Karen Docter's Blog, page 197
December 15, 2016
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Adele Downs #recipe ~ Chocolate Peppermint Margarita
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with ADELE DOWNS!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, ADELE DOWNS, and her favorite recipe: CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT MARGARITA!
SANTA TO THE RESCUE
A Bliss romance novella from Entangled Publishing
Only .99!
By ADELE DOWNS
Blurb
Firefighter Jamey Tucker knows three things in life to be true: An honorable man doesn’t go back on his word, never hurts a woman, and lasting love isn’t a myth. But with his recent move to a new job at the Appleton Fire station, the long hours don’t offer hope of finding the love he’s looking for.
When Jamey meets beautiful pediatric nurse Heather Longhurst after hearing her sing Santa Baby in a supermarket aisle, he offers her a promise he discovers he can’t keep. Heather has been betrayed by men in the past, making it hard for Jamey to gain her trust. Determined to find a way to win her heart, Jamey uses firefighter engine-uity and Heather’s favorite song to prove he’s got Christmas spirit she can believe in all year.
SANTA TO THE RESCUE
A Bliss romance novella from Entangled Publishing
Only .99!
By ADELE DOWNS
EXCERPT
Christmas music played over the supermarket loudspeakers, punctuated by the occasional commercial interruption or cleanup request. A tune he remembered his parents singing to him as a child filled the air and Jamey hummed along. Though the song reminded him of home, the lyrics brought unexpected comfort instead of homesickness. It was as if his family had sent him a message to chase away his loneliness.
Though he wouldn’t spend the holidays with his parents or sisters for the first time in his life, the importance of his duty to his new job, and the need to make personal connections in this great new town, bolstered his resolve to make the most of the solitary holiday ahead.
Jamey turned down the bread lane and tossed loaves into the cart as another Christmas song played. It sounded kinda’ girly and sexy and he recognized Taylor Swift’s voice singing Santa Baby in Country music style. His favorite.
When he looked up, a woman further down the aisle grabbed his attention while she sang along. She bent her knees, did a little dip, and then wiggled her butt, which even beneath blue scrubs and a short winter jacket looked incredible.
Jamey halted dead in his tracks, hoping the gorgeous blonde wouldn’t see him and become embarrassed. Or stop.
She sang out, her voice smoky and hot. The subtle rasp in her vocals sent pangs low in his belly that ricocheted to his solar plexus and cranked up his heartbeat.
Her ponytail swung with her next dip and shimmy and Jamey’s mouth went dry. The woman continued on her way, oblivious to him behind her. After another sway of her ponytail, she turned the corner and disappeared out of sight.
Jamey swallowed. Holy crap. He wanted to follow her, but that would be weird. Plus, if she figured out he’d done that, she’d take him for a freak. Definitely not a good way to make a first impression.
Grudgingly, he headed toward the peanut butter, jams and jellies section, remembering the guys waiting for breakfast. On his way, he glanced down each aisle, hoping to see the woman again, but having no luck. He finished shopping and headed to the checkout line.
A flash of blue cloth in the Express lane kicked up his pulse rate. Jamey headed toward the Fifteen Items or Less sign and did a fast count of the packages inside his cart. One, two, three, four, five… He’d probably be okay.
He picked up his pace to the checkout lane before someone else rolled in behind the beautiful woman with the blonde ponytail, sexy voice and adorable bottom waiting her turn there.
About Author Adele Downs.. 
Adele Downs is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than 20 romance titles, including those written under another pen name, and a former journalist with hundreds of articles to her credit. When not writing in her home office in rural Pennsylvania, she can be found reading a book on the nearest beach, taking photographs, or riding in her convertible.
~~~
Links to Adele’s Website, Books, & Social Media:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Rescue-Entangled-Flirts-Adele-ebook/dp/B00G1IM260/
December 14, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: A Rose for Maggie (Korbel Classics) by Eileen Dreyer w/a Kathleen Korbel
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!
~~
A ROSE FOR MAGGIE
Korbel Classics
By EILEEN DREYER w/a KATHLEEN KORBEL
Blurb
How much is he willing to give up for her?
It would be too easy for Alison Henley to fall for children’s book author Joe Burgett. Joe feels the same way about Alison, but Alison has a baby named Maggie, and Maggie has special needs. Is Joe
ready to be her father?
“An all-time classic” RT Booklovers
Winner of the RWA RITA Award!!
A ROSE FOR MAGGIE
Korbel Classics
By EILEEN DREYER w/a KATHLEEN KORBEL
Excerpt
“You are not taking care of me!”
“Wouldn’t think of it,” Joe said as he steered Allison down the hall.
Allison didn’t need a strong shoulder to lean on, a knight in shining armor to lift her up over the muck of life. She didn’t need his compassion when she knew it would just wither away.
“You didn’t trust me enough to tell me about Maggie?” Joe cautiously asked.
“I’ve heard you talk about the family you want. A house full of children who’ll play the piano and star in major-league baseball. And you should have that, but I’m not the person who can give that to you.”
Joe shook his head. “You never gave me the chance to make up my own mind.”
Meet Author Eileen Dreyer
…
New York Times Bestselling, award-winning author Eileen Dreyer has published 40 novels and 10 short stories under her name and that of her evil twin, Kathleen Korbel in contemporary romance, paranormal romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, mystery and medical forensic suspense. A proud member of RWA’s Hall of FAME, she also has numerous awards from RT BookLovers and an Anthony nomination for mystery. She is now focusing on what she calls historic romantic adventure in her DRAKE’S RAKES series. A native of St. Louis, she still lives there with her family. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
~~~
Links to Eileen’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://eileendreyer.com/
Amazon https://goo.gl/hToXUJ
All Romance EBooks https://goo.gl/BwuG4I
iBooks https://goo.gl/7J1SLK
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Eileen is giving away an ebook copy of A ROSE FOR MAGGIE to one lucky reader who comments on her Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!
Thanks, Eileen, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 13, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Second and Short (Love by the Yard Book 2) by Michel Prince
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!
~~
SECOND AND SHORT
Love by the Yard Book 2
By MICHEL PRINCE
Blurb
Offensive linemen are the silent protectors of the game. Always there, but never seen by the fans. Whether by accident or circumstance Dalton Gresham has been known as the Blood Thirsty Bear of the Gridiron since his rookie year. With fans wearing number seventy-seven with fake blood dripped on it can this giant in football shake his monster status.
Having hidden away at Lost Lake, Wisconsin the last thing Willeen Fire needed was publicity. The tall, voluptuous woman has a beauty she hides behind flannel shirts and engine grease while staying off the grid.
When Dalton first meets Willeen the last thing he thought was she was a woman in need of protection, but as he falls for her the natural instinct to protect is screaming in his ears. Can he stop being the monster he’s been labeled and become the one who will finally save Willeen from the man hunting her?
SECOND AND SHORT
Love by the Yard Book 2
By MICHEL PRINCE
Excerpt
Willeen could stare at Dalton’s arms for the next two weeks. Thick, with sinewy muscles straining against his shirt to the point Willeen wondered if any shirt could hold him. Then again, she may just be wanting to explore the great expanse of his chest. Rarely could she find a man large enough to dwarf her and not be out of shape. Dalton doesn’t have a six-pack, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t firm and muscular.
With a quick lick and bite to her upper lip she settled her hormones enough to figure out a plan. “Tour guide huh? Guess I need a safari hat.”
“Seems more like one of those places with a fisherman’s hat.” Dalton smiled side wide. “You know, the ones with all the fly fishing lures.”
“That must be your Colorado showing,” she said. “You guys do that fly-fishing stuff there, huh?”
“What do you do on this lake?” he asked and she stuffed her hands in the pocket of her windbreaker.
She walked toward the lake behind the cabin. “You can dock fish. Maybe I could bring a boat over and pick you up one day if you just need to be alone in the middle of the lake.”
The dock creaked and rocked slightly side to side as they stepped on it. Willeen was used to the motion and kept walking toward the end, which T’d and Bucky had a built-in bench on the horizontal end. Turning around, she noticed Dalton standing stark still with his hands out to the side and his knees bent.
“I wouldn’t dive from there,” she cautioned. “Might want to come out a little to avoid a head injury.”
“I don’t think there’s much left to damage.”
Willeen took a few steps toward Dalton. “Are you afraid of the water?”
“Not sure, I haven’t really looked far enough ahead to see if I could drink it all.”
“Drink it all? As in if you fell in the lake.” Willeen let out a laugh at the mere thought of all the fish flapping around on an empty lake bed with Dalton in the middle.
“I know it’s stupid, and I walk in the rivers all the time in Colorado, but there’s something about a lake.” He looked over the edge of the dock. “This one is clear.”
“Yep, maybe not so much in the middle where it is deeper, but still you should be able to see the bottom for most of the lake.”
Dalton took a few tenuous steps until he made his way to her. She placed her hands on either side of him as if she could somehow catch him if he fell. His eyes slid to the bench on the end of the dock. “It’s beautiful.”
“Well, this is where you fish,” she explained and sat down on the bench with her hands pressed together and between her knees held tight. “You can try from the shore, but if you look over the edge you see the little buggers going crazy down here. I usually come by once a week and drop some treats. It keeps them around the docks.”
“Is this lake stocked?”
Willeen held her index finger and thumb about a half inch apart. “A smidge. Owners like Bucky keep the population up by not vacationing and fishing.”
Dalton peered over the edge of the dock and gave her a half-hearted smile. “I don’t suppose Bucky actually leaves his gear?”
“He might, if not I’m sure I could find some.”
“You live close?”
“Depends on the season.” Willeen looked across the lake and pointed. Her dock was the only visible part of the cabin where she lived. “In the winter, it’s a straight shot over here.”
Dalton put his hand over his eyes to shield from the sun. “You have a boat?”
“My boss does, he docks it at my cabin.”
“Any chance we could go out on it?”
“You’re on vacation, I’m not Dalton, I can call you that right?”
“I’m afraid to hear what else you would call me.”
Tucking away a smile, Willeen stood up and walked to the edge of the dock with the tip of her shoes right on the steel frame. Going up on the balls of her feet, she wished it was warm enough she could curl her toes to balance on them. It was her favorite thing to do ever since she was little. There was a reason gymnasts were so tiny. Controlling six feet of a person is difficult, but she could on a swaying dock to boot. It was a freeing activity that centered her, brought her back when she felt herself going down the wrong path. Like with Dalton, she had a dozen other projects she needed to get to, instead she was sitting on a bench praying he would sit next to her. She wanted the heat of his body to envelope her. He talks about himself as if he were a brute. Yet she felt safe standing alone on the placid lake with one of the few men she’d met who could actually manhandle her. Turning to look over her shoulder she wanted to take him in, instead their eyes met. He’d been staring at her without shame. The edges of his eyes crinkled when he gave her a small smile setting her off balance.
She felt herself start to go and his arm reached and grasped hers. Her body jerked to a stop before stumbling back on the dock with stuttered steps. Crashing against him, Willeen dropped her head against his chest. The warmth mixed with the crisp scent of his cologne caused her to inhale deeply. Oh, this was bad.
Meet Author Michel Prince
…
Michel Prince is an author who graduated with a bachelor degree in History and Political Science. Michel writes new adult and adult paranormal romance as well as contemporary romance.
With characters yelling “It’s my turn damn it!!!” She tries to explain to them that alas, she can only type a hundred and twenty words a minute and they will have wait their turn. She knows eventually they find their way out of her head and to her fingertips and she looks forward to sharing them with you.
~~~
Links to Michel’s website, blog, books, etc.
Love by the Yard Series
“Tackling love one down at a time.”
First and Ten
Amazon US http://tinyurl.com/jmbd5wy
Amazon UK http://tinyurl.com/z2x6o6f
Amazon AU http://tinyurl.com/jrogpyn
Amazon CA http://tinyurl.com/jug9wp4
Nook http://tinyurl.com/jthomwo
Kobo http://tinyurl.com/h55yplt
AllRomanceEbooks http://tinyurl.com/hnzyjj6
Second and Short
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2hnzIp9
Amazon UK http://tinyurl.com/j66x28u
Amazon CA http://tinyurl.com/jx2zu7r
Amazon AU http://tinyurl.com/zxfh2kv
Allromanceebooks http://tinyurl.com/gsv7ykx
www.facebook.com/michelprincebooks
https://www.instagram.com/michelprincebooks/
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Michel is giving away an ebook copy of UNWRAPPING A MARRIAGE to one lucky reader who comments on her Author Peek Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Good luck!
Thanks, Michel, for sharing your books with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 12, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Perchance to Dream (Wounded Heroes Collection) by Eileen Dreyer w/a Kathleen Korbel
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!
~~
PERCHANCE TO DREAM
Wounded Heroes Collection
By EILEEN DREYER w/a KATHLEEN KORBEL
Blurb
She would give anything to save him. Even her love…
Top Agent Jason Mitchell has nightmares. His partner is dead, and he knows it’s his fault. Lindsey McDonough refuses to let him destroy himself. So she seeks him out at his mountain cabin. What she doesn’t know is that the man who killed Mitchell’s partner has followed her.
Winner of the RWA RITA Award! This is a story of passion, desperation and danger.
“There’s no way to put this book down” RT Bookclub
PERCHANCE TO DREAM
Wounded Heroes Collection
By EILEEN DREYER w/a KATHLEEN KORBEL
Excerpt
“Nice to see you’re still in one piece.”
Lindsay didn’t wait for an invitation to come in.
Mitchell was sitting at the kitchen table, and the sight of him caused a pain in her heart.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded.
She took a purposeful look around. “Cleaning up, from the looks of it. This place is a pigsty.”
She was facing the back of his head, but he never turned to her. She wanted to go to him, to tell him that she knew how he felt. But that approach wouldn’t work yet. She had to fan a spark before she could get a steady flame.
“Don’t bother.”
She was already unbuttoning her sleeves and rolling them up. “Might as well see what the rest of the place looks like before I tackle this,” she said instead. “After all, this could be the cleanest room. Now, is there an extra bedroom, or do I throw you out of yours?”
Meet Author Eileen Dreyer
…
New York Times Bestselling, award-winning author Eileen Dreyer has published 40 novels and 10 short stories under her name and that of her evil twin, Kathleen Korbel in contemporary romance, paranormal romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, mystery and medical forensic suspense. A proud member of RWA’s Hall of FAME, she also has numerous awards from RT BookLovers and an Anthony nomination for mystery. She is now focusing on what she calls historic romantic adventure in her DRAKE’S RAKES series. A native of St. Louis, she still lives there with her family. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
~~~
Links to Eileen’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website: http://eileendreyer.com/
Amazon https://goo.gl/mxsZ2E
All Romance Ebooks https://goo.gl/ojdLft
iBooks https://goo.gl/Q7jcwD
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Eileen is giving away an ebook copy of PERCHANCE TO DREAM to one lucky reader who comments on her Killer Book Bench blog. Good luck!
Thanks, Eileen, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
**Author Peek** Interview with Michel Prince, Second and Short (Love By the Yard Book 2)
**Author Peek** Interview with
MICHEL PRINCE!
INTRODUCING…Michel.
Before we get started talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do for a living (if you’re not a full – time writer) what hobbies you have, etc. Whatever you’d like to share to introduce yourself.
I currently live in a suburb of St. Paul, MN. I work for a health care company working in the business office. As for hobbies I do enjoy cross stitching when I can find time, but most of my time is spent in a crowd either cheering for my son in basketball and football or my beloved Vikings.
1. What genre(s) do you write in and why?
Romance. So far I’ve written in contemporary, paranormal, Sci-fi and suspense. In addition I like to go into subgenres such as interracial, cowboy, second chance romance, sports and new adult. Between challenges people put to me mixed with my own natural love of all genres I can’t sit still.
2. What’s your favorite beverage?
I’m not sure if it’s a favorite or if the twenty-third ingredient in Dr. Pepper is crack, but there is usually at least one bottle around me at most times.
3. If you had to listen to one song over and over again for a whole day, what would it be?
Honey I’m Good, by Andy Grammar. It would keep me going all day long.
4. What is your least favorite part of writing?
I second guess myself quite a bit. I fear that in my mind I answered all the questions, but it might not have been put down on the page.
5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I’m torn between living somewhere like the Virgin Islands where I could have a beach and beautiful weather all the time and somewhere in Northern Minnesota. I love being snowed in and having summers that don’t kill me with heat.
6. Are you an avid reader? When you do read someone else’s writing, what is your favorite genre?
I used to be, now my writing schedule and family time steals my free time I found for reading. I thank God for Audible, that allows me to enjoy books as I’m driving my boy around. Much like my writing I am very eclectic. I enjoy all genres, but I do enjoy a good mystery or paranormal probably the best.
7. Where do you get the ideas for your stories?
Life, it might be a song, an over heard conversation, a side comment, I tend to get ideas from everywhere. Sometimes it’s a challenge. I was approached recently to part of the Snowy Knights Anthology. A snowy rescue with a suspense twist, I can’t believe I pulled it off, but I actually wrote my first suspense.
8. Tell me about your ideal reader .
The most common thing I hear from my readers is “I don’t read, but I couldn’t put your book down.” I’m not sure why those who never read love my books, but they seem to.
9. If you were to choose one superpower, what would it be?
Precognition. I can’t stand know knowing.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
Second and Short, book 2 of the Love by the Yard Series. It’s being released December 13th from JK Publishing.
Offensive linemen are the silent protectors of the game. Always there, but never seen by the fans. Whether by accident or circumstance Dalton Gresham has been known as the Blood Thirsty Bear of the Gridiron since his rookie year. With fans wearing number seventy-seven with fake blood dripped on it can this giant in football shake his monster status.
Having hidden away at Lost Lake, Wisconsin the last thing Willeen Fire needed was publicity. The tall, voluptuous woman has a beauty she hides behind flannel shirts and engine grease while staying off the grid.
When Dalton first meets Willeen the last thing he thought was she was a woman in need of protection, but as he falls for her the natural instinct to protect is screaming in his ears. Can he stop being the monster he’s been labeled and become the one who will finally save Willeen from the man hunting her?
~~~
Be sure to come back to learn more about Michel and her novel, SECOND AND SHORT (Love By The Yard Series, Book 2), on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.
~~~
Links to Michel’s website, blog, books, etc.
Love by the Yard Series
“Tackling love one down at a time.”
First and Ten
Amazon US http://tinyurl.com/jmbd5wy
Amazon UK http://tinyurl.com/z2x6o6f
Amazon AU http://tinyurl.com/jrogpyn
Amazon CA http://tinyurl.com/jug9wp4
Nook http://tinyurl.com/jthomwo
Kobo http://tinyurl.com/h55yplt
AllRomanceEbooks http://tinyurl.com/hnzyjj6
Second and Short
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2hnzIp9
Amazon UK http://tinyurl.com/j66x28u
Amazon CA http://tinyurl.com/jx2zu7r
Amazon AU http://tinyurl.com/zxfh2kv
Allromanceebooks http://tinyurl.com/gsv7ykx
www.facebook.com/michelprincebooks
https://www.instagram.com/michelprincebooks/
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Michel is giving away an ebook copy of UNWRAPPING A MARRIAGE to one lucky reader who comments on her Author Peek Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Good luck!
Thanks, Michel, for sharing your books with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 8, 2016
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with A.B. Michaels #recipe ~ Cinnamon Pie Crust
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with A.B. MICHAELS!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, A.B. MICHAELS, and her favorite recipe: CINNAMON PIE CRUST!
THE PROMISE
A Story of the Quake
A Sinner’s Grove Historical Novella
By A.B. MICHAELS
Blurb
HE’LL RISK EVERYTHING TO KEEP HIS WORD
April 18, 1906. A massive earthquake has decimated much of San Francisco, leaving thousands without food, water or shelter. Patrolling the streets to help those in need, Army corporal Ben Tilson meets a young woman named Charlotte who touches his heart, making him think of a future with her in it. In the heat of the moment he makes a promise to her family that even he realizes will be almost impossible to keep.
Because on the heels of the earthquake, a much worse disaster looms: a fire that threatens to consume everything and everyone in its path.
It will take everything Ben’s got to make it back to the woman he loves—and even that may not be enough.
The Promise, a stand-alone novella, is the latest offering from A.B. Michaels’ multi-generational saga “Sinner’s Grove.”
THE PROMISE
A Story of the Quake
A Sinner’s Grove Historical Novella
By A.B. MICHAELS
EXCERPT
[Chapter 7- “Ben”]
I don’t know what came over me. I was possessed, I guess. Possessed by the most overwhelming need to protect this exquisite young woman and her family. I knew the second grunt had gone to flag down Sergeant Pettigrew’s sag wagon—the one for those who couldn’t walk. My time was limited. I kissed the lovely girl on her forehead and braced for her recoil, but it never happened, much to my relief.
I leaned in so that only she could hear me. “Your aunt believes in spirits, then. What did your uncle and cousin die of?”
She told me in a whisper and I quickly walked over to where the older lady sat, now with Berry on her ample lap. Once again I knelt down.
“Ma’am?” I said. “I have some news for you. It’s from your husband and your son.”
Her eyes widened in alarm. “What do you mean? My Toby and Ronnie are dead, sir.”
“I know that, ma’am, but that didn’t stop them from . . . letting me know—man to man, as it were—that they are concerned about you.”
“Concerned about me?” She looked both skeptical and intrigued.
“Yes, ma’am. They think you are staying in harm’s way because of their spirits, but they wanted me to tell you they’ll be traveling with you, so you needn’t worry.”
The woman looked around as if she might see the embodiment of her loved ones floating around the yard. I felt a twinge of remorse for perpetrating such a hoax on one so vulnerable, but I quickly pushed the thought away, rationalizing that it was for the lady’s own good. In fact, I knew it was only for the young lady’s good that I was going through the deception at all.
The aunt narrowed her eyes at me. “How do I know you are telling the truth, young man?”
“Alas, you must take my word for it, as one who is particularly . . . sensitive . . . to the spirits of others—men especially—who have passed through this mortal coil. If it would make you feel any better, your loved ones want you to know they no longer suffer the ill effects of the influenza that took them from you.”
The lady looked at me with surprise, no doubt wondering how I could know such a thing. She paused, then, as if considering my proposal. At last she nodded. “All right, then. Come, Berry. We must do as the soldier says.”
Unfortunately Berry, who as I feared now understood precisely what was going on, decided to balk once more.
“You said Miss Evie would come out when it was all over, but how can she do that when the men are going to blow up Auntie’s house?” The look on her face reminded me so much of my sister’s teary farewell that I made what might possibly be the stupidest decision of my life. I made her a promise.
“You’re right,” I said. “So I will have to coax Miss Evie out of her hiding place before that happens.”
Berry’s sister, who had come to stand beside me, gasped. “You can’t do that,” she said. “It’s too dangerous.” She put her hand on my arm and I felt in that moment that I would do anything, find anything, move anything, build anything, even kill anything, to make her happy.
I put my own hand on top of hers. “I can and I will,” I assured her. Then I turned back to Berry. “Do you know what collateral is?” I asked.
She shook her head.
“Collateral is something you give someone as part of a promise you make to them.” I took a breath, sent a mental thank-you to my sister, and removed the ring she had made for me. “This ring is very special to me, and I would like it back when I return Miss Evie to you.” I handed her the woven circle. It was too big for her finger, of course. I glanced at the ribbon in her sister’s hair and asked, “May I?”
Berry’s sister looked at me quizzically, but stood still as I removed the ribbon barely holding back her silky locks. Once again, I couldn’t help myself; I ran my fingers through her hair to fan it over her shoulders. I then took the ribbon, ran the ring through it, and fashioned it into a simple necklace, which I placed around Berry’s neck. “There. That ring has kept me safe for many years and now it will do the same for you. You keep it and when next we meet, I will take it back.”
Her sister looked at me and frowned. Had I been able to read her mind, she would no doubt have been thinking, How can you make such a reckless promise? A moment later I was thinking the same thing, but there was no time to reconsider because Sergeant Pettigrew drew up with the wagon for disabled passengers. I busied myself hefting the young woman’s traveling bag into the back, but when I tried to pick up her aunt’s, it was far heavier than I’d anticipated. “What’s in this?” I joked. “The kitchen sink?”
The young woman gave her aunt a severe look and bent down to open the bag. Inside was a jumble of broken ceramic figurines. “Aunt Marget, you didn’t pack any clothes?” she cried.
Her aunt raised her head imperiously and looked away. “I did what I could,” she sniffed.
I asked with my eyes if the young woman wanted me to toss the heavy bag into the back with hers. She shook her head. Instead, she picked up two small baskets and shyly handed one to me. Then she took her aunt’s arm and helped her over to the wagon, where Sergeant Pettigrew and the grunt helped both ladies climb aboard. I picked up Berry, who was still clutching her necklace, and carried her over to the conveyance.
“It will keep us safe?” she asked in a small voice.
I recalled what my sister had said. “Yes, it’s magic.”
“And you will bring Miss Evie back to me?”
I swallowed. I was on the fence about miracles, and felt this would be a grand time for God to produce one. “Yes,” I said in a firm voice. “It’s a promise.”
As I placed Berry next to her sister, the little girl threw her arms around me in sudden fervor. “Thank you, Soldier Ben,” she whispered. I was nearly reduced to tears.
“Carry on, corporal,” Sergeant Pettigrew said to me as he slapped the horses’ reins. It wasn’t until they had almost reached the intersection with Post Street that it occurred to me what an idiot I was. I ran after the wagon, trying to keep the contents of the basket from falling out.
“Thank you for this!” I cried. “What is your name?”
“You’re welcome. And it’s Charlie!” Her voice faded as the wagon drove out of sight.
About Author A.B. Michaels.. 
A native of California, A.B. Michaels holds masters’ degrees in history (UCLA) and broadcasting (San Francisco State University). After working for many years as a promotional writer and editor, she decided to try her hand at writing the kinds of stories she loves to read. Her award-winning, multi-generational series, “Sinner’s Grove,” follows different generations of men and women associated with a world-famous artists’ retreat on the northern California coast. Some of the stories, such as The Art of Love, The Depth of Beauty and The Promise, focus on the generation of the retreat’s founders. The contemporary romantic suspense novels, Sinner’s Grove and The Lair, take up the story in the present day. Each novel stands alone, but read together form a far-reaching saga of action, intrigue and intense emotion.
When she’s not writing, A.B. and her husband love to travel, play bocce and cater to their four-legged “sons,” who don’t seem to realize they’re just dogs. They live in beautiful Boise, Idaho.
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Links to A.B.’s Website, Books, & Social Media:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ghyRbl
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/ Promise-Story-Quake-B- Michaels/dp/099150898X
Website: www.abmichaels.com
Twitter: @ABMichaelsBooks
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/abmichaelsbooks
I hope you enjoy the recipe A.B. is sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 288 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.
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A Fun Holiday Pie Crust
Charlotte (Charlie) Lindemann, the heroine of The Promise, works in her family’s bakery, and sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls are two of her most mouthwatering creations. Sourdough, which became popular during the California and Klondike gold rushes, gets its unique, tangy flavor from the living yeast that’s added to every recipe to make the bread rise. You can purchase sourdough starter online, or you can make it yourself. If you’re lucky, like me, you can also get some from a friend who’s willing to pass it on, and after a while, you too can share your starter with others. At the end of The Promise, I include directions on how to maintain your starter and make incredible sourdough bread from it. But for those of you who don’t want to go to that trouble around the holidays, here’s a quick recipe I found that makes a lovely change from traditional pie crust:
Why not combine cinnamon rolls into a pie crust? I tried it and it’s delicious! The following recipe from Purewow.com uses the shortcut of a store-bought pie crust dough, but you can also make the dough from sourdough starter (check this page at culturesforhealth.com to try it: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/sour...)
CINNAMON PIE CRUST
[One 9-inch Pie Crust]
For one 9 inch pie crust, you’ll need:
1 package pie crust (or homemade dough)
4 T butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
Directions:
On a floured surface, roll out the crust into a rectangle about ½ inch thick.
In a small bowl, mix the butter with the sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Spread the mixture over the entire crust.
Roll it up and slice into ½ inch rounds (basically you’re making cinnamon rolls).
Roll each piece into a 1/4 inch round and press the rounds into the pie plate. Make sure you overlap and press them to seal the entire surface of the plate. Use a little water to “glue them” if they aren’t cooperating.
Trim excess, poke holes with tines of a fork and chill the crust well before filling and baking with your favorite pie filling, like apple or pumpkin. Yum and a half!
~~~
Thanks, A.B., for sharing your story and recipe with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this collection of stories!
December 7, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Raphael’s Fling (The Darcy Brothers) by Alix Nichols
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!
~~
RAPHAEL’S FLING
The Darcy Brothers
By ALIX NICHOLS
Blurb
My name is Mia Stoll and I dream about publishing a monograph on medieval Paris. Problem is, I’m better qualified for writing a handbook on how to go from a budding scholar to a pregnant runaway in three easy steps.
– – –
My sister Eva carries a torch for the wrong man. Here’s the gist of my sermons to her: “Drooling over your hunky astronaut boss is a loser’s trek to Calamity with three stops along the way: Heartbreak, Job Loss, and Spinsterhood.”
The thing is, I’m in a terrible—you could even say impossible—position to lecture Eva.
I’m attracted to my own boss.
Raphael d’Arcy is funny, smart, and uber-rich. He’s also smoking hot. That alone should have scared me away, were I not such a dolt, my academic achievements notwithstanding.
But there’s more.
Raphael is France’s most notorious playboy who doesn’t do relationships. He does one-night stands. If sufficiently intrigued, he might do a fling. Which is the most I could ever hope to have with him—a short-lived fling.
So what, right? It’s not the end of the world.
But consider this: Getting my heart broken by Raphael d’Arcy is the least of my worries. Some very serious merde has been piling up in my life lately.
And it’s about to hit the fan.
RAPHAEL’S FLING is a sexy standalone romantic comedy. No cliffhangers. GUARANTEED: a swoony bad-boy hero, laugh-out-loud moments and a happily-ever-after.
RAPHAEL’S FLING
The Darcy Brothers
By ALIX NICHOLS
Excerpt
How did I come to this?
I sigh, smooth my clothes one last time, and head for the cream leather-padded door.
“Mia, wait!” Raphael calls after me.
I halt and turn around.
He opens his chiseled mouth as if to say something, then shuts it, and gives me a tight smile. The smile of a person having second thoughts on the advisability of what he was going to say.
Well, I’m not waiting around for the result of his inner deliberation.
There are two bulky reports on my desk and a few dozen emails I need to go through before I can leave tonight. Ergo, time is of the essence. Ergo, I resume my hike across Raphael’s vast office until I reach the door. It unlocks smoothly and without a sound, bless its high-tech heart. A sneak peek into the hall to check if the coast is clear, and I slip away without saying good-bye to Raphael or Anne-Marie, his faithful PA.
Just like a lawbreaker.
Well, maybe not a lawbreaker, but definitely a reoffending violator of the Workplace Code of Honor. In particular, of Rule #1 which says: “Workers shall not have sexual intercourse with their hierarchical superiors, inferiors, or posteriors.”
While there’s some controversy over the exact meaning of “inferiors” and “posteriors,” everyone knows that a “superior” is more than just your immediate boss. The concept also covers your boss’s boss, your boss’s boss’s boss’s boss and the Boss of Them All, the CEO.
It’s a very sensible provision, by the way, and one which I totally approve of and adhere to.
As I rush down the hallway, my heels clicking on the marble floor, I realize I should’ve put my observation in the past tense. As in “I used to adhere to.”
Having repeatedly broken the Code’s first rule since March makes me a rogue and a hypocrite of the worst kind.
How did I fall so low?
Here’s a clue: it’s Rudolph the Reindeer’s fault.
God knows, I hadn’t planned on this when I landed the world’s most unexceptional job as assistant to the daily bulletin editor at DCA Paris. DCA stands for “D’Arcy Consulting and Audit.” Yup, the “d’Arcy” that’s sandwiched between “Raphael” and the rest of his fancy name on my lover’s official letterhead paper.
Having sexual intercourse with Raphael d’Arcy du Grand-Thouars de Saint-Maurice, a gentleman and a libertine, was the last thing on my mind when I started at DCA. In fact, it was nowhere near my mind.
Despite my murky past, that’s not who I am. Nor does my life need more complications right now.
Trust me.
Pauline Cordier’s familiar silhouette takes shape at the end of the hallway just as I reach the elevator and push the button. My heart skips a beat. If my direct supervisor sees me on this floor, she’ll assume one of the following two things: A. My presence here is work-related, meaning I’m going over her head; B. My presence here has nothing to do with work, meaning I’m sleeping with one of the senior managers.
Needless to say, both alternatives are equally conducive to me getting sidelined, ostracized, and ultimately fired.
I take a deep breath and give the approaching figure a furtive glance.
It isn’t Pauline.
The woman doesn’t even look like her at this distance.
Phew.
You may not believe me, but I wasn’t sure what Raphael d’Arcy looked like when DCA hired me. Having scanned his official bio in preparation for my job interview, I had formed a vague image which boiled down to “young, well-born and well-dressed.” The specifics of the Founding CEO’s background and appearance hadn’t lingered in my mind. I doubt they’d even entered it.
Because they were not important.
All I wanted from Monsieur d’Arcy was a job at his firm that gave me a monthly paycheck to complement the pittance my school calls a scholarship. That way, I could finish my doctoral program without having to sleep under bridges or borrow money.
Parisian bridges can be drafty, you see. And damp. As for the stench courtesy of well-groomed dogs and ill-groomed humans, don’t even get me started! On top of all that, bridges offer no suitable storage space for research notes, photocopies, and books.
In short, they suck as accommodations.
As for the borrowing, my parents taught Eva and me that debt must be avoided at all costs. Their “debt is bad” precept proved stronger than the knowledge that everyone lives on credit in Western societies today.
Except my parents, that is.
Then again, they live in rural Alsace. Life’s a lot cheaper there than in la capitale, so they were able to make it into their fifties without a single loan to cloud their horizon.
My phone rings as I step off the elevator on the second floor, relieved that no one saw me in Top Management’s heavenly quarters. Considering that I’ve been sneaking out like this for two months already, the probability that someone will see me and that it’ll reach Pauline’s ears is growing by the day.
And it freaks me out more than I care to admit.
As I answer the phone, Raphael’s deep, sexy timbre breaks me from my worries.
“You left your panties here,” he says, sounding amused and smug at the same time. In short, his usual self.
“No, I didn’t—”
Oh crap. I did.
“I got five minutes before the managerial,” he says, “so if you want to come back and collect—”
“No!” I look around and lower my voice, “It’s OK. I’m sure I can make it through the afternoon without them.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt that. The question is whether I can make it through the afternoon with the knowledge you’re without them.” He pauses, as if pondering the question and then adds, “And with them in my pocket.”
My stomach flips.
Something achingly—yet delightfully—heavy gathers in my low abdomen, reminding me of what Raphael and I were up to a mere half hour ago. Suddenly, every step I take makes me aware of my pantyless condition. The friction of my skirt’s silky lining against my bare skin makes it prickle. My breathing becomes strained, and my heart thumps in my chest.
As I struggle to calm myself before entering the office I share with two other assistants, I picture myself in Strasbourg in our family physician’s immaculate office.
“What’s my diagnosis, doctor?” I’d ask after he’s examined me.
“Not to worry, mon petit! You’ll live.” He’d push his regular glasses to his forehead and put on his reading glasses. “You have a textbook case of lustium irresistiblum.”
“Please, can you make it go away?”
He’d smile and shake his head, updating my file on his computer. “It’s like a viral cold, mon petit. It’ll clear up on it’s own, eventually.”
And that, my friends, is the second clue to the mystery of how I got here.
It appears I have caught a virulent strain of lustium irresistiblum for lady-killer Raphael d’Arcy. And with my luck, we’ll likely get caught before it clears.
“Got to go,” I whisper into the phone and hang up.
I take a few long breaths to chase my arousal away before I enter the office.
Easier said than done.
The things Raphael says, the things he does to me… They don’t just excite—they break into my brain and muddle it up on a deep, molecular level. Throwing ethical norms against that kind of invasion has been as effective as attempting to shoot down the Death Star with foam darts.
But I’ll keep on trying.
Till the bitter end.
Meet Author Alix Nichols …
Alix Nichols is an unapologetic caffeine addict and a longtime fan of Mr. Darcy, especially in his Colin Firth incarnation. She is a Kindle Scout and Dante Rossetti Award winning author of critically acclaimed romantic comedies.
At the age of six, she released her first rom com. It featured highly creative spelling on a dozen pages stitched together and bound in velvet paper.
Decades later, she still loves the romance genre. Her spelling has improved (somewhat), and her books have made Amazon bestseller lists, climbing as high as #1. She lives in France with her family and their almost-human dog.
For exclusive content, giveaways and special offers, including a bonus book, subscribe to the monthly newsletter on her author website: www.alixnichols.com
~~~
Links to Alix’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://tastybooktours.com/tours-master/2016/10/raphaels-fling-darcy-brothers-2-by-alixhtml
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32027286-raphael-s-fling
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
~~~
Thanks, Alix, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 6, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Broke, Busted, And Disgusted (By The Numbers Series Book 5) by Leeann Betts
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!
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BROKE, BUSTED, AND DISGUSTED
By The Numbers Series, Book 5
By LEEANN BETTS
Blurb
Wherever you find Carly Turnquist, trouble is sure to follow.
At least, that’s what her husband Mike says.
Back in Bear Cove, Carly’s best friend is being courted by a smarmy stranger, and Mike’s latest client is unhappy with him.
When the client turns up dead and Mike is nowhere to be found, the police suspect him, and the video and paperwork they have that shows someone matching Mike’s description maxed out their credit cards and cleaned out their bank accounts is compelling.
But Carly knows her husband couldn’t kill anybody.
Could he?
BROKE, BUSTED, AND DISGUSTED
By The Numbers Series, Book 5
By LEEANN BETTS
Excerpt
Chapter 1
As far as Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, was concerned, the only thing worse than paying bills was filing paperwork.
She paused, the stack of envelopes and fliers she’d just picked up from the post office, in one hand, her coffee in the other.
Nope. She’d changed her mind. There was nothing worse than paying bills.
She tossed the stack onto husband Mike’s desk. He could deal with those when he got home.
She had more important things to do.
Like meet with Mrs. Gloria Markham, her best—and only—true friend—apart from Mike, of course—in Bear Cove. At least, her only friend since the fiascos with the mayor and missing money and mystery companies and bank robberies that never were and a wedding that almost wasn’t.
Carly trudged up the stairs to change her clothes before going out. Although they were meeting for lunch at the café on Main Street, which specialized in casual dining, Mrs. Markham would be dolled up, so she’d better do her part. Something a little nicer than sweats and a t-shirt.
Twenty minutes later, she sported a newer pair of black jeans, a red blouse made of some kind of shiny, satiny material, and a light windbreaker to cut the chill from the onshore breeze blowing in off Bear Cove, the town’s namesake. A spritz of cologne and a comb through her shoulder-length—time to make an appointment with Margaret at Snip ‘n Clip–and she was off, headed down Jamaica Street to Main.
The late September warm spell meant the leaves were late in turning color, which meant fewer tourists. Which didn’t worry Bear Cove in the least.
The town motto was ‘If you don’t live here, don’t come here’. And much time and effort had been invested to avoid allowing the downtown area to evolve into a trendy tourist trap. Bear Cove was one of those few towns still in more or less its original shape, with the business district comprised of a bank, a pharmacist, the combination hair salon/barber shop, a diner, Jacob Roy’s garage, and a ladies dress shop. But that didn’t mean the town was left to disintegrate. New awnings, planters, and paint attempted to recreate the original ambience of the 1880’s, the town’s heyday.
Carly rounded Main Street and pulled the collar of her jacket close with one hand, the other jammed into her pocket. The wind, which had shifted to onshore late last night and brought with it a bank of fog like pea soup and the distinct but dank odors of rotting seaweed, salt water, and diesel fumes, bit her cheeks. With the sunrise and warming air, the fog had burned off, leaving the town feeling fresh and clean. Old Jacob Roy said a good fog was as cleaning as a hard rain and caused a lot less damage.
Perhaps his old adage was right.
Meet Author Leeann Betts …
Leeann Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, pens historical suspense. She has released four titles in her By the Numbers series, with Broke, Busted, and Disgusted releasing November 2016. In addition, Leeann has written a devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, Counting the Days, and with her real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, has published a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, a compilation of essays, articles, and exercises on the craft. She publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and writers.
~~~
Links to Leeann’s website, blog, books, etc.
Leeann publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and writers. You can subscribe at www.LeeannBetts.com or follow her at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2h3v3aZ
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6
Books: http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Leeann is giving away a print (US Only) or ebook copy (Winner’s choice) of BROKE, BUSTED, AND DISGUSTED to one lucky reader who comments on her Author Peek Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Good luck!
Thanks, Leeann, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 5, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Someone Like You (Oxford #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!
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SOMEONE LIKE YOU
Oxford #3
By LAUREN LAYNE
Blurb
Lauren Layne’s bestselling Oxford Series continues with the poignant, heartwarming story of New York’s most eligible bachelor, Lincoln Mathis, a man who’s living a lie—until his dream woman takes away the pain.
Lincoln Mathis doesn’t hide his reputation as Manhattan’s ultimate playboy. In fact, he cultivates it. But behind every flirtatious smile, each provocative quip, there’s a secret that Lincoln’s hiding from even his closest friends—a tragedy from his past that holds his heart quietly captive. Lincoln knows what he wants: someone like Daisy Sinclair, the sassy, off-limits bridesmaid he can’t take his eyes off at his best friend’s wedding. He also knows that she’s everything he can never have.
After a devastating divorce, Daisy doesn’t need anyone to warn her off the charming best man at her sister’s wedding. One look at the breathtakingly hot Lincoln Mathis and she knows that he’s exactly the type of man she should avoid. But when Daisy stumbles upon Lincoln’s secret, she realizes there’s more to the charming playboy than meets the eye. And suddenly Daisy and Lincoln find their lives helplessly entwined in a journey that will either heal their damaged souls . . . or destroy them forever.
Advance praise for Someone Like You
“Fun and flirty, sassy and steamy, with a deep emotional pull that will keep you turning the pages.”—Kelly Jamieson, author of Top Shelf
“An unsung hero with a story that touched my heart. Emotional and gripping. A top favorite of 2016 for me.”—New York Times bestselling author Melanie Moreland
SOMEONE LIKE YOU
Oxford #3
By LAUREN LAYNE
Excerpt
“Lincoln, you know that I love you like a brother, but if you make a move on my sister, I will end you.”
Lincoln Mathis took a slow sip of his cocktail as he studied the fierce bride-to-be. “I hope Cassidy knows how lucky he is. You’re so delicate and gentle.”
Emma Sinclair, soon to be Emma Cassidy as of this time tomorrow, lifted one elegantly manicured fingernail and flicked his chest. “Promise, Lincoln. No hitting on Daisy.”
“I don’t hit on women.”
Emma gave him a look.
He held up his free hand in surrender. “I don’t. They come to me. I’m like the stamen.”
Emma stared at him with wide, slightly accusatory brown eyes. “The what?”
“The stamen. The pollen-producing part of a flower, Sinclair. Don’t you watch the Discovery Channel? Animal Planet? I just saw a fascinating documentary on bees. See, when the bees land on a flower, their little feet pick up pollen from the stamen— “
“Mathis. Are you talking to my fiancée about semen?” Alex Cassidy asked, coming up beside Emma and setting a possessive hand on her waist.
“Stamen,” Lincoln clarified. “Not semen. Honestly, is sex all you people think about?”
“Yes.” This came from Riley Compton, a brunette bombshell whose status as New York’s foremost “sexpert” meant she had zero qualms about discussing sex at her best friend’s rehearsal dinner. “And you know, actually, the stamen is rather sexual. I saw that bee documentary too, because these are the sort of things you do when you’re nursing a never-satisfied baby, by the way, and the stamen is a flower’s male reproductive organ. Sexy, right?”
Emma inserted the arm not holding her champagne flute between the two of them. “Guys, it’s my wedding weekend. Can we not talk about flower boners?”
“Fair enough, Bride,” Lincoln said. “What do you want to talk about? Cassidy’s boner?”
Alex Cassidy choked into his champagne.
“There will be no boner discussion,” Emma said. “Lincoln and I were just having a chat about how Lincoln will be maintaining his distance from my sister.”
“Speaking of flowers, where is Daisy?” Riley asked, scanning the room.
“Running late. Knowing my sister, her dress had a slight crease from the suitcase, and she won’t make an appearance until every wrinkle’s banished, every hair’s in place, and there’s not a speck of lint anywhere.”
“Gosh, however will I keep my hands to myself?” Lincoln muttered.
“Lincoln, I swear to God—”
“He’s messing with you, Em,” Cassidy said, carefully tugging his fiancée away from Lincoln. “Don’t let him press your buttons. And Lincoln, man, what is with that drink?”
Lincoln glanced down. “It’s called a Jasmine. Gin, lemon, some Campari—”
“It’s pink,” Cassidy observed.
“Right? You want one?”
Cassidy rolled his eyes. “I’ll stick with wine, thanks. Ah shit, there’s my grandma waving us over. Emma, you up for talk about the state of your uterus?”
Emma groaned. “Oh no. I thought she’d agreed to wait until after the wedding to talk about my eggs.”
“I’ll go with you,” Riley said. “As the only one in our little group of friends who’s ever pushed a human skull out my—”
“Okay, I’m going to expand my taboo list,” Emma said. “No talking about boners, flowers, or vaginas.”
“Fine,” Riley said, as she entwined her arm in Emma’s and started leading her toward Cassidy’s grandma. “But if Grams starts talking about fertility, just follow my lead . . . ”
Lincoln smiled as he watched his friends walk away. He could follow, certainly, help run interference, but new mom Riley was a far better choice for this particular bridal-party duty.
Besides, as best man, Lincoln had enough to worry about. The ring, reconfirming transportation to the church tomorrow, the speech that he was going to slay tomorrow, the—
Lincoln’s best man to-do list scattered as his eyes landed on a woman standing in the doorway to the private event room. He did a double take. When had Emma found time to change? Generally speaking, he didn’t consider himself particularly in tune with his friends’ clothes. Especially the women, because, well . . . he didn’t really give a crap. But he was pretty damn sure Emma had been wearing a white dress just ten seconds ago.
Now she was wearing a short yellow dress, with fussy, flowy sleeves, high-necked and a bit demure—
No, not demure, Lincoln amended as she turned. Hot. The dress was backless, showing a smooth expanse of lightly tanned skin from the small of her back all the way up to long dark blond hair.
. . . Blond hair.
Emma had shoulder-length brown hair. A wardrobe swap, he might be able to buy, but the hair?
You idiot.
He was looking at none other than Daisy Sinclair, the forbidden fruit, in the flesh.
He’d forgotten that Daisy wasn’t just Emma’s sister—she was Emma’s identical twin.
Other than the fact that she was, apparently, not to be hit on, Lincoln didn’t know much about her.
Well, he supposed he now knew that she dyed her hair blond.
Or maybe Emma dyed hers brown?
Whatever. Girl stuff he didn’t care about one way or the other.
And yet he didn’t look away, captivated somehow. He racked his brain for everything he’d heard about Daisy Sinclair.
He knew that she and Emma had grown up in North Carolina. But Emma left for New York City shortly after college, and Daisy had stayed. He thought he remembered talk of a recent divorce, although he didn’t recall the details.
Didn’t need to, really. Lincoln knew better than anyone that not all relationships had happy endings.
Lincoln watched as Daisy hesitated just inside the doorway, unnoticed yet by the rest of the bridal party and out-of-town guests.
Making people comfortable was a particular skill of his. Normally he’d be over there in a heartbeat with a glass of wine and some of his best banter until her shoulders relaxed and he’d coaxed a smile from her pretty face.
But he wasn’t entirely convinced Emma wouldn’t make good on her castration threats, so instead Lincoln merely studied Daisy. The woman was beautiful. No surprise there, since Emma was gorgeous. Yet, though their features were identical, they were attractive in entirely different ways.
Emma was all polished confidence, stunning in an untouchable sort of way.
Daisy was softer somehow. Gentler. She seemed . . . touchable.
Lincoln’s cocktail froze on its way to his mouth as the forbidden rocked him back on his heels. Daisy Sinclair was not for him to touch for reasons that had nothing to do with Emma’s threats.
As though sensing a man’s brooding thoughts on her, Daisy turned slightly, her eyes locking on his. Eyes that he’d known would be dark brown like Emma’s, and yet eye contact with Emma had never felt like this.
Lincoln felt something akin to panic, because for a heart-stopping moment, it felt like Daisy Sinclair was seeing him. Not seeing the Lincoln he wanted everyone to see.
The real him.
He gave himself a little mental shake. Get it together, Mathis. The woman doesn’t even know you.
None of them did.
Not really.
He saw the moment of answering shock in her own gaze, sensed that for a split second, she considered turning and running. From him, from the party, all of it.
Then he saw something else. Something familiar, because he’d done it a thousand times himself. She squared her shoulders, and he watched as a mask slid into place.
He knew even before she approached that Daisy was exactly like him—good at being around people only because she chose to be. Knew that perhaps once it had been second nature, and now it was nothing but a deliberate attempt to make sure everyone thought she was okay.
Daisy began making her way toward him, and he tensed for reasons he couldn’t identify before ordering himself to chill out.
It was just his friend’s sister. The maid of honor to his best man.
She stopped in front of him, and he caught just the faintest whiff of her perfume, a surprisingly elegant scent for someone named Daisy, before she extended her hand.
“You must be Lincoln Mathis, The Manwhore of Whom I Should Beware?”
Her voice was a surprise. It had the same low huskiness as her sister’s, but years in New York had all but erased the Southern from Emma’s whiskey-raspy voice. Daisy’s drawl was very much intact—a mint julep on a hot day.
He grinned and took her smaller hand in his. “Which would make you Daisy Sinclair, Delicate Flower to Whom I’m Not to Speak.”
She grinned. “Nailed it.”
Meet Author Lauren Layne …
Once upon a time, a young girl was born into an average, working class family. The wee little girl, convinced she was not an average child but was, in fact, a fairy princess, longed to leave the mundane world behind and live her dreams. She grew up, went to school, and when she’d grown too big to wear tutus and tiaras in public without drawing unwanted attention, turned to writing down her fantasies instead.
Now a bit older, her fantasies have grown to include sexually dominant men who know how to ensure a woman’s pleasure. Grace believes all women should be treated like princesses, in the bedroom and out of it, and writes love stories where men know how to make their women feel pampered, protected and very well taken care of.
She currently spends her days writing, and her nights in the arms of her very own Prince.
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Links to Lauren’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Blast:
http://tastybooktours.com/tours-master/2016/10/someone-like-you-oxford-3-by-laurenhtml
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26117436-someone-like-you
Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/149063-oxford
Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram
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Thanks, Lauren, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
December 4, 2016
**Author Peek** Interview with Leeann Betts ~ Broke, Busted, And Disgusted
**Author Peek** Interview with
LEEANN BETTS!
INTRODUCING…Leeann.
Before we get started talking about your writing, tell us a little about yourself, where you’re from, what you do for a living (if you’re not a full – time writer) what hobbies you have, etc. Whatever you’d like to share to introduce yourself.
Like every good story, I am borne of some fact and some fiction. I am the alter-ego of real life author Donna Schlachter. I was invented so she could publish books that appear closer to the first shelf in the library. She says I am cute, perky, and all the things she isn’t, but in reality—she’s totally telling the truth. I enjoy reading, watching old TV series on DVD, and dreaming of living somewhere warm.
1. How did you get started writing?
I love to read, and I always wondered if I had at least one book in me. So I wrote my first book during NaNoWriMo in 2002. And it was trash! So I re-wrote it several times, learning as I went, until it felt ready.
2. What appeals to you about the genre that you write?
I am very justice-minded, in that I want the good guys to win and the bad guys to get what’s coming to them. So writing mysteries fills that need for me.
3. What is your favorite part of writing?
I like to develop the synopsis, come up with answers to the What If? Questions. Writing is my second-favorite part of the process, and editing and marketing are least.
4. If you had to give up writing and do something else, what would you do instead?
Something where I could share the stories in my head – maybe I’d become a politician.
5. What’s your favorite meal of the day?
I love dinner. I could eat dinner for breakfast.
6. Which are your favorite characters to write, the female characters or the male characters? The heroes and heroines, or the villains?
I like to write male villains. I don’t know where the nastiness, the psychotic thinking, and the violence comes from. Something I keep submerged, I guess.
7. Are you an avid reader? When you do read someone else’s writing, what is your favorite genre?
I love to read, but I don’t get a lot of time, so instead I watch DVD’s for entertainment. Back to back to back series. I once watched the 14 seasons of Murder She Wrote over a two-month span. By the time I finished, I was ready to start again, but my husband threatened to toss the television out if I did.
8. Many writers dream of having the ideal location to write. If you could live anywhere in the world or live a particular lifestyle, where would you be answering these questions right now?
Somewhere temperate all year long, so I could write from my sun room, or my gazebo. Maybe somewhere like Kingman, Arizona, out in the open with plenty of land.
9. If you were a color, what color would you be and why?
I would be green. I love the color, the shades, and how it mixes and matches with so many other colors. So one day I’d be lime green, another day olive green, another day forest green. And once in a while, peppermint.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
Broke, Busted, and Disgusted came out the end of November. It’s the fifth in the By the Numbers mystery series featuring Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant. In this one, husband Mike disappears along with all their money right after his latest client is murdered. Carly must not only prove him innocent, but also find the killer—and their money.
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Be sure to come back to learn more about Leeann and her novel, BROKE, BUSTED, AND DISGUSTED, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog.
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Links to Leeann’s website, blog, books, etc.
Leeann publishes a free quarterly newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of interest to readers and writers. You can subscribe at www.LeeannBetts.com or follow her at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2h3v3aZ
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1pQSOqV
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1qmqvB6
Books: http://amzn.to/2dHfgCE
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**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Leeann is giving away a print (US Only) or ebook copy (Winner’s choice) of BROKE, BUSTED, AND DISGUSTED to one lucky reader who comments on her Author Peek Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Good luck!
Thanks, Leeann, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
