

2 green onions – sliced

1 clove garlic – crushed

Dressing:

2 T. lemon juice

1 T. olive oil

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. each salt and pepper

Mix the first five ingredients together. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients together and then toss with salad. Chill before serving.

 

FICTION

Child of Mine

 

Lauren didn’t intend to sleep with her brother-in-law Cole on the day of her husband’s funeral. But now that she is pregnant, she’s not sorry. Cole’s given her a baby, a long-wished-for miracle. He’s been her friend forever, though she never told him or anyone else how unhappy her marriage to his cheating brother was. And she’s afraid to tell the small town that considered her husband a hero that the baby isn’t his.

Cole’s been in love with Lauren since he was sixteen. It kills him that everyone believes the baby is his dead brother’s. All he wants is to claim the baby, and Lauren, as his own. Though she marries him, will Lauren’s heart ever be his?

Lauren must tell the truth or risk losing Cole. Is her newly-discovered love for him greater than her fear of scandal in her hometown?

Buy Links:

The Wild Rose Press: https://www.thewildrosepress.com/books/child-of-mine-the-masonville-series-book-1

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Child-Mine-Masonville-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07MBVK9LY

Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Child-Mine-Masonville-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07MBVK9LY

Amazon.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Child-Mine-Masonville-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07MBVK9LY

Amazon.au: https://www.amazon.com.au/Child-Mine-Masonville-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07MBVK9LY

Amazon.de: https://www.amazon.de/Child-Mine-Masonville-Book-1-ebook/dp/B07MBVK9LY

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/child-of-mine-jana-richards/1130197427?ean=2940161413616

Ibooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/child-of-mine/id1449022684?mt=11

Kobo (Canada): https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/child-of-mine-16

Kobo (US): https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/child-of-mine-16

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jana_Richards_Child_of_Mine?id=4WGHDwAAQBAJ

Walmart: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/child-of-mine-16

Jana Richards’ Social Media Links:

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.janarichards.com

Blog: http://janarichards.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards

Amazon UK Author Page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B002DEVWWG

Newsletter Signup: http://janarichards.com/contact.html#newsletter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards

Google+ Profile: https://plus.google.com/100820406211390323245

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jana-richards

FOOLISHNESS

 

This meme struck a cord with me because it’s so true! There are days I convince myself I have nothing to say. But mostly, I’m just lazy!

Like a lot of writers, I have a love/hate relationship with the act of writing, or at least with writing a first draft. Some days crafting that first draft makes my head want to explode. And then there are other days when I’ll do almost anything to avoid having to write. I’ve been known to clean my oven rather than write. It’s a wonder I ever finish anything!

But I do because, in the end, I love telling stories. And I love getting to The End.

Fiction, Food, and Foolishness

Today, I’m recommending a book I’ve just read. Star Island, by Carl Hiaasen. This is one of his older books, published in 2010, but it’s funny. If you haven’t read any of his work, check this one out.

The recipe featured today is one of my favorites. If you aren’t familiar with it, I hope you’ll give it a try. It doesn’t keep well so make sure most of it will be eaten the day you make it.

For the foolishness section today, I’ve added the SNL skit of Gail King’s interview with R. Kelley. It’s hilarious!!

As always, thanks for dropping by. I’d love for you to leave a comment.

 

Fiction

Meet 22-year-old Cherry Pye (née Cheryl Bunterman), a pop star since she was fourteen-and about to attempt a comeback from her latest drug-and-alcohol disaster.

Now meet Cherry again: in the person of her “undercover stunt double,” Ann DeLusia. Ann portrays Cherry whenever the singer is too “indisposed”– meaning wasted — to go out in public. And it is Ann-mistaken-for-Cherry who is kidnapped from a South Beach hotel by obsessed paparazzo Bang Abbott.

Now the challenge for Cherry’s handlers (über-stage mother; horndog record producer; nipped, tucked, and Botoxed twin publicists; weed whacker-wielding bodyguard) is to rescue Ann while keeping her existence a secret from Cherry’s public — and from Cherry herself. The situation is more complicated than they know. Ann has had a bewitching encounter with Skink, the unhinged former governor of Florida living wild in a mangrove swamp, and now he’s heading for Miami to find her . . .

Will Bang Abbott achieve his fantasy of a lucrative private photo session with Cherry Pye? Will Cherry sober up in time to lip-synch her way through her concert tour? Will Skink track down Ann DeLusia before Cherry’s motley posse does? All will be revealed in this hilarious spin on life in the celebrity fast lane.

 

Food

Seven Layer Salad

In a large bowl, place 1 head shredded lettuce. The bowl will be over half full.

Over the lettuce, add in layers:

½ cup chopped bell pepper

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped purple onion

10 oz. frozen English peas, cooked and drained

Then spread 1 pint mayonnaise over salad

sprinkle 2 TBS. sugar over mayo

Add 4-6 ozs. Of grated cheddar cheese

Then top with 6-8 slices of crispy fried bacon.

Cover with plastic wrap, seal well, and refrigerate until served.

 

Foolishness

FICTION, FOOD,FOOLISHNESS with L.M. Hedrick

Today, I welcome L.M. (Lynette) Hedrick where she shares her recipe for Sourdough bread. She grew up listening to her mother Mattie’s stories about her WW2 love for US Navy Diver Charlie. She used Mattie’s 30 letters from Charlie, and together with her insightful editor/advisor husband, Bud, they completed extensive research to give reality to The Rigel Affair. Lynette has published multiple short stories for NZ magazines. Both Lynette and Bud have completed numerous Creative Writing courses at Auckland University. Lynette is an accomplished expressionist Artist, with works sold internationally. I hope you’ll try her recipe and follow her on social media. Here’s a link for conversion to US measurements.

https://www.gourmetsleuth.com/conversions/grams/gram-conversions

 

FOOD

Sourdough bread

A traditionally French shaped sourdough boule. Allow yourself about 3 –4 hours for the dough to be mixed, folded and shaped ready to place in the coldest part of the fridge to prove overnight.(If you are new to bread making, you can, instead of shaping the dough and putting it into a banneton, grease a 2lb bread tin liberally with butter, let the dough rise in it overnight in the fridge and then bake as per the recipe instructions below.)

Equipment:

A large mixing bowl

A round cane banneton

2 clean tea towels

A baking stone or a Dutch oven or La Cloche

A large heatproof pan, a sharp knife or ‘lame’ to slash the dough with

Ingredients:

300g water

100g sourdough leaven (made with your starter)

100g of stoneground organic wholemeal flour

400g organic strong white flour

10g fine sea salt mixed with 15g of cold water

25g rice flour mixed with 25g of stone ground white flour (for dusting your banneton)

Semolina to dust the bottom of the baking surface

Makes 1 loaf

Directions:

Late afternoon

Mix

In a large bowl whisk your water and starter and mix well. Add all the flour and mix until all the ingredients come together into a large ball.

Cover with a clean damp cloth and let the dough rest on the side in the kitchen for between 30 minutes and 2 hours – this what bakers call Autolyse

Fold

Add the salt mixed with the water and dimple your fingers into the dough to allow the salty water and salt to distribute evenly throughout the dough. Leave for 10 mutes.

Next, lift and fold your dough over, do a quarter turn of your bowl and repeat three more times. Repeat 3 times at 30-minute intervals with a final 15-minute rest at the end.

Shape

Shape the dough lightly into a ball then place into a round banneton dusted with flour (If you don’t have a banneton then use a clean tea towel dusted with flour inside a colander). Dust the top with flour, then cover with a damp tea-towel

Prove

Leave your dough to one side until it is 50% bigger then transfer to the fridge , and leave to prove there for 8 – 12 hours.

Bake the following morning

The next morning preheat your oven to 220°C for at least 30 minutes before you are ready to bake. Place your cloche or baking stone in the oven and a large pan of boiling water underneath (or use a Dutch oven). The hydration helps form a beautiful crust.

Once the oven is up to full heat, carefully remove the baking stone from the oven, taking care not to burn yourself dust with a fine layer of semolina, which stops the bread sticking, then put your dough onto the baking stone and slash the top with your blade. This decides where the bread will tear as it rises. Bake for an hour.

Turn the heat down to 180°C (and remove the lid if you are using a Dutch oven) and bake for another 10 -15 minutes. You need to choose just how dark you like your crust, but I suggest that you bake until it is a dark brown – it tastes much better.

Storage

Sourdough is really best left to cool completely before slicing and is even better if left for a day to let the full flavor develop.

FICTION

The Rigel Affair by L M Hedrick is a Chilling WW2 Thriller Novel with Rip-Roaring Romance!

Abandoned by his part-Cherokee Ma, Charlie Kincaid escapes servitude with his uncle. He jumps a boxcar, accompanied by his schoolmate Roxy, who is escaping troubles of her own. Charlie becomes a US Navy Diver.

Mattie Blanc is from a genteel New Zealand family. But when her brother’s friend persuades her to take a ride, it all goes horribly wrong. Desperate, she flees her family’s stifling expectations for a new life in Auckland.

After the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, Charlie sets sail for Auckland aboard the USS Rigel. And there she is, the girl of his dreams. Mattie is everything that Roxy isn’t—sophisticated, tender, and patient. But the war intervenes… Rigel embarks for the Pacific war zones.

Charlie’s letters are sporadic. Mattie is tormented by doubts; did he truly love her, or was it only a dream?

The Rigel Affair produces a rip-roaring wartime romance and chilling danger unknown to most.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rigel-Affair-L-M-Hedrick/dp/1684331625/

Author Website: https://lmhedrick.com/

YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMNYR28B5F0

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/lmhedrick

Author Blog: https://lmhedrick.com/homepage/blog/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/lmhedrick/

Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/lmhedrick/

Pinterest Page: https://www.pinterest.nz/lynette5567/pins/

LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/l-m-hedrick-88b822124/

Google Plus Page: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101171457191732133324

 

FOOLISHNESS

 

Moojie Littleman Book Tour

 

The Improbable Wonders of Moojie Littleman
by Robin Gregory
Genre: Fantasy, Magical Realism
 
 

 
Early 1900s, Western America. A lonely, disabled boy with a nasty temper

and uncontrolled mystical powers, Moojie is taken by his father to

his grandfather’s wilderness farm. There, Moojie meets an

otherworldly clan of outcasts that he wants to join. Following a

series of misadventures–magical and mystical–he is summoned by the

call to a great destiny … if only he can survive one last terrifying trial.
 
Having won a number of awards, Robin Gregory’s The Improbable Wonders of

Moojie Littleman is being lauded as a classic. A haunting, visionary

tale spun in the magical realist tradition of Gabriel Garcia

Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude and Madeleine L’Engle’s A

Wrinkle in Time, the profoundly unique voice and heart-stirring

narrative recall great works of fiction that explore the universal desire to belong.
 
 
Goodreads * Amazon
 

 
 


ROBIN GREGORY is a devoted wife and mother, and student of mystical

teachings. Born in Pensacola, Florida, she grew up in California,

accompanied by seven siblings, and surrounded by horses, real

cowboys, and the occasional rattlesnake. She has always been drawn to

helping others, a trait that began, to her mother’s horror, with

bringing home swallow chicks stricken from their nests. She has

worked as a journalist, lay minister, and infant massage instructor

for mothers and babies at risk. Her studies include Literature and

Creative Writing at University of California, Santa Cruz and Stanford

University’s Writer’s Workshop. She lives with her husband and

son in a Carmel cottage old enough to make you sneeze. “The

Improbable Wonders of Moojie Littleman” is her first published novel.
 
 
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads
 
 

Follow the tour HERE

for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 
 

 

                     

 

 

GUEST POST

A Life of Magical Realism: My Novel to Film Adventure

Not everybody likes award-winning movies. Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water won four

Oscars: best picture, best director, best original score, and best production design, but some

critics called it pedantic, shallow, unoriginal, and manipulative. It is no surprise that a film that

plunges into stark contrasts is also eliciting polarized reviews. Controversy seems to badger

great works. The novel of the same title, co-authored by del Toro and Daniel Kraus, hasn’t won

nearly the same acclaim as the film. But here’s why I’m happy: magical realism has finally found

a toehold in mainstream America. If the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has a

finger on the national pulse, it seems America is ready for stories that treat supernatural and

mythic themes as a natural part of life.

I’ve been drawn to mysticism and spirituality most of my adult life. During this time, I’ve

witnessed a number of healings (my own and others’)—from the common cold to terminal

cancer—without the aid of medical science. So-called miracles have become a natural part of

my life. As a writer, I am excited to build stories on this premise. With a little help from Charles

Dickens, I follow a tradition of subverting expectations and use irony to call into question social

and religious traditions. For example, in The Improbable Wonders of Moojie Littleman, I address

Pappy’s bigotry in a historic (and personal) context while showing him also as protective of biracial,

disabled, troublesome Moojie. On the other hand, Moojie, who is developmentally

challenged, is often wiser than Pappy and the adults around him. Another example can be found

in The Whale Rider. Paikea, the protagonist, is excluded from her grandfather’s search for the

next tribal chief because she is a girl, but she is more capable than any of his male candidates.

My greatest wish as a writer is to create stories that show characters subverting human

expectations by awakening to their divine nature. For the past year I’ve been working on the film

adaptation of Moojie Littleman, Book 1. Adaptation and screenwriting are completely different

from novel writing so there are a number of changes to the story, but the basic themes and

premise remain true to the book. My mentor, John Crye—writer, actor, producer, editor, and

former CEO of Newmarket Films (produced The Whale Rider)—is as excited about magical

realism as I am. While my screenplay is still in development, I credit John’s magnificent

oversight for this pre-production review:

“The Improbable Wonders of Moojie Littleman” is an emotionally powerful and viscerally

stunning fantasy with a fascinating and hard-hitting family drama not overshadowed by all the

spectacle. We are, with Moojie, entering a strange new world here where the incredible seems

possible. At the heart of the story is always his quest for belonging, a universal human drive that

resonates even in such extraordinary circumstances. The Light-Eaters are intriguing and

capable of holding our interest with both their capabilities and thematic nature. Nahzi is a

particularly breathtaking and memorable element. They are inspirational as well, and we can

see that it is Moojie’s time with them that helps him mature in the way that he does, whether it is

taking responsibility for starting the trouble, or telling Babylonia he loves her with the stirring

speech, “The day I met you, it was like I fell asleep and woke up in a better world.”—THE

BLACK LIST, Hollywood (Aug/2018)

Europe, Australia, and South America have long-embraced magical realism in art, literature, and

film. It is thrilling to see it finally recognized in America. Thanks to David Lynch’s legacy, and

other commercially successful films, like Being John Malkovich, Donnie Darko, and Edward

Scissorhands, the road has been paved for stories that normalize mythical, spiritual, and

mystical experiences. If you are drawn to films like this, you’re going to love the Moojie film!

Here are some magical realist films worth seeing: The Whale Rider, Beasts of the Southern

Wild, Amélie, Micmacs, The Delicatessen, The Navigator: A Medieval Odyssey, and Pan’s

Labyrinth.

So it’s onward and upward! Time to get back to work. Just finishing the fifth revision of the

screenplay. Two more books in the works will complete a Moojie Littleman trilogy. I love hearing

from you. Whether you are parenting or writing or being the CEO of a national corporation, I

want to hear how you are following your dreams!

 
 

Fiction, Food, and Foolishness with Helen Henderson

Today, fellow author, Helen Henderson shares her latest book and a family recipe. I love potatoes, pancakes, and fried food, so this is right up my alley!  She and I also share the same zodiac sign…Gemini! I hope you’ll give Lokse a try and also check out her books…beautiful cover by the way….and follow her on social media.

 

FOOD

 

Lokse is a potato pancake from my coal-country ancestry that was cooked on a cast-iron stove. Lokse can still be found at Slavic holiday festivals with different toppings, although my favorite and the one most used by my family is just plain butter.

The following instructions have been modified for modern cooking. Instead of cooking atop an old-fashioned, coal-fired, cast-iron stove, a contemporary substitute is a cast-iron frying pan. (Note: iron frying pans don’t work well on a ceramic cooktop. They tend to scratch) It is suggested to make small batches at a time unless you are like my Old World grandmother. She could create the dough and roll it out to the right thickness (that of a tortilla). If you use too much flour either for the dough or to prevent the lokse from sticking to the rolling pin, the dough gets too soft and falls apart when you lift it. My grandmother could place the pancake into the flying pan without it falling to pieces, and spin and flip the pancakes using only her fingers.

• Boil potatoes until soft.

• Coarsely mash and let cool.

• Mix in 2 eggs and 1/2 cup flour. Add additional flour as needed until a soft dough forms.

• Roll out by 1/4 cup balls on a floured board.

• Sprinkle a pinch of salt in the bottom of an iron flying pan, and place the pancake in the pan. Prick with a fork.

• Brown on one side, spinning occasionally.

• Flip over and brown on other side.

• When done, rub with a stick of butter on both sides. Fold into a roll and eat. (For those more elegant circumstances, you can cut the roll into inch-long sections and eat with a fork.)

To avoid a rush, lokse can be wrapped in foil and kept warm in a toaster oven. That is if you can stop them from disappearing as soon as they come out of the frying pan.

 

 

FICTION

Fate conspired to keep Iol and Pelra apart. Friendship is allowed between members of competing trading houses, but nothing more. He loves the sea and wants his own ship. She hates the deep blue and has worked too hard to allow her dreams to be sidetracked by the lure of magic. Despite a beautiful woman on his arm every night, Leod wanted the one he couldn’t have—Pelra. His kin on the ruling council did more than put him on the fast track to his own ship. It provided him the power to fulfill his desires, or to ruin those who refused him.

Exiled to distant posts, given impossible challenges, and subject to Leod’s machinations, Iol and Pelra only have the hope of a future together to sustain them. But can their love survive the accusation of witchcraft?

Books2Read –https://books2read.com/Windmaster-Legend

 

About Helen Henderson

Although the author of several local histories and numerous articles on the topics of American and military history, antiques and collectibles, Henderson’s first love is fiction. Her work in the museum and history fields enables a special insight into creating fantasy worlds. The descendent of a coal-miner’s daughter and an aviation flight engineer, her writing reflects the contrasts of her heritage as well as that of her Gemini sign. Her stories cross genres from historical westerns to science fiction and fantasy. In the world of romantic fantasy, she is the author of the Dragshi Chronicles and The Windmaster Novels. In her books, she invites you to join her on travels through the stars, or among fantasy worlds of the imagination.

Social Media Links:

Blog – https://helenhenderson-author.blogspot.com

Facebook Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/HelenHenderson.author

Twitter – https://twitter.com/history2write

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/777491.Helen_Henderson

Amazon Author Page – https://amzn.com/e/B001HPM2XK

 

FOOLISHNESS

First off, I don’t write humor as defined by the genre. Sword and sorcery doesn’t necessarily lend itself to humor, except maybe the slapstick kind. I don’t consider the villain laughing as foolishness or levity. However, from time to time, a bit of a light-heartedness creeps into a story. Here’s a snippit of one such bit from Windmaster Legend where Pelra’s mount demonstrates that the breed of magical equines called falaire have their own character–and attitude.

A head on Pelra’s shoulder and the whiff of oats announced a visitor. Without taking her eyes off the moon, she reached up and petted the velvet nose. “Having a good night, boy?”

The gelding snorted then nudged Pelra’s hand. She laughed and reached into her pocket and pulled out an orange root she had snagged from the cold cellar. A crunch and the treat disappeared. “That’s all I have,” she said with a laugh.

A flick of ears that clearly said, in that case I’m going back to my warm stall, and with a swish of his tail the horse went back into the barn.

Anniversary Celebration-The Booktube Your Daily Reader Turns 1

 

The BookTube Your Shelf Daily Reader turns one year old this March.
[Cue the party music!] The time has flown by so quickly. My to-be-read

list has expanded even faster. As a reader, you know that is both a

good and bad thing. LOL!
 

YouTube for the Bookish?
 
 
YouTube.com is the second most visited website in the world – where over 1.9

billion logged-in users visit each month. And each day, people watch

over a billion hours of video and generate billions of views. While

many people are aware of the music videos, make-up channels and

gaming channels on the platform, far fewer know about the great

bookish content available on YouTube. BookTube is a community of

content creators on YouTube that film videos about books. The

BookTube Your Shelf Daily Reader is a daily online newspaper

featuring social shares from booktubers (including authortubers) and

some bookish neighbors (like bloggers and readers). Are you familiar

with BookTube?
 
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lFcD...]
Once Upon A Time…
 
Between changes in YouTube’s algorithm and my book reading taste, it was a

struggle for me to keep up with my favorite booktubers and keep

a look-out for new booktubers. I knew many other fans of BookTube

were having similar problems.
 
When YouTube changed it’s monetization rules in early 2018, many people,

including myself, worried about it’s overall impact on small content

creators. As I looked at my personal BookTube channel list, I

thought, “What can I do to help support and encourage bookish

content creators?” Then poof! The idea for The BookTube Your

Shelf Daily Reader popped into my head. [Yes, with a poof]. What

started out as an idea in March of 2018 has morphed into a passion

project with an online newspaper and email newsletter.
 
Find Your Next Favorite…
 

One of the goals of The BookTube Your Shelf Daily Reader project is to

help you find your next favorite booktuber. Check out the Videos

section of TBYSDR for suggestions on bookish YouTube videos to watch.

It features over 25 videos each

day. https://paper.li/Readeropolis/1517059010#/videos

 
Another goal of the project is to help you find your next great read. In The BookTube

Your Shelf web newspaper, you’ll find a variety of posts like:


Book News


Book Giveaways


Book Reviews


Videos about Books


Videos about Reading


Videos about Writing


Book Trailers


 
Don’t Miss A Thing.
 

Don’t struggle with searching for book-related videos in the YouTube hay

stack. Subscribe to The BookTube Your Shelf Daily Reader Email

Newsletter to have the paper delivered to

your email inbox. https://paper.li/Readeropolis/1517059010#/

 

Be sure to “Like” the TBYSDR Facebook page to stay

up-to-date on the latest

edition. https://www.facebook.com/BookTubeYourShelf/

 
 
But wait… there’s more!
 
During March I will be hosting a month-long event called BookTube Z to A,

highlighting BookTube channels on YouTube, at the Readeropolis book

blog. Look for the hashtag #BookTubeZtoA on your favorite social sites.
 

You can follow all of the anniversary celebration events by joining the

Facebook anniversary event page (click “Going” to get

updates): https://www.facebook.com/events/358689728051151/

 
 
So, let’s chat in in the comments.
 
Do you watch book-related videos on YouTube? What are some of your

favorite BookTube Channels?
 
Have you checked out the latest edition of The BookTube Your Shelf Daily Reader?
 
 
 
BookTube, keep doing what you’re doing. You’re hands down amazing!
 

 
 


Mayor Sonni: Reader extraordinaire. Mayor of the Readeropolis book blog.

Content curator. Lover of books, lists, sweet tea, and vacations.

Well, not necessarily in that order.
 
Are you connected?
You can find her all over the Internet under the handle Readeropolis.
 
Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest * Tumblr * Youtube * Bloglovin
 
 

Follow the tour HERE

for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

The Secrets of Hawthorne House

 

The Secrets of Hawthorne House
by Donald Firesmith
Genre: Teen Paranormal Mystery
 

 
Matt’s life changes forever when a family of druids moves into the

dilapidated Victorian mansion next door. The story of an unlikely

friendship, the clash of two completely different cultures, secret

magic, and a search for the lost Hawthorne treasure.
 

Fifteen-year-old Matt Mitchell was having the worst summer imaginable. Matt’s misery

started when a drunk driver killed his mother. Then his father moved

him and his twin sister to the small town of Hawthorne in rural

Indiana, as far as his grieving father could take from the ocean that

Matt’s mother had loved. At the new high school, three bullies are

determined to make Matt miserable. And to top it off, Matt learns

that the recluse who lives in the ‘haunted house” next door is

none other than Old Lady Hawthorne, the town’s infamous witch and

murderer. Matt’s terrible summer is turning into an awful autumn

when something quite unexpected happens. Old Lady Hawthorne’s niece

and her three children arrive, and Matt meets Gerallt.

 
 
Add to Goodreads
Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo * Smashwords
 


 
A geek by day, Donald Firesmith works as a system and software engineer

helping the US Government acquire large, complex software-intensive

systems. In this guise, he has authored seven technical books,

written numerous software- and system-related articles and papers,

and spoken at more conferences than he can possibly remember. He’s

also proud to have been named a Distinguished Engineer by the

Association of Computing Machinery, although his pride is tempered

somewhat by his fear that the term “distinguished” makes

him sound like a graybeard academic rather than an active engineer

whose beard is still slightly more red than gray.
 
By night and on weekends, his alter ego writes modern paranormal

fantasy, apocalyptic science fiction, action and adventure novels and

relaxes by handcrafting magic wands from various magical woods and

mystical gemstones. His first foray into fiction is the book Magical

Wands: A Cornucopia of Wand Lore written under the pen name Wolfrick

Ignatius Feuerschmied. He lives in Crafton, Pennsylvania with his

wife Becky, and his son Dane, and varying numbers of dogs, cats, and birds.
 
 
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Google+ * Amazon * Goodreads
 
 

Follow the tour HERE

for exclusive content and a giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 
 

 
 
 

Highland Scandal by Mageela Troche

Even during cool weather, I like ice cream! And, vanilla is my favorite flavor because you can do so much with it. Adding pretzels, Nutella, and caramel sounds super yummy. Join me in welcoming Mageela Troche to my blog today. Please follow her on social media, and be sure to check out her book!

FOOD

I must admit that I do not have a recipe. You see, I don’t cook. I do take-out, and when I can’t do that, I have family. As a single, childless woman, cooking is just a waste. The closest thing I do to cooking is snacking. There are times when I want sweet and salty. So, how do I satisfy my craving?

Pretzel sticks, Nutella and Vanilla ice cream

Break up a handful of pretzel sticks (I prefer Rold Gold. It has a nice balance of salt.)

Mix with two scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Then drizzle (or add as much as you desire) with Nutella

Sometimes, I add caramel cubes for extra sweetness even strawberries (to make myself feel good about the snack) but that is your choice.

This is one recipe even I can’t mess up. Just add or subtract what you like.

 

FICTION

 

How long does happily ever after take?

They call her banshee. The taunt has pursued strong-willed Rowen Mackenzie through the glorious Scottish Highlands. One man sees beyond the superstition—Lachlan Gordon. This brave highlander is the man she loves, but duty requires her to wed another.

Wickedly charming, Lachlan Gordon has loved Rowen Mackenzie since his first glimpse of the ethereal beauty. As bastard of Chief Gordon, Lachlan can never claim her as his own. When his father, Laird Gordon, is murdered, Lachlan becomes the clan chief…too late to marry the woman he loves.

Years later, Rowen is now a widow, and her son is in danger. She jeopardizes her life and most importantly, her heart to protect her son. Lachlan is the only man who can help her. For a second chance at love, he must risk all—his clan, his life, and his love to win even as secrets threaten their happiness and their very lives.

Will Rowen and Lachlan have their own happily ever after?

https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Scandal-Mageela-Troche-ebook/dp/B07KQLLPQY/

Social Media Links

website: http://www.MageelaTroche.com

Facebook: http://www.Facebook.com/AuthorMageelaTroche

Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/MageelaTroche

Pinterest: http://www.Pinterest.com/MageelaTroche

blog: http://www.trocheauthor.wordpress.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Mageela-Troche/e/B00CHTIRFW/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7054733.Mageela_Troche

FOOLISHNESS

 

Fun Facts About Killer Lawyer

 

Killer Lawyer
Jake Wolfe Book 3
by Mark Nolan
Genre: Thriller
 

Attorney by day, assassin by night.
 
Jake Wolfe is a young lawyer who leads a secret life. Trained by the CIA,

he now wants peace and quiet, practicing law and living on a boat

with his war dog. But when his city is shocked by a serial killer and

he’s framed for the murder of a friend, Jake must race against time

to find the killer before he strikes again.
Drawn into a deadly game of cat and mouse; at every step Jake and his loved

ones are being hunted by the clever, twisted madman. As the city is

gripped in fear of the seemingly random shootings that could strike

anybody, Jake investigates and uncovers ominous clues until a

shocking reversal of fortune changes everything.
With the clock ticking and lives at stake, will Jake be able to find and

stop the killer in time, or will he become the next victim?
Buckle up for a wild ride as Jake Wolfe and his exceptionally intelligent

dog, Cody, return to action in this page-turning thriller in Mark

Nolan’s bestselling series that has earned thousands of 5-star

ratings on Amazon and Goodreads.
 
 
Goodreads * Amazon
 
 

Vigilante Assassin
Jake Wolfe Book 2
 

Every marriage has a secret, but this one is deadly.
 
 
Lauren Stephens wakes up to find her husband, Gene, has vanished during the

night. His phone is dead. Desperate, she hires Jake Wolfe and his war

dog, Cody. They search the house and discover something so disturbing

that Jake won’t allow Lauren near it. “No, if you see this, there

is no unseeing it.”
 
Lauren thought she had it all: a loving partner, two great kids, a

successful business, and a beautiful home in the San Francisco hills.

But all of that is about to come crashing down, due to a missing

husband, a hidden past, and a frightening secret that will shock a

trusting wife to the core. Gene has enemies, and now they want

something from Lauren.
 
Jake Wolfe is a flawed man who has a habit of being in the wrong place at

the wrong time. He wants to leave his secret, violent past behind

him, but when Lauren and her children are threatened, his protective

instinct takes command. Jake soon finds himself involved in a

dangerous conspiracy, targeted for death, and engaged in battle with

a powerful, unseen group who will stop at nothing to get what they want.
 
Jake’s going to have to think fast and fight hard to protect Cody, Lauren

and her kids.
 
Vigilante Assassin is “Jake Wolfe book two” in the ongoing series. It can

be read as a stand-alone, or you can start with book one, titled:

Dead Lawyers Don’t Lie.
 
Both of these Kindle Unlimited books in the Jake Wolfe mystery thriller

novel series are available to read for free with your subscription to

Kindle Unlimited.
 
 
Goodreads * Amazon
 
 

Dead Lawyers Don’t Lie
Jake Wolfe Book 1
 

 
A mysterious killer who calls himself The Artist is assassinating

wealthy lawyers in San Francisco. When war veteran Jake Wolfe

accidentally takes his picture during a murder, The Artist adds Jake

to his kill list and he becomes a target in a deadly game of cat and

mouse that only one of them can survive. How far would you go to

protect your loved ones from a killer? Jake wants to leave his top

secret, violent past life behind him. But the reluctant, flawed hero

can’t ignore his duty and his personal moral compass.
 
This gripping thriller is full of suspense, plot twists and surprises. It

features a cast of interesting characters, including several

strong-willed women, two wise-cracking San Francisco Police Homicide

Inspectors, one highly intelligent dog, and a philosophical killer

who shares Jake’s admiration for Van Gogh paintings but still plans

to kill him anyway. As Jake gets closer to unraveling a merciless

conspiracy, his life gets turned upside down and the danger level

increases, adding to the growing suspense. This entertaining

page-turner starts out as a murder mystery and then shifts gears into

a high-speed action thriller that takes you on a roller-coaster ride

to the riveting ending. A good read for those who enjoy mysteries,

suspense, action and adventure, vigilante justice, unique characters,

witty dialogue and a little romance too. Now on sale in over a dozen

countries around the world. Be the first among your friends to read it.
 
Fans of new Kindle Unlimited novels will be happy to know this book is one

of the best financial thrillers in kindle unlimited books.
 
 
Goodreads * Amazon
 
 


Mark Nolan is the author of Dead Lawyers Don’t Lie, the sequel titled

Vigilante Assassin, and book 3 in the series: Killer Lawyer. He’s

currently writing book 4. Mark also tries to make time every day to

answer emails from readers. You can reach him and subscribe to his

newsletter at marknolan.com
 
 
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads
 
 

Follow the tour HERE

for exclusive excerpts and a giveaway!
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 
 

 

Fun Facts About KILLER LAWYER

Mark Nolan rarely ventures out of his writing den to do interviews, and seldom talks about himself on social media, but he’s always happy to answer emails from readers. We managed to talk him into giving us some fun facts about his latest book.

What is Killer Lawyer about?

Jake Wolfe is a young lawyer with a secret past that keeps catching up with him. He served as an infantry Marine, and briefly as a CIA covert operative who took out high-value targets overseas. Now he wants to live in peace, build his solo law practice and try to hang onto the rocky relationship with his girlfriend, Sarah Chance (who is keeping a secret from him). But when a serial killer frames him for the murder of a friend, Jake feels he has no choice but to find and stop the killer before he strikes again, close to home. He and his adopted war dog, Cody, search for clues, and hunt down the mysterious criminal in a deadly race against time.

What do readers like about the book?

Killer Lawyer includes a mystery investigation, surprising twists and turns, enjoyable character development, and a few scenes where readers get to see the point of view (POV) of the highly intelligent and well-trained dog. Many readers say Cody is their favorite character. A few other

people are outraged though, and ask, “How dare you show the POV of a dog?” Oh, the controversy! Your mileage may vary, but if you’re open-minded you’ll probably enjoy Cody’s amusing antics and simple view of the world. Some other bestselling books that show a dog’s point of view include: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, Watchers by Dean Koontz, One Good Dog by Susan Wilson, the Chet and Bernie Mysteries by Spencer Quinn, and the other two Jake Wolfe novels titled Dead

Lawyers Don’t Lie (Book 1), and Vigilante Assassin (Book 2).

What kind of research went into the novel?

This story required quite a lot of research, so much that the book includes a “Dear Reader” section at the end to explain what is real and what is not (most of it is frighteningly real). Readers are surprised at all of the amazing-buttrue parts of the story. Truth is often stranger than fiction. That end note contains spoilers, however, so be sure to read the book first, before reading the Dear Reader section at the end.

Is that the Golden Gate Bridge on the book cover?

Yes, the story is set in San Francisco, and Jake lives on the other side of the bridge in Sausalito, on a boat at a yacht harbor. He often drives across the bridge, or cruises his power yacht underneath it. His best friend, Terrell Hayes is a detective with SFPD Homicide. The two of them served in the Marines, and while deployed in the desert, Terrell saved Jake’s life with a blood transfusion. Now they are blood brothers and best friends forever. If Jake had his way, he’d just go boating and fishing every day. He

sometimes feels San Francisco is too expensive and crowded, and he threatens to cruise away to

Fiji, but so far he has remained in the the Bay Area because of friends and family.

Is this book part of a series? Can it be read as a stand-alone?

Killer Lawyer is book number three in the Jake Wolfe thriller series. It can be read as a standalone,

but some folks prefer to read the books in order. Many people say it should be called the

Jake and Cody series, because the war dog is always at Jake’s side and has saved his life in the past. In one of the books, a character tells Jake, “Cody is so loyal he’d follow you into Hell and fight the devil.” Jake is highly protective of his four-footed best friend, and as a former war dog handler, he works together with him so well it’s almost as if they can read each other’s minds up and down the leash. For

those who are interested in war dogs and their handlers, a good book on the subject is Sergeant

Rex: The Unbreakable Bond Between a Marine and His Military Working Dog, by Mike

Dowling, US Marine Sergeant and military war dog (MWD) handler.

What does the future hold for Jake and Cody?

Book number four is coming soon. In that story, Jake and Cody go on a trip and cruise the Far Niente to distant harbors. Along the way they have all kinds of adventures and get into plenty of trouble. Of course! Readers wouldn’t have it any other way.

 
 
 

Fiction, Food, and Foolishness with Susan Royal

Today, I welcome my good friend, Susan Royal to Food, Fiction, and Foolishness. I’ve not tried Mush Muffins, but after seeing this recipe, you can bet I will! I love bread, and I can just taste these dripping with butter!! Be sure and visit Susan’s website to check out all of her books. If you love time travel or fantasy, you’ll love her stories. 

FOOD 

 

Mush Muffins

Ingredients

2 c. water
½ c. instant grits
1 c. milk
2 t butter
1 t salt
2 T warm water
1 1/8 t active dry yeast
5 ½ to 6 c flour

Bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Add grits. Reduce heat. Cook on low 5-7 minutes until water is absorbed. Transfer to large bowl. Stir in milk, butter and salt. Set aside. Cool to lukewarm. Combine 2 T water with yeast in small bowl. Let stand until dissolved. Stir into grits mixture. Mix with as much flour as possible using a wooden spoon. Turn out and knead in remaining flour for about 10 minutes. Let rise until doubled (1½ hours) Punch down. Let rest 15 minutes. Roll out dough. Cut with biscuit cutter and place in shallow baking dish. Brush tops with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden. Makes about 2 dozen.

FICTION

Talk about the worst day ever! Lara lets her friend Carrie talk her into a blind date, only it turns out the handsome stranger waiting for Lara after work isn’t Carrie’s cousin after all. And, when they’re chased through a portal to another world, Lara realizes Rhys really is out of this world.
Lyra, her alternate in another dimension, has left clues to the whereabouts of the Book of Secrets, explaining the mystery of time travel in Lara’s subconscious. Or so Rhys thinks. Power-hungry telepaths who pursue them will stop at nothing to get it, even if it means breaking Lara’s will. To complicate matters, Lara gets tangled up in her feelings for Rhys while exploring her connection with Lyra.
With Rhys as her guardian, a bear of a man named Azle to guide her, and the spirit of Lyra haunting her dreams, Lara must find the Book of Secrets before it falls into the hands of those who want its power. Only then can she return to her world safely.

Xander’s Tangled Web (fantasy, mystery)
In My Own Shadow (fantasy, adventure, romance)
http://www.tinyurl.com/bqbxm41
Not Long Ago (time travel, adventure, romance)
http://www.tinyurl.com/85vgye3
Not Long Ago book trailer
http://youtu.be/vOIQVdWUigU/
http://susanaroyal.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/susanaroyalauthor/
All books available at MuseItUp, Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

FOOLISHNESS

Book Excerpt