Karen Docter's Blog, page 230
November 1, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench Blog Subscriber NOVEMBER Winner!
Time to announce the NOVEMBER 2015 #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…
CHRISSYISER…
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 have 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.
October 31, 2015
**ARCs Available** SEASON OF THRILLS BOX SET by Bestselling Suspense, Mystery, Thriller Authors!!
WE HAVE ADVANCE READER COPIES (ARC)!!!
SEASON OF THRILLS BOX SET
By Award-winning & Bestselling Authors
JERRIE ALEXANDER, KIM CRESSWELL, K.L. DOCTER, RACHEL KENT & MARIAN LANOUETTE
We have a limited number of ARCs to share with our readers in exchange for an honest review release week, December 1-7, 2015. You have one month to read all five books in the box set and write your review. We would love to see your review everywhere, including Amazon, B&N, Kobo, iBooks, Goodreads, etc! If you’ve read and reviewed any of these books, you’re already started!
Number of ARCs Available: 15
Formats: .mobi and .epub
Approximate Page Count: 1200 pages
Genres: suspense/mystery/thriller
Your SEASON OF THRILLS BOX SET ARC Includes:
HELL OR HIGH WATER
Lost and Found, Inc.
By Jerrie Alexander
Blurb: When ex-SEAL Nate Wolfe learns a woman from his past is in danger, nothing will stop him from protecting her. Not even her.
Dallas Child Protection Services Investigator Kay Taylor doesn’t want or need Nate in her life. But he doesn’t seem to understand the word no. He seems to also have forgotten the brand he left on her heart.
When Kay is taken and sold to a monster, the devil himself couldn’t stop Nate from doing whatever it takes to find her…but will he be in time?
Excerpt Shared: http://www.karendocter.com/karens-killer-book-bench-sneak-peek-season-of-thrillshell-or-high-water-by-jerrie-alexander.html
REFLECTION
A Whitney Steel Novel – Book One
By Kim Cresswell
Blurb: Lunch with the ex-husband is not always a fun thing especially when bullets start flying and reporter Whitney Steel finds herself in the middle of a human cloning story that will rock the world…providing she lives long enough to get her byline. “A deeply emotional romantic suspense that starts bold and holds you captive to the very end.” –New York Times Bestseller, Dianna Love
Excerpt Shared: http://www.karendocter.com/karens-killer-book-bench-sneak-peek-season-of-thrillsreflection-by-kim-cresswell.html
KILLING SECRETS
A Thorne’s Thorns Novel, Book One
By K.L. Docter
Blurb: Some secrets are better left dead. Too bad the Angel Killer’s digging them up.
Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her traumatized child, his key to the James fortune. Patrick Thorne isn’t interested in helping another of his parents’ charity cases, especially after losing his unborn son and wife to suicide. Only trust will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a child of her silent prison, and save them both from a killer who stands too close.
Excerpt Shared: http://www.karendocter.com/karens-killer-book-bench-sneak-peek-season-of-thrillskilling-secrets-by-k-l-docter.html
BROKEN PIECES
Bits & Pieces Book
By Rachel Kent
Blurb: Tara Jacobs had her life completely planned. She truly did have it all after a lifetime of struggles. Unfortunately, her stepbrother arrives in town and threatens to ruin her well-laid plans with some blackmail. Tara stops at almost nothing to keep her skeletons from tumbling out of the closet.
Excerpt Shared: http://www.karendocter.com/karens-killer-book-bench-sneak-peek-broken-pieces-by-rachel-kent.html
If I FAIL
A Jake Carrington Mystery Book One
By Marian Lanouette
Blurb: Are rules really meant to be broken? Jake Carrington finds out the hard way and the answer is no! Dating Chloe Wagner was a huge mistake, and Jake should have known better—he’s investigating the murder of Chloe’s sister. Now Chloe is the number one suspect in that murder. If she’s convicted, Jake could lose not only his rank, but his career. If that’s not bad enough, he’s got a stalker on his hands, someone who’s threatening his fledgling relationship with the lovely Mia. Things are getting just a little too personal for comfort!
Excerpt Shared: http://www.karendocter.com/karens-killer-book-bench-sneak-peek-season-of-thrillsif-i-fail-by-marian-lanouette.html
SEASON OF THRILLS Box Set is a value-packed, thrill ride for those who love romantic suspense, procedural suspense, detective mysteries, thrillers, and so much more!
To get your ARC copy of SEASON OF THRILLS BOX SET in exchange for an honest review, please comment below with your name and format needs, .mobi or .epub. (Karen Docter) will contact you individually to let you know if a copy is still available and arrange for delivery of the box set.
Thanks so much for helping us to celebrate the release of this wonderful box set!!
October 30, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: His Work of Art by Shannyn Schroeder
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!
~~
HIS WORK OF ART
BY SHANNYN SCHROEDER
Blurb
Reese Carter is definitely not your average college girl. She’d prefer to spend Saturday nights playing Hero’s Crusade than attending a wild frat party on campus. When she bands together with Adam, fellow comic enthusiast and illustrator, it appears that Reese has formed a dream team sure to propel her writing into the comic hall of fame.
Adam Hayes has never met a girl like Reese. She’s sassy, smart, and loves talking comics, although he can’t see why she’d choose DC over Marvel. He’s thrilled to finally put his artistic chops to use in their upcoming comic project. But this relationship is strictly professional. Or so he tells himself. When the two combine forces, they churn out magic in more ways than they had planned; they never expected to develop a steamy romantic sub-plot of their own…
HIS WORK OF ART
BY SHANNYN SCHROEDER
Excerpt
“Where are we going to work?”
“I have drafting tables in my bedroom.” He stopped midstride, as if realizing what he’d just said. “Unless that makes you uncomfortable. Then we can work in here on the floor.”
“I’m fine wherever. I think I can trust you to behave yourself. Or have you been secretly doing all of this work on my comic as a ploy to get me to your bedroom all along? Maybe it’s not even a bedroom, but a dungeon and you plan to chain me up.”
He laughed, but it was one of those uncomfortable, you-sound-crazy kinds of laughs. He shoved a door open. “Totally normal bedroom.”
She sighed. “I’m a little disappointed.”
“You’re weird.”
She couldn’t stop the smile. “I know. And you like me anyway.”
“Yeah, I do.”
She stepped into his bedroom and he hadn’t lied. His bed was pushed into a corner to make room for two drafting tables on the opposite wall. A cheap nightstand stood beside the bed. A small bookcase sat behind the door, but that was it for furniture.
Reese dropped her bag beside one of the tables.
“Oh, shit. Hang on.” Adam left the room and returned with a chair. “It was either this or the little stool Hunter uses for his drums.”
“That’s fine.” It was a battered, old dining room chair and looked far from comfortable, but she could always sit on his bed and talk. He needed the desk more than she did.
Adam sat on his stool, one that spun in circles and sat on rollers, but didn’t appear much more comfortable than the chair she had. She pulled her notebook out. “I reworked the story for the first book featuring Lyrid. I wrote in the mentor. It’s up to you to decide if I got it right.”
She flipped to the page and handed him the book. Again, she found herself waiting while he read. She should have sent him the story ahead of time to be more efficient. Waiting was painful.
Luckily, Adam was a fast reader. He set the notebook on the desk and spun to face her. “It’s missing something. There’s not enough action. You’ve introduced the mentor, who still doesn’t have a name, but all he does is watch. He’s not a mentor yet. We don’t know who he is, and that’s all right, but other than Alexis freaking out and doing her mind-control stuff, nothing happens.”
“Stuff happens.” She grabbed the book and scanned for examples. While she reread her work, she tried to imagine it on the page, what each panel would show. Two pages in, she knew she’d messed up. “Damn. How did I screw that up so badly?”
Meet the Author, SHANNYN SCHROEDER… 
Shannyn Schroeder is the author of the O’Leary series, contemporary romances centered around a large Irish-American family in Chicago and the new Hot & Nerdy series about 3 nerdy friends and their last spring break. When she’s not wrangling her three kids or writing, she watches a ton of TV and loves to bake cookies.
~~~
Links to Shannyn’s website, blog, books, etc.
Nook:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-work-of-art-shannyn-schroeder/1121380906?ean=9781616509552
iBook:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/his-work-of-art/id979049691?mt=11
Kobo:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/his-work-of-art
Website:
http://www.shannynschroeder.com
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6575201.Shannyn_Schroeder
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SSchroeder_
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannyn.schroeder
October 29, 2015
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Melissa West
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with Melissa West!
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, Melissa West, and her favorite recipe for WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP CRANBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES!
RACING HEARTS
Hamilton Stables Series Book 1
B
Y MELISSA WEST
Blurb
In the lush heart of Kentucky, the Hamiltons are horse racing royalty, born to produce champions. To win takes heart and soul—and to love takes the wild spirit of the land itself…
The oldest of three headstrong brothers, Trip Hamilton is considered the best horse trainer in the world. But he learned long ago to keep his focus on the horses and away from the riders. He’s seen the way heartbreak can waylay a career, and he’s determined not to risk it—until a stubborn, sexy rider thunders into his life, breaks his resolve, along with several of his rules, and takes his heart right out of the gate…
Emery Carlisle has a point to prove. She’ll be the first woman to win the prestigious Kentucky Derby, if only Trip will hire her, and let her ride the spirited colt she fell for at first sight. He won’t—unless she agrees to train with the horse at Hamilton Stables, under his guidance. It’s supposed to be strictly business, but as the race approaches, and their undeniable chemistry builds, Trip and Emery may be headed for the greatest win of all—as long as the losses of the past don’t gain on them…
About the author…MELISSA WEST
.
Melissa West writes heartfelt Southern romance and YA sci-fi romance,
all with lots of kissing. Because who doesn’t like kissing? She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.
~~~
Links to Melissa’s website, blog, books, etc.
Connect with Melissa at www.melissawestauthor.com or on Twitter @MB_West. And for sneak peeks at upcoming titles, prizes, and more, join Mel’s Madhouse: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MelsMadhouse
Website
:
www.melissawestauthor.com
I hope you enjoy the recipe Melissa is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 224 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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi there! My name is Melissa West, and I am the author of RACING HEARTS, book 1 in the Hamilton Stables series, featuring horseracing and a second chance at love.
But one of the parts of this story that I love the most is the feud between my heroine’s aunt, Annie-Jean, and her childhood best friend, Patty. Both women are bakers now, one residing in my heroine’s town and the other in my hero’s town, and you can imagine the antics as one tries to one up the other!
The first introduction to Annie-Jean is her attempting to make 100 dozen cranberry oatmeal cookies for an order by the next morning, so I thought it would be fun to share my favorite cranberry oatmeal cookie recipe!
This recipe is courtesy of Julesong on Food.com (my go-to site for awesome recipes), and it is absolutely delicious! Enjoy!
WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP CRANBERRY OATMEAL COOKIES
Ingredients:
3⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup packed brown sugar
1⁄2 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)
3⁄4 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer combine the sugar, brown sugar and butter; mix well to cream together.
Add in egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
Add the cinnamon, baking soda, salt and flour and mix well.
Fold in the oatmeal, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips- making sure that all ingredients are uniformly distributed.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 3 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges are lightly golden.
Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer cookies to cooling rack.
Congratulations Week 10-05-15, 10-12-15 & 10-19-15 Giveaway Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
10-05-15, 10-12-15 & 10-19-15
GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with Jane Porter, Megan Crane, CJ Carmichael, Katherine Garbera, Melissa McClone, Roxanne Snopek, Dani Collins & Alissa Callen !!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Comment with one of your Christmas traditions and you’ll be entered to win A MONTANA BORN CHRISTMAS prize pack that includes: $5 Starbucks gift card, cowboy boot shot glass, Tule Girl book bag, ornament, socks, magnet pad, Mistletoe Wedding key chain, candle tin, post-it pad, Happy Holiday swag, pen, nail file, luggage tag, cookie cutter and two recipe cards. Open Internationally. Thanks again, ladies, for sharing your box set with us!
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with Ellie Mack!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Ellie is giving away a paperback copy of her novel RED WINE & ROSES and two wine charms to a (U.S. ONLY) reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog. If the winner is outside U.S., the giveaway is a digital or PDF copy of RED WINE & ROSES. Thanks again, Ellie, for sharing your book and recipe with us!
WINNER ~ KATE BENOIT!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with JENNIE MARTS!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Jennie has a giveaway for one of her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog readers! Comment on the following: What would you order for dessert at Cherry’s Diner? Leave a comment below and be in the running to win an e-copy of TUCKED AWAY, Hearts of Montana Series, Book 1 by JENNIE MARTS. Thanks, Jennie, for sharing your story with us!
WINNER ~ GLENDA!!
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with EILEEN DREYER!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Eileen is giving away an ebook copy of her novel A PRINCE OF A GUY to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog. Don’t miss the chance to read this book! Thanks, Eileen, for sharing your story and recipe with us!
WINNER ~ ROSE ARBOR!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench *Hearts of Braden Week* with MICHEL PRINCE!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Michel has a giveaway for one of her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog readers! Leave a comment below for a chance to win a signed copy of ONE LAST RODEO, A Red Hot and BOOM! Story by Michel Prince. Thanks, Michel, for sharing your story with us!
WINNER ~ CONNIE REYNOLDS!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench *Hearts of Braden Week* with SUSANNE MATTHEWS!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Susanne has a giveaway for one of her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog readers! Leave a comment below for a chance to win an ebook copy of IN PLAIN SIGHT by Susanne Matthews. Thanks, Susanne, for sharing your story with us!!
WINNER ~ BN100!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench *Hearts of Braden Week* with TRICIA ANDERSEN!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Tricia has a giveaway for one of her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog readers! Leave a comment below for a chance to win an ebook copy of THE HEARTBREAKER by Tricia Andersen upon its release. Thanks, Tricia, for sharing your story with us!!
WINNER ~ ROSE ARBOR!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench *Hearts of Braden Week* with MOLLY DANIELS!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Molly has a giveaway for one of her Karen’s Killer Book Bench blog readers! Leave a comment below for a chance to win a copy of ENDLESS LOVE, Arbor University Series Book #5 by Molly Daniels. Thanks, Molly, for sharing your story with us.
WINNER ~ MELISSA MORR!
EVERYONE’S A WINNER FOR A LIMITED TIME!!!
Don’t miss the SEASON OF THRILLS BOX SET for only $.99
~ Pre-order Only!! ~
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!!
Releases December 1st at $7.99
Get your Pre-Order 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.
October 28, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: An Unexpected Wish by Eileen Richards
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!
~~
AN UNEXPECTED WISH
A Lady’s Wish
BY EILEEN RICHARDS
Blurb
LOVE IS IN THE AIR
Anne Townsend doesn’t ask for much. Plain and poor, she’d settle for the funds to put food on the table. Making a wish on the fabled Fairy Steps is hardly a solid solution, but to see her two sisters taken care of, Anne’s willing to try anything. Yet when she finds herself suddenly surrounded with suitors, romance is now a possibility for the spinster everyone always ignored except with the one man who will never want her…
Nathaniel Matthews has no time for courting. As the eldest, he has his family’s lost fortune to rebuild, and his reckless brother to manage before he gambles his future away. Odd that Nathaniel can think of little but kissing bright-eyed Anne, who seems to be fighting off admirers from all sides. Is it the country air, or is Nathaniel ready to discover that love has a magic all its own?
AN UNEXPECTED WISH
A Lady’s Wish
BY EILEEN RICHARDS
Excerpt
“I hereby decree the word spinster be stricken from all manner of speech.” Anne Townsend waved her makeshift wand from her perch at the top of the Fairy Steps. She cleared her voice in her most royal manner. “Furthermore, the word shall be stricken from every document in my fair kingdom!” The small village of Beetham shimmered in the gold cast of the late autumn sun, completely unaffected by her pronouncement.
Typical. She threw the stick down the uneven stones she’d just climbed.
Plain, practical, boring Anne
Was too plain to catch a man.
If she caught the eye of one,
To her sister he would run.
The truth of the stupid childhood taunt stared back at her every blasted day. She was plain. She’d never attracted any man she deemed suitable. It wasn’t as if she was being picky. He just had to be reasonably wealthy, reasonably handsome, reasonably witty, and not stupid.
Therein lay the difficulty. No man had met all the requirements. If he was handsome, he was either poor or witless. If he wasn’t handsome, he had funds and was as old as the Fairy Steps.
It was of little matter. A modern woman made the best of things. Modern women didn’t settle for some old shriveled-up man. And she would be a modern woman if it killed her.
Five years ago, the lure of magic in the Fairy Steps had stirred her romantic heart. A wish could fix anything: poverty, loneliness, and love. God, what a ninny she’d been.
The only thing that fixed poverty and loneliness was money.
Daily her sisters, Sophia and Juliet, whined about their lack of funds. They argued over stupid ribbons. They complained about their old, unfashionable dresses. Her sisters had no inkling of the trouble they were in.
They needed fuel for the approaching winter, food for larder, and coins to pay the two servants Anne couldn’t do without. It took blunt. Blunt was what she needed more than anything.
If the confounded fairy showed up today, Anne wouldn’t hesitate. She’d wish for the ready. Pots of it.
Anne closed her eyes and embraced the rare moment of peace. No arguing, whining, bickering, nagging, tormenting, or complaining. Just beautiful, glorious silence.
A cold gust of wind blew the tendrils of hair from her face and chased a shiver up her spine. Dried leaves rattled behind her as they skated across the rock. A twig snapped behind her.
Her eyes flew open. She wasn’t alone.
Meet the Author, EILEEN RICHARDS… 
Eileen Richards has been writing for most of her life. Poetry, totally inappropriate answers to essay questions in school, and interesting error codes during her 30 year IT career has prepared her for the manic world of publishing.
She writes sassy regency romps set in the small villages of England where the rules are bent a bit and gossip rules the day.
Eileen resides with her husband and their diva of a greyhound in North Carolina.
~~~
Links to Eileens’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon US: http://tinyurl.com/p7bvfuz
Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/prwaqdc
IBOOKS: http://tinyurl.com/o475rom
Kobo: http://tinyurl.com/q43vg6j
FACEBOOK PAGE:
https://www.facebook.com/eileenrichardsauthor
(LINK AND SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER)
WEBPAGE:
http://www.eileenrichardsauthor.com
PINTEREST:
https://www.pinterest.com/EileenRAuthor/an-unexpected-wish/
October 27, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: The Miser’s Dream, An Eli Marks Mystery by John Gaspard
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 MISER’S DREAM
An Eli Marks Mystery
BY JOHN GASPARD
Blurb
A casual glance out his apartment window turns Magician Eli Marks’ life upside down. After spotting a dead body in the projection booth of the movie theater next door, Eli is pulled into the hunt for the killer. As he attempts to puzzle out a solution to this classic locked room mystery, he must deal with a crisis of a more personal nature: the appearance of a rival magician who threatens not only Eli’s faith in himself as a performer, but his relationship with his girlfriend.
But the killer won’t wait and starts taking homicidal steps to bring Eli’s investigation to a quick and decisive end. Things get even worse when his magician rival offers his own plausible solution to the mystery. With all the oddball suspects gathered together, Eli must unveil the secrets to this movie-geek whodunit or find himself at the wrong end of the trick.
THE MISER’S DREAM
An Eli Marks Mystery
BY JOHN GASPARD
EXCERPT
Chapter One
“I’m a hack.”
Holy crap, did I say that out loud? My intention had been to whisper those three words silently to myself, but apparently my brain hadn’t properly communicated that goal to my mouth. Consequently, I must have said it out loud, if the stern look from the lady in front of me was any indication. I put a hand over my mouth and cleared my throat, trying and failing to give the impression I had simply coughed. I turned to my right and recognized a puzzled look from Megan.
“Are you okay?” she whispered, effortlessly speaking at the appropriate volume.
I nodded without conviction and returned my attention to the performer who had inspired this brutal self-assessment.
His name was Quinton Moon and he was killing me.
Quinton was awesome, and not in the flawed and grossly overused current use of the expression. He inspired awe. I was in awe. He awed me, which is no small feat, particularly since we are both magicians. I’ve seen plenty of magicians in my lifetime. But not one like Quinton Moon.
I had resisted when my Uncle Harry had offered us the tickets because, as a magician, I can honestly say that I may have already seen enough magicians in my lifetime. But Harry had wisely made the offer in the presence of Megan. He had also suggested we dine at Christos in the Union Depot in downtown St. Paul as part of our evening out and before I knew it my fate was sealed. Parking was the usual downtown St. Paul nightmare scenario, but dinner was delightful, the hummus to die for and the wine and the conversation flowed. For a while I almost forgot that my primary goal this evening was to see, of all things, a magician.
Megan declared our walk from dinner to the St. Paul Hotel was a “winter wonderland romp,” but in reality it was a wet slog through yet another in a series of recent snowfalls. None of the merchants had shoveled and the snowplows had not effectively cleared the streets from the last dusting of snow, so crossing at each intersection became a high-tension thriller all its own. By the time we made it to the classic hotel’s ornate lobby, my shoes were soaking, my feet were freezing and my mood was grim. For her part, though, Megan couldn’t have been bubblier.
“This is going to be fun,” she gushed as we were directed to the single elevator which offered access to the top floor suite.
“You remember we’re seeing a magician, right?” I asked as the doors slid shut.
#
An hour later, my shoes were dry, my feet were warm and I had been transported to a Victorian drawing room and a performance of chamber magic that would, in many ways, change my life.
Quinton Moon appeared as if he had stepped directly out of the pages of a Jules Verne novel. Thick sideburns framed a ruggedly handsome face with piercing green eyes and a warm and inviting smile. It was hard not to like him immediately, but I will say I gave it a valiant effort. He greeted each guest as they arrived, ushering us to our seats while keeping up a steady patter about the room’s history, the night and the snow which continued to gather on the leaded glass windowsills.
The living room of the suite was set with about thirty chairs, all facing the front of the room. The majority of the audience was better dressed than I was, with several gentlemen even sporting tuxes. For his part, Quinton wore a tailored coat, which he removed at the top of the show, revealing a tastefully colorful vest and cummerbund combination.
He was an effortless performer, but I understand enough about the trade to know you only get that relaxed on stage if you’ve really done your homework off-stage. The 70-minute show was an even mix of illusions I’d seen a thousand times before and tricks I was witnessing for the first time. But in Quinton’s hands, even the most clichéd illusions sported a brand new shimmer and shine. Hoary old chestnuts, like The Linking Rings and The Miser’s Dream–tricks which are staples of kids’ birthday parties, for God’s sake—took on an entirely new flavor in his hands and I watched them all as if for the first time.
The breaking point for me came when he did a seven-minute routine using thimbles. Thimbles! He actually did a routine with thimbles that not only held my attention but transported me. I was transfixed, and my amazement and self-loathing grew concurrently as the evening progressed until I finally uttered my inner monologue aloud.
“I’m a hack.”
The second time I said it (and every subsequent time, of which there were legion), I was able to keep the words inside my head, which I felt was a victory of sorts. But it didn’t change how I was feeling, with my primary emotion being one of complete impotence.
Megan, of course, was feeling none of this, but responded to each new miracle with the oohs and ahhs which are the lifeblood of magicians. She spent most of the performance literally sitting on the edge of her seat, leaning forward in anticipation of each new illusion. And she wasn’t alone; Quinton held the crowd confidently in the palm of his hand. His interactions with the audience members were real and genuine and he was never thrown, even when a trick seemed to go slightly awry. In fact, he got more out of the mistakes that occurred than I generally am able to get when my entire act goes right. Which is rare. Or hardly ever. Let’s call it never.
Speaking in an indefinable accent—was it British? German? Baltic? No, turns out he’s Swiss—Quinton was consistently charming and engaging, often seeming to enjoy the illusions as much or more than the audience. His delight was infectious and the act, which was brilliantly structured, built to a final climax that left the audience stunned. We sat in silence for several long moments before the small crowd burst into applause, giving him an instant and heartfelt standing ovation – a real one, not the obligatory ovations Minnesotans proffer to virtually any performance which safely reaches its conclusion.
As he had done at the beginning of the evening, Quinton spoke personally with each of us as we left, creating an immediate if affable traffic jam pile-up at the suite’s door. Due to the confined nature of the space, I was able to hear his answers to all the questions put to him while we moved closer and closer to the exit.
“Is this the first time you’ve done this show?”
“No, I’ve performed similar shows in London, Zurich, Berlin and Madrid.”
“Why do it in a hotel suite, couldn’t you make more money in a large theater?”
“Yes, but then I would miss the–how you say?–intimacy of interacting with each member of the audience, such as I am doing now.”
“How are you enjoying Minneapolis?”
“We’re in St. Paul.” (Laughter)
“What brings you to the Twin Cities?”
“I have a corporate engagement in town and thought this would be an ideal time to present this show as well. Murder a couple of birds, as it were.”
And then it was our turn.
“It was wonderful,” Megan gushed. “Truly wonderful.”
“Thank you,” Quinton replied, turning his thousand-watt smile on Megan, and then on me. Megan grabbed my arm and pulled me forward. “This is my friend Eli. He’s a magician too!”
I hadn’t thought it was possible to feel any worse about myself, but it turns out I was wrong. I suddenly felt about a foot tall. Quinton, however, seemed oddly delighted by the news.
“Not Eli Marks?” he asked.
“Yes,” I said tentatively.
“Brilliant. I had the very great pleasure of meeting your uncle, Harry Marks, at the show last night.”
“Really? He hadn’t mentioned it.”
“Charming gentleman. We had a wonderful conversation. He even talked me into doing a lecture at your magic store.”
“Odd. He didn’t mention that either.”
“He’s quite persuasive.”
“He is that.”
“I must tell you, it certainly was a thrill to finally meet Harry Marks. Something of a legend, isn’t he?”
“He likes to think he is.”
“Well thank you so much for coming tonight. I look forward to seeing you at your shop.”
“We can’t wait,” Megan said before I could respond.
Quinton smiled at her and then at me and then we were out the door.
Meet the Author, JOHN GASPARD… 
In real life, John’s not a magician, but he has directed six low-budget features that cost very little and made even less – that’s no small trick. He’s also written multiple books on the subject of low-budget filmmaking. Ironically, they’ve made more than the films. His blog, “Fast, Cheap Movie Thoughts” has been named “One of the 50 Best Blogs for Moviemakers” and “One of The 100 Best Blogs For Film and Theater Students.” He’s also written for TV and the stage. John lives in Minnesota and shares his home with his lovely wife, several dogs, a few cats and a handful of pet allergies.
~~~
Links to John’s website, blog, books, etc.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnGaspardAuthorPage
Publisher site: http://henerypress.com/john-gaspard/
My Blog: http://fastcheapmoviethoughts.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @johngaspard
~~~
Don’t miss the chance to read this story!
Thanks, John, for sharing your series with us!!
October 26, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown
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 GREAT CHRISTMAS KNIT-OFF
BY ALEXANDRA BROWN
Blurb
The perfect seasonal tale of how laughter, friends and wacky Christmas sweaters can mend a broken heart.
Heartbroken after being jilted at the altar, Sybil has been saved from despair by her knitting obsession and now her home is filled to bursting with tea cozies, beanies, and sweaters. But, after discovering that she may have perpetrated the screw-up of the century at work, Sybil decides to make a hasty exit and, just weeks before Christmas, runs away to the picturesque village of Tindledale.
There, Sybil discovers Hettie’s House of Haberdashery, an emporium dedicated to the world of knitting and needle craft. But Hettie, the outspoken octogenarian owner, is struggling and now the shop is due for closure. And when Hettie decides that Sybil’s wonderfully wacky Christmas sweaters are just the thing to add a bit of excitement to her window display, something miraculous starts to happen…
THE GREAT CHRISTMAS KNIT-OFF
BY ALEXANDRA BROWN
Excerpt
PROLOGUE
Hettie Honey picked up a lovely lavender lace weight that a customer had abandoned by the till after pondering for what seemed like an eternity that, actually, it wasn’t the right shade of lavender after all. She then walked across the shop floor of her House of Haberdashery to repatriate the ball into its rightful place—a wooden, floor-to-ceiling cabinet comprising twenty-four cubbyholes inset over three shelves crammed with every color, ply and type of yarn imaginable. Hettie smiled wryly, remembering the program she had listened to on the radio not so long ago. Knitting! It was all the rage nowadays and she hoped it would finally catch on in Tindledale, her beloved picture-postcard village and Hettie’s home for the eighty-three years of her life to date. She ran the timber-framed, double-fronted shop adjacent to the wisteria-clad roundel of the oast house her father had built before she was even born.
Hettie lifted the tray on which sat the last remnants of her afternoon tea; a cheese sandwich minus the crusts because her teeth weren’t as strong as they used to be plus a pot of tea and a pink iced finger that had only cost ten pence on account of being past its best. Kitty, in the tearoom up on the High Street, had tried to give her the bun for free, but Hettie hated taking charity, especially when she felt there were other people in far more need. Hettie moved to the back of the shop, swept the curtain aside and went through to the little kitchenette area. Years ago this had been her mother’s sewing room, and the wooden Singer machine with its rickety foot pedal still lived there, with a multitude of multicolored bobbins all piled up high on the shelf behind it.
After placing the tray on the draining board next to the age-veined Belfast sink and carefully wrapping the crusts in plastic to dunk into her warming homemade soup the following afternoon, Hettie picked up the picture frame on the mantelpiece above the fi re and ran a finger over the faded black-and-white autographed photo. She allowed herself an enormous sigh. She wasn’t usually one for self-pity or hand-wringing, but another one of the letters had come this morning, with FINAL DEMAND stamped across the top in ugly red type. Business had been so slow these past couple of years, and now, with her dwindling savings and pittance of a pension, she had come to realize that it was going to take a darn miracle this Christmas for Hettie’s House of Haberdashery to remain afloat come the new year.
There had been talk of retirement; of closing down the House of Haberdashery; of putting her feet up and going “into a home.” Hettie’s nephew, her brother Harold’s son and last of the Honey family line, was all for it. On one of his rare visits, on the pretext of seeing how she was, he’d told Hettie he was concerned about her living on her own, that she needed the rest and that “it’s not like you’ve got that many customers these days, is it?” He said he’d make sure she had her own bedroom or at the very least, a twin sharer. “And besides, it might be nice for her to have the company of people her own age.” He’d put forward a strong case and had already contacted the council to inquire about a suitable place. But Hettie wasn’t losing her marbles and she knew that what he was really after was to bulldoze her beloved home—the oast house surrounded by a meadow of pretty wild flowers, and the place where she grew up. There’s her cozy bedroom suite, set upstairs in the roundel with its magnificent view of the valley, the lovely farmhouse kitchen with the walk-in pantry, the sunroom, the snug—it’s got the lot, and that’s on top of all her memories wrapped within its circular walls. Not to mention her beloved little shop, right next door, crammed full of all her favorite knitting and needlecraft goodies.
Then he’d be able to get his hands on the land for one of his building projects. He’d told her all about the one with ample parking and plastic windows that his company had created in the town where he lived, over fifty miles away. Seventeen months it had taken, he’d said, to fight all the objections from the local residents’ association, and he had puffed on about it for the entire hour of that tedious visit. But Hettie isn’t ready to be written off; to be carted away to an old people’s home like a nag to a glue factory, not when there is plenty of life still left in her sprightly body. Besides, “going into a home” would mean leaving Tindledale behind, and Hettie knows more than anything that this is where her heart belongs. It always has, even when she’d had the chance of a different life, far, far away.
Meet the Author, ALEXANDRA BROWN… 
Alexandra Brown began her writing career as the City Girl columnist for The London Paper – a satirical diary account of her time working in the corporate world of London. Alex wrote the weekly column for two years before giving it up to concentrate on writing novels and is now the author of the Carrington’s books. Set in a department store in the pretty seaside town of Mulberry-On-Sea, the series follows the life, loves and laughs of sales assistant, Georgie Hart. The Great Christmas Knit Off is Alex’s fourth book and is the first in a new series set in the fictional village of Tindledale, following the lives of all the characters there.
Alex lives in a real village near the south coast of England, with her husband, daughter and a very shiny black Labrador.
~~~
Links to Alexandra’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/08/the-great-christmas-knit-off-by.html
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22887991-the-great-christmas-knit-off?from_search=true&search_version=service
Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GoodReads
October 25, 2015
**Author Peek** Interview with John Gaspard’s Character, Eli Marks
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with
JOHN GASPARD’S Character, Eli Marks!!
~~
INTRODUCING….Character Eli Marks, THE MISER’S DREAM, An Eli Marks Mystery by JOHN GASPARD.
1. What is your name? Do you have a nickname?
My name is Eli Marks, but my uncle (magician Harry Marks) has always called me “Buster” ever since I was a kid. His reasoning is a bit byzantine: The magician Harry Houdini was friends with another vaudeville couple, the Keatons. One day Houdini was there when their very young son (his godchild) tumbled down some stairs. Houdini (allegedly) picked him and said something along the lines of, “My, that was quite a buster.” The name stuck and we now know that kid as legendary comedian Buster Keaton.
Since I’m Uncle Harry’s godchild … and he’s a magician named Harry … to him it made perfect sense to call me Buster. And he still does it to this day.
2. Where were you born? Where have you lived since then? Where do you call home?
Born and raised in Minneapolis, although I did live for a couple years in St. Paul, but that was short-lived and ill-advised. That may have been because I was living with my ex-wife then (although at the time she was not yet my ex). So I don’t entirely blame St. Paul for the experience, but I believe the city was, at least to some degree, at fault.
3. What is one strong memory that has stuck with you from childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting?
As a kid, my Uncle would often take me on trips to Los Angeles, where I got to see shows at the Magic Castle. On one such trip, I demonstrated a card move to one of the older magicians, not realizing I was talking with a true legend: Dai Vernon, the magician who fooled Houdini.
Even though I was a kid, Dai didn’t treat me that way and gave me some very good (and painfully honest) advice about what I was doing wrong and what I needed to do to get better. His opening response (“That was terrible!”) stuck with me and although it may seem like a harsh reaction, I really appreciated that he treated me like a pro and expected me to act like one.
Since then, when kids come up and ask for advice, I always deal with them as if we’re peers. I’m not as caustic as Dai Vernon (few people are), but I’m just as direct and straightforward.
4. You’re getting rea dy for a night out. Where are you going? What do you wear? Who will you be with?
Typically, a night out for me means I’ll going to a cocktail party … dressed to the nines (or tens) … where I’ll be surrounded by rich, attractive people who love me (for the five minutes I spend doing tricks at their table). Then it’s on to the next group with my little bag of magic tricks and mildly amusing comic patter.
5. Where do you go when you’re angry? What do you do there?
Hardly ever get angry anymore (frustrated, sure, but not out-and-out angry), but as a teenager (living with a charming uncle and a loving but firm aunt), I would escape to the movie theater next door when my emotions got the best of me.
I spent a lot of time in that theater, so I must have been angrier than I remember. Now my visits to the theater are much less emotionally-charged — except for recently, when I discovered a dead body in the theater. But that hardly ever happens.
6. Have you been in love? Had a broken heart? Who was it and what happened.
Yes. Same person. It’s a long story. Here’s the elevator version:
Fell for my landlady, a newbie psychic named Megan. We’re both recently divorced and met while in the whirlwind of a murder investigation. Wiser heads prevailed and she asked to take a break, which went on for, I don’t know, forever. Or about three months.
We’re back together now but I don’t feel entirely on firm footing, particularly since the arrival of a handsome and way-too-charming magician named Quinton Moon who seems to have set his sights on Megan. He’s like a better, smarter, more talented version of me.
7. What is your biggest fear? Who have you told this to? Who would you never tell this to? Why?
See my thoughts about Quinton Moon above.
8. If you had to make a meal for me right now with only the ingredients in your refrigerator and pantry, what would you make me?
I’d make us reservations at a nice restaurant.
9. Look down. Describe what you’re wearing. Is this the way you’re normally dressed? If not, what do you normally wear?
The current outfit is pretty typical, except it normally includes pants.
10. What’s the one thing you want out of life that you don’t think you can have? Why can’t you have it?
I’m tempted to say “pants,” but in reality they’re right over there.
~~~~~~~
Be sure to come back to read more about John, Eli, and THE MISER’S DREAM, an Eli Marks Mystery, on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench. Happy Reading!
~~~
Links to John’s website, blog, books, etc.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnGaspardAuthorPage
Publisher site: http://henerypress.com/john-gaspard/
My Blog: http://fastcheapmoviethoughts.blogspot.com/
Twitter: @johngaspard
Don’t miss the chance to read this story!
Thanks, John, for sharing your series with us!!
October 22, 2015
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with Sherry Gloag
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with Sherry Gloag!
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, Sherry Gloag, and her favorite recipe for BRANDIED PECAN PIE!
RING OF TRUTH
Hearts Of Braden Series Book 8
Not yet available
B
Y SHERRY GLOAG
Blurb
How can one ring become embroiled in a catalogue of lies, theft, broken promises, unrealistic demands and—love?
Noelle McBride vows to walk away from her inheritance when she learns the ring her mother promised would be hers now comes with strings…no, more like chains, attached.
Reed Tanner is within a whisker of recovering the ring stolen from his Grandma until he learns about the conditions that will guarantee its return to his family.
RING OF TRUTH
Hearts Of Braden Series Book 8
Not yet available
B
Y SHERRY GLOAG
Excerpt
She let out a yelp when she almost tripped over the man curled up, and fast asleep, on her doorstep when she returned home just before midnight. He was asleep wasn’t he? Stepping back Noelle glanced round, no lights shone in the nearby houses, no car was parked on the road, and the man still hadn’t moved. When she made to go round to her kitchen door she let out another yelp when she stumbled over a wheeled suitcase.
What the hell—? Who the hell—? Still the man didn’t move. Taking a deep breath, and positioning herself to run, she leaned over and searched for the pulse point in his neck.
He may sleep like the dead, but the man lived, so Noelle leaned closer, inhaled the earthy scent of cologne and recognised the man who’d featured prominently in her thoughts for the last five hours.
Reed Tanner.
What was he doing here, and why… was she standing over him when she needed to get into the house, open the front door and wake the guy up and get some answers.
It took a fist stuffed into her gaping mouth to prevent a third yelp, well more of a scream, Noelle admitted, as she stared at Reed Tanner, on his feet now, and leaning against the door jamb. His dark eyes, fogged with sleep, peered at her as if he’d never seen her before.
“Where the hell have you been all evening?”
Her mistake, he knew exactly who he was storming at. “Out.” All her pondering after delivering the flowers, all the decisions reached flew out the window. “Not that it’s any business of yours. What are you doing here?” When he swayed she grabbed his arm and hauled him across the threshold, shoved him up against the wall before slamming the door shut. Who cared if she woke the neighbours? Not her, that’s for sure.
As for his case? That could remain outside. Reed Tanner would not be staying long. All she needed to do was make him a coffee find out where he’d made a booking and call a taxi.
Yeah, right. She no longer lived in London, there were no hotels or bed and breakfast places locally, the nearest was nearly four miles away, and the local taxi drivers refused to come out at this time of night.
The hall light revealed his crumpled denim jacket, dishevelled hair, the lines of fatigue on Reed’s face, and the fact he hadn’t moved since she propped him against the wall.
With a shrug of inevitability Noelle tucked her shoulder under his arm, wrapped hers round his waist and nearly collapsed when a bolt of energy almost took her knees out from under her. He was built like a tank. All hard muscle and heat. Even through his shirt and jacket she swore she’d have burn marks where their bodies connected. The touch of his long arm over her shoulder shot pins and needles into her head and scrambled her brain. Did he deliberately rest his hand against the side of her breast? Her nipple peaked, ready and willing. So much for leading with the head. If only her body would listen to her head.
He towered over her own five feet eight inches and made her feel…delicate? What? Had her brain turned to mush? Delicate indeed, she’d never been ‘delicate’ in her life.
About the author…SHERRY GLOAG
.
Best-selling author Sherry Gloag now lives in the beautiful East Anglian countryside in the UK. She spent her childhood in Scotland before moving to the Midlands of England.
After cutting her writing teeth with contemporary romance, Sherry tried her hand at light paranormal in her 2nd book of The Gasquet Princes series, His Chosen bride. Her next adventure, writing Regency stories, produced her best-selling novel, Vidal’s Honor.
When she’s not writing, Sherry enjoys walking gardening and her crystal craft work. “”It’s bit like writing 
When you’re in the ‘zone’ everything just flows. It’s a great feeling.
~~~
Links to Sherry’s website, blog, books, etc.
Website:
http://authorsherrygloagtheheartofroman.weebly.com/
Blog:
http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.co.uk/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/SherryGloagAuthor
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/SherryGloag
https://www.facebook.com/SherryGloagAuthor/app_2415071772
https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/sherry-gloag/33/13a/801
https://plus.google.com/108759644426912348081/posts
https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=sherry+gloag
http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/sherry-gloag.html
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=149450
https://www.pinterest.com/sherrygloag/
I hope you enjoy the recipe Sherry is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 223 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
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BRANDIED PECAN PIE
[British Recipe ~ Courtesy of Michel Prince]
500g pack sweet shortcrust pastry
OR 500g of a biscuit/cookie base, liberally laced with cinnamon with 1tbsp brandy in the melted butter when combining together.
flour, for dusting
75g butter, softened
100g golden caster sugar
175g golden syrup
175g maple syrup
3 eggs, beaten
½ tsp vanilla extract
4tbsps brandy. 2Tbsps to soak the pecans in, and 2tbsps to add to the pie mix.
300g pecan halves soaked for 24 hours in a decent brandy.
double cream, whipped, to serve
METHOD
24 hours before making, prepare the pecans by soaking them in 2tbsps of brandy in an air-tight tin.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a 23cm tart tin – keep any leftover pastry in case you need to fill any cracks after blind-baking. Prick the base with a fork and chill for 30 mins or until firm. IF using biscuit/cookie base, press the mix into the tin, chill and then bake for 15 mins without the beans.
Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill with baking beans and bake for 15-20 mins until the sides are set. Remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for 5-10 mins until the base is set and the pastry is golden. Leave to cool.
Increase oven to 200C/190C fan/gas 6. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Keep the beaters going and pour in both of the syrups. Gradually add the eggs, 1⁄4 tsp salt and the vanilla, then whisk until combined. Stir through the nuts and brandy and pour into the tart case. Bake for 10 mins. Turn heat down to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and continue baking for 30-35 mins – the pie should be golden brown but the filling should wobble a little in the centre when shaken. Leave to cool in the tin. You’ll probably need to run a knife down the side of the tin to release the pie. Serve with whipped cream. Incredibly moreish and indulgent. ENJOY!
Note: Tbsp = Tablespoon
tsp = Teaspoon
~~~
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Thanks, Sherry, for sharing your story with us!
