Karen Docter's Blog, page 204
September 12, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Water Bearer (Southern Skies Collection Book 1) by Wendi Christner
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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WATER BEARER
Southern Skies Collection Book 1
BY WENDI CHRISTNER
Blurb
One last summer together forever changes the lives of best friends in a small Southern community. These unforgettable characters and their moving story linger long beyond the final page.
WATER BEARER
Southern Skies Collection Book 1
BY WENDI CHRISTNER
Excerpt
“You want to do anything this summer before you leave?” Jared leaned back against the faded red vinyl of their booth at the Tastee-Freeze.
Across from him, Cassidy swirled the straw in her double cherry Coke. “Not that I can think of.”
“Come on. We’ve got to do something.” His calves grazed hers beneath the table. Warmth crept into her stomach, and sadness weighed on her chest. She was going to miss him, and every day she was beginning to realize a little more just how much.
“Maybe we can float around in space for a while so I won’t feel so small when I get to Tampa.”
“Willetta’s probably got an herb for that.” He stretched both arms along the back of the booth and dodged the sugar packet she tossed at him.
“You’re going to be fine,” he said. “Trust me, if the city swallowed you up, it’d spit you out pretty quick.” His knees settled on either side of hers and held her tight. “You don’t have to go, you know. We’ve got colleges close to here.”
The door to the Tastee-Freeze swung open, and after a loud hello to Cecil at the grill and Delores behind the cash register, Dusty Miller made his way to their booth. He grinned at Jared and slid in next to Cassidy. “Hey, we still on for Friday?”
Cassidy glanced at Jared. “Sure.”
“Don’t worry about him.” Dusty reached for her glass. “I’m sure Jared’s got some old lady to take care of.” He laughed at his own joke and downed half her Coke. “You don’t mind if I borrow Cassie for a night do you, buddy?” Dusty gave Cassidy a smile and handed her what was left of her drink. “Got to get back to work. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
He grabbed a couple of to-go bags off the counter, tossed some bills down in front of Delores, and waved at Cecil.
Even the muscles in Jared’s face strained as he watched Dusty leave. He turned back and caught Cassidy staring at him. She wrapped both of her legs around one of his and rocked it from side to side. “You really are jealous!”
“You can do a hell of a lot better than him.”
“Like who?”
“Me.”
Cassidy put her finger over the top of her straw, lifted it out of the glass and released the Coke into her mouth.
Jared stood up. “You ready? I need to get back.”
She followed him out to the truck. “Did you mean that, or are you just trying to keep me from going out with Dusty?”
He held the door while she climbed in. “Go out with him if you want to. Just try not to make a habit of it.”
“I won’t be here long enough to make a habit out of anything.”
He caught her knees before she turned around. The look in his eyes squeezed her heart and made her temperature climb. He had meant it.
“Do you really have to go?” he asked. “Have you even looked into the programs Florida State’s offering at the Panama campus?”
She draped her arms over his shoulders and studied his face, like she didn’t already know it by heart. The ache of missing him would carve a crater in her soul, but she couldn’t let that change her plans.
Jared knew her better than anybody, but he didn’t understand how badly she needed to get out of Caton County. He had no idea how it felt to wake up every morning and face the worst mistake you ever made over and over again.
She leaned in to rest her cheek against his neck. “Come with me.”
He hugged her, and she wondered if he could feel the way it made her heart pound to be close to him or if he had any clue what he’d been doing to her lately.
Meet Author Wendi Christner
… 
Wendi Christner is the author of Writer’s Digest Short-Short Story Competition winner “Throwing Stones,” a fairy self-help book, and several novels written under various pseudonyms. Her gritty, emotional stories tend to have a Southern voice born of her roots in the Florida panhandle. She currently lives in Tampa with her husband, son, and their fur family.
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Links to Wendi’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: https://goo.gl/4863fA
Website: http://www.WendiChristner.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WendiChristnerAuthor
Twitter/Instagram @WendiDarlin
Thank you, Wendi, for sharing your story with us. Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
September 11, 2016
**Author Peek** Interview with Debra Salonen
**Author Peek** Interview with
DEBRA SALONEN!
INTRODUCING…Debra.
Before we get started talking, can I just say, “Thank you, Karen, for being so supportive of other authors. Your fun, enthusiastic, creative blogs are a great introduction to readers.”
So, it’s all about me, is it? Here goes…
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. My first rough draft was in crayon on the underside of my mother’s coffee table. She wasn’t as impressed as I thought she should be.
Before I made my first sale to a romance publisher in 1999, I was a feature writer for a newspaper. I started as a stringer and worked my way into a full-time position by taking people on first-person travel adventures…hiking Half Dome, exploring Bermuda, rappelling in Moaning Caverns…I still have people who recall these pieces fondly. But being required to write facts, not fiction, every day of the week takes a toll on a storyteller’s soul. With my first published book under my belt, I never returned to the newsroom.
I now consider myself a hybrid author. I’m super busy self-publishing my reverted “backlist” books and writing my new “front list” books for Tule Publishing Group. I feel very fortunate to be able to make a living doing something I love.
1. What genre(s) do you write and why?
Contemporary romance and that encompasses: real people living their lives, juggling reality and doing the best they can WHILE they chase down their Happily-Ever-After. Why? It’s my favorite genre to read. I never tire of the redemptive quality of love.
2. If you were to choose one superpower, what would it be?
Call me: Positive-Thinking Girl. I would love, love, love to ZAP negativity at twenty paces (or on social media). Remember that old saying your mama preached? “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” I’d have that emblazoned on my super cool, midnight blue cape.
3. Do you ever get stuck when you’re writing a book? What do you do to get “unstuck”?
Doesn’t everybody get stuck on occasion? To me, that’s a clear sign I missed something or I’m going in the wrong direction. I back up, re-read what landed me in the stuck place, and then ask my characters for help. Sometimes, a little backstory will get me going on the right path again.
4. What is your least favorite part of writing?
Promotion. There, I’ve admitted it. My fave bumper-sticker: I’d rather be writing.
5.
If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?
We grill year-round in my part of California. One of our favorite treats is rare ahi tuna seared on a super hot cast iron skillet (outdoor grill kind of hot), served with grilled romaine, coconut rice and a crisp Pinot Grigio. For dessert, I like to melt a dark-chocolate-with-chopped-almonds-and-sea-salt candy bar with a little cream and pour over vanilla ice cream.
6. What is your typical day like?
A great day is: 6 A.M. yoga, 3-4 hours on my WIP (work-in-progress) with my timer set for 25-minute increments so I remember to get out of my chair to stretch, dance or do sit-ups. A lunchtime jog/walk with my dog, then 2-3 hours of some other writing project (revisions, promo, blogs, etc.) followed by granddaughter time, hubby time, cooking and eating, then either reading or streaming something to avoid commercials. Currently watching: “The Killing” on Netflix.
7. What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why?
I’m a born peacemaker. I hate conflict. So, to create mayhem and discord in my characters’ lives is a real challenge. And, honestly sometimes I don’t know what their REAL conflict is until I hit the ah-ha moment. Thank goodness for revisions—and understanding editors!
8. A penguin walks into your office, right now, wearing a sombrero. What does he say to you and why is he here?
“Hola, chica. Donde está las margaritas?” He’s fresh. I can tell he’s flirting with me. Of course, being a good hostess, I lead the way to the pool, which unfortunately is an above ground variety. (Too many oak tree roots to risk.) Penguins are not as light as they look. They’re slippery suckers, too. Especially after a couple of margaritas.
Congratulations Weeks 08-22-16, 08-29-16 & 09-05-16 Giveaway Winners!!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
08-22-16, 08-29-16 & 09-05-16
BLOG GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
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Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Kenna McKinnon…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Kenna is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky reader who comments on her **Author Peek** or Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs. Thank you, Kenna, for sharing your story with us.
WINNER: HELEN DRAKE!!
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Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Judith Hudson… 
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Judith is giving away the 100-page prequel to the Fortune Bay Series FREE on Amazon, nook, kobo and iTunes store to every reader who stops by Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog. Thank you, Judith, for sharing your story with us.
WINNERS: EVERYONE!!
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Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Shawn McGuire…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Shawn is giving away an e-book copy of ONE OF HER OWN to one lucky reader who comments on her **Author Peek** or Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs. Thank you, Shawn, for sharing your book with us.
WINNER: ROBIN DRISCOLL!!
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Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Karen Docter…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: I’m giving away a print (U.S. Only) or e-book copy of SATIN PLEASURES to one lucky reader who comments on this Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog. Thanks, everyone, for stopping by my blog.
WINNER: CAROL DAIGLE!!
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Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Nancy Cole Silverman..
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Nancy is giving away a signed copy of WITHOUT A DOUBT to one lucky reader who comments on her **Author Peek** Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Thank you, Nancy, for sharing your story with us.
WINNER: MARIA BRADEEN!
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Karen’s Killer Book Bench with K.L. Docter…
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: I’m giving away one digital copy of KILLING SECRETS to one lucky reader who comments on this Killer Book Bench blog. Thank you, everyone, for stopping by to comment!
WINNER: LORI!
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Don’t miss the SEASON OF THRILLS BOX SET for only $.99
!!
Five (5) full-length suspense/mystery/ thriller novels by Award-winning and Bestselling Authors JERRIE ALEXANDER, KIM CRESSWELL, K.L. DOCTER, RACHEL KENT and MARIAN LANOUETTE!! Thrills are always in season!!
Get your copy HERE:
Amazon –
Season of Thrills Box Set: 5 Mystery/Suspense/Thriller Novels by Bestselling Authors
KOBO – bit.ly/1VJAw3R
iTunes – apple.co/1huLmNC
B&N – bit.ly/1NvGZjL
chapters.indigo – bit.ly/1LmlQ9y
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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!
September 8, 2016
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Minutemen Macaroons
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 MINUTEMEN MACAROONS!
I’ve always loved Mounds (and Almond Joy) candy bars so it’s only fitting I also have a wonderful coconut cookie recipe. Making these cookies is a breeze and the end result is scrumptious! Add chocolate and/or almonds and you can recreate the candy bar flavors. A three-in-one cookie recipe!
I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 276 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.
MINUTEMEN MACAROONS
[Makes 30]
2-2/3 cups (about) flaked coconut
2/3 cups sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Combine coconut, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Drop from teaspoon, 1 inch apart, onto well-greased baking sheet. Bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove at once from sheets.
NOTE: Add 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips to make Mounds Cookies. Add 2/3 cup chopped lightly salted almonds to make Almond Joy Cookies.
Happy Eating!
September 7, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Back to School Daze **SALE** ~ Final Week, Bestselling Romantic Suspense by K.L. Docter
Back to School Daze
SALE*SALE*SALE*
Final Week
If you’ve put KILLING SECRETS, Thorne’s Thorns Series Book 1, by K.L. Docter on your wish list, now is the time to get your digital copy with the brand new cover for only $2.99!! That’s $2 off for a limited time. SALE ENDS SEPTEMBER 15, 2016!!
KILLING SECRETS
Thorne’s Thorns Series, Book 1
BY K.L. DOCTER
Blurb
Some secrets are better left dead.
Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her little girl — the child is his key to controlling the James fortune. Frightened, Rachel flees to Denver with the child who hasn’t uttered a word since her daddy went to prison.
Contractor Patrick Thorne wants nothing to do with another of his parents’ charity cases. He failed his own wife so abysmally she took her own life as well as his unborn son’s. After two years, it’s time to concentrate on the bid he’s won and the saboteur trying to destroy his construction firm.
There is no room for trust in either of their hearts. But trust is all that will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a little girl of her silent prison, and save them all from a serial killer who stands too close.
What reviewers are saying…
“The first sentence, in the villain’s point of view, sent chills up my spine, and I was hooked. 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.” ~ Bernadette Cychner, RT Book Reviews
“This is my first book by K.L. Docter, but it certainly won’t be the last. Suspense at every turn!” ~ Amazon Reader
“I have to say this book has me teetering on changing my favorite genre, it as that good.” ~ Amazon Reader
“Fantastic Thriller You Won’t Want to Put Down!” ~ Amazon Reader
KILLING SECRETS
Thorne’s Thorns Series, Book 1
BY K.L. DOCTER
EXCERPT
Four weeks…
Two days…
Sixteen hours….
…‘Til death.
The first time he laid eyes on her, he stood on the threshold of a doorway he dare not cross. He fell into her fathomless dark gaze, unable, unwilling to shake his soul free and, in that one moment, he knew.
She was meant for him to love.
Untouched by the sordid life that flourished around her, she was sunlight in a gray existence. A smile in a dingy room. A joy such as he’d never known. She was a gift from a cold, unforgiving God. Forever innocent.
Why God would give him such a precious angel, he didn’t know. But he suddenly knew what he was willing to die for. What he’d kill for.
In that instant of clarity the monster that lurked in the dark recesses of his mind was freed. A creature designed to kill. To live and die. Over and over again. Until his angel ascended once more to her place in Heaven at God’s feet where he couldn’t reach her.
‘Til death parted them, she was his and his alone.
Certain she’d been lost to him, the shock of spotting her again in LoDo, a lower downtown section of Denver, nearly brought him to his knees. His brain tried to tell him he was mistaken. She had more curves than he remembered. Her hairstyle and clothes were different.
The others were different, too.
He shook his head against the monster’s treacherous whisper. He refused to listen. Couldn’t listen. His angel smiled at him. His soul recognized her. Somehow, some way, his fractious God had been appeased and given him yet another chance.
The past seven days were hell. Watching her. Wanting to take her. Knowing he couldn’t screw up and lose her again. Tonight, his preparations in place, she’d return to his side where she belonged.
Breathing slow and measured through the full-face ski mask he’d bought at a thrift store, he sucked in a lungful of musty stench. In this uncommon late-May heat wave, he was sweating bullets but the wool soaked it up before it could sting his eyes. The itching would drive him insane, though, if she didn’t come home from work soon.
The LoDo sports bar where she waited tables closed almost an hour ago. She couldn’t have gone on a date at two o’clock on a Thursday morning, could she?
Three times he’d entered her ground floor apartment after she’d left for work, and he’d seen no sign she was involved with anyone. No jockey shorts mixed with her panties in the hamper. No extra razor. The food in the refrigerator wasn’t enough to feed a cat, let alone her and a boyfriend, and the only scent on her pillows was floral. The sole message from a male on her answering machine had identified himself as a special research librarian from the Denver Public Library reminding her to pick up the copy of “The Warwick Genealogy” she’d requested.
That doesn’t mean she isn’t still involved with him, the almighty scion of Thorne Enterprises. She’s probably crawling into his bed like a whore right this minute, letting him do things to her, making her scream….
Screams.
Blood.
Death.
“No! Stop!” he whispered. “That was a mistake!”
Was it? The insidious question lashed him from the dark place in his pounding skull.
He rejected the smirking voice, the vivid images. Think of something else. Anything else. Forgetforgetfor—
A car alarm screamed at an outlying parking lot and dragged him out of his fugue. His eyes cleared. The pain behind them eased to a level he’d learned to carry over the years. He took a deep breath to smother his panic.
Soon, he would kill the nightmares forever. Patrick Thorne would die and the secrets with him. But the contractor hadn’t been punished enough yet. Before he finished, he’d ruin Thorne’s reputation, his livelihood, and destroy everything he loved most in the world.
Just as Thorne destroyed our lives. The man must die! Now!
Restless to escape its bonds the monster thrust knife-hot pain into his brain, but he wrestled it back into the shadows and locked it down. Retribution was almost at hand, but not tonight. This night was about her.
Where the hell was she?
There! Her tennis shoes slapped the sidewalk as she approached. He caught a flash of uniform—shorts and sports shirt, both too tight for decency. Then she walked out of the weak light that pooled across the commons into the dark well that led to her door. Her building superintendent had replaced her broken porch light this morning, but he’d smashed it again. He smiled when she cursed someone named Ronnie.
With a jingle of keys, she passed the niche he’d carved for himself in the shrubs. A bunch of adrenaline surged through him, made him light-headed with anticipation. He shook the buzz from his head and crashed out of the bushes with more noise than he intended.
Her head snapped left. She shot a glance over her shoulder. Her eyes widened. She lunged for the safety of her door.
He chased after her, grabbed her by the throat. A squeeze of her windpipe cut off her scream. He didn’t want to damage her too much. He just needed to get her alone.
To atone. To give him another chance.
With her soft body pressed against him, he groaned with pleasure. It had been so long! For a moment he forgot his purpose, lost in the new scent of her, in the innocent softness of her curves against him. Her breasts were full beneath his forearm. The sweet curve of her ass cradled his stiff penis. With another groan, his grip relaxed.
She screamed. Struggling, she broke loose of his hold.
Shit! Reaching out, he snagged her long ponytail and yanked her back hard. With his other hand, he strangled her next scream into a whimper. “Do that again,” he grated, “I’ll use my knife.” The honed blade was secure in his pocket but she didn’t know that.
“I have money,” she croaked. “Three hundred. Tips. In my pocket. Please! Don’t—”
“Shh. Don’t fight me. Shh,” he crooned into her hair. He tugged a chloroform-laced rag from his pants pocket and fitted it over her nose and mouth. “Just give me another chance, Angel, and everything will be fine.”
This time she’d make the right choice because, God only knew, he’d truly go insane if he had to kill her all over again.
Meet Author K.L. Docter
… 
Bestselling Author Karen Docter writes contemporary romance. When she feels the need to feed the dark side, she writes romantic suspense as K.L. Docter. She’s an award-winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division.
When she’s not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them to fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening and cooking. If she can do most of those thing over a campfire, all the better!
~~~
Links to K.L.’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2b6P7t4
B&N: goo.gl/wsqVxB
Kobo: goo.gl/KM563U
iTunes: goo.gl/pg58wN
All Romance:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-killingsecrets-201…
Website/Blog: http://www.karendocter.com
Twitter: @KarenDocter
Karen Docter FB: goo.gl/6TXc5X
K.L. Docter FB: goo.gl/uD1iGL
Goodreads: https://goo.gl/bsswDd
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**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: I’m giving away one digital copy of KILLING SECRETS to one lucky reader who comments on this Killer Book Bench blog. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
Don’t miss the chance to read this book! Happy Reading!
September 6, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Without A Doubt (A Carol Childs Mystery) by Nancy Cole Silverman
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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WITHOUT A DOUBT
A Carol Childs Mystery
BY NANCY COLE SILVERMAN
Blurb
As radio reporter Carol Childs investigates a series of Beverly Hills jewelry heists, she realizes her FBI boyfriend, Eric, is working the same case. Even worse, she may have inadvertently helped the suspect escape. The situation intensifies when the suspect calls the radio station during a live broadcast, baiting Carol deeper into the investigation.
In order for her to uncover the truth, Carol must choose between her job and her personal relationships. What started out as coincidence between Carol and Eric becomes a race for the facts—pitting them against one another—before the thieves can pull off a daring escape, leaving a trail of dead bodies behind, and taking the jewels with them.
Related subjects include: women sleuths, murder mystery series, whodunit mysteries (whodunnit), book club recommendations, suspense, noir.
WITHOUT A DOUBT
A Carol Childs Mystery
BY NANCY COLE SILVERMAN
Excerpt
Chapter 1
“Don’t rush me. I need to savor this moment.”
Sheri stood outside the Beverly Hills chocolatier and let the small square chocolate truffle liqueur melt in her mouth. Head turned up to the midmorning sun, she closed her eyes and, with a look of ecstasy on her face, sighed, almost orgasmically.
I grabbed her hand. I couldn’t leave my best friend standing on the sidewalk with her eyes closed, looking flushed like she’d just died and gone to heaven.
KCHC’s new Chocolate Christmas Charity Campaign was dependent upon my roving report of the Beverly Hills chocolatiers.
And no matter how tantalizing Sheri’s descriptions for the competing makers of the sinfully sweet delicacies had been, we needed to move on.
“Carol? Are we ready?” Kari Rhodes’s saccharine sweet voice boomed in my ear and out over the airwaves. “Or has our taster succumbed?”
“OD’ed might be a better description, Kari.”
I explained that after visiting five different confectioners, Sheri was understandably lightheaded. We had begun the morning broadcast at Teuscher Chocolates on Brighton Way, sampling champagne truffles with buttery-sweet chocolate-filled liqueurs, and moved on to Vosges Haut-Chocolat on Beverly Drive. There we tasted their caramel marshmallows and later compared them to Madonna’s favorite dark chocolate mallows from the Edelweiss on Canon. While Sheri sampled, I filled listeners in on the fact that Edelweiss was the scene of the once-famous chocolate factory where Lucille Ball had gone to learn to wrap chocolates with Ethel.
Off mic, I nudged Sheri and whispered, “One more, girlfriend. Hang in there.”
Turning my attention back to Kari, I announced our next stop: Bouchon Bakery, famous for their French pastries, chocolate croissants, and small, intimate dining tables.
“Like an escape to Paris,” I said.
“Oh, you must bring back samples, Carol. Some croissants and maybe the French press coffee? I can almost smell it.”
I planned to get plenty of the coffee into Sheri, and quickly. I described the bakery’s best, ooh là là-ing over their tarts and cakes, their macarons, and their twice-baked chocolate croissants, then signed off. “This is Carol Childs with KCHC Talk Radio, hoping all our listeners will take our Chocolate Charity Challenge. Visit Beverly Hills and vote for your favorite chocolatier to help support St. Mark’s.”
A portion of all sales from participating merchants during the month of December would be donated to St. Mark’s Children’s Hospital and the chocolatier with the most donations would win a year’s worth of free advertising. Tyler Hunt, KCHC’s boy wonder, and my now-is-never-soon-enough boss, said it was a win-win for everyone. Especially since he demanded I return to the station with enough chocolate to replenish the candy stash hidden in the top drawer of his desk.
Finishing my coffee, I threw my mic in my purse and turned around to find Sheri outside the café. She was leaning up against one of the city’s holiday garland-trimmed lampposts, licking her fingers. In her hand were three more of the chocolate liqueurs she had been given as samples from Teuschers. I whisked them from her, pocketed two and threw the third into my mouth. If it’s possible to get drunk on chocolate liqueurs, Sheri was close to plastered.
Sheri looked down at her empty hand, furrowed her brow, then back at me. “So that’s it? We’re done?”
“For now.” I glanced at my watch. I reminded her I needed to drive her home and that I had less than an hour to get back to the station for my afternoon shift. I turned and headed in the direction of the parking garage with Sheri close behind.
“I want my chocolates. I’ve been dieting all week for this, and I want them. I want them now.” Sheri stopped behind me. I turned around to see her with her hands on her hips like a defiant child about to throw a tantrum. She was refusing to take another step.
“They’re mine.”
“I know. Which is why I’ve put them away.” I was about to remind Sheri she had made me promise I’d not let her overindulge when she grabbed my arm, the look in her eyes going from disappointment to shock.
“Oh my God, Carol. Don’t look.”
“What?” I couldn’t imagine what it was Sheri didn’t want me to see. Had we missed a new candy store she couldn’t resist? I turned around, expecting to see some giant chocolate Santa, and froze in my tracks.
Less than a block up the street coming out of Henry Westin’s, one of Beverly Hills’ most exclusive jewelry stores, was Eric. My Eric. And tucked neatly under his arm was Carmen Montague, the soulless socialite. A dark, sultry, raven-haired beauty known for absolutely nothing, famous for being famous. That happens in Hollywood. With the right connections, showmanship trumps talent. In Carmen’s case, she’d made that connection numerous times. She was famously divorced, filthy rich, and had been linked to a number of dubiously well-heeled international businessmen, actors, playboys and the like. And now she was very definitely with the man I had rolled over next to in bed this morning.
I stood unable to move. My heart, like a rock in my chest, refused to beat.
Sheri leaned next to me. I could feel her breath on my shoulder. Eric, with his arm still about Carmen, dressed in a cashmere Burberry jacket and wearing glasses I didn’t recognize, looked straight in our direction. Without so much as a nod, he ducked into a black stretch limo, double parked in front of Henry Westin’s, and sped off.
“Was that…?” My mouth went dry. I couldn’t finish the thought.
“No.” Sheri looked at me, the dark curls against her head shaking as though she were trying to erase the picture. “Couldn’t be.”
Before I could make sense of what I’d just seen, an explosion, far worse than what was going on inside my head, rocked the ground beneath my feet.
From inside Henry Westin’s, a thunder blast shook the street like an earthquake. The big gold double doors on the front of the building blew open. Alarms everywhere, up and down the street, began blaring. People screamed, panicked, and started running. It was chaos. From within the building, a white cloud of dust, like smoke, began to billow out the doors and settle in the now nearly empty street littered with shopping bags and orphaned shoes.
Books in the Carol Childs Mystery Series:
SHADOW OF DOUBT (#1)
BEYOND A DOUBT (#2)
WITHOUT A DOUBT (#3)
Meet Author Nancy Cole Silverman
.. 
Nancy Cole Silverman credits her twenty-five years in news and talk radio for helping her to develop an ear for storytelling. But it wasn’t until after she retired that she was able to write fiction full-time. Much of what Silverman writes about is pulled from events that were reported on from inside some of Los Angeles’ busiest newsrooms where she spent the bulk of her career. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Bruce, and two standard poodles.
~~~
Links to Nancy’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: amzn.to/1oBzuxa
Barnes & Noble: bit.ly/24pQM18
iTunes: apple.co/21uaOoS
Kobo: bit.ly/1QHS83c
Website: Nancycolesilverman.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NancyColeSilvermanauthor/
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Nancy is giving away a signed copy of WITHOUT A DOUBT to one lucky reader who comments on her **Author Peek** Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Thanks, Nancy, for sharing your book with us today!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
September 5, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Run to You (A Risking It All Novel) by Rachel Lacey
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!
~~
RUN TO YOU
A Risking It All Novel
BY RACHEL LACEY
Blurb
ONE LITTLE LIE. A WHOLE LOTTA TROUBLE.
Moments after meeting the most gorgeous guy ever, Gabby Winters promptly gets stung by a zillion yellow jackets and falls-not gracefully-into a stream. Yup, Ethan Hunter is trouble with a capital “hot,” and Gabby definitely needs to keep her distance. Except in the small town of Haven, there’s nowhere to hide from Ethan’s sexy, infectious grin . . . and all the residents are conspiring against her.
At the center of the town’s matchmaking is Ethan’s grandmother, who’s convinced their relationship is a done deal. Rather than break her heart, Gabby and Ethan find themselves cornered into pretending to be falling in love. The problem: there’s serious sizzling attraction between them. And if this charade continues, they won’t fool just the entire town – they might fool themselves too . . .
RUN TO YOU
A Risking It All Novel
BY RACHEL LACEY
Excerpt
“I’m glad you brought me out here.” Gabby stepped over a tree root, lifting her skirt with her free hand so that she didn’t trip.
Ethan squeezed her left hand. “Me, too. The rock face is right up this way.”
They came around a corner and the path opened up to a big rock looming at least thirty feet into the air. There were some creases and cracks in it, but how anyone could scale it with only their bare hands—or why they would want to—was completely beyond her. “You can seriously climb that?”
“I can climb it. Ryan can kick its ass, though.”
“Okay then. Show me.”
With a cocky grin, he reached up and hooked his hand into a crack in the rock. He pulled himself up, his biceps flexing most impressively as he climbed. Holy shit, that was sexy. Soon she was left with nothing but a view of his very fine ass. And by the time he’d reached the top, she was so turned on, she could hardly stand it.
“So?” he called from the top. “You going to join me or what?”
“Not a chance. But I will enjoy watching you climb back down.”
“Gotta give the lady what she wants.” His fine ass reappeared over the edge as he started back down. He took his time on the descent, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he might have reached for a few hand and footholds that made him flex his muscles a little more than was strictly necessary.
“You’re a show-off,” she said when his feet were back on solid ground.
He was a bit out of breath, his bronzed skin glistening with sweat, trademark smile still in place. “No clue what you’re talking about.”
“No? You really needed to reach all the way to that notch?” She gestured above them. “Instead of the one closer to your shoulder that maybe wouldn’t have shown off your lovely biceps quite as well?”
He flexed for her. “What, these old things? And for the record, I totally needed the leverage.”
“Mm-hmm.” For some reason, she put her hand on his biceps, and oh crap, that was a mistake. His skin was hot beneath her fingers, and his blue eyes blazed into hers.
“Killing me, Gabby,” he murmured. “Killing me.”
His words sent a bolt of red-hot desire right through her, and she must have made a sound because Ethan sucked in a breath, his gaze locked on her lips. His hands settled on her hips, burning into her skin through the thin fabric of her skirt.
Meet Author Rachel Lacey
… 
Rachel Lacey is a contemporary romance author and semi-reformed travel junkie. She’s been climbed by a monkey on a mountain in Japan, gone scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and camped out overnight in New York City for a chance to be an extra in a movie. These days, the majority of her adventures take place on the pages of the books she writes. She lives in warm and sunny North Carolina with her husband, son, and a variety of rescue pets.
~~~
Links to Rachel’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://www.tastybooktours.com/2016/06/run-to-you-risking-it-all-1-by-rachel.html
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28119216-run-to-you
Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/180210-risking-it-all
Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
September 4, 2016
**Author Peek** Interview with Nancy Cole Silverman
**Author Peek** Interview with
NANCY COLE SILVERMAN!
INTRODUCING…Nancy.
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 can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making up stories. My first blush at writing, however, was in second grade. I wrote my first short story for a spelling assignment. You know one of those tasks where kids have to use each new word in a sentence. I decided instead to write a story. I loved the story and was so excited about it. I don’t think I slept a wink the night I turned it in. I was convinced it was the best thing my teacher would ever read. Only trouble was, I’d paid no attention to my spelling words or to grammar and I don’t think my teacher thought I demonstrated any appreciation for the tools I’d need to pursue my passion as a writer. I remember getting my paper back the next day with lots of red marks on it–corrections I should have known–and a note telling me I needed to pay more attention in class. Umph! I thought she needed to pay more attention to the story and less to the minor errors I had made.
2. Do you have a writing routine?
I write every day. After retiring from a career in radio – where I wrote news, commercial copy and promos, I returned home and established a home office. I’m there nearly every day and busy as I ever was writing. I think it’s important writers write.
3. What do you think is the hardest aspect of writing a book?
Re-writing. A draft is just a draft or the skeleton of what will become the book. There’s so much that is revealed as a writer works and reworks a manuscript. I think the biggest mistake a writer can make is trying to rush a finish.
4. Do you give your characters any of your bad traits?
Do I have to be honest? Carol is driven. I was driven. I loved working for a news talk station and Carol is much the same. Consequently, relationships frequently took a back seat to her career.
5. Would you make a good character in a book?
I like to think that Carol Childs is a memorable character because in my opinion, she’s real. She’s not a character that thinks she’s stronger than her male counterparts, but believes, ‘Brains Beat Brawn and a Mic is More Powerful than a Forty-five.” It’s the theme line of my books and one I hope that demonstrate that women have their own powers, different from their male counterparts, but equally as effective.
6. Where is your favorite place to visit?
There are so many. When I was very young, I travel a lot through Europe. I had such fun exploring so many areas, particularly in Italy. I don’t think there is anywhere I wouldn’t like to go. I grew up in the South West and loved the four corner regions of the US. I am very lucky. My life has been rich in travel and I believe it has opened my eyes to so much I never would have known about with the opportunity to travel.
7. What’s more important – characters or plot? (You cannot say both!)
I like to think character. Readers relate to characters. The news is full of nasty things that happen every day to people but when the public has a face to go with the story it permeates our psyche so much deeper than if were just an event with a face. I try to put a face to all my plots.
8. What do you wish you could do?
Ride horses. Up until several years ago I used to ride and own horses and I loved it. Unfortunately, I had a bad accident and had to hang up my stirrups. It was one of the highlights of my life and I miss it.
9. What’s the one THING you never leave the house without (besides your phone)?
My sense of humor. I live in L.A., to venture out into traffic one needs a sense of humor and patience.
10. What books do you currently have published and what are you working on now?
The Carol Childs Mysteries are my first published full-length novels. I’ve self-published several books, and I have a series of short stories on the internet, in various anthologies and magazines.
I’m working on the fourth book in the Carol Childs Series.
~~~~~
Be sure to come back to read more about Nancy and WITHOUT A DOUBT, A Carol Childs Mystery, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench. Happy Reading!
~~~
Links to Nancy’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: amzn.to/1oBzuxa
Barnes & Noble: bit.ly/24pQM18
iTunes: apple.co/21uaOoS
Kobo: bit.ly/1QHS83c
Website: Nancycolesilverman.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NancyColeSilvermanauthor/
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Nancy is giving away a signed copy of WITHOUT A DOUBT to one lucky reader who comments on her **Author Peek** Interview or Killer Book Bench blogs. Thanks, Nancy, for sharing your book with us today!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
September 2, 2016
Congratulations SEPTEMBER Blog Subscriber Giveaway Winner!!
Time to announce the SEPTEMBER 2016 #WINNER of my Monthly Blog Subscriber Giveaway, where special readers can win a read or coffee – two of my favorite things—on me!!!
And the winner is…
ROSEK…
Congratulations! You have won a $5 gift card from Amazon or Starbucks (your choice)! I’ll contact you privately to arrange for delivery of your gift.
Dear Readers,
If you missed this month’s giveaway, you can still subscribe to my blog at http://www.karendocter.com/ to get my blogs delivered straight to your email and be entered EACH MONTH into a random drawing for #FREE $5 gift card. On the first of each month, I’ll draw one name at www.random.org from all of my subscribers to receive the card.
More wonderful perks to subscribing to my blog? The blogs, when they appear in your Inbox, are pretty and easy to read. You can discover new authors, recipes and reader fun…and many of the authors sponsor GIVEAWAYS just for commenting!
If you’re only in the mood to receive my Special Release Alerts, you can subscribe to my mailing list instead. This is NOT a newsletter, but the occasional Karen/K.L. Docter news release.
Thanks for joining me on Karen’s Killer Book Bench!!
Karen/K.L.
To avoid SPAM filters, I’m announcing this random giveaway on the blog so that all current subscribers will know who won. If your name is announced and you don’t hear from me and can’t find an email in your SPAM folder, please contact me at kldocter@yahoo.com. Thank you!
Winners selected by random.org.
September 1, 2016
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Karen Docter #recipe ~ Orange-Almond Bread
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with KAREN DOCTER!
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, KAREN DOCTER, and her favorite recipe for ORANGE-ALMOND BREAD.
~~~
SATIN PLEASURES
A Romantic Comedy
By KAREN DOCTER
Blurb
Bustiers, Birds, and the Blues…
Dan McDonald walked away from the American dream, a life full of money, glamorous women and power. Now nothing can lure him back into the corporate death trap. Except….
Dan’s scheming aunt snares him into opening a lingerie shop in Tess Emory’s shopping mall. Tess is everything Dan has vowed to avoid…sexy, smart, and obsessed with work.
Tess is determined to make her life a success and right the wrongs of her past, no matter the cost.
They’re both going to discover that true love breaks all their rules.
What readers are saying about Satin Pleasures…
“Can love occur in the hustle and bustle world? Karen Docter has proven that there can be life besides working and working.” ~ Melana’s Reviews
“Love story, lingerie, and mayhem!” ~ Amazon Reader
“Pure Romance, and wonderful fun read.” ~ Amazon Reader
“A knock you over from the beginning story.” ~ Amazon Reader
SATIN PLEASURES
A Romantic Comedy
By KAREN DOCTER
EXCERPT
Chapter One
“Colby, if I’d had that brunette in my bass boat instead of you Aunt Mary would never have talked me off the lake.” Dan McDonald tore his gaze away from the view in the truck windshield to grin at his dog, affectionately named Colby, after the cheese the German shepherd loved so much. “Bet she doesn’t kiss like you…the brunette, I mean, not Aunt Mary.”
The dog whined, then attempted to wriggle his massive bulk into his master’s lap. Dan pushed his muzzle away. “Phew! Chances are she doesn’t smell like you, either.”
Colby bared his teeth in a grin.
Dan laughed. “You won’t think it’s so funny when we reach San Francisco and you get a bath.” He considered the stalled traffic. “That’s assuming we get across the bay.”
A fully loaded semi had jackknifed across both lanes of the westbound bridge and wedged in tighter than a cork in a genie’s bottle. The truck was to be dismantled for removal, the freight unloaded, and there appeared to be a debate as to which part of the process should be completed first.
He smiled at the speed with which the shock wave of information ran down the line of commuters. Many spilled from their cars to chat. A few lounged on their hoods, faces raised to the warm March afternoon sun. A pair of students in Stanford jerseys zipped a fluorescent orange Frisbee between the cars with all the ferocity of Kamikaze pilots.
Dan shook his head when he realized he’d pushed his old life behind him far enough to find amusement in the scene. He’d come a long way in the past year. Was it far enough? He’d been happy—well, content enough—with his solitary lifestyle…until his aunt tracked him down in Florida a couple of weeks ago.
She’d convinced him she and his mother needed him in California through June. However, he’d had three thousand miles to wonder if his temporary return to the rat race might prove to be the biggest mistake of his life. His impulse to turn the truck around had grown with each passing mile and he wondered if this traffic snarl was his last chance to save himself.
He certainly couldn’t complain about his first glimpse of San Francisco Bay. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The sun stirred bright color into the murky waves and streaked light across mirrored office buildings on the opposite shoreline. A light, salty breeze gave wing to a variety of raucous sea birds over his head and teased long tendrils of toffee-rich hair out of his brunette’s French twist.
His brunette.
Desire coiled deep in his belly as he watched her wiggle her bottom onto the hood of her car. With one hand resting on the driver’s side mirror on the open door, she talked briskly into her phone, her expression hidden behind sunglasses. The straight lemon skirt and fitted jacket she wore accentuated her rich, dark hair, full breasts, and slender waist. Spiked heels showcased legs long enough to fuel a man’s fantasies for months. Her hand waving in emphasis to whatever point she was making spoke to Dan of urgent caresses and wild passion.
The blend of cool professionalism and hot sensuality fostered the illusion a man only had to peel away one layer to expose the passionate woman beneath. He’d never seen a woman who made him feel so needy, so primitive, with barely one look…which is why he hadn’t bothered to pursue a woman since Charlotte Betham opted for her career over him last year. He might have made an effort to change her mind if she’d turned his crank this way!
Only a caveman would dream of ripping the phone from his lady’s hand. Only a cretin would throw it into the bay before he dragged her away to his cave for a year or two. Only a sex-starved man would allow such idiotic impulses to get out of hand.
“Maybe Aunt Mary dragged us back to civilization in time.” Dan scratched behind his dog’s ears. “Maybe I should go out on a date or two while we’re here. Take the edge off.”
Colby barked, and then rested his muzzle on the dashboard, pointing the way.
“No, it won’t be with my sexy brunette.”
About Author Karen Docter…
Bestselling Author Karen Docter writes contemporary romance. When she feels the need to feed the dark side, she writes intense suspense thrillers as K.L. Docter. She’s an award-winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division.
When she’s not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them to fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening and cooking. If she can do most of those things over a campfire, all the better!
~~~
Links to Karen’s Website, Books, & Social Media:
Now Available Everywhere!
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2craKHx
Barnes & Noble: http://goo.gl/bKqsmh
iTunes:
All E-Romance: http://goo.gl/EyBfSN
Kobo: http://goo.gl/nZ00M2
Google Play:
Website/Blog: http://www.karendocter.com
Twitter: @KarenDocter
Karen Docter FB: goo.gl/6TXc5X
K.L. Docter FB: goo.gl/uD1iGL
Goodreads: https://goo.gl/bsswDd
I hope you enjoy the recipe I’m sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 275 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ORANGE-ALMOND BREAD
[Makes 1 loaf]
2 T. shortening
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups sifted cake flour **
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp. grated orange rind
1 cup sliced, blanched almonds
Beat shortening, sugar and egg. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and add to first mixture alternately with orange juice and rind. Blend and add nuts. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake one hour at 350 degrees.
** To make 2 cups of cake flour, combine 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour with 1/4 cup cornstarch; proceed with your recipe.
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: I’m giving away a print (U.S. Only) or e-book copy of SATIN PLEASURES to one lucky reader who comments on this Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog. Thanks for stopping by my blog!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
