Archive for 2014

A TREAT WITHOUT A TRICK

October 27, 2014 | Author Friend New Releases

Just in time for Halloween is an eerie FREE READ by Marci Boudreaux. You don’t want to miss this paranormal romance. The Legend of Sarah Latham proves that family reunions can be hell.

Family reunions can be hell.

Nearly four hundred years ago, Sarah Latham and William Fuller disappeared. Legend has it she was a wicked witch and he was her demon. Legend also has it that whenever a Latham descendant reaches thirty years of age, Sarah comes to drag them to Hell.

Good thing twenty-nine-year-old Elizabeth Latham doesn’t believe in legends. Or at least she didn’t until she happened upon a woman in the family cemetery who just happened to look an awful lot like the paintings in the local museum.

Elizabeth is determined to stay ground in reality, but her idea of reality is shattered when she finally accepts that Sarah and William have returned. She soon realizes that Sarah is about as far from wicked as William is from being a demon.

So if Sarah hasn’t been dragging generations of Lathams to hell…who has?

EXCERPT
“This is it,” Elizabeth said. “The Latham Museum.”

“I know,” Sarah whispered.

“What?”

Sarah forced a smile as she looked at the woman next to her. “It, uh, isn’t much, is it?”

“Well, according to the museum, the cabin is exactly the same. Every board has been replaced at some point, and electricity and running water were added in the fifties, but overall, the structure is exactly as it was then. So they say.”

Sarah took a moment to look up at the log cabin again while Elizabeth hopped out of the truck. Thoughts of her life here ran through her mind like a movie as she finally opened the door and put her feet on the ground. Moving toward the house was like being transported through time. Each step made the past feel closer until she could smell the fields and hear axes chopping in the distance as the boys cut wood for their fireplace.

Sarah was pulled back to the present when Elizabeth pushed a door open and caused a bell to jingle. Sarah took a breath as she stepped inside, bracing herself for whatever remnants of the past remained.

Actually, the cabin wasn’t a terrible replica of the home she had shared with the Latham men. Her gaze immediately lifted to the loft where the boys had slept. The fireplace to her left had a huge kettle hanging from a hook and a wooden table had chairs surrounding it, closely resembling the setting that had been there before.

In the window, which now had glass panes, was a Voodoo doll with Xs stitched for eyes and pins sticking out of it. She’d never done that; such a brazen act would have brought suspicion of witchery from her neighbors, but she guessed that was what the museum was going for—the blatant signs of witchcraft that legends were made of.

A stuffed black cat sat on a chair, forever stuck with its paw in the air and hissing violently. The Lathams had never owned a cat. Sarah loathed cats then and now. Black felines were just another stereotype blown completely out of proportion.

One wicked witch, one black cat, one coven who summoned demons from hell, and now all witches were supposed to have black cats, pointy hats, and Satan on speed dial. She shook her head, offended that this was part of her legend.

But then, something else drew her attention and pulled her into the so-called museum. A stand in the middle of the room with a glass case over it summoned her.

“Jasper,” she breathed. She bypassed all the other trinkets and displays, and went straight for the display. His journal. The journal she’d given him and protected with a spell so long ago was there and was nearly as perfect as it had been then.

The book lay opened to a page with a drawing. She’d always been amazed by his artistic ability. He could put charcoal to paper and make the most lifelike images appear with just a few strokes and smudges.

Her smile fell when she stood over the picture exposed to museum visitors. A drawing of her. A perfect drawing in fact. Four hundred years later and she looked exactly as she had in the drawing he’d made. Her dark hair was pulled up and tucked under a bonnet, her clothes were from the old days, but her light eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips were the same.

“Whoa,” Elizabeth said, standing next to Sarah. She looked from the drawn Sarah to the live one. “Remember how I said you kind of looked like Sarah Latham? I take that back. You are a dead ringer for Sarah Latham.”

“So it seems.”

“Creepy,” Elizabeth whispered.

Watch the Book Trailer on YouTube.

Claim your FREE download HERE.

To read blurbs from other books by Marci Boudreaux please click a vendor’s name.
Musa Publishing – Amazon

Marci Boudreaux, her husband, two daughters, and their numerous pets live in Iowa. She is a freelance writer and appears monthly in a variety of local magazines as well as a content editor for several small publishing houses.

Romance is her preferred reading and writing genre because nothing feels better than falling in love with someone new. And since her husband doesn’t like when she does that in real life, the best solution is to write it.

Marci has her MS in Publishing and works as a freelance editor for Kensington Publishing Corporation in their Lyrical Press imprint. Marci also does freelance editing including developmental, content, and grammar for authors preparing to start the submission process.

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

Be sure to enter Musa Publishing’s Colossal Anniversary Celebration contest. Click here to win paperback books and other awesome prizes.

Stir Up a Something Scrumptious

October 22, 2014 | Author Friend Promo

Summer is gone and fall is in full swing, but there’s no need to worry about that chill in the air. Susan Lodge has the best advice to snuggle in comfort. Susan recommends you dish up some romance with a Tasty Regency and a Contemporary Cocktail.

Recipe for Only a Hero Will Do

1. Blend one firm ship’s Physician (not over ripe) and one impulsive female gambler. Toss them together in a large wooden naval ship.

2. Pour into the middle of an enemy sea and leave to simmer.

3. Season with a pinch of sea salt and a good shake of humor.

4. Beat in a battle and then carefully fold in a cup full of heroic deeds and a heap of family betrayal. Moisten with a few tears.

5. Heat gently until it smoulders.

6. Enjoy whilst lounging in a comfortable chair.

Here is a taster.

Hetty’s desperate gamble to avoid an odious match lands her all at sea. Can an overbearing ship’s physician really be the hero she needs to escape her treacherous family?

Marriage to a cruel dandy is not how Hetty Avebury envisions spending the rest of her life. Determined to raise funds to escape the match she earns money the only way she knows how—gambling. Her plans go astray and she finds herself onboard a man-of-war under the care of its stern physician. But Hetty soon realizes that the disapproving Doctor Withington is not at all the man she had first imagined.

If it wasn’t bad enough declaring one of the pressed men as a woman, Robert has been tasked with the tiresome job of returning her safely back to her dysfunctional family. It was ten years ago when his father gambled away his inheritance, home, and any chance of marrying the woman he loved. So when Robert discovers Hetty gambling he takes drastic action to cure her of the habit.

And if that’s not to your taste and you prefer a romance set in the twenty first century then maybe you would like to consider.

Recipe for The Man in the Buff Breeches

1.Take a thirty something career girl and mix with an invitation to a Regency themed ball. This will take some effort as they do not combine easily.

2. Pour in to a long glass with an assortment of men dressed up in breeches.

3. To prevent the mixture overheating add some ice cold cubes of terror and stir with a Regency fan.

4. Relax in your bunny slippers and enjoy.

Here is a taster

What is it about men in breeches? Shona finds out her dream man turns out to be not at all what she expected.

When a man in tight buff breeches examines her with his quizzing glass and calls her Miss Bennet, Shona fears the Regency themed ball is going to be as awful as she predicted. But then she is introduced to the gorgeous Nick who ticks every box for her perfect man.

As Shona looks forward to her first date with Nick, her happiness is marred by some disturbing observations around her flat. She doesn’t usually leave her blind rolled down that far, and she never keeps her bunny slippers tidily by the bed. And what is the man in the buff breeches doing lurking on the street outside?

As both men pursue her, Shona finds one makes her body quiver with desire, the other itch with annoyance. Then the men finally confront each other, and her life turns into a nightmare. Can her judgment regarding the male species really be so seriously flawed?

To read other books by Susan Lodge, please click a vendor’s name.
Musa Publishing – Amazon

Susan Lodge’s first publication was a story for a UK national woman’s magazine. Heady with this breakthrough, she went on to write her first novel Only a Hero Will Do. She loves writing contemporary and historical romance, usually with a large dose of humour. After working in several cities including London and Bristol, she moved down to the Hampshire coast to raise her family.

Once asked the most important piece of advice she had been given in pursuit of publication, Susan answered –
The only difference between the unpublished writer and the published writer is the fact that the published writer didn’t give up.

Catch up with Susan on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

HOT DAMN and EVERYTHING SEXY!

October 20, 2014 | Author Friend New Releases

SS Hampton, Sr. is a longtime friend and respected author. I’m excited to tell you Stan has a HOT new release. SHARING Rachel is an erotic romance that’s sure to clench your thighs and curl your toes. Our bad boy SS Hampton, Sr. has hit a delicious new high!

Sometimes people choose to live life to the fullest…

Burt and Rachel Markham are ordinary small business owners of a feed & seed store in a small Kansas farming and ranching community. Many years before, as young university graduates eagerly anticipating exciting overseas employment, a lifetime in Kansas was the furthest thing from their minds, particularly Rachel who was raised overseas and dreamed of going back. By July 2013 their twin 18-year old daughters, having graduated high school several months before, go east to attend a university. Burt and Rachel settle into their new life of an empty house and a predictable and unchanging routine that threatens to stretch far into the future. One summer evening Burt has an idea—but will Rachel accept the idea? If she does, will the idea add new excitement to their marriage or destroy it?

EXCERPT
Life—the sum of many parts gathered into a raw and uninhibited whole and unashamedly and breathlessly lived to the fullest…

One part trapped heat and humidity, a thick, heavy embrace that fills the air and envelopes the flesh like a thing alive.

One part pungent scents swirling through the air and becoming a powerful, intoxicating aphrodisiac. Each provocative scent with its own story. The hot musky scent of feminine wetness and the stronger scent of masculine sex blended into its own particular smell. The individual smells of feminine sweat and perfume mingled with masculine sweat and cologne. And all of the resulting mixtures blended into a strong overpowering fragrance of consuming lust and pleasure.

One part sound for sound gives unseen life and strength to the spoken and unspoken. A female voice that moans “Ohhhh shit!” or screams “OH MY GOD!” followed by lengthy, rising whimpers that end in pleasure-filled shrieks needs no explanation; nor does feminine unintelligible babbling answered by a deep chuckle when accompanied by the rapid, endless slapping of wet flesh against wet flesh. In between the voices are long periods of silence broken only by the whisper of classical music, the rustle of bed sheets, the creak of bedsprings, and the sound of joined, intimate sticky wetness. Finally, deep grunts followed by much satisfied long, drawn out sighs from the feminine and masculine says it all.

One part sight for the visual binds the many parts together; blue-hued shadows and pale highlights playing across writhing shadowy forms, one smaller, curvaceous and feminine, the other bulkier and masculine, pantomimes an unspoken story. The feminine raised on elbows, head hung back, long hair brushing against damp bed sheets, a leg draped over the masculine with trembling pointed foot and toes curled tight. The masculine, resting on arms with hands placed on the bed, head lowered to a pale, blue-tinted breast, while hips move with a rhythmic passion between spread legs. The shadows joined together speak silently of lust, pleasure, domination, and submission.

All of the sums gathered together and witnessed, for without a witness there is no remembrance of a moment lived to the fullest. Against the far wall of a bedroom loft, beside a glowing nightstand lamp, brown eyes watched and took in every detail.

Sometimes the feminine looked with dazed blue eyes at the glazed brown eyes of the watcher seated in a large brown recliner.

For a brief moment their eyes meet. For a brief moment, without touching, the feminine and the watcher share the heavy humid heat of the room, the incredible smells, and the sounds of endless pleasure from the feminine and masculine joined together.

And then the feminine returned to the private universe within that would always be unseen by and unshared with anyone…

BUY LINKS: MuseItHOT a division of MuseItUp Publishing – Amazon

Stan Hampton, Sr. is a full-blood Choctaw of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, a divorced grandfather to 13 wonderful grandchildren, and a published photographer and photojournalist. He retired on 1 July 2013 from the Army National Guard with the rank of Sergeant First Class; he previously served in the active duty Army (1974-1985), the Army Individual Ready Reserve (1985-1995) (mobilized for the Persian Gulf War), and enlisted in the Nevada Army National Guard in October 2004, after which he was mobilized for Federal active duty for almost three years. Hampton is a veteran of Operations Noble Eagle (2004-2006) and Iraqi Freedom (2006-2007) with deployment to northern Kuwait and several convoy security missions into Iraq.

His 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, The Harrow, and River Walk Journal, among others.

In May 2014 he graduated from the College of Southern Nevada with an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Photography – Commercial Photography Emphasis. A future goal is to study for a degree in archaeology—hopefully to someday work in and photograph underwater archaeology (and also learning to paint).

Hampton can be found at:
Dark Opus Press – Edge Science Fiction & Fantasy Publishing – Melange Books –
Musa Publishing – MuseItUp Publishing – Goodreads Author Page
Amazon Author Page – Amazon UK

October 13, 2014 | Holidays

Warm Up with Homemade Soup

October 8, 2014 | Author Friend Promo

Longtime friend and creative author Emma Lane is here to share her latest culinary creation. The stove is all yours, Emma.

This recipe is only a guideline for making a delicious lunch or main dish during harvest time when fresh vegetables are available. The list of vegetables is easily amendable to whatever your harvest brings. (Not beets!) Be sure to add nurturing bread like corn bread or crackers for a more substantial meal. (Okay, I used corn chex mix, but that was an emergency) A green salad is always a welcome addition.

FRESH VEGETABLE SOUP

1 diced onion (not mild and NOT garlic.)
½ diced green pepper (sweet)
2 chopped celery stalks (all sand removed)
1 fat carrot peeled and chopped
Corn kernels (1-2 ears fresh)
1 can diced tomato or 1 lg. chopped fresh
1½ cups fresh green beans chopped (strings removed)
1 can Campbell’s Chicken and Rice soup or 1 cup soup stock, beef or chicken
½ pound hamburger (I use ground chuck) or left over 1 cup chopped meat or chicken
1 med. potato chopped into small cubes (or 2 small)
1 beef or chicken bullion cube (or 2 if stronger broth is desired.)
Sprig fresh thyme or pinch or two dried
Sprig of oregano or pinch of dried
Small sprig of basil or pinch of dried
Sprig of parsley (flat not curly)

Optional Veggies: okra, green peas, yellow squash, small can chick peas
Optional herbs/spices: pinch of chili pepper, tiny clove of garlic, sprig of cilantro.

Tip: if you use fresh herbs tie together with kitchen string to make removal easier.

Sauté meat and set aside.

Wash and chop vegetables.

Fill large pot halfway with water (more or less as needed, but NOT at the last minute as it weakens the broth). Add onions and celery. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add carrots, corn, tomatoes, potato, soup stock or Campbell’s, bouillon cube, sprigs of herbs (remove before serving). Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add meat. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Veggies will be somewhat crisp. Cook longer if desired. As it sits the flavor will increase. But cool and refrigerate if it’s going to be longer than a few hours before serving.

Here’s a brief intro to one of my Regency books to check out while the soup is simmering.

Can an arrogant duke overcome his prejudice against a beautiful but managing female in time to find true love and happiness?

Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king’s business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother’s estate. Will the strong-willed couple reconcile their differences and unmask a traitor in time to find their own happily ever after partnership?

To read an excerpt from any of Emma Lane’s books please click a vendor’s name
Musa Publishing – Amazon

Regency Romance author Emma Lane lives with her patient husband on several acres outside a typical American village in Western New York. Her day job is working with flowers at her son’s plant nursery. Look for information about writing and plants on her new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.

Six Sales Points for Authors

October 6, 2014 | Author Friend Promo

by Sharon Ledwith

There are a lot of authors out there today competing for readers’ attention—readers that you’ve worked so hard to obtain. Some do a very good job, make a lot of money, and stick around. They build satisfying publishing careers that last for decades. Other authors try to wing it and burn out. What’s the difference between a successful author and a wannabe author who just dawdles on the borders of success? Owning a great website? Having a damn good marketing plan? Creating a social media plan for each book release? Good luck? Whatever the answer, often the key to a successful career in the publishing field can be attributed to one or all of these time-tested sales points:

If it doesn’t work, fix it. Let’s face it—some sales strategies work better than others. The trick is to reassess what you’ve been doing. If you’re not producing the sales you’d like to see for a certain book, then chances are you need to correct and fine-tune your methods. For some authors this may mean retooling their blurb or tagline or change the cover. For others, it could be giving their website or blog a fresh new look.

Listen and learn. A number of things factor into book sales. One of the most important is your target audience—who you are writing for. Ask yourself, how are you fulfilling your readers’ needs? What must you do to continually hook their attention? For starters, you have to be willing to walk that extra mile by getting to know and understand your readers. You do this through social networks (Facebook, Twitter), workshops, book signings, school and library visits, book clubs, and online communities such as Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Show enthusiasm. Enthusiasm builds bridges. Panic tears them down. One thing an author has going for them is their unique voice. You use it in your books, so use it to sell them. Readers know when an author resonates with them. Be invested enough in yourself, as an author, to give your readers a fantastic story they’ll never want to end. Then write another one.

Sell yourself, on yourself. The power of positive thinking works wonders. Motivation builders such as podcasts, CDs or self-help books can help reinforce the super salesperson in you. Be specific with your goals and rewards, such as if you send out ten review requests in a day, book a pedicure or lunch with a friend. Write notes reminding yourself that you are a ‘Bestselling Author’ and ‘You can do it’, then leave them around your desk. After all, seeing is believing.

Create a sales plan to suit each book. Every book you write is one of a kind. Sales tactics for one book may not work for the second book. That’s when you get creative and take chances. Giveaways are always a fan favorite. Experiment with each book until you get a sales formula that works for you. Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes helps, so if you can afford it, hire a publicist or a marketing consultant. The bigger the investment, the bigger the payoff.

You give, you receive. “What goes around, comes around” is a hard adage for a lot of authors to relate to, but it is nevertheless a vitally important point. And it’s a no-brainer. I tend to share a lot of useful information that could help my author peeps with their sales or marketing strategies. This comes naturally to me. Pass along opportunity when you can. It’s a wise investment—one that any author will never regret making.

Here’s a little from one of Sharon’s novels for your reading pleasure.

Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are the only hope for our past.

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.

MUSA PUBLISHING’S COLOSSAL ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

October 1, 2014 | Contests

VIKI LYN BRINGS HISTORY TO LIFE

September 29, 2014 | Author Friend New Releases

I’m excited to introduce you to Regarding Eliza, an Edwardian romance novel by multi-published and multi-genre author Viki Lyn. This is an amazing story that brings the era to life and is certain to capture your heart.

Tortured by fragmented memories of her past, Eliza must face the truth…or be imprisoned for life.

For years, Eliza Lily has lived as the “distant cousin” of William and Jewel Bennett, who rescued her from a past she can’t remember. Now, amidst ugly rumors of who she might actually be, William plans to marry her to a suitable gentleman who can give her a home and safety. What better way to curb his own developing feelings for her?

Eliza wants none of that. She is no hothouse flower, and no man of standing will marry her due to her dubious past anyway. Not even William, whom she secretly loves. Instead, she focuses on her quest for social change. Her passion for women’s rights leads her to Greenwich Village and the suffragette movement. But as she finds her place in the world, her past still haunts her.

Only by going back to the scene of her lost memories can she hope to discover the truth and set herself free…to love and be loved.

EXCERPT
“Whoa, slow down. It looks like I hit a nerve.” His smile dipped. “There’s something you’re not telling me?”

Fear at being discovered swept over her. No, the knife was safely hidden. William had no way to know she had Jeb’s knife. “I do want to go…”

“But…?”

“Going back after all these years…” To the place of her abandonment by her mother, who had never returned and therefore forever branded Eliza unworthy. Abandonment that had led to the Harrises and the bleak moment erased from her mind. Finding the knife seemed like a dark omen.

“Ah, of course, how stupid of me. The Foundling Home. I should have realized how hard this might be for you.”

Eliza looked up, surprised William understood. “It wasn’t such a horrible place, but I’m not sure how I feel about seeing it again.”

“There’s no reason why you’d have to. You’ll be socializing with people who have no connection to the orphanage.”

“I suppose in New York anything is possible,” she said, more to convince herself she made the right choice. “I don’t remember much of the place. All I remember is the drafty room where I slept.”

Lines of metal cots, the smell of starch and soap, nuns stepping lightly through the corridors, a large church with stained glass windows reflecting a kaleidoscope of jewels on the wooden pews.

William touched her arm before sitting back up. Eliza smiled at him to ease his obvious discomfort at her confession. “I’m making it out worse than it was. The nuns were always nice to me.”

Edging closer, he cupped his hand on her cheek. “This is the first time I’ve seen you smile since I’ve been here.”

The gentle touch sent a pleasurable thrill through Eliza. She tried hard to ignore the sensation, but the warmth of William’s fingers didn’t allow her to brush the feeling aside.

“That’s not true.” Eliza pressed her hand to her fluttering stomach.

William tilted her chin. His intense gaze bored into her, and she parted her lips. She longed to trace the dual scars on his neck, to feel the raised flesh, to know how he felt to her touch. She wrung her hands in her lap, afraid he’d kiss her, afraid he wouldn’t, light-headed, confused.

BUY LINK

Warning: This eBook may contain language, content, images, and scenes that depict profanity, violence, sexuality/sexual relations or other content that is intended for mature adult readers. This eBook is meant only for adults as defined by the laws of the country or region where you made your purchase. If you are under the age of maturity, if adult material offends you, or if it is illegal to read, view, purchase, or own such material in your community please be warned that this eBook may contain objectionable content.

What inspires Viki is the reality that romance between lovers is a hope more than a guarantee. Her stories are an eclectic mix of contemporary and paranormal, but it is always romance that drives the story to its final happily-ever-after.

Learn more about Viki Lyn on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. Check out her bookshelf and be sure to Join Viki’s Street Team!

Viki is also an award winning author of male/male paranormal and contemporary romances. You can find all of her books at the following sites: Amazon, All Romance Ebooks and GLBT Bookshelf.

THE SWEET LIFE

September 24, 2014 | Author Friend Promo, Cooking

by Sharon Ledwith

In my book, Legend of the Timekeepers—the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series—my 14-year-old protagonist Lilith is faced with the reality that Atlantis is on the brink of being destroyed, and her family must evacuate their home immediately. While many of us look back on our lives and think—where the heck did the time go?—it doesn’t take a catastrophe like Lilith and her father had to endure to make us realize that life is indeed short, and we’d better be grateful for what we have in the present. The following recipe will make you appreciate the sweet things in your life, and is great to prepare on those cherished afternoons of baking with a loved one.

Maple Madness Butter Tarts

Tart Shells
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. (5 mL) salt
¾ cup (175 mL) all-vegetable shortening, well chilled (we use CRISCO® Golden All-Vegetable Shortening)
4-8 tbsp. (60-120 mL) ice cold water

Blend flour and salt in medium mixing bowl. Cut ½-inch (1.5 cm) cubes of chilled shortening into flour mixture using a pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces remaining.

Sprinkle 4 tbsp. (60 mL) of the ice cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top; press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. Add more water by the tablespoon, mixing until dough holds together.

Divide dough into two balls. Flatten balls into ½-inch (1.5 cm) thick disks, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

Place ball of dough on lightly floured work surface. With floured rolling pin, roll out thinly from center outward. Cut out 6 rounds with 4” (10 cm) cutter. Repeat with second ball of dough. Fit rounds into 12 medium-sized muffin cups.

Filling
½ cup (125 mL) packed brown sugar
¼ cup (60 mL) pure maple syrup
¼ cup (60 mL) corn syrup
¼ cup (60 mL) all-vegetable shortening
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
¾ cup of raisin or pecans (if desired)

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)

Combine all filling ingredients except raisins (or pecans); mix well.
Evenly divide raisins (or pecans) into pastry shells.

Fill cups ⅔ full with syrup mixture.

Bake on bottom shelf for 12 to 15 minutes or just until set. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool completely before removing from the pan.

Makes 12 Maple Madness butter tarts.

Now, while you’re waiting for your butter tarts to cool, why not partake in an afternoon of cozying up on the couch with a good book? Ready for a trip to Atlantis?

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 newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.

To read an excerpt from Legend of the Timekeepers please click here.

Legend of the Timekeepers Buy Links:
MUSA PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀ SMASHWORDS ׀ APPLE

If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith’s novel, 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.

BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing – Amazon Link – Barnes & Noble – Kobo

BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

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

STAYING STRONG

September 15, 2014 | Author Friend Promo

Michael di Gesu, an amazing man with a huge talent and even a bigger heart, created this blog hop to raise funds for our friend Melissa Bradley to defray the cost of her cancer treatments. Melissa is battling endometrial cancer with tumors that have metastasized to her hip bones. Under Michael’s direction a group of people have come together to participate in this hop. We’re all showing the uplifting side of an ugly disease. Entries will be collected into an anthology and those proceeds will go toward Melissa’s extensive medical bills.

I’ve had cancer twice and also had family members who fought the villain. And I’m here to tell you attitude is what it takes to be a winner. I am a firm believer in doing normal things in abnormal times and practice what I preach no matter the situation. Cancer was no exception to my philosophy, especially when I had stage 4 larynx cancer. I’m an email type of gal as opposed to the telephone, which I hate. Anyhow, to keep friends and family aware of my life and treatment progress I sent weekly updates. So here’s one of those emails for your reading pleasure.

From: Sloane Taylor
To: Cancer Pals
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 1012
Subject: OMG! I’M PREGNANT

is what I told Studs last night. After we got his heart pumping again, he said that was impossible since I’d told him I’d been spayed years ago. “Sure,” says I, “but what about Immaculate Conception? Since that’s my birthday maybe it’s an omen. Hell, look at the rosy glow in my cheeks. It all must mean…”

Two snorts later, he asked, “Yeah, right. So what’s going on?”

Well, boys and girls, guys and gals, the chemo has decided to its best to make me remember those long ago mornings of being pregnant with my beautiful daughter. Most of you ladies will relate to that and never want to relive it.:) The nausea pills help and this will only go on through late Monday afternoon. Unless God has another new joke he wishes to play on me.

The glow isn’t from radiation. It’s from the big bag of steroids they give me at chemo time to stop nausea. I don’t know if it works well for that, but it sure as hell fills out the wrinkles on my face. And I’d like to that there really aren’t that many. Also, I have extremely dry skin and always have. So there. I come by them honestly. Little K, my 7 year old granddaughter is fascinated by my wrinkles. The girl freaks me out because she gets right up next to me to study and trace the lines. It’s too weird, like she’s doing palmistry but in the wrong location.

Three radiations down along with three chemos that are literally running through and out of my system. Life’s good and I’m still eating real food.:)

Have a wonderful fourth of July, Everyone!

Love, S

Melissa also sent Michael di Gesu this letter to post…

Thank you so very much for all the supportive and wonderful words of encouragement you have sent me. I feel truly blessed to be a part of this community. I am now done with stage 2 of my chemo treatments and it has been a fight. Particularly this last time as I had an allergic reaction to the chemo drugs. I turned redder than a fire engine and horrific pains in my legs. Yet, all I could think was “freakin” perfect, I look like I could land planes in a blizzard.” Yes, I do keep my sense of humor about me. It sure helps to see the funny side of everything.

I’ve learned a lot about cancer through this experience so far, more than I ever thought I would know. The most important is having a great attitude and keeping your sense of humor. I also know that this disease is very expensive. To that end I’d love to do a blog hop with vignettes of humor from people who have been touched by this disease, particularly reproductive cancer. I’d love to collect these stories in an anthology to be published. I want to share the profits with Gilda’s Club Chicago, an organization that helps women fight endometrial, cervical, and ovarian cancers. I’ll keep you all posted.

As far as myself, having lost my job (because what else could go wrong, right?), my friends have started a Go Fund Me page to help with my expenses. If you could share this or even donate, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much for everything.

Hugs,

Melissa

Learn more about Melissa on her blog and on her Amazon Author’s page.

Be sure to check out the other people participating in the BIG C blog hop for Melissa Bradley. Their stories will warm your heart.