Sara Daniel's Blog, page 8
November 16, 2016
Playing Favorites – Author Confessions #writerslife #series
With the reminder that every child is different, parents are often admonished not to play favorites. The same advice can often be applied to an author’s books. Each book is different and develops in a slightly different way. Sure, because they’re part of the same family (i.e. written by the same author), they share certain characteristics. But no matter how equally the author approaches them, they each turn out a little bit differently.
There’s the book that’s so fun and interesting that you’re sucked into the world and the characters. Before you know it, you’re writing a series.
There’s the book where you think you’re doing everything right, but nothing’s working out until you chuck the original premise (and the hero!) and start over.
Then comes the book where you feel like you finally got it right and you know what you’re doing, but you had to work hard to get there.
Oh, and surprise! You’re having twins…er, I mean, another book!
Then comes the book that starts out solid, then has a major teenage rebellion, then settles down and becomes a good, upstanding adult.
If you haven’t already guessed, I just described the first five books in the One Night with the Bridal Party series: One Night with the Bride , One Night with the Bridesmaid , One Night with the Groom , One Night with the Best Man , and One Night with her Husband , respectively.
The sixth and final book, One Night with his Wife , is my pride and joy. No matter how much I’m not supposed to have a favorite, I’m having a hard time being impartial. This is my “miracle baby,” the story that came out exactly right the first time with characters who took on a life of their own and lodged themselves—and their emotional journey—in my heart.
I hope you enjoy Luke and Rosalind’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you’ve been with me from the beginning, I’d love to hear which book is your favorite. If this is your first book in the series, welcome! The books can be read in any order, and you’ll find special appearances by familiar characters along the way.
One Night with His Wife
After a grenade took Marine Luke Cox’s leg and ends his career, he cuts ties with his wife to free her from the burden he’d become. On the day his divorce is to be finalized, he travels to meet a woman for a 1 Night Stand date—a woman who doesn’t care about his missing leg or his sudden wealth from a business venture. However, things don’t go as planned, and when he arrives for his date, he’s still legally married.
Rosalind Cox tends to the horses on her cousin’s ranch resort, her love for the animals the only thing keeping her going since her husband turned his back on her. When he appears at her stables, all the longing and rising hope is crushed by the realization he’s only sought her out to gain his freedom.
She’ll give him what he wants, but she can’t resist taking one last kiss for herself. The kiss reopens emotions and attraction that neither can deny. To give in will only complicate the tangle as they try to unwind their lives. But even though Rosalind doesn’t care about Luke’s missing leg or his money, as long as he refuses to accept himself as whole, one night with his wife will be his last.
Buy Links
Amazon - All Romance eBooks - Barnes & Noble - Google Play - iBooks
Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction, was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels, and loses her car keys several times a day.
Learn more about Sara on her website and blog . Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter .
Stay connected on Facebook , Twitter , and Pinterest .
There’s the book that’s so fun and interesting that you’re sucked into the world and the characters. Before you know it, you’re writing a series.
There’s the book where you think you’re doing everything right, but nothing’s working out until you chuck the original premise (and the hero!) and start over.
Then comes the book where you feel like you finally got it right and you know what you’re doing, but you had to work hard to get there.
Oh, and surprise! You’re having twins…er, I mean, another book!
Then comes the book that starts out solid, then has a major teenage rebellion, then settles down and becomes a good, upstanding adult.
If you haven’t already guessed, I just described the first five books in the One Night with the Bridal Party series: One Night with the Bride , One Night with the Bridesmaid , One Night with the Groom , One Night with the Best Man , and One Night with her Husband , respectively.
The sixth and final book, One Night with his Wife , is my pride and joy. No matter how much I’m not supposed to have a favorite, I’m having a hard time being impartial. This is my “miracle baby,” the story that came out exactly right the first time with characters who took on a life of their own and lodged themselves—and their emotional journey—in my heart.
I hope you enjoy Luke and Rosalind’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you’ve been with me from the beginning, I’d love to hear which book is your favorite. If this is your first book in the series, welcome! The books can be read in any order, and you’ll find special appearances by familiar characters along the way.
One Night with His Wife
After a grenade took Marine Luke Cox’s leg and ends his career, he cuts ties with his wife to free her from the burden he’d become. On the day his divorce is to be finalized, he travels to meet a woman for a 1 Night Stand date—a woman who doesn’t care about his missing leg or his sudden wealth from a business venture. However, things don’t go as planned, and when he arrives for his date, he’s still legally married.Rosalind Cox tends to the horses on her cousin’s ranch resort, her love for the animals the only thing keeping her going since her husband turned his back on her. When he appears at her stables, all the longing and rising hope is crushed by the realization he’s only sought her out to gain his freedom.
She’ll give him what he wants, but she can’t resist taking one last kiss for herself. The kiss reopens emotions and attraction that neither can deny. To give in will only complicate the tangle as they try to unwind their lives. But even though Rosalind doesn’t care about Luke’s missing leg or his money, as long as he refuses to accept himself as whole, one night with his wife will be his last.
Buy Links
Amazon - All Romance eBooks - Barnes & Noble - Google Play - iBooks
Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction, was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels, and loses her car keys several times a day.
Learn more about Sara on her website and blog . Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter .
Stay connected on Facebook , Twitter , and Pinterest .
November 13, 2016
Carrot Cake or Carrot Sticks - No Contest! @pagehalffull #recipe #dessert
Guest Post by Susan Lodge
The habit of afternoon tea and cake has come back into fashion with a vengeance.
Thanks to the explosion of bake-offs and celebrity chef programmes, baking cakes is big business. Never has the cup cake, Victoria sponge or biscuit been given so many media makeovers — despite the gym gurus and the calorie police. I love cake, but it’s a struggle balancing; bake-offs v gym workout, carrot sticks v carrot cake, bathroom scales v kitchen scales… and so on.
So, here is my favourite cake recipe. It’s full of off happy healthy carrots. And, if you want to implement further calorie control, the cake is equally delicious without the frosting. Great for afternoon tea, morning coffee, or just when you need some T.L.C.
Carrot Comfort Cake
200g or 7oz. just over ¾ cup plain flour
200g or 7oz. just over ¾ cup brown sugar
200g or 7oz. just over ¾ cup grated carrots
2-3 mashed, ripe bananas, depending on size
120 ml of sunflower oil
100g or just under ½ cup sultanas
100g or just under ½ cup chopped nuts, walnuts, pecans, Brazils, almonds - or a mixture of your preference
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
3 eggs
20 cm wide, or 8”, spring based/loose based, round cake tin
Pre-heat oven to 170°C or 340° F
Grease cake tin. If you use a tin without a loose base, cut out a round of greaseproof paper and line the base to prevent sticking.
Whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and creamy. Sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and then stir into egg mixture.
Add the nuts, oil, sultanas and carrots and stir well. Finally add the mashed banana and make sure everything is evenly combined.
Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for about 1 hr – 1hr 15 mins.
Test the cake is done by inserting a skewer or thin bladed knife into the middle. It should come out clean.
When the cake has cooled, either dust the top with sifted icing sugar, Confectioner’s sugar, or top with an easy cream cheese frosting (as pictured).
Cream Cheese Frosting
100g or 4oz. cream cheese
50g or 2tbsp. soft butter
200-250g or ¾ - 1 cup icing sugar or Confectioner’s sugar
Beat together cream cheese and butter.
Add enough icing sugar until you reach a soft spreading consistency.
Carefully swirl on top of cooled cake with palette knife.
Enjoy!
Susan Lodge’s first publishing success was a story purchased by a major UK magazine. After a drawer full of rejections she described the arrival of the acceptance letter as, ‘A moment of ecstasy’. This breakthrough gave her the confidence to seek and secure a publisher for her historical romance novels. Only a Hero Will Do and Rebellious Cargo .
After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she and her husband moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise their family.
You can find more about Susan and her books on her website and blog . Stay connected on her Amazon page, Facebook , and follow her on Twitter .
The habit of afternoon tea and cake has come back into fashion with a vengeance.
Thanks to the explosion of bake-offs and celebrity chef programmes, baking cakes is big business. Never has the cup cake, Victoria sponge or biscuit been given so many media makeovers — despite the gym gurus and the calorie police. I love cake, but it’s a struggle balancing; bake-offs v gym workout, carrot sticks v carrot cake, bathroom scales v kitchen scales… and so on.
So, here is my favourite cake recipe. It’s full of off happy healthy carrots. And, if you want to implement further calorie control, the cake is equally delicious without the frosting. Great for afternoon tea, morning coffee, or just when you need some T.L.C.
Carrot Comfort Cake
200g or 7oz. just over ¾ cup plain flour200g or 7oz. just over ¾ cup brown sugar
200g or 7oz. just over ¾ cup grated carrots
2-3 mashed, ripe bananas, depending on size
120 ml of sunflower oil
100g or just under ½ cup sultanas
100g or just under ½ cup chopped nuts, walnuts, pecans, Brazils, almonds - or a mixture of your preference
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
3 eggs
20 cm wide, or 8”, spring based/loose based, round cake tin
Pre-heat oven to 170°C or 340° F
Grease cake tin. If you use a tin without a loose base, cut out a round of greaseproof paper and line the base to prevent sticking.
Whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and creamy. Sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and then stir into egg mixture.
Add the nuts, oil, sultanas and carrots and stir well. Finally add the mashed banana and make sure everything is evenly combined.
Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for about 1 hr – 1hr 15 mins.
Test the cake is done by inserting a skewer or thin bladed knife into the middle. It should come out clean.
When the cake has cooled, either dust the top with sifted icing sugar, Confectioner’s sugar, or top with an easy cream cheese frosting (as pictured).
Cream Cheese Frosting
100g or 4oz. cream cheese
50g or 2tbsp. soft butter
200-250g or ¾ - 1 cup icing sugar or Confectioner’s sugar
Beat together cream cheese and butter.
Add enough icing sugar until you reach a soft spreading consistency.
Carefully swirl on top of cooled cake with palette knife.
Enjoy!
Susan Lodge’s first publishing success was a story purchased by a major UK magazine. After a drawer full of rejections she described the arrival of the acceptance letter as, ‘A moment of ecstasy’. This breakthrough gave her the confidence to seek and secure a publisher for her historical romance novels. Only a Hero Will Do and Rebellious Cargo .
After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she and her husband moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise their family.
You can find more about Susan and her books on her website and blog . Stay connected on her Amazon page, Facebook , and follow her on Twitter .
November 9, 2016
ME, MYSELF, and I @MarciBoudreaux @Emilia_Mancini #pseudonyms #writerslife
by Marci Clark
One question I am asked quite frequently is why I use various names instead of just sticking with one. I think my reasoning reflects that of many author’s so I thought I’d share.
When my first book, The Rebound, was purchased, it was completely unexpected; it was awesome, but unexpected. I was a non-traditional student (that’s nice speak for old person in college) and working as a journalist/editor, yet I’d just sold an erotic novella. Did I really want my fellow students, most of whom were a dozen or more years my junior, reading a sex book with my name on it? If someone liked my article in the magazine I write for and decided to look me up to see my other work, did I really want them to immediately find The Rebound and forever associate my journalistic work with sex?
Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t in the least bit embarrassed. In fact, I was and am very proud of my first release. The problem was what others would think about it and how it would impact my career, volunteer work, and the work my husband does.So I thought long and hard as I stared at the pseudonym line on my contract. Before the papers were signed Emilia Mancini, my erotic writing sidekick, was born.
When my next publisher contracted Unforgettable You, a sweet romance, I again had to decide if the name I was making as a journalist was going to be tied to my fiction writing or if I was going to give Emilia credit for this one as well. I considered several pros and cons, including the fact that I’d already started building an identity for Emilia and that my lifelong dream was to see my name on the cover of the book. While Emilia was me, it just wasn’t the same as seeing my name on there.
In the end I decided to use my maiden name, Marci Boudreaux, for romance.
This would serve several purposes; fulfilling that dream of seeing my name on a cover, letting people know it was not an erotic work like what Emilia would write, and keeping my day job separate from it all.
I put everything in its own little box on the professional shelf; erotica, romance, and day job. I have three names, three genres, three personas that have completely different reasons for existing.
I also have three work e-mails, Facebooks (plus two author pages), Twitters, websites, and three different sets of people I network with. It is confusing, insane, and sometimes overwhelming, but it helps me keep my head on what I’m doing without worrying who is going to see it.
My alter egos and I can all be tied together because, in the end, we are all public figures in different areas. We’re all proud of the others work and more than happy to tell anyone who will listen. We all help each other out when we can.
I cross promote my authors so if you see Marci you will probably find Emilia not far behind and vice versa, but you will know what you are getting into depending on the primary persona. The real me, however, is a bit more hidden in the shadows, never completely in the dark and always happy to take credit for the hard work of the other two.
Here is a glimpse into the steamy side of Emilia Mancini's writing.
A no strings relationship, the freedom to explore all their wildest fantasies, and walking away when they’re done is all Casi and Conner want from each other. Nothing is taboo . . . except falling in love.Still reeling from catching her husband in bed with his mistress, the last thing Casi Hanson is looking for is romance. When she meets brokenhearted Conner Bennett, she thinks she has found exactly what she needs.
Their mutual desire for a “no strings attached” sexual relationship offers the opportunity to explore fantasies and fetishes their spouses denied them and the freedom to walk away when they are done.
The only fantasy too taboo is falling in love.
Read more about The Rebound on Amazon .
Here's a short introduction to the book of Marci's heart.
When life throws a widowed innkeeper and a world-famous movie star together they share an unexpected romance. But is their love strong enough to survive their real lives?Desperate to keep her ailing mother-in-law, Doreen, in the woman’s home, Carrie Gable agrees to board a handful of Hollywood’s most elite actors at the manor. Despite her resentment of the demands being placed upon her, she can’t help but be taken in by actor Will Walker.
Will, in a last-ditch effort to save his career, has agreed to a project he has no interest in. The more time he spends with his egotistical co-stars, the more drawn he is to Carrie. Long nights spent talking about the paths their lives have taken make him realize he’d rather have a simpler life, but his ties to L.A. aren’t as willing to let him go.
With the temptation of stardom pulling Will in one direction and the need to care for Doreen tugging Carrie in another, the couple struggle to hold onto the happiness they were missing until finding each other.
Read more from Unforgettable You on Amazon .
As a teen, Marci Boudreaux skipped over young adult books and jumped right into the world of romance novels. She's never left. Marci lives with her husband, two kiddos, and their numerous pets. Until recently, she was a freelance writer appearing monthly in a variety of local magazines. She now focuses on writing and her work as a content editor.Romance is her preferred reading and writing genre because nothing feels better than falling in love with someone new and her husband doesn't like when she does that in real life.
Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
November 6, 2016
20 Shifter stories by 20 authors #99centread #boxset @DominiEastwick
For a limited time 99 centsIf you dream of shifters, this set of 20 brand new shifter stories featuring USA Today and New York Times best-selling authors has you covered. Whether you like them large and in charge or sleek and sexy, you'll find the right story to spice up your night in these pages.
Featuring:
A.J. Bennett — Masquerade
Becca Vincenza — Contracted
Blaire Edens — Frenzied
Carolyn Spear — Taming the Puma
Dara Fraser — Lion's Pretend Girlfriend
Desiree Holt — Shadow of the Wolf
Dominique Eastwick — Bearing the Hunger
Erin Hayes — I Found My Rhino
Ever Coming — The Mismatchmaker
H.D. Gordon — Blood Sport
Hazel Boyer — Accidentally Mated
Kate Richards — An Evening in the Superstitions
Lila Felix — Wolf Protector
Lisbeth Frost — Encounter on a Mountain
Louisa Bacio — The Luna Twins
Margo Bond Collins — Laugh Out Love
Marissa Farrar — Wolf Torn
Merryn Dexter — Bear Faced Lies
M.J. Haag — Escaping the Lutha
Rachael Slate — Untamed Lord of Thessaly
Bearing the Hunger
Shifters of Yellowstone Book 2by
Dominique Eastwick
If Grant had his way, humans and their stupidity would be banned from Yellowstone, leaving the shifters who knew the land to live and take care of it. Until he meets human geologist Morgan Jenkins, who is only working in Yellowstone until winter comes. Suddenly, the one shifter in the park who most wanted all humans gone found he wanted one human to stay forever.
Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Kobo
Also Available for 99 cents Bear with Me Shifters of Yellowstone Book 1
Yellowstone National Park is known for its majestic beauty, breath taking scenic views and the opportunity to see nature up close and personal. Park ranger Quinn loves everything about her job. But her canny ability to find grizzlies is starting to raise eyebrows. When she stumbles across a close encounter of the bear kind, she is suddenly thrown into a side of Yellowstone she never imagined existed.
Brutus has been watching his mate from afar for too long both as human and bear. But another clans actions force him to introduce himself early then Quinn was ready. Forced to defend his beta he brings her into his world. A world that
hangs in the balance if Quinn can’t take her rightful place as his beta.
Can the grizzly alpha make her see that they could be hotter than the geysers at
Yellowstone or will it be too late when rival males start moving into the park?
Amazon - Barnes and Noble - ARe - Kobo
Award winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab, and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat. Because of that traveling is one of herfavorite pastimes. When she’s not writing, you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera. Connect with Dominique:
Website - Blog - Facebook - Twitter - Pinterest - TumblrNewsletter
November 2, 2016
November is prepare for winter month - @EMMAJLANE tells you how to save your #garden
Guest Post by Emma Lane
Important to remember: November is prepare for winter month. That lovely plant on sale at a box store won’t be with you next year if you are in a Zone 5 (cold weather tolerance) and the plant thrives only to Zone 6. I garden in Z 5, but sometimes without shelter, it’s a Z 4. It’s a good idea to pay attention to the requirements on your own turf.
I love geraniums. No, they won’t survive over the winter here in deep snow land. But geraniums will tolerate the dry air inside your house over the winter. They do need a strong dose of daily sunshine, but you will find the perfect window. Water sparingly and don’t feed until spring. I try to keep in mind that geraniums thrive in the desert with only an occasional taste of moisture. I hunger always for fresh flowers and geraniums reward me well into the dark days of winter. I take several colors and repot them all in the same pot. Yep, I crowd them. They don’t seem to mind. I keep the old blooms cut and harvest fresh blossoms often. When the forsythia shows gold outside, you can give your geraniums a shot of liquid fertilizer. Then fresh foliage will get your juices rising and mood lifting as you get ready for a new spring.
Monarda is a genus of wildflowers in the mint family. The red one is native to Central NY, but several colors can be found over a wide swath of the US. It’s a great perennial with many names: Oswego Tea, Bergamot, Monarda, and Bee Balm which is a remedy for after a run-in with the little buzzy critters. These plants can grow tall and, as a member of the mint family, will be robust in the garden. Allow them plenty of room. They are also a favorite of hummers. Hardy to at least zone 4 and maybe colder.
Now that your plants are tended to, sit back and enjoy a good book. May I suggest a popular Regency of mine?
Can an arrogant duke overcome his prejudice against a beautiful but managing female in time to find true love and happiness?
Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king's business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother's estate.
The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?
EXCERPT
Fatigue and the effects of the brandy on top of the ale now gave his gait a distinct wobble. He chuckled, amused at his condition.
As he reached for the portrait of great Uncle Barney, he lurched into the back of the red leather sofa in front of the cosy fire. “Deuce take it,” he exclaimed when a rounded arm rolled into view. He spotted the gentle curve of a hip and walked around to the front, where he spied a tumbled haze of dark curls hiding a face. It is indeed a female—a sleeping female.
Who was she? The gown was too rich for his household staff. Curious, he knelt beside the sofa.
“Only one way to find out,” he whispered and moved one dark curl. He sat back, satisfied when a handsome face swam into view. She sighed and rolled over, revealing a generous figure and a pair of rosy lips. She might be Sleeping Beauty—but not one of my relatives. He leaned over and kissed those tempting lips.
As he lingered there, she sighed and came partially awake. He could not resist. He deepened the kiss and sounds of satisfaction like yum and umm came from those delicious lips. Her hand stroked his face, then reached around his head to pull him closer. Delighted with this turn of events, the Duke of Westerton complied enthusiastically and extended an arm around a slender waist. How much of the ale and brandy had he imbibed? Dizziness overcame his senses as he slid down on the floor and knew no more.
Amazon buy link
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website . Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter .
Important to remember: November is prepare for winter month. That lovely plant on sale at a box store won’t be with you next year if you are in a Zone 5 (cold weather tolerance) and the plant thrives only to Zone 6. I garden in Z 5, but sometimes without shelter, it’s a Z 4. It’s a good idea to pay attention to the requirements on your own turf. I love geraniums. No, they won’t survive over the winter here in deep snow land. But geraniums will tolerate the dry air inside your house over the winter. They do need a strong dose of daily sunshine, but you will find the perfect window. Water sparingly and don’t feed until spring. I try to keep in mind that geraniums thrive in the desert with only an occasional taste of moisture. I hunger always for fresh flowers and geraniums reward me well into the dark days of winter. I take several colors and repot them all in the same pot. Yep, I crowd them. They don’t seem to mind. I keep the old blooms cut and harvest fresh blossoms often. When the forsythia shows gold outside, you can give your geraniums a shot of liquid fertilizer. Then fresh foliage will get your juices rising and mood lifting as you get ready for a new spring.
Monarda is a genus of wildflowers in the mint family. The red one is native to Central NY, but several colors can be found over a wide swath of the US. It’s a great perennial with many names: Oswego Tea, Bergamot, Monarda, and Bee Balm which is a remedy for after a run-in with the little buzzy critters. These plants can grow tall and, as a member of the mint family, will be robust in the garden. Allow them plenty of room. They are also a favorite of hummers. Hardy to at least zone 4 and maybe colder.
Now that your plants are tended to, sit back and enjoy a good book. May I suggest a popular Regency of mine?
Can an arrogant duke overcome his prejudice against a beautiful but managing female in time to find true love and happiness?Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king's business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother's estate.
The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?
EXCERPT
Fatigue and the effects of the brandy on top of the ale now gave his gait a distinct wobble. He chuckled, amused at his condition.
As he reached for the portrait of great Uncle Barney, he lurched into the back of the red leather sofa in front of the cosy fire. “Deuce take it,” he exclaimed when a rounded arm rolled into view. He spotted the gentle curve of a hip and walked around to the front, where he spied a tumbled haze of dark curls hiding a face. It is indeed a female—a sleeping female.
Who was she? The gown was too rich for his household staff. Curious, he knelt beside the sofa.
“Only one way to find out,” he whispered and moved one dark curl. He sat back, satisfied when a handsome face swam into view. She sighed and rolled over, revealing a generous figure and a pair of rosy lips. She might be Sleeping Beauty—but not one of my relatives. He leaned over and kissed those tempting lips.
As he lingered there, she sighed and came partially awake. He could not resist. He deepened the kiss and sounds of satisfaction like yum and umm came from those delicious lips. Her hand stroked his face, then reached around his head to pull him closer. Delighted with this turn of events, the Duke of Westerton complied enthusiastically and extended an arm around a slender waist. How much of the ale and brandy had he imbibed? Dizziness overcame his senses as he slid down on the floor and knew no more.
Amazon buy link
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website . Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma's face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter .
October 30, 2016
A Mate's Forgiving Touch @BlackHillsWolf #pnr #shifterromance New Release from @MerrynDexter
A Mate’s Forgiving TouchBlack Hills Wolves #57By Merryn Dexter
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company, LLCISBN: 9781683611196Word Count: 31,700Cover Art: Fiona Jayde
Blurb
A wolf on the run
Tired of running from the past, Connor Burrows is working his way home to Los Lobos. He knows he needs to face his family and finally come to terms with the horrors of their shared past. When he stops in the small town of Franklin, the last thing he expects to find is a lone wolf who smells like perfection and takes no prisoners.Trapped by the beast inside
Bailey Clarke is a freak of nature, her father has told her so since she was a little girl. Hiding the beast inside grows harder every day. When a handsome, charming, infuriating stranger rides into town, he threatens to destroy the carefully constructed walls she uses to protect herself, and everyone else around her.A man on a mission
Connor is determined to claim Bailey as his mate. His dominant nature loves the challenge this sparky little wolf presents both in and out of bed. He won’t let anything stand between them – not her father, and certainly not Bailey’s own fears and doubts.Tamed by the wolf within
Bailey sees what her life could be, if she can only learn to trust for the first time in her life. Before she can accept Connor as her mate, she will have to repair the broken bond between herself and her wolf. Will her secrets destroy their chance at happiness?A race against time
Newly mated, Connor and Bailey find themselves in a fight for their lives. Family ties will prove their deadliest threat and their greatest salvation.
Buy LinksAmazon US http://amzn.to/2cPUJJ8 Amazon UK http://amzn.to/2dEm5ka Amazon CA http://amzn.to/2dbmlYJ Amazon AU http://amzn.to/2dezMrV All Romance Ebooks http://bit.ly/2dioKR4 Smashwords http://bit.ly/2deyX26 iBooksKobo http://bit.ly/2cGVS28 Nook Bookstrand http://bit.ly/2cG1xFQ Goodreads http://bit.ly/2dc5Te8
About the AuthorMerryn Dexter is a military spouse who, after a varied employment career (from selling sandals to old ladies with bunions to being a health and safety coordinator for a construction company), is thrilled to be pursuing her dream career as a romance writer. She likes The Winchesters, Spike, Hotch, Loki and watching complicated European Noir. Her hobbies include crying at books, crying at movies, crying at tv serials (there’s a theme!) and believes all stories should have a Happy Ending.
Contact links Facebook Facebook Author Page Blog Twitter Pinterest Email Amazon Author Page Mailing List Website
Excerpt“What’s your story, little wolf? You smell so delicious, I’m half out of my mind for you, and yet there’s no trace of pack on you. No scent of any male on your skin either, which is good because I’d hate to have to kill someone for touching what is mine.” Such dark, violent words should have disgusted her, but they didn’t. They spoke to the animal instincts she’d battled against her whole life.Wolf.He used the word so casually, as though shifting from human to beast was perfectly natural. Nothing to be ashamed of, not the dirty secret she’d been raised to see it as. “What are you?” She gasped, but, in her heart, she already knew.He gripped her chin in a fierce hold, twisting her neck to the edge of pain so he could stare her in the eye. “I am a wolf, the same as you. A member of the Tao pack. We reside deep in the Black Hills.” His eyes narrowed, the cool gray darkening to charcoal. “You must recognize one of your own. My wolf knows yours, lover. Knows you are our mate.”She wrenched her chin from his bruising hold, bracing her hands against the edge of her desk. She shoved hard until the huge antique piece scraped against the burnished wooden floor. The gap she created offered an escape route, and she leapt away from the decadent heat of his body. The scent, the feel of him scrambled her brains. She held out her hand to ward him off when he started to approach. “Stay back, just stay back and let me think, goddammit!” His eyes fixed on her heaving chest as she panted, and she snapped her fingers angrily. “Hey! My face is up here!”A slow, lazy, grin curled his plump lips, drawing her attention to their softness. They were the only soft-looking thing about him. His big body looked carved of pure muscle, his thick arms and legs straining the seams of his clothing. He had a presence about him, too, a surety and confidence in the way he held himself. She found his arrogance equal parts annoying and delicious.
October 27, 2016
Goth Girl Virgin Queen #YAlit @JoAnneKeltner #BlogTour @Saphs_Books
Welcome to the 2-week blog tour for Goth Girl, Virgin Queen by JoAnne Keltner.
Follow the tour and connect with bloggers, read reviews of the book, and meet the author.
Book Information:
Title: Goth Girl, Virgin Queen
Author Name: JoAnne Keltner
Genre(s): Young Adult Paranormal
Length: Approx. 298 pages
Release Date: December 3, 2015
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
(http://solsticepublishing.com/)
Tour Schedule:
http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/blog-tour-schedule-goth-girl-virgin.html
About Goth Girl, Virgin Queen:
Calling Jackie Turov psychic makes her cringe. But Jackie’s no normal seventeen-year-old. She picks up emotions from people and objects like a freak. The emotions make her sick, and the guilt she feels for lying to her church when she was twelve causes her to deny her psychic abilities.
So Jackie goes goth to make others stay away from her and forget her past. But her past is soon resurrected when her jealous friend Trish invites a demon, a persecutor of healers, to steal away Jason’s love for Jackie. The demon causes Jackie to be bullied for the lie she told and puts her best friend, Jason, in danger.
Jackie must learn how to use her gift to protect Jason and herself and to heal the negative energies of those around her. To do so means she must overcome her guilt and accept who she is before the demon claims her soul.
Enter the Goodreads Giveaway:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/202039-goth-girl-virgin-queen
Read an Excerpt:
The medicine cabinet mirror—dotted with rust and turning gray—made the powder foundation on Jackie’s face look ashen and her jet-black hair, blurry. She looked like a shadow of a girl. She smeared black lipstick on her lips and shook out her shoulder-length hair. Her straight-cut bangs veiled her mascara-lined eyes, and the layered ends of her hair stuck out in defiant wisps.
Some of the kids at school—the ones she didn’t hang out with—called her Goth Girl. Some, whose memories wouldn’t die, called her VQ for Virgin Queen.
Jackie preferred Goth Girl, to be one of the living dead, to be numb to the emotions that plagued her. But this was what she wanted, not what she got.
Goth Girl or Virgin Queen, she was a freak, absorbing the emotions around her like a sponge. Sometimes the emotions made her sick. Sometimes they made her see things.
Because of this, she kept to a tight-knit group of goth friends—Jason, Zeta, and Trish—and avoided social activities. She attended high school only because Mom wouldn’t let her homeschool. Mom was afraid she’d hang with Babu all day, making piroshki and doing needlepoint instead of studying. Jackie, afraid of what life offered a freak like her beyond high school, had to admit that hanging with Babu all day was tempting.
Typically, Fridays were movie nights for Jason and her, but tonight would be different. Tonight, she’d subject herself to a hodgepodge of emotions from crowds and rides and the very ground she’d walk on to protect Jason. For this, she would need physical and spiritual strength, which she sought from Babu these days.
Babu’s door was cracked, and Jackie slowly pushed the door open. “Babu?”
The room smelled of beeswax and down. A candle burned on the shrine on the dresser. The flickering flame animated the icon of the Virgin of Vladimir and cast shadows across the picture of Babu, Grandma, Mom, and Jackie. Although Babu didn’t speak English, and Jackie didn’t understand much Russian, Jackie knew Babu kept that picture on her shrine to pray for Grandma, who passed away several years ago; for Mom, who divorced Dad; and for the girl who saw the Virgin when she was twelve—for the girl she had become as a teen.
Babu sat in bed, a country quilt spread over her legs, her thumb pressed against a knot of her prayer rope, her head bowed sleepily, and her lips wording prayers.
“I wanted to say goodbye,” Jackie whispered.
Babu crossed herself and then smiled at Jackie, her gold eyetooth shining from the light of the bed-stand lamp. She patted the empty space beside her. “Sadees.”
Jackie sat down beside Babu at the edge of the bed and took Babu’s hand in hers. Babu’s hand was warm and knotted with arthritis. Jackie rubbed her thumb over the bumps on Babu’s knuckles; her black fingernails were a sharp contrast to Babu’s flour-white skin.
She wasn’t afraid to touch Babu’s hands and absorb her emotions. Jackie got a good feeling from her. Babu filled Jackie’s inner vision with white light. She renewed her spirit. And this is what Jackie needed for the commitment she had made for tonight.
“Kooda eedyosh?” Babu asked.
“I’m going out,” Jackie said as if Babu understood her. This is how they communicated: Babu telling her stuff she couldn’t understand, Jackie telling Babu stuff she couldn’t understand. Somehow they carried on fine this way.
“Eedyosh sdroozyamee?”
“I’m going with Jason.”
Babu rubbed the top of Jackie’s hand and ran her thumb over black fingernails. “Fsyevo kharoshevuh,” she said in a comforting tone and gently squeezed Jackie’s hand. Then she cupped her hands around Jackie’s jaws and pulled her forehead to her lips. Jackie imagined Babu’s kiss imprinted on her forehead and carrying Babu’s blessings and love with her tonight.
Book Links:
Amazon http://amzn.to/2dIWlaM
Solstice Publishing: http://solsticepublishing.com/goth-girl-virgin-queen
Meet the Author:
JoAnne Keltner is the author of Goth Girl, Virgin Queen (Solstice Publishing, 2015) and Obsession (Musa Publishing, 2013 ed.). As an only child and avid daydreamer, she spent hours alone in her backyard on the South Side of Chicago, which she imagined to be everything from an alien planet to the Antarctic. She currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, four dogs, cat, and three chickens. When she isn't writing or freelance editing, she's obsessively streaming popular TV shows.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.joannekeltner.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/JoAnneKeltnerAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6896673.JoAnne_Keltner
Twitter: @JoAnneKeltner
Follow the tour and connect with bloggers, read reviews of the book, and meet the author.
Book Information:
Title: Goth Girl, Virgin Queen
Author Name: JoAnne Keltner
Genre(s): Young Adult Paranormal
Length: Approx. 298 pages
Release Date: December 3, 2015
Publisher: Solstice Publishing
(http://solsticepublishing.com/)
Tour Schedule:
http://saphsbookblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/blog-tour-schedule-goth-girl-virgin.html
About Goth Girl, Virgin Queen:
Calling Jackie Turov psychic makes her cringe. But Jackie’s no normal seventeen-year-old. She picks up emotions from people and objects like a freak. The emotions make her sick, and the guilt she feels for lying to her church when she was twelve causes her to deny her psychic abilities.
So Jackie goes goth to make others stay away from her and forget her past. But her past is soon resurrected when her jealous friend Trish invites a demon, a persecutor of healers, to steal away Jason’s love for Jackie. The demon causes Jackie to be bullied for the lie she told and puts her best friend, Jason, in danger.
Jackie must learn how to use her gift to protect Jason and herself and to heal the negative energies of those around her. To do so means she must overcome her guilt and accept who she is before the demon claims her soul.
Enter the Goodreads Giveaway:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/202039-goth-girl-virgin-queen
Read an Excerpt:
The medicine cabinet mirror—dotted with rust and turning gray—made the powder foundation on Jackie’s face look ashen and her jet-black hair, blurry. She looked like a shadow of a girl. She smeared black lipstick on her lips and shook out her shoulder-length hair. Her straight-cut bangs veiled her mascara-lined eyes, and the layered ends of her hair stuck out in defiant wisps.
Some of the kids at school—the ones she didn’t hang out with—called her Goth Girl. Some, whose memories wouldn’t die, called her VQ for Virgin Queen.
Jackie preferred Goth Girl, to be one of the living dead, to be numb to the emotions that plagued her. But this was what she wanted, not what she got.
Goth Girl or Virgin Queen, she was a freak, absorbing the emotions around her like a sponge. Sometimes the emotions made her sick. Sometimes they made her see things.
Because of this, she kept to a tight-knit group of goth friends—Jason, Zeta, and Trish—and avoided social activities. She attended high school only because Mom wouldn’t let her homeschool. Mom was afraid she’d hang with Babu all day, making piroshki and doing needlepoint instead of studying. Jackie, afraid of what life offered a freak like her beyond high school, had to admit that hanging with Babu all day was tempting.
Typically, Fridays were movie nights for Jason and her, but tonight would be different. Tonight, she’d subject herself to a hodgepodge of emotions from crowds and rides and the very ground she’d walk on to protect Jason. For this, she would need physical and spiritual strength, which she sought from Babu these days.
Babu’s door was cracked, and Jackie slowly pushed the door open. “Babu?”
The room smelled of beeswax and down. A candle burned on the shrine on the dresser. The flickering flame animated the icon of the Virgin of Vladimir and cast shadows across the picture of Babu, Grandma, Mom, and Jackie. Although Babu didn’t speak English, and Jackie didn’t understand much Russian, Jackie knew Babu kept that picture on her shrine to pray for Grandma, who passed away several years ago; for Mom, who divorced Dad; and for the girl who saw the Virgin when she was twelve—for the girl she had become as a teen.
Babu sat in bed, a country quilt spread over her legs, her thumb pressed against a knot of her prayer rope, her head bowed sleepily, and her lips wording prayers.
“I wanted to say goodbye,” Jackie whispered.
Babu crossed herself and then smiled at Jackie, her gold eyetooth shining from the light of the bed-stand lamp. She patted the empty space beside her. “Sadees.”
Jackie sat down beside Babu at the edge of the bed and took Babu’s hand in hers. Babu’s hand was warm and knotted with arthritis. Jackie rubbed her thumb over the bumps on Babu’s knuckles; her black fingernails were a sharp contrast to Babu’s flour-white skin.
She wasn’t afraid to touch Babu’s hands and absorb her emotions. Jackie got a good feeling from her. Babu filled Jackie’s inner vision with white light. She renewed her spirit. And this is what Jackie needed for the commitment she had made for tonight.
“Kooda eedyosh?” Babu asked.
“I’m going out,” Jackie said as if Babu understood her. This is how they communicated: Babu telling her stuff she couldn’t understand, Jackie telling Babu stuff she couldn’t understand. Somehow they carried on fine this way.
“Eedyosh sdroozyamee?”
“I’m going with Jason.”
Babu rubbed the top of Jackie’s hand and ran her thumb over black fingernails. “Fsyevo kharoshevuh,” she said in a comforting tone and gently squeezed Jackie’s hand. Then she cupped her hands around Jackie’s jaws and pulled her forehead to her lips. Jackie imagined Babu’s kiss imprinted on her forehead and carrying Babu’s blessings and love with her tonight.
Book Links:
Amazon http://amzn.to/2dIWlaM
Solstice Publishing: http://solsticepublishing.com/goth-girl-virgin-queen
Meet the Author:
JoAnne Keltner is the author of Goth Girl, Virgin Queen (Solstice Publishing, 2015) and Obsession (Musa Publishing, 2013 ed.). As an only child and avid daydreamer, she spent hours alone in her backyard on the South Side of Chicago, which she imagined to be everything from an alien planet to the Antarctic. She currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her husband, four dogs, cat, and three chickens. When she isn't writing or freelance editing, she's obsessively streaming popular TV shows.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.joannekeltner.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/JoAnneKeltnerAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6896673.JoAnne_Keltner
Twitter: @JoAnneKeltner
October 25, 2016
Melted Witch Pudding Parfait #recipe - Perfect for #Halloween @Leigh_Goff
Leigh Goff is here with a delicious Halloween treat that can be adapted for any special occasion. Work your magic, Leigh!
I came across this fun recipe on the internet, tried it, and loved it. I hope you do, too.
Melted Witch Pudding Parfaits
Vanilla Snack Pack pudding cups
Green food coloring
Brownies, crumbled into smaller pieces
Oreos, crushed
Reddi Whip Whipped cream
Halloween sprinkles
Dye the vanilla Snack Pack pudding cups green. This can be done in each individual pudding container or transfer all of the pudding to a bowl and then add the green food coloring until you get your desired color. Set aside.
Assembling the Parfaits
Layer brownie pieces in the bottom of each glass. Divide the brownie pieces evenly among the parfaits.
Spoon on a layer of whipped cream.
Add the crushed Oreos.
Ladle the pudding on, filling each glass full.
Add Halloween sprinkles and top with the witch's legs.
For best results, enjoy these parfaits within a few minutes of making, otherwise the ingredients can become soggy.
Witch's Legs
paper straws
black paper
Cut paper straws desired length, about 4½ inches long. HINT - don’t cut them too short or you won’t have enough straw to stick into your parfait.
On one end of your paper straw, make two small slits across from each other, this is where will you put the shoe. Repeat this process until all the legs are assembled.
Draw shoes on the black paper, cut out, and then insert in the slits on the straws.
How about a glimpse into my witchy novel while you enjoy your parfait?
In Disenchanted, Sophie Goodchild is a sixteen-year-old witch living with her eccentric aunt in the small town of Wethersfield, Connecticut—the sight of the first American Witch Trials. She is descended from a powerful black witch, but struggles with her erratic white magic while dealing with a mean girl witch clique known as the Glitterati, who love to make Sophie feel like she is less than they are.
Sophie is beautiful with wild waves of sable-colored hair, eyes the color of dark blue sapphires, and heart-shaped pillowy lips. More importantly, she is beautiful on the inside, although she hides it well behind her impatience and impetuousness, which makes her very relatable.
It is those heart-strong characteristics that lead her into trouble, and since she is ruled by her heart, she’s all in once she finds trouble. She is fiercely loyal, determined, and fearless and there is nothing she wouldn’t do or sacrifice for the ones she loves, especially when she learns of the true love curse her ancestor cast on the Mather family.
When Judge Mather, a descendant of the reverend who condemned Sophie’s witch ancestor to hang, finds out his handsome son (who has recently returned to Wethersfield with a sexy British accent and a face that could melt a black witch’s heart) has fallen hard for Sophie, things get even more dangerous for her. Dark secrets come to light and impossible choices are made as Sophie sacrifices everything, including her soul to save her forbidden true love.
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 .
I came across this fun recipe on the internet, tried it, and loved it. I hope you do, too.
Melted Witch Pudding Parfaits
Vanilla Snack Pack pudding cupsGreen food coloring
Brownies, crumbled into smaller pieces
Oreos, crushed
Reddi Whip Whipped cream
Halloween sprinkles
Dye the vanilla Snack Pack pudding cups green. This can be done in each individual pudding container or transfer all of the pudding to a bowl and then add the green food coloring until you get your desired color. Set aside.
Assembling the Parfaits
Layer brownie pieces in the bottom of each glass. Divide the brownie pieces evenly among the parfaits.
Spoon on a layer of whipped cream.
Add the crushed Oreos.
Ladle the pudding on, filling each glass full.
Add Halloween sprinkles and top with the witch's legs.
For best results, enjoy these parfaits within a few minutes of making, otherwise the ingredients can become soggy.
Witch's Legs
paper straws
black paper
Cut paper straws desired length, about 4½ inches long. HINT - don’t cut them too short or you won’t have enough straw to stick into your parfait.
On one end of your paper straw, make two small slits across from each other, this is where will you put the shoe. Repeat this process until all the legs are assembled.
Draw shoes on the black paper, cut out, and then insert in the slits on the straws.
How about a glimpse into my witchy novel while you enjoy your parfait?
In Disenchanted, Sophie Goodchild is a sixteen-year-old witch living with her eccentric aunt in the small town of Wethersfield, Connecticut—the sight of the first American Witch Trials. She is descended from a powerful black witch, but struggles with her erratic white magic while dealing with a mean girl witch clique known as the Glitterati, who love to make Sophie feel like she is less than they are.Sophie is beautiful with wild waves of sable-colored hair, eyes the color of dark blue sapphires, and heart-shaped pillowy lips. More importantly, she is beautiful on the inside, although she hides it well behind her impatience and impetuousness, which makes her very relatable.
It is those heart-strong characteristics that lead her into trouble, and since she is ruled by her heart, she’s all in once she finds trouble. She is fiercely loyal, determined, and fearless and there is nothing she wouldn’t do or sacrifice for the ones she loves, especially when she learns of the true love curse her ancestor cast on the Mather family.
When Judge Mather, a descendant of the reverend who condemned Sophie’s witch ancestor to hang, finds out his handsome son (who has recently returned to Wethersfield with a sexy British accent and a face that could melt a black witch’s heart) has fallen hard for Sophie, things get even more dangerous for her. Dark secrets come to light and impossible choices are made as Sophie sacrifices everything, including her soul to save her forbidden true love.
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 .
October 23, 2016
It's Pumpkin Season! Carve them. Then make #soup! @DominiEastwick #recipe
by Dominique Eastwick
One of the many reasons I just love about fall are pumpkins. I love to carve them, look at them, and eat them.
I love pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice Latte…I could go on and on. But one of my favorite things is Pumpkin Soup. So celebrate this spooky day with a bowl of the easiest soup ever, especially if you use canned pumpkin. And you can quote me on this - nothing tastes better on a cold day.
Pumpkin Soup
1 stick butter or margarine
2 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 tsp. packed brown sugar
2 cans of chicken broth
1 cup water
½ tsp. salt (optional)
2 cans (15 ounces) Pumpkin or 2 cups pureed fresh pumpkin
2 cans (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg to garnish
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add garlic and brown sugar; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft.
Add broth and water; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Stir in pumpkin, evaporated milk, and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
With real pumpkin you may need to puree your soup again.
Serve warm and enjoy.
serves 10
How about a hot read while you enjoy a warm bowl of soup?
The babies are coming… the Wiccan Haus will never be the same.
Things are not as calm at the Wiccan Haus as they usually are. The impending birth of Dana and Rekkus’ cubs has everyone on edge. The last thing anyone wants or expects is a series of uninvited guests.
Ashlynn Stone hasn’t spoken to her sister Dana since she left for the Wiccan Haus over a year earlier. But when a fluke accident on the fashion runway forces her to seek the healing of the Wiccan Haus, she has no choice but to pack her bags and take the ferry to the island with her family in tow.
Shadedor has been sent to the Wiccan Haus to assess the situation. But he soon finds more than he expected. His soul mate in need of healing. Can he negotiate the issues of the Wiccan Haus and overcome the walls Ashlynn has built to protect herself.
As the Haus prepares for the biggest event since it opened, can the siblings find harmony and manage to do what they do best, heal those in need? Or is it too much for them to take?
Welcome back to the Wiccan Haus.
EXCERPT
He walked. This morning, he had been right next to her, and there had been constant contact. Now they would appear to anyone passing to be complete strangers. “You want to tell me what is going on?”
“We are attempting to remove all stress from your life in hopes of easing the headaches.”
“No, with you. If you would prefer to be elsewhere, I can go back to my room and lie down.”
He stopped. “There is nowhere I would rather be.”
“Then why are you acting like I have the plague? Was it the kiss earlier?”
“I overstepped my boundaries this morning. I should not have done so.”
“Do you regret it?”
“I am assisting the staff here in your healing. It is inappropriate for me to come on to you.”
“Are you on staff here?”
“No.”
“That settles it.” She smiled. Closing the distance between them, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I do not know what is going on, but I do know my pain and fears ease when you are near. I don’t claim to understand how you discern all you do, but I am starting to see things here aren’t always black and white, and sometimes I have to have faith and trust.”
After a brief second of him standing as still as a statue and her wondering if she read too much into this morning’s embrace, he relaxed. His arms snaked around her, pulling her against his hard body. His mouth came down on hers begging her to open for him, demanding she submit to his kiss. She might have started this dance, but he would damned well be leading it.
BUY LINKS
Amazon - Decadent Publishing
Award-Winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat. Because of that, traveling is one of her favorite pasttimes. When not writing you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera.
Learn more about Dominique Eastwick on her website , blog , and Amazon author page . Be sure to join her Newsletter for up to the minute info on new releases, contests, and more.
Stay connected on Twitter , Tublr , Tsu , and Pinterest .
One of the many reasons I just love about fall are pumpkins. I love to carve them, look at them, and eat them.
I love pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice Latte…I could go on and on. But one of my favorite things is Pumpkin Soup. So celebrate this spooky day with a bowl of the easiest soup ever, especially if you use canned pumpkin. And you can quote me on this - nothing tastes better on a cold day.
Pumpkin Soup
1 stick butter or margarine2 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 tsp. packed brown sugar
2 cans of chicken broth
1 cup water
½ tsp. salt (optional)
2 cans (15 ounces) Pumpkin or 2 cups pureed fresh pumpkin
2 cans (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg to garnish
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add garlic and brown sugar; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until soft.
Add broth and water; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Stir in pumpkin, evaporated milk, and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
With real pumpkin you may need to puree your soup again.
Serve warm and enjoy.
serves 10
How about a hot read while you enjoy a warm bowl of soup?
The babies are coming… the Wiccan Haus will never be the same.Things are not as calm at the Wiccan Haus as they usually are. The impending birth of Dana and Rekkus’ cubs has everyone on edge. The last thing anyone wants or expects is a series of uninvited guests.
Ashlynn Stone hasn’t spoken to her sister Dana since she left for the Wiccan Haus over a year earlier. But when a fluke accident on the fashion runway forces her to seek the healing of the Wiccan Haus, she has no choice but to pack her bags and take the ferry to the island with her family in tow.
Shadedor has been sent to the Wiccan Haus to assess the situation. But he soon finds more than he expected. His soul mate in need of healing. Can he negotiate the issues of the Wiccan Haus and overcome the walls Ashlynn has built to protect herself.
As the Haus prepares for the biggest event since it opened, can the siblings find harmony and manage to do what they do best, heal those in need? Or is it too much for them to take?
Welcome back to the Wiccan Haus.
EXCERPT
He walked. This morning, he had been right next to her, and there had been constant contact. Now they would appear to anyone passing to be complete strangers. “You want to tell me what is going on?”
“We are attempting to remove all stress from your life in hopes of easing the headaches.”
“No, with you. If you would prefer to be elsewhere, I can go back to my room and lie down.”
He stopped. “There is nowhere I would rather be.”
“Then why are you acting like I have the plague? Was it the kiss earlier?”
“I overstepped my boundaries this morning. I should not have done so.”
“Do you regret it?”
“I am assisting the staff here in your healing. It is inappropriate for me to come on to you.”
“Are you on staff here?”
“No.”
“That settles it.” She smiled. Closing the distance between them, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I do not know what is going on, but I do know my pain and fears ease when you are near. I don’t claim to understand how you discern all you do, but I am starting to see things here aren’t always black and white, and sometimes I have to have faith and trust.”
After a brief second of him standing as still as a statue and her wondering if she read too much into this morning’s embrace, he relaxed. His arms snaked around her, pulling her against his hard body. His mouth came down on hers begging her to open for him, demanding she submit to his kiss. She might have started this dance, but he would damned well be leading it.
BUY LINKS
Amazon - Decadent Publishing
Award-Winning author Dominique Eastwick currently calls North Carolina home with her husband, two children, one crazy lab and one lazy cat. Dominique spent much of her early life moving from state to state as a Navy Brat. Because of that, traveling is one of her favorite pasttimes. When not writing you can find Dominique with her second love…her camera. Learn more about Dominique Eastwick on her website , blog , and Amazon author page . Be sure to join her Newsletter for up to the minute info on new releases, contests, and more.
Stay connected on Twitter , Tublr , Tsu , and Pinterest .
October 19, 2016
Sneak in one more picnic this fall #romance #picnics
Picnic Power
Guest Post by Eris Field
Picnics have long been known to have the power to move wooing to marriage. Wooing or courting is different from dating. It is the process by which one person, having decided that he/she has found an acceptable life partner, convinces the other person that they should forsake all others and move forward toward marriage.
In the past, a certain hierarchy of enticements was used by a gentleman wooing a lady. Love letters written in perfect penmanship on personal stationery was often the opening salvo. Unlike email or text messages, letters could be stroked, sniffed, hidden in bodices, tucked under pillows, and read repeatedly by candlelight.
Photo by John KasawaCandy and flowers followed. Boxes of candy—carefully selected candies nestled in elaborately decorated boxes were delivered to the lady with a brief message written on a card. The language of flowers was carefully studied so that the right message would be conveyed by the bouquet.
While letters, candy, and flowers were effective, they took time. A gentleman determined to marry, and soon, pulled out the heavy artillery—the picnic. Picnics have two elements—seeming innocence and surprise. The gentleman would not disclose the destination or the contents of the picnic basket. Please note it was a basket not a cooler, Styrofoam chest, backpack, or plastic bag from the deli. The gentleman carried a blanket over one arm that had the purpose of keeping grass stains off the lady’s dress and the picnic basket over the other arm.
Contents of the basket included the essentials: a bottle or two of wine, two glasses, napkins, and delicious food that was usually not encountered at regular meals and so had a slightly forbidden quality. Tempting items included: crisp bread or rolls, cheeses (Brie, Gruyere, Provolone or Jarlsberg), thinly sliced smoked turkey, cold fried chicken, prosciutto, Lebanon salami, hard boiled eggs, olives, nuts, and fruits. The basket always held the lady’s favorite dessert.
Picnic settings, with careful planning, were private and, with the blanket, fairly comfortable. The wine was crisp and the food delicious. In fact, over time it was found that a properly planned picnic had a fairly strong correlation with marriage.
In my contemporary novel, The Gift of Love, psychiatrist Andrew, in a hurry to convince Laurel to marry him, finds himself using his elderly Aunt’s courting instructions, including the picnic.
Laurel, a slightly impulsive pediatric nurse who spent her early years in foster care, dreams of having a family of her own—six children, no men in the dream. Laurel doesn’t just dream, she has a plan—stop her stepsister’s compulsive hoarding, clear out the mountains of paper engulfing every room, and sell the old house that is pushing her toward bankruptcy. As a last resort, she raids her retirement fund to go to a conference on the newest treatments for compulsive hoarding.
Andrew, a psychiatrist, is never impulsive. A reticent, somewhat austere man, he limits his interactions with people to his work. About to leave for the conference where he has agreed to fill in for a colleague, he suddenly finds himself the reluctant caretaker of a two and a half year old boy.
When they first meet, a series of unfortunate events cause Laure to view Andrew as arrogant, rude, but disturbingly attractive, while Andrew to view Laurel as a dangerous distraction to be avoided. Faced with a crisis, they are forced work together, but will they be able to put aside their protective armor and trust each other enough to let love in?
Amazon Buy Link
Eris Field was born in the Green Mountains of Vermont—Jericho, Vermont to be precise—close by the home of Wilson Bentley (aka Snowflake Bentley), the first person in the world to photograph snowflakes. She learned from her Vermont neighbors that pursuit of one’s dream is a worthwhile life goal.
As a seventeen year old student nurse at Albany Hospital, Eris met a Turkish surgical intern who told her fascinating stories about the history of Turkey, the loss of the Ottoman Empire, and forced population exchanges. After they married and moved to Buffalo, Eris worked as a nurse at Children’s Hospital and at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
After taking time off to raise five children and amassing rejection letters for her short stories, Eris earned her master’s degree in Psychiatric Nursing at the University at Buffalo. Later, she taught psychiatric nursing at the University and wrote a textbook for psychiatric nurse practitioners—a wonderful rewarding but never to be repeated experience.
Eris now writes novels, usually international, contemporary romances. Her interest in history and her experience in psychiatry often play a part in her stories. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Western New York Romance Writers. In addition to writing, Eris’s interests include: Prevention of Psychiatric Disorders; Eradicating Honor Killings, supporting the Crossroads Springs Orphanage in Kenya for children orphaned by AIDS, and learning more about Turkey, Cyprus, and Kurdistan.
Learn more about Eris Field on her website . Stay connected on Facebook .
Guest Post by Eris Field
Picnics have long been known to have the power to move wooing to marriage. Wooing or courting is different from dating. It is the process by which one person, having decided that he/she has found an acceptable life partner, convinces the other person that they should forsake all others and move forward toward marriage.
In the past, a certain hierarchy of enticements was used by a gentleman wooing a lady. Love letters written in perfect penmanship on personal stationery was often the opening salvo. Unlike email or text messages, letters could be stroked, sniffed, hidden in bodices, tucked under pillows, and read repeatedly by candlelight.
Photo by John KasawaCandy and flowers followed. Boxes of candy—carefully selected candies nestled in elaborately decorated boxes were delivered to the lady with a brief message written on a card. The language of flowers was carefully studied so that the right message would be conveyed by the bouquet. While letters, candy, and flowers were effective, they took time. A gentleman determined to marry, and soon, pulled out the heavy artillery—the picnic. Picnics have two elements—seeming innocence and surprise. The gentleman would not disclose the destination or the contents of the picnic basket. Please note it was a basket not a cooler, Styrofoam chest, backpack, or plastic bag from the deli. The gentleman carried a blanket over one arm that had the purpose of keeping grass stains off the lady’s dress and the picnic basket over the other arm.
Contents of the basket included the essentials: a bottle or two of wine, two glasses, napkins, and delicious food that was usually not encountered at regular meals and so had a slightly forbidden quality. Tempting items included: crisp bread or rolls, cheeses (Brie, Gruyere, Provolone or Jarlsberg), thinly sliced smoked turkey, cold fried chicken, prosciutto, Lebanon salami, hard boiled eggs, olives, nuts, and fruits. The basket always held the lady’s favorite dessert. Picnic settings, with careful planning, were private and, with the blanket, fairly comfortable. The wine was crisp and the food delicious. In fact, over time it was found that a properly planned picnic had a fairly strong correlation with marriage.
In my contemporary novel, The Gift of Love, psychiatrist Andrew, in a hurry to convince Laurel to marry him, finds himself using his elderly Aunt’s courting instructions, including the picnic.
Laurel, a slightly impulsive pediatric nurse who spent her early years in foster care, dreams of having a family of her own—six children, no men in the dream. Laurel doesn’t just dream, she has a plan—stop her stepsister’s compulsive hoarding, clear out the mountains of paper engulfing every room, and sell the old house that is pushing her toward bankruptcy. As a last resort, she raids her retirement fund to go to a conference on the newest treatments for compulsive hoarding.Andrew, a psychiatrist, is never impulsive. A reticent, somewhat austere man, he limits his interactions with people to his work. About to leave for the conference where he has agreed to fill in for a colleague, he suddenly finds himself the reluctant caretaker of a two and a half year old boy.
When they first meet, a series of unfortunate events cause Laure to view Andrew as arrogant, rude, but disturbingly attractive, while Andrew to view Laurel as a dangerous distraction to be avoided. Faced with a crisis, they are forced work together, but will they be able to put aside their protective armor and trust each other enough to let love in?
Amazon Buy Link
Eris Field was born in the Green Mountains of Vermont—Jericho, Vermont to be precise—close by the home of Wilson Bentley (aka Snowflake Bentley), the first person in the world to photograph snowflakes. She learned from her Vermont neighbors that pursuit of one’s dream is a worthwhile life goal.As a seventeen year old student nurse at Albany Hospital, Eris met a Turkish surgical intern who told her fascinating stories about the history of Turkey, the loss of the Ottoman Empire, and forced population exchanges. After they married and moved to Buffalo, Eris worked as a nurse at Children’s Hospital and at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
After taking time off to raise five children and amassing rejection letters for her short stories, Eris earned her master’s degree in Psychiatric Nursing at the University at Buffalo. Later, she taught psychiatric nursing at the University and wrote a textbook for psychiatric nurse practitioners—a wonderful rewarding but never to be repeated experience.
Eris now writes novels, usually international, contemporary romances. Her interest in history and her experience in psychiatry often play a part in her stories. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Western New York Romance Writers. In addition to writing, Eris’s interests include: Prevention of Psychiatric Disorders; Eradicating Honor Killings, supporting the Crossroads Springs Orphanage in Kenya for children orphaned by AIDS, and learning more about Turkey, Cyprus, and Kurdistan.
Learn more about Eris Field on her website . Stay connected on Facebook .
