Archive for 2013

It’s Wednesday. So What’s Cooking?

August 28, 2013 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

Hobo Chicken from a good friend and multi published author Marci Boudreaux. The kitchen is all yours, Marci.

Sometimes dinner just needs to be simple. And cheap. That is why I love making Hobo Chicken. So easy, so cheap, and it is super easy to clean up. The best thing though, everyone (including the picky 8 year old) loves it!

This is a dish that can be done in the oven, on the grill, or if you’re the outdoorsy type over a camp fire. I don’t have a fancy recipe for this, that’s kind of the point, right?

So on those days when I don’t feel like doing something fancy or standing over a hot stove, I pull a whole chicken out of the freeze and let it thaw all day.

It has to cook for about an hour and a half to two hours, so I throw this together mid-afternoon.

When you’re ready to go, cut up the chicken. My husband and I each get a breast and we give the wings and legs to the kids. Rub it down with chicken rub or whatever your preferred seasoning would be, even just salt and pepper would taste amazing on this.

Prepare a separate foil packet for each person. Set the seasoned chicken in the middle of a large piece of heavy duty foil, surround it with your favorite veggies. I use corn on the cob, onion, potatoes (peeled for the picky 8 year old), and carrots. Sprinkle those with seasoning and add about two tablespoons of butter (add a little more for the wings and legs since they don’t make as much juice).

Wrap that bad boy up in the foil and pop it into the oven at 350°F for about 1½ hours. If you want browned or crispy chicken, open the foil to expose the chicken and cook for another 15 minutes at about 450°F.

That’s it. The entire meal in a foil packet. Plop one of those down on a plate and serve it up. If you are going to do this on a grill or open campfire, it will take about three hours for the chicken to cook, but the smokiness of the chicken will be divine and well worth the wait.

Here’s the official recipe (if you can call it that):

Hobo Chicken
1 whole chicken cut up
Seasoning of your choice
corn, potatoes, onion, carrots or veggies you prefer
Butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Prepare a separate foil packet for each person.

Rub chicken with seasoning.

Set the seasoned chicken in the middle of a large piece of heavy duty foil. Surround it with your favorite veggies.

Add about two tablespoons of butter. Wrap tight.

Bake about 1½ hours. Roll back foil to expose chicken and bake for another 15 minutes at 450°F if you want darker/crispier skin.

Serve and let the family be amazed by your awesomeness.

Here’s a little from Unforgettable You, my latest contemporary romance, for your reading pleasure while you sit back with a glass of chilled wine and wait that wonderful chicken to cook.

Is their love strong enough to survive their real lives?

Desperate to keep her ailing mother-in-law Doreen in the family home, Carrie Gable agrees to board a few of Hollywood’s elite actors. Despite her resentment of their demands, she can’t stop her attraction to actor Will Walker.

Will, out to save his failing career, agrees to a project that bores him. The more time he spends with his egotistical co-stars, the more drawn he is to their hostess. Long nights talking with Carrie make him realize he wants a simpler life, but his ties to L.A. refuse to let him go.

The temptation to regain stardom pulls Will in one direction while the obligation to family tugs Carrie in another. Against all odds, the couple struggles for a solution to save their new found happiness.

To read an excerpt from Unforgettable You, please click HERE.

Check out the trailer for Unforgettable You HERE.

Learn more about Marci Boudreaux on her website. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

The Summer of “Can’t Put Down” Books

August 26, 2013 | Author Friend Promo

by Nancy DiMauro

Back to school is around the corner and I’m helping my two boys, who waited until the last minute (again) to complete their book reports. I decided to lead by example. I’ve already confessed to being a not-so-closeted romance reader and writer. You also know that my favorite time for reading romance novels is at the beach, and we’ve just returned from our family vacation to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. So, I thought I’d share 10 books from my summer reading list. It’s also a bit more eclectic than normal since I’m researching my next novel, Schrodinger Effect, which features Vonna from Paths Less Traveled. In no particular order:

1. Neil Gaiman – The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Fantasy.

Neil Gaiman started out writing a short story, but ended up with this lovely little novella. A suicide releases a supernatural creature into our world. In trying to send the creature back, Lettie Hempstock unwittingly allows it to lodge inside a 7 year old boy. Years later, that boy returns home for a funeral and discovers he’s forgotten about that summer day and the magic at the end of the lane.

This is a great little story. I fell into the narrator’s voice, spellbound. I finished it in one sitting, pausing only grudgingly to get a plate of food before the teenagers at the beach ate it all. The only criticism I have of it is the price-point. At $15.00 it’s expensive for a novella, and at $9.99 it’s a really expensive e-book. Now, I bought my advanced copy through Barnes and Noble because it was a signed copy. Still, I think the price is well worth it.

2. Kevin J. Anderson – Veiled Alliances – Fantasy.

In my opinion, Kevin is one of the greatest world-builders writing today. Veiled Alliances is a prequel to his Saga of the Seven Suns series. One hundred and fifty years after the Earth sent out its generation ships, Earth’s government has given way to a puppet king controlled by the Hanseatic League. The generation ships are found and given safe harbors by an alien race. With the gift of FTL (Faster Than Light) engines, Earth is poise on the brink of becoming a major player in the universe.

I “read” this one on audio book. The 4 plus hour recording got me most of the way to the beach. Unlike some prequels this one wasn’t forced or awkward. A large part of that is likely due to Kevin’s detailed outlining. Before Kevin had written the first word for the series, he would have already known the events set forth in this prequel. Whether you’ve read the other books in the series, or Veiled Alliances is your first journey to the Seven Suns, it’s definitely worth reading.

3. Jeaniene Frost – Halfway to the Grave. – Urban Fantasy with Romance.

Cat, the kick-butt heroine, is half-vampire. She hunts the undead in an effort to find and slay her father for destroying her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire and vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership. Cat agrees to help Bones cull the undead population in return for his help finding and exterminating her father. Life and unlife is never that simple though, and Cat finds Bones more tempting than any man with a heartbeat.

I also finished this one in a day. The tone and take no prisoners heroine reminded me a lot of Gini Koch’s Alien Series. One of my friend loaned me this book at the beach when I’d run out of other stories. It was the first time I’d read anything by Ms. Frost. I’m definitely looking up the rest of the series.

4. Sloane Taylor – French Tart (Naughty Ladies of Nice) – Erotic Romance.

Donatienne Dubois pins her hope for a “normal” life on an exclusive cooking school in Nice, France. But one by one her expectations are shattered. Donni’s lifesaver is a bad boy too hot not to handle. For his part, Mark Anderson, is incognito, hating every moment. To pose as a student while keeping tabs on a rich wild child is his version of hell, until he partners with the dish of Crème Brulée good enough to eat.

I love Sloane’s writing and her ability to transport a reader to the exotic locations she sets her stories and her characters. French Tart, a novella, lived up to all my expectations for Sloane’s work. I especially loved the foul-mouthed parrot that develops a crush on Donni.

5. John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker – The Cases that Haunt Us – Nonfiction.

Certain homicide cases maintain an undeniable, almost mystical hold on the public imagination. This analysis of seven of the most notorious murder cases in the history of crime — from the Whitechapel murders to JonBenet Ramsey — often contradicts conventional wisdom and legal decisions. Using modern profiling techniques, the book reexamines cases we all know, and sometimes reaches fascinating and haunting results.

This is one of the many resource books I’m using for Schrodinger Effect. The writers take you through the criminal investigative process for each of the cases, noting how preconceptions or just investigative mismanagement affected the ultimate outcomes. A great resource and well-handled and sensitive narrative given the topics.

6. Brenda Novak – Whiskey Creek series – Romance

Brenda Novak’s romances are great examples of the genre. One of the things I like about this series is that the first book, When Lightning Strikes, introduces us to a group of high school friends approximately 10 years after graduation, and each book in the series (so far) has focused on one character’s happily ever after. The world Brenda Novak builds has a high degree of continuity and characters from the other books continue to interact as they really would have in any small community.

7. Lee Child – Jack Reacher series, Books 1-5 – Thrillers. Jack Reacher is a retired

Military Police officer with a monster case of wanderlust. His travels seem to leave him in the right places at the right time to become enmeshed in kidnapping, murder and mayhem. Given his military background and specialized MP training, Reacher’s highly competent in many areas, and more than holds his own against FBI and Secret Service experts. I’ve listened to these books on audiotape. Dick Hill is a fabulous narrator.

8. David Farland – Drawing on the Power of Resonance in Writing – Nonfiction.

A must read for every writer. Dave has long spoken about by drawing power from stories that came before; resonating with their readers’ experiences, and by resonating within their own works. Frankly, Dave could sell this book for LOTS more and it would still be worth every penny. He teaches you exactly what resonance is and how to use it to make your stories more powerful with examples of how it is used in literature and other art forms, and how one writer, J. R. R. Tolkien, mastered it in his work.

9. John Scalzi, Editor – METAtropolis – anthology – Post-apocalyptic fantasy

Audible was running one of its book specials, and out of the audiobooks I could get for $4.95 was this anthology. I have to admit I picked this one because it had one of the longer run times (I drive about 3 hours a day), and the high quality writers who contributed to the work.

METAtropolis is a shared-world anthology, where all the stories take place in the same created urban fantasy world, but it’s more than that. A typical anthology has a common theme – ex. Humorous horror stories – and the writers have little direction beyond that. A braided anthology has a through line and character. This is another step up in continuity. The five writers collaborated on the world. They all had the same blue print when they set their characters free and let them interact with this world.

10. Harlan Cobin – Six Years – Thriller/ Suspense

Grammar Girl, Mignon Fogarty, recommended Six Years on her podcast. I met Mignon several years ago at Superstars Writing Seminar, and have often liked the books she’s recommended. She didn’t let me down. Again, this was an audiobook for me.

Six years have passed since Jake Fisher watched Natalie, the love of his life, marry another man. Six years of hiding a broken heart by throwing himself into his career as a college professor. Six years of keeping his promise to leave Natalie alone, and six years of tortured dreams of her life with her new husband, Todd. Then Jake comes across Todd’s obituary. At the funeral, Jake gets the glimpse of Todd’s wife…but she’s not Natalie. As Jake searches for the truth, his picture-perfect memories of Natalie begin to unravel. His search for the woman who broke his heart, who lied to him, soon puts his life at risk as it dawns on him that the man he has become may be based on a carefully constructed fiction.

This is another “can’t put down story.” It’s not a romance since the love story plays second fiddle to the mystery Jake’s trying to unravel. Cobin handles both the romance and the mystery with a deft touch. The characters are believable and I was rooting for Jake to solve the mystery, find the girl and live happily ever after. But you’ll have to read it to find out if he did.

Here’s another book that will stand the test of time.

To restore Daphne to her nymph form, Apollo must bargain with treacherous Hades, but Death may demand too high a price.

Shot by a golden arrow, Apollo has only truly loved Daphne. He visits her each eclipse, and longs for reunion. He seeks the Fates’s advice and learns he may finally restore Daphne to her true water nymph form by enlisting other gods’ assistance.

If Apollo fails Daphne will be lost to him forever. To regain Daphne’s soul, Apollo must deal with the devil, King of the Underworld. Love-torn and treacherous, Hades would slay the pantheon to remain with his wife for the full year. Apollo’s quest might just give Hades the leverage he needs to do so.

Will Pheobus Apollo surrender the sun to try to reclaim love? Can he break Daphne’s curse or will his attempts destroy her forever? Will she still love him after millennia as a soulless tree? With the end of the quest see Apollo rising, or in sunset?

To read an excerpt from Apollo Rising please click HERE.

To read excerpts from Nancy DiMauro’s other Musa Publishing books, please click HERE.

Learn more about Nancy DiMauro and her impressive work on her website Falcons Fables and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s Wednesday. So What’s Cooking?

August 21, 2013 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

Fantastic chicken wings and an adult beverage (of course Studs and I had to sample before the recipe was posted here) to savor.

Nancy DiMauro is here to share her two fantastic recipes. Take it away, Nancy!

This is a DiMauro family favorite. I have no idea where my Mom originally found the recipe or if she made it up herself. One of these days I’ll remember to ask. But summer always included barbeques on the grill and her marinated chicken wings. I have the recipe written down as both “single” batch and “double”. Can’t remember ever making a single batch. I wrote the recipe down from my Mom’s index card when I was still in high school (many moons ago). These wings went to Beach Week in college and what I was asked to make at most pot-luck parties. The steno book page with the recipe is stained with drops of soy sauce and lord knows what else from the years of use. While these are great hot, they’re amazing cold the next day. That’s why I always make the double batch. If you choose to do so simply double all the ingredients.

It’s one of my favorite recipes and I hope you like it to.

DiMauro Chicken Wings
Soy Sauce ½ cup
Oil ¼ cup
Meat Tenderizer/ Accent 1 tbsp.
Dry Mustard 1 tbsp.
Lemon Juice ¼ cup
Molasses 1 tbsp.
Crushed Garlic ¼ tbsp.*
Chicken Wings 2-4 lbs

* I always use more garlic than the recipe calls for. So if you like garlic, don’t hesitate to use more.

Mix all ingredients, cover, marinate at least overnight, and stir occasionally

Preheat oven to 350°F

Place chicken wings on foiled and greased cookie sheet. Cook for 50-60 minutes and baste occasionally.

If you want something cool and smooth to go down with it, try this Cranberry Martini recipe from my second mom, Phyllis Hussey.

Cranberry Martini
Vodka 1 shot
Vodka 1 shot
Cranberry Juice 2 shots
Lime juice to taste – about ½ tsp.

Shaken not stirred.

That’s it – enjoy.

Now relax. Nibble on these yummy wings while you sip a marvelous martini and read a little from Shots at Redemption my latest speculative fiction.

Sometimes even mythical beings need a second chance at love.

We all make mistakes. In this collection, a witch, a goddess, and a dragon each have a second chance at reclaiming lost love.

In “Best Dressed and Obsessed, Janelle, a graduate-level witch, chooses a magic dress to enthrall her professor. Sadly, the dress is cursed. At her graduation ball, will she kiss the man she loves? Or kill him?

Eons ago, Zeus decreed that Odysseus leave Kalypso. In “Kalypso’s Song”, Odysseus is reborn as a scholar. Can Kalypso convince him to reclaim the love they were denied?
The sea dragon Ryu spares a ship crossing her domain when a human child aboard reminds her of her own lost children. Ryu finds an unlikely surrogate family in “A Sea Serpent’s Tale”. When her new family is attacked by another dragon, can Ryu save them?

Shots at Redemption. Even supernatural creatures want them. But, do they get them?

BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

To read excerpts from Nancy’s other Musa Publishing books, please click HERE.

Learn more about Nancy DiMauro and her impressive work on her website Falcons Fables and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

I’ll be back Monday. Have a great weekend!

Sloane

For the Love of Fear

August 19, 2013 | Author Friend Promo

LETHAL REFUGE, a spine-tingling suspense book by Vonnie Hughes, is set in seldom seen New Zealand. The story griped and held me because Hughes expertly wove fear throughout while adding twists and just enough reality to make the story plausible. LETHAL REFUGE is a book I love and believe you all will enjoy. It left me afraid to turn the lights off.

LETHAL REFUGE
Vonnie Hughes
Print ISBN 1-60154-996-2
The Wild Rose Press

Available in both paperback and e-book from:
The Wild Rose Press
Amazon

Who can you trust if you can’t trust your own mother? Through the clammy fog, Celie Francis hears the chilling message. “I know who you are, Celie. I know where you live.” And in the terrifying aftermath she reconnects with her dysfunctional family in ways she had never imagined.

BLURB:
Abused and abandoned as a child, Célie Francis knows better than to trust anyone. But after she witnesses a murder, she’s placed in the Unit “New Zealand’s witness protection program” where she’s expected to trust strangers with her life.

It’s psychologist Brand Turner’s job to ease witnesses into their new identities, not to protect them, but Célie stirs feelings in him that are far from professional. When it appears someone is leaking critical information that could endanger Célie, Brand will do anything to protect her. But first he has to convince her to trust him.

Adrift in a frightening world, Célie would like to believe the handsome psychologist is everything he seems, but as witnesses are murdered and danger swirls around them, Célie must decide “can she trust Brand with her life?

EXCERPT:
Célie Francis ran faster than she ever had in her life. Fingers of fog rolling in from the sea grabbed at her as her feet alternately flew and stuttered over the uneven pavement of the ocean road.

Where was he? How much time did she have?
The wash of the sea was a calm counterpoint to her harsh, frantic breathing. Above the sound of her thudding feet, the shriek of a bird pierced the air.

No, not a bird. Something was squeaking. Occy’s old bicycle.

He had found her.

Faster, Célie, faster, shouted the little man on the treadmill in her mind.

I can’t, she sobbed.

Fancy the consequences?

No God, no!

Then run faster.

But her aching legs could not obey. And on the roadway the relentless squeak, squeak kept pace with her.

Frantically she zigzagged, seeking a haven in the fog. It was barely dawn on the lonely North Auckland cliffs above the Pacific Ocean. No help anywhere.

Have to hide. Have to hide. Her shoes slapped a rhythm.

Salty sweat stung her eyes. Ignore it.

The slap of her running shoes echoed then died in the mist. Died…

Her brain, tumbling in an endless whirl of fear and futile questions asked—-why Occy? Why had he killed a man this time?

Up ahead loomed a deep grey cloud of mist. Thank you, God. She blasted into the fog bank and the squeaking receded behind her. This is your chance, the little man said.

Veering off the sidewalk, she streaked across a pristine lawn and crouched behind a lavender bush. Her chest heaving, she struggled to gulp another breath of sodden air.

Squeeeak. He was back. This was it. Eyes streaming, she curled into a ball on the cold ground and waited.

Something yellow zinged past her face and tickled her arm. A needle-sharp sting pierced her elbow, then another. Bees, irritated by her invasion, were trying to drive her out. No you won’t. What’s out there is a lot worse than what you can do, bees. As the pinpricks tingled and burned, she pressed her lips together so hard that the muscles on the side of her face ached.

Louder now, the squeaking advanced and receded. He was casting up and down, looking for her. Please, please…

A sibilant whisper reached her through the clammy fog. “I know who you are, Célie. I know where you live.”

Available in both paperback and e-book from:
The Wild Rose Press
Amazon

Learn more about Vonnie Hughes on her website and blog.
Stay connected on Facebook and Goodreads.

I’ll be back Wednesday with a new recipe. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane

It’s Wednesday. So What’s Cooking?

August 14, 2013 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

Campfire Peanut Butter-Banana Boat S’Mores from my good friend middle grade author Sharon Ledwith. Take it away, Sharon!

In my upcoming release, Legend of the Timekeepers—the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series—my adolescent characters Lilith, her BFF She-Aba, and an annoying goat-herder named Tau are transported from the ‘Black Land’ through the seventh Arch of Atlantis, and travel back in time to Atlantis one hundred years before the continent’s final destruction. There, Tau finds that he has an insatiable taste for a strange, long yellow fruit he’s never seen before. Fortunately for us, this long yellow fruit—a.k.a. bananas—are readily available at our local markets, and used in some wicked-awesome recipes.

The following recipe is great for families to bond over at campsites or even in their own backyards:

Campfire Peanut Butter-Banana Boat S’Mores
4 bananas, unpeeled
¼ cup smooth peanut butter
4 graham wafers, coarsely chopped
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup miniature marshmallows

HEAT barbeque to medium-high heat. If doing on campfire, make sure you have a grill over the pit and the fire has died down to coals.

Make deep lengthwise cuts along inside curve of each banana. Be careful not to cut through to opposite side. Place bananas on centers of 4 large heavy duty foil sheets.

Open bananas gently and spread evenly with peanut butter. Top with chopped wafers, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. Fold foil to make 4 packets.

Grill, filled-sides up, 8-10 minutes or until heated through. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening packets.

TOO RAINY FOR THE BBQ? No problemo. Make it in the oven. Fill bananas and wrap in foil as directed. Bank in 350°F oven 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

This is a definite family pleaser where the melty marshmallow classic meets the banana split in this ooey-gooey dessert that cooks in the peel. Too bad Tau couldn’t sample this yummy dish. But allow me to offer you a sample of what to expect in my newest time travel romp Legend of the Timekeepers set to be released this August 30th.

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her new-found friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.

If you haven’t already checked out my young adult time travel read, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, here’s the blurb…

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they’re given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn’t a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers–legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial–Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don’t, then history itself may be turned upside down.

To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, please click HERE.

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.

BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing
Amazon Link
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, The Last Timekeepers, available through Musa Publishing. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

It’s Wednesday. So What’s Cooking?

August 7, 2013 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

A cool recipe and a hot read! Multi-published author Sam Cheever is here to provide both.

I use thin sliced chicken breast for this recipe, but you can also butterfly and pound whole chicken breasts to ¼ inch thick.

Chicken with Tomatoes and Basil

5 medium plum tomatoes, diced and seeded
¼ cup packed, fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2½ tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 medium garlic clove, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves sliced or pounded thin (approximately 2 lbs.)

Combine tomatoes, basil, half the oil, vinegar, and garlic in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown 3 minutes, or until golden and nearly cooked through, in half the remaining oil. Flip and cook another 2 minutes on the other side. (Cook half at a time and keep the rest warm in a 200°F oven.)

Serve with sweet potatoes mashed with milk and Parmesan cheese.

Arrange the chicken on a plate with a scoop of mashed sweet potatoes and spoon a generous amount of the tomato mixture and juice over the top.

Delicious and pretty!

Now for that hot read we promised you. Here’s an intro from my erotic romance Cupid Only Rings Twice.

This Valentine’s Day, Rori’s gonna meet an honest to god Cupid. And he’ll use more than arrows to win her love.

Rori Foster is too beautiful to find love. Men just can’t seem to look past her exterior to recognize the human being inside.

Unfortunately he’ll have to save her from the bad intentions of a cocky Love Demon first.

But Damios is determined to protect her. Even if he loses her in the process.

MINI EXCERPT:
Damios lowered his head, capturing her exquisite lips in a kiss that was less a tender wish and more an urgent promise. Her mouth opened under his and he accepted her offer, slipping his tongue past her lips to savor her sweet taste.

She moaned softly as his hands slipped around her waist, up her back, and pulled her tightly against his chest. Her body heated under his kiss and her incredible scent slipped over him.

Damios broke the kiss long enough to say, “I lied. I want to come inside.”

They both stilled for a moment, Damios realizing how his declaration had sounded and Rori’s lips twitching under a suppressed grin.

He rested his forehead against hers, finding it hard to breathe. “Sorry. That came out wrong.”

She chuckled huskily, skimming the tip of one velvet thumb across his bottom lip. “No. It came out just right.”

Damios bit her thumb softly and slipped his hands down her body, cupping the firm roundness of her buttocks. His lips found hers again and he groaned as she ground herself against him.

Their kiss gained heat, their bodies thrumming under the imperative of a building need. Their tongues tangled, danced, and their hands skimmed, exploring with growing intensity…

To read more or purchase Cupid Only Rings Twice please click the vendor’s name.

Musa Publishing | Nook | Kobo |
Sony | ARe | Kindle | Amazon.uk
| Amazon.ca

Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!

Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.

She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 13 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.

Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.

FRENCH Tickler is LIVE!

August 5, 2013 | New Releases

Musa Publishing and I are thrilled to announce FRENCH Tickler, book 5 and the last story in Naughty Ladies of Nice is now available.

Lace and handcuffs…tools of the trade.

New Yorker Samantha Bradley has a fun, sexy career designing ladies lingerie. Now that her business is on the rise, she treats herself to a well deserved break on the French Riviera where the women are glamorous and the men are gorgeous. After a few days Sam is eager to sample more than just the local cuisine.

Cisco Bernier is France’s key criminal prosecutor, but his courtroom charm falls flat outside the hallowed halls of justice. From family relationships to romantic trysts, his success rate is abysmal until a chance encounter with a sensuous young American businesswoman spins his staid world out of control.

Sam and Cisco sizzle together, but any future is threatened when their pasts collide. Her mob-connected father and his deceitful mother resurface and drag them into a corrupt world of lies and danger.

PG EXCERPT:
Sam tugged on the collar of her black blouse, fidgeted with her purse, refolded her shawl, and straightened the magazines on the coffee table for the third time, all the while she kept a sharp eye on the lobby door. She refused to check the clock over the front desk again. Cisco said he’d pick her up at the hotel, and she believed he’d follow through.

A tender sensation swept through her as she glimpsed a tall black haired man brush his way through the revolving door. Her happiness crashed to the marble floor when a blonde beauty, decked out in an off shoulder gown that screamed Donna Karan, wrapped herself around him like a cheap bath towel.

Patience turned to embarrassment that beat a hasty retreat from the anger building in her.

She hadn’t been stood up since she was fifteen. After her damned father ran off that hood wannabe Freddy LaFrano, the Italian guys had lost their balls. Not one of them asked her for a date again. The only guy who tried was a cute Irish kid. But the little wimp never showed. Now the French were bringing a new contingent to her international list of jerks.

Piss on it.

She’d go out to dinner alone. Sure wouldn’t be the first time.

Whump!

Strong hands clamped onto her upper arms, steadying her as she struggled to catch her breath.

“Excusez-moi, Samantha.”

His minty breath tickled her cheek. She almost purred, and all she wanted to do was snuggle closer into his cashmere jacket with his arms cuddled around her.

Mercy, woman. Get a grip.

She swallowed hard, counted the pastel shades in her new summer line, then stepped away, calm and collected. Almost.

“Good evening, Cisco.” The sound of her husky voice came as a complete surprise.

“You look very beautiful with flushed cheeks.” He beamed a know-it-all smile as he wrapped his warm fingers around her arm. “Shall we go?”

The night air chilled her heated skin. Cisco clucked his tongue when she shivered. He deftly removed the pashmina shawl from her frozen fingers, then draped it around her shoulders. The fine wool warmed her, but not as well as his hands…

For an adult rated excerpt of FRENCH Tickler please click HERE.

To read excerpts from my other erotic romances please click HERE.

I’ll be back Wednesday with a new recipe from Sam Cheever. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane

Annie and Stan Just Having Fun

July 29, 2013 | Author Friend Promo

Today’s blog is happily turned over to multi published author SS Hampton Sr. and his guest multi genre author Annie Anthony.

Stan: Welcome Annie. So, who is Annie Anthony and what makes her tick?

Annie: Such a great question! And so hard to sum up in just a few words. I’m definitely a creative person, a caretaker, and a worker bee. I feel most at home when I have someone/thing to take care of, compelling and fulfilling work to do, and something to write in/draw on close at hand.

Stan: Your blog mentions your being a museum buff, volunteer, tattoo lover, and Lesbian. Will you tell us in a few words what it is you like about museums; what type of volunteer work you do and why; what tattoos you like (we won’t ask you to point “where”); and if being a Lesbian has had an influence on your writings?

Annie: Museums, yes. I actually truly love museums, antiques, even old or unique buildings. I love creating things—baking, drawing, writing. So when I’m in a museum, I feel like I’m able to peer over the shoulders of geniuses… like when I make something I love and show it to people or share it, in a museum, I’m able to be alongside brilliant artifacts of humanity and look closely, as if the creator is saying to me, “Look what I have done.” The internet is amazing because you can go anywhere and see anything—just like a computer cannot replace real human contact, seeing a work of art or an artifact centuries old so close, walking through a building that existed hundreds of years ago…it’s thrilling to me.

Wow, my answer about volunteer work could go on for pages—I work with children who have intellectual and medical special needs. I do it because it marries everything I think I am in one place—creative, caretaker, worker—and it’s fulfilling beyond what I have the words to describe. It’s safe to say that when I’m volunteering, I am completely out of my head, in the moment, and drawing out my most colorful, patient, playful self. Playing with a child who is dependent on a feeding tube or a wheelchair, or who has significant delays or obstacles is a very complex and fulfilling joy which gives me far more than I give.

Hahaha, I have a lot of tattoos and they each have very specific meaning to me. I thought through each one for years (no joke, years!) before actually getting it—the location, the design, the meaning. So they are far more than body art to me. They are literally like wearing my heart on my sleeve (or back, or wrist, or foot…) People get tattoos for different reasons but I don’t think many of us get them for no reason at all… I love that in our country we have the freedom and choice to decorate our bodies in ways that are significant to us. To me, just being able to have a tattoo is a symbol of the freedom we enjoy in this country and that along with our other freedoms is something I deeply treasure and appreciate.

And yes, absolutely. The people who I date or love always impact my writing and work, always. Whether I’m inspired or damaged, whether it’s a brother or a girlfriend, I draw all the truth (differentiated from “fact”) in my writing from reality.

Stan: Will you share one of your favorite childhood memories with us?

Annie: Absolutely. I’m the oldest of three. I have a sister who is two years younger and a brother who was seven years younger. My brother passed away when he was 21 (about 11 years ago) so my memories of him are particularly precious to me.

I remember being in high school and studying like crazy, tons of homework. I would often tuck my brother into bed and get into his bed with him to read him a story or rub his head as he fell asleep. At that point, I was probably 15 and he would have been about 8. I would often fall asleep in bed with him, and take sort of a blissful, stolen nap for maybe an hour or so. When I would wake up, I would turn off his lights and go to my room and get back to studying until late in the night.

Stan: What is your favorite time of the day (or night), and why?

Annie: I’m sort a weird hybrid of morning and night person. I love getting up early, getting some things done and then taking a mid-afternoon rest (LOL, when my schedule even allows.) Then getting back going in the afternoon and going until midnight or so. It’s like fitting two days into one!

Stan: You recently moved from Chicago to Los Angeles. If you don’t mind, what prompted the change? Has there been any culture shock?

Annie: My younger sister has lived in Los Angeles for more than decade, and she is married. She got pregnant with her first child just about 7-8 months after I had to have a hysterectomy for medical reasons. So I became sterile right around the time my sister became a mother. Intense, right? She and I are very close and we talked about how I could handle this, whether I should stay away, try to be involved. I hate LA—which is why I never moved out there to be closer to her before now! I’m very typically Midwestern, I would say. I can’t tolerate celebrity culture, I mean, yes, I enjoy TV and movies, but I’m not a stargazer, have no desire to be part of a cool “scene.” I like carbs and hate plastic faces… but. I love my sister and I want to be a part of this enormous moment in her life and in our family. Since I can’t have children and my brother is no longer with us, the full burden of kids falls to my sister. And I wouldn’t be the bossy older sister if I didn’t try to horn in and make sure she does it right, would I?

Stan: You have a novella, Bullseye, being published this fall. Will you tell us what inspired this story?

Annie: Ah, Bullseye. You know, I have been writing since I was seven years old and have so many works in progress started that I have abandoned, mostly due to self-doubt, time constraints, etc. So when I wrote Bullseye, I never intended to publish it, I sat down and churned out the draft in one sitting and told myself—this is just for YOU. Write this for YOU and finish it, just tell this story. After I did, and after some editing, I thought, hmmm, it’s not horrible. Maybe someone would like it? So I sent it out and the rest is history…

Stan: Is there a particular audience that you might have had in mind when you wrote Bullseye?

Annie: Bullseye was written purely for me, what I wanted to read, what I wanted to convey. I wrote the story about a woman who has cancer and a dog whose cancer has returned. My dog was in remission at the time I wrote the story, I was single and really hoping to find a love that could look beyond the flaws. I come with a lot of baggage, you know, we all do, I guess. So I think I wrote the story for me but also for everyone who like me is imperfect but still very much worth loving.

Stan: Understanding that Bullseye may not be “picture perfect” at this moment, will you still share an excerpt?

Annie: Sure! How about the first line, my editor won’t kill me for that, will she? It’s one of the lines I still smile over when I re-read, I love it:

“Car lights pushed through twilight like straight pins through dark cloth.”

Stan: I’m sure your editor won’t do dastardly things to you for one line! Maybe. What prompted you to choose Musa Publishing as your publisher?

Annie: There are so many publishers out there right now. Big, small, indie, traditional, eBook, print. I’m a small pond kind of girl. I want to know that where I am matters, that the editors actually read my book, not an intern at the slush desk, that my editor liked my book and is personally invested in the outcome, me as an author. I think there are a lot of fantastic books and fantastic publishers out there, but what appealed to me about Musa is that they are real people running a company their way, by their rules—and those rules really do buck the traditional models. Perfect example: when I saw the cover mock-up for Bullseye, I sent an insanely hyper and happy email to my editor—and she was thrilled and doing backflips too! THAT is what makes Musa special. They are real professionals running a small business. I’m grateful and proud to be a part of that.

Stan: Will you give us a hint about another Work In Progress?

Annie: Absolutely, I’m working on writing and illustrating a children’s picture book centered around two fish named Zuzu and Lotsa. I’m also still plotting out a GLBT YA fantasy series. It’s this epic process for me, but it’s amazing to actually sit down and plot out how dozens of characters fit into this world that I am creating. I am also working on a historical fiction, a romance, so that book has also required a lot of research and plotting. Wish me luck, my drawer of orphaned manuscripts is FULL!

Stan: Definitely, good luck! And, where can we find out more about you (blog, Pinterest, etc.)?

Annie: Thanks for asking! I’m on Twitter, Pinterest, I have a blog and I am on Facebook. I love Pinterest, I have lots of Boards for my WIPs, so that is a great place to see my ideas as they are yet unformed in words.

Stan: And, we have to ask: are those Pomeranians you write about in your blog, still being pushy?

Annie: HA! Well, yes and no. I have resorted to bribery (treats.) I have not been bitten in a while, but I still get the Darth Vader-esque bark from a couple of them, you know, anytime I live or breathe…

Stan: Finally, if there is one or a couple of things in this world you would most like to find—whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual—what would it, or they, be?

Annie: There are definitely a couple of things I would like to find, have, create yet. And I have to thank you for even asking that question because just sitting down to examine what those things are is a good reminder of what is possible. Those vague needs and hopes are hard to chase, right? But when I say, OK, I’d like “a this” and “a that,” those things become real and possible. Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, I would like to give more without feeling loss, appreciate more without becoming proud, and create more joyfully, without fear. And hell, I do hope that a chubby 40-year old can still hold out hope for a lasting love and family of her own, right? And for sure, another couple of tattoos…

Stan: Thanks for visiting, and for sharing so much of yourself with us. We wish you much happiness and success in life!

Annie: Thank you!

Annie Anthony is an editor, author, volunteer, and dog mama. On hiatus from her hometown of Chicago, Annie is temporarily living and working in Los Angeles. Look for her novella Bullseye releasing this fall from Musa Publishing.

SS Hampton Sr. served in the active duty Army, the Army Individual Reserve (mobilized for the Persian Gulf War), then enlisted in the Army National Guard; he was mobilized for active duty for almost three years after his enlistment. Much of his work is based on military life such as his paranormal Dancing in the Moonlight.

Something is following Corporal Ronnie Edson back to Iraq, something that won’t rest until it owns him completely.

To read an excerpt from any of the books written by SS Hampton Sr. please click HERE.

Hampton’s writings have appeared as stand-alone stories, and in anthologies from Dark Opus Press, Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy, Melange Books, Musa Publishing, MuseItUp Publishing, Ravenous Romance, and as stand-alone stories in Horror Bound Magazine, Ruthie’s Club, Lucrezia Magazine, The Harrow, and River Walk Journal, among others.

Cooking with Holley

July 24, 2013 | Author Friend Promo

from Holley Trent

Happy summer, everyone!

This easy cold salad is great for potlucks and outdoor parties, and travels well. Combine everything except the dressing the night before to save time the day of your event.

Holley’s Low-fuss Summer Salad

2 cup pearled barley, cooked tender but not mushy
2 small tomatoes, diced
1 large cucumber, diced
2 green onions—whites and greens—sliced thin
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
1/8 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp. water

Drain cooked barley and allow to cool.

Toss barley with tomatoes, cucumbers, and green onions. If serving the next day, cover and refrigerate.

Half an hour before serving, mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin with water in a small jar with lid. Shake well. Pour over salad and mix gently.

Serve salad at room temperature.

Easily serves 8.

*Mix extra dressing if you like a less dry salad.
**Salad can be easily doubled or tripled.

Here’s a brief intro of my latest release for your reading pleasure.

The psychic didn’t go looking for love, but she should have seen it coming.

Marcia Andrews is a freelance psychic consultant. Sick of living hand to mouth, she accepts a contract with Raleigh Police. A new gang called The Cardinals is terrorizing The Triangle, and Marcia gives the department an edge in tracking them. Help that she is, one cop isn’t so keen on her involvement, and makes sure she knows it.

Detective Nat McCoy would rather see Marcia in his bedroom than the bullpen. The gorgeous Scotsman isn’t the typical chauvinist pig, though. He’s keeping a secret that even the psychic doesn’t anticipate.

A close encounter with a Cardinal’s bullet knocks Marcia off her game when the police need her most. She loses hours to trances and ghosts haunt her sleep. She can hardly function, and everything she thought she knew about playboy McCoy suddenly seems questionable. McCoy thinks he knows the cure for what ails her—him. But can she trust him?

Love by Premonition is available for purchase now at the Musa store and also at third-party vendors such as Amazon.com and All Romance eBooks.

If you’d like to stay up to date on my progress with its spin-off, visit me on my blog or follow me on Twitter.

Holley Trent is the author of Executive Decision, Mrs. Roth’s Merry Christmas, and Her Resident Jester – all available now from Musa Publishing’s Calliope Romance Line.

To see all of Holley Trent’s Musa Publishing books, please click HERE.

Meet the Legendary and Oh-so-stylish She-Aba…

July 22, 2013 | Author Friend Promo

…who is Lilith’s BFF in the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series, Legend of the Timekeepers. She-Aba is with us today and has plenty to say about following your dreams and standing out in a crowd.

Thank you for coming to chat with us today, She-Aba. Why do you think Sharon Ledwith chose you to represent her?
Because I have the most style and flair when it comes to representing others. I look at a person and see their best qualities, then work with the right fabrics and accessories to bring out their natural beauty and make them stand out. Sharon knows this. I know this. I mean…look at my shoes. Aren’t they stunning?

They are indeed. What is your birth date?
I was born fourteen years ago on the day after my parents arrived here from Atlantis.

Here? Where do you live? What is it about the area that drew your parents?
I was born and raised in the Black Land. I’ve heard that it’s named for the rich, dark soil found in the river and the valley we live near. Since there was too much instability going on in Atlantis—you know, stuff like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions—my parents decided to immigrate here and start a new life. And I’m so glad that they did seeing as their homeland blew up and sank into the ocean.

Wow, your parents certainly made a good decision. Tell us a little about yourself?
Well, ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to dress up people, and help them look their best. My father sits on the Black Land’s high counsel, so I make sure his beard is braided, his hair is oiled and scented, and his clothes are of the highest quality. Oh, and I also have red hair. Apparently that’s not very favorable in the eyes of the Black Land natives.

Huh? Why not?
Red is a color reserved for their gods and goddesses. The natives think red is magical, and anyone with red hair is considered a freak of nature.

I see. What’s your favorite music?
Ohhh, I love the sound of crystal bowls being played! It makes my whole body hum and vibrate.

Will we be seeing more of you or are you stepping out of the lime light?
I don’t understand what you mean about the lime light? Is it like the moon or sun light? These are very confusing questions! I’m sure Sharon Ledwith has future plans for me if that is what you mean.

What do you do to relax?
I create beautiful sashes, satchels, and shoes to go with all the outfits I put together. The end results are truly extraordinary.

Okay, so what gets you excited?
No contest. Shoes. Oh, and finding the right suitor.

What’s your favorite ice cream flavor, chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?
What is this ice cream you speak of? There is no such thing here in the Black Land. Again you confuse me with your babble. You need to wear a Babel necklace. It’s all the rage for a Timekeeper. Plus it would help me to understand what you are saying. If you are talking about a favorite food, then I like drizzling honey over freshly baked bread. Mmmm.

Do you believe in ghosts?
No. But I do believe in dark vibrations. I’ve seen it firsthand.

Why should the readers be interested in your story?
What a silly question! This story is about finding your true purpose. Why we are here and what we have to do. That’s what life readings are for. Why would anyone NOT be interested?

What is a life reading?
Life readings are scribed on a small ceramic disk called a life seal. See the one I’m wearing on my spotted-animal cape? I fashioned it to look like a broach. Originally a life seal is blank, but once the high priestess from the Temple Beautiful has had a chance to assess you based on your karmic development, she goes into a trance and records her impressions on the seal which then becomes your lifetime occupation.

That sounds complicated. What is your lifetime occupation?
My original lifetime occupation was supposed to be to design clothing for the people of the various positions in the court and temples. Then one day the inscription on my life seal completely changed.

Changed? How?
That’s for me to know, and you to find out…

Here’s a little sampling of Legend of the Timekeepers set to be released this August 30th.

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her new-found friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.

If you haven’t already checked out my young adult time travel read, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, here’s the blurb…

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they’re given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn’t a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers–legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial–Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don’t, then history itself may be turned upside down.

To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, please click HERE.

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.

BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing
Amazon Link
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, The Last Timekeepers, available through Musa Publishing. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.