Karen Docter's Blog, page 192
February 20, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench **Author Peek**: A Letter from Maxim Rone, Governor of Base 3, from Grace Goodwin’s Surrender To The Cyborg
A Letter from Maxim Rone, Governor of Base 3
to the Women of Earth
SURRENDER TO THE CYBORGS
Interstellar Brides: The Colony, Book 1
by
GRACE GOODWIN
Dear Earth Females,
The forgotten warriors of the Colony have suffered long enough. We fought bravely for our people, and for yours, protecting the Coalition worlds from the scourge that is the Hive. We come from many worlds, but in the end, we all ended up here, broken and betrayed. Abandoned by our own people.
For long days I believed nothing could be worse than the pain of becoming one of them, the Hive. They tortured us, testing our endurance to pain. They injected us with microscopic biosynthetics impossible to remove. They altered us, changed us, made us both more and less alive.
We were supposed to become one of them, absorbed into their Hive mind, mindless drones sent out to hunt and maim and kill. And to collect. More bodies. More worlds. More.
By some miracle of the gods, or brotherhood, we on the Colony were saved. Set free while our mind was still our own. But in the end, many of us wished for death, for we have all been altered, changed.
My own people, the people of Prillon Prime, rejected us for years, building this Colony planet and shipping her wounded warriors, her broken things somewhere dark and quiet, somewhere they would not have to look at us.
For years we lived without hope. And then came you. A human woman loved one of us and everything changed. Prime Nial, our ruler, is contaminated, as we are. And this human woman, an ordinary woman from your world, loves him anyway.
It is too late to go back to the hopeless existence we once knew. We have seen this new love with our own eyes. And we can not unsee what we have seen.
My mate is the first bride to come to this hellish place. And if she can love me and my battered second, she will save us all.
Perhaps, beautiful female, you should consider volunteering for the Interstellar Bride Program yourself. We need more brides to cherish, to claim…to love.
My mate, my stubborn mate, is locked in a prison cell on your precious Earth. Know this, I am coming for her. Nothing will stop me.
She is mine.
I am coming.
~Maxim
~~~
Be sure to come back to learn more about Maxim and Grace Goodwin’s novel, SURRENDER TO THE CYBORGS, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.
~~~
Links to Grace’s website, blog, books, etc.
AMAZON | iBOOKS | NOOK | KOBO | GOOGLE
Sign up for Grace’s mailing list at http://bit.ly/GraceGoodwinNews
Interested in joining her not-so-secret Sci-Fi Squad? Get excerpts, cover reveals and sneak peeks before anyone else. Be part of a closed Facebook group that shares pictures and fun news.
JOIN Here: http://bit.ly/SciFiSquad
~~~
Thanks, Grace, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
February 19, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Steamy Heartwarming Romance Book Giveaway ~ 45+ Romance Novels & a Kindle Fire!!
Today, I have a fun surprise that I’d like to share with you!
I’ve teamed up with 45 + fantastic Steamy Heartwarming Romance Authors to give away a huge collection of novels, PLUS A KINDLE FIRE to one lucky winner!
You can win my novel COP ON HER DOORSTEP, plus books from authors like Melissa Foster, Sharon Hamilton, Mimi Barbour and Tara Taylor Quinn.
Enter the giveaway by clicking here: bit.ly/steamy-heartwarming
Good luck, and enjoy!
Karen (K.L.) Docter
Congratulations Week 01-30-17, 02-06-17 & 02-13-17 Blog Giveaway Winners!!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
01-30-17, 02-06-17 & 02-13-17
BLOG GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
~~~
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with LS Hawker…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: LS is giving away a signed paperback copy of her second novel, BODY AND BONE, to one lucky reader who comments on her Author Peek Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Thank you, LS, for sharing your story with us.
WINNER: MARY ANNE EDWARDS !
~~~
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Marla Josephs…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Marla is giving away an ebook copy of BETRAYED, A Reluctant Series Novel, to three lucky readers who comment on her Author Peek Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Thank you, Marla, for sharing your story with us.
WINNER: KATHLEEN BYLSMA, LORI & YVONNE CRUZ!
~~~
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with Kat Martin…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Kat is giving away an ebook copy (Kindle, NOOK, paperback, US ONLY, winner’s choice) of her novel, INTO THE FURY, to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog. Thank you, Kat, for sharing your story with us.
WINNER: JUDY TULLOCH!
~~~
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Cynthia Woolf…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Cynthia is giving away an ebook copy of COLORADO BRIDE to one lucky reader who comments on her Killer Book Bench blog. Thank you, Cynthia, for sharing your story with us.
WINNER: GLENDA !
~~~
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Jamie Hollins giveaway is still taking entries for 5 MORE DAYS!
~~~
EVERYONE’S A WINNER!!!
Don’t miss the SEASON OF SURVIVAL BOX SET:
3 Action-Packed Romantic Suspense Series Starters
By Bestselling Authors Kim Cresswell, K.L. Docter & Rachel Kent
*** NEW Release Price Special ***
*** ONLY $.99 ***
See what you’re getting in this collection of three full-length novels…
REFLECTION (A Whitney Steel Novel – Book One) by Kim Cresswell
Blurb: Lunch with the ex-husband is not always a fun thing especially when bullets start flying and reporter Whitney Steel finds herself in the middle of a human cloning story that will rock the world…providing she lives long enough to get her byline.
“A deeply emotional romantic suspense that starts bold and holds you captive to the very end.” –New York Times Bestseller, Dianna Love
KILLING SECRETS (A Thorne’s Thorn Novel – Book One) by K. L. Docter
Blurb: Some secrets are better left dead. Too bad the Angel Killer’s digging them up. Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her traumatized child, his key to the James fortune. Patrick Thorne isn’t interested in helping another of his parents’ charity cases, especially after losing his unborn son and wife to suicide. Only trust will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a child of her silent prison, and save them both from a killer who stands too close.
“This romantic suspense is full of wonderful secrets, twists, turns and has an evil serial killing villain. The kind of killer we see on the TV show CRIMINAL MINDS.”–RT Book Reviews, Bernadette Cychner
BROKEN PIECES (Bits & Pieces – Book One) by Rachel Kent
Tara Jacobs had her life completely planned. She truly did have it all after a lifetime of struggles. Unfortunately, her stepbrother arrives in town and threatens to ruin her well-laid plans with some blackmail. Tara stops at almost nothing to keep her skeletons from tumbling out of the closet.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fwCWdl
Kobo: goo.gl/K86bZJ
iTunes: https://goo.gl/j3hlrt
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32764369-season-of-survival-box-set
*The Season of Survival Box Set contains adult situations, language and violence. Each story can be read as a stand alone. This is a reissue of the Seasons of Thrills Box Set.*
HAPPY READING!
~~~
All giveaway winners chosen by random.org from reader comments with the exception of Rafflecopter giveaways which are determined and announced offsite by publisher/authors. Thank you!
February 16, 2017
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Chili Chicken Over Rice
It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is CHILI CHICKEN OVER RICE!
I’m always looking for different ways to make chicken. We love it and it’s the least expensive meat these days. (Whatever happened to hamburger as the “savings” meat?!) Anyhoo, I got creative one night and dinner was such a hit, the recipe has found a permanent home in my cookbook. I make it often. If you love easy and savory, this recipe’s for you. Keep the supplies in your pantry and it’s a great, last minute meal.
I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 298 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
Karen Docter’s
CHILI CHICKEN OVER RICE
[Serves 4-6]
4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 large can (27-oz) Hatch whole green chilis (mild)
2 small cans (15-oz each) Stokes Green Chili Sauce with Pork
2 cups shredded/grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
Rice (cooked as directed)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray 9×13-inch casserole dish/pan with pan coating. Spread ½ can of green chili sauce on bottom of dish. Place chicken breasts on top of green chili sauce. Slice each green chili in half and cover each chicken breast with 1-2 green chilis. Use up all of the green chilis even if every breast is covered. Just scatter them around the casserole dish. Cover the chili chicken with rest of green chili sauce. Top with grated or shredded cheese to taste. Cook, uncovered in 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, until sauce and cheese is bubbly.
Prepare rice as directed. Serve chicken over rice.
NOTE: I prefer Basmati rice for the texture, but you can use white or brown rice. Store leftovers (covered) in refrigerator. These leftovers heat nicely in microwave.
Happy Eating!
February 15, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Not in My Wildest Dreams (McKenna Series #2) by Jamie Hollins
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
NOT IN MY WILDEST DREAMS
McKenna Series #2
By JAMIE HOLLINS
Blurb
It really sucks to be in love with someone who sees you as nothing more than a friend. Darcy Owens knows this from personal experience. From the moment she met Sean McKenna as a wary ten-year-old, he’s owned her heart. So when he asks for her help with an important construction project, she can’t say no.
Building a boutique hotel on Boston’s waterfront is a career-making opportunity, and Sean needs Darcy’s interior design expertise. She’s incredibly talented, and there is no one he trusts more. He knows he can always count on his childhood friend, but doesn’t know why he’s thinking about her tight skirts and blue eyes instead of tight deadlines and blueprints.
When Sean and Darcy’s excitement about their work turns into an entirely different kind of excitement, it’s a sexy surprise. But they soon realize that building a new relationship is more challenging than building a new hotel, especially when life-long habits and old insecurities create cracks in the foundation.
NOT IN MY WILDEST DREAMS
McKenna Series #2
By JAMIE HOLLINS
Editor’s Note: Edited for language.
Excerpt
Mallory dug her hand into the mug and pulled out the next question. Her eyes scanned the paper and she laughed.
“What is your preferred shape when shaving your pubic hair?”
Quinn spit her beer back into her glass, almost choking on it. “Darcy!”
“You first, Quinn,” Darcy smiled.
Quinn’s eyes were as big as saucers, the whites totally surrounding her light gray irises.
“Pass!”
“Figures,” Darcy teased. “Okay, I’ll go first again. I try to keep it mostly in a little triangle shape. But I trim it pretty short so it doesn’t get too out of control down there.”
Quinn was turning three shades of purple. Mallory and Jessi both laughed hysterically, covering their faces with their hands.
“You are shameless!” Quinn yelled, looking like she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
“Who’s shameless?”
All heads turned to see Ewan and Sean McKenna walk through the front door. Darcy’s smile froze on her face as she stared at the two cousins who looked absolutely nothing alike. One was dark and one was fair. Both were tall, fit, and drop-dead gorgeous. Ewan was a usual suspect on the weekends. Sean, however, was not.
Damn, I’m not drunk enough to handle this.
“Darcy’s shameless,” Quinn said, now with a little grin on her face.
“Of course she is,” Sean said, smiling his million-dollar smile. “She’s Darcy,”
Nope. Definitely not drunk enough to deal with Sean McKenna.
That smile was one of Sean’s many highly effective and deadly weapons in his arsenal against the opposite sex. It had been eighteen years, and Darcy’s breath still caught every time she laid eyes on him. Strong, sculpted shoulders and a chest that narrowed into a lean and muscled abdomen.
No matter what he had on, his body looked amazing. Long, toned legs, shapely ass. His list of sexy and virile attributes could go on and on.
Combine that list with his sunny blond hair and his nonstop sense of humor, and he was a one-man woman-eater. And she didn’t mean that as an innuendo, although she could guess it was fairly accurate if the rumors served him right.
He had the confidence and charisma to charm Mother Teresa’s panties off. He was just that good.
Not that Darcy knew what it was like for Sean to charm her panties off, even though she’d been dreaming about it ever since she’d met him on her first day of school in Ballagh, a sleepy village south of Boston. She’d seen all his tricks and moves. But only because she’d helplessly watched him work them on other girls.
Sean had been the reason several lucky girls had given up their hymens. Ironically, he was and remained to be the reason she still had hers.
Call it sad. Call it impossible. Call it an abomination. Darcy was a twenty-eight-year-old virgin. It was hard to have a physical relationship when all she did was compare other men to Sean. She didn’t mean to do it. She just did.
And if that didn’t f*&^ing split her heart in two, the fact that he considered her one of his best friends did the trick. No guy ever f*&^ed his best gal pal. It was in the guy code of conduct or something.
Ewan pushed by his cousin, bent down, and gave Quinn a hard kiss on the lips before whispering something in her ear that made her giggle. His smile for his girlfriend was warm and made promises that told Darcy she’d likely need to sleep with the TV on. Not that they were ever loud when the darkly handsome and brooding Ewan was getting it on with her roommate. But Darcy didn’t want to risk hearing anything.
Quinn smiled up at him. “We’re almost done.”
“Done with what?” Sean asked, pulling up a chair to the table.
“We’re playing Dirty Dozen.” Mallory’s words were slightly slurred.
Sean looked over at her and raised his brows. “Dirty Dozen? Sounds scandalous. Do tell.”
Darcy noticed the way Sean’s eyes lit up. He would be the only guy she knew who would use a word like scandalous.
“We have to answer twelve questions,” Jessi answered him. “The naughtier the better.”
Meet Author Jamie Hollins.
..
Jamie Hollins was born and raised in rural Northeast Ohio. After graduate school, she embarked on a perilous career in Human Resources where she met plenty of real life characters. When she’s not writing or chasing after her toddler, she enjoys reading and golfing. Jamie lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and their dog, Winston.
~~~
Links to Jamie’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://tastybooktours.com/tours-master/2016/11/3/not-in-my-wildest-dreams-mckenna-2-by-jamie-hollins
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32669786-not-in-my-wildest-dreams
Buy Links: AMAZON | KOBO | iTUNES | OTHER
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
~~~
Thanks, Jamie, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
February 14, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Colorado Bride (Matchmaker & Co. Book 4) by Cynthia Woolf
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
COLORADO BRIDE
Matchmaker & Co. Book 4
By CYNTHIA WOOLF
Blurb
Emily Loring survived the last few years as a governess to a rich family’s children. But when the lord of the house can’t keep his hands to himself, she’s left with no option but to risk everything as a mail-order bride. Raised in a New York orphanage, she’s always dreamed of a husband and children of her own, but even that small dream always felt out of reach. The city is all she’s ever known, but the promise of a family, a place to call home, drives her to risk everything and head for the wilds of the Colorado Territory, and the arms of a stranger.
Ben Logan fell in love once, to a city girl who left him at the altar to run off with another man. A mail-order bride appears to be the answer to his need for a wife to warm his bed, as long as she loves the country life as he does. He doesn’t need much, but he won’t risk his heart again. When Emily arrives, her curves tempt him nearly as much as her smile. But his ex-fiancée is back, and determined to have Ben for herself, even if it means murder…
COLORADO BRIDE
Matchmaker & Co. Book 4
By CYNTHIA WOOLF
Excerpt
While Ben unloaded the grain from the wagon, Emily walked over to one of the stalls. Inside were a beautiful golden horse and a pure white baby one.
“They’re so beautiful. The mama with her yellow coat and white hair on her neck is striking. Will the baby stay white or change color?”
“The mare is a palomino and, yes, more than likely, the colt will gain the same coloring as he gets older. But he could possibly stay white, which is what I’m hoping for.”
She turned to face him where he stood at the end of the wagon.
“Will you teach me how to ride? I don’t know anything about horses, but I believe that I should learn in case I need to go somewhere.”
He shrugged. “Sure I’ll teach you. I’m surprised you don’t know anything about ranching. I was pretty specific about it as one of my requirements.”
“You said you wanted someone with farming or ranching experience, I know how to milk cows and gather eggs which qualifies, and I’m willing to learn whatever else I need to. I’m a fast learner.”
The mare came up to the stall gate where Emily stood. She turned and reached over to pet the horse. Her nose and mouth felt like velvet.
“Oh, she’s so soft. I never imagined…”
Ben came up behind her.
“Her name is Champagne, because of her coloring. She doesn’t belong to anyone yet. Would you like her?”
“Oh, yes. Can she really be my horse?”
He must at least like me or he wouldn’t gift me with my own horse, and such a beautiful one to boot.
“Yes.”
She turned and Ben was standing right there. Emily reached up, snaked her hand behind his neck and brought his head down to hers. Remembering the kiss he’d given her at their wedding, she mimicked that kiss. She meshed her lips with his and opened just enough to put her tongue out and touch his lips. She felt him smile and open for her exploration.
He let her take what she needed, let her control the kiss and she was pleased. When she finally pulled back she was breathless and her body hummed with awareness of him.
He held her with his arms wrapped loosely around her waist.
“Well, that was some kiss, wife.”
“Just following your lead…husband.”
She liked the sound of that. Husband. She’d begun to believe that she’d never marry and certainly never to anyone like Ben. His arms were strong with muscle, she felt them through his shirt. His stomach was flat and hard. She felt that, too. And she could tell his manhood was primed for her as well and knew she blushed.
“Now, look at what you’ve done to me. I can’t go to the house like this. You better stop kissing me.”
She smiled and shook her head. “Nope. You can ask a lot of things of me, but that isn’t one of them. I’ll always kiss you. Even when we fight, I’ll kiss you because no fight is worth my marriage. And kissing reminds us that we are married.”
“All right, I agree. Besides, I like kissing you.”
She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. “You should. I only know what you taught me.”
He tightened his hold on her. “And that pleases me.”
“Why? You’ve kissed other girls and that doesn’t bother me. Why should it bother you if I’d kissed another man?”
“Because I want to know that I’m the only man in your life, at least until we have sons.”
The thought of having babies and how babies are begot made her blush. At this rate she’d be colored pink all the time.
Meet Author Cynthia Woolf. ..
Cynthia Woolf is the award winning and best-selling author of twenty-five historical western romance books and two short stories with more books on the way.
Cynthia loves writing and reading romance. Her first western romance Tame A Wild Heart, was inspired by the story her mother told her of meeting Cynthia’s father on a ranch in Creede, Colorado. Although Tame A Wild Heart takes place in Creede that is the only similarity between the stories. Her father was a cowboy not a bounty hunter and her mother was a nursemaid (called a nanny now) not the ranch owner.
Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and her great critique partners for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.
TITLES AVAILABLE
A FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS
A Montana Sky Series Novella – Kindle Worlds
KISSED BY A STRANGER
A Montana Sky Series Novella – Kindle Worlds
THORPE’S MAIL-ORDER BRIDE
Montana Sky Series – Kindle Worlds
THE HUNTER BRIDE – Hope’s Crossing, Book 1
THE REPLACEMENT BRIDE – Hope’s Crossing, Book 2
THE STOLEN BRIDE – Hope’s Crossing, Book 3
THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE – Hope’s Crossing, Book 4
GENEVIEVE, Bride of Nevada, – American Mail-Order Brides Series
GIDEON – The Surprise Brides
MAIL ORDER OUTLAW – The Brides of Tombstone, Book 1
MAIL ORDER DOCTOR – The Brides of Tombstone, Book 2
MAIL ORDER BARON – The Brides of Tombstone, Book 3
NELLIE – The Brides of San Francisco 1
ANNIE – The Brides of San Francisco 2
CORA – The Brides of San Francisco 3
SOPHIA – The Brides of San Francisco 4
AMELIA – The Brides of San Francisco 5
JAKE – Book 1, Destiny in Deadwood series
LIAM – Book 2, Destiny in Deadwood series
ZACH – Book 3, Destiny in Deadwood series
CAPITAL BRIDE – Book 1, Matchmaker & Co. series
HEIRESS BRIDE – Book 2, Matchmaker & Co. series
FIERY BRIDE – Book 3, Matchmaker & Co. series
COLORADO BRIDE – Book 4, Matchmaker & Co. series
TAME A WILD HEART – Book 1, Tame series
TAME A WILD WIND – Book 2, Tame series
TAME A WILD BRIDE – Book 3, Tame series
TAME A HONEYMOON HEART – novella, Tame series
THE TAME SERIES BOXSET
A TOUCH OF PASSION BOXSET
ONCE UPON A KISS BOXSET
~~~
Links to Cynthia’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon Worldwide:
http://getbook.at/ColoradoBride
B&N:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/colorado-bride-cynthia-Woolf/1125636394?ean=9781938887871
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/search?Query=colorado+bride+by+cynthia+woulf
iBooks:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/colorado-bride/id1202592775?mt=11
Website: cynthiawoolf.com/
Newsletter: bit.ly/1qBWhFQ
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Cynthia is giving away an ebook copy of COLORADO BRIDE to one lucky reader who comments on her Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!
Thanks, Cynthia, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
February 13, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Love Story (Love Unexpectedly #3) by Lauren Layne
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
[image error]
LOVE STORY
Love Unexpectedly #3
By LAUREN LAYNE
Blurb
Over the course of one wild road trip, feuding childhood sweethearts get a second chance at love in this charming rom-com—a standalone novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Blurred Lines and Good Girl .
When Lucy Hawkins receives a job offer in San Francisco, she can’t wait to spread her wings and leave her small Virginia hometown behind. Her close-knit family supports her as best they can, by handing over the keys to a station wagon that’s seen better days. The catch? The cross-country trip comes with a traveling companion: her older brother’s best friend, aka the guy who took Lucy’s virginity hours before breaking her heart.
After spending the past four years and every last dime caring for his sick father, Reece Sullivan will do just about anything to break free of the painful memories—even if it means a two-week road trip with the one girl who’s ever made it past his carefully guarded exterior. But after long days of bickering in the car turn into steamy nights in secluded motel rooms, Reece learns that, when it comes to Lucy, their story is far from over. And this time, they just might have a shot at a happy ending.
LOVE STORY
Love Unexpectedly #3
By LAUREN LAYNE
Excerpt
“Spock, we’re giving you Horny!” my mom blurts out, apparently fed up with my denseness.
Her utterance is too much for my siblings to handle and they both burst out laughing, retreating into the kitchen to rejoin the party where there’s wine.
Oh what I wouldn’t give for wine right now.
“I, um . . . you’re giving me the car?” I ask.
“Because yours broke down,” my dad explains, walking forward to thump Horny’s dented hood.
“And this one’s . . . not broken down?” I ask skeptically.
Look, it’s not that I’m not grateful. My parents are trying to give me a car, I appreciate the sweetness of the gesture, it’s just . . .
Here’s the thing about Horny: he barely got us three kids through high school. I mean, Horny is the car that sputtered and shook making it the 3.2 miles to Jefferson High, no matter who was behind the wheel.
I’m even going to come all the way clean here and say that early on in my freshmen year, I was embarrassed showing up in Horny. Then I realized I was lucky to have a car at all, and well . . . I dunno, I guess Horny became a part of us Hawkins kids’ charm, because the station wagon was practically an institution from Craig’s high school reign all the way through Brandi’s.
But poor Horny quit working years ago. Much to Brandi’s chagrin, he gave up the ghost a mere two months before her high school graduation, and I spent the last bit of her senior year being picked up by my parents.
“He’s going to take you to California,” Dad says, giving the car another thump.
“Really?” I step forward and run a tentative finger along the familiar panel. He’s had a bath, so at least that’s something. “Because last I knew, he wouldn’t even make it out of the garage.”
“Yeah, well, we neglected him for a while, but he’s right as rain now,” Dad says, puffing out his chest as though Horny’s a fourth child.
“Like, as in he actually starts?”
“Purrs like a kitten,” my mom says with an emphatic nod, even though I know she doesn’t even like cats. “We didn’t believe it, but we took him to church on Sunday and there were no issues.”
I literally bite my tongue to keep from pointing out that this is hardly a feat. Sacred Presbyterian is 0.8 miles away from the house.
“You took Horny into a shop?” I ask, starting to warm to the idea of having a car again. I’m a little touched, actually. Money is tight for my parents. Dad’s a PE teacher, and Mom gives a mean winery tour, but the gig’s never paid much.
“Not exactly, it was more of a bartering situation,” Mom says.
“Yeah?” I say, going around to the driver’s seat, already giddy with the prospect of telling Oscar I’ll be able to come see him in Miami after all, even if I won’t exactly be riding in style.
“Reece agreed to fix him up.”
I’m lowering myself into the car as my dad says this, but I reverse so quickly I hit my head. My skull doesn’t even register the pain, because I’m too busy registering the hurt in my heart at the familiar name. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Reece,” my mom says, giving me a bemused look. “He’s always been handy with cars.”
“He fixed up the car in exchange for what?”
And then I feel—I actually feel—the air change around me as the side door to the garage opens, and a new presence sucks all the air out of the space.
I don’t turn around. I don’t move. But I feel his eyes on me. Over me.
“Reece is headed out to California too,” my oblivious mother chatters on. “It worked out perfectly actually. Now you two can ride together, and your dad and I don’t have to worry about you alone in the middle of nowhere with a twenty-something-year-old car.
They think the car is going to be the problem here? It’s not the car that’s toxic to me. It’s him.
Reece Sullivan. My brother’s best friend. My parents’ “other son.”
Slowly I force myself to turn, and even though I’m prepped, the force of that ice-blue gaze still does something dangerous to me.
He winks, quick and cocky, and I suck in a breath, and I have to wonder . . .
I wonder if my parents would feel differently about their little plan if they knew that their makeshift mechanic is the same guy that popped my cherry six years earlier under their very roof.
And then broke my heart twenty-four hours later.
Meet Author Lauren Layne. ..
Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.
A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.
She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.
~~~
Links to Lauren’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to follow:
http://tastybooktours.com/tours-master/2016/11/8/love-story-love-unexpectedly-3-by-lauren-layne
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30629625-love-story?
Buy Links: AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
~~~
Thanks, Lauren, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
February 9, 2017
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Chocolate Mint Cookies
It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES!
Do you know what’s even better than mint cookies? Double mint cookies with frosting! My favorite Girl Scout cookies are the mint but, unless you have Girl Scouts on tap year round, that craving can grow to monumental proportions. This double cookies can be made anytime. Yeah, takes a bit more work but WORTH THE TROUBLE!!
I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 297 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES
[Makes 5 Dozen Double Cookies]
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
2 oz. (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate melted
1 T. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mint Filling (below)
Powdered Sugar Frosting (below)
Colored Sugar
Cream margarine and sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla & chocolate. Add milk and mix. Sift in flour with baking powder and salt. Shape dough into 2 rolls, 2” in diameter. Wrap in waxpaper and chill overnight. Cut into thin slices and bake on ungreased cookie sheet in preheated 350* oven for 10 minutes. Cool. Spread Mint Filling on half of cookies. Top with remaining cookies. Frost with green-tinted Powdered Sugar Frosting to which a few drops of peppermint extract has been added. Sprinkle colored sugar on each.
Mint Filling: Cream 1/4 cup butter. Add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, a little at a time. Add dash of salt, 1 T. hot milk & 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract.
Powdered Sugar Frosting: Cream 1/4 cup soft butter and 1/4 tsp. salt. Beat in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar alternately with 4/6 T. scalded light cream. Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract and beat until creamy. Makes 1-3/4 cups.
Happy Eating!
February 7, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Betrayed (A Reluctant Series Novel Book 3) by Marla Josephs
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
BETRAYED
A Reluctant Series Novel Book 3
By MARLA JOSEPHS
Blurb
Ashley James was through with men. But, she was also a professional. How she ended up working for the first man to break her heart while in the middle of a nasty breakup with the current man who’d broken her heart, she didn’t know. One of life’s cruel jokes, she guessed. Well, the joke was on life. Her job was the one thing that made sense in her life. And, she wasn’t going to let stupid men take that from her. If her ex, Nick Connor, was her client, so be it. She would do this job just as competently as she always did…as soon as she mustered the courage to get out of her car and go into Nick’s office.
Nick Connor thought he’d never see Ashley James again. She’d disappeared without a trace after he’d messed up and hurt her all those years ago. He thought he’d lost the only woman he’d ever loved. Now fate had brought them back together. Only, she’s ending a long-term relationship and men aren’t exactly on her list of favorite people. And he is definitely at the top of her “people she hates” list. He may not know what to do, but there’s no way he’ll let her get away from him a second time.
BETRAYED
A Reluctant Series Novel Book 3
By MARLA JOSEPHS
Excerpt
“I can do this,” Ashley thought to herself as she sat in her car staring out the windshield. She hadn’t slept all night and was currently trying to muster the courage to go inside. How she’d convinced herself she could work for the first man to break her heart eight years ago, she didn’t know. Her mind had been stuck in a loop, replaying the moment when she realized Nick Connor was the client she and her boss were taking to lunch yesterday, and the new client she was going to be working for.
If she’d been standing, she’d have fallen over when she looked up and saw Nick walking towards her. It had been eight years since she’d seen him. Eight long years since he’d ripped her heart out and stepped all over it. She never thought she’d see him again. But, yesterday, she’d sat there watching him being led by the hostess to their table. Then she’d sat there some more, right in front of him, with her mouth open, gaping like a fish. Her lips were moving but no words were forming or coming out of her mouth. The only sound that had escaped her was a strangled noise “and she knew her eyes were wide as saucers. She’d closed her mouth and taken a deep breath. Then, she’d grabbed her water glass and ended up choking on the water as she’d inadvertently tried to inhale and swallow at the same time.
“Nick! Good to see you again,” Tony, her boss, had said standing and greeting Nick with a familiar man hug.
“Tony,” Nick said jovially, returning the warm greeting, as he watched Ashley warily. She shot to her feet, clearing her throat once more. At least she’d stopped choking.
“Nick Connor, let me introduce you to Ashley James. She’ll be helping you out,” Tony began. Then he just looked back and forth between them taking in Ashley’s ashen, dumbfounded express and Nick’s cautious one. “I take it you two have met?”
“Hello, Ashley,” came Nick’s gentle greeting. She noted that he didn’t look surprised to see her. He’d obviously been aware that they were meeting for lunch. He did, however, look very apprehensive and uncomfortable.
She found her voice and was happy to note that it sounded normal, if not a bit stiff. “Nick, …I mean Mr. Connor.” She inclined her head. For a long moment no one said anything. She and Nick just stared at each other while Tony looked back and forth between them with growing unease.
“Let’s all have a seat,” Tony instructed finally, breaking the trance they all seemed to be caught in. Everyone sat down. Lunch immediately became a very strained and stilted affair.
“This is the new client I was telling you about,” Tony interjected as if she hadn’t already known that. She’d known she was going to work at one of the Sinclair’s Auto Dealerships. But, she wasn’t sure how Nick fit into this.
A knock on her window brought her back to the present. She nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned to see a strange man smiling back at her. Though he’d practically given her a heart attack, she was thankful that he’d pulled her out of her hellish reliving of seeing of seeing Nick again. And, now she had to “go into this building and actually work with him. She let out a sigh.
“Can I help you?” the man at her window asked. He had a welcoming smile. She rolled down the window.
“Uh, I’m here to meet Nick Connor,” she managed. “But, it didn’t look like you were open yet.”
“We aren’t,” he confirmed. “But, Nick is always here before we open. Come on in.”
Ashley felt a flush of heat, and her stomach turned over. She felt like she was going to throw up. Her time was up. She had to get out of her car and walk inside the building. It was too late to drive away…wasn’t it?”
The man had stepped away from her door. She slowly began pulling her purse from the passenger seat. She rolled her window back up, opened the door, and stepped out. Somehow, she didn’t think she was going to make it through today.
Excerpt From: Josephs, Marla. “Betrayed (Reluctant, #3).” Marla Josephs, 2016-08-23. iBooks. This material may be protected by copyright.
Meet Author Marla Josephs.
..
Marla Josephs leads a busy life in Northern California with her husband and children. When everyone in the family isn’t working or studying hard, they are traveling and playing hard.
Now that her kids are older, she’s excited to spend more time writing, reading, practicing martial arts, and pretending to be an American Ninja Warrior. In her free time, (well, she rarely has any) she spends it with her family being a complete and total goofball until she has to behave like a mature adult again. She’s currently working on several witty, romantic, and humorous new releases. Check her out at https://www.facebook.com/Marlajosephsauthor/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
~~~
Links to Marla’s website, blog, books, etc.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marla_josephs
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Marlajosephsauthor/
Audible:
http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Betrayed-Audiobook/B01M5J4L0U/ref=a_listener__cco_1_1_t
Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/betrayed-marla-josephs/1124145306?ean=2940153322421
ibooks: https://itun.es/us/LP0Xdb.l
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Marla is giving away an ebook copy of BETRAYED, A Reluctant Series Novel, to three lucky readers who comment on her Author Peek Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Good luck!
Thanks, Marla, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
February 6, 2017
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Into The Firestorm (BOSS, Inc. Book 3) by Kat Martin
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
INTO THE FIRESTORM
A BOSS, Inc. Novel
By KAT MARTIN
Blurb
At Brodie Operations Security Service, Inc., following your instincts is company policy . . .
M. Cassidy—Luke Brodie had heard the name before, some novice bounty hunter working Seattle, catching tricky skips with more success than a newcomer should expect. But the dark curls, sparkly top, and impressive cleavage were not what Brodie had pictured.
Emma Cassidy is tough and smart and sexy as hell. She’s also popping up a step ahead of him every time he’s close to the capture he wants most . . . and there’s no room for learning on the trail of this monster.
Emma has idolized Luke Brodie, the bounty hunter who can bring anyone in. The big man in the soft shoes, with a face like a fallen angel and a reputation for breaking hearts. Watching him in action is intoxicating. But her fight with Rudy Vance is fiercely personal. If he gets too close, Brodie will find out just how ferocious she can be . . .
The Perils and Joys of Research
By Kat Martin
I got the idea for a trilogy set in Seattle as I worked on my Alaska Trilogy. Nick Brodie needed a place to work and live, so I created Brodie Operations Security Services, BOSS Inc, the guys called it.
In the office, I put two more Brodies, cousin Ethan and cousin Luke. INTO THE FIRESTORM is Luke Brodie’s story. What made it fun and interesting was the twist it took during the research phase.
Luke Brodie is a bounty hunter. A fat $600,000 is the 20% bail enforcement fee he’ll collect if he brings in international criminal, Rudy Vance.
Emma Sullivan is also hunting Vance. It’s been almost a year since she arrived at her sister’s home to find the housekeeper murdered and her young niece the victim of Vance’s sick assault.
Emma is determined to find Vance and make him pay. And no one–not even the infamous Luke Brodie–is going to stop her.
There was plenty of story to work with, but as I was developing the plot, I stumbled across an interesting tidbit. Turns out there is a group in Seattle called the Yakuza, an organization often referred to as the Japanese Mafia.
What caught my eye was that members of the group are completely tattooed–even their genitals! I thought, wow, wouldn’t they make interesting bad guys?
So the thing about research is that it can twist your story in unexpected directions. It’s difficult but the results can be astonishing.
I hope you’ll watch for Luke and Emma in INTO THE FIRESTORM, book #3 in the BOSS, Inc. Trilogy. And if you haven’t read INTO THE FURY and INTO THE WHIRLWIND, I hope you’ll give them a try. Very best wishes, Kat
INTO THE FIRESTORM
A BOSS, Inc. Novel
By KAT MARTIN
Excerpt
A can of Sabre Red, police-strength pepper-gel spray in a flip-top can rode in a holster strapped to her belt next to her bail enforcement badge. The .380 was in her purse in the floor of the passenger seat. Her Glock 19 rode handily out of site beneath the driver’s seat.
Emma got out of the car, pulled a lightweight windbreaker on to cover the badge and mace, clicked the locks on the doors, securing her weapons, and headed into the bar.
It was happening again–Luke couldn’t believe it. The kid he’d seen walking into the bar hadn’t been an underage teen, as he had first thought. It was Emma Cassidy. Even the windbreaker she was wearing couldn’t hide her first class set of breasts.
He could not f-ing believe it. Sitting at a table in the back of the room, irritated she was getting in the middle of his pursuit–again–to say nothing of a potentially dangerous situation, he leaned back in his chair and watched her.
She was looking for the woman, Lila Purdue, that Skinner Digby had mentioned. When a voluptuous blonde sashayed out of the back in a pair of jeans with rhinestone on the pockets so tight you could count the dimples in her ass, Luke figured Emma had found her.
They talked for a while. The sound of raucous laughter and the clank of beer bottles kept their conversation mostly private. Some loud-mouthed biker shuffled through the peanut shells on the floor, told everyone in the bar he had to take a piss, and headed for the men’s room.
Luke shook his head. Not a place for little Emma Cassidy, no matter how tough she thought she was. She said something to the blonde, smiled, and discreetly opened her jacket, flashing her bounty hunter badge. Amazingly, the blonde boomed a laugh.
Since Emma hadn’t yet been tossed out of the bar and figuring he might actually learn something useful, Luke shoved up from his chair and quietly moved close enough to hear, careful to stay out of sight.
“I just need to speak to him,” Emma said to Lila. “He’s not wanted for anything. I just need Felix to answer a couple of questions. You think you could get him to talk to me?”
“You came here all by yourself to get Felix Riggs to rat on one of his friends? If I was wearing a hat, I’d take it off to you, Emma. You are truly something.”
Luke rolled his eyes. She was something, all right. A major trouble magnet.
“So what do you think? Can you get him to see me? All I need is a couple of minutes.”
Lila cocked a hand on her hip. “Felix has the hots for me. He’d do anything I ask for a piece of ass. Trouble is, I got no inclination to give it to him.”
“I can see where that’s a problem.”
The blonde gave Emma the once over. “You got a real nice little body yourself, honey. How bad do you want the information?”
For the first time, Emma looked uneasy. “I’m pretty picky about who I sleep with. How about money?” She pulled out a roll of cash. I’ve got five hundred dollars. How much information will that buy?”
Luke inwardly groaned. Flashing money was a bad move in a place like this. Emma had just made her first big mistake. Except for the mistake of wading into this pigswill joint in the first place.
The blonde glanced nervously around, thinking the very same thing. A big lumberjack of a guy came up off his barstool. The short, barrel-chested guy next to him did the same. A big black dude with a shaved head parted the curtains and walked out of the back room.
Emma’s gaze went from the men back to the blonde. “So I guess we aren’t going to make a deal.”
“Oh, honey, I wish I could help you, I really do. My best advice is to give Ivan, there, that roll of bills and get your pretty little self out of here.”
When Emma stuffed the roll of bills back into the pocket of her jeans, Luke softly cursed. The money wasn’t worth what these guys were planning to do.
Emma just smiled. “No answers. No money. Tell Felix I’ll see him another time.”
Turning, she started for the door. When Ivan stepped in front of her, all six-foot-five inches of him blocking her way, Luke had to give her points for moxie.
“You’d be wise to let me pass,” she warned, craning her neck to look up at him.
“Is that so?” said the muscled-up black guy from behind her. A foot wider than she was, he clamped his arms around her and flashed a leering grin at the other two over the top of her head. Emma stepped to the outside and backstopped his knee, knocking the guy off balance, then she whirled and shoved him backward so hard he crashed into a table, spun, and went sprawling across the floor.
Luke felt a jolt of heat that went straight to his groin. Why watching the pretty little lady take that big bastard down should turn him on he had no idea, but he couldn’t look away.
Emma started again for the door but Ivan blocked her way. Her hand moved so fast Luke almost missed it. Down to the snap on her mace, can up, spray in bozo’s face, and run like hell for the door.
Luke couldn’t stop a grin as she raced outside and the door slammed behind her. Chaos ensued in the bar, giving him time to slip out the back and make his way around to the parking lot.
The bad news was, by the time he got there, three long-haired, bearded low-lifes in black leather jackets had Emma pinned against the side of her car. The lady had already taken down three grown men–true they were drunk, and her small stature and level of skill had surprised them and given her an edge, but still….
Luke figured it was time to level the playing field.
Meet Author Kat Martin. ..
New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History. She is married to L.J. Martin, author of western, non-fiction, and suspense novels.
Kat has written more than sixty-five novels. Sixteen million copies of her books are in print and she has been published in twenty foreign countries, including Japan, France, Germany, Argentina, Greece, China, Russia, and Spain.
Born in Bakersfield, California, Kat currently resides in Missoula, Montana, on a small ranch in the beautiful Sapphire mountains.
Her last 12 books have hit the prestigious New York Times bestseller list. INTO THE FURY and INTO THE WHIRLWIND her most recent releases, both took top ten spots.
~~~
Links to Kat’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Into-Firestorm-BOSS-Inc-Martin-ebook/dp/B01FBZXPFA
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/into-the-firestorm-kat-martin/1123772340?ean=9781420139044
Indiebound:
http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781420139044
Books A Million:
http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Into-Firestorm/Kat-Martin/9781420139044
Kobo:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/into-the-firestorm
Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kat_Martin_Into_the_Firestorm?id=mGchDAAAQBAJ
CONTEST LINKS:
http://www.katmartin.com/contests/
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
website
mailing list
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Kat is giving away an ebook copy (Kindle, NOOK, paperback, US ONLY, winner’s choice) of her novel, INTO THE FURY, to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!
Thanks, Kat, for sharing your books with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
