Sara Daniel's Blog, page 11
August 21, 2016
#FlashSale #99cents A Model Hero @DecadentPub
Today and Tomorrow Only!A Model Hero is on sale for only 99 cents.This hero is always hot,but this sale is only hot for a limited time!
A Model Hero
Gretchen Meyers is a full-figured woman living in a model thin world. Desperate to end her mother's constant, nagging stream of dieting and fashion “advice,” Gretchen tackles the challenge of reviving her mother’s faltering modeling agency. All she needs is to woo back Kyle Ramsey, once the hottest model in the country.
Making the preemptive choice to turn his back on his career seemed Kyle’s only option until Gretchen comes calling. He doesn’t care what she wants to offer him, the answer is no. Still, he’s intrigued by her refreshing personality and all her lovely, lush curves.
When tragedy strikes, Kyle finds comfort and healing in Gretchen’s arms. But he can’t trust her with his career-ending secret and she doesn’t believe their relationship will survive the long term. He’s perfect and she’s not even close. Can the fragile ties holding them together survive Kyle’s opportunity to become a true model hero?
Buy Links:
Amazon
Kobo
iBooks
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
A Model Hero
Gretchen Meyers is a full-figured woman living in a model thin world. Desperate to end her mother's constant, nagging stream of dieting and fashion “advice,” Gretchen tackles the challenge of reviving her mother’s faltering modeling agency. All she needs is to woo back Kyle Ramsey, once the hottest model in the country.
Making the preemptive choice to turn his back on his career seemed Kyle’s only option until Gretchen comes calling. He doesn’t care what she wants to offer him, the answer is no. Still, he’s intrigued by her refreshing personality and all her lovely, lush curves.
When tragedy strikes, Kyle finds comfort and healing in Gretchen’s arms. But he can’t trust her with his career-ending secret and she doesn’t believe their relationship will survive the long term. He’s perfect and she’s not even close. Can the fragile ties holding them together survive Kyle’s opportunity to become a true model hero?
Buy Links:
Amazon
Kobo
iBooks
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
All Romance eBooks
August 17, 2016
Novellas and Other Basic Literary Structures by @CarolABrowne #writingcraft #pubtip
Guest Post by Carol Browne
As authors go, I consider myself to be fairly ignorant when it comes to the mechanics of my craft. I’m like someone who drives but hasn’t a clue how the engine works and can’t tell one make of car from another. I find myself perplexed at times by the multitude of genres and their crossovers. Similarly, the many structures and formats one is supposed to adhere to are tiresome. Perhaps I don’t like rules and regulations, or it could be I’m too lazy to learn them.
Recently, when I finished my latest work, a novella called Reality Check, I decided to address my ignorance of basic literary structures by finding out exactly what constitutes a novella.
The novella (Italian,‘new’) started to develop as a literary genre during the Renaissance (notably in 1348 with the The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio), and in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries the genre acquired various rules and structural requirements.
With a word count of between 17,500 and 40,000, the novella tends to be more complex than a short story but has far fewer conflicts than a novel. Frequently a novella is designed to be read at a single sitting.
Chapter divisions, subplots, different points of view, and changes in genre are not features commonly found in the novella. It turns its back on the wider world to focus instead on personal development. It’s like taking a short story then embellishing it with descriptive passages, expanding on the characterisation, and exploring the conflicts in greater depth.
You’d be surprised to know how many great literary works are novellas—Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey, to name but a few.
I’m surprised to find that Reality Check meets the requirements, albeit by accident! Out of interest I also note that German writers see the novella as a narrative of any length that focuses on one suspenseful situation or conflict, with a decisive turning point that leads to a reasonable but surprising conclusion. Reality Check has ticked all the boxes there too. All I need now is a publisher!
Carol Browne regards Crewe, Cheshire, as her home town and graduated from Nottingham University in 1976 with an honors degree in English Language and Literature. Carol writes speculative fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. She is also a ghost blog writer, proofreader, copy editor, and copywriter. Along with a passion for gardening, Carol is an avid animal lover.
Carol lives in the Cambridgeshire countryside with her dog, Harry, and cockatiel, Sparky.Pagan and vegan, Carol believes it is time for a paradigm shift in our attitude to Mother Nature and hopes the days of speciesism are numbered.
Stay connected with Carol on her website and blog , Facebook , and Twitter .
As authors go, I consider myself to be fairly ignorant when it comes to the mechanics of my craft. I’m like someone who drives but hasn’t a clue how the engine works and can’t tell one make of car from another. I find myself perplexed at times by the multitude of genres and their crossovers. Similarly, the many structures and formats one is supposed to adhere to are tiresome. Perhaps I don’t like rules and regulations, or it could be I’m too lazy to learn them.
Recently, when I finished my latest work, a novella called Reality Check, I decided to address my ignorance of basic literary structures by finding out exactly what constitutes a novella.
The novella (Italian,‘new’) started to develop as a literary genre during the Renaissance (notably in 1348 with the The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio), and in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries the genre acquired various rules and structural requirements.With a word count of between 17,500 and 40,000, the novella tends to be more complex than a short story but has far fewer conflicts than a novel. Frequently a novella is designed to be read at a single sitting.
Chapter divisions, subplots, different points of view, and changes in genre are not features commonly found in the novella. It turns its back on the wider world to focus instead on personal development. It’s like taking a short story then embellishing it with descriptive passages, expanding on the characterisation, and exploring the conflicts in greater depth.
You’d be surprised to know how many great literary works are novellas—Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Grey, to name but a few.I’m surprised to find that Reality Check meets the requirements, albeit by accident! Out of interest I also note that German writers see the novella as a narrative of any length that focuses on one suspenseful situation or conflict, with a decisive turning point that leads to a reasonable but surprising conclusion. Reality Check has ticked all the boxes there too. All I need now is a publisher!
Carol Browne regards Crewe, Cheshire, as her home town and graduated from Nottingham University in 1976 with an honors degree in English Language and Literature. Carol writes speculative fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. She is also a ghost blog writer, proofreader, copy editor, and copywriter. Along with a passion for gardening, Carol is an avid animal lover.
Carol lives in the Cambridgeshire countryside with her dog, Harry, and cockatiel, Sparky.Pagan and vegan, Carol believes it is time for a paradigm shift in our attitude to Mother Nature and hopes the days of speciesism are numbered.
Stay connected with Carol on her website and blog , Facebook , and Twitter .
August 14, 2016
Guest post from @pagehalffull #regencyromance #characterinterview
My guest today is Susan Lodge, noted Regency romance author. Susan appears to have a guest with her. Who do you have here, Susan?
I have brought along Hetty Avebury who is the heroine of Only a Hero Will Do. She wishes to share some advice about travelling at sea in the nineteenth century. Hetty unfortunately found herself trapped on a naval ship, uninvited and...
Excuse me, Susan. If I am not mistaken, you did say I could do this blog - after all I am the person who experienced the stressful, but enlightening, voyage and I don't want you to say anything indelicate. Perhaps you can go and arrange the refreshments. I will look after the visitors. Oh! Where are my guests precisely?
Okay, Hetty, you carry on. Trust me, they are out there listening, just talk – you’re good at that. But don’t give away too much of the plot before I come back.
Good! She has gone. Good day - are you there? Well I shall continue even though I fear my author has become quite addle brained. Did you know, dear guests, Susan’s ambition is to travel into space. Ha! What a strange thought. A coach that takes flight into the sky- without horses!
I hope she brings back some scones as I have a weakness for scones. In fact I have a few weaknesses. Gambling is one – luckily I am very good at it. My scheming family do not realize that I am able to gain funds this way. Therefore you might say it is also a strength.
Another weakness is books. I do love books! I can never get enough of the exciting informative kind (if you understand my meaning). The attendant at the library back home always examined my choices, so they were limited to the mundane. However, whilst I was at sea, Dr Withington lent me some books which were very informative.
But I must return our attentions to the purpose of this blog, where I will share some useful tips about sea travel.
So here are eight things a Regency lady needs to know about travelling (uninvited) on a naval ship in hostile waters.
1. Make sure you know which is the leeward side (the sheltered side) of the ship. It is important to know which way the wind is blowing when you are prone to seasickness. It was a shame about Doctor Withington’s coat-but luckily it was only his second best.
2. Do not stray from the quarterdeck. The stern end is the civilized end of the ship. Although it is a lot more colourful down the pointed end.
3. Prepare for your sleep to be interrupted. The ringing of the ship’s bell and the beating of drums occur at regular and unsociable times.
4. Do not complain of boredom, believe me that is a good sign. If you see a French ship approaching things will get very unpleasant, and you will soon wish to be bored again.
5. If you have a chance to pack for the journey (which I did not) include warm clothing. Also a supply of lemon juice is useful to bathe freckles, which multiply like a plague of insects across your skin once exposed to the sea air.
6. Prepare to be stoic. You will witness the misery and sacrifice of war. Even If you are lucky enough to avoid battle, deaths on board from injury and disease occur frequently.
7. Do remember to knock the weevils from the ships biscuits, and do not try to cut biscuits into delicate pieces; they resist all attempts.
8. If there is a tall, sombre physician around, whose job it is to keep you out of trouble, and looks at you with eyes … Oh, no – she is coming back with the tea - but alas no scones.
There is much more to tell, and if you feel like indulging in a romantic adventure and discovering what happened during and after my unscheduled voyage, please take a look at Only a Hero Will Do. (I haven’t even begun to tell you about Doctor Withington and you need to know about him.)
Marriage to a cruel dandy is not how Hetty Avebury envisions spending the rest of her life. Determined to avoid the match, she raises funds the only way she knows how – gambling. Her plans go astray and she finds herself on board a man-of-war under the care of its high handed physician. But Hetty soon realizes that Doctor Withington is not quite the stuffed shirt she had first imagined.
If it wasn’t bad enough declaring one of the pressed men as a woman, Robert has been tasked with the tiresome job of returning her safely back to her dysfunctional family. It was ten years ago when his father gambled away his inheritance, home, and any chance of marrying the woman he loved. So when Robert discovers Hetty gambling he takes drastic action to cure her of the habit.
Amazon Buy Link
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. Susan believes the romance genre lends itself superbly to funny moments, as love can make people act very oddly.
Susan has a science degree and always wanted to be an astronaut, but instead spent most of her career in the Civil Service. She would love to secure a seat on Richard Branson’s space flight. However, to find the funds she needs to either write a best seller or win the lottery.
After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she and her husband moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise their family.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
I have brought along Hetty Avebury who is the heroine of Only a Hero Will Do. She wishes to share some advice about travelling at sea in the nineteenth century. Hetty unfortunately found herself trapped on a naval ship, uninvited and...
Excuse me, Susan. If I am not mistaken, you did say I could do this blog - after all I am the person who experienced the stressful, but enlightening, voyage and I don't want you to say anything indelicate. Perhaps you can go and arrange the refreshments. I will look after the visitors. Oh! Where are my guests precisely?
Okay, Hetty, you carry on. Trust me, they are out there listening, just talk – you’re good at that. But don’t give away too much of the plot before I come back.
Good! She has gone. Good day - are you there? Well I shall continue even though I fear my author has become quite addle brained. Did you know, dear guests, Susan’s ambition is to travel into space. Ha! What a strange thought. A coach that takes flight into the sky- without horses!
I hope she brings back some scones as I have a weakness for scones. In fact I have a few weaknesses. Gambling is one – luckily I am very good at it. My scheming family do not realize that I am able to gain funds this way. Therefore you might say it is also a strength.
Another weakness is books. I do love books! I can never get enough of the exciting informative kind (if you understand my meaning). The attendant at the library back home always examined my choices, so they were limited to the mundane. However, whilst I was at sea, Dr Withington lent me some books which were very informative.
But I must return our attentions to the purpose of this blog, where I will share some useful tips about sea travel.
So here are eight things a Regency lady needs to know about travelling (uninvited) on a naval ship in hostile waters.
1. Make sure you know which is the leeward side (the sheltered side) of the ship. It is important to know which way the wind is blowing when you are prone to seasickness. It was a shame about Doctor Withington’s coat-but luckily it was only his second best.
2. Do not stray from the quarterdeck. The stern end is the civilized end of the ship. Although it is a lot more colourful down the pointed end.
3. Prepare for your sleep to be interrupted. The ringing of the ship’s bell and the beating of drums occur at regular and unsociable times.
4. Do not complain of boredom, believe me that is a good sign. If you see a French ship approaching things will get very unpleasant, and you will soon wish to be bored again.
5. If you have a chance to pack for the journey (which I did not) include warm clothing. Also a supply of lemon juice is useful to bathe freckles, which multiply like a plague of insects across your skin once exposed to the sea air.
6. Prepare to be stoic. You will witness the misery and sacrifice of war. Even If you are lucky enough to avoid battle, deaths on board from injury and disease occur frequently.
7. Do remember to knock the weevils from the ships biscuits, and do not try to cut biscuits into delicate pieces; they resist all attempts.
8. If there is a tall, sombre physician around, whose job it is to keep you out of trouble, and looks at you with eyes … Oh, no – she is coming back with the tea - but alas no scones.
There is much more to tell, and if you feel like indulging in a romantic adventure and discovering what happened during and after my unscheduled voyage, please take a look at Only a Hero Will Do. (I haven’t even begun to tell you about Doctor Withington and you need to know about him.)
Marriage to a cruel dandy is not how Hetty Avebury envisions spending the rest of her life. Determined to avoid the match, she raises funds the only way she knows how – gambling. Her plans go astray and she finds herself on board a man-of-war under the care of its high handed physician. But Hetty soon realizes that Doctor Withington is not quite the stuffed shirt she had first imagined.If it wasn’t bad enough declaring one of the pressed men as a woman, Robert has been tasked with the tiresome job of returning her safely back to her dysfunctional family. It was ten years ago when his father gambled away his inheritance, home, and any chance of marrying the woman he loved. So when Robert discovers Hetty gambling he takes drastic action to cure her of the habit.
Amazon Buy Link
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. Susan believes the romance genre lends itself superbly to funny moments, as love can make people act very oddly. Susan has a science degree and always wanted to be an astronaut, but instead spent most of her career in the Civil Service. She would love to secure a seat on Richard Branson’s space flight. However, to find the funds she needs to either write a best seller or win the lottery.
After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she and her husband moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise their family.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
August 10, 2016
A Legend-"dairy" Dessert from @sharonledwith #recipe #chocolate #bananasplit
Guest Post by Sharon Ledwith
Make any day special with my dynamite dessert Legend(dairy) Chocolate-Banana Split Dream. Here's how the yumness came to be. In my book, Legend of the Timekeepers—the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series—my adolescent characters Lilith, her BFF She-Aba, and an annoying goat-herder named Tau are transported from the Black Land through the seventh Arch of Atlantis, and travel back in time to Atlantis one hundred years before its final destruction. There, Tau finds that he has an insatiable taste for a strange, long yellow fruit he’s never seen before. Fortunately for us, this long yellow fruit—a.k.a. bananas—are readily available at our local markets, and used in some wicked-awesome recipes. The following recipe is easy to make, and is a great pick for families to create together on those cool or rainy weekend afternoons or family celebrations:
Legend(dairy) Chocolate-Banana Split Dream
30 Oreo Cookies (or generic brand), finely crushed (about 2¼ cups)
6 tbsp. butter, melted
1 pkg. (250 g) your favorite brand of Cream Cheese, softened
¼ cup sugar
2 tbsp. cold milk
3 cups thawed your favorite brand of whipped topping, divided
4 bananas, sliced
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) of your favorite brand chocolate instant pudding
3¼ cups cold milk
1 third cup maraschino cherries, halved
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 tbsp. chocolate syrup
Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 tbsp. milk in medium bowl with whisk until well blended. Stir in 1 cup whipped topping; spread over crust. Top with bananas.
Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk for two minutes; spread over bananas. Let stand five minutes or until thickened; cover with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate four hours.
Top with cherries, nuts, and syrup just before serving.
Did I forget to mention that this fantastic dessert serves twenty-four of your closest friends? That’s a good thing, seeing as Tau has a big family! Now, while you’re waiting for this dessert to set, why not partake in an afternoon of cozying up on the couch with a good book?
There is no moving forward without first going back.
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
To read an excerpt from Legend of the Timekeepers or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA
If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel,
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis
, here’s the blurb…
When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.
Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.
To read more of the Arch of Atlantis or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page .
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Mirror World Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter , Google+ , and Goodreads . Look up her Amazon Author page for a list of current books.
Make any day special with my dynamite dessert Legend(dairy) Chocolate-Banana Split Dream. Here's how the yumness came to be. In my book, Legend of the Timekeepers—the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series—my adolescent characters Lilith, her BFF She-Aba, and an annoying goat-herder named Tau are transported from the Black Land through the seventh Arch of Atlantis, and travel back in time to Atlantis one hundred years before its final destruction. There, Tau finds that he has an insatiable taste for a strange, long yellow fruit he’s never seen before. Fortunately for us, this long yellow fruit—a.k.a. bananas—are readily available at our local markets, and used in some wicked-awesome recipes. The following recipe is easy to make, and is a great pick for families to create together on those cool or rainy weekend afternoons or family celebrations:
Legend(dairy) Chocolate-Banana Split Dream
30 Oreo Cookies (or generic brand), finely crushed (about 2¼ cups)6 tbsp. butter, melted
1 pkg. (250 g) your favorite brand of Cream Cheese, softened
¼ cup sugar
2 tbsp. cold milk
3 cups thawed your favorite brand of whipped topping, divided
4 bananas, sliced
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) of your favorite brand chocolate instant pudding
3¼ cups cold milk
1 third cup maraschino cherries, halved
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
2 tbsp. chocolate syrup
Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2 tbsp. milk in medium bowl with whisk until well blended. Stir in 1 cup whipped topping; spread over crust. Top with bananas.
Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk for two minutes; spread over bananas. Let stand five minutes or until thickened; cover with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate four hours.
Top with cherries, nuts, and syrup just before serving.
Did I forget to mention that this fantastic dessert serves twenty-four of your closest friends? That’s a good thing, seeing as Tau has a big family! Now, while you’re waiting for this dessert to set, why not partake in an afternoon of cozying up on the couch with a good book?
There is no moving forward without first going back.Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.
Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
To read an excerpt from Legend of the Timekeepers or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA
If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel,
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis
, here’s the blurb…When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.
Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.
To read more of the Arch of Atlantis or purchase a copy, please click a vendor's name
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon US - Amazon CA
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.
Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page .
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Mirror World Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter , Google+ , and Goodreads . Look up her Amazon Author page for a list of current books.
August 9, 2016
Captivating the CEO is now an #AudioBook #medicalromance #officeromance
If you like to listen as well as read, Captivating the CEO now joins A Man Worth Fighting For in my audio book collection.
Colin Vanderhayden might only be thirty-five, but he has retirement on his mind full time. Those financial gurus who encourage you to save and scrimp and plan for the worse? They have nothing on Colin. He is all work and no play, determined not to let his life crumble around him the way he watched his grandparents’ plans for retirement dissolve into tragedy.
Then Willow Jeffries steps into his life. If Willow wants something, she does it now. She doesn’t defer gratification. After all, who can guarantee you’re going to be around in the future to enjoy all those things you put off? Certainly not Willow. She doesn’t know how much time she has, but she’s going to make every minute count right now, and what she wants to do most with her time is show Colin how to have to good time and relax.
And she might just be making progress, as long as she doesn’t slip up and allow Colin to start planning on her as part of his future…
Captivating the CEO
He's all about the future. She might not have one...
When live-for-the-moment massage therapist Willow Jeffries bursts into Colin Vanderhayden's office, she makes it her mission to loosen up the future-focused CEO, knowing each moment of the present is too precious to waste. Despite her immediate attraction, the only future she can offer is one full of heartache.
The last thing Colin needs is a flighty woman messing up his carefully-constructed plans, but her heavenly massages and addictive personality prove hard to resist. But he has no idea how sick she is.
No longer able to ignore her life-threatening medical condition, Willow slips away to spare Colin a miserable future with her. Is Colin willing to sacrifice his well-laid future plans to get Willow back?
Buy Links:
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
Bookstrand
Kobo
iBooks
Audio Version - Narrated by Nina Price
Buy Links:
Amazon
Audible
iTunes
Colin Vanderhayden might only be thirty-five, but he has retirement on his mind full time. Those financial gurus who encourage you to save and scrimp and plan for the worse? They have nothing on Colin. He is all work and no play, determined not to let his life crumble around him the way he watched his grandparents’ plans for retirement dissolve into tragedy.
Then Willow Jeffries steps into his life. If Willow wants something, she does it now. She doesn’t defer gratification. After all, who can guarantee you’re going to be around in the future to enjoy all those things you put off? Certainly not Willow. She doesn’t know how much time she has, but she’s going to make every minute count right now, and what she wants to do most with her time is show Colin how to have to good time and relax.
And she might just be making progress, as long as she doesn’t slip up and allow Colin to start planning on her as part of his future…
Captivating the CEO
He's all about the future. She might not have one...
When live-for-the-moment massage therapist Willow Jeffries bursts into Colin Vanderhayden's office, she makes it her mission to loosen up the future-focused CEO, knowing each moment of the present is too precious to waste. Despite her immediate attraction, the only future she can offer is one full of heartache.
The last thing Colin needs is a flighty woman messing up his carefully-constructed plans, but her heavenly massages and addictive personality prove hard to resist. But he has no idea how sick she is.
No longer able to ignore her life-threatening medical condition, Willow slips away to spare Colin a miserable future with her. Is Colin willing to sacrifice his well-laid future plans to get Willow back?
Buy Links:
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords
Barnes & Noble
Bookstrand
Kobo
iBooks
Audio Version - Narrated by Nina Price
Buy Links:
Amazon
Audible
iTunes
August 7, 2016
The Power of White Magic by @Leigh_Goff #witch #YAlit
Guest Post by Leigh Goff
In DISENCHANTED, the beautiful sixteen-year-old Sophie Goodchild, a white witch, must learn to master her aunt’s harmless plant spells so she can keep her own powerful magic a secret from her dangerous coven. The coven’s ambitious eldress would love nothing more than to utilize young Sophie’s talent in a war against the fearful ordinaries, especially Judge Mather who is locking up young witches for magical slip-ups. Did I mention Judge Mather is a direct descendant of a Salem Witch Trial judge?
While trying to hide her uncontrollable magic and master her aunt’s spells, Sophie learns about her enchanted garden and all the amazing plants in it. She finds many practical and a few hilarious applications for the enchanted herbs and flowers. Below are a few that appear in the book.
Devil’s Bit. A small purple meadow flower and a good source of nectar, which Sophie applies to her lips everyday to help her lie (this only works for Wethersfield witches), because when you are a witch in a small town with Puritanical roots, you need a little help blending in with the ordinaries and keeping secrets from your witch sisters.
White Willow Bark. A natural anti-inflammatory and hemorrhoid reliever. When Sophie meets Alexavier’s taunting older brother, Zeke, she wonders if applying the bark powder all over Zeke would improve his disposition.
Munstead Lavender. Sophie’s pillow is filled with the summery scent to help her sleep through her haunted dreams, but lavender cannot compete with the tenacity of a four hundred-year-old witch’s spirit. Fortunately, this witch is helpful and guides Sophie in her quest to break the True Love Curse her ancestor, Rebecca Greensmith, cast on the Mather bloodline. Did I mention Rebecca, Sophie’s witch ancestor, was hung at the gallows in Wethersfield?
Calendula/Chickweed. Combined in a teabag, cooled, and applied to Sophie’s eyes, this powerful anti-inflammatory reduces puffiness from her sleepless nights where strange foreboding dreams of the past blend with her present.
Annatto. Wards off evil and eases stomach distress, but this natural pigment from achiote seed pods also tints Sophie’s teeth orange, which does little to impress the popular coven clique, the Glitterati, who already think she’s an odd half-witch. Little do they know she is destined to be the most powerful witch Wethersfield has seen in four hundred years.
Lemon verbena, valerian, and rose petals. The fragrant combination brings lovers together and, as Sophie inhales the perfumed scent, her bad boy love interest, Alexavier Mather, who happens to be her family’s enemy and is devastatingly handsome with a to-die-for British accent, enters the scene.
Here's a little from DISENCHANTED for your reading pleasure.
As the vision wore off, the glass jar tumbled from my fingers and smashed into tiny shards against the porcelain of the sink. I crumpled to the bathroom floor. The vision of Elizabeth’s last night was her final message. I cradled my face in my hands. My hatred for the judge was no different from Rebecca’s in its depth and darkness. I hated that it was, but I was going to need it. It would carry me through the ritual necessary to save Alexavier. I gripped the edge of the vanity and pulled myself to standing.
I touched my hand to my bloodcharm and dressed in the uniform then took a deep breath as I slid the ceremonial black robe off its hanger and tied the satin belt around my waist. I smoothed my hands against the front panels of fabric, feeling the cold silk against my fingertips. An icy trickle of darkness, the same liquid black ice I felt before listening to Judge Mather and Laney, traveled the length of my arm.
This time, I invited it in.
I felt the darkness tame my impetuous nature, allowing me to feed slowly on the hatred and control it. The coldness flowed through my veins and to the lengths of each limb. The icy darkness pooled in my chest and chilled my heart.
The change was beginning. “Elizabeth, I hope you’re right about the magic in me being able to change black hearts ’cause I’m going to need it for my own.”
The doorbell chimed, startling me to a more alert state. “Hold on,” I shouted. I opened the duffel bag and removed the knife and vial before tossing the robe in. I stuffed the small items in my skirt pocket and carried the bag with me downstairs, setting it in the foyer. I clenched my hands tightly together before opening the door. “Cal? What are you doing here?” I asked, shocked to see him on my doorstep.
“I was worried about you,” he said abruptly, entering the house and grabbing me by the hand.
“I don’t have time for this right now. I have a meeting with my aunt tonight,” I implored impatiently.
“A meeting?” He noticed the gray skirt and white shirt. “Not yet.” He led me to the kitchen and pulled a chair out.
He studied me and grimaced. “Sophie, I don’t know what’s going on, but I get the feeling you’re in trouble.” Perhaps it was his connection to tribal magic, but beyond his tough guy exterior, he was surprisingly intuitive.
“Cal, I’ll be fine. I’m a little stressed and tired, that’s all.” I blinked, feeling a strange weight on my lashes. I glanced at my hands, turning them over. My skin looked luminescent. Flawless. I smacked my lips together, feeling their plumpness.
He scrunched his face up as he eyed me. “Tired? You don’t look tired. Are you wearing makeup?”
I raced to the foyer mirror, out of Cal’s view. My heart-shaped lips bloomed a blood red, my lashes thickened and bowed upward like the arms of a goddess, a dewy glow radiated from my flawless ivory complexion, and as I watched, the messy knot unrolled down the length of my back into a wavy sea of glossy sable hair. My mouth fell open.
“I wasn’t finished.” Cal marched toward me. “Whoa. What is going on?”
I turned to him, having to act like I normally did. “Nothing.”
His eyebrows arched. “Something. Did you get a makeover in the last thirty-seconds?”
I gathered my silky hair and draped the long smooth tresses over one shoulder. “I’m trying something new. Don’t make fun.”
He shook his head, stupefied. “Whatever. I came here to give you something.” He took a breath as if to say something else, but he stopped. Our friendship had evolved and deepened into a mutual love for each other; a love between friends, but nonetheless sacred and forever.
I shook my hands at him. “Cal, don’t. It’s not...”
He reached into the pocket of his jeans and extracted a tangle of black leather string. Angst crossed his bronzed brow. “I want you to wear this.”
I glanced at the object resting in his open palm; a small wood carving attached to leather strands. The amulet was the size of a postage stamp.
“It’s a talisman carved from eucalyptus wood. It wards off evil spirits and will protect you.”
“Is this a white magic token?” He smiled without explanation. “Cal, it’s incredibly thoughtful of you. I love it. But I can’t take that.” I didn’t deserve to wear it at the moment, not as the darkness spread through me like the poison Romeo drank, silencing the warmth in my heart. My lips tingled. “Your mom wouldn’t like it.”
His lips twisted to the side and his expression was one of rejection. “I think she would be okay if she saw it on you.” He smiled, a hint of sadness seeped into the corners of his mouth. “Here...” He took my hand and looped the leather around so the talisman dangled delicately from my wrist. I could feel his gentle touch on my skin as he secured it. He placed his large hands on my shoulders and looked at me. “Promise you’ll be okay?”
A laugh cracked through my stress. “Promise.” Cal’s sentiment was deeply appreciated. He never failed to make me laugh, even as the temperature of my heart dropped.
He leaned in and kissed my cheek as a small tear escaped from my eyes. “You better be.” The doorbell rang again. It was too late to stop him. In one long stride, Cal turned the knob before I could move.
Alexavier stood in the doorway, glaring at Callum with disapproval and irritation. “Callum, what a surprise to find you here,” he said gruffly, sarcasm saturating his voice.
“I’m trying to take care of my girl.”
I didn’t want Cal to mess this up. I still needed one thing from Alexavier. Alexavier spoke directly to him. “Callum, I know you care about Sophie, but I can take care of her. She doesn’t need you.” He kept his voice low, but his tone was protective and threatening.
Callum stepped closer to him.
“Callum, this will not end well for you if you insist on challenging me,” Alexavier warned. His voice remained even, but his body was poised to fight if Callum insisted.
I wiped my cheek and stomped toward them. “Please, stop this. Please! I care about you both, but Callum, you need to go,” I pleaded, fearing Cal would snap. I pulled on Alexavier’s arm roughly to break the defensive eye contact he maintained with Callum.
“I’m not afraid, Mather. I also don’t need my fists to prove I’m the better man. Sophie will see that one day,” he snarled ferociously.
I flashed my eyes wide. My jaw jutted out. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was the last thing I wanted to deal with or could deal with and I feared what I would do under the influence of my choice. “Callum... leave now!” I didn’t care about hurting anyone’s feelings at the moment. My emotions were shifting beyond that.
He pushed past Alexavier in a huff to leave. Alexavier ignored the action, focusing his attention on me. I was relieved he didn’t engage Callum in a fight. He stood before me, astoundingly handsome in a blue button down shirt. He grasped my hands and looked deeply into my eyes. “What was that all about?”
My blackening heart skipped a beat. “I’m sorry about Callum. I don’t know what got into him.”
“Jealousy, I would say. I warned you.”
“I don’t want to believe that’s it.”
His fingers gently pressed against my hand and wrist, lifting them to inspect the talisman. “Did he give you this?” A combination of regret and jealousy lined his voice.
“It’s to keep evil spirits away,” I replied as I touched the wood carving with my fingertips.
He sighed. Our future was under a black cloud from the past where Rebecca’s curse and his father’s mistakes affected us in the present. And after tonight, even if the ritual went according to plan, there was no guarantee things would be the same or better for us. I was risking my life and my soul. Even if I survived breaking the curse and the reconversion, I would be different, changed, tainted from the black magic I had already invited into my heart and it might all be for nothing.
Buy Links:
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon
Leigh Goff loves writing young adult fiction with elements of magic and romance because it's also what she liked to read. Born and raised on the East Coast, she now lives in Maryland where she enjoys the area's great history and culture.
Leigh is a graduate of the University of Maryland, University College and a member of the Maryland Writers' Association and Romance Writers of America. She is also an approved artist with the Maryland State Arts Council. Her debut novel, Disenchanted, was inspired by the Wethersfield witches of Connecticut and was released by Mirror World Publishing. Leigh is currently working on her next novel, The Witch's Ring which is set in Annapolis.
Learn more about Leigh Goff on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook , Instagram , Pinterest , and Goodreads .
In DISENCHANTED, the beautiful sixteen-year-old Sophie Goodchild, a white witch, must learn to master her aunt’s harmless plant spells so she can keep her own powerful magic a secret from her dangerous coven. The coven’s ambitious eldress would love nothing more than to utilize young Sophie’s talent in a war against the fearful ordinaries, especially Judge Mather who is locking up young witches for magical slip-ups. Did I mention Judge Mather is a direct descendant of a Salem Witch Trial judge?While trying to hide her uncontrollable magic and master her aunt’s spells, Sophie learns about her enchanted garden and all the amazing plants in it. She finds many practical and a few hilarious applications for the enchanted herbs and flowers. Below are a few that appear in the book.
Devil’s Bit. A small purple meadow flower and a good source of nectar, which Sophie applies to her lips everyday to help her lie (this only works for Wethersfield witches), because when you are a witch in a small town with Puritanical roots, you need a little help blending in with the ordinaries and keeping secrets from your witch sisters.
White Willow Bark. A natural anti-inflammatory and hemorrhoid reliever. When Sophie meets Alexavier’s taunting older brother, Zeke, she wonders if applying the bark powder all over Zeke would improve his disposition.
Munstead Lavender. Sophie’s pillow is filled with the summery scent to help her sleep through her haunted dreams, but lavender cannot compete with the tenacity of a four hundred-year-old witch’s spirit. Fortunately, this witch is helpful and guides Sophie in her quest to break the True Love Curse her ancestor, Rebecca Greensmith, cast on the Mather bloodline. Did I mention Rebecca, Sophie’s witch ancestor, was hung at the gallows in Wethersfield?
Calendula/Chickweed. Combined in a teabag, cooled, and applied to Sophie’s eyes, this powerful anti-inflammatory reduces puffiness from her sleepless nights where strange foreboding dreams of the past blend with her present.
Annatto. Wards off evil and eases stomach distress, but this natural pigment from achiote seed pods also tints Sophie’s teeth orange, which does little to impress the popular coven clique, the Glitterati, who already think she’s an odd half-witch. Little do they know she is destined to be the most powerful witch Wethersfield has seen in four hundred years.
Lemon verbena, valerian, and rose petals. The fragrant combination brings lovers together and, as Sophie inhales the perfumed scent, her bad boy love interest, Alexavier Mather, who happens to be her family’s enemy and is devastatingly handsome with a to-die-for British accent, enters the scene.
Here's a little from DISENCHANTED for your reading pleasure.
As the vision wore off, the glass jar tumbled from my fingers and smashed into tiny shards against the porcelain of the sink. I crumpled to the bathroom floor. The vision of Elizabeth’s last night was her final message. I cradled my face in my hands. My hatred for the judge was no different from Rebecca’s in its depth and darkness. I hated that it was, but I was going to need it. It would carry me through the ritual necessary to save Alexavier. I gripped the edge of the vanity and pulled myself to standing.I touched my hand to my bloodcharm and dressed in the uniform then took a deep breath as I slid the ceremonial black robe off its hanger and tied the satin belt around my waist. I smoothed my hands against the front panels of fabric, feeling the cold silk against my fingertips. An icy trickle of darkness, the same liquid black ice I felt before listening to Judge Mather and Laney, traveled the length of my arm.
This time, I invited it in.
I felt the darkness tame my impetuous nature, allowing me to feed slowly on the hatred and control it. The coldness flowed through my veins and to the lengths of each limb. The icy darkness pooled in my chest and chilled my heart.
The change was beginning. “Elizabeth, I hope you’re right about the magic in me being able to change black hearts ’cause I’m going to need it for my own.”
The doorbell chimed, startling me to a more alert state. “Hold on,” I shouted. I opened the duffel bag and removed the knife and vial before tossing the robe in. I stuffed the small items in my skirt pocket and carried the bag with me downstairs, setting it in the foyer. I clenched my hands tightly together before opening the door. “Cal? What are you doing here?” I asked, shocked to see him on my doorstep.
“I was worried about you,” he said abruptly, entering the house and grabbing me by the hand.
“I don’t have time for this right now. I have a meeting with my aunt tonight,” I implored impatiently.
“A meeting?” He noticed the gray skirt and white shirt. “Not yet.” He led me to the kitchen and pulled a chair out.
He studied me and grimaced. “Sophie, I don’t know what’s going on, but I get the feeling you’re in trouble.” Perhaps it was his connection to tribal magic, but beyond his tough guy exterior, he was surprisingly intuitive.
“Cal, I’ll be fine. I’m a little stressed and tired, that’s all.” I blinked, feeling a strange weight on my lashes. I glanced at my hands, turning them over. My skin looked luminescent. Flawless. I smacked my lips together, feeling their plumpness.
He scrunched his face up as he eyed me. “Tired? You don’t look tired. Are you wearing makeup?”
I raced to the foyer mirror, out of Cal’s view. My heart-shaped lips bloomed a blood red, my lashes thickened and bowed upward like the arms of a goddess, a dewy glow radiated from my flawless ivory complexion, and as I watched, the messy knot unrolled down the length of my back into a wavy sea of glossy sable hair. My mouth fell open.
“I wasn’t finished.” Cal marched toward me. “Whoa. What is going on?”
I turned to him, having to act like I normally did. “Nothing.”
His eyebrows arched. “Something. Did you get a makeover in the last thirty-seconds?”
I gathered my silky hair and draped the long smooth tresses over one shoulder. “I’m trying something new. Don’t make fun.”
He shook his head, stupefied. “Whatever. I came here to give you something.” He took a breath as if to say something else, but he stopped. Our friendship had evolved and deepened into a mutual love for each other; a love between friends, but nonetheless sacred and forever.
I shook my hands at him. “Cal, don’t. It’s not...”
He reached into the pocket of his jeans and extracted a tangle of black leather string. Angst crossed his bronzed brow. “I want you to wear this.”
I glanced at the object resting in his open palm; a small wood carving attached to leather strands. The amulet was the size of a postage stamp.
“It’s a talisman carved from eucalyptus wood. It wards off evil spirits and will protect you.”
“Is this a white magic token?” He smiled without explanation. “Cal, it’s incredibly thoughtful of you. I love it. But I can’t take that.” I didn’t deserve to wear it at the moment, not as the darkness spread through me like the poison Romeo drank, silencing the warmth in my heart. My lips tingled. “Your mom wouldn’t like it.”
His lips twisted to the side and his expression was one of rejection. “I think she would be okay if she saw it on you.” He smiled, a hint of sadness seeped into the corners of his mouth. “Here...” He took my hand and looped the leather around so the talisman dangled delicately from my wrist. I could feel his gentle touch on my skin as he secured it. He placed his large hands on my shoulders and looked at me. “Promise you’ll be okay?”
A laugh cracked through my stress. “Promise.” Cal’s sentiment was deeply appreciated. He never failed to make me laugh, even as the temperature of my heart dropped.
He leaned in and kissed my cheek as a small tear escaped from my eyes. “You better be.” The doorbell rang again. It was too late to stop him. In one long stride, Cal turned the knob before I could move.
Alexavier stood in the doorway, glaring at Callum with disapproval and irritation. “Callum, what a surprise to find you here,” he said gruffly, sarcasm saturating his voice.
“I’m trying to take care of my girl.”
I didn’t want Cal to mess this up. I still needed one thing from Alexavier. Alexavier spoke directly to him. “Callum, I know you care about Sophie, but I can take care of her. She doesn’t need you.” He kept his voice low, but his tone was protective and threatening.
Callum stepped closer to him.
“Callum, this will not end well for you if you insist on challenging me,” Alexavier warned. His voice remained even, but his body was poised to fight if Callum insisted.
I wiped my cheek and stomped toward them. “Please, stop this. Please! I care about you both, but Callum, you need to go,” I pleaded, fearing Cal would snap. I pulled on Alexavier’s arm roughly to break the defensive eye contact he maintained with Callum.
“I’m not afraid, Mather. I also don’t need my fists to prove I’m the better man. Sophie will see that one day,” he snarled ferociously.
I flashed my eyes wide. My jaw jutted out. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was the last thing I wanted to deal with or could deal with and I feared what I would do under the influence of my choice. “Callum... leave now!” I didn’t care about hurting anyone’s feelings at the moment. My emotions were shifting beyond that.
He pushed past Alexavier in a huff to leave. Alexavier ignored the action, focusing his attention on me. I was relieved he didn’t engage Callum in a fight. He stood before me, astoundingly handsome in a blue button down shirt. He grasped my hands and looked deeply into my eyes. “What was that all about?”
My blackening heart skipped a beat. “I’m sorry about Callum. I don’t know what got into him.”
“Jealousy, I would say. I warned you.”
“I don’t want to believe that’s it.”
His fingers gently pressed against my hand and wrist, lifting them to inspect the talisman. “Did he give you this?” A combination of regret and jealousy lined his voice.
“It’s to keep evil spirits away,” I replied as I touched the wood carving with my fingertips.
He sighed. Our future was under a black cloud from the past where Rebecca’s curse and his father’s mistakes affected us in the present. And after tonight, even if the ritual went according to plan, there was no guarantee things would be the same or better for us. I was risking my life and my soul. Even if I survived breaking the curse and the reconversion, I would be different, changed, tainted from the black magic I had already invited into my heart and it might all be for nothing.
Buy Links:
Mirror World Publishing - Amazon
Leigh Goff loves writing young adult fiction with elements of magic and romance because it's also what she liked to read. Born and raised on the East Coast, she now lives in Maryland where she enjoys the area's great history and culture.
Leigh is a graduate of the University of Maryland, University College and a member of the Maryland Writers' Association and Romance Writers of America. She is also an approved artist with the Maryland State Arts Council. Her debut novel, Disenchanted, was inspired by the Wethersfield witches of Connecticut and was released by Mirror World Publishing. Leigh is currently working on her next novel, The Witch's Ring which is set in Annapolis.
Learn more about Leigh Goff on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook , Instagram , Pinterest , and Goodreads .
August 3, 2016
Fun with Veggies - Who Knew This Could Be a THING?! @sloanetaylor2 #kitchen #recipe
FUN with VEGGIES
By Sloane Taylor
My niece, that's the young pretty woman in this picture, has a wonderful kitchen with plenty of light, counter space, and a large island that holds her cooktop. It's the perfect location for testing new ideas and fine tuning family favorites.
She decided to create a delicious Brussels sprout dish while I worked magic on a pot of fresh green beans. Give our recipes a try. I think you'll enjoy them both.
Truly Yummy Brussels Sprouts
1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts
½ lb. bacon, chopped
½ medium onion, diced
1 stick butter or margarine
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Trim the stem off the sprouts and remove any tough outer leaves. Slice them in half lengthwise if the sprouts are large.
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon until lightly browned. Add the sprouts. Cook until veggies are tender. Stir frequently.
Add pepper and serve.
Easy Fresh Green Beans
1 lb. fresh green beans trimmed, but left whole
Water
2 tbsp. butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Place the beans in a colander and then rinse them under cold water. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a hard boil on high heat.
Drop the beans in by the handful. Boil 10 to 14 minutes or until the beans are just tender.
Drain beans in a colander. Add butter to the hot pot and melt. Return beans to the pot. Toss with butter and coat well, then season with pepper to taste.
Award-winning author Sloane Taylor is a sensual woman who believes humor and and good food are healthy aspects of our everyday lives and carries that philosophy into her books. She writes romances that takes you right into the bedroom. Being a true romantic, all her stories have a happy ever after.
Her books are set in Europe where the men are all male and the North American women they encounter are both feminine and strong. They also bring more than lust to their men’s lives.
Taylor was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. Studly, her mate for life, and Sloane now live in a small home in Indiana and enjoy the change from city life. She is also an avid cook.
Learn more about Sloane Taylor on her website . Check out her blog for more tasty recipes. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
By Sloane Taylor
My niece, that's the young pretty woman in this picture, has a wonderful kitchen with plenty of light, counter space, and a large island that holds her cooktop. It's the perfect location for testing new ideas and fine tuning family favorites.
She decided to create a delicious Brussels sprout dish while I worked magic on a pot of fresh green beans. Give our recipes a try. I think you'll enjoy them both.
Truly Yummy Brussels Sprouts
1 lb. fresh Brussels sprouts
½ lb. bacon, chopped
½ medium onion, diced
1 stick butter or margarine
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Trim the stem off the sprouts and remove any tough outer leaves. Slice them in half lengthwise if the sprouts are large.
Set a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon until lightly browned. Add the sprouts. Cook until veggies are tender. Stir frequently.
Add pepper and serve.
Easy Fresh Green Beans
1 lb. fresh green beans trimmed, but left whole
Water
2 tbsp. butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Place the beans in a colander and then rinse them under cold water. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to a hard boil on high heat.
Drop the beans in by the handful. Boil 10 to 14 minutes or until the beans are just tender.
Drain beans in a colander. Add butter to the hot pot and melt. Return beans to the pot. Toss with butter and coat well, then season with pepper to taste.
Award-winning author Sloane Taylor is a sensual woman who believes humor and and good food are healthy aspects of our everyday lives and carries that philosophy into her books. She writes romances that takes you right into the bedroom. Being a true romantic, all her stories have a happy ever after.Her books are set in Europe where the men are all male and the North American women they encounter are both feminine and strong. They also bring more than lust to their men’s lives.
Taylor was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. Studly, her mate for life, and Sloane now live in a small home in Indiana and enjoy the change from city life. She is also an avid cook.
Learn more about Sloane Taylor on her website . Check out her blog for more tasty recipes. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
August 1, 2016
Strong Women Need to Be Celebrated and Read #StrongWomen #Giveaway
Strong Women Giveaway
Who: 150 authors across multiple genres and heat levels
Why: Because strong women need to be celebrated and read!
How: Click here www.bit.ly/StrongReaders and enter to win!
Prize: Chance at 2 $1,000.00 gift cards or weekly $100.00 gift cards, and many, many subscriber gifts!
When: The whole month of August! Winners announced Sept. 1
Tempting Mr. Forever
Love is his enemy…and her answer.A nationally televised bombshell revealing a secret son turns marriage therapist Caleb Paden’s life upside down. While others focus on the public relations disaster for his company, he can only think of rescuing his baby and providing the stable home dictated by his marriage theories—one devoid of love and emotions.
Olivia Wells might not be the baby’s biological mother, but she loves him as much as any parent could. Letting him go will break her heart. Letting him go to a man who doesn’t believe in love will tear her apart.
As she helps Caleb bond with his child, Olivia finds herself falling for the man behind the stuffy therapist persona. However, he wants nothing to do with her love and emotions, and those are the only things she has to give. If she can’t convince him love is the answer, not the enemy, she will lose both the baby she loves and her heart.
Buy Links:
Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo iBooks
July 31, 2016
A Fascinating and Terrifying Future #SpaceOpera @twm216
Guest Post by Tom OlbertThis thrilling and inventive space opera takes us to a fascinating and terrifying future where newborn life is won in battle and death. Genetic engineering has removed the male influence and Femes, a sapien race similar to legendary Amazon Warriors, fight each other for supremacy across the galaxy.
Despite being born with the genes of nobility, Kaylenn has dedicated her life to battle. Nothing is more sacred to a Kralite, and when war breaks out she is eager to prove herself as a worthy commander and warrior. Fleets and planets fall before her strength, but when she has no choice but to place her faith in Saaryth, a loathed Kaltaarist captain, or face glorious death herself, she chooses to live. Born to the tribe, Saaryth embodies the unity and self-sacrifice that is the birthright of all Kaltaarists. After years of seeing her people spat upon by their Kralite leaders, Saaryth shows Kaylenn the potential of the many working together in perfect harmony to accomplish a single goal. But the fiery passion of Kaylenn awakens longings within her that she didn’t even know she was capable of having. She doesn’t want to share her. Their union provokes the ire of the governments and corporations controlling the galaxy, but is the only hope to save Kaylenn's homeworld.
The Nexus is always watching... their peoples are the next to be judged.
EXCERPT:
Saaryth handled the controls as the space shuttle cleared the orbiting station and descended toward Keltrys IV. After clearing her flight plan with station control and the flight center on the planet surface, she swung the shuttle skillfully around the ring-shaped superstructure of the gigantic military space wheel.
There, visible on the station’s planetside space dock was the Kalthaar. Battered and charred about the edges, but still the pride of the fleet, Kaylenn thought with a smile. As Saaryth did a close fly-by of the docked ship, Kaylenn looked through the viewport and saw the flitting white specs of the space crews moving about with their thruster packs as they worked on the Kalthaar’s damaged sections.
“I’m told the Kalthaar should be battle ready in about four standard days, Fleet Captain.” Saaryth's voice held no inflection or emotion.
“Yes, so I’ve heard. How do you feel about getting back into the fight, Saaryth?” The planet surface, bright green and blue, rose toward them in the viewport.
Saaryth’s eyes never left the controls. “I do not relish the thought of losing any more of my sisters, Fleet Captain,” she said calmly. “But, as our priestesses teach: If some must be lost on the hunt for the tribe to go on, that is the wisdom of Kaltaari.”
There was a note of sadness hidden under her stoicism. And, just a hint of anger. “You must resent my kind for putting you and your sisters in this position, Saaryth.”
She sighed, glancing up at the planet’s curve now filling the viewport. “Yes. I suppose I do.” Her jaw was a bit clenched. Kaylenn hoped letting Saaryth vent her anger in this neutral setting would help gain her trust. But now, it was Kaylenn’s turn to open up. “It’s a stupid war, I know. The Confederation and our former trading partner, the Vedran Alliance, wasting lives and funds over contested solar systems whose resources don’t begin to justify the cost.”
“The Galaxy, like the daughter of Kral, belongs to the strong,” Saaryth said, reciting the Confederation war slogan, as she raised the shuttle’s heat shields and prepped the ship for atmospheric entry.
“More accurately, the next Council term belongs to those ministers who have a successful military campaign to their credit.”
“You must be resentful as well, if you believe that,” Saaryth said as she switched the ship from nuclear space drive to air-cooled rocket propulsion. The ship trembled and the energy barrier beyond the viewport glowed white hot as the ship dove into the atmosphere.
Kaylenn was at once refreshed and a bit taken aback by Saaryth’s honesty. “I suppose, to some extent. The rules of politics and of war are the same as the Hunt of Kral: only one victor allowed. There’s no way around that. At least in Kralite society. But a good warrior understands the value of allies. The Council does not.” Saaryth remained silent, as though waiting for Kaylenn to say more. She's not going to make this easy. To be more direct meant putting her life in Saaryth’s hands. Well, she had once already, she reminded herself.
“You’ve been honest with me, Saaryth, so I’ll be honest with you. My government has asked me to suppress the role your people played in this battle, and I’ve refused.” Saaryth looked up suddenly, unable to hide her surprise. “That puts me in a very dangerous position. I don’t believe my own crew or officers would assassinate me, even under Fleet Command orders, but I suspect some might be slow to defend me the next time I’m ordered into the line of enemy fire. I have to be certain the same is not true of you and your people.”
Saaryth sighed, dropping the mask of composure and suddenly looking very irritated. “Fleet Captain, may I ask what you sought to accomplish by taking such a foolish risk?”
Kaylenn was completely unprepared for that. “I...I want my people to recognize what your people have to offer us. Saaryth, before this mission, I didn’t believe a Kaltaarist could be a real soldier. I was typical of my people, but I realize now how wrong we’ve been. We’ve allowed a valuable resource to go to waste because of a stupid cultural prejudice. A stigma. If my superiors could just look beyond their stodgy-”
“You are a fool,” Saaryth said coldly, looking directly at Kaylenn with stern eyes.
Kaylenn was stunned, but quickly recovered. “You overestimate your value to me, Lieutenant Commander,” she barked, her anger surfacing. “Perhaps I could secure my position with my superiors by arranging a convenient accident for you.”
“I’ll gladly help you to arrange that accident, if it will secure the future of my people,” Saaryth snapped back, setting the ship on auto-pilot.
Bright pink and violet cloudscapes raced past the viewport, framing Saaryth’s angry, beautiful face. “What are you talking about?” Kaylenn demanded.
“Your superiors are already well aware of what our pilots can do. That’s why we’re here.” Her eyes shifted a bit, as she hesitated. Then she locked eyes with Kaylenn and continued. “Our planning committees have discreetly negotiated with your ministers. We’ve agreed to help them with their war, and in return they have agreed to divert badly needed resources to some of our worlds which have been left to near starvation since this war began. The only condition is that we do not accept credit for any victory we participate in.”
Kaylenn understood. “But you agree to accept the blame for any defeat.”
“Of course. We care nothing about that, only about feeding our clusters and helping our people survive this war. And now you interfere with this reckless act of defiance and ask me to put my own people at risk to protect you! Why have you done this to us? What do you hope to gain?” Her eyes flared with anger.
Kaylenn almost smiled. At least now she knew where she stood. “Saaryth, listen to me,” she said quietly. “My leaders are shortsighted fools, and the trouble with you Kaltaarists is you have too much faith in sapien love. Don’t turn away from me! Listen. The Vedrans have learned the value of training Kaltaarists as soldiers. It’s only a matter of time now before they and every sapien empire begins doing the same. Things are going to change for your people, whether you want them to or not. Whether they change for better or worse depends on you and others like you.”
Saaryth looked at her with a hesitant curiosity. “What do you mean?”
“Play the game by the Council’s rules, and your people will become scapegoats for every disaster Helkos suffers in this war. The few crumbs the politicians toss your way won’t help you against the backlash that will follow when this war is over. You think your planets fare poorly now? Just wait. When the next war comes, it will be harder for the Confederation to use your kind as fighters again. But our next enemy won’t have that problem, you see?”
Saaryth looked shocked. Almost like a child.
“Our politicians aren’t like your planners. They think only of themselves, not of the problems their successors will inherit.”
Saaryth glanced about nervously. “How then does your defiance help us?”
“If enough captains like me and enough squadron commanders like you stand together, they can’t keep the truth bottled up. We can build a legend together, Saaryth—you and I!” She felt hot blood racing as she laid a hand on Saaryth’s arm. The dark-eyed feme looked a bit frightened, almost as though confronted with a maniac. Kaylenn calmed herself, withdrew her hand and reined in her ambition. “What I mean is that we can help turn public opinion in your people’s favor. In Kralite society, military success is the first step toward political power. Imagine your councils having a say in how the Confederation is run!”
For an instant Saaryth’s eyes sparkled, then an instant later, darkened with fear. Then they turned away and the cold, defensive calm returned. “No. We want no part of your politics.”
“Isolation is a luxury you can no longer afford! You’ve learned to kill. Now learn to reap the benefits of the kill. As you do on your hunt. As we do on ours.”
Saaryth dropped her head back against the headrest of her flight seat. She closed her eyes, the cloud-veiled red sunlight streaming through the viewport painted her face in a wash of blood. “When I was a young girl in my village, our priestess would scold my classmates and me for hoarding food, or not dividing the workload evenly, or fighting over the attentions of a friend. ‘The moment you let jealousy or selfishness or greed into your heart, you become like Tryl, the Mother of Evil who stabbed her own sister in the back and sold her soul to the demon Kral so she alone could claim the daughter who brought all suffering into the world.’ I never really took any of that seriously. Until now.”
“You’ve come this far,” Kaylenn said, feeling genuine sympathy for Saaryth’s pain. She had never felt sympathy for weakness before, and feeling it now frightened her a little. She had never imagined that kind of struggle could take place inside so capable a warrior as Saaryth. “You know you can’t turn back. You and I need each other.”
Saaryth raised her head and glared at her. “And, that’s why we’re here together?”
“It’s not the only reason,” Kaylenn said, hiding nothing as she gently ran a hand across Saaryth’s face. The other feme’s features softened. “Unless you’re blind, you saw that the moment we met.” Saaryth took her hand in both of hers and kissed it. She stroked Kaylenn’s hand softly against her own cheek and looked into her eyes. “I’ve been honest with you about what I want.”
“Power.”
“Power I would eagerly use to help those I love. Tell me what you want.”
“A better life for my people.”
“And, for yourself?”
Sunlight broke through the clouds and washed in a warm orange glow over Saaryth’s face. “That, you already know.” She smiled, and Kaylenn felt a great warmth passing through her as their fingers interlocked.
Read a FREE sample here .
BUY LINKS:
Phase 5 Publishing - Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Lulu - Kobo
Thomas Olbert lives in Cambridge, MA, home of Harvard, M.I.T., liberals and wackos. When not writing science fiction and horror or working, Tom volunteers for candidates and causes he cares about, like the environment and civil rights. Tom’s father Stan Olbert was a fighter in the Polish resistance during WWII and later a professor of physics at M.I.T. Tom’s mother, Norma Olbert has self-published Stan Olbert’s life story: “The Boy from Lwow”, now available in paperback. Tom’s sister Elizabeth Olbert is an accomplished artist and now a teacher of art at the University of Maine.Olbert's fiction has appeared in a number of anthologies, including “In the Bloodstream” by Eden Royce, “Torched” from Nocturnal Press and “Something Wicked Vol. II” from EKhaya.
Tom has a dark, cosmically-themed science fiction/psycho drama novel entitled “Black Goddess” now available at Mocha Memoirs Press in addition to two dark sci-fi shorts “Hellshift” and “Along Came a Spider” also available from Mocha Memoirs Press . Another of his books is a vampire novelette entitled “Desert Flower,” a tragic tale of love, war and eternal darkness set in the midst of the Afghanistan war, available now from Eternal Press .
Learn more about Thomas Olbert on his blog Other Dimensions .
July 27, 2016
A Wicked Halloween #99cent #preorder #pnr box set @erzabetbishop
#99cents #preorder
A WICKED HALLOWEEN: A Paranormal Romance Box Set of Tales Featuring Witches, Vampires, Shifters, Ghosts, and More is now available for pre-order!
Thirteen paranormal romance tales that will thrill and chill you just in time for All Hallow's Eve. With many of the stories set in Salem—the ultimate city for witchy, demon, and shape-shifting delight—these tales will enthrall you with their sexy heroes and spellbinding characters. Salem has never been this hot!
Stories by: Gwen Knight, Debbie Herbert, Erzabet Bishop, C.E. Black, Angelica Dawson, Charlie Daye, Kiki Howell and Gina Kincade, Phoenix Johnson, Sherrie Lea Morgan, Elizabeth A. Reeves, Linda Thomas Sundstrom and Hope Welsh.
Buy links:Amazon Smart URL: http://hyperurl.co/AWHNook: http://bit.ly/AWHNOOKiBooks: http://apple.co/29EiBxoAmazon US: http://amzn.to/29rZ7NjAmazon UK: http://bit.ly/AWHUKAmazon CAN: http://bit.ly/AWHCAAmazon AUS: http://bit.ly/AWHAUSKobo: http://bit.ly/AWHKoARe: http://bit.ly/AWHARENNP: http://bit.ly/AWHNNPSmashwords: http://bit.ly/AWHSMAGoodreads: http://bit.ly/AWHGRS
Come to the party!https://www.facebook.com/events/560452810822500/
Visit the website:
http://www.awickedhalloween.com/
Excerpt from Malediction by Erzabet Bishop
Alistair spotted the gorgeous brunette across the room and, when she approached the refreshment table, he followed. For a millisecond he’d taken her for the scrawny woman in the red dress, but on closer inspection he was pleased to note the differences. Same dress, but the way this woman wore it, he was tempted to peel it from her, inch by scrumptious inch.
His pack mate had poured a few bottles of something into the punch and, while it was entertaining to watch some of the guests succumb to the antics of the season, he didn’t quite feel the same about the sexy female in front of him. This woman would be far more interesting sober, he had a hunch and his predictions usually turned out to be spot on. The markings on her arms intrigued him and he wondered if they covered more of her body. Like tendrils of smoke curling around her flesh, they spiraled around her skin in an unending pattern, giving him the urge to trace every single one and see where it led.
He should be home at Briarwood, but his duties as Beta brought him here to make sure Jessup didn’t get too out of hand. So far the pup had been a bit mischievous, but nothing that would make him worry. Whatever concerns he had melted when he gazed at the beauty in front of him, his animal taking control.
Serious gray eyes winked at him from behind an elegant lacy black mask and he had the urge to peek beneath it to see what she was hiding. Full lips bowed below the mask, and her mass of dark hair was wound into an up-do that he longed to plunge his fingers into while he explored her mouth with his.
Jesus, Alastair. Get a grip.
His wolf perked up when she’d come into view and his instinct to bed her followed in quick succession. He shook it off with a frown. One night stands were not his style, especially with women he didn’t know. He had other concerns and, as soon as he made sure Jessup wasn’t going to fuck up and intoxicate half of the wealthier citizens of Salem, he was out of here. Duncan was still missing and he’d left Laurel in charge in his stead.
But, her eyes. Fuck. They fairly glowed with a power that socked him in the gut as they watched him from behind the mask. When she wet her lips and took her bottom lip between her teeth, he almost lost the battle with himself not to let his beast take over and drag her into the nearest coat closet.
“Are you here with someone?” He cleared his throat, aware of the growl threading through his voice.
“No. Are you?”
“Just a couple of friends. What do you think? Want to end up in a compromising situation with a stranger?” He grinned and, seeing Jessup approach, steered her away from the refreshment table. Alistair wanted her to himself, at least for a little while.
“Seven deadly sins? How about a dance? With my footwork, that could lead towards all kinds of infractions.”
“Hmm.” He swung her into his arms and into the crowd, relishing the sensation of his hand on her lower back. The plunging view offered by her bodice made his body stand at attention and the wolf beneath his skin whined with want. “So, which deadly sin could you possibly have that would sink a guy faster than lust? That dress…”
“These shoes.”
“Oh, but those… those are not a sin. Not at all. In fact, I could look at them all night long.”
“You could, could you?” The woman laughed, deep and sensual. Her eyes snapped with amusement.
“Then you try wearing them.”
“Maybe I will.” He wanted her, and the closer they got, the more obvious it was going to become. He weaved her around the dance floor, her movements matching his. Her perfume and the spicy scent of her hair were making it hard to concentrate. At the look in her eyes, he dragged her back hard against him, his animal wild in his blood.
“Do you want to get out of here?”
“Please.”
“Let’s get some air.” Alistair led her out onto the balcony, the twinkle lights flickered making the grounds outside the hotel look enchanted. He had to clear his head.
“Who are you?” Alistair brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
“I’m just a girl who needs an escape from reality. How about you?”
“Same here.”
“Just a girl, huh?” The mystery woman smiled.
He gathered her into his arms, letting her feel the full force of his arousal. “I don’t know. I’m not feeling much like a girl right now.”
“No. I didn’t think you were.” She leaned into his embrace, her lips curving up in an inviting smile.
“What’s your name?”
“Bridget. Yours?”
“Alistair.”
“Well, Alistair. It’s nice to meet you. I have one question.”
“What’s that?”
“How long is it going to take for you to kiss me?”
“Time me.” Alistair’s mouth covered hers hungrily and he forced her mouth open with his thrusting tongue. She gasped, trembling within his embrace and he pulled her deeper into the shadows, away from prying eyes.
About Erzabet:Erzabet Bishop is an award winning and bestselling author who loves to write naughty stories. She is the author of Lipstick, Crave, Snow (Three Times More Lucky Box Set), Malediction (upcoming-A Wicked Halloween Box Set), Map of Bones (upcoming-A Wicked Affair Box Set), Sanguine Shadows (Vampire Bites Box Set), The Science of Lust, Wicked for You, Heart’s Protector, Burning for You, Red Hot (upcoming), Bayou Shadows (upcoming-Nola Naughty Nine) Hedging Her Bets (Alpha Fever Box Set), Cat’s Got Her Tongue (Alpha Heat Box Set), Arcane Imaginarium: Spirit Board, Holidays in Hell, Mallory’s Mark (upcoming),The Devil’s Due (upcoming), Charity Benshaw’s Enchanted Paddle Emporium (upcoming), Sigil Fire, Glitter Lust (upcoming), Written on Skin, Club Beam, Pomegranate, A Red Dress for Christmas, The Black Magic Café, Fantasies in Red, Sweet Seductions, Holiday Cruise, Fetish Fair, Temptation Resorts: Jess, Temptation Resorts: Marnie, Taming the Beast, The Erotic Pagans Series: Beltane Fires, Samhain Shadows and Yuletide Temptation along with being a contributor to many anthologies. She lives in Texas with her husband, furry children and can often be found lurking in local bookstores. She loves to bake, make naughty crochet projects and watch monster movies. Follow her on Twitter @erzabetbishop.
Links:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erzabetbish... https://www.bookbub.com/authors/erzab... +: https://goo.gl/YJnNmdThe Romance Reviews: http://www.theromancereviews.com/1000... http://erzabetwrites.wix.com/erzabetb... http://www.allromanceebooks.com/store... Facebook “like” page: https://www.facebook.com/erzabetbisho... author page:http://www.amazon.com/Erzabet-Bishop/... http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/... team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/10182... https://www.facebook.com/erzabet.bish... http://pinterest.com/erzabetbishop/Re... Blog: http://erzabetsenchantments.blogspot.... http://triberr.com/ErzabetBishopAuthor Database: http://authorsdb.com/authors-director...
Authorgraph: https://www.authorgraph.com/authors/E...
a Rafflecopter giveaway
