Sharon Ledwith's Blog, page 75
December 23, 2013
Guest Post: Susan Lodge's No Fuss Fruitcake...
Christmas is but a short time away and no British home will be without fruit cake. Many people prepare this holiday treat months in advance, but in our hurried world not too many of us have that luxury. Here is a quick and easy recipe I hope you enjoy. Top the finished cake with a little brandy a day or so before you sprinkle on the icing sugar. Your guests will love it.
No Fuss Fruit Cake
120g/4oz plain flour
120g/4oz self-raising flour
225ml/8 oz Water
1 tsp. mixed spice
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 beaten eggs
120g/4oz margarine
170g/6oz sugar
400g/14oz mixed dried fruit or any combination of sultanas, currants, raisins, glace cherries, mixed peel. Whatever you have handy!
Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ Gas Mark 4.
Line a 7 inch (18cm) square or 8 inch (20cm) round cake tin with 2 layers of greaseproof paper.
Combine margarine, water, sugar, dried fruit, bicarbonate of soda, and mixed spice in a saucepan over moderate heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for one minute.
Pour into mixing bowl and cool thoroughly. It is important to let the mixture cool before adding the eggs.
Add sifted flour and eggs and mix well.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for one to one and a quarter hours. You may need to put a sheet of greaseproof or brown paper over the tin to prevent top browning too much. Cake is ready when an inserted skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
Leave to cool.
Dust with sifted icing sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar) and ENJOY.
While the cake is baking, how about a romantic contemporary by Susan Lodge to fill in the time?
What is it about men in breeches? Shona finds out her dream man turns out to be not at all what she expected.
When a man in tight buff breeches examines her with his quizzing glass and calls her Miss Bennet, Shona fears the Regency themed ball is going to be as awful as she predicted. But then she is introduced to the gorgeous Nick who ticks every box for her perfect man.
As Shona looks forward to her first date with Nick, her happiness is marred by some disturbing observations around her flat. She doesn’t usually leave her blind rolled down that far, and she never keeps her bunny slippers tidily by the bed. And what is the man in the buff breeches doing lurking on the street outside?
As both men pursue her, Shona finds one makes her body quiver with desire, the other itch with annoyance. Then the men finally confront each other, and her life turns into a nightmare. Can her judgment regarding the male species really be so seriously flawed?
To read an excerpt from The Man in the Buff Breeches, please click HERE .
To read excerpts from the other books by Susan Lodge, please click HERE .
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel
Only a Hero Will Do
. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.
Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered - The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
No Fuss Fruit Cake 120g/4oz plain flour
120g/4oz self-raising flour
225ml/8 oz Water
1 tsp. mixed spice
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 beaten eggs
120g/4oz margarine
170g/6oz sugar
400g/14oz mixed dried fruit or any combination of sultanas, currants, raisins, glace cherries, mixed peel. Whatever you have handy!
Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ Gas Mark 4.
Line a 7 inch (18cm) square or 8 inch (20cm) round cake tin with 2 layers of greaseproof paper.
Combine margarine, water, sugar, dried fruit, bicarbonate of soda, and mixed spice in a saucepan over moderate heat. Bring to the boil and simmer for one minute.
Pour into mixing bowl and cool thoroughly. It is important to let the mixture cool before adding the eggs.
Add sifted flour and eggs and mix well.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for one to one and a quarter hours. You may need to put a sheet of greaseproof or brown paper over the tin to prevent top browning too much. Cake is ready when an inserted skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
Leave to cool.
Dust with sifted icing sugar (Confectioner’s Sugar) and ENJOY.
While the cake is baking, how about a romantic contemporary by Susan Lodge to fill in the time?
What is it about men in breeches? Shona finds out her dream man turns out to be not at all what she expected. When a man in tight buff breeches examines her with his quizzing glass and calls her Miss Bennet, Shona fears the Regency themed ball is going to be as awful as she predicted. But then she is introduced to the gorgeous Nick who ticks every box for her perfect man.
As Shona looks forward to her first date with Nick, her happiness is marred by some disturbing observations around her flat. She doesn’t usually leave her blind rolled down that far, and she never keeps her bunny slippers tidily by the bed. And what is the man in the buff breeches doing lurking on the street outside?
As both men pursue her, Shona finds one makes her body quiver with desire, the other itch with annoyance. Then the men finally confront each other, and her life turns into a nightmare. Can her judgment regarding the male species really be so seriously flawed?
To read an excerpt from The Man in the Buff Breeches, please click HERE .
To read excerpts from the other books by Susan Lodge, please click HERE .
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Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel
Only a Hero Will Do
. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family. Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered - The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
December 18, 2013
The Wenches of Words Full-Day Feast for the Holidays...
Breakfast is served with Marci Boudreaux:
Widow Carrie Gable, the heroine in Unforgettable You, has taken over the role of caregiver for her ailing mother-in-law Doreen. Determined the keep the woman in her family home for as long as possible, Carrie has agreed to board several movie stars who are filming in her small town. Though resentful of the demands placed upon her, Carrie does her best to abide by the wishes of her guests, even when she finds them over the top.
When health conscious starlet Juliet Ramirez insists that her hostess stop tempting her with fried meat and eggs at breakfast, Carrie agrees but refuses to remove her signature pancakes off the menu because, as she insists, serving breakfast without pancakes goes against everything she’s ever learned about being a good hostess.
Carrie’s Best Ever Homemade Pancakes
Dry Ingredients:
2 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
5 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
Liquid Ingredients:
2 ½ cups milk
2 ½ tsp. white vinegar
2 eggs
6 tbsp. melted butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Fresh fruit can be added if desired. Frozen fruit can change the texture of the batter, fresh is better.
Mix vinegar and milk together and set aside for five minutes to sour. (2 ½ C buttermilk can be used in place of soured milk.)
Whisk dry ingredients together into large bowl.
In separate bowl, mix eggs, soured milk, and vanilla.
Slowly mix in cooled melted butter.
Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and whisk until combined. Fold in fruit if desired.
Pour ¼ cup portions onto hot griddle lightly coated with cooking spray. Flip with spatula once edges brown.
Serve hot with your favorite syrup.
Check out the trailer for
Unforgettable You
HERE
.
Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Ham and Broccoli Roll-Ups for Lunch from Sara Daniel:
These are so easy I commissioned my nine-year-old to make them when she wanted to cook dinner for the family to give me a break. (Yes, she can be absolutely adorable when she wants to be, and yes, I still supervised the chopping and the oven.) These roll-ups also make a wonderful appetizer for holiday parties.
Ham and Broccoli Roll-Ups
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 tbsp. parsley flakes
2 tbsp. margarine/butter softened
1 ½ cups shredded Colby-jack/cheddar cheese
2 cups ham chopped
2 (8-roll) cans crescent dinner rolls
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook and drain broccoli.
In a large mixing bowl, combine parsley and margarine. Add cheese, broccoli and ham. Mix. Set aside.
Grease a round pizza pan. (A rectangle cookie sheet works too.) Separate the crescent roll dough into the pre-cut triangles. Arrange triangles around the outer edge of the pan, points hanging over the outside of the pan, bases overlapping. If you have more rolls than the pan will hold, you can use the remaining rolls to make a small inside circle as shown in the picture.
Spoon ham filling evenly over the bases of the triangles. Fold points of triangles over the filling and tuck under the bases toward the center of the pan.
Bake for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Learn more about Sara Daniel on her
website
and
blog
.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Be sure to subscribe to Sara’s newsletter for updates on her latest books and contests.
Sam Cheever dishes up a Super Family Supper:
I use thin sliced chicken breast for this recipe, but you can also butterfly and pound whole chicken breasts to ¼ inch thick.
Chicken with Tomatoes and Basil
5 medium plum tomatoes, diced and seeded
¼ cup packed, fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2½ tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves sliced or pounded thin (approximately 2 lbs.)
Combine tomatoes, basil, half the oil, vinegar, and garlic in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown 3 minutes, or until golden and nearly cooked through, in half the remaining oil. Flip and cook another 2 minutes on the other side. (Cook half at a time and keep the rest warm in a 200°F oven.)
Serve with sweet potatoes mashed with milk and Parmesan cheese. Arrange the chicken on a plate with a scoop of mashed sweet potatoes and spoon a generous amount of the tomato mixture and juice over the top. Delicious and pretty!
Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!
Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.
She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 13 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.
Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.
Widow Carrie Gable, the heroine in Unforgettable You, has taken over the role of caregiver for her ailing mother-in-law Doreen. Determined the keep the woman in her family home for as long as possible, Carrie has agreed to board several movie stars who are filming in her small town. Though resentful of the demands placed upon her, Carrie does her best to abide by the wishes of her guests, even when she finds them over the top.
When health conscious starlet Juliet Ramirez insists that her hostess stop tempting her with fried meat and eggs at breakfast, Carrie agrees but refuses to remove her signature pancakes off the menu because, as she insists, serving breakfast without pancakes goes against everything she’s ever learned about being a good hostess.
Carrie’s Best Ever Homemade Pancakes
Dry Ingredients:2 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
5 tsp. baking powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1 ½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
Liquid Ingredients:
2 ½ cups milk
2 ½ tsp. white vinegar
2 eggs
6 tbsp. melted butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Fresh fruit can be added if desired. Frozen fruit can change the texture of the batter, fresh is better.
Mix vinegar and milk together and set aside for five minutes to sour. (2 ½ C buttermilk can be used in place of soured milk.)
Whisk dry ingredients together into large bowl.
In separate bowl, mix eggs, soured milk, and vanilla.
Slowly mix in cooled melted butter.
Add liquid mixture to dry mixture and whisk until combined. Fold in fruit if desired.
Pour ¼ cup portions onto hot griddle lightly coated with cooking spray. Flip with spatula once edges brown.
Serve hot with your favorite syrup.
Check out the trailer for
Unforgettable You
HERE
. Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website.
Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Ham and Broccoli Roll-Ups for Lunch from Sara Daniel:
These are so easy I commissioned my nine-year-old to make them when she wanted to cook dinner for the family to give me a break. (Yes, she can be absolutely adorable when she wants to be, and yes, I still supervised the chopping and the oven.) These roll-ups also make a wonderful appetizer for holiday parties.
Ham and Broccoli Roll-Ups2 cups chopped broccoli
2 tbsp. parsley flakes
2 tbsp. margarine/butter softened
1 ½ cups shredded Colby-jack/cheddar cheese
2 cups ham chopped
2 (8-roll) cans crescent dinner rolls
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook and drain broccoli.
In a large mixing bowl, combine parsley and margarine. Add cheese, broccoli and ham. Mix. Set aside.
Grease a round pizza pan. (A rectangle cookie sheet works too.) Separate the crescent roll dough into the pre-cut triangles. Arrange triangles around the outer edge of the pan, points hanging over the outside of the pan, bases overlapping. If you have more rolls than the pan will hold, you can use the remaining rolls to make a small inside circle as shown in the picture.
Spoon ham filling evenly over the bases of the triangles. Fold points of triangles over the filling and tuck under the bases toward the center of the pan.
Bake for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Learn more about Sara Daniel on her
website
and
blog
. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Be sure to subscribe to Sara’s newsletter for updates on her latest books and contests.
Sam Cheever dishes up a Super Family Supper:
I use thin sliced chicken breast for this recipe, but you can also butterfly and pound whole chicken breasts to ¼ inch thick. Chicken with Tomatoes and Basil
5 medium plum tomatoes, diced and seeded
¼ cup packed, fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2½ tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves sliced or pounded thin (approximately 2 lbs.)
Combine tomatoes, basil, half the oil, vinegar, and garlic in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown 3 minutes, or until golden and nearly cooked through, in half the remaining oil. Flip and cook another 2 minutes on the other side. (Cook half at a time and keep the rest warm in a 200°F oven.)
Serve with sweet potatoes mashed with milk and Parmesan cheese. Arrange the chicken on a plate with a scoop of mashed sweet potatoes and spoon a generous amount of the tomato mixture and juice over the top. Delicious and pretty!
Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!
Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.
She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 13 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.
Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.
December 16, 2013
In the Limelight with Middle Grade Author Mikey Brooks...
Welcome to the Official Blog Tour of:THE DREAMSTONE,Book Two in The Dream Keeper ChroniclesA thrilling fantasy-adventure series for middle-grade reader!_______________________________________________________________
Don't forget to check out the GIVEAWAYat the bottom of this page for a chanceto win one of over 30 prizes!
_______________________________________________________________
Interview with Mikey Brooks:
1. How long have you been writing, Mikey?I started writing when I was about twelve. At the time I lived with my grandparents in a rural town in Missouri. Our nearest neighbor was about a mile away and the farm house was surrounded by dense, dark woods. Those woods served as the backdrop of many stories.
2. Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write The Dreamstone?The idea for The Dreamstone came about as I was writing the ending to The Dream Keeper. There was this hidden side plot that kept creeping to the surface as I was writing book 1. By the time I wrote the last chapter of The Dream Keeper I had the whole story outlined in my head for the second book. Originally the idea came as I was trying to fall asleep. I was wishing there was someone who could just escort me to Dreams…seconds later, there was Gladamyr (the dream keeper).
3. What sets The Dreamstone apart from other books in the same genre?I had a hard time getting a publisher to first pick up this book because it is so different from other books in its genre. Reviewers have compared it to the action of Percy Jackson and the magic of Fablehaven, but the story is not like them. It’s a story of self-discovery and finding the courage to stand up for who you are. The magic and action are just there to move the story along.
4. As an author, Mikey, what is your writing process?I first start with an idea. Now it can be anywhere from a cool scene or a concept I want to explorer. I then create a rough outline of the plot. Then I try and find the best characters to fill that story. Sometimes the characters come first—Gladamyr was one of those. The rest just seem to find their way in. I then set to it. I write chronologically. I have skipped over stuff and gone back but that always proved to mess the story up later on. So I’m an outliner.
5. How long did it take for you to start and finish The Dreamstone?It’s funny when I am asked this. The first book took me almost 3 years to write. I was going to school full-time as well as working full-time. It got bits and pieces along the way. After I had finished writing that I started on book 2, The Dreamstone. It took me a little over a month to write out the first draft. I then had it sit there as I queried agents and editors for The Dream Keeper. It sat there too long. I am excited to have it out.
6. Do you have any advice for other writers, Mikey?Never, ever give up! Know that what you have is a gift—a gift to tell a story is indeed a form of magic.
7. What’s next for Mikey Brooks the author?More and more books. The final installment in The Dream Keeper Chronicles, The Dream Makers, will come out in summer 2014. I have a standalone Narnian tale, The Stone of Valhalla, coming out in the spring as well as a picture book I wrote with my wife, ABC Adventures: Cooking with Kids. There are others in the wings waiting to hit the stage but so far that’s all I have scheduled. I love to write for kids and as long they keep reading I’ll keep writing.
8. Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series—If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?I’d have to say the 17 century. I’ve always loved Alexandre Dumas and his tales of swordfights and noble brotherhood. I think kids would love to see the age of Musketeers and swashbuckling action. There is so much you could explore in a time period like that. Especially if a girl was involved; the roles of men and women were so different back then. Would our heroin have to disguise herself as a boy to get the respect of the other musketeers? It would be a fun adventure.
Anything else you'd like to share?
I am excited to announce the release of book two in middle-grade fantasy series THE DREAMSTONE. It is an action-packed adventure with a toe in both the real world and the fantastic.
DREAMS:
Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME.
When Parker’s mom is dreamnapped by the wicked Mab, it is up to him and Kaelyn to save her. When they return to Dreams, they discover Mab isn’t their only problem. Gladamyr has lost his powers and the only way to get them back is to become what he fears the most—a nightmare.
SYNOPSIS:
In Book 1, The Dream Keeper, Parker and Kaelyn discovered that Dreams was a real place that everyone visits while they sleep. An evil nightmare named Fyren took control of the gateway to that world. Parker and Kaelyn teamed up with Gladamyr, the only dream keeper to escape capture by Fyren, and together they save Dreams from Fyren’s rule. After the defeat of Fyren the children return to Awake to find Mab, Fyren’s next in command, has dreamnapped Parker’s mom. The story continues in Book 2, The Dreamstone, as the children return to Dreams to save Parker’s mom. Finding her, however, is not their only problem. Mab has waged a war on the Crossing and has sent an army of dragons to bring it down, nightmares have been released from prison, and Gladamyr has lost his powers to shape-shift. Parker, Kaelyn, and Gladamyr must once again defy all odds to set things right and save Parker’s mom before it’s too late.
In Praise of THE DREAMSTONE:“The Dreamstone, by Mikey Brooks, is a wild stallion of a story: fast, thrilling, and unpredictable. I was hooked in chapter one. If he can snare the attention of an old reader like me, he’ll have kids sneaking this one into class underneath their text books…If this one isn’t a kid-pleaser, I don’t know what is.” –Michelle Isenhoff, author of the Divided Decade Trilogy and the Taylor Davis Series.
“This really is a cracking novel. Action-packed and spellbinding!”—Cas Peace, author of The Artisans of Albia series.
"If you like the Percy Jackson, Fablehaven, or the Harry Potter series, you'll love this!" –An Amazon Reviewer.
AUTHOR BIO:
Mikey Brooks is a small child masquerading as an adult. On occasion you’ll catch him dancing the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of several books including the best-selling ABC ADVENTURES: MAGICAL CREATURES and BEAN’S DRAGONS as well as the middle-grade fantasy-adventure series THE DREAM KEEPER CHRONICLES. His art can be seen in many forms from picture books to full room murals. He loves to daydream with his three daughters and explore the worlds that only the imagination of children can create. Mikey has a BS degree in English from Utah State University and works full-time as a freelance illustrator and cover designer. As a member of the
Emblazoners
, he is one of many authors devoted to ‘writing stories on the hearts of children’. He is also one of the hosts of the
Authors’ Think Tank Podcast
. You can find more about him and his books at: www.insidemikeysworld.com
Now Available in Audiobook!BOOK LINKS:Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1939993237
Hardback: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1939993229 eBook: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GP33YZO
ISBN: Hardback: 978-1-939993-22-9, Paperback: 978-1-939993-23-6, eBook: 978-1-939993-24-3
PRICE:Hardback: $19.95, Paperback: $12.99, EBook: $2.99.
_______________________________________________________________
10 winners will receive a gift bag with numerous signed books marks, collector cards, wrists bands, and a handmade dream key necklace.
Paperback Books:
Can You Survive? Treasure Island, by Blake Hoena
The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer, by Lisa Cole Orchard
Color of Freedom, by Michelle Athearn Isenhoff
Explorer X-Alpha, by Lm Preston
Gangsterland, by Ansha Kotyk
Cycles, by Lois BrownAndy Smithson: Blast of the Dragon’s Fury, by L.R.W LeePrincess Kandake, by Stephanie JeffersonWeight of the Crown, by Stephanie JeffersonArrow of the Mist, by Christina MercerCassidy Jones, by Elise StokesThe Seventh Attendant, by Elise StokesCurse at Zala Manor, by BBHMcChillerThe Curse of the Double Digits, by Lynn KelleyInto the Forest and Down the Tower, by Ann T. BuggOff to Camp and Discovering Art, by Ann T. BuggAgency, by Shantal HiattPsyched, by Juli CaldwellRagesong, by J.R. Simmons
EBooks:Secret Sisters Club, by Monique BuchegerTrouble Blows West, by Monique BuchegerThe Alien Mind, by Virginia JenningsThe Last Time Keepers, by Sharon LedwithFrogs & Toads, by Stacy Lynn CarrollNexus Point, by Jaleta CleggWarrior Beautiful, by Wendy KnightShahira and the Flying Elfs, by Anna del C Dye (PDF)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 5, 2013
13 Days of Free Short Reads for the Holidays…
On Monday, December 1st, Musa Publishing started the holiday ball rolling by offering 13 days of free, short e-stories as a gift from Musa authors. A different short story will be released each day for 13 days. Some days have more than one release scheduled, so there will actually be 17 stories in total. That’s a whole lot of reading to cram in throughout the holiday season!BTW: These are not books; they’re short, fast, fun–and free!–reads. Yup, I said FREEagain!Since I’m a published author with Musa, my middle grade/young adult short fantasy story, The Terrible, Mighty Crystal , is scheduled for gift release on Friday, December 6. This short read is actually a spin-off from Legend of the Timekeepers as it features the Atlantean cross-eyed seer Shu-Tu, and reveals a little background on how and why she became a seer. Have I piqued your interest? If so, check out the blurb and tagline for The Terrible, Mighty Crystal:
There is the known and the unknown. And then there is the unknowable.
A rumor around Atlantis whispers that the mighty crystal has the power of resurrection. Fourteen-year-old Shu-Tu believes this to be true and will do whatever it takes to bring her father back from the dead. Recruiting two trustworthy classmates, and with the help of her beloved teacher Thoth, Shu-Tu sets out to change her father’s fate, and right a wrong.Instructed to meet Thoth at his grotto, Shu-Tu and her friends are forced to flee underground, and must follow the maze of passages to find another way out. There, they come across a baboon-headed human hybrid possessing a rare firestone—one of six harvested from the mighty crystal—which has the power to restore life. Shu-Tu agrees to play the hybrid’s bizarre game to win the firestone, knowing that if she loses, she loses her father forever.
Hooked you yet? If so, I’ve got another gem of a free short story written by my YA author peeps HL Carpenter, who wrote SkyHorse. HL is Florida-based a mother/daughter duo who love writing about magical places and practice the fine art of curiosity. Their upcoming free read called
Dream Stealer
is due out on Monday, December 9th. Here’s the tagline and blurb:Ever wonder what became of the dreams you once had? Fancy Moonstruck can tell you. She steals dreams for a living. Close your eyes. Fancy’s on the job.
Fancy Moonstruck is supposed to steal dreams. It’s what her family does for a living, and now that she’s fifteen, the job is hers.It’s a job she’d rather not have. She knows first-hand what dreams mean to the dreamer because she has a dream of her own. She dreams of her mom, who died five years ago. Losing her dream would be like losing her mom all over again. That’s a pain Fancy doesn’t want to cause anyone.
But the rules are clear: Steal a dream—or lose her own.
Sound intriguing? I know, right? Another featured free YA short story is by Kaitlin Bevis who loves to write about Greek myths and classical heroes. Her free read called Medusa is due for release on Thursday December 5th. Holy Hades, that’s today folks! Here’s the tagline and blurb:
The gods turned her into a weapon, but weapons can turn against their makers.
The gods have not been kind to Medusa. They have turned every piece of her to poison, and no one can look at her without turning to stone. But she soon finds an unlikely friend in Hades, The Lord of the Underworld, and settles in to her new life.
Until the heroes arrive.
Convinced that she is a monster that needs to be slain, hero after hero ventures to Medusa's cave, never to be seen again. But there's something different about the latest hero, Perseus. Something tragic. Will Medusa be able to stop Perseus and save herself? Will she even want to?
So, are you ready to load up your ereaders (or even the ereaders you’re giving as gifts) with fun, fantastic short stories this holiday season? Awesome-sauce! Then head over to Musa Publishing, start downloading, and enjoy. Happy Holidays and may the spirit of giving infect you in ways you never could have imagined! Ho, ho, ho!
December 1, 2013
Middle Grade and Young Adult Happy Holidays Book Blog Hop…
A bunch of us awesome MG Authors from our We Love Middle Grade group decided to get together and have a Happy Holidays Blog Hop just in time for the festive season for our readers and followers. The Hop will run from December 1stto the 15th, so there’s plenty of time to check out the participating authors, and maybe find a gem of a read for you and your tween in time for the holidays.So what do the holidays mean to you? Great food? Giving gifts? Getting gifts? Family get-togethers? Parties? Supporting your favorite charities? Honestly, the list can go on, but for me, it’s all about the process of preparation for the holiday season. You know. The decorating, baking, shopping, planning meals and all the other fun stuff that leads up to your special holiday. I would be remiss in sharing the one thing I LOVE to do during the month of December: watch one or two movie versions of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. I have two favorite versions — the original with Alastair Sim playing Ebenezer Scrooge, and the hilarious 1980s version with Bill Murray who played the Scrooge-ish Frank Cross in
Scrooged
. Both have a different flavor, yet carry the same message: Don’t mess with the past and make wise choices in the present else you can royally screw up your future. Love Dickens take on time travel!
Since I’m in a giving, non-Scrooge mood, I’m pulling out the reindeers and giving away both ebooks in The Last Timekeepers time travel series,
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis
, and
Legend of the Timekeepers
, in the format of your choice. Plus, I’m giving away some swag: a Babel necklace, a ceramic Spiral pendant, a rubber wrist band, and signed trading cards of both my books! Oh, and as an added bonus I’m throwing in a PDF copy of Cooking with Musa to make your holidays in the kitchen as easy-peasy as possible.BTW – this Giveaway is opened internationally, so everyone is included in this hop! Here’s the blurb from The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis:When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.
Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.
Here’s the blurb from the prequel, Legend of the Timekeepers:
Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe. Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.
Good luck, and don’t forget to visit all the other author blogs on our Happy Holidays Hop to enjoy more giveaway fun! Cheers and have a happy and safe holiday season!a Rafflecopter giveaway
Terms & Conditions:This Blog Hop begins midnight on December 1st and runs until midnight December 15th, 2013. The draw will take place December 16th, 2013.
The winner will chosen by RafflecopterI will contact the winner via email and give the winner 72 hours to accept his/her prize.
Prize as stated—no alternatives will be offered.
If you have a problem with the linky-link above, please click here: http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=334406
November 27, 2013
Tween the Weekends: Seven Steps to Success for Tweens & Teens...
There is a powerful seven step formula that you can use to set and achieve your goals for the rest of your life. It’s a discipline, so if started at an early age these steps will become as natural to you as breathing air. Every successful person uses this formula or some variation of this formula to achieve more than the average person.
Step one: Decide exactly what it is you want. Do you want to play in the NHL, NFL, NBA or go for gold in the Olympics? Do you want to get your driver’s license by 16 and a car at 17? Do you want to go to college, university, or own a business? Do you want to go to Disneyland with your family? How about designing a kick-butt video game? The possibilities are endless.Step two: Write down what you want, clearly and in detail. Get a journal or notebook for this. Always think on paper. A goal that is not in writing is not a goal at all. It is merely a wish and it has no energy behind it.
Step three: Set a deadline for your goal. If you’re saving for a family trip doing babysitting, odd jobs or have an after school job figure out how much you’ll need by the time you leave. Start a savings account for any goal that is material based like a car or clothes. A deadline acts as a “forcing system” and motivates you to do the things necessary to make your goal come true. If it’s a big goal, set sub-deadlines too. Some goals are worth the chase!
Step four: Make a list of everything that you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal. If you want to play in the big leagues, and feel you have the talent, how much time per day do you think you’ll need to practice to get there? Want a new laptop? How many babysitting gigs will it take to get one?
Step five: Organize your list into a plan. Decide what you have to do first, second, third, and so on. Decide what is more important and what is less important. If you want to be an engineer, you’d better be prepared to study hard, rather than play video games all night. Once you’ve made your decision, write out your plan on paper. This becomes your blueprint for success.
Step six: Do something EVERY DAY that moves you in the direction of your most important goal at the moment. Study, practice, work, play, write—do what you need to do to develop the discipline of doing something 365 days each year to move you forward, and closer to your goals.
Remember, it’s up to you to invest in yourself, and the sooner you get started, the sooner you will reap what you have sown. Invest in the best, that’s YOU!
November 21, 2013
Goodreads 101...
Since I’m having a Goodreads Giveway for the next few weeks, I thought I’d do a post on building an author presence on Goodreads in order to get your book(s) into the faces or your targeted readers. First things first, authors need to be ACTIVE on Goodreads. That doesn’t mean you need to be on it daily—if you can that’s great—but try to organize your schedule so that you can pop your virtual head into Goodreads on a weekly basis.Here’s a great plan to follow:
1. Add a new book to your shelves, one you are reading, want to read, or a book that inspired your writing. Simple and fast.
2. Write a review for a book. If you do a lot of Amazon reviews feel free to grab the content from there and repost it to Goodreads. And if you want to be a real rock star of the review world, grab your Goodreads review and cross post it to Amazon. Hey, why not? Wouldn't you love it if someone did that for you?
3. Rate books. This is easy and oh-so-simple. Give books a starred rating. You don't even have to write a review to do this one.
4. Blog post. If you update your blog post weekly that's fantastic, if you don't then I suggest that you update your Goodreads status once or more a week. You can also just add a favorite book passage or author quote. It doesn't have to be a long post. You're just aiming for profile activity, that's key.
5. Groups. Join them. Post to a group, comment or respond to someone's question.
6. Add friends. I recommend adding friends weekly if possible. You'll find people in the groups that you want to friend or reviews you want to follow. Building a healthy friend list is really key to expanding your network (and getting more reviews) on Goodreads.
Bonus: If you can, set up a Goodreads Giveaway (paperbacks only) at least four or more times a year. You won’t believe the feedback and the amount of entries you get. This alone will build your presence and help find the audience you’re looking for.
And speaking of a Goodreads Giveaway, here’s a chance to win the first book in my MG/YA time travel series, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis until December 10th… .goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; }
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis by Sharon Ledwith Giveaway ends December 10, 2013. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
November 18, 2013
The Wenches of Words Pasta Posse...
Sam Cheever's Amazingly Simple Pasta...
We've just moved the zoo to a new house. With all the unpacking and disorganization I needed a quick but tasty dinner for us humans. A quick rummage through two boxes and the fridge and I was good to go. Here is last night's dinner. We loved the clean taste and I think you will, too.
Amazingly Simple Mac & Cheese
2 cups dried pasta
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup loosely packed shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Combine the pasta and milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir often. Cook over low heat until the pasta is soft, approximately 20 minutes. Do not allow the milk to boil.
Stir in the mustard, salt, and cheese (if you’re going to bake it, reserve about ¼ cup of the cheese for sprinkling over the top).
Cover and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir well and serve. Or bake it in a 375°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.
Add 1 can of drained tuna and bake as above to make tuna casserole!
Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!
Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.
She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 11 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.
Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.
Sloane Taylor's Perfect Pasta for Mondays...
Mondays are always super busy with loads of laundry, cleaning up after the weekend madness, and that little thing that pays the bills called work. Oh yes, we authors lead madcap lives. At least we do on paper if not in the real world. And that real world requires meals. Since Mondays are time crunchers I've developed as easy dinner we enjoy about once a month. Mix up a big salad and uncork a good white wine and kick back.
Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella
½ package any curly pasta
3-4 plum tomatoes, diced
¾ cup olive oil
fresh basil leaves
1 clove fresh garlic pressed
fresh mini Mozzarella balls quartered
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the pasta al dente. While the pasta is boiling, sauté garlic in olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn or your dish will be bitter.
Drain the pasta. Place pasta in a serving bowl.
Add the oil/garlic mixture, Mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Toss well.
Serve the Parmesan on the side.
Sloane Taylor believes humor and sex are healthy aspects of our everyday lives and carries that philosophy into her books. She writes sexually explicit romances that take you right into the bedroom. Being a true romantic, all her stories have a happy ever after. Her books are set in Europe where the men are all male and the North American women they encounter are both feminine and strong. They also bring more than lust to their men’s lives.
Learn more about Sloane Taylor on her website , and of course her blog for easy recipes. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Susan Lodge ends those Mealtime Woes...
The world moves faster now and we all have time crunches that take away from home cooking. But here is the perfect meal for when you are really pressed.
Quick Pasta Bake
300gm (10oz) dried pasta Penne works well
1 large onion chopped
3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
4 rashers of thick bacon cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
1-2 tbsp. of olive oil
125 ml (4 oz) water or wine
400gm (14 oz) tin of plum tomatoes.
1 tsp. dried mixed herbs
110 gm (4oz) of hard cheese grated or mozzarella sliced.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F.
Cook the pasta for the prescribed time on the packet.
In a large pan gently fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes until soft and transparent. Add tomatoes, water/wine, bacon, and mixed herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer gently for five to ten minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Combine the drained pasta and tomato mixture and turn in to an oven proof dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bake ten minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Nice served with a green salad and some crusty bread.
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel Only a Hero Will Do . She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.
Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered - The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
We've just moved the zoo to a new house. With all the unpacking and disorganization I needed a quick but tasty dinner for us humans. A quick rummage through two boxes and the fridge and I was good to go. Here is last night's dinner. We loved the clean taste and I think you will, too.
Amazingly Simple Mac & Cheese2 cups dried pasta
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup loosely packed shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Combine the pasta and milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir often. Cook over low heat until the pasta is soft, approximately 20 minutes. Do not allow the milk to boil.
Stir in the mustard, salt, and cheese (if you’re going to bake it, reserve about ¼ cup of the cheese for sprinkling over the top).
Cover and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir well and serve. Or bake it in a 375°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.
Add 1 can of drained tuna and bake as above to make tuna casserole!
Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them! Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.
She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 11 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.
Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.
Sloane Taylor's Perfect Pasta for Mondays...
Mondays are always super busy with loads of laundry, cleaning up after the weekend madness, and that little thing that pays the bills called work. Oh yes, we authors lead madcap lives. At least we do on paper if not in the real world. And that real world requires meals. Since Mondays are time crunchers I've developed as easy dinner we enjoy about once a month. Mix up a big salad and uncork a good white wine and kick back.
Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella½ package any curly pasta
3-4 plum tomatoes, diced
¾ cup olive oil
fresh basil leaves
1 clove fresh garlic pressed
fresh mini Mozzarella balls quartered
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the pasta al dente. While the pasta is boiling, sauté garlic in olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn or your dish will be bitter.
Drain the pasta. Place pasta in a serving bowl.
Add the oil/garlic mixture, Mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Toss well.
Serve the Parmesan on the side.
Sloane Taylor believes humor and sex are healthy aspects of our everyday lives and carries that philosophy into her books. She writes sexually explicit romances that take you right into the bedroom. Being a true romantic, all her stories have a happy ever after. Her books are set in Europe where the men are all male and the North American women they encounter are both feminine and strong. They also bring more than lust to their men’s lives. Learn more about Sloane Taylor on her website , and of course her blog for easy recipes. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
Susan Lodge ends those Mealtime Woes...
The world moves faster now and we all have time crunches that take away from home cooking. But here is the perfect meal for when you are really pressed.
Quick Pasta Bake300gm (10oz) dried pasta Penne works well
1 large onion chopped
3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
4 rashers of thick bacon cooked and chopped into bite size pieces
1-2 tbsp. of olive oil
125 ml (4 oz) water or wine
400gm (14 oz) tin of plum tomatoes.
1 tsp. dried mixed herbs
110 gm (4oz) of hard cheese grated or mozzarella sliced.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F.
Cook the pasta for the prescribed time on the packet.
In a large pan gently fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil for a few minutes until soft and transparent. Add tomatoes, water/wine, bacon, and mixed herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer gently for five to ten minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
Combine the drained pasta and tomato mixture and turn in to an oven proof dish. Sprinkle with cheese and bake ten minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Nice served with a green salad and some crusty bread.
Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel Only a Hero Will Do . She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.
Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered - The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn't give up.
Catch up with Susan on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .
November 15, 2013
Let’s get the Holiday Season started with a Goodreads Giveaway…
As the holiday season encroaches, I thought I’d set up a Goodreads giveaway for anyone who hasn’t had a chance to read the first book in my middle grade/YA time travel series,
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis
. There’s plenty of time to enter as the giveaway runs from November 15th to December 10th, and all shares and tweets would be most appreciated. Did I mention I’m signing the book, and throwing in a couple of trading cards and wrist bands to sweeten the pot?
Cheers and Happy Holidays to all my friends and followers!
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis by Sharon Ledwith Giveaway ends December 10, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
Cheers and Happy Holidays to all my friends and followers!
.goodreadsGiveawayWidget { color: #555; font-family: georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; background: white; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget img { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0 !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a { padding: 0 !important; margin: 0; color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:visted { color: #660; text-decoration: none; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget a:hover { color: #660; text-decoration: underline !important; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidget p { margin: 0 0 .5em !important; padding: 0; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink { display: block; width: 150px; margin: 10px auto 0 !important; padding: 0px 5px !important; text-align: center; line-height: 1.8em; color: #222; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; border: 1px solid #6A6454; border-radius: 5px; font-family:arial,verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... background-repeat: repeat-x; background-color:#BBB596; outline: 0; white-space: nowrap; } .goodreadsGiveawayWidgetEnterLink:hover { background-image:url(https://www.goodreads.com/images/layo... color: black; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; }
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis by Sharon Ledwith Giveaway ends December 10, 2013. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
November 11, 2013
Author Guest Post: Vonnie Hughes's Tangy Curry and Captivating Regency Reads...
Spice up your life with a new dish that's not expensive and really takes very little hands-on time. I offer you one of our family favorites and I think you'll enjoy it, too. This sweet, mild curry serves eight.
TANGY CURRY
2½ lbs of cubed cheap steak (it will be simmered for ages so cheap steak is fine) 2 finely chopped onions
1 chopped apple
2 chopped carrots
2 tablespoons of ordinary flour Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons of golden syrup (light treacle)(corn syrup)
1 dessertspoon of mild curry powder
1 medium tin of tomato soup
1 small tin of pineapple pieces
Place the steak in a large pot. Add the onions, apple and carrots.
In a bowl mix the flour, lemon juice, golden syrup, curry powder and a little of the pineapple juice. Stir this flavored thickening and add to the meat in the pot.
Add the tomato soup and pineapple pieces.
Cook on a very low heat for two hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (A little extra liquid may be needed. Water is fine).
Best served with rice and a tossed green salad.
Now while you have that 2 hour wait, how about a step back in time with an intro to one of my Regency novels?
When Alexandra Tallis sets free the attractive man her sister stupidly tried to hold captive, her actions lead not only to a love she never thought to find, but also to a horrific family secret that threatens that love.
When Alexandra Tallis discovers that her witless sister has imprisoned their father’s nemesis, Theo Crombie in their attic, she quickly frees him, fighting an unladylike impulse to keep him as her own special captive. Despite the brutal beating she receives from her father for her actions, Alexandra continues to yearn for the delicious Mr. Crombie even though she knows that nothing will ever come of her dreams.
Injured and shackled in a stranger’s attic, Theo unexpectedly discovers the woman of his dreams. But how can he pursue those dreams when her bizarre family’s complex relationships threaten the very foundation of his existence? Somehow Theo must find a way through this maze to claim his lady.
To read an excerpt from Captive, please click HERE .
Vonnie Hughes is a New Zealander living in Australia. She loves animals and jogging. Vonnie writes Regencies and romantic suspense novels along with short stories. She is presently working on a romantic suspense, working title: Innocent Hostage and a Regency novella, working title: A Tale of Two Sisters.
Her earlier book Coming Home is about a soldier and a nurse, thrown together during the Napoleonic wars, who find more danger on their return to England than they ever did on the Iberian Peninsula.
The Second Son is actually a prequel to Coming Home . A second son, filled with angst, stands to inherit a title and property through the death of a brother he has always loathed and mistrusted. A young disabled woman teaches him how to find his self-respect and how to love.
Another Regency Historical, Mr. Monfort’s Marriage , has businessman Matthew Monfort inveigled into marrying an earl’s daughter. With good reason he loathes the ton, so his new wife needn’t think she’s going to win him over, even though she’s quite delightful…and intelligent…and sweet…However Verity shows him that not all members of the ton are idle layabouts and that he can do much good with his largesse and with—shock, horror—the unexpected and embarrassing title conferred on him by Prinny.
All of Vonnie’s books are available on Amazon and Musa Publishing .
Learn more about Vonnie Hughes on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Goodreads .
TANGY CURRY2½ lbs of cubed cheap steak (it will be simmered for ages so cheap steak is fine) 2 finely chopped onions
1 chopped apple
2 chopped carrots
2 tablespoons of ordinary flour Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons of golden syrup (light treacle)(corn syrup)
1 dessertspoon of mild curry powder
1 medium tin of tomato soup
1 small tin of pineapple pieces
Place the steak in a large pot. Add the onions, apple and carrots.
In a bowl mix the flour, lemon juice, golden syrup, curry powder and a little of the pineapple juice. Stir this flavored thickening and add to the meat in the pot.
Add the tomato soup and pineapple pieces.
Cook on a very low heat for two hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (A little extra liquid may be needed. Water is fine).
Best served with rice and a tossed green salad.
Now while you have that 2 hour wait, how about a step back in time with an intro to one of my Regency novels?
When Alexandra Tallis sets free the attractive man her sister stupidly tried to hold captive, her actions lead not only to a love she never thought to find, but also to a horrific family secret that threatens that love. When Alexandra Tallis discovers that her witless sister has imprisoned their father’s nemesis, Theo Crombie in their attic, she quickly frees him, fighting an unladylike impulse to keep him as her own special captive. Despite the brutal beating she receives from her father for her actions, Alexandra continues to yearn for the delicious Mr. Crombie even though she knows that nothing will ever come of her dreams.
Injured and shackled in a stranger’s attic, Theo unexpectedly discovers the woman of his dreams. But how can he pursue those dreams when her bizarre family’s complex relationships threaten the very foundation of his existence? Somehow Theo must find a way through this maze to claim his lady.
To read an excerpt from Captive, please click HERE .
Vonnie Hughes is a New Zealander living in Australia. She loves animals and jogging. Vonnie writes Regencies and romantic suspense novels along with short stories. She is presently working on a romantic suspense, working title: Innocent Hostage and a Regency novella, working title: A Tale of Two Sisters.Her earlier book Coming Home is about a soldier and a nurse, thrown together during the Napoleonic wars, who find more danger on their return to England than they ever did on the Iberian Peninsula.
The Second Son is actually a prequel to Coming Home . A second son, filled with angst, stands to inherit a title and property through the death of a brother he has always loathed and mistrusted. A young disabled woman teaches him how to find his self-respect and how to love.
Another Regency Historical, Mr. Monfort’s Marriage , has businessman Matthew Monfort inveigled into marrying an earl’s daughter. With good reason he loathes the ton, so his new wife needn’t think she’s going to win him over, even though she’s quite delightful…and intelligent…and sweet…However Verity shows him that not all members of the ton are idle layabouts and that he can do much good with his largesse and with—shock, horror—the unexpected and embarrassing title conferred on him by Prinny.
All of Vonnie’s books are available on Amazon and Musa Publishing .
Learn more about Vonnie Hughes on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Goodreads .
