D.D. Scott's Blog, page 6

D. D. Scott's Favorite Vegetarian and/or Vegan Recipes: Quick Veggie Soup

Happy Weekend, DDScottville Peeps!

I thought I'd kick-off my blog series on Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes with one of my faves - Quick Veggie Soup

Sound yummy?

Wait till you taste it!

And...it's not difficult. I don't do difficult in the kitchen. LOL!

Quick Veggie Soup



***I make this little gem almost every week. It's great for a quick, healthy lunch or light supper. It's one of my Rachael Ray Magazine faves that I change-up a little bit based on what the DH (Darling Husband) and I enjoy.

Ingredients

3 T EVOO (EVOO = Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 leeks - trimmed, quartered, sliced and thoroughly rinsed
3 medium potatoes - peeled and chopped
2 carrots - chopped
2 cloves of garlic (I love to use Dorot's Frozen Crushed Garlic Cubes)
Salt and Pepper
6 cups Vegetable stock
1 cup frozen peas
lemon juice (to your personal taste)
Simply Organic Garlic 'n Herb seasoning (again, to your personal taste)

Directions

In a medium soup pot, heat the EVOO, three turns of the pan, over medium. Add the leeks, potatoes, carrots and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Stir 1 minute, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften, 8 to 10 minutes. If the veggies get too dry, just dump in a tad more oil or a bit of the vegetable stock.

Add the vegetable stock, peas and garlic 'n herb seasoning. Simmer until the peas are tender and the soup is at the temperature you prefer for serving.

P.S. It's fantastic with a little bit of shredded Daiya cheese on top and a couple of crushed crackers in your bowl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's it!!! How easy is that?!

Let me know when you make it and what you think.

Hugs and Love and Happy and Healthy Eating --- D. D. Scott

P.S.S. I often find fantastic vegetarian/vegan recipes on Pinterest so connect with me there and share the love!!!

Enter D. D. Scott's Goodreads Giveaways to Win Signed Paperback Books!!!

Happy Hump Day, DDScottville Peeps!!!

Now that I've got paperback books, too, I can treat you to fabulous Goodreads Giveaways!!!

If you're not a Goodreads member, sign up today! It's a great way to find books in the genres you love and a great way to connect with your favorite authors and fellow readers!

For my first Goodreads Giveaway, you could be one of 10 readers to receive a SIGNED COPY of THE KEYS' PRINCE (The Royal Heirs Book 1):



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Goodreads Book Giveaway



The Keys' Prince
by D.D. Scott

Giveaway ends September 04, 2014.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win





And/or, you could be one of 10 readers to receive a SIGNED COPY of A ROYAL CHRISTMAS RESCUE (The Royal Heirs Book 2):




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Goodreads Book Giveaway



A Royal Christmas Rescue
by D.D. Scott

Giveaway ends November 01, 2014.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win




You've got till midnight September 4th to enter to win a signed copy of The Keys' Prince and till midnight November 1st to enter to win a signed copy of A Royal Christmas Rescue.

Good Luck and Happy Goodreads Reading!!! --- D. D. Scott

The First D. D. Scott Paperback is Here and The First D. D. Scott Preorder Book, Too!!!

Happy Monday, DDScottville Peeps! I've got my first cup of the day raised to each of you!

Yesterday, was a phenomenal day in DDScottville! I'm still Happy Dancing!!!

Not only is one of my books available in Paperback for the first time, but also you can Preorder my next book, which will be this year's Christmas book!!!

These have been two huge goals of mine, and they both went live on the same day!!!

For all of you wonderful paperback readers, The Keys' Prince, my brand new 5-Star-Rated series - The Royal Heirs Book 1 - is ready for you.



On Amazon

And from now on, all of my new releases will be available as ebooks and print books. I will also go back and reformat many books in my backlist for print.

I'm over the moon to welcome all of you print book readers to my DDScottville story worlds.

Now then...to treat all of you who've been reading my ebooks, I've got something very special for you, too...

For the first time, you can now Preorder my next new release!!!

Thanks to the amazing peeps at Smashwords, Apple, Barnes & Noble Nook and Kobo, you'll be able to reserve your copy of my Christmas Book - A Royal Christmas Rescue (The Royal Heirs Book 2) today!!! And, it will then be automatically sent to your Apple, Nook or Kobo device on its release day, November 1st!

***Note: I'm hoping to convince Amazon Kindle to offer the preorder as well and will keep you posted on my progress.

If you Preorder the book on your Apple device (iPhone or iPad), you can also get a Sneak Peek at the first three chapters!!!



Preorder on Apple

Nook and Kobo Preorder Links Coming Soon!

What I love about Preorders is that you can reserve your copy of the book you're wanting today, and not have to remember when to check back to see if it's out yet. Also, you aren't charged for the book until it releases. Cool stuff, right?!

In honor of both of these huge milestones, I've also lowered the ebook price of both The Keys' Prince and A Royal Christmas Rescue to 99 cents!!! So treat yourself and your friends to both books for less than $2.00.

Happy Reading and Cheers Hugs and Love --- D. D. Scott

D. D. Scott's A Royal Christmas Rescue Cover Reveal and Chapter One Sneak Peek!

Oh boy, DDScottville Peeps, have I got some Friday fun for you!!!

Here it is...the gorgeous cover for A Royal Christmas Rescue (The Royal Heirs Book Two):




Everyone needs a little Christmas. But try convincing a stodgy royal family — and their even stodgier staff — of that!

Stella Anastas, Kristianico's new Queen, thought her inner circle was small before becoming Queen. Now, instead of a circle, it looks like a dot. She has four people in her daily life that she can count on, no matter what. To be accurate, two people and two dogs. Her wonderful husband, King Adonis and their two dogs — Wyatt, a very ornery Portuguese Water Dog, and his new playmate Gypsy, the Chiweenie, who's convinced she's a human and not a dog and should be treated accordingly — and her best friend, Sophia Fordham, who owns Wet Noses, Kristianico's premier holistic doggie grooming salon and boutique.

To make matters worse, it's Stella's first Christmas in Kristianico and her first Christmas as Queen. If she's going to haul out the holly and put up the palace trees before her spirit falls again, she's got to find a way to convince her staff that they need a little Christmas before the biggest scrooge of all — Meredith, the Queen Mother — has everyone crying in their eggnog.

Luckily, Stella has an idea. A brilliant idea. She's about to become one of those people who not only rescues dogs but has the "Who Rescued Who" bumper sticker to prove it. On second thought, can she put a bumper sticker on her royal Range Rover? The palace would probably frown on that. Even more reason to go for the gusto!


I know I say this every time (LOL!), but I really think this cover is my all-time fave!!!

Thanks bunches to my amazing and very talented DH (Darling Husband) who hit it outta the park with this design!!!

A Royal Christmas Rescue (The Royal Heirs Book Two) will release Thanksgiving Day!

And for the first time, for one of my books, it will be available as a Pre-Order on Barnes & Noble Nook, Kobo and Apple! I'm hoping that Amazon will also make this happen! That way, you can reserve your copy early (in August - I'll let you know as soon as it's available) and be the first peeps to get a copy automatically sent to your ereader Thanksgiving Day.


In the meantime, here's a Sneak Peek at Chapter One:

CHAPTER ONE


Stella Anastas slid the last hairpin into place, trying to ignore the dozen or so dents in her fingers from working with the pointy pins. One would think that almost an entire card of hairpins would hold a tiara tightly on top of one's head. But over the last several months, she'd learned that, often, that wasn't the case.

It simply wasn't easy to secure 101.27 carats of amethysts and diamonds to the top of her head or to the top of any other queen or princess's head. There were entire blogs focused on the issue. And yes, she'd read every one of them and taken notes. She had to make sure this tiara in particular was secure. It was the most expensive one in Kristianico's Crown Jewels Collection, worn only for the kinds of formal state affairs that she and her husband Dario, formally known as King Adonis, were attending this evening to welcome a group of foreign heads of state. Sotheby's European Jewelry Department Chairman had recently estimated this early twentieth century tiara to be worth close to thirteen million dollars. Thus, the entire card of hairpins and the additional stress.

Luckily, her royal hairstylists had taught her a few tricks to tiara management. Stella had taken her stylist's advice and began growing out her thick hair, leaving her sassy bob behind with the rest of her former life. She now had just enough hair to braid, without having to add extensions. Braids were a total lifesaver when it came to keeping a tiara on her head. Not only did hairpins hold better in braids, if all else failed, she could also have her stylist sew the darn thing into the braid. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to end up going that route tonight. She'd given Ray, her stylist, the day off, and she didn't want to have to call him in for another tiara emergency.

Securing her tiara, however, was only one of the difficulties Stella faced as Kristianico's new queen. It was less than eight weeks till Christmas, her absolute favorite time of year. Unfortunately, it appeared that the palace and its staff didn't share her enthusiasm and love of the season. They were behaving like a bunch of bah humbug scrooges. Kristianico was anything but a bustling Whoville. The Grinch would love it here.

Well, Stella thought, having a final look in her dressing mirror, she'd just have to change the ridiculously solemn mood. She was the queen of this gorgeous, French Riviera country, and although she'd been hesitant to exercise her power, instead deferring, for the most part, to her team of advisors over the months since her coronation, it was becoming more than apparent that if she wanted to celebrate the season, she'd have to take charge.

"Why the frown, darling? Is that beast of a tiara giving you a headache again?" King Adonis asked, coming up behind her with open arms, quickly settling her into the luscious warmth of his rock hard chest.

"As you know, baby, most all of the pomp and circumstance around here gives me a headache. But it's nothing I can't get through. I know what I signed up for. And I wouldn't trade any of it. I've got you. I love you. I love Kristianico and the life we're building here, and that's all that matters."

As soon as she'd finished reminding her sweet husband how much she loved him despite the headaches they both endured in the palace, Wyatt, their sixty pound lapdog was at her feet, settling his large rump against her ankles and giving her a not-so-subtle thump on the elbow with his huge head.

"I still can't get over how well you're doing with him in obedience classes," Dario said, giving Wyatt a hearty scratch between his ears. "Not long ago, he'd have been standing up on his hind legs with his two front legs attached to your shoulders, probably ruining your gown."

"Not bad, right?" Stella asked, giving into Wyatt's insistence that the head scratches continue. "He certainly is the epitome of his breed. Saying that Portuguese Water Dogs are energetic is an understatement, isn't it? I think our big boy takes energetic to a new level. Thank goodness Sophia taught me to make sure he gets at least thirty minutes of vigorous exercise per day."

"No kidding. I can't believe how much less destructive he is now that you've got him swimming and walking every day. Hell, you've saved most of the palace furniture. He no longer needs the legs as chew toys."

"Sophia is a genius when it comes to all-things dogs, isn't she?" Stella asked so glad for her expertise and even more thankful for her friendship.

"That she is. But if I'm not careful, she's also going to end up adding to our family," Dario said and laughed. "I know why you keep showing me the pictures she texts you with all of the new dogs she's holding adoption events for."

Stella couldn't argue with Dario. He was totally onto her. She'd wanted a dog her entire life, but not until Wyatt had she'd gotten her wish. And then, Dario had treated her to Gypsy. Speaking of which, she hadn't heard from or seen her in at least a half hour, which wasn't a good sign.

"Hey, have you seen Gypsy?"

"I have. So don't worry your pretty head. Come here a minute. You won't believe this unless you see it," Dario said, leading Stella to their walk-in closet, which was an entire room in and of itself.

Stella followed Dario to the far end of the closet and then to the right and down the hall where their dressing area was located. There, snuggled up inside one of Dario's Italian leather loafers that, as usual, didn't seem to make it back on the rack without outside intervention, was Gypsy, the newest member of their family. All four pounds of her tiny Chiweenie body almost hidden inside the shoe. When it came to size, Gypsy definitely took after more of the Chihuahua side of her mix than the Dachsund. Standing a proud six inches at her shoulders, she was the complete antithesis of her new BFF, Wyatt.

"That is adorable. Do you have your phone? We've got to get a picture of this," Stella said, whispering so that Gypsy didn't hear them and ruin the photo op.

Dario took his phone out of the pocket inside his tuxedo jacket. "Do you realize that I have more pictures of our dogs on my phone than I have of you?"

"Exactly the way it should be. Way to be a proud papa, baby," Stella said, giggling all to herself that her hunk of a man was nothing but a softy when it came to his dogs.

Dario shook his head, rolled his eyes and then took several pictures of Gypsy, their sleeping angel.

To be fair, Gypsy may look like an angel, but she was anything but. Lately, she seemed to be feeding off of some of Wyatt's piss and vinegar. An angel? No way. A diva-in-training? Much more like it. No one messes with Gypsy. Wyatt included.

Evidently, Gypsy felt their presence. Shortly after Dario snapped the last shot of her, she opened her eyes, stretched out and made the cutest sound, a half squeal half yawn.

"Did Daddy's princess decide to wake up?" Dario asked, bending down and scooping her into his arms.

Stella loved nothing more than seeing Dario like this. Wyatt, and now Gypsy, too, brought out the softest, most gentle side of him. A side that only she and the dogs were lucky enough to see. Dario Adonis wasn't just a magnificent King, he was a magnificent man. There wasn't anything he wouldn’t do to make sure his family knew how much he loved them.

This is the man Stella had loved since the moment she'd met him when they were young teenagers. The man she loved more with every passing day, even though she swore loving him more tomorrow than she did today wasn't possible.

With Gypsy cradled in the crook of his elbow, her tiny head nestled into his neck, Dario looked at his watch. "I suppose we should get going, huh?"

"I suppose so. But what I wouldn't give to stay home with our babies tonight."

"I know, my Queen. Me, too. But duty calls."

"Yes. Yes it does." Stella said, looping her arm through her husband's as they made their way out of their closet and back into their master suite. "Which reminds me. Now that I'm queen, I am in charge of how the palace celebrates the holidays, correct?"

After carefully placing Gypsy in her bed, with Wyatt's unsolicited help, Dario turned around and looked at Stella with a strange look on his face. The way he looked when he was hesitant to say that she was correct in her assumption.

"Yes. You're correct. But why do I have the distinct feeling that I'm going to regret admitting that?" Dario asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "What do you have spinning in that ornery head of yours?"

"Wyatt! Get out of there! I swear, you're going to break Gypsy's bed, yet. Hold on, honey. Save that thought," Stella said, planting a kiss on Dario's cheek then crossing the room in record time, doing her best to pull Wyatt, by his massive collar, without losing her tiara or her gown, out of the teetering frame of Gypsy's bed.

He had wedged his massive body inside the metal frame so tight that pulling him out of it caused the frame to take a ride on his back. Stella had to laugh, and Dario joined her. There was Wyatt, with the large frame — taken from the top of an antique gazebo that Stella had stumbled across on one of her and Sophia's many trips to their favorite architectural salvage shop — on his back. And there was Gypsy on her royal purple, velvet pillow growling and snapping at Wyatt for hijacking her private sanctuary.

"Okay, back to the Christmas thing," Stella said, having finally removed the frame from Wyatt's back, and with Dario's help, placing it back where it belonged.

"I can't wait to hear this," Dario said, his lips curling into his orneriest grin.

"Don't you find your staff a wee bit on the bah humbug side? I mean, c'mon, it's less than eight weeks till Christmas and no one has said a word about decorating for the holidays. Worse yet, every meeting I've been in where the holidays are accounted for on our schedules, the staff seems to be put off that they have to schedule around them. Where's the Christmas spirit in this palace?"

Dario's fun-loving expression immediately changed to one of a humbled remorse, bringing Stella's nerves and her heart down with it. Years ago, when they were in their teens and had first gotten together, he never seemed that into the holidays. But surely, after twenty-five years, he'd found a way to get into the spirit of the season.

"I know that the holidays mean a lot to you, baby. And I'll do anything I can to make it perfect for you. But, as you probably remember, in the palace, they've never been celebrated. You know how much of a scrooge my father was and Meredith still is. I guess their attitudes rubbed off on our staff, and I suppose, I'm sad to say, a bit on me, too."

Dario looked at his perfectly-polished shoes and with each second of silence that passed between them seemed to take more interest in the carpet.

"I guess I'd just hoped that after all of these years, things had changed around here and most especially that they'd changed for you," Stella said, unable to hold in a deep sigh that echoed the heaviness in her heart.

She simply couldn't let the holidays pass by without celebrating them and spreading the love of the season. Most of all, she now saw how much Dario needed her to bring back the love, light and miracles of this special time of year. It wasn't just that he'd never found a way to celebrate the holidays. It was that he'd never had a reason to celebrate them, a realization that stung Stella's heart.

Maybe that's what was wrong with the entire palace, and she hadn't realized it until this moment. Without the Christmas spirit during the season, it was impossible to carry that kind of joy in your heart all year long.

"I'll tell you what. With your blessing, I'd like to convene our entire staff later this week and see if I can't bring a little Christmas back into this stodgy home."

"Stodgy, huh?"

"Do you have a better word for it?"

"No. Not really," Dario said, raking his fingers through the unruly waves of his sexy, dark hair. "So, you've got yourself a deal. This year, by King's decree, Kristianico will have the first of what promises to be many wonderful Christmases. Does that work for you?"

"It sure does, Your Royal Highness. And thank you for this. Thank you for always supporting me even when you think I'm nuts."

"Your nuttiness happens to be one of the things I love most about you," Dario said, pulling her in for a sweet and very warm kiss, a kiss with enough passion to make her want to skip the state dinner. "But do me a favor, and go easy on our staff. They have no idea what they're in for, and I can only begin to imagine what I've agreed to put them through."

"So, for example, do you think renting a snow-making machine would be a little over the top?" Stella asked, with every intention of securing one, if not several. What's Christmas without snow?

Dario didn't say a word, although the look on his face made Stella think that perhaps it would be just a smidgeon over the top. Exactly what she was going for.


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I can't wait to share this story with you! It's the perfect way to kick-off the holiday season!!!

Cheers Hugs & Love --- D. D. Scott

Our Canine BFFs in DDScottville Can Benefit From Fruits and Veggies, Too!

Wavin' atchya, DDScottville Peeps and wavin to your canine BFFs, too!!!

Did y'all know that our beloved dogs can also benefit from diets filled with fresh fruits and veggies?!

Here to give you the scoop is our very own DDScottville "For The Dogs" Guru, Christine Baer of Wet Noses Sarasota (Christine is the owner of Wet Noses Sarasota, the best grooming salon and holistic doggie boutique in town)!!! Take it away, Christine...


Dogs Like Veggies, Too

If you’re on the lookout for new and fun ways to rev up your furry best friend’s diet, adding vegetables and fruits can be a really healthy way to do that. Of course certain veggies and fruits will be better for your dog than others. Take a look at the following 10 healthiest human foods for dogs and consider adding them to your own dog’s meal routine:

Cantaloupe

Believe it or not, the same fruit salad staple that humans have come to know and love is just as good for dogs. They’re full of vitamins that will help with your canine’s eyesight, as well as lots of vitamin A and lots of beta carotene, which helps reduce the risk of cancer and prevents cell damage. It’s also a good source of vitamins B-6 and C, fiber, folate, niacin and potassium.

Green Beans

Getting your dog to eat his green beans will probably be easier than getting your kids to do the same. Green beans are good for your pooch because of their omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins A, C, and K. They’re also a good source of calcium, copper, fiber, folic acid, iron, niacin, manganese, potassium, riboflavin and thiamin, as well as beta carotene. Essentially, they’re the superpower of vegetables for your pooch.

Spinach

We certainly understand the value of spinach in our own diets, but luckily this green, leafy vegetable can be just as powerful for your dog. Although it’s high in iron (with almost twice as much of it as most other sources), spinach is a particularly good option for your dog since it helps fend off inflammatory and cardiovascular issues, along with cancer.

Apples

Besides the fact that it’s super fun to watch a dog eat an apple, the powerful antioxidants and loads of vitamin C will do wonders for your dog’s diet, as well.

Pumpkin

Feed your dog pumpkin to load him up on fiber, vitamin A and anti-oxidants to help alleviate diarrhea and constipation and to promote his overall cardiovascular health.

Sweet Potatoes

A great source of vitamins E, A, B-6 and C, as well as calcium, iron, folate, potassium, copper, thiamine and iron, sweet potatoes are a wonderful (and super tasty!) addition to any pooch’s dinner bowl.

Blueberries

Blueberries, with their high levels of resveratrol and their anti-cancer and heart disease fighting qualities, make a great option for your dog’s diet. As an added bonus, the tannins found in blueberries also help prevent urinary tract infections.

Watermelon

If it’s lycopene that you’re looking to add to your dog’s diet, watermelon is your best source for that. The health benefits don’t stop there, though. Give your pooch a piece of this delicious summer treat and you’ll be loading him with up with tons of healthy vitamin A, B-6 and C, as well as thiamin.

Asparagus

When cut into bite size pieces, Asparagus makes a healthy veggie option for your dog because of its vitamin K, A, B1, B2, C and E, along with the folate, iron, copper, fiber, manganese and potassium that’s found in them.

Brussels Sprouts

Maybe if your kids see your dog eating Brussels sprouts, they’ll hop on board and eat them, too. And your dog should be eating Brussels sprouts for their vitamins K and G, manganese, folate, fiber, potassium and vitamins A, B1 and B6.



For all of your dogs' health needs, Wet Noses carries fabulous custom formulas made by Dogs For The Earth including 100% organic veggie food formulas and treats like Veggie Patch (organic Kale, Carrot and Green Beans) and Fruit Patch (an organic blend of apples, blueberries and cranberries), whatever is freshest and seasonally available. - D. D.'s dogs, Buckley and Siggy, are huge fans. Come in and ask for a sample!


Christine Baer
WET NOSES...Everything Dog...and Kitties Too
and....WE'RE GROOMING 7 days a week!
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!
1465 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34236...Beautiful Downtown Sarasota
Phone: 941-388-DOGS (3647)
Visit us online: http://www.wetnosessarasota.com and
naturesmiracleforpets.marketingscents.com
We deliver and we ship worldwide! Open 24/7!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks Bunches, Christine, for the wonderful information!!!

For Buckley and Siggy, I bake sweet potatoes, mash 'em up, and top them with a terrific scoop of the Dogs For The Earth organic food! They love it! I also fix them rice, quinoa and pasta (all organic) and alternate these items with the sweet potatoes, always topping their selection with a scoop of Dogs For The Earth.

***Here's a fab fun gem about the "scientist" behind Dogs For The Earth: Kathy has her Masters in Animal Sciences, focusing mainly on nutrition. And she only uses 100% organic ingredients in all of her dog food formulas and treats.

Christine drives to Kathy's Anna Maria Island "lab" regularly to pick up Kathy's latest formulas for all of her Wet Noses customers. Thank you, Christine!!! P.S. Kathy is also making a new, diabetic formula that is doing wonders for Buckley who has the first signs of diabetes.

How many of you DDScottville Peeps treat your dogs to fruits, veggies and organic food? Let us know your dogs' favorites and how you prepare them...

The Best of For The Dog Wishes --- D. D. Scott

5-Star Reviews are Rolling-in for D. D. Scott's Latest Release THE KEYS' PRINCE

Happy Weekend, DDScottville Peeps!!!

I'm over the moon to see and hear that so many of you are loving my latest release - THE KEYS' PRINCE (The Royal Heirs Book 1)!!!

The 5-Star Reviews are rolling-in!!!



On Amazon

B&N

Apple

Kobo

Smashwords

Scribd

Oyster


Here's what a few of your fabulous Reviews have said:


5-Stars: Old Love renewed to New Love, July 22, 2014
By charlene mclucas

This review is from: The Keys' Prince (The Royal Heirs Book 1) (Kindle Edition)

This story of Dario and Stella talks to the heart. As a young couple in love they are denied a future. Stella has reinvented herself from an heiress to shop owner in Sarasota Florida. She has created a peaceful existence for herself and Auntie Elo.

As she embraces the community and gets involved with urban issues, Dario, her love from the past arrives on the scene and her present life is turned upside down.

Their relationship and their past collide causing their story to take unexpected twists and turns.

You are drawn into their quest to find happiness and can't help but be captivated by their story.

Do they find their happily ever after?

I'll never tell. You just have to read this delightful story.

You will be hooked as I am anticipating the next book in this new series.

5-Stars: D.D. writes another Must Read!!!!!, July 22, 2014

By Amazon Customer (MIDDLETOWN, OHIO, United States)

This review is from: The Keys' Prince (The Royal Heirs Book 1) (Kindle Edition)

I enjoy all of D.D.s books. She has such a great writing style about here that draws you into the book. You don't just read a DeeDee Scott book No you Experience the situations the characters go thru all the twist turns laughs and tears ups and downs. I highly recommend any of her works but this book will be enjoyed by the masses wether like myself and read all or just starting this is a great read an I am excited to see how the rest of this series unfolds.

5-Stars: Great First Book in Series, July 8, 2014

By Teresa M Rodriguez

This review is from: The Keys' Prince (The Royal Heirs Book 1) (Kindle Edition)

great book by a wonderful author. First book in a series of ten, can't wait for the next book. It was fun reading about places in Sarasota since I live i Florida and visit often.

5-Stars: Great writing!, July 13, 2014

By Christine Baer (SARASOTA, FL, US)

This review is from: The Keys' Prince (The Royal Heirs Book 1) (Kindle Edition)

Another page turner by D.D. Scott! Great writing!

5-Stars: I love reading D.D. Scott's stories!

jms920 Posted July 9, 2014 on Barnes & Noble

After anxiously awaiting her newest work, "The Keys' Prince" I couldn't put it down..
Each character leaves you wanting more and more .Dario and Stella are so real and I love reading about the beautiful Florida Keys!
D. D. never disappoints with her books! The attention she pays to detail is amazing. I can't wait for the rest of this series, The Royal Heirs.

5-Stars: The Keys' Prince (The Royal Heirs Book One) is a key to the heart

CMKenney Posted July 4, 2014 on Barnes & Noble

The Keys' Prince (The Royal Heirs Book One) is a key to the heart of any reader no matter what your favorite genre. It has a great plot and interesting characters like Dario and Stella as the major characters. Auntie Elo makes the perfect sidekick and mentor for Stella. If you loved D. D.'s previous books, you will not be disappointed. She has a style of telling a story that makes you get to know everyone involved like they were your neighbors. You will love the characters as I did. You will keep turning the pages in D.D.’s latest creation. Not wanting to put it down until you reach the end. I am looking forward to Book 2 in this series and you will too.

Thank you all so very much for sharing your love for THE KEYS' PRINCE!!!

Your Reviews are so appreciated and are a wonderful way to help other readers find my books!!!

Your kindness, enthusiasm and support truly hold a special place in my heart.

With Love and Gratitude --- D. D.

P.S. I've already got the first three chapters finished for Book Two in this new series - A ROYAL CHRISTMAS RESCUE. Next week, I'll treat you to the first chapter as well as the cover reveal! Y'all are gonna love 'em!!! For the first time for one of my books, you will be able to Pre-Order it from Barnes and Noble, Kobo and Apple! (I'll tell you more soon about this very special opportunity I've been given!) What does Pre-Order mean? It means you can order the book as early as next month, and it will be delivered to your ereading device on Thanksgiving Day!!! I'm hoping Amazon also treats you to the Pre-Order Opportunity! I'll keep you posted.

My Vegetarian (Almost Vegan) Journey Includes Warm Lemon Water and Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Life

Wavin' atchya, DDScottville Peeps!

DDScottville is so much more than writing books for all of you and hitting bestseller lists around the globe. It's about enjoying each others' company each and every day and sharing the journeys we call life. It's about loving each other, being kind and sharing our hearts and lots of laughter, too. It's about doing everything that we can to smooth the potholes for each other.

In that DDScottville spirit, what a total joy it is to kick-off my new blog series about my personal, Vegetarian (Almost Vegan) journey. I'm looking forward to sharing everything I've learned with you and can't wait to gather up and share your tips and resources, too!

I call myself a Vegetarian (Almost Vegan) because although it's been almost eight weeks now since I've had any kind of meat (beef, chicken, pork, or fish), I still have cheese every once in awhile and a few eggs here and there, which makes me a Vegetarian for sure, but not quite a Vegan (who consumes no animal products, at all). The little bit of cheese I have is made from cows who enjoy green pastures and who are also not subject to growth hormones. The eggs I consume are from free-range, cage-free chickens who again, are not given any kind of growth hormones. That said, I'm going to continue to ween myself away from dairy and eggs, slowly but surely.

As I said in my last post, I did not wake up one day and decide to become a Vegetarian (Almost Vegan).

I came to that conclusion after battling the intense pain of Crohn's Disease for close to two years. I did a ton of research on how I could begin to heal my condition naturally, without the knives so quickly brandished by Western Medicine doctors and/or the pharmaceutical cocktails they're so eager to get you addicted to.

What I discovered after months of research was that, in large part, "We Are What We Eat." And yes, I know that these days that's almost cliche, but it's sooo true.

Unlike Western Medicine, where a medical student is lucky to get just a few hours of nutrition and natural/herbal healing instruction, all Eastern Medicine philosophies are based in a big way on everything that one puts into his or her body. It just makes good common sense that this should be the case. Break down the word disease, and you've got DIS-EASE, meaning for some reason and in some way, what you're doing to your body or putting into your body is causing discomfort.

I took a good look at what I was eating. To be truthful, I've never been a huge meat eater. For example, I very rarely ever ate beef. The idea of it just disgusts me. And growing up in the Midwestern USA, in a town with a huge Tyson plant, I'd seen way too many trucks filled with hogs on their way to slaughter to enjoy pork. But that said, for some reason I still don't understand, I convinced myself that chicken was healthy and that perhaps they didn't suffer as much when being slaughtered. And what was I hurting eating fish? The ocean is full of 'em, right?

So...then I read several books and websites, and I honestly can't remember which one it was but the idea proposed was something along these lines:

Every animal you consume, even if they're raised in a wonderfully organic, non-chemically-treated way, have one very bad day.

And that was it for me. That single line took me straight into the Vegetarian (Almost Vegan) world.

I've always been a total farmers market, farm-to-table kinda gal, but now I'm working on living a complete plant-based life, and feeling so darn good because of it!!!

I've never felt better in my life!!! For the first time in almost two years, I've gone thirty days with only a few hours of pain in my abdomen, and even those spells were nothing like what I used to struggle through. I can't wait to see if eventually, perhaps after I make the transition to Vegan, the pain will disappear completely.

Here's one of the books that's really helped me by the wonderful Alicia Silverstone:



On Amazon


***And OMG are her recipes delicious!!! One of my faves in the book is the Rustic Pasta. Oh, but I love the Tomatoes, Lemon and Rice dish, too. And then there are the Chocolate Chip Rice Treats. You get the idea. LOL! Alicia also has a blog and community that I adore - The Kind Life

Another fantastic remedy that's really working to help me get rid of all the nasty stuff (toxins) in my intestines from my former diet and the effects of Crohn's is to drink a warm glass of lemon water first thing each morning.

Here's all of the scoop on that major miracle cure:

16 Health Benefits of Drinking Warm Lemon Water




***Again, I am NOT a doctor, nor am I certified or trained in any sort of medical or healing arts, holistic or otherwise. I am simply sharing with you what works for me and inviting you to do the same here in DDScottville.

How many of you are Vegetarians and/or Vegan?

What fabulous information can you share with us about your journey?

The Best of Mindful Living ---

D. D. Scott
International Bestselling Author and a Vegetarian (Almost Vegan) Yogi

DDScottville has a New Look and New Content: Think Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes, Remedies and Wisdom, Yoga, Meditation, Mindful Living and For The Dogs, Too!!!

To kick-off my 4th Anniversary as an International Bestselling Author, I wanted to treat all of you amazing DDScottville Peeps to a brand new look for our wonderful community as well as terrific new content celebrating what it means to be part of DDScottville.

My success is due to the love and support that each of you have shown me over the years. For me, it's not just about selling books. The stories I write showcase my love of laughter, and my choice to live a life full of love and gratitude and many happily-ever-afters. Each book I create is my way of sharing that kind of positive energy with you.

In all of my online homes - whether it's here in DDScottville or on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+, or Goodreads, I share my core values. My goal to live a kind life. Green-living. My love of the seas and their beaches. Humor and laughter. Organic, farm-to-table food. Yoga and Meditation. Canine love. Great Books. Bitchy Signs. Coffee, Tea and Teeccino. Lots of wine. And more pamper-yourself-silly adventures.

The contribution I want to make to the world we share is to create a fabulous community filled with love and laughter. I hope to help each of us go to sleep every night with a smile on our face and in our heart.

With that in mind, I'm thrilled to announce that I've created three fabulous new pages here in DDScottville:

Vegetarian/Vegan Recipes, Remedies and Wisdom




Yoga, Meditation, Mindful Living



For The Dogs



Take a peek at each one to see what kinds of fabulous new things will be coming to DDScottville.

***Note: I've also updated each of the other regular pages on the site. For example, you've now got a D. D. Scott Book List with all of my books in order, in case, like me, you like to read a series from book one to the end. Heck, with 30 books out now, I needed the list, too, just to keep track of all of them. LOL!!!

I'll be blogging about my journey as well as featuring excellent guests who are experts in each of these areas.

And please, let me know in your comments below what kinds of information in these fields you're interested in learning more about.

Cheers Hugs and Love and Happy Anniversary, DDScottville Peeps!!! --- D. D. Scott

I'm Kicking-off My 4th Year as an International Bestselling Author with a New Series and Lots of New D. D. Scott-ville Adventures!!!

Happy Friday, D. D. Scott-ville Peeps!!!

I can't believe that on August 10th, I'll be celebrating four years as an International Bestselling Author!!!

It seems like just yesterday that I was checking and re-checking (and re-checking) my computer to catch the moment when my debut release (BOOTSCOOTIN' BLAHNIKS) went live on Amazon. That one book, still FREE on all ebook platforms (Amazon, Nook, Apple, Sony, Kobo, Smashwords and Scribd), has been downloaded over 600,000 times in over 35 countries around the world.

Since that day, thanks to all of you, I'm now an International Bestselling Author and an Amazon and Barnes & Noble Top 100 Bestselling Author with over 300,000 books sold, 30 titles in 5 genres, 43 products (including Boxed Sets and Anthologies) and 10 chart-topping audio books (with two more available soon).

The time does indeed fly when you love what you do! And what I love to do is treat you to books full of humor and heart. Whether you’re brand new to my books or you keep coming back for more, it’s my goal to create wonderful story worlds that provide you with perfect escapes between the pages.

Nothing beats treating you to great books. And I couldn't be more grateful for each one of you who've shared the journey with me these last four years. I can’t wait to keep you in great reads for years to come!

To kick-off my 4th Anniversary festivities, I'm over the moon to let you know that the long wait is just about over for the first book in my new series!!!





The Keys’ Prince will be the first book in my new series—The Royal Heirs. (Coming within the next two weeks to Amazon, Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple, Sony, Kobo, Smashwords and Scribd.)

I’ve planned at least ten books in this series. Each heir to Kristianico's throne (Kristianico is my fictional French Riviera country..think Monaco) will have his or her own book. In addition, there will be several holiday novellas to tide you over between the full-length novels which release at a rate of two per year. I can't wait to take you behind the palace doors of the royal family of Kristianico.

A new series isn't all I've got in the works for you either...

Beginning with The Keys' Prince, I'll be releasing many of my books as both ebooks and print books!!! Yes, I've listened to your requests and will be making my books available in print at Amazon and in libraries around the world. I'll have more information on this later this summer.

In addition, our cyber home here in D. D. Scott-ville will be getting a major overhaul.

As many of you know who hang with me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and Goodreads, I'm a new, vegetarian (almost vegan) yogi, and I'm having a ball sharing my journey with you both on and off the mat. I'm going to be including many of my adventures on the new pages and features in D. D. Scott-ville. So stay-tuned.

In the meantime, to be the first to hear about all of my D. D. Scott-ville quirky crazy fun, sign up for my
And please share your love for my books! Word-of-mouth is vital for an author to continue to grow readership. If you enjoyed one or more of my books, please leave a review on the site for the store from which you purchased it, even if it’s just a sentence or two. That’s how other readers find my books! Your reviews make a ton of difference in my books' success and are so appreciated.

You can connect and hang with me in and on...:

D. D. Scott-ville
Facebook DeeDee Scott
Twitter @ddscottromcom
Instagram ddscottromcom
Pinterest DeeDee Scott
Goodreads D. D. Scott
Google+ D. D. Scott

Happy Reading and Thanks Bunches For Sharing The Journey

D. D. Scott

P.S. When I'm not writing, I'm still busy luuuvin' on my real-life hero (my DH-Darling Husband) and my beloved and totally spoiled shelter-rescued dog Buckley and his new playmate Siggy the Affenpinscher. I also spend tons of time on the beautiful beaches of my new home in Sarasota, Florida. I've gotta have The Beach, my Yoga Mat, Organic Food and Love and Gratitude.

A D. D. Scott Sneak Peek Excerpt: THE KEYS' PRINCE (The Royal Heirs, Book 1) - Coming in March 2014

Wavin' atchya, D. D. Scott-ville Readers!!!

Y'all have been waiting so patiently for my next release - THE KEYS' PRINCE (The Royal Heirs, Book 1).

Thanks bunches for all of the sweet messages about when it will be released. Nothing means more to an author than knowing her readers can't wait for the next book. :)

As a little treat while you wait for me to finish it up, how 'bout I give you a Sneak Peek at the cover and then the first two chapters?

Okay, Peeps...here you go...

Welcome to my new story world - The Royal Heirs, beginning with Book 1 in this series, THE KEYS' PRINCE




A European prince and the daughter (and sole heir) of a billionaire shipping tycoon have found a break from the blinding glare of paparazzi cameras on the beaches of Sarasota and St. Armand’s Key, Florida. They’ve also rekindled the love they shared twenty-five years ago. Back then, their love wasn’t strong enough to defeat the enemies waiting to destroy them. Is it strong enough now?


CHAPTER ONE


Stella DeAngelo took another miniature spoonful of her no-sugar-added, double chocolate gelato. With bits of Belgium chocolate brownies swirled into the rich milk, cream and dark chocolate confection, it was borderline sinful. But the kind of sinful Stella could get used to.

If she wasn’t careful though, she’d end up gaining back all of the weight she’d lost before leaving her villa in Ibiza for a new life in Sarasota. And if she did that, she’d blow her cover. A risk she wasn’t willing to take.

The gelato shop was next door to her new shop. Go figure. Nothing about her new adventure was going to be easy. But that’s okay. She’d never had it easy, even though most people probably thought that she had.

Sitting on the marble bench tucked into the palm trees and tropical garden bordering the sidewalk in front of her St. Armand’s Circle store—Neptune’s Treasures, Stella finished her gelato and vowed to make it a weekly treat instead of a daily boost.

She loved to sit here, almost out of view, and catch peoples’ reactions as they stopped and took in her shop’s windows. She worked hard on her displays—her favorite part of shop-keeping. And according to the comments she’d overheard and the sales receipts from the holiday season, her windows were definitely working well to increase her customer base.

She still couldn’t believe how well she’d done during her holiday grand opening stretch. Kudos to her auntie Eloise who’d pushed her to have the store ready to go for a Black Friday roll-out. Auntie Elo was getting ready to celebrate her seventy-fifth birthday, but when it came to business, she still had the edge that had made her a fortune for over fifty years as a small business owner in the Florida Keys. If Stella kept soaking up her advice and trying her fabulous ideas mixed in with her own creative instincts, she’d do very well for herself in her new, beach décor store.

Take the witches’ balls, for instance. Her bestsellers by far. At Auntie Elo’s suggestion, Stella had artfully hung dozens of them right inside the doorway. The hand-blown glass balls came in a fabulous selection of colors, covering all of the moods of the Gulf of Mexico and its stunning bays and beaches—from brilliant turquoise and aquamarine to cerulean blue, storm-surge gray, sandy beige and glittering, sun-dusted copper and bronze. Hanging from satin ribbons, the balls dazzled under the shop’s lighting, shimmering even more from the natural light shining through the windows and door.

According to the card that came with each one, the witches’ balls offered protection against dark energies and forces. Stella wasn’t so sure she believed in the balls’ mystical purposes, but she couldn’t deny that when she looked at them, hope surged through her body, reminding her that just maybe she could have a life outside of the one her father had left her.

So maybe the balls were magical. If they could help her see past her treacherous destiny, perhaps they were also reaching out to her customers in unexpected ways. Magic or not, the whimsical glass creations sure got people into her store and more willing to explore all she had to offer in Neptune’s Treasures.

“I know those balls are worth every minute you’re giving them,” Auntie Elo said, snapping Stella out of her gelato and witches’ ball fog, “but I thought you said you needed to be at the city commissioners meeting by one-thirty.”

“Oh boy, you’re right. Thanks bunches. I lost track of time,” Stella said, feeling her brief respite of hope deflate almost as quickly as it had come.

“No worries, my dear. I just didn’t want you to miss the meeting. I know how important this issue is to you.”

The issue was important to Stella, but she so wished there was another way to find out what she needed to know. But there just wasn’t. One of the few things she’d learned from her father and actually approved of was his insistence on face-to-face meetings with everyone he did business with. You couldn’t gage peoples’ reactions by reading reports of what happened. You had to be there and take it all in for yourself. In order to give anything the full support of the Anastas Foundation, she attended all public and private meetings made available to her. But attending those meetings meant taking a chance that someone would recognize her. So far she’d been lucky in Sarasota. No one had figured out who she really was. But she knew better than to think or hope—with or without the help of the witches’ balls—that her luck would continue indefinitely.
Auntie Elo led the way back into Neptune’s Treasure, with Stella following close behind.

“I hope Mr. Schmidt’s report is well-received,” Stella said reaching for the sequined cardigan she always slipped into her tote bag to shield her from the AC that blasted full-force in the commissioners’ meeting room. “It’s high time helping Sarasota County’s homeless population is more than a talking point on an agenda.”

“Oh, I think Dean’s going to blow ‘em outta the water, so to speak,” Auntie Elo said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

“Dean, huh? You two are on a first name basis now?”

“Perhaps.” Auntie Elo’s cheeks had a red glow, despite her sun-worshipper’s tan.
Stella kept her observation to herself, not wanting to impede whatever progress her aunt was making with Dean Schmidt. It was about time Auntie Elo found a companion who cared about the community’s well-being like she did.

From what Stella had learned about Dean, when it came to dealing with the homeless, he was much more than a paid consultant. He cared about them and had helped many counties and municipalities across the United States not only plan wonderful programs to get these often forgotten people the help they needed for long-term advancement, but he’d often stayed on for greatly reduced fees, and sometimes at his own expense, to implement his plans. With Dean’s guidance, many homeless people came off of the streets and forever stayed off of them.

“Perhaps I should invite Dean over for dinner,” Stella suggested, anxious to see how Auntie Elo reacted to the idea.

“Maybe I already have,” Auntie Elo said looking over her bifocals in the way she did that left no doubt she didn’t need her niece’s help when it came to deciding who she’d socialize with.

“Atta girl, Auntie Elo,” Stella said and laughed, not the least bit surprised that her aunt had beaten her to the proverbial punch. She often did.

“Maybe you should follow my lead,” Auntie Elo said, not hiding the sweet ribbing she loved dishing out.

“You want me to invite Dean to dinner too?” Stella asked, knowing darn well that’s not what her aunt meant.

“Very funny. But Dean’s mine. That said, I’m absolutely positive he’s not the only eligible bachelor in Sarasota.”

Stella rolled her eyes and pretended to be way too busy packing her tote bag to consider Sarasota’s slew of eligible bachelors. To be accurate though, the county’s demographics gave Auntie Elo many more possibilities than it did Stella. Eighty percent of the population was fifty-five and older.

“You can ignore me now, but not forever, sweet girl. Just say the word, and I’ll have Emma Lou and Hollywood set you up a profile on the online dating service they use.”

“Oh no you don’t. First, I’m perfectly capable of creating my own profile. IF I wanted to. Second, even if I did buy into online dating services, I would NOT enlist the help of Emma Lou and Hollywood.”

“Well, I don’t know why you say it like that. Those girls have a lot of fun with it,” Auntie Elo said acting as if she couldn’t possibly understand why anyone would have a problem with her friends’ man-hunting methods.

“I’m sure they do have fun. It’s the men they hook up with that I’m worried about. Emma Lou and Hollywood put them through hell and then some,” Stella said, thinking about the conversation she’d overheard the day before when Auntie Elo’s dear friends had been over for Happy Hour cocktails.

“You’re reading way too much into that,” Auntie Elo said, tsk tsking her perfectly manicured fingers as if she could simply swoosh away Stella’s well-founded impressions.

“I am? Am I? Emma Lou refuses to continuing seeing any man who, and I quote, ‘hasn’t put a ring on it in three months,’ and Hollywood only dates men who will agree to take her to all of her favorite fancy restaurants.”

Auntie Elo rolled her eyes and pretended to fill the stapler, which was already full of staples.

“Don’t roll your eyes, Auntie Elo. You heard the same conversation I did. Those two nut jobs said they’d just keep on clicking if the poor chaps can’t measure up to their standards,” Stella said, still laughing out loud at the absurdity of their demands.

“Aren’t you going to be late for that meeting?” Auntie Elo asked with a smile.

“Okay. Okay. I’m going. But NO Emma Lou and Hollywood to the rescue. Got it?”

“Got it. For cripe’s sake. I’m just trying to help you out a bit. It’s been way too long since you’ve even attempted to find someone.”

“I don’t need that kind of help,” Stella said, kissing her sweet and sassy aunt’s soft, wrinkled cheek before heading for the door. “So when’s Dean coming over for dinner?”

“Your meeting, nosy posie?” Auntie Elo asked, shooing her toward the door.

Stella laughed while walking under the witches’ balls and out into the Sarasota sunshine. Even though she did find the sense of humor in the whole situation, she tossed up a little prayer that the balls would protect her from her aunt’s and her friends’ meddling enterprises. She had enough to worry about trying to keep her new life under the radar while building a new business. She didn’t need a new man to complicate things even more.
 


CHAPTER TWO


Stella had been sitting in the commissioners’ meeting for almost two hours. She could tell by the look on most of the players’ faces that Dean’s proposal was a hit. The sixty-page report he’d walked all of them through appeared to have the political backing to pass a vote, so long as local, deep-pocketed foundations ponied up the cash to make it happen.

Stella, along with dozens of other interested people in the community, had been involved in serious discussions for months to remove the stigma Sarasota achieved from being named the meanest city in the USA—mean because of the way it had historically refused to deal with its huge homeless population.

Under Dean’s plan, adult shelters were to be built as well as villages for homeless families that would include much-needed case management and mental health services. Street outreach teams made up of law enforcement officers and social services experts would work together to convince the homeless to choose the help these shelters and villages could give them instead of serving jail time.

Stella thought it all sounded wonderful. But how would the county pay for it? Yes, there were private foundations and non-profits already waiting to pledge funds, but Stella knew that the large scope of Dean’s plans would take millions more than had already been promised. She had the millions needed, but if she pledged them, they’d come with her name attached, meaning her cover here would be blown along with the new life of relative obscurity she’d come to love.

At the end of his presentation, Stella slipped her notebook back into her tote and reached for her phone, texting Auntie Elo to see if she’d like her usual, late afternoon iced mocha.

“Excuse me, miss.” A low, heavily accented, ultra masculine voice filled her ears while strong hands came to rest on her shoulders.

No way. Totally impossible. It just can’t be. But it had to be. If there was one thing Stella was sure of it was that no matter how hard she tried—and darn it if she hadn’t given it everything she had—she’d never forget that voice. And she’d also never forget the touch of the person who owned that voice. Feeling his skin against her bare shoulders caused a flame to ignite inside her that she’d started to think was snuffed out forever.

Stella jumped straight off of her seat. Her phone tumbled out of her hands and onto the floor.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. You were about to leave behind your sweater. Here, let me get that,” he said, reaching down to retrieve her phone.

Stella turned around to an exquisitely dressed man, with a devastatingly debonair, ebony black pony tail and a deep bronze, Mediterranean tan bending down to pick up her phone. When he started to straighten again, she couldn’t help but notice that even after all these years, he still took her breath away.

She inhaled sharply, which forced his way too familiar, spicy exotic scent straight up her nostrils. Good thing she was still seated. Otherwise, his animal-like magnetism would have sent her to the floor.

“Thank you,” she whispered as the man she’d managed not to run into for twenty-five years placed her phone in her hands. He gently wrapped her fingers around the protective case. If he hadn’t, it would have been right back on the floor.

“Your voice is gone? You’re sick, no?” He asked, the tender, genuinely concerned look in his eyes making Stella feel like even more of a bumbling idiot.

Was her cover so good that even he didn’t recognize her? Although, she could tell by the way he tilted his head and looked her over from top to bottom—as if sizing her up—that he was trying to decide if it was just an eerie coincidence or if it really was her.

“No, I’m not sick,” she said, clearing her throat. “I’m fine. Really. I’m fine. You just startled me. That’s all.”

She stood up, way too quickly. If he hadn’t abruptly moved back, she’d have nailed his forehead with hers. So much for coming off as a smooth and competent Sarasota business owner, she thought. She was acting as if she’d never seen an attractive man, let alone a man who she used to know better than anyone else. A man who’d been much more than her lover all of those years ago. ‘Course, if she was totally honest, she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen a man as handsome as he was. With his natural good looks and charisma, a decent comparison was close-to-impossible to come by. And no man she’d met had ever come close to his good heart and kind spirit.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked, a smile beginning to feather out from the corners of lips she’d love to feel pressed against hers just one more time. Stella knew his well-practiced public smile, one of his sweet-natured, charmers. But this one ran much deeper.

“Yes. Yes. I’m fine. Sorry for being such a klutz.”

He tilted his head as if he hadn’t heard her correctly.

Damn, she was a bonehead. Even after twenty-five years, it was very clear that when he was around, she couldn’t think straight.

A man with his thick accent probably shouldn’t be familiar with American slang, but this was no ordinary man. Klutz. He knew that word. Why she’d said it was beyond her. She’d been teased about being a klutz since she was a child. And he’d often laughed with her about it. Fortunately for her, unfortunately for him, he’d even been at her side for several of her embarrassing missteps. There was simply no way he wouldn’t associate that word with the woman who was once his everything.

Stella shook her head, not willing to give up her identity in this public setting. She had to do her best to convince him that they didn’t know each other. Otherwise, they’d ended up creating a scene that both of them would regret.

“A klutz...as in I tend to be rather clumsy at times,” she said.

“You don’t say. I knew someone like that once,” he said.

Judging by his full smile and the new twinkle in his double-chocolate gelato eyes, her remark and her identity were no longer lost in translation.

To be sure he was onto her, she held his gaze a bit longer. Boy could she get used to those eyes all over again. They were the dark rich color of her favorite snack, without the calories.

“I don’t believe we’ve been introduced,” he said, filling the awkward silence between them, his words sounding like a challenge instead of a statement of fact. “I’m Dario Adonis.”

He reached for her hand, which Stella thought he was about to shake. But just as she raised her hand in kind, she bumped her knuckles against his lips. Could she get any dumber? Of course he’d planned to kiss her hand instead of shake it. He wasn’t American. And they’d long since gone far beyond the formality of shaking hands.

“I’m sorry...again. You should probably leave right now and run before I really hurt you,” she said, for the first time getting a full view of the amazing, even more distinguished man he’d become since she’d last stood in front of him.

No one should get this much better looking with age. It almost seemed against nature itself.

He’d said his name was Adonis. Dario Adonis. And he sure gave the Greek god by that name a run for the beauty he was known for. Interesting that, while traveling in the States, he’d shortened his name just like she’d abbreviated hers.

Dario was six-foot-five, and he was built like an NFL wide receiver—broad shouldered with a torso that narrowed into a perfect v-shape at his waist. He had lots of lean muscle mass, every contour of which she’d memorized. Stella would bet money that he still had the sexy-as-hell six-pack he’d always worked hard to maintain.

He was a man who had his clothes hand-tailored in order to fit his athletic body and his place in life. From the looks of his suit, he must still use the Italian master suit maker his family had employed for years. The luscious, navy, tone-on-tone, pin-striped fabric alone costs thousands of dollars. But money was no object for a family like Dario’s, who lived only by the highest standards.

Fashionable didn’t cover Dario. Couture, private label, made specifically for the customer was more apropos. Dario’s clothes had always been designed, cut and sewn just for him, even when he was a child. Every time he stepped out into the public eye, he was perfection.

Behind closed doors, he was also perfection, she thought then mentally kicked herself for even letting her mind go there.

“So you’re saying that I should be afraid of you?” Dario asked, raising his thick, dark eyebrows.

“Very, very afraid,” Stella said, laughing in spite of their situation. Only she could scare away the one man she’d ever loved, not once, but twice. And she had no doubts she could do it again and probably should. It would be better for both of them.

“In your case, I’m willing to take my chances,” Dario said, his eyes traveling from her head to her toes and then back again.

Thank goodness she’d had a pedicure the day before.

“Suit yourself. But don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said. “I’m Stella DeAngelo, by the way, and it’s nice to meet you, Dario.”

“The pleasure is mine,” he said, never taking his eyes off of her as he draped his gorgeous jacket over his arm and rolled up the sleeves on his white shirt.

He’d done the same thing when she’d known him long ago, her stomach fluttering with the recognition. Her phone vibrated in her hand, momentarily drawing her attention away from him.

The incoming text confirmed she’d be stopping by the café a few doors down from Neptune’s Treasures to fetch an afternoon pick-me-up for herself and Auntie Elo. Nothing like an iced mocha to reduce the heat, she thought.

“Would you care to join me for an espresso, Stella DeAngelo?” Dario asked, putting extra emphasis on her name. “I know this great little café on the circle.”

“Java Love, by chance?” Stella asked, silently thanking the gods and goddesses above for guiding Dario toward using discretion for the time being.

She’d go along with the coy game they were playing. Anything to get them moving away from the crowds. The longer they stood here like two love-sick fools, the more risk they took of exposure. Instead of staring into each others’ eyes looking for answers they’d already given each other years ago, they’d best get going.

“Java Love. Why yes. You know the place? They make the best espresso I’ve found here in the States.”

“That they do, and I think I’m quickly becoming their best customer. Actually, I’m on my way there now for my afternoon mocha. I own a shop a few doors down. I suppose, since you’re willing to take a chance on my uncanny ability to do you bodily harm, you could accompany me,” she said, doing her best to get them out of the meeting room.

“Yes. I’d like that very much.” Dario swept back his hand in a grand gesture and tipped his head, signaling Stella to lead the way.

He was a brave fella to want to have anything to do with her again. Although, she supposed, they’d always been brave. But they’d also been stupid—stupid to ever have thought that they could make a relationship work between them, considering all that they each had to face.

“Well, okay then. Let’s go,” she said.

They left the meeting room and ventured back into the brilliant, late afternoon Sarasota sunshine.

“So where are you from?” She asked, taking their game up to an entirely different level.

He hesitated a moment, as if deciding how to answer her question.

Knowing exactly how he felt trying to answer that most basic of questions put Stella on edge. ‘Where are you from’ is normally not a tough question. But it sure is when you don’t want to answer it and when your answer risks your identification with a family you want nothing more than to escape from.

At least Dario only had one place to call home, Stella mused while waiting for his answer. Her father had left her twelve properties around the globe and a private island, none of which she currently called home, and all of which were on her short list of assets she could sell, if need be. Based on her own issues with defining home, she figured she should cut Dario some slack.

“A small country in Europe, along the Riviera. You’ve probably never heard of it,” he finally said, looking at his fine-crafted Italian loafers instead of at her.

“Try me,” Stella challenged, not about to let him off the hook that easy.

Another stretch of silence hung between them. This one even longer than the first.

“Kristianico. I’m from Kristianico,” he said looking at her with more hope for understanding and acceptance than she thought she could ever reconcile in her head or her heart, no matter how much she wanted to.

Stella stopped midway across the pedestrian crossing leading across St. Armand’s circle, which could very well get them both killed. Not that Dario hadn’t been warned that she wasn’t any safer of a bet now than she’d been two decades ago. Luckily, unlike in her past, these days she could handle herself well in a crisis.

The dashingly debonair rake joining her for an afternoon mocha wasn’t Dario Adonis. Well, he was. But he was also Konstantinos Dario Adonis Magnus—the Prince of Kristianico, next in line to succeed his father, King Adonis. He was also the man who she was once supposed to marry.

Now that he’d played his hand, Stella wasn’t sure how to respond. But she certainly knew how it felt to be put on the spot about who you are, so she tried to stay grounded and think through the best way to handle this.

Given the fact that he still hadn’t acknowledged that he knew exactly who she was, he obviously at this point didn’t want either one of them to acknowledge their past.

She could deal with that. Well, she had to, didn’t she? They were in the middle of a crosswalk in broad daylight, which wasn’t the time or place for the kind of discussion they needed to have. So, for now, she’d keep his secret safe with hers.

“So what brings you to Sarasota?” She asked, trying to lighten the mood, although she was very curious to see how he’d handle that question.

“Just trying to get a little R & R. I think that’s what you call it, right?”

“Indeed it is,” she said, noting that he’d definitely practiced that answer.

“Well...you’ve definitely come to the right place for rest and relaxation.”

Dario opened the door to Java Love and followed her inside. She smiled and looked directly into his eyes, hoping that would help ease their mutual angst. She felt bad for him. She really did. She of all people knew how it felt to hide from destiny and how precious it was when you’d finally done it, even if temporarily. Dario knew though, like she did that, someday, sooner rather than later, it would catch up with them. Hell, maybe today was that someday.

“The usual, Stella?” Tatyana, the Java Love’s owner asked. “And one or two today?”

“Two please...with almond milk,” she said.

“And you’re the espresso king, right?” Tatyana asked Dario.

Good thing Stella wasn’t already sipping on her mocha or she’d have choked. Little did Tatyana know how close to the truth she really was.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There you have it...Chapters One and Two of THE KEYS' PRINCE, The Royal Heirs, Book 1!!!

I can't wait to share the whole book with you in the late March!!!

In the mean time, let me know what you think by leaving your comments below.

Oh, and if you'd like to be a part of my brand new Beta Readers and Review Club, sign up on Facebook, and you'll be one of the first to read the book (in exchange for your review and/or comments).

Happy Reading!!! ---

D. D. Scott
Amazon and B&N Top 100 Bestselling Author


PRAISE FOR D. D. SCOTT:


“…one of the top Romantic Comedy/Humorous Mystery writers out right now.” —ENT (Ereader News Today)



Praise for D. D.’s last release—HOLLYWOOD HOLIDAYS, Home for the Holidays, Book 1:


5-Stars: “A must read for the holidays before, during and after...hard to put down…” --- Carolyn M. Kenney

5-Stars: “I thought it would hit the spot. It did with bells on! A fantastic book which I highly recommend, it was lovely watching the true characters unfold. Every chapter I kept saying to myself this would make a great film—I could clearly visualize watching the scenes played out on the big screen. Crossing fingers this happens.” --- Crooks on Books