Karen Docter's Blog, page 237
August 11, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench Teaser: Killing Secrets by K. L. Docter
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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KILLING SECRETS
Thorne’s Thorne Series, Book One
By K.L. DOCTER
Blurb
Some secrets are better left dead.
Rachel James’ ex-husband is released from prison determined to reclaim her and her little girl — the child is his key to controlling the James fortune. Frightened, Rachel flees to Denver with the child who hasn’t uttered a word since her daddy went to prison.
Contractor Patrick Thorne wants nothing to do with another of his parents’ charity cases. He failed his own wife so abysmally she took her own life as well as his unborn son’s. After two years, it’s time to concentrate on the bid he’s won and the saboteur trying to destroy his construction firm.
There is no room for trust in either of their hearts. But trust is all that will untangle the secrets that dominate their lives, free a little girl of her silent prison, and save them all from a serial killer who stands too close.
Amazon: goo.gl/BzGZLc
B&N: goo.gl/wsqVxB
Kobo: goo.gl/KM563U
KILLING SECRETS
Thorne’s Thorne Series, Book One
By K.L. DOCTER
Excerpt
Patrick stalked across his parents’ lawn past the woman he’d promised to watch over, lying on the ground like a negligent child’s broken toy. He didn’t stop moving until he’d slammed Rachel’s attacker back into the painted wood siding of the house. “Hit her again, pal,” he gritted out, pressing his forearm down on the man’s windpipe, “and you won’t have any hands at all!”
The man clawed ineffectually at Patrick’s arm, his lips moved. All that came out was a gurgling noise.
“Wait! Stop!” Rachel said from behind them. “I-I fell!”
Patrick froze. That wasn’t the impression he got running out of his house on the heels of Suze’s interruption of his planning meeting with overwrought pleas to “save ‘Manda’s mommy from the bad man”. All he saw was Rachel sprawled on the ground, a strange man looming over her with a raised fist. In Patrick’s experience a man didn’t raise a hand unless he were a hair’s breath away from using it or already had, but he slowly backed off and released the stranger.
The man scuttled quickly around him to the middle of the yard, his hand rubbing his neck as he gasped for air. Blond, handsome in that cookie-cutter, preppy way many women couldn’t seem to resist, at first glance he didn’t look like a bad man. But Patrick had to give Suze credit for her ability to spot the mean look in his eyes. Pretty boy or not, this man was capable of violence.
“Preppy” stiffened. “How dare you come between me and my wife?”
As far as he knew his parents’ houseguest was, in fact, a divorcee. Yet Patrick would have ignored the querulous question anyway. He walked over and reached out a hand to assist Rachel to her feet…and nearly dropped her again.
When her fingers slid across his calloused palm, a ragged edge of awareness zipped through his bloodstream, awakening something inside him he’d buried long ago. Craving. White hot and mind-numbing desire. He couldn’t release Rachel fast enough. She swayed unsteadily, and her slender frame tumbled into his arms. The top of her head came to just below his chin and, damn it all to hell, she smelled like his mother’s Persian lilacs after a spring rain. Lush. Potent.
He gave himself a mental shake. He had no business wrapping his starved libido in the scent and feel of this woman! Lifting a pale honey curl away from her cheekbone, he worked to reestablish his distance. “You okay?” he asked, the words like gravel in his throat. His gut knotted as she simply gazed back at him with those liquid brown eyes so like the mute, blond cutie that had traipsed through his house and office on Suze’s heels these past few days.
“Let go of my wife.”
“Screw you.” It wasn’t often he threw his bulk in another man’s face, but for reasons he didn’t want to acknowledge, he was spoiling for a fight. No matter what he’d told himself earlier about Rachel being on her own, he couldn’t allow any woman to be threatened under his nose. He didn’t think she “fell” all by her lonesome either. All of his protective instincts primed, he tucked her under his left arm.
The ages-old display of masculine possession wasn’t lost on the stranger. His face turned the color of Mrs. Steinbecker’s new dining room walls, a sickening shade of puce. “Who do you think you are?”
Rachel’s Southern-laced voice punched through Patrick’s senses like a double shot of raw whiskey, but it was the words she uttered that robbed his speech. “Patrick’s my boyfriend, Greg.”
“Preppy” laughed, although he didn’t look the least bit amused. “You’re joking.”
Patrick didn’t question how she knew who he was, much less contradict her. Her declaration did the weirdest thing to his objectivity though. Rather than immediately discounting her claim as the blatant lie it was, he felt a Neanderthal urge to puff up his chest and carry his prize off to his cave. He hadn’t felt this possessive about a woman since…well, never.
Like they were the only things holding her up Rachel’s fingers fisted in the folds of his work shirt at the base of his spine, a trembling reminder the woman was terrified and likely to grasp at anything to throw between her and the ex. Even a fake boyfriend would do.
Rachel’s declaration gave him tacit permission to act as one. “You didn’t expect Rachel to remain alone for long, did you?” he challenged.
“Is that what she told you her name is? Rachel? You must be rolling in dough.” Her ex-husband curled a lip in a first class sneer. “I have to tell you, pal, Felicia’s quite the con artist. She may look like some kind of ingénue, but she’ll have you laid out to dry the second she gets her hands on your fat bank account.”
For all he knew, the woman was a con artist. Her fabrication about their imaginary relationship had tripped off her tongue easily. She’d certainly insinuated herself and her daughter into his parents’ good graces fast enough. However, he didn’t like the way “Preppy” looked at her so he stifled his reservations. For now. “Rachel can shave her head, call herself the Dali Lama, and spend every penny I have,” he said. “I have no problem sharing what I have with her and Amanda.”
The man didn’t say anything for several moments. Then, like he’d drawn four aces in a game of five-card stud, he smiled. “You may have somehow wormed your way into my frigid wife’s bed, but that’s about to end. You can’t have my daughter. She’s mine.” His gaze shifted to Patrick’s left. “And you’re a package deal, aren’t you, Felicia darlin’?”
Felicia darlin’, Rachel, whatever her name truly was separated from Patrick’s side. “Greg, please. Don’t do this.”
About the Author, K.L. Docter…
Amazon Bestselling Author Karen/K.L. Docter writes two different kinds of romance novels…Contemporary Romance w/a Karen Docter and Romantic Suspense w/a K.L. Docter.
Karen’s contemporaries are delightful, spicy romances. She loves writing about real men and women with dreams and goals that don’t allow for a relationship just so she can throw them in each other’s path.
Her romantic suspense novels are also filled with romance, although the dangers the hero and heroine face are intense, usually because a serial killer is bent on ending one or both of their lives before they can fall in love.
Karen/K.L.’s an award-winning author, a four-time Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist, and won the coveted Kiss of Death Romance Writers Daphne du Maurier Award Category (Series) Romantic Mystery Unpublished division.
When she’s not saving her characters from death and destruction or helping them to fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening & cooking. If she can do most of those things over a campfire, all the better! Website/Blog: www.karendocter.com
Titles Available from K.L. Docter:
KILLING SECRETS, Thorne’s Thorns Series, Book One
Titles Available from Karen Docter:
SATIN PLEASURES
CATCH THAT SANTA
COP ON HER DOORSTEP, True Love In Uniform Series, Book One
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Links to Karen’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: goo.gl/BzGZLc
B&N: goo.gl/wsqVxB
Kobo: goo.gl/KM563U
Website/Blog: http://www.karendocter.com
Twitter: @KarenDocter
Karen Docter FB: http://goo.gl/6TXc5X
K.L. Docter FB: http://goo.gl/uD1iGL
Goodreads: https://goo.gl/bsswDd
~~~
Join Bestselling Romantic Suspense Author K.L. Docter at #RomCon2015 when she, along with 60+ fabulous romance authors, host this annual READERS CONFERENCE. Get one-on-one with your favorite authors in Intimate Chats. Play games. Attend the book signing. Put on your favorite cowboy hat and join us for Western Cowboy Night, too. There will be lots of swag…and so much more! Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win the Paperwhite and Saturday Admission.
Want a 1 in 7 chance to win a Kindle Fire 7 HD, too? All you have to do is sign up to sit at my Luncheon Table on Saturday, September 26th. Win your admission through the Rafflecopter below OR purchase a $99 ticket for the full day, or even better, join us for the entire weekend. I’d love to meet you! I’ll have goodies for everyone at my table and one of people who sits at my table will win the Kindle Fire 7 HD.
I’ll be signing Killing Secrets, as well as my Karen Docter novels, Satin Pleasures and Cop On Her Doorstep, at the autographing. If you already have the books, bring them with you so I can autograph them for you. If your book is digital, I’ll have trading cards to sign, too.
Can’t wait to meet you. Happy Reading!
#WIN Kindle Paperwhite & Saturday Admission to #RomCon2015 Reader Weekend in Denver, Colorado!!
August 10, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Mercy’s Rescue by Debra Holt
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
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MERCY’S RESCUE
BY DEBRA HOLT
Blurb
Finding himself fighting for his life after an ambush, Sheriff Josh Wellman awakens to find himself looking into the eyes of a real-life angel of mercy.
When their hands touch, he knows his life has changed in that instant.
But devastating heartbreak has left Mercy Smith’s faith in tatters, her heart guarded against more loss. Her dedication to the air evac trauma team she leads has insulated her from the realities of the earth below, so now Josh faces the biggest challenge of his life.
Can he find a way to get past the walls around Mercy and convince this angel to stay on the ground with him? Can Mercy open her heart to life again and find a way to restore her faith in God…as well as love?
MERCY’S RESCUE
BY DEBRA HOLT
Excerpt
Mercy retrieved a cloth from the overhead compartment and gently tried to remove some of the blood and dirt splattered across the man’s forehead and cheeks—a strong-looking face. One of the paramedics had told them that this man had literally crawled and then dragged his fellow officer out of the line of fire before collapsing. Dark lashes appeared even darker as they lay against the ashen pallor of his skin. An equally vital mouth thinned into a harsh line of pain. The amount of blood still oozing through the bandaging concerned Mercy. The meds were not working as effectively as she would have liked.
She looked down at him, and again his blue gaze locked on her face. Something stirred once more inside her, responding automatically on its own. Dragging her gaze away was harder this time. Darting a quick look outside the window, she could finally see a faint outline of the tall buildings that made up the hospital complex in the distance. Mercy felt his fingers stir, but he still didn’t break his grasp. She looked down again and gave him what she hoped was her best smile of reassurance.
“Just another couple of minutes, and we’ll place you in the capable hands of the doctors. They’re the best at what they do. But don’t tell them I told you that. Their egos are already too huge.”
His eyes narrowed a bit. Was that a feeble attempt at a wink?
This is one tough man. Mercy smiled in return. He’d better be tough for what’s ahead of him.
The smile left her face as she and Paul made ready for the landing. Only when the skids of the helicopter touched the ground did his contact with her hand finally break. As she opened the door, Mercy experienced a strange, fleeting sense of loss. There was no time to dwell upon it. Several pairs of hands reached for the stretcher as she jumped out of the way. The ground medical team took charge of the patient. Mercy followed close beside the trauma physician, giving her report.
The patient was centered in ER Three. The room was alive with movement that was both hurried and precise. Removing her helmet, she stood to the side of the activity. The patient’s booted feet hung off the gurney a bit. If she took a guess at his age, she would bet he was somewhere in his mid-thirties. She ventured a quick look but didn’t see a wedding ring. That meant nothing—many men didn’t wear rings. Her David would not have worn one either. He’d often said a ring would only get lost when he removed it to do surgery. The dark cloud of remembrance jolted her back to reality. Her job was done; she had passed her patient over to the trauma team. There was no need for her to stay.
With a last look at the man currently the focus of everyone’s attention, Mercy stepped outside the room. Her steps faltered as she realized that she’d automatically sent a brief request on his behalf to whatever power the man might believe in; a request that the trauma specialists behind her would be able to use their combined expertise to keep him in this world for those who loved and needed him. Maybe he’d experience one of those elusive miracles.
About the Author, Debra Holt…
Born and raised in the Lone Star state of Texas, Debra grew up among horses, cowboys, wide open spaces, and real Texas Rangers. Pride in her state and ancestry knows no bounds and it is these heroes and heroines she loves to write about the most. She also draws upon a variety of life experiences including working with abused children, caring for baby animals at a major zoo, and planning high-end weddings (ah, romance!).
Debra’s real pride and joys, however, are her son, an aspiring film actor, and a daughter with aspirations to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (more story ideas!) When she isn’t busy writing about tall Texans and feisty heroines, she can be found cheering on her Texas Tech Red Raiders, or heading off on another cruise adventure. She read her first romance…Janet Dailey’s Fiesta San Antonio, over thirty years ago and became hooked on the genre. Writing contemporary western romances, is both her passion and dream come true, and she hopes her books will bring smiles…and sighs…to all who believe in happily-ever-after’s.
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Links to Debra’s website, blog, books, etc.
Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency represents Debra. Her first book, Under Texas Blue Skies, was published by Clean Reads. Her second book, His Country Bride, will be forthcoming from Spencer Hill/Tulip Romance. Mercy’s Rescue, her third book, will launch a new romance line, Bling!Romance, in August, for Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Debra invites you to visit her website at http://www.debraholtbooks.com/ She loves to hear from other aspiring authors or readers via email at debraholtbooks@gmail.com or follow her on twitter @debraholtbooks.
Purchase Mercy’s Rescue from Amazon:
http://amzn.to/1J6id6E
~~~
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Thanks, Debra, for sharing your story with us!
August 9, 2015
#WIN Kindle Paperwhite & Saturday Admission to #RomCon2015 Reader Weekend!!
#WIN Kindle Paperwhite & Saturday Admission to #RomCon2015 Reader Weekend in Denver, Colorado!!
~~~
Join Bestselling Contemporary Romance Author Karen Docter at #RomCon2015 when she, along with 60+ fabulous romance authors, host this annual READERS CONFERENCE. Get one-on-one with your favorite authors in Intimate Chats. Play games. Attend the book signing. Put on your favorite cowboy hat and join us for Western Cowboy Night, too. There will be lots of swag…and so much more! Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win the Paperwhite and Saturday Admission.
Want a 1 in 7 chance to win a Kindle Fire 7 HD, too? All you have to do is sign up to sit at my Luncheon Table on Saturday, September 26th. Win your admission through the Rafflecopter below OR purchase a $99 ticket for the full day, or even better, join us for the entire weekend. I’d love to meet you! I’ll have goodies for everyone at my table and one of people who sits at my table will win the Kindle Fire 7 HD.
I’ll be signing Satin Pleasures and Cop On Her Doorstep at the autographing. If you already have the books, bring them with you so I can autograph them for you. If your book is digital, I’ll have trading cards to sign, too.
Satin Pleasures by Karen Docter
~ Blurb ~
Bustiers, Birds, and the Blues…
Dan McDonald walked away from the American dream, a life full of money, glamorous women and power. Now nothing can lure him back into the corporate death trap. Except….
Dan’s scheming aunt snares him into opening a lingerie shop in Tess Emory’s shopping mall. Tess is everything Dan has vowed to avoid…sexy, smart, and obsessed with work.
Tess is determined to make her life a success and right the wrongs of her past, no matter the cost.
They’re both going to discover that true love breaks all their rules.
** RomCon Reader’s Crown finalist ~ Contemporary Category
** Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® finalist ~ Best Short Contemporary Romance
Amazon: http://goo.gl/9EftxB
B&N: http://goo.gl/bKqsmh
Cop On Her Doorstep by Karen Docter
True Love In Uniform Series, Book One
~ Blurb ~
In the six years since her husband was killed by S.W.A.T., Carrie Padilla has spent long hours at work, rebuilding a life for herself and her son. The little time she has at home is spent keeping her eight-year-old son out of trouble, but he is all too eager to try to be the man in the house. When a handsome cop shows up on her doorstep, her errant son in tow, Carrie’s heart stutters. The sexy Italian cop sets off all kinds of bells in her system, and she knows there’s only one thing she can do to save what is left of her family, her husband’s memory, and her heart…avoid her new neighbor at all costs.
S.W.A.T. officer Jake Stafani already lost one little boy to gang violence, the dead boy’s older brother is missing, and Jake’s not about to let the same thing happen to a neighbor’s son. He drags the youngster home only to discover much more than a passing interest in the boy’s beautiful, but wary, mother. Forced to take a leave of absence after a bust goes awry, Jake can think of nothing better to occupy his time than to keep Carrie and her son safe, and locate the missing teen who holds the key to taking the gang off the streets, once and for all.
But Jake doesn’t count on his stubborn, intriguing neighbor distracting him from his job, or the passion that flares between them. He doesn’t expect her amazing son to steal a piece of his heart. Jake is ready to risk everything for Carrie, body and soul. But it’s not all up to him. If their new love is to survive, Carrie will need to be strong enough to see the man’s beating heart behind the badge, to look beyond the pain of her past, and decide that loving again is worth the risk.
(Stand Alone Novel)
Amazon: http://goo.gl/bUHNMu
B&N: http://goo.gl/6uoZTd
Kobo: https://goo.gl/fd92aB
Can’t wait to meet you. Happy Reading!
http://www.romcon.com/romcon-reader-weekend-2015-author-giveaway
Congratulations Week 07-27-15 & 08-03-15 #Giveaway #Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
07-27-15 & 08-03-15
GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Denyse Bridger!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Denyse is giving away a copy of HAUNTING THE MAYFAIR or any other on her backlist to two lucky readers who comment on her **Author Peek** Interview or Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs. Thanks again, Denyse, for sharing your book with us!
WINNERS ~ LINDA BATEMAN & SEMET BUCKLAND!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Kathy Ivan!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Kathy is giving away an e-book copy of RELENTLESS PURSUIT, New Orleans Connection Series, Book #2 (or one of her backlist books if winner already has Relentless Pursuit) to two lucky readers who comment on her **Author Peek** Interview or Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs. Thanks again, Kathy, for sharing your book with us!
WINNERS ~ ROSE ARBOR & DANYELLE WADSWORTH!!
[All winners chosen by random.org from reader comments. Thank you.]
August 6, 2015
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** with M.Q. Barber
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with M.Q. BARBER!
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, M.Q. Barber, and her favorite recipe for PINEAPPLE-CHERRY BREAD!
HER SHIRTLESS GENTLEMAN
Gentleman Series, Book One
B
Y M.Q. BARBER
Blurb
Her heart is in his hands…
After her marriage ends in betrayal, Eleanora Howard finds herself struggling to navigate the dating scene as a thirty-one-year-old divorcee. But feeling undesirable and living alone in the house she once shared with her ex is hardly the recipe for finding new love—until she meets Rob. He’s just the kind of charming, old-fashioned guy she needs—but he’s also eager for intimacy…
After serving in the Air Force and getting a well-paid civilian career, Rob Vanderhoff planned to settle down with the right woman and raise a family. But at thirty-six, he’s still single and searching—until he meets Eleanora. She’s everything he wants. All he has to do is draw her out of her shell. Soon he’s taking her on high school-style dates, fanning the flames of her desire—and helping Nora re-discover the sexy, adventurous woman they both know she really is…
About the Gentleman series…
HER SHIRTLESS GENTLEMAN is the first book in the Gentleman series. Each book is a standalone HEA story with a well-intentioned hero and a strong heroine finding each other on a sweet, erotic journey.
AN ACCIDENTAL GENTLEMAN, the second book in this contemporary romance series, will be available in 2016.
Signing up for the author’s monthly newsletter at www.mqbarber.com/newsletter will deliver free short stories and updates on upcoming books to your inbox.
HER SHIRTLESS GENTLEMAN
Gentleman Series, Book One
B
Y M.Q. BARBER
EXCERPT
Rob examined Eleanora the way she pored over ledger sheets, but what she added up to in his head, she couldn’t say.
“We’ve got the best pie in town waiting, and you have to try both.” He switched sides, coming to rest alongside her with his legs stretched to the far edge atop the curving wheel well. The pie wedges sat in a paper boat he nestled in one hand. He picked up the lone fork. “Which one do you want to try first?”
She could’ve protested. Procured her own plastic cutlery and asked him to divide the slices. Demanded he pass over the fork and let her cut her own bites. “You choose.”
He raised an eyebrow and glanced from the pie to her. “You sure about that?”
“I expect I am.” She hoped, anyway. The usual effects of his proximity already trounced rational thought.
“Close your eyes, Eleanora.”
She exhaled on a shuddering breath. The gruff-but-coaxing demand in his voice twanged a response low in her belly. Might be enough to overcome her nerves. Trusting David would’ve been impossible. But Rob wasn’t David. He’d been nothing but trustworthy so far. With a slight nod, she closed her eyes.
Anticipation sluiced through her, leaving a cold fire burning in its wake. She strained to hear the scrape of the plastic fork on paper.
“Open up.” His low command drowned out all other sound.
Had the first bite been apple or peach or coconut crème, she wouldn’t have known the difference. Her heart ran the four-minute mile while every cell in her body, down to the ones in her taste buds, danced with excitement the second her mouth closed around the fork. Her shoulders unclenched, and she moaned without thought.
“Seems you’re a strawberry-rhubarb woman.” Rob’s intimate whisper lacked any hint of laughter. “If you like the apricot half as well, I’ll count my evening well-spent watching you sample pie.”
Her internal squeeze surprised her, an involuntary response to the passionate warmth in his voice. Leaving her eyes closed, she rolled her arm. Not much, but enough to rest the back of her forearm and her knuckles against Rob’s thigh. The resurgent thrill zipped through her.
“Have another taste.”
She opened her mouth. Sugary-sweet fruit with a buttery crust and juice coated her tongue.
“Best pie you’ve ever had?”
Best service, for sure. She licked her lips. “I might be biased. Can I expand the sample size before I decide?”
He fed her small bites at a languid pace matching the laziness brought on by the summer sun.
She didn’t care to open her eyes, and he never asked.
Stretching her fingers, she curled them against worn denim. The thickness had to be a seam. The bottom hem. She traced the ridge with her index finger and grazed warm flesh.
His thigh flexed. “Last bite. Best make it count.”
She closed her lips and sucked the fork clean. Sweet, delicious strawberry. She swallowed it down and loosed an appreciative sigh. “Definitely the best I’ve ever had.”
About the author…M.Q. Barber.
USA Today bestselling author M.Q. Barber likes to get lost in thought. She writes things down so she can find herself again.
Often found staring off into space or frantically scratching words on sticky notes, M.Q. lives with one very tolerant, easily amused husband and one very tolerant, easily amused puppy.
She has a soft spot for romances that explore the inner workings of the heart and mind alongside all that steamy physical exertion. She loves memorable characters, witty banter, and heartfelt emotion in any genre.
The former Midwestern gal is the author of the Neighborly Affection and new Gentleman contemporary romance series. Pick a safeword, grab a partner or two, and jump in.
~~~
Links to M.Q.’s website, blog, books, etc.
Buy links:
Amazon
B&N
Google Play
iTunes
Kobo
Social media links
Website/newsletter
Facebook
Goodreads
Twitter
I hope you enjoy the recipe M.Q. is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 212 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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Recipe Note from M.Q….
I don’t have a strawberry rhubarb pie recipe to share, but I do have a double helping of summery sweetness. Rob takes to calling Eleanora his honey girl, so I’m sharing Pineapple-Cherry Bread, a quick bread I adapted from a National Honey Board recipe.
This is a dense, moist, low-rising bread similar to a poundcake. You could serve it sliced plain for breakfast, topped with butter or jam, or in a bowl with a scoop of ice cream for dessert. You’ll have to supply your own hero to feed it to you, though.
[Photo courtesy of M.Q. Barber]
PINEAPPLE-CHERRY BREAD
[Makes 2 loaves]
12 Tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
3/4 cup dried cherries
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup uncooked oats (quick-cooking or old-fashioned)
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-by-4 bread pans with cooking spray and set aside.
Combine the butter, honey, milk, and eggs in a mixing bowl and mix well.
In a separate bowl, stir the cherries and pineapple into the flour until well-coated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and stir.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined and no dry pockets remain.
Divide the batter equally between the two prepared pans. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center brings out only a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pans on a wire rack. Serve in thick slices. Store sealed in a zip-close bag on the counter for two days or in the fridge for a week, or tightly wrapped in aluminum foil for a month in the freezer.
~~~
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
Thanks, M.Q., for sharing your story with us!
August 5, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Frisk Me by Lauren Layne
KAREN’S KILLER BOOK BENCH: Welcome to Karen’s Killer Book Bench where readers can discover talented new authors and take a peek inside their wonderful books. This is not an age-filtered site so all book peeks are PG-13 or better. Come back and visit often. Happy reading!
~~
FRISK ME
New York’s Finest #1
BY LAUREN LAYNE
Blurb
After a photograph of Luc Moretti saving a tourist hits social media, he instantly becomes New York’s most famous and beloved cop. When a major network decides to run a special on the “American Hero,” Luc’s boss gives him no choice but to cooperate in the name of good exposure for the department. Luc doesn’t mind the celebrity status-what he does mind is the gorgeous brunette journalist who’s been assigned to follow his every move. Especially since she also happens to be the same knockout that rejected him rather publicly the week before.
Ava Sims is a woman who gets what she wants. And what she wants is to be CBC’s lead anchor-but to get there, she’ll need to nail the fluff piece on the playboy cop. Luc Moretti is everything Ava knows to stay away from: a stubborn charmer with a hero-complex. But the more Ava gets to know Luc and his oddball family, the more she realizes that beneath the swagger and the blue uniform is a complex man who makes her heart beat too fast. Soon, Ava’s doing the unthinkable, and falling for the best of New York’s finest …
FRISK ME
New York’s Finest #1
BY LAUREN LAYNE
Excerpt
Luc stifled the smile, letting his former scowl resettle on his face. If Lopez thought he was being played, there was no way he’d go for it.
“Hey, so Cap said the hot reporter would be doing ride-alongs with us. That’ll be cool,” Lopez said.
“Seriously? You hate ride-alongs,” Luc said.
Lopez held up a finger. “No, I hate the dippy, I-wanna-be-a-cop-someday type of ride-alongs. Those stupid kids are always offering advice when they don’t know shit about shit. But Ms. Sims will be a nice kind of ride-along. Just sitting, observing…looking fine…”
Luc withheld the snort. If Lopez thought Ava wouldn’t be offering plenty of unsolicited advice, he had an unpleasant surprise. He doubted mind your own business was in her DNA, not to mention it was a blatant contradiction of her job description.
“Hot or not, same rules apply,” Luc said, just to set the record straight. “She can come on the tame ride-alongs. That’s it.”
“Shit, and here I was planning to bring her to a shoot-out,” Lopez mused.
Luc flung the paperclip back at his partner, nailing him in the forehead. “Hey. So, I need you to be my wingman.”
Lopez rubbed the red spot to the right of his temple with a knowing grin. “Ah, so you do want a piece of Miss Media.”
Yes.
No!
Damn it.
“Let me rephrase,” Luc said, sitting back in his chair. “I need you to be my reverse wingman. Do whatever you need to keep that plastic, nosy diva away from me.”
There was a light tap on his shoulder before a female voice spoke up. “Gonna be hard when this nosy diva is hell-bent on getting all up in your business.”
Whoops.
“Nice job, Wingman,” Luc said with a glare at Lopez, whose grin indicated that he’d definitely seen Ava approaching and had opted not to mention it.
Luc pivoted around in his chair so he faced Ava. Only he was sitting, and she was standing, which put him exactly at eye level with Ava’s slim hips.
Generally speaking, Luc liked a little more curve to his women, but apparently his preferences were shifting, because he couldn’t help his sex-starved brain from thinking that Ava Sims’s hips were the perfect size for his hands to wrap around, his fingers holding her still as he prepared to plunge into her…
The fantasy dissolved into a million pieces when she opened her sassy mouth again.
“You know…” her voice was considering, her finger tapping idly against her lips. “I’d always heard that the whole man-in-uniform thing was supposed to be a turn-on. Guess it’s an acquired taste.”
About the Author, Lauren Layne…
Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.
Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren’s gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.
Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you’ll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.
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Links to Lauren’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/05/frisk-me-new-yorks-finest-1-by-lauren.html
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23507713-frisk-me?ac=1
Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/142511-new-york-s-finest
Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
August 4, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: Relentless Pursuit by Kathy Ivan
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!
~~
RELENTLESS PURSUIT
New Orleans Connection Series, Book #2
BY KATHY IVAN
Blurb
If they stop running – they die.
Jennifer “Jinx” Marucci witnesses her brother’s shooting, and the leader of New Orleans’ Russian mob thinks her brother, Carlo, passed something valuable into her keeping—and demands its return. Every instinct tells her to trust no one, but what choice does she have except to turn to the police?
Detective Remy Lamoreaux can’t believe his luck when Jinx walks through the doors of the New Orleans Police Department. He’s tried for years to bring down Vladimir Dubshenko. Fate has finally handed him the opportunity to go head-to-head with the vicious mobster and lock him up for good before Jinx becomes one more casualty in Dubshenko’s lust for power.
Intrigue, kidnapping and danger combine to keep Remy and Jinx constantly on the move. One thing is certain—if they stop running, they die.
RELENTLESS PURSUIT
New Orleans Connection Series, Book #2
BY KATHY IVAN
Excerpt
“Jennifer, you’ll get to come back to your home and your life. Once Dubshenko’s out of the picture, everything will return to normal.”
She shook her head, and he watched her turn away, stepping further into the en suite bathroom. Whirling to face him, she replied, “Detective, nothing will ever be normal again.” With that, she closed the door, and the snick of the lock sounded as loud as a shot.
With a low growl, Remy stomped across his bedroom, yanking open his dresser drawer and pulling out clothing, tossing in onto his bed. He slammed the drawer closed, then flung open the closet door, snatched a backpack off the hook attached to the door. He shoved the few items into the bag and zipped it shut.
“I’ll be right back,” he snarled through the closed bathroom door. Dammit, he’d protect her, make sure she got her life back. He had no intention of letting Dubshenko win—again. Marching down the hallway, he threw open the door to his grandmother’s room, heading straight to her closet. Rummaging through the hangers, he found nothing he thought Jennifer could wear. He turned to the dresser and paused. Did her really want to be pawing through his maman’s drawers? He really didn’t want to see any of her unmentionables. Right. Suck it up, big man.
He skipped the first two, starting with the third drawer. T-shirts. Those would work. A huge grin split his face as he read a couple of the sayings. Picking out two he knew would scandalize Jennifer, he put the rest back and went on searching. Bingo! The next drawer held yoga pants with drawstring waistbands. His grandmother was a size or two bigger than Jennifer, but they’d have to do for now.
Okay, there was no way on earth Jennifer was wearing his granny’s panties. He shuddered at the thought. She’d have to make do with the one’s she wore now or go commando.
Rein it in, big guy. The thought of her, bare from the waist down definitely got a rise out of him. Literally. Or maybe with her in those yoga pants with the string tied in an itty-bitty bow. One good tug and they’d pool around her ankles and . . .
“Detective?” Jennifer’s voice behind him had him slamming the drawer, holding the two pair of yoga pants in his one hand, along with the T-shirts.
“Here.” He shoved a pair of the pants and a shirt at her in a jumbled mess and she grabbed onto them before the hit the floor. “Put these on and let’s get out of here. We’ve already wasted enough time. Dubshenko’s probably already looking for us. You can change in here.”
About the Author, Kathy Ivan…
Kathy Ivan spent most of her life with her nose between the pages of a book. From best-selling authors to just-getting-started writers, as long as it was a good story, she devoured it and happily searched for the next romance novel. It didn’t matter if the book was a paranormal romance, romantic suspense, or action and adventure thrillers, sweet & spicy or sexy novella. As long as there was an alpha hero and a feisty heroine who got their happily ever after, she’d gladly spend her time with a psychic in New Orleans, or a mysterious stranger manipulating the fates of lovers. You might find her deep in the woods with her werewolf lover, or being wined and dined by the sexy vampire who loves her, or talking to ghosts.
Kathy turned her obsession with reading into the next logical step, writing. Her books transport you from a paranormal lodge in the Colorado Mountains in her Destiny’s Desire Series, to the sultry splendor of the French Quarter in New Orleans in her award winning romantic suspense and mysteries. Kathy tells stories people can’t get enough of; reuniting old loves, betrayal of trust, finding kidnapped children, psychics and even a ghost or two. But one thing they all have in common – love (and some pretty steamy sex scenes too).
A Florida native, Kathy has island hopped from one set of islands to another, having spent several years in Key West and Hawaii. Happily living in North Texas, she’s always on the lookout for a cowboy of her very own. (And if he’s a billionaire cowboy, well, she won’t say no to that.)
You can find more on Kathy and her books at www.kathyivan.com or visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kathy.ivanauthor and follow her on twitter at www.twitter.com/kathyivan.
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Links to Kathy’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1BXwSNZ
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1bdyskz
iBooks: http://apple.co/1EZeoyN
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1BMGkSE
Website: www.kathyivan.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kathyivan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kathyivanauthor
For a list of all my books and buy links to the various retailers, visit my books page on my website at: http://www.kathyivan.com/books.html
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Kathy is giving away an e-book copy of RELENTLESS PURSUIT, New Orleans Connection Series, Book #2 (or one of her backlist books if winner already has Relentless Pursuit) to two lucky readers who comment on her **Author Peek** Interview or Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs. Don’t miss the chance to read this book! Thanks, Kathy, for sharing your story with us!
August 3, 2015
Karen’s Killer Book Bench: If He’s Noble by Hannah Howell
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!
~~
IF HE’S NOBLE
Wherlockes #7
BY HANNAH HOWELL
Blurb
New York Times bestselling author Hannah Howell delivers adventure and instant attraction in this all-new Wherlocke Family novel…
For Lady Primrose Wootten nothing has been ordinary since her father the Baron died and his wayward family filled the estate with greed and treachery. Primrose knows if she can just track down her brother, he can send the odious relations on their way. But instead she finds this enormous, powerful stranger, and forgets entirely what she was doing in the first place…
Sir Bened Vaughn isn’t much afraid of a pistol. But he is a bit afraid of the woman holding it, who stirs up something so primal he’s not sure he can shake it off. Vaughn is an honorable man, and he knows he has no right to desire Primrose. Yet he does have an obligation to help her, and as they learn more about her brother’s disappearance, he realizes that means staying by her side…wanting her all the while… and wondering how much longer they can resist temptation…
IF HE’S NOBLE
Wherlockes #7
BY HANNAH HOWELL
Excerpt
Primrose watched him smoothly mount his large black gelding. A part of her wanted to thank him for offering to come with her, repeatedly and loudly, but she resisted the urge. This concerned her family and her future. It was not right to place her burdens on the shoulders of a complete stranger, no matter how broad those shoulders were.
“Yes,” he said, looking down at her with those calm silvery eyes and then nodding toward her horse. “Mount up, m’lady, and we shall hunt down that brother of yours.”
“This is not your trouble, Sir Bened,” she said, even as she mounted her horse. “This is all part of a familial contretemps and you must not feel compelled to get tangled up in it just because you have a chivalrous nature.” She frowned at him when he laughed.
“Chivalrous, am I? That opinion would amuse my kin. Nay, m’lady, I am but a man who has too long worked at watching over others. You need watching over whether you wish to admit to it or not. I am also very, very good at following a trail and need no stars in the dirt to do it.” He leaned toward her to add quietly, “I am also very good at knowing when danger and an enemy draw near. I have a strong feeling that you may be in need of those skills, m’lady.”
“I truly want to say I do not need them but”— Primrose sighed—“it would be a lie, I think. I have not much enjoyed traveling about alone, either. ’Tis not accepted anywhere. And, I am not Lady Primrose, you know. Just an honorable, so you do not need to keep saying m’lady.”
“Easier than saying m’honorable.”
Primrose laughed. “True, so just say miss.”
He nodded and took the lead as they rode back to the road. Bened would have preferred riding through the woods but he hoped he might find her brother’s trail on the road. What he really needed was more information from her and a sedate ride along a road would make talking easier. Bened was certain there was more to her hunt for her brother than a need to tell him about their father’s death.
About the Author, Hannah Howell…
Hannah D. Howell is a highly regarded and prolific romance writer. Since Amber Flame, her first historical romance, was released in February 1988, she has published 25 novels and short stories, with more on the way. Her writing has been repeatedly recognized for its excellence and has “made Waldenbooks Romance Bestseller list a time or two” as well as was nominated twice by Romantic Times for Best Medieval Romance (Promised Passion and Elfking’s Lady). She has also won Romantic Times’ Best British Isles Historical Romance for Beauty and the Beast; and, in 1991-92 she received Romantic Times’ Career Achievement Award for Historical Storyteller of the Year.
Hannah was born and raised in Massachusetts (the maternal side of her family has been there since the 1630’s). She has been married to her husband Stephen for 28 years, who she met in England while visiting relatives, and decided to import him. They have two sons Samuel, 27, and Keir, 24. She is addicted to crocheting, reads and plays piano, attempts to garden, and collects things like dolls, faerie and cat figurines, and music boxes. She also seems to collect cats, as she now has four of them, Clousseau, Banshee, Spooky, and Oliver Cromwell.
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Links to Hannah’s website, blog, books, etc.
Link to Follow Tour:
http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/06/if-hes-noble-wherlocke-7-by-hannah.html
Goodreads Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22750009-if-he-s-noble
Goodreads Series Link:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/54829-wherlocke
Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Goodreads
August 2, 2015
**Author Peek** Interview with Kathy Ivan
**AUTHOR PEEK** Interview with
KATHY IVAN
~~
INTRODUCING…Kathy!
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.
First, thanks so much, Karen, for allowing me to visit with you and the gang here on your blog. My name is Kathy Ivan and I write a variety of books across several genres. I recently quit my full time job to write, but was a medical transcriptionist for more years than I like to admit. My very first job out of high school was working in a medical records department in a hospital in Key West, Florida. After that, I stayed in the medical field for the rest of my working career. While I wrote in high school, I never did anything serious about writing until I was living in Texas. Another woman who I worked with became a published author and invited me and another friend/coworker to a book signing. Afterward, she invited me to attend the local RWA Chapter (Dallas Area Romance Authors), and from there the writing bug struck again. My first book (Desperate Choices) was published in 2010 by Carina Press, and I haven’t stopped writing since.
1. How did you get started writing?
As I stated above, I got back into writing seriously around 2006, when I started attending a local RWA chapter. I studied voraciously to learn the craft of writing, worked on making my writing better all the time. I had published authors look at my work and give my critiques, which helped me hone my skills. And I wrote. And wrote. And wrote. Because you can’t get better if you’re not putting words on the page.
2. What appeals to you about the genre that you write?
I tend to be very plot driven when I’m writing romantic suspense. I like to have an idea of the story. I know certain things have to happen to lead the reader along until they get to the satisfying conclusion. This seemed to really work well for romantic suspense, because I get the best of both words—a mystery to be solved, and a happily-ever-after for my hero and heroine.
3. What is your favorite part of writing?
I love making the people in my stories come alive. They are always surprising me, taking off in a totally different direction than what I anticipate, and that’s usually a great thing. But I have to say, I love writing the ending, because everything gets wrapped up, all the loose ends are pulled together, and the bad guy/gal gets caught. Plus, you’ll always have a happy ending with my books.
4. If you had to give up writing and do something else, what would you do instead?
Become a professional reader – maybe go into editing, because I could never leave the world of words behind. To me they are pure magic.
5. What’s your favorite meal of the day?
Dinner, because that’s the time I get to sit back and rewind, relax and slow down, knowing I’ve had a good and productive day. Plus there’s dessert after that meal. LOL
6. Which are your favorite characters to write, the female characters or the male characters? The heroes and heroines, or the villains?
Wow that’s a tough one. I think it’s different for each story. Sometimes the male character is the strongest, because it’s his story to tell. Other times, if the book is focusing on the heroine, then she’s easier. But I always love writing the villains, because they are so deliciously evil, and I love delving into them to find out what made them into the baddies they are.
7. Are you an avid reader? When you do read someone else’s writing, what is your favorite genre?
YES!!! If I don’t get to read at least a little bit during the day I start going into withdrawal. Right now, I’m reading a lot of paranormal romance, particularly shifter romance, which I don’t write. I’m a sucker for paranormal romance of any kind though, and some of my books have a paranormal thread running through them, although it’s not the main focus of the story. I’m a fairly eclectic reader, and read across multiple genres, as long as it’s a romance.
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?
Hmm, somewhere with a view of the water. A beach house or lake house overlooking a gorgeous view, but with all the luxuries. I’m not a roughing-it kind of gal.
9. If you were a color, what color would you be and why?
I’ve always been drawn to purple, the deeper and richer the better. I love the saturation of the tone and tend to have a lot of clothes that have purple in them. Plus amethyst is my birthstone.
10. Tell us about your next book & when is it being published?
I write in two series right now. I have a book coming out the first week in August in the Lovin’ Las Vegas series called Vegas, Baby! (Each book in the series can be read as a standalone.) This is contemporary romance.
The other series I write is romantic suspense, the New Orleans Connection Series, and I planning/hoping the next book will be out the end of September (for those who follow this series, this will be Carpenter’s “the ghost” book).
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Be sure to come back to read more about Kathy and RELENTLESS PURSUIT on Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench. Happy Reading!
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Links to Kathy’s website, blog, books, etc.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1BXwSNZ
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1bdyskz
iBooks: http://apple.co/1EZeoyN
Google Play: http://bit.ly/1BMGkSE
Website: www.kathyivan.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kathyivan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kathyivanauthor
For a list of all my books and buy links to the various retailers, visit my books page on my website at: http://www.kathyivan.com/books.html
~~~
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Kathy is giving away an e-book copy of RELENTLESS PURSUIT, New Orleans Connection Series, Book #2 (or one of her backlist books if winner already has Relentless Pursuit) to two lucky readers who comment on her **Author Peek** Interview or Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs. Don’t miss the chance to read this book! Thanks, Kathy, for sharing your story with us!
August 1, 2015
Congratulations Week 07-06-15-15 & 07-13-15 Giveaway Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS WEEK
07-06-15-15 & 07-13-15
GIVEAWAY WINNERS!!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Jannine Gallant!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Jannine is giving away a PDF copy of one book from her Secrets of Ravenswood series to one lucky read who comments on her **Author Special** Interview or Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs. Winner chooses between We’ll Never Tell, She’ll Never Rest or He’ll Never Know. Thanks again, Jannine, for sharing your book with us!
WINNER ~ BN100!
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000040_00005]](http://www.karendocter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Criminal-Kind-Front-Cover-1.jpg)
Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with Mary Anne Edwards!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Mary Anne is giving away a Kindle copy of CRIMINAL KIND to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** blog. Thanks again, Mary Anne, for sharing your book with us!
WINNER ~ LAURA!
Karen’s Killer Book Bench with Kristina Knight!!
**SPECIAL GIVEAWAY**: Kristina is giving away a back-list copy of one of her books (winner’s choice) to two lucky readers who comment on her **Author Special** Interview or Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs. Thanks again, Kristina, for sharing your book with us!
WINNER ~ BN100!
[All winners chosen by random.org from reader comments. Thank you.]
