C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 133
March 9, 2017
Friday Feature Sara Daniel Butternut Squash Casserole
Guest talks about
Winter Comfort Food
by
Sara Daniel
Need something warm and a little sweet for these cold winter nights? How about butternut squash casserole. Preparing the squash is a bit of work, but the end result is so worth it.
Butternut Squash Casserole
1 butternut squash
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. flour
3 eggs
¼ cup margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 425° F.
Microwave squash for 5-7 minutes. Skin, cut in half, scoop out seeds and cut into big chunks. Cook in pot of boiling water for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain and mash.
Combine all ingredients in 9 X 13 inch dish.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Topping
8 oz. vanilla wafers
½ cup margarine, melted
1 cup brown sugar
Crush vanilla wafers. Combine wafers, margarine, and brown sugar. Spread over cooked casserole and bake for 5 more minutes.
Here’s a little teaser from my contemporary romance for your reading pleasure.
Love is his enemy…and her answer.
A nationally televised bombshell revealing a secret son turns marriage therapist Caleb Paden’s life upside down. While others focus on the public relations disaster for his company, he can only think of rescuing his baby and providing the stable home dictated by his marriage theories—one devoid of love and emotions.
Olivia Wells might not be the baby’s biological mother, but she loves him as much as any parent could. Letting him go will break her heart. Letting him go to a man who doesn’t believe in love will tear her apart.
As she helps Caleb bond with his child, Olivia finds herself falling for the man behind the stuffy therapist persona. However, he wants nothing to do with her love and emotions, and those are the only things she has to give. If she can’t convince him love is the answer, not the enemy, she will lose both the baby she loves and her heart.
EXCERPT
“Scones?” He recoiled as if she’d announced the kitchen teemed with roaches.
“You don’t like them?” She set the tin on the side table and arranged the dishes of butter and strawberry preserves.
“No.”
She bit her tongue over the urge to tell him how much she detested his books. “I use a recipe my grandmother brought over from Scotland. I serve plain scones along with two other flavors of the day.”
“Coffee will suffice.” He picked up his cup. “Thank you, Olivia, for your hospitality. I’m in need of a room tonight for myself and my, uh, son. A suite would be best, if possible. I’ll pay the going rate, naturally.”
He had no idea what “going rate” she offered to misguided marriage therapists. Not that it mattered. Whether he paid for his stay or not, he had to sleep under her roof. The storm didn’t leave either of them a choice. And she had plenty of rooms. Her other scheduled guests for the week had cancelled due to the weather. “Of course you need to stay. But Liam already has his own room and he’s currently asleep there.”
“From now on, he’ll stay with me.”
Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach. “Dr. Paden, you’re chilled and must have had a terrible drive. Why don’t you relax and worry about yourself this evening. Liam is on a schedule where he goes to sleep before dinner and sleeps through to the early morning. I’ll introduce you to him then.”
He set down his coffee cup with an ominous clank. “I didn’t come here for coffee and scones. I came for my son. Take me to him now.”
She clasped her shaking hands behind her back. She had no legal claim to Liam. But how could she give up the child she loved to such an overbearing, pompous ass?
BUY LINKS:
Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Kobo – iBooks – GooglePlay
Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction, was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels, and loses her car keys several times a day.
Learn more about Sara on her website and blog. Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter.
Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
March 7, 2017
Wednesday Special Spotlight Spinster #Victorian #YA
Shines On
Suzanne G. Rogers
With the right balance of dialogue and description Suzanne G. Rogers explores the fate of spinsters in 1800s Britain in her sweet Victorian romance Spinster. This delightful story is filled with clever twists so there’s never a dull moment. Spinster is a great book for YA fans and adults who enjoy a good read.
Staring down life as an old maid, newly jilted Clare flees to a country home she’s inherited from her grandmother. She doesn’t count on clashing with her handsome neighbor, whose gentlemanly manners and education are at odds with his workingman’s image. As their relationship unfolds, however, she discovers the mysterious Meriweather Holcroft is not what he appears to be.
EXCERPT
At the dinner table that evening, Clare decided to broach the topic of her future to her family.
“You’ve been walking on eggshells around me since I was jilted, and I feel dreadful for causing you such discomfort.”
“Nonsense.” Her father’s voice was gruff. “You’ve held up remarkably well, all things considered.”
Her sister’s response was far more dramatic. “If it had been me, I would have taken to my bed for weeks.”
Lady Ladd gave Clare a sympathetic glance. “We’ve just been worried about you, dearest.”
“I know, and I love you for it. But you needn’t worry about me any longer.” Clare cleared her throat. “On Monday, I’m going away.”
“I concur.” Sir Andrew glanced up from his cucumber soup. “A holiday might be just the thing to take your mind off your troubles.”
“Yes, indeed, that’s a wonderful idea.” Lady Ladd seemed relieved. “Perhaps a few days in London will pick up your spirits?”
“If you’re going to Brighton, do take me along.” Nell’s expression was hopeful. “I’d love to go sea bathing.”
“I’m not going on holiday.” Clare paused to let a sudden rush of emotion relax its grip on her throat. “Grandmama left me her cottage just outside of Stroud and a reasonable income. I’m going there to begin a new life on my own.”
Her pronouncement was met with a long moment of shocked silence.
“No.” Her father finally erupted in protest. “Are you out of your senses? It’s not proper for you to live alone and unchaperoned.”
“Unchaperoned?” Clare’s laugh sounded bitter, even to her own ears. “Papa, we must face the fact I’m no longer a debutante whose reputation must be carefully guarded. Forgive me for speaking plainly, but I’m on the shelf. Your eldest daughter is a spinster.”
Suzanne’s historical Victorian YA book is now available for your Kindle at Amazon.
Suzanne G. Rogers lives with her husband and son in romantic Savannah, Georgia, on an island populated by deer, exotic birds, and the occasional gator. She’s owned by two Sphynx cats, Houdini and Nikita. Movies, books, and writing are her passions.
Learn more about Suzanne G. Rogers on her historical romance blog and her fantasy blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.
March 6, 2017
Tell Again Tuesday Reader vs Character
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Reader vs Character
Okay, not in a fight club, battle to the death with Original Star Trek fight music blaring in the background type of way–but still, a fight of sorts.
Writers need to always keep in mind what the reader probably knows from the real world. This can be a problem of focus: don’t step by step me on how to start a car unless there is something new or unique about it, or the car is going to blow up, fly, or vanish. Most people know how cars work. When an author focuses on a mundane, everyday thing, I’m waiting for something NON-mundane to happen. When it doesn’t, I become peeved. Peeved readers bad.
Another problem with reader knowledge is . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
March 2, 2017
Friday Feature The Last Timekeepers Series
Guest talks about
A TASTY MEMORY FROM HOME
by
Sharon Ledwith
When I began writing The Last Timekeepers Time Travel series, I wrote it with the intention of creating a nostalgic, good old days feeling to take tweens and teens (and hopefully many adults too) on an adventure in time that would keep them reading, smiling, and begging for more books. That said, I made sure that each book also included a scene involving food to allow my characters a chance to rest and mull over what has taken place so far during their Timekeeper mission—think family chats at the dinner table after a long day or those Sunday family get-togethers at supper. Call me sentimental, but there’s something about mixing food with a fun read!
This recipe is among one of my favorites my mother used to prepare for family get-togethers or the holidays. With a melt-in-your-mouth texture, this dish is sure to put a smile on any face—even those who cringe at the thought of broccoli or cauliflower on their plates. Easy to prepare with a prep time of fifteen minutes and cook time of approximately sixty minutes, this supreme cheesy feast serves around six of your famished family members or hungry guests.
Supreme Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Cheese Casserole
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 can mushrooms (pieces and stems)
1 tbsp. butter
Half and half cream
Head of Cauliflower
Bunch of Broccoli
Dash of paprika
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut broccoli and cauliflower into bite size pieces. Drop into a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Drain the vegetables well and set aside.
Fry mushrooms lightly in butter until browned.
Empty cans of soup into a saucepan and add one can of half and half cream. Stir until smooth. Set stove to medium heat. Stirring frequently, bring the mixture just to the boil.
Place vegetables in lightly greased casserole dish. Pour mushrooms and soup mixture over the vegetables. Garnish with paprika if desired.
Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil to brown, then cook for another 20-30 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Since you’ve got some wiggle room to relax, why not set your butt in the closest cozy chair, and crack open one of The Last Timekeepers books?
The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret, Book #2 Buy Links:
MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING – AMAZON – AMAZON.CA – BARNES & NOBLE
The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, Book #1 Buy Links:
MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING – AMAZON – BARNES & NOBLE
Legend of the Timekeepers, prequel Buy Links:
MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING – AMAZON – BARNES & NOBLE
BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, and Smashwords. Look up her Amazon Author page for a list of current books. Be sure to check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES Facebook page.
February 28, 2017
Wednesday Special Spotlight Peyton Garver
Shines On
Peyton Garver
SUBLIME KARMA
by Peyton Garver
Genre: YA Contemporary (older YA age group)
Content Warning: profanity and violence, contemporary adolescent themes are prevalent and confronted such as bullying, suicide, cutting
When Brie’s stepfather moves the family for what he calls a new beginning, it’s not the new beginning she would have hoped for. Brie is targeted by a group of popular girls at her new school, and the only available seat on her bus is next to the school’s star wide receiver, Jake, who for some reason, finds her offensive. After a humiliating article and picture of Brie is posted in the online school journal, a demon she thought she’d overcome resurfaces, and her life unravels. A newly compassionate Jake has finally taken an interest in her, but can Brie learn to trust her heart, or will she miss out on the best thing that ever happened to her?
Jake has his own secrets and has built his own walls, but eventually his curiosity about the new girl gets the best of him. Unfortunately, now there is competition: the captain of her cross-country team. Jake’s romantic histories with the girl next door and the school’s queen bee, adds tension to a simmering tempest when all he wants is Brie. Is he strong enough to help the one he loves weave sense into her crumbling new reality while overcoming his own tainted past?
The bus snaked its way through the country roads, and then to the lavish development that backed up to the woods behind his house. Upperclassmen from this neighborhood had their own cars. This bus collected the underclassmen: those few who weren’t chauffeured, as minions of the privileged.
Jake leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest, not looking at the kids coming down the aisle. None dared to ask if they could sit in the empty space next to him. They’d sit three to a seat rather than make that request. Just the way he wanted it.
The over-filled bus pulled to a stop midway down Belmont Circle. New stop? Jake looked out his window at the estate with a circular drive. Huh. It finally sold. He watched as a single figure headed toward the bus. What, so now they get door-to-door service? He rolled his eyes.
Seconds later, she stood in the aisle waiting. From his seat, his eyes skimmed up passed her faded jeans and plain, loose sweater, and his breath caught in his throat. Her long blond hair was pulled to the side in a loose braid. Her face? Ethereal. But then, his flustered gaze became an annoyed glare.
Her bleak gray eyes seemed to look right through him before they darted to the space next to him. Did she even register his indignation? She must have. Yet, she stood there in the aisle twisting the loose adjustment strap on her backpack tightly around her fingers.
“May I sit here?” her meek voice broke the silence that had fallen around them.
Noticing the hush of conversation, Jake’s eyes skimmed the crowded bus. There was no doubt he and this new girl had an audience. Not something he relished.
His eyes swept back to her. He could tell she was nervous. He heard it in her quavering voice and saw it in the way she avoided his eyes. He could just say no. But, as long as she was standing, the bus wouldn’t budge. Becca looked at him from her seat across the aisle then whipped her phone out and started her eager texting. He narrowed his eyes at her, and then with a smirk, he stood.
“Really?” he bit out at her under his breath, leaning close so only she could hear. He grabbed his backpack from the seat and football bag off the wheel well and then moved his six-foot-one frame into the aisle. With a jerk of his head, he directed her to the space by the window.
She slipped by him with lithesome poise, maneuvering in the small space without so much as brushing against him. He watched her settle into the seat with perfect posture, even though her feet were raised up on the wheel well. Her vacant eyes never returned to his. So, why was his heart suddenly beating faster? Was it because of his rudeness and the fact that she ignored it? Could it be remorse? She didn’t seem to have that presumptuous, stuck-up attitude that so annoyed him. She looked almost . . . empty.
Amazon ✯ Amazon Int’l ✯ Goodreads
As a child, Peyton called places like Livorno, Italy; Orléans, France; and Augsburg, Germany home. She has since settled in Maryland, where she earned her degree in education at Towson State University, married her sweetheart of two years, and became an instant mother to three spirited young boys before adding another son to the brood. And, with their yellow lab George, it’s no stretch to say she’s outnumbered.
When not writing, Peyton is a full time teacher. Inspired by the individual spirits, heartaches, and triumphs of her students, Peyton has developed characters who resemble real world teens dealing with real issues: relationships, jealousy, bullying, and depression. Her newest novel, Sublime Karma, is a contemporary story filled with emotion, depth, wit, and suspense.
When asked if she actually involves her students in her stories, Peyton answered that her stories are completely fictional, but then admitted to an activity in which she does involve them. “One quirky, fun thing I like to do with students who have read my book is develop a dream cast for my characters. That all started when a group of girls were arguing over which actor they thought best fit the character Four in Veronica Roth’s novel Divergent. They then turned their efforts to my manuscript. I’ve since added those dream casts to my website.”
When she’s not teaching or writing, Peyton enjoys traveling. The Caribbean Islands have become a favorite vacation getaway for Peyton and her husband. “Nothing is better than sitting on a beach, in front of the crystal clear sea, enveloped in the warmth of the tropical sun with a frosty piña colada and a good book that I just can’t put down.”
Facebook ✯ Website ✯ Twitter ✯ Goodreads ✯ Amazon
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February 27, 2017
Tell Again Tuesday Rewrite Draft Novel
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Ever rewritten a draft of your novel?
Now, I am not talking about revising a couple of chapters…I mean rewriting the ENTIRE draft!
I have just finished rewriting 73k words of my draft novel, so this post has been based on my experience.
For noting, this is . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
February 23, 2017
Friday Features Emma Lane’s Navy Bean Soup
Guest talks about
Navy Bean Soup
by
Emma Lane
In the Navy they never eat a Bean Soup as good as the one Regency Romance and Cozy Mystery author Emma Lane prepares. Emma brings us a delicious and easy recipe for a hearty soup sure to keep you warm. The kitchen is all yours, Emma!
Navy Bean Soup
2 strips bacon
1 med, onion, chopped
3 cups water
1 med. white potato, peeled and cubed
1 can navy or great northern beans, drained
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped fine (optional)
Sauté’ onion and bacon until onion is pearly-colored and bacon is crisp. Crumble bacon and add both to pot.
Stir in water, beans, potato, and garlic.
Simmer for at least an hour. Stir occasionally. Do not add more water before serving.
Top the serving with a spoonful of grated cheese or a dollop of sour cream.
Serve with a pear salad and a loaf of French bread or hard rolls.
Pear Salad
l can pears halves or slices, drained
lettuce
dollop of sour cream
sprinkle of nutmeg
Assemble on individual salad plates. Chill until ready to serve.
While you’re waiting for everyone to come home for dinner, here’s a teaser from one of my Regency books.
What happens when a strong heroine meets an arrogant, but handsome hero? Sparks fly. It’s a Regency Romance Romp!
Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king’s business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother’s estate.
The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?
Amazon Buy Link
Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes under several pen-names. She lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.
Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter.
February 21, 2017
Wednesday Special Spotlight A New Venture
Shines On
Three Wishes Bookstore
Jeanne De Vita and Marci Clark are talented people with a combined twenty-five years of experience in the writing and publishing industry. These experienced ladies are in the process of opening a new online e-bookstore that satisfies writers and readers alike. Here’s a peek at their logo.
Three Wishes Bookstore is slated to be an interactive site where readers can store unlimited numbers of audiobooks and e-books, engage with their favorite authors through interviews and featured content, and most of all, access their favorite books in a user-friendly, attractive online store with competitive pricing and perks for enrolling in their book clubs and programs. Learn more about this exciting new venture on kickstarter. You may well discover an exciting opportunity.
Jeanne De Vita attended her first RWA Conference at age 14. Jeanne has a B.A. in English from Iowa State University, and the MFA in Creative Writing from The University of Notre Dame. Jeanne has taught writing and rhetoric/composition at the college level as well as corporate courses in written communications. She has worked for a literary journal and spent more than 15 years in private industry. Jeanne has personally edited and acquired more than 50 books in almost every genre. Jeanne has hired, trained, and mentored several dozen interns and editors and has overseen the day to day operations of a publishing company. When she is not editing, Jeanne writes fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and has published under the pen name Annie Anthony. Jeanne has presented at writer’s conferences and participated in panel discussions on various topics related to publishing and writing and is available for in-person speaking engagements, online classes, etc.
Marci Clark, who writes as Marci Boudreaux, is a freelance editor, book/cover art/promo materials designer, published author, and all around publishing nerd. She’s worked for Kensington Publishing since 2014, as well as several indie houses over the years. She is proficient in self-publishing and would love to help you with all your publishing needs, including pre-made or custom cover art.
Reach out to her at marci.clark.editing@gmail.com if you’d like to discuss your project with her.
February 20, 2017
Tell Again Tuesday Movie Hidden Figures
A blog series where we shamelessly share posts from others that we have enjoyed.
Movie Review: Hidden Figures
As a retired mathematics teacher, I took great pride in watching three brilliant African-American women help launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit. The film focuses on the untold story of Katherine G. Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), a mathematical prodigy whose grasp of analytic geometry makes her indispensable to NASA.
But Katherine’s workplace environment is far from pleasant. . .
For the rest of the blog go to:
https://joanneguidoccio.com/2017/01/09/movie-review-hidden-figures/
February 16, 2017
Friday Feature Wolf Enforcer
Guest talks about
Wolf Enforcer is Live on Kindle Scout!
by
Jessica Aspen
Squee! Wolf Enforcer is going to be in Kindle Scout and you get to participate!
What’s Kindle Scout?
• Kindle Scout is a program where you can vote which books you want to see published. The book that gets the most votes in a thirty day period wins!
What does that mean for you?
• If WOLF ENFORCER wins, everyone who voted get’s a FREE e-copy of the book from Amazon. WOOT!
How does it work?
• Click HERE to join Kindle Scout and vote for Wolf Enforcer, it’s super easy and you can vote for three different books, so after you vote for Wolf Enforcer, check out the competition. Just remember to leave Wolf Enforcer in your queue so that your vote is tallied on March 18th.
Remember, to leave your vote up for Wolf Enforcer so you’re sure to win the free ebook when Wolf Enforcer wins Kindle Scout.
• Want some help remembering? Join my WOLF ENFORCER Facebook group. I’ll have fun prizes for sharing, and excerpts, and all kinds of things going on for the entire 30 day voting period. WOO-HOO!
Cheers!
–Jessica
PS After you go vote, then enter to win fabulous prizes! The more you share the more you increase your chances to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Author Bio:
Jessica Aspen has always wanted to be spirited away to a world inhabited by elves, were-wolves and sexy men who walk on the dark side of the knife. Luckily, she’s able to explore her fantasy side and delve into new worlds by writing paranormal romance. She loves indulging in dark chocolate, reading eclectic novels, and dreaming of ocean vacations, but instead spends most of her time, writing, walking the dog, and hiking in the Colorado Rockies. You can find out more information and read about Jessica’s paranormal romances at http://JessicaAspen.com
To sign up for Jessica Aspen’s newsletter and get your link to download your exclusive FREE book, please click HERE.
