Sharon Struth's Blog, page 3
December 6, 2016
Bella Luna Release Day & Giveaway ~ Blue Moon Lake Series Book 3
Blue Moon Lake Romances,
BELLA LUNA!
Five Stars (Goodreads Review)….
“As with every Blue Moon Lake story, there is a bit of mystery, a bit of humor and a lot of heart.”
In honor of the release, I’ll be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner. Check out the rafflecopter link below and get up to ten chances to win!
Her love life has gone to the dogs…
Rose Richardson is on the run from her dangerous ex-husband, a crime she didn’t commit—and the embarrassment of being an advice columnist with a disastrous personal life. Donning a fake identity, she escapes to a lovely lake house rental in rural Connecticut…only to discover her refuge is already occupied. Leo Drake is devastatingly handsome–and clearly wants to be alone. Rose stands her ground, even while she fears being found out for the fugitive she is. Plus, her sweet dog, Bella, seems to like the brooding widower, so how bad could he be?
A prize winning novelist, Leo lost everything after he lost his wife. But his mysterious housemate just might be the muse he needs to reignite his writing career. Despite his misgivings, Rose has secrets that only draw him closer, firing his imagination, even as his heart struggles with the attraction building between them. Plus, he kind of likes the quirky pooch. And as he tries to untangle his unusual predicament, Bella’s antics just might be the key to showing the loner that love is the only inspiration he needs…
Excerpt
A loud creak sounded from above. Her heartbeat picked up speed. Another creak. Footsteps? A light upstairs flashed on and cut a beam to the staircase wall. Bella’s ears perked at the same moment the slow rise of panic crawled through Rose’s veins.
Move. Move! Only she stood still, frozen in fear as her mind raced with images from vagrants to serial killers.
The dog emitted a guttural growl.
Slow creaks of the floorboards above magnified in the silent house. Rose stretched her trembling hand, snatched the leash off the table, and leaned over, just shy of snapping it on Bella so they could race like hell out the door.
Footsteps pounded. Fast and hard, they hit the staircase. Before she could grab the dog’s collar, Bella bolted.
Owooooo-woo-woo-woo-woo!
Bella’s howl echoed in the silent house. She stopped at the bottom step and stared fearlessly into the face of danger. Terror, however, had cemented Rose’s feet in place.
A dark-haired man reached the bottom, gripping a baseball bat in a ready-to-launch position over his shoulder. “Don’t move!” He stood at the last step, too close for her to make a quick dash out the door.
Rose’s heart pounded against her ribs and her mouth went dry. She raised her hands in the air. “Please. Don’t hurt me!”
The intruder blinked back at her through sleepy eyes. Thick tresses of messy hair jutted from his head. The rugged edges of an unshaven shadow highlighted his tight angled jaw. Her gaze traveled past his wrinkled, loosely buttoned plaid shirt, his baggy sweatpants, and stopped at his bare feet.
Bella bared her teeth, glaring at him bravely as he towered over the short basset hound. Her nose lifted and she inhaled a sharp breath. Owoooooooooooo! Owooooooooo!
The dog’s war cry got the stranger’s attention for a split second, but he quickly returned his narrowed gaze to Rose. “I don’t know who you are, but you’d better have a damn good reason for breaking into my house.”
Praise for Sharon Struth
“Struth has a gift for layering stories within stories while keeping them all connected.” —Library Journal
“Struth is an author to watch!” –Laura Drake, author of RITA-award winner The Sweet Spot
“Sharon Struth writes a good story about love and loss. She knows her characters and has a path she wants them to take.” –Eye on Romance
BUY LINKS:
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Google
RELEASE WEEK GIVEAWAY
ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE: a Rafflecopter giveaway
CHECK OUT THE FIRST TWO BOOKS IN THE SERIES….
Click here for more: SERIES BOOK ONE
Click here for more: SERIES BOOK TWO
November 10, 2016
Guest Author Rachel Brimble with 3 Reasons Why You Should Read: Saved by the Firefighter
Please welcome UK author Rachel Brimble! We share an agent and had the pleasure of having a wonderful evening together with our hubbies last year when I visited England. She has a new release our and has offered a few excerpts below…
3 Reasons Why You Should Read Saved By The Firefighter…by Rachel Brimble
Blurb:
How can she forgive him for what he didn’t do?
Photographer Izzy Cooper feels as frozen as her pictures. Trent Palmer might be the hottest firefighter in Templeton Cove, but she can never face him again. Not after he failed to save her brother. But when they’re forced together by a calendar shoot, the sparks between them are undeniable.
Izzy knows it’s not fair to blame Trent for the tragedy, but opening herself up to loss again isn’t something she’s prepared to do, no matter how determined Trent is to show her that pain is part of life and that love—their love—can make any suffering bearable.
Reason 1.
This is the moment when the hero, Trent Palmer and the heroine, Izzy Cooper, come together and set up the entire conflict of the novel. They like one another, but have a tragic and valid reason why it is so hard for them to be together. I hope, in this early scene, I have managed to convey Izzy’s anguish and the reason for her sometimes harsh treatment of a man whom she wholly respects and wants, but the idea of them being together is just plain terrifying to her…
Excerpt:
The security alarm chimed. Someone had stepped inside the studio. Exhaling a heavy breath, Izzy pulled back her shoulders, lifted her head and forced a smile.
“Hi, how can I…” Her heart stopped. Trent Palmer stood just inside the door. “Why are you here?”
His dark green gaze bored relentlessly into hers, his strong jaw set as he reached behind him and shut the door. “I came by to see how you’re doing.”
Traitorous attraction skittered over the surface of her skin before Izzy turned and strode toward the corner she used for staging portrait shots. The fluffy bunnies, huge furry dice and toys she’d used to relax a toddler earlier now felt macabre.
She spun around, clutching a teddy bear. “The same as I was doing yesterday and the day before. I told you I don’t want to see you. I don’t ever want to see you. Why do you keep coming back?”
He came closer, his gaze locked on hers. “You have to talk to me. I was Robbie’s friend. There was nothing—”
“You could do. Fine. I get it, but why do you feel the need to keep coming in here and checking up on me? What do you want me to do? Dance in the street? Kick up my heels at the fairground? God, just leave me alone.”
“There’s a beach party tonight. I want you to come with me.”
She stared. Why him? Why would a man she really liked—a damn firefighter—have to pursue her like she was someone worth pursuing? “No.”
He looked at the equipment covering the desk alongside him. He lifted and replaced a camera, the hunch of his wide shoulders indicating his discomfort. Izzy hated that she drew no satisfaction from that…only sadness.
Reason 2.
This is the moment when my hero, Trent Palmer, accepts what the heroine, Izzy Cooper, has been trying to make him understand all along – how can she love him, while she blames him for her brother’s death?
I love this moment, because we’ve all experienced the frustration and helplessness that goes with trying to convince someone that we are innocent in what they see as a betrayal. How we can only go on for so long explaining and/or apologizing before accepting that we just might have to walk away in order to say ourselves…
Excerpt:
She held up a finger toward him as though asking him to wait for her. Surprise turned to pathetic relief as she jogged across the sand, her long blonde hair swinging back and forth in its ponytail. As she got closer, the more Trent tensed.
It had been over a week since he’d seen her. The beach party a bigger disaster than he could’ve ever anticipated.
She came up the steps toward him, tucking some fallen hair behind her ear. He noted the way she tried to smile for him, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes. “Hi.”
He pushed his hands into the pockets of his work trousers. “Hi.”
Slightly out of breath, she exhaled through pursed lips and stared into his eyes. “I think I owe you an apology.”
She might as well as said she loved him. The pleasure that jolted through him probably wouldn’t have been any less powerful. He dragged his gaze from hers to look blindly toward a spot over her shoulder. “For what?”
“For the way I spoke to you at the beach last week.” She sighed. “Won’t you at least look at me? You know apologizing doesn’t exactly come as second nature to me.”
He turned. The trepidation and pleading in her gaze teemed with the blush at her cheeks, tugged at his chest. “I get it, Iz. It’s fine.”
“What do you get?”
“You need to blame me for Robbie’s death. You’ll only ever look at me and see a firefighter now. The man who couldn’t save your brother. You’ll never just see me. A guy who really likes you.”
Reason 3.
This is the moment when the sexual tension between Trent and Izzy reaches the point of no return. They have battled and fought; reached out and needed, but it has been a long time since they have given in to complete desire. This was one of my most favourite scenes to write, purely because Izzy tries so very hard to be in control of the situation and it turns out Trent was in control all along…so much fun!
Excerpt:
She raised her head. Oh, for the love of God…
His black firefighter-issue trousers were tucked into steel-capped boots, red suspenders dangling, leaving his torso and chest bare. His thick, glossy hair matched the dark line running from his navel to the waistband of those stupidly, sexy trousers. Izzy licked her lips as her body hummed with arousal.
Mr. April…
The idea to douse Trent in an April shower had come to her in the middle of the night. A sexily splendid idea. She’d battled with the decision to change the design over and over––but had kept to her creative plan. How the hell was she to know how much his glistening skin would turn her on?
“You want me on the sheets, right?”
“We’ll start there, yes.”
He grinned, his eyes dancing in such a happy and sexy way, Izzy fought to maintain every ounce of willpower not to jump him there and then. Instead, she stepped forward and put her eye to the camera lens, taking in more of what her mind and body had already been exposed. Her mouth drained dry. God, he was beautiful. The golden-bronze sheen of his skin, the hardened ridge of his wide shoulders leading down to arms, sinewy with muscle and tendons. A body like his wasn’t something a woman saw on a daily basis.
She took a few shots, before pulling back and meeting his cool, green gaze. “Step toward the back a little. That’s it. I need a bit of breathing space.”
He smiled. “Got it.”
Biting back her smile, Izzy returned to the camera, her heart beating out of control. His voice––and smile––were torture as she continued with her plan of slow seduction. The plan wasn’t working in quite the way she anticipated. Trent had the benefit of being covered in water, whereas she was burning up…everywhere.
Buy Links:
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JFHYGQW
Amazon US: https://amzn.com/B01FQX473Q
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/saved-by-the-firefighter-rachel-brimble/1123750035?ean=9781488006906
Bio:
Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. Since 2013, she has had six books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and recently signed a contract for two more. She also has four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical Press.
She also recently signed with a UK agent so is represented both sides of the Atlantic.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.
She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!
Links:
Facebook Street Team – Rachel’s Readers
August 24, 2016
Cover Reveal – Foolish Brides by A. S. Fenichel
Foolish Bride…Sadly ever after. . . unless some dreams really do come true?
Elinor Burkenstock never believed in fairy tales. Sure, she’s always been a fool for love—what woman isn’t? But Elinor knows the difference between fiction and truth. Daydreams and reality. True love and false promises. . . . Until the unthinkable happens, and Elinor’s engagement is suddenly terminated and no one, least of all her fiancé, will tell her why.
Sir Michael Rollins’s war-hero days seem far behind him when, after one last hurrah before his wedding, he gets shot and his injuries leave him in dire shape. He wants nothing more than to marry Elinor, the woman of his wildest dreams. But Elinor’s father forbids it . . . and soon Michael is faced with a desperate choice: Spare Elinor a life with a broken man or risk everything to win her heart—until death do they part?
Preorder buy links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Foolish-Bride-Forever-Brides-Fenichel-ebook/dp/B01HWKOF1K/ref
Barns & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/foolish-bride-as-fenichel/1124064089?ean=9781601839657
iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/foolish-bride/id1132960117?mt=11
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/A_S_Fenichel_Foolish_Bride?id=HfmdDAAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/foolish-bride
About the Author:
A.S. Fenichel gave up a successful career in New York City to follow her husband to Texas and pursue her lifelong dream of being a professional writer. She’s never looked back.
A.S. adores writing stories filled with love, passion, desire, magic and maybe a little mayhem tossed in for good measure. Books have always been her perfect escape and she still relishes diving into one and staying up all night to finish a good story.
May 19, 2016
Get TWELVE NIGHTS for FREE #free #whattoread
Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?
For a limited time, TWELVE NIGHTS, a novella in the Blue Moon Lake Romance series, is free!*
*Don’t have a nook or kindle? Do you own a tablet/iPad? If yes, you can get a free app for either e-reader at no cost from either Barnes & Noble/Amazon.
True love waits forever…
For Erik Lindholm, it’s been a long climb to the top of his company. Now, as president he has the power to bring his vision to life and speed his company in bold new directions. If that means a complete staff overhaul, so be it. If that means firing the woman who left his heart in tatters fifteen years earlier, it’s a business decision, not personal…
Beryl Foster is highly competent and respected by everyone at the office. But rumors of a big shake-up are rampant and—surprisingly, scarily—Beryl’s job as CFO is on the line. Fifteen years ago she made a decision to put her career before everything else. It was also the last time she and Erik shared a life together. Every Christmas is a reminder. This one could be a second chance…
Excerpt:
Beryl perched on the tips of her sling-back pumps and tried to catch an early glimpse of whoever had followed Saul inside. Nothing stood out but familiar faces. She returned to her normal stance as a knot twisted tight in her stomach.
“In selecting my replacement, I asked myself one question. Who could take the top-notch crew I have here now and guide Global to great heights in the future? Although we possess huge talent within our fine organization, I wanted a fresh take on the business and decided to search outside of our four walls.”
Disappointment rushed through Beryl. Time to update her résumé, just in case.
“So, without further ado, I’d like you to welcome the new president of Global Business Solutions—believe it or not a former employee of our firm—Erik Lindholm.”
Beryl’s body numbed. Loud applause faded in the background as his name pounded inside her skull. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible.
Erik stepped up to the platform and shook Saul’s hand. Beryl blinked, thinking this might be a bad dream, a hallucination, or one too many trips to the bar.
Darcy touched Beryl’s arm, ruling out the first two. “A former employee?”
Beryl was too stunned to speak or even nod. Erik’s dirty-blond hair was still parted on the side and worn short, with thick wisps sweeping his high forehead. He smiled, making the dimpled cleft in his chin deepen and softening the rugged angles of his sculpted face. Old emotions bubbled to the surface. Love. Happiness. Anger.
Erik shook hands with employees seated near the podium, his smile still as confident as it had been years ago. Last she’d heard, Erik worked in Chicago and teetered at the top of the corporate ladder with the Holder Group, a competitor of Global’s who could never quite beat her firm’s status as number one in the industry. The same firm Erik had gone to after they split up nearly fourteen years ago.
“Did you ever hear of this guy before?” Darcy whispered in Beryl’s ear.
Beryl nodded, her gaze stuck on the man she’d almost married.
****
Reviewers are saying:
“….this sweet novella is sure to sweep the reader away with the author’s pristine prose and well-defined conflicts…This story was close to being absolute perfection!”
–InD’tale Magazine, March 2016
“This is a story that I will bring up on my Kindle at Christmas for years to come, a completely enjoyable, engaging, fun romance.”
–Keeper Bookshelf Reviews
Buy Links:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Google
Apple / Amazon UK
March 18, 2016
Three Reasons Why You Should Read COLLIDE by Melissa J. Crispin
Today I welcome Melissa Crispin, a fellow writer from my local RWA Chapter who has a new release AND her debut novel. We’re all very excited for her! Take it away, Melissa.
Hi there! My name is Melissa J. Crispin, and I’m excited to tell you about my debut novel, COLLIDE, which is getting released today. Before I get started, I want to thank my fellow RWA CoLoNY member Sharon Struth for having me on her blog. Thank you so much, Sharon! I truly appreciate it.
COLLIDE is a young adult, fantasy book with strong romantic elements.
BOOK BLURB:
When the balance between Earth, Afterlife, and Heaven are threatened, the fate of the universe falls on a selfish girl who must sacrifice everything to save it.
Kayla has a plan. She’s moving to the city after graduation and Luke’s coming with her. He’ll eventually become a doctor, she’ll be a ballerina—and they’ll live happily ever after. That is, until dark forces, led by a sister she never knew existed, start hunting her down for a power she never knew she had.
When Kayla starts working with a boy named Alec to learn how to defend herself and to stop the evil from eliminating the worlds, she finds herself falling for him. Hard. Torn between two loves and struggling to do what’s right for Earth and Afterlife, Kayla must decide if she’s fighting to keep her life together, or letting it go to save everyone else’s.
Three Reasons why you should read this book:
#1 ~ Kayla Reynolds bumps into a boy she barely knows named Alec. The physical contact awakens knowledge that had been tucked away in her subconscious mind. Alec holds the ability to meet her in her dreams and take her to Afterlife, where she’s reunited with her deceased father. Kayla is able to fulfill a wish that people can relate to on many levels. Who wouldn’t want to see a loved one that they lost? To talk with them, give them a big hug, and to say all the things that weren’t said but should have been while they were still alive?
#2 ~ With her newfound knowledge comes responsibility. Up to this point, the only thing Kayla ever worried about was herself. Now she’s caught in a situation where the balance between Earth, Afterlife, and Heaven are at stake. She learns the hard way that the universe doesn’t revolve around her, and she struggles to do what’s right for the greater good. Everybody has a pivotal moment in their life, where they have to let go of something dear that they had worked so very hard for. That experience is a huge part of what this book is about.
#3 ~ Love isn’t black and white. You can love different people in different ways, and that person’s feelings may not be reciprocated in the same manner. Kayla wrestles with what she feels in her heart. As she works with Alec to protect the worlds, massive tension develops with her boyfriend, Luke. Both of them are fighting for her, and neither of them is a bad guy. Each of them would be good for her, but not for the same reasons. Her affection for both of them runs deep. How can she make a decision, knowing it will cause one of them heartbreak?
Excerpt:
“What the hell is this?”
My eyes shot open.
Luke stood at the foot of my bed, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed. “When I heard my girlfriend was attacked, I rushed out of school like my ass was on fire. I was so worried, especially because your mom was away and I thought you were alone.” He glared at Alec, who was still out like a light, despite Luke’s booming voice. He must’ve been in Afterlife. “What’s he doing here, Kayla?” His angry tone melted into something more like confusion.
My eyes stung. “It’s not what it looks like.”
He huffed. “Bullshit.”
I wiggled my arm where Alec lay, but he wouldn’t budge.
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty.” Luke jostled the bed and pain shot through my left leg. I winced, and his face softened. “Oh, my God, I’m sorry.” He came to the opposite side of me. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. But can we talk? Without—” He tilted his head toward Alec.
“Yeah. I think he’s just drained from everything that happened last night.” At least that wasn’t a total lie. I wriggled out from Alec’s hold and shook his shoulder. Luke’s stare burned like a forest fire. “Alec, wake up. Can you hear me?”
“Jesus Christ, what is wrong with this guy?”
Alec’s eyes fluttered open and focused on me. His mouth opened, but I cut him off before he could say anything.
“Wow, you’re a sound sleeper.” My voice sounded high and shaky. “Um, Luke’s here. Would you mind giving us a little privacy?”
Alec seemed to search my face, probably for signs of protest, and I gave an encouraging nod. “Okay,” he said.
The two of them exchanged scowls before Alec strolled out of the room, clicking the door shut behind him.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. I’d wanted to talk to Luke so badly, but now I had no idea what to say.
He sat on the bed and rubbed the back of his head, staring off toward the wall behind me. After the equivalent of an eternity, he spoke. “Are you okay?” His hands rested on his knees.
“How did you figure out I was here?”
“Matt’s dad mentioned a break-in at your house and said you were here. He wouldn’t tell him anything else.”
Duh. I should’ve made the connection when the officer said his last name was Benson. That was the thing about small towns. Word about everything got around fast.
Luke turned his palms upward and stared at his empty hands. “I want you to tell me what happened, but first, please tell me you’re okay. And”—he glanced at the blanket covering my stomach—“the baby?”
BUY LINKS:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CZ2WPHQ
Publisher: http://www.evernightteen.com/collide-by-melissa-j-crispin
Add to your shelf on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29413396-collide
BIO:
Melissa J. Crispin lives in Connecticut with her husband, two kids, and an adorable Siberian Husky. She spends her days in the corporate world, and pursues her passion for writing in the late nights and early mornings.
From micro-fiction to novels, Melissa loves to write stories in varying lengths. But, no matter the story, it’s almost always about the romance.
Where to connect with Melissa:
Website: http://melissajcrispin.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelissaJCrispin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissajcrispinauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissajcrispin/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/MelissaJCri...
March 14, 2016
Then and Now
High school. Four short years out of a lifetime, yet it’s earmarked in our minds even decades after it ends.
Some will tell you they loved it. Others hated it. And then there are those in the middle, who muddled through the day getting from it what they could, waiting for bigger and better times ahead. That was me.
I recently found out my fortieth high school reunion is in 2017. (I’m cringing…please don’t do the math.) After I graduated, I didn’t think much about my high school experience since I was overjoyed to move on to bigger and better things. But when my daughters entered, those years returned to me often–the memories not so great.
Back then, the rug of my life had been pulled from beneath my feet. My parents got divorced while I was in junior high. I felt like a stranger living inside my skin. Then at the end of ninth grade, my father committed suicide. I plowed through days in classes, observing those around me and searching for myself…on the outside of life and merely looking in.
As my own daughters went through high school, they seemed confident and happy. They played in band, sang in choir, joined field hockey, softball, winter guard. And yet every now and then, one of them would refer to a classmate as “one of the popular kids.”
I’d laugh and say, “Popular? You have friends. You seem popular to me.”
I’d usually get an eye roll and, “Mom, you know what I mean.”
Sure I did. Popular is defined as “liked, admired, or enjoyed by many people…”. I think what I felt for those kids was awe–more a little fear mixed with wonder at where they found the confidence to do the things they did. And a part of me resented them because I just wasn’t there yet.
A few years back, I learned that a member of my high school class had gone on to a major achievement. I always remember him carrying an instrument around the hallways–or so it seemed. But now, he’s the conductor of the Boston Pops–the infamous Keith Lockhart. I was thrilled to learn this news. I’d always told my girls that high school was only the beginning of their lives–a dot on the spectrum of where they could go. They shouldn’t fret about the idea of popularity. The night I learned about Keith’s achievement, I dragged out my yearbook and showed my daughters Keith’s picture. Then I showed them his website now and where he went in life.
A Mom-speech followed. “Never feel inferior to anybody in high school. It’s the journey after you leave that matters.”
And yet, as I sit here thinking about my own reunion, I almost forget the woman I am now along with the successes I’ve had in life. Graduating college. Having a thriving career in the business world. Raising two smart and beautiful daughters. Starting a new mid-life career as an author (with four published books to my credentials and a fifth on the way.)
Suffice it to say I have more happy memories after having left high school, and yet it’s left a mark on me.
What about you? Would you do those years over again if you could?
January 22, 2016
Profiles in Cooking
RUMFORD COOKBOOK
Printed 1934
Cooking is my passion, a hobby since I was a kid. My family believes this love was handed down from my grandmother, Sadie. Watching her prepare a meal and bake for others, it was clear her efforts were about more than making a meal.
She wanted you to be happy.
Early on in our dating relationship, my husband learned that if Sadie offered you a piece of pie you had to answer carefully. “No thanks,” earned you a normal sized slice. “Sure, I’ll have some pie,” earned you a slice as big as one-fourth the pie! We’d chuckle over it, but always understood it was a way to show her love.
When my mother (who doesn’t like to cook) said she had my nana’s old cookbook since her passing and did I want it, right away I said yes.
She delivered THE RUMFORD COMPLETE COOKBOOK by LILLY HAXWORTH WALLACE (a lecturer and writer on home economics).
A tattered volume was held together by scotch tape on the binding. The original copyright was 1908, but this edition had been printed by the Rumford Company of R.I. in the year 1934. The pages had yellowed from age. Some had torn edges. Others had food stains.
On several blank pages, she’d handwritten recipes. Just seeing her handwriting brought her back to me for a few minutes. I miss having her in our lives and it’s hard to believe she’s been gone twenty years.
As I read through the book, it was the simplicity of the recipes that grabbed me. My personal belief is that sometimes the best dishes are made with the fewest ingredients. Cooking in 1934 appeared to be uncomplicated and basic. Then it struck me how, like everywhere else in life, things have become more complex so why how we cook.
Nostalgia lead me into my own cabinets, where I found the first cookbook I ever owned…The BETTY CROCKER COOKY BOOK, given to me by my mother’s friend back in 1972 (at age thirteen) for Christmas. The gift was a treasure not only for the content. It mattered to me that someone noticed how much I loved cooking. Condition-wise, this, too, is well on its way to the same fate as my grandmother’s recipe book. The type of wear and tear that comes from giving something too much attention.
Life changes. The cookbooks in our house chronicle more than just food trends. They say something larger about the world around us and even our own lives. And when I think about my relationship with cooking, I see how—like my grandmother—cooking is one way I try to make the people I care about happy.
Got any cookbook treasures in your closet?
January 11, 2016
Out with the old and in with the new…
Happy 2016! I want to know just what the hell happened to 2015? If anybody knows, please fill me in.
In December, I started to prepare for the new year by doing a little cyber-housecleaning. The goal was to combine my author website with my blog and update both with all my social media. What I ended up doing was moving to a whole new house! Both website and blog sit together now. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as getting organized…
That said, I wanted to formally share my new website/blog here. This facelift includes a place to sign up for my quarterly newsletter, a new blog, and connections to all my social media outlets.
Stop by and take a peak when you can…(just click below)
December 14, 2015
Just when I thought it couldn’t get busier…
‘Tis the season to be busy. With a novella launch in early November and second full-length novel on December 22nd, I’ve been racing around at record speed!Today, Twelve Nights (Kensington) is featured in USA Today’s Happy Ever After with an exclusive excerpt and book trailer. Stop by and take a look at this novella in the Blue Moon Lake Romances Series.
BUY LINKS FOR TWELVE NIGHTS:
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / Google /
Apple / Amazon UK
AND…
HARVEST MOON, Blue Moon Lake Romances Book Two, Launches in one week!
Series Book Two
In honor of the release, I’ll be hosting a Holiday Book Festival on 12/22 with over thirty authors who’ll be stopping by to share prizes, special offers on their books, and just have some plain old fun!
Stop by the Book Festival and be entered in a drawing for…$100 Amazon Gift Card!CLICK HERE for festival details: https://www.facebook.com/events/15018...
Pre-order Links for Harvest Moon
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo /
Kensington Publishing / Google / Apple / Amazon UK
December 6, 2015
Book Preview: Cait Jarrod and “Divine” #giveaway
Today I’m a stop on Cait Jarrod’s blog tour with a peek at her latest!
DIVINE, Montana Dreams Book 1
November 23, 2015
Buy: Amazon Barnes and Noble Kobo
Matt Carson and Trina Lovett befriend each other during turbulent times at a young age. Over the years, their friendship strengthens building a strong, unbreakable bond. At least that is what they believe. Life choices put an ocean between them, and the depth of their bond is tested.
Under the stress of being apart, heart-wrenching events leave them plagued with doubt. Danger forces them to make irrefutable decisions about what they want from life.
Divine’s Book Trailer:
Divine Excerpt:
Matt’s throat clogged, and tears burned his eyes. He waited so long, wanted her so much, he couldn’t move, couldn’t process what he saw. Didn’t know what he felt. He’d longed to pull her into his arms, hold, and kiss her until they both melted into a pile. Now that she was here, he couldn’t. Too many unanswered questions.
Moisture covered her cheeks and chin. A god-awful sound escaped her. “Matt,” she said through her hands and sobbing. “Oh, God, Matt!” But she didn’t move.
Jeez, he wanted her. “Trina,” he said again, too shocked to think of anything else. He dreamed, hoped she’d come to him, and still, in his wildest imagination, he didn’t believe the day would ever arrive. Bradley told him she was doing better. He thanked the stars every night, but he didn’t go to her. Couldn’t, not with how callously the Lovetts treated him. She had to decide what she wanted. He wouldn’t push it. No matter how much he wanted her, he wouldn’t impede on her relationship with her parents. By no means were they nice, and he questioned their motives more than once, but they were her parents. At least she had them.
“I have so much to explain, so much to tell you.”
His body zinged from the desperation in her voice and came to life. “I want to hear every word.” He couldn’t resist touching her and moved forward. His desire to reach her crashed into him with such force, any minute he’d leap and land on top of her. “But first—”
Reviews:
“I truly enjoyed every minute of it. It was the kind of book that made you sorry when it was over. I immediately fell in love with Matt and Trina from the first moment I met them. You could feel their chemistry and connection, even at their young age, in every word Cait wrote. The backstory on these two characters was wonderful, emotional and heart wrenching at times.”
~Janis Frisch, Book Reviews and More
To read more of Janis review>>> Book Reviews and More
“Divine is one of those stories that warms the heart and you don’t want it to end. At 13 and 14 Matt and Trina become instant friends. Matt knows deep down from the beginning there is a bond between them that can not be broken. Cait Jarrod is amazing with her writing; keeping you so interested in the next page, next chapter, next book.”
~Nancy Goodman
More reviews can be found on Goodreads.
The Montana Dreams Series:
Divine, #1: November 23, 2015
Destiny, #2: December 14, 2015
Desire, #3: January 18, 2016
Giveaway-2 $25.00 gift cards. This giveaway will be running through all three releases. Two winners will be picked January 19, 2016.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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