Karen Docter's Blog, page 224
January 11, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: A Fine Madness 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 FINE MADNESS
Korbel Classic: The Humorous Collection
BY EILEEN DREYER W/A KATHLEEN KORBEL
Blurb
Quinn Rutledge has been hired to remodel historic Hartley Hall into a 5-star hotel.
Ian Matthews, a Special Forces officer in the Queen’s Protection service, is vetting the hall’s security for a secret international meeting, and presents himself to Quinn as a corporate officer checking on her progress.
All seems simple enough, until the pair uncover a crazed band of terrorists, a destructive ghost with an odd sense of humor, and an inconvenient attraction to each other.
Neither have time for love, and Ian is the embodiment of everything that went wrong with Quinn’s first marriage. But Love doesn’t care.
A FINE MADNESS
Korbel Classic: The Humorous Collection
BY EILEEN DREYER W/A KATHLEEN KORBEL
Excerpt
He was about to reach behind him for the door, intent on closing her out, when she turned to him. She opened her mouth and then, suddenly, her eyes. She was looking over Ian’s shoulder.
Ian’s reflexes were the best, but this time he never stood a chance. Before he could move, the heavy oak door slammed into his back like a battering ram, pushing him right at Quinn. His choices were to grab on to her or fall on his face. He grabbed on to her. And then he fell on his face.
“Urn…. excuse me.”
It was all Quinn could manage with the wind knocked out of her. Ian had landed right on top of her, his weight mashing her against the floor. The slamming door still echoed faintly down the hallway, and down in the foyer, Copenhagen barked. Quinn lay flat on her back trying to get a breath, trying to get her mind to work as fast as her heart. Trying to quell the sudden chills racing through her from the intimate contact of a very virile man.
“Sorry, “Ian mumbled in her ear, the whisper of his breath sending shivers down her legs. His face was in her hair, his body stretched out over hers, his arms still around her.
Quinn couldn’t imagine what she should do next. She couldn’t believe what she wanted to do. Her heart was thundering, and it certainly wasn’t from the ghost’s latest surprise. She actually fought the urge to turn her face to his, to nuzzle the rich gold of his hair.
“No… no problem,” she managed, acutely uncomfortable. “I’d really like to move, though, if it’s all the same to you.”
He didn’t budge. Quinn could hardly feel him breathing against her. “In a moment. Do you mind?”
She turned her face toward him. “I beg your pardon?”
She’d been in England too long. Back home it would have sounded more like, “What the hell do you mean, do I mind?” But then she realized how tight his voice sounded, and remembered that limp.
“No,” she obliged instead, trying to relax a few muscles. “No problem. Anything I can do?”
She couldn’t believe she was being so calm. Here she was lying on the floor in a strange man’s arms and they hadn’t even had supper together yet.
“Thank you, no.”
Quinn wasn’t quite sure what to do next. Her own arms were still around Ian’s back, and she could feel the quiver of taut muscle. She smelled wood smoke and heard the rasp of his breathing. Those curious little chills still raced up and down her back, multiplying, snaking along her limbs.
“Your leg?” she ventured carefully, eyes rigidly to the ceiling molding where Antique Ceiling White had been untidily splattered against Old Ivory.
“Mmm.”
“Feel free to curse,” she suggested diffidently. It was certainly something she was considering.
He actually smiled. Quinn could feel it against her cheek. “Wouldn’t be sporting, now, would it?”
Quinn chuckled. “I wasn’t aware we were on a playing field.”
It took him a second to make up his mind. His voice wasn’t quite as robust as the colonel’s, but Ian’s repertoire was at least as impressive, leaving Quinn with the impression that he’d also spent his share of time in the military. Either that or he was an ardent soccer fan.
“Better?” she asked without moving.
“Oh, much.”
Quinn fought the urge to stroke that rich soft hair that tickled her cheek. She considered curling her arms just a little tighter around that rock-solid back.
The thought died stillborn. Without warning, Ian pushed himself up to a sitting position.
She stared at him, stunned. Considering the fact that he’d evidently been disabled enough to keep him from moving out of a strange woman’s arms for what had seemed like at least an hour, he looked pretty damned composed. His face was a bit pasty, but his eyes sparkled with the most annoying humor. And Quinn was still lying on the floor with the smell of his hair in her nostrils, wondering why she should resent his moving.
“Need a hand up?” he asked, reaching over. “I’d like to continue looking about. But first, I need a change of clothing.”
It took Quinn a minute, but she reached for his hand.
His pull was easy and strong, not a hint of discomfort marring his classic features. Stiff upper lip, hell, Quinn thought. The way this guy healed he should have been a football player.
Then he smiled again. “Your hair smells wonderful, by the way.”
Quinn froze. He still held her hand in his callused one, and he looked down on her with those crystal-gray eyes. And Quinn, who had spent the majority of her life avoiding complications just like Ian, found herself enchanted.
“Thank you. Uh… the chapel in fifteen minutes then?”
I’ll be the one praying for sanity.
Meet the Author, Eileen Dreyer… 
New York Times bestselling, RWA Hall of Fame author Eileen Dreyer has published 31 romance novels in most genres, 8 medicalforensic suspenses, and 10 short stories.
2016 sees Eileen enjoying critical acclaim for her foray into historical romance, the Drake’s Rakes series, which Eileen labels as Regency Romantic Adventure that follows a group of Regency aristocrats who are willing to sacrifice everything to keep their country safe. She is also working on her first nonfiction book, TRAVELS WITH DAVE, about a journey she’s been taking with a friend’s ashes.
A retired trauma nurse, Eileen lives in her native St. Louis with her husband, children, and
large and noisy Irish family, of which she is the reluctant matriarch. She has animals but refuses to subject them to the limelight.
~~~
Links to Eileen’s website, blog, books, etc.
Available at:
Barnes & Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-fine-madness-eileen-dreyer/1123024927?ean=9781614178002
Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/a-fine-madness-korbel-classic-romance-humorous-series-book-5
Website: eileendreyer.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EileenDreyer
Twitter: @eileendreyer
January 10, 2016
**Author Peek** Interview with Marian Lanouette/Merry Holly
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with
MARIAN LANOUETTE/MERRY HOLLY!
~~
INTRODUCING….Marian Lanouette/Merry Holly.
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.
Thanks, Karen. For years I snowboarded (one of the original ones on the slopes.) Now, I knit and read. I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY and now reside in New England, and with each freezing winter am looking south. As one of ten children my escape as a youngster was to read and write. It took me away while my friends vacationed elsewhere.
1. What appeals to you about the genre that you write?
I write in two genres. Mystery is my first love. I like to solve problems and seek answers. But I also like to read and write romance. I like that with a wave of the fingers everything ends happily ever after.
2. Are you a plotter or a pantser (one who writes “by the seat of your pants”)?
I’m what I call a pantser-plotter. When I first get a story idea it comes to me like a movie. I sit down and write down what I saw—setting, time period, and mood. After that I add substance to work toward the end. It is the roughest of outlines or plotting. After each chapter I create a timeline/plot boxes. About the middle of the book, I go back, read the outline/timeline and add to it.
3. What is your favorite part of writing?
I love creating new characters and locales. But I’ve come to enjoy the editing process as well.
4. If you had to give up writing and do something else, what would you do instead?
I’d work in a bookstore or library.
5. What’s your favorite meal of the day?
I love breakfast.
6. Which are your favorite characters to write, the female characters or the male characters? Why?
I love writing in the male point of view. With five brothers—I wondered how they saw a same situation differently or reacted differently to it than the women. I also thinks it’s fun to work outside the box.
7. If you had a superpower, what would it be, and how would you use it?
Ah! Superpower. That’s a hard one. Right off the bat, I’d want to see the future, but I wouldn’t. See ahead and correct my mistakes before they happened? Or stay in the now and experience each occurrence? I like experiencing life, so I’d say strength, and fight evil.
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?
On the deck of a tropical beach house, with the salt air filling my senses and the waves lapping against the shore. Ah, to dream.
9. Do you have any rejection stories to share? Reviews that meant something special to you?
After sending out my first draft to my first book (Yes, I know, I was definitely a novice) with over 20 rejections a kind editor/publisher wrote me a personal note explaining the story was great, but I needed to learn my craft and offered suggestions. It was the best rejection I ever got.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
Mated for Life is with the editor as we speak. Hopefully it will be out in late 2016 or early 2017.
~~~~~
Be sure to come back to read more about Marian/Merry and her novel, BURN IN HELL, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench. Happy Reading!
~~~
Links to Marian/Holly’s website, blog, books, etc.
Marian’s Blog: http://www.marianl.com
Burn in Hell, A Jake Carrington Mystery
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1W91ja5
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1058040071
Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/burn-in-hell
Season of Thrills buy links:
Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/season-of-thrills
iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/season-of-thrills/id1033661475?mt=11
Season of Surprises Buy Links:
Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1034934609
Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/season-of-surprises
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1034934609
UK Link:
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Marian/Holly will give away an e-copy of BURN IN HELL or SEASON OF MAGIC to a lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog. Thank you, Marian/Holly, for sharing your story with us
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
January 7, 2016
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Mackenzie Crowne
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with MACKENZIE CROWNE!
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, MACKENZIE CROWNE, and her favorite recipe for MARYLEE’S CHICKEN WINGS!
~~
TO WIN HER TRUST
The Players Series Book Two
BY MACKENZIE CROWNE
Blurbs
Can she trust this player with her heart?
Ever since experiencing a childhood trauma, reclusive artist CC Calhoun has suffered from panic attacks. But when a fateful kiss from handsome wide receiver, Kevin “Tuck” Tucker, is enough to stop one of those episodes cold, she wonders if guarding her heart has been the right choice. Will going on a test date with Tuck open her to trusting someone for the first time in years? Or will she wind up being just another notch in the football player’s bedpost?
Tuck has a reputation for charming women into bed, but after his kiss with CC, he’s left aching for more. When he proposes a second date, his attraction to the sexy blonde looks like the makings of true love—something he’s never quite believed in—until now. But when Tuck discovers CC’s childhood secrets, will the pro athlete be tough enough to stay by her side—or will he betray her hard-earned trust?
TO WIN HER TRUST
The Players Series Book Two
BY MACKENZIE CROWNE
Excerpt
“I have a proposition for you.”
“Whatever it is, I’m in.”
She blinked. “That’s it? No hesitation or questions?”
“Oh, I’ll get to them, eventually, but when a beautiful woman starts a conversation with ‘I have a proposition for you,’ a smart man doesn’t question his luck.”
The immediate blush coloring her cheeks pleased him to no end, as did her sexy habit of chewing on her bottom lip. He wanted to suck that plump flesh into his mouth and sink his tongue deep, just as he wanted to sink another body part even deeper. He tucked his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and rolled his shoulders.
The challenge faded from her eyes, replaced with uncertainty, but she forged ahead. “You may have noticed I have a problem with, uh…elevated anxiety.”
The admission surprised him, considering her comment the other day about privacy, but with his plan for seduction about to take a major step forward, if she wanted to share details he hadn’t asked for, he was happy to oblige. Since she was the one to bring up the issue, he saw no reason to mince words.
“Elevated anxiety? What I saw looked more like a full-blown panic attack.”
She nodded. “Yes, well, I have a form of agoraphobia. I’ve suffered from it most of my life.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why?”
“You nearly fainted in my arms, all because a handful of strangers stopped to look at you. I’m no expert, but anxiety that intense has to have a root cause. What brought about the attacks?”
She stiffened and her face went blank of all emotion. “For the purpose of my proposition, the root cause of the attacks isn’t important.”
The coolness in her voice was a roadblock he couldn’t afford. Not when he was finally getting somewhere. He curled his lips in a boyish grin. “Aww, but I’m curious.”
“Then you’re destined to be disappointed because it’s not up for discussion.”
“What if I insist?”
She matched his cross-armed stance. “What if I insist you go and never come back?”
He chuckled and backed off. For now. “Fair enough, but if the subject isn’t up for discussion, why mention it?”
“I didn’t mention the cause, you did. I brought up the attacks themselves or, more precisely, the attack I experienced yesterday, which directly correlates with my proposition.”
“Which is?”
“Since Ronald obviously isn’t available, I’m wondering if you’d be interested in…dating me? Temporarily, of course.”
His gut muscles clenched in anticipation. A huge step toward victory. He cocked his head. “Well, now. Can you give me a second to think about it?”
She met his teasing grin with a blank stare.
“That’s a question you don’t need to ask.”
Meet the Author, Mackenzie Crowne… 
Wife, mother and really young grandmother, Mackenzie lives with her high school sweet heart husband, a neurotic Pomeranian, and a blind cat. She calls Phoenix home because the southwest feeds her soul. Though her friends claim she’s a princess, she disagrees. After all, one can’t raise two rambunctious boys to wonderful men without getting a little dirt under their nails. A lover of the romance genre, her resolve to share her stories with others was sharpened by a bout with breast cancer. Today she is an award-winning author and eight year survivor, living the dream. Her friends call her Mac. She hopes you will, too.
~~~
Links to Mackenzie’s website, blog, books, etc.
Connect with her at
http://mackenziecrowne.com
https://www.facebook.com/MackenzieCrowne
https://twitter.com/MacCrowne.
Purchase Links
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Buy links via Kensington:
http://www.ekensingtonbooks.com/author.aspx/31681
I hope you enjoy the recipe Mackenzie is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 240 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MARYLEE’S CHICKEN WINGS (Thanks, Mom)
6 lbs. chicken wings (cut up)
1 Lg. Bottle Soy Sauce (8-10 oz.)
3/4 cup Orange Juice
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup White Sugar
Season with Garlic Powder to taste.
Marinate wings over night. Remove some sauce – you don’t want to boil them – and arrange in a pan. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes to an hour, turning and basting about half way through.
These make great appetizers for gatherings, but we eat them as a meal, too, and I serve them with stuffing on the side. (Out of a box, of course)
Enjoy!
January 6, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Dukes Prefer Blondes by Loretta Chase
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!
~~
DUKES PREFER BLONDES
The Dressmakers #4
BY LORETTA CHASE
Blurbs
Lady Clara, the fan-favorite character from Loretta Chase’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling Dressmakers series, finally gets her own happily ever after!
Convenient marriages are rarely so…exciting. Can society’s most adored heiress and London’s most difficult bachelor fall victim to their own unruly desires?
Biweekly marriage proposals from men who can’t see beyond her (admittedly breathtaking) looks are starting to get on Lady Clara Fairfax’s nerves. Desperate to be something more than ornamental, she escapes to her favorite charity. When a child goes missing, she turns to Oliver Radford—a handsome, brilliant, excessively conceited barrister.
Having unexpectedly found himself in line to inherit a dukedom, Radford needs a bride who can navigate the Society he’s never been part of. If he can find one without having to set foot in a ballroom, so much the better. Clara—blonde, blue-eyed, and he must admit, not entirely bereft of brains—will do. As long as he can woo her, wed her—and not, like every other sapskull in London, lose his head over her…
DUKES PREFER BLONDES
The Dressmakers #4
BY LORETTA CHASE
Excerpt
Small Drawing Room of Warford House Monday 31 August 1835
Clara did not run screaming from the room. A lady didn’t run screaming from anywhere unless her life was in immediate danger.
This was simply another marriage proposal.
The Season was over. Almack’s had held its last assembly at the end of July. Most of Society had gone to the country. Yet her family remained in London because her father, the Marquess of Warford, never left before Parliament rose, and Parliament still sat.
And so her beaux lingered in London. For some reason—either they’d joined a conspiracy or had made her the subject of wagers in White’s betting book—they seemed to be proposing on a biweekly schedule. They were beginning to wear on Clara’s nerves.
Today was Lord Herringstone’s turn. He said he loved her. They all said so with varying degrees of fervor. But being an intelligent girl who read more than she ought to, Clara was sure that he, like the others, merely wanted to claim the most fashionable girl in London for his own.
She’d inherited the classic Fairfax looks—pale gold hair, clear blue eyes, and skin that seemed to have been poured like cream over an artistically sculpted face. The world agreed that in her these traits had reached the very acme and pitch of perfection. So had her figure, a model for one of those Greek or Roman goddess statues, according to her numerous swains.
Her single flaw—on the outside, that is—the tiny chip in her left front tooth, only made her human and thus, somehow, more perfect.
She was like a thoroughbred everybody wanted to own. Or the latest style of dashing vehicle.
Her beauty surrounded her like a great stone wall. Men couldn’t see above, beyond, or through it. They certainly couldn’t think past it.
This was because men only looked at women. They didn’t listen to women, especially beautiful women.
When beautiful women talked, men merely made a greater pretense of listening. After all, everybody knew that women did not really have brains.
Clara wondered what women were imagined to have in their skulls in place of brains or what men thought women did their pitiful excuse for thinking with . . .
“. . . if you would do me the inestimable honor of becoming my wife.”
She came back to the present and said no, as she always did, kindly and courteously, because she’d been rigorously trained in ladyship. Moreover, she truly liked Lord Herringstone. He’d written odes to her, and they were witty and scanned well. He was amusing and a good dancer and reasonably intelligent.
So were dozens of other men.
She liked them, most of them.
But they had no idea who she was and did not try to find out.
Perhaps it was quixotic of her, but she wanted more than that.
He looked disappointed. Yet he’d survive, she knew. He’d find another woman he would look at and not listen to, but that woman wouldn’t be so unrealistic as to expect him to. They’d wed and rub along together somehow or other, like everybody else.
And one of these days Clara would give up hoping for more. One of these days, she would have to say yes.
“Either that,” she muttered, “or become an eccentric and run away to Egypt or India.”
Meet the Author, Loretta Chase…
Loretta Chase has worked in academe, retail, and the visual arts, as well as on the streets-as a meter maid-and in video, as a scriptwriter. She might have developed an excitingly checkered career had her spouse not nagged her into writing fiction. Her bestselling historical romances, set in the Regency and Romantic eras of the early 19th century, have won a number of awards, including the Romance Writers of America’s Rita. For more about her past, her books, and what she does and doesn’t do on social media, please visit her website at www.LorettaChase.com.
~~~
Links to Loretta’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/10/dukes-prefer-blondes-dressmakers-4-by.html
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23349989-dukes-prefer-blondes
Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/60134-the-dressmakers
Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
January 5, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: The Madras Affair by Sundari Venkatraman
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!
~~
THE MADRAS AFFAIR
BY SUNDARI VENKATRAMAN
Blurbs
Sangita Sinclair was not always this successful & passionate lady heading the NGO “Penn Urimai” for downtrodden, abused and homeless women….
When Sangita catches the eye of Gautam Sinclair she is a simple, homely girl; utterly unaware of her charms & capabilities. She has the devil’s own time in overcoming her inhibitions, hesitation, and her family’s orthodox and outdated rules before recognising her love for Gautam.
Will Gautam be able to solve Sangita’s Dilemma or will she be forever trapped in her past?
THE MADRAS AFFAIR
BY SUNDARI VENKATRAMAN
Excerpt
The TTK Auditorium in Chennai exploded with thunderous applause as Sangita Sinclair took the podium. Mike in hand, she patiently waited for the audience to settle down. The head of Penn Urimai – an NGO for battered and downtrodden women, especially housewives – Sangita had come a long way over the past decade.
The claps came to an end, finally. Sangita smiled as she caught sight of the four people in the front row, sitting towards her left. They were the last to stop applauding, her close-knit family. There was her husband, Gautam, his blue eyes glowing with pride. Sandeep, her first born, was a strapping young man of nineteen. His dark eyes were focused on his mother, while his hand held his father’s in a tight grip. Gina and Sam were thirteen and ten respectively, just beginning to understand the impact of their mother’s work. They were very excited being part of the award function.
“Good evening my friends!” A pin could have been heard dropping as Sangita began her speech that lasted for exactly twelve minutes. The passion in her voice struck a chord with those present, more than the words she uttered. To say that her short speech inspired many in the audience was an understatement.
A spontaneous, standing ovation greeted her as she finished speaking. Sangita accepted the large bouquet and medallion presented to her, her eyes bright with the sheen of unshed tears, her heart overflowing with gratitude towards the man who had made it all possible, the man who was her husband.
She walked down from the stage, her eyes on Gautam as he nodded his head in appreciation. Sangita went and sat next to him, surrounded by her three children.
The programme continued for another fifteen minutes before everyone rose for the National Anthem. A number of people wanted to meet Sangita. With a smile here and a nod there, she kept the talk brief, mindful of her waiting family.
A young lady approached her and shook her hand, “Hello Sangita Ma’am, I’m Aarti from a website called Women’s Freedom. It would be an honour to interview you. I hope you’ll be able to make time for it.”
Sangita nodded at Aarti before saying softly, “Sure.” She handed the younger woman a visiting card. “Call me tomorrow.”
“Err… ma’am, will it be alright if I send you my questions by email?” asked Aarti, checking the card to see if it mentioned an email ID.
Sangita nodded again and said, “Of course,” before taking her leave.
The five of them left the auditorium; Gautam’s arm secure around Sangita’s shoulders. While an innate shyness stopped Sangita from indulging in a public display of affection, it never stopped her husband from behaving exactly the way he pleased. He loved his wife and never hesitated to show it at every opportunity.
“You’re simply superb, my love,” he whispered in her ear, sending goose pimples down her body. Sangita gave him a searing look that spoke volumes. Gautam’s body tightened in response as he hugged her closer, giving her a brief kiss in the car park.
They got into the car to go to the Golden Dragon at Taj Coromandel, their favourite restaurant, for a noisy, family dinner. There was so much to catch up with Sandeep, who lived in Pennsylvania nowadays, a student at the state university. Gina and Sam couldn’t get enough of their elder brother’s attention.
It was quite late when they reached Shraddanjali, their bungalow in Besant Nagar.
***
Later that night, Sangita shut her laptop and turned around to see her husband still working on his. Her eyes glowed with love for him. Even after knowing him for fifteen years, she felt her heart melt every time he looked at her. Gautam seemed to sense her gaze and turned around to look at her, a smile on his face, the dimple on his right cheek prominent. “Are you done?” he asked, stretching his arms over his head.
“Hmm,” she said, walking up to him. She put her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. “And you?”
“With you holding me like this, you really think I wanna work?” he asked, pressing his lips to the top of her head, his arms going around her.
Sangita giggled like a little girl, snuggling closer. “Love me,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his chest, pulling at the buttons on his T-shirt. Gautam didn’t need a second invitation. He lifted her in his arms and walked towards the bed.
The next day, Sangita opened her email to find a questionnaire from Aarti. She downloaded the document and perused it. Her eyes stopped at the third question. Aarti had asked, “I have noticed that NGOs that are successful are usually driven by passionate people. And that level of dedication occurs from their life experiences. Is there any particular incident from your life that inspired you to set up your NGO for downtrodden women? Especially those that don’t get help from the law?”
She had a valid question there, thought Sangita. Her passion for Penn Urimai indeed stemmed from her own experiences. She got up to make herself a cup of coffee, not wanting to disturb the cook as he was preparing lunch. Walking out into the garden, Sangita sat on the grass to relish her coffee, enjoying the light warmth of the early morning sunrays in the cool weather. Her thoughts went back to her life before Gautam…
Meet the Author, Sundari Venkatraman… 
Even as a kid, Sundari absolutely loved the ‘lived happily ever after’ syndrome as she grew up reading all the fairy tales she could lay her hands on, Phantom comics, Mandrake comics and the like. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end.
Soon, into her teens, Sundari switched her attention from fairy tales to Mills & Boon. While she loved reading both of these, she kept visualising what would have happened if there were similar situations happening in India; to a local hero and heroine. Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years.
Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! She could never string two sentences together. While her spoken English had always been excellent – thanks to her Grandpa – she couldn’t write to save her life.
All this changed suddenly one fine day in the year 2000. She had just quit her job as a school admin and didn’t know what to do with her life. She was saturated with simply reading books. That’s when she returned home one evening after her walk, took some sheets of paper and began writing. It was like watching a movie that was running in her head – all those years of visualising Indian heroes and heroines needed an outlet and had to be put into words. That’s how her first novel, The Malhotra Bride, took shape. While she felt discouraged when publishing didn’t happen, it was her husband who kept encouraging her not to give up.
In the meanwhile, she landed a job as Copy Editor with Mumbai Mirror. After working there for two years, she moved to the Network 18 Group and worked with two of their websites over the next six years, as Content Editor.
Despite her work schedule, she continued to write novels and then short stories and had them published in her blogs. She also blogs voraciously, writing on many different topics – travel, book reviews, film reviews, restaurant reviews, spirituality, alternative health and more.
Her first eBook Double Jeopardy – a romance novella – was published by Indireads and has been very well received by readers of romance.
In 2014, Sundari self-published The Malhotra Bride (2nd Edition); Meghna; The Runaway Bridegroom; Flaming Sun Collection 1: Happily Ever Afters From India (Box Set) and Matches Made In Heaven (a collection of romantic short stories).
2015 brought yet another opportunity. Readomania came forward to traditionally publish this book – The Madras Affair – a mature romance set in Madras.
~~~
Links to Sundari’s website, blog, books, etc.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sundarivenkat
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSundar...
Amazon Author Page:
January 4, 2016
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: The Earl’s Complete Surrender by Sophie Barnes
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!
~~
THE EARL’S COMPLETE SURRENDER
Secrets at Thorncliff Manor #2
BY SOPHIE BARNES
Blurbs
An unexpected passion ignites as secrets are exposed in Sophie Barnes’s captivating Regency-set romance.
Despite the diversions offered at Thorncliff Manor, former spy James, the Earl of Woodford, has one purpose in staying there. He must find an encoded book that exposes a conspiracy within the British aristocracy. And he must do so without revealing his purpose to the clever, tempting Chloe Heartly. The lady has a knack for appearing wherever it is least convenient. In the library. In the salon. And, especially, in his arms . . .
Somewhere within Thorncliff’s labyrinth of rooms lies the journal Chloe desperately seeks. When she realizes the brooding, handsome earl is hunting the same quarry, Chloe enters into an uneasy partnership. But in the face of public danger and enemies hiding in plain sight, both must decide how much they’re willing to risk to solve the mysteries of the heart.
THE EARL’S COMPLETE SURRENDER
Secrets at Thorncliff Manor #2
BY SOPHIE BARNES
Excerpt
Chloe considered telling her sister that there was such a thing as knowing too much, but she bit back the rejoinder and kept silent instead, unwilling to take their conversation in that particular direction.
“In all likelihood you’ll be right and my interest in whoever he is will prove pointless.” Fiona said as they passed a row of elm trees. Like a curtain pushed aside, they gave way to an impressive view of Thorncliff, the towering walls dwarfing anyone standing before them and likening them to ants. “Come to think of it, he did seem rather dull—as if it made no difference to him that he was about to arrive at the most fantastic estate in England. He should have been staring out of the window of that carriage with keen enthusiasm. Most young gentlemen would do so, but he did not.”
“No,” Chloe agreed as they turned onto the driveway that would take them straight up to the front door. “Perhaps coming here disagrees with him.”
“I can’t imagine why,” Fiona said. “It’s the most fascinating place in the world!”
“You say so only because you have not traveled the world.”
“Perhaps that’s our answer,” Fiona suggested. “Perhaps the man we saw, whoever he may be, has traveled to so many fine places that Thorncliff fails to entice.”
“Or maybe he’s just not the adventurous sort,” Chloe offered. “He may simply enjoy reading a good book, in which case he has no need of coming here at all and probably considers Thorncliff a complete waste of time.”
The words brought Fiona to an immediate halt. “Do you find it a complete waste of time, Chloe?”
A rush of emotion swept through Chloe. It almost felt as if an ebbing tide was tugging at her belly. “Of course not. Why on earth would you think such a thing when I’ve already told you how happy I am to be spending more time with you and the rest of the family?”
A puff of air escaped Fiona in the form of a sigh. “Perhaps you wanted to be kind and spare my feelings?”
Taking her sister by the hand, Chloe held on fast as she gazed into her troubled young eyes. “No. I would never be dishonest with you.”
“Are you certain? Because I am well aware of your fondness for reading as well as your lack of enthusiasm for socializing at the moment. Are you sure you wouldn’t have rather stayed at home with your books?”
Closing her eyes, Chloe struggled to ease the nerves that threatened to send her heart racing. “No. I would not. The Thorncliff library is vast. I mean to explore it during my stay here. As for socializing . . . I’ve just spent a year in mourning, Fiona. I need time to readjust.”
“I’m sorry,” Fiona said, biting her lip. “I just wish that I could do more to make you happy.”
“I am happy,” Chloe assured her. At the very least, she was free now, and that was pretty much the same thing. “Come, let’s find out who Lord Hainsworth’s companion is so we can put your curiosity to rest.”
Meet the Author, Sophie Barnes… 
Born in Denmark, Sophie Barnes spent her youth traveling with her parents to wonderful places all around the world. She’s lived in five different countries, on three different continents, and speaks Danish, English, French, Spanish and Romanian. She has studied design in Paris and New York and has a bachelor’s degree from Parsons. But, most impressive of all, she’s been married to the same man three times—in three different countries and in three different dresses.
While living in Africa, Sophie turned to her lifelong passion: writing. When she’s not busy dreaming up her next romance novel, Sophie enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, cooking, gardening, watching romantic comedies and, of course, reading. She currently lives on the East Coast.
~~~
Links to Sophie’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/10/the-earls-complete-surrender-secrets-at.html
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25311099-the-earl-s-complete-surrender
Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/136344-secrets-at-thorncliff-manor
Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
January 3, 2016
**Author Peek** Interview with Sundari Venkatraman
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with
SUNDARI VENKATRAMAN!!
~~
INTRODUCING….SUNDARI VENKATRAMAN.
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.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for hosting me on your blog.
My name is Sundari Venkatraman. I live in Mumbai, India. I used to work first with a newspaper and later with a couple of websites, writing content and doing copy editing until I turned freelancer. I did that for a year before becoming full time writer. I have four novels and one anthology (all romances) published to my name.
My cat Simba is my favourite hobby. Other than that, I like to travel and cook; bake. Most of my time I spend in writing and promoting my books.
1. What genre(s) do you write and why?
I write romances. I love the “happily ever after” endings for one thing and it’s also the genre that I read the most.
2. If you were to choose one superpower, what would it be?
Teleport – disappearing from one place and appearing in the place I want to reach in a jiffy. I get goosebumps every time I imagine doing that.
3. Do you ever get stuck when you’re writing a book? What do you do to get “unstuck”?
Yeah, at times. When I get stuck, I stop writing for a few days and do a lot of reading and walking till I want to write again.
4. What is your least favorite part of writing?
Following editorial guidelines to rewrite sections; though I do realize the importance of this exercise.
5. If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?
If you are into big meals, I would like to serve you a typical South Indian meal on a plantain leaf.
Adding a picture for your audience:
The items on the leaf:
1. Sarkarai pongal – sweet dish made of rice, polished green gram, jaggery and cardamom
2. Vellarikkai pachidi – cucumber and beaten curd tempered with mustard seeds and green chilly
3. Avarakkai curry – boiled Indian beans with sauté
4. Pudalangaai kootu – snake gourd in coconut gravy
5. Nendarangai chips – plantain chips
6. Paruppu – plain lentil with salt
7. Steamed rice
8. Ghee – clarified butter
9. Carrot sambar – a flavoured curry of tamarind, lentil and other spices to be had with rice
10. Thakkaali rasam – tomato flavoured clear soup made of tamarind puree; also had with rice
11. Thayir saadham – a mix of rice and curd with sauté
12. Water
6. What is your typical day like?
I am a late riser. I prepare breakfast and lunch before sitting on my PC. I do promotions on social media and write. I do my best to write at least a thousand words. My husband, daughter and son (both are adults and we live in the same house) leave late for work – so family time is more in the morning than at dinner as everyone gets home late. I have inculcated an exercise routine recently. I enjoy my siesta and go to sleep at around 2-3 am at the earliest. I read at night and then there is a gratitude journal that I write just before going to sleep.
7. What is most difficult for you to write? Characters, conflict or emotions? Why?
Conflict is what I find most difficult to write. I see the world through rosy spectacles all the time. It’s not as if we are a peaceful family without arguments. We are quite hyper and have shouting matches pretty often. But I still find it difficult to pen conflict between characters. I need to really work at this, especially as I have taken to exploring the Romantic Thriller genre recently.
8. How likely are the people you meet going to end up in your next book?
More than the people, I think it’s their characteristics that end up in my book. If I use a specific person, I find that it curtails my writing. So it’s one person’s eyes, another person’s nose and yet another person’s temper; if you know what I mean. 
January 1, 2016
Congratulations Karen’s Killer Book Bench Blog Subscriber JANUARY 2016 Winner!!
Time to announce the JANUARY 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…
LIVNLUVNLAFN…
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 will be announcing this random giveaway on the blog from now on because some have not responded to my emails about winning the drawing. 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.
December 31, 2015
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: Garlicky Chicken Soup
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 GARLICKY CHICKEN SOUP!
Winter barely seems to have arrived and the flu and cold season has already taken over many households. I love soup in winter. It’s warm and satisfying. I decided to share this one soup recipe because it’s perfect for what ails many of us. Garlic is a known treatment for colds, as is chicken soup. This is a great soup for both purposes, and delicious even if you aren’t fighting off a cold or flu. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 239 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.
GARLICKY CHICKEN SOUP
[Serves 4]
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. dried thyme
pinch dry sage
1 head garlic, minced
8 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1 lb. Bone/skinless chicken breasts, cubed
Heat oil in large saucepan over low heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, and sage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens and becomes translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic. Cook 2 minutes longer. Pour in broth, raise heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and simmer until carrots soften, about 10 minutes. Add chicken, bring soup back to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes longer. Season with salt, if desired. Remove bay leaves, and serve.
Congratulations Week 12-14-15 Giveaway Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
12-14-15
GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
~~~
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with L.A. Sartor!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: L.A. will give away a Kindle copy of BELIEVE IN ME THIS CHRISTMAS MORN to two lucky readers who comment on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog. Thank you, L.A., for sharing your story and recipe with us.
WINNERS ~ SUSAN H & CONNIE REYNOLDS!!
~~~
EVERYONE’S A WINNER FOR A LIMITED TIME!!!
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!!
Get your copy HERE:
Amazon – amzn.to/1WS2RHV
KOBO – bit.ly/1VJAw3R
iTunes – apple.co/1huLmNC
B&N – bit.ly/1NvGZjL
chapters.indigo – bit.ly/1LmlQ9y
~~~
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!
