Guest post with Cerise DeLand!!
Cerise is taking over my blog today talking about the delights of Winter, including an awesome recipe!! Pull up a chair, relax and leave a comment to show your love. 
Delights of Winter: Books, chocolate sauce and thou!
A balmy 60 degree weather here in south Texas does not deter me from writing this. I am cold. Okay, I know you are probably shivering in much lower temperatures, but hey!, where I live this is approximately 20-30 degrees lower than what we normally experience.
Yet in winter, my activities turn to cocooning.
Today, I’m making a marinara sauce, reading the next in my allotment of Rita nominee novels and watching the rain drizzle down. I’m not going anywhere. I’m wearing my comfy duds and thick socks and drinking tea and coffee.
Could life be better?
No.
To help you in your quest for a yummy day–or even Valentine’s Day, I give you my recipe for chocolate sauce.
This thick delicious stuff warms the heart in winter (and all other seasons). It’s easy and quick to make. (I give it as Christmas gifts.) And it is not terribly expensive.
Here’s your chocolate fix:
- 1 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips (Any flavor, they are all yummy!)
- 1 bag of Kraft caramels (Yes, you have to unwrap these little suckers. Truly, this is the “hardest” part of the recipe, but why not have a scotch, neat, while unwrapping these little babies? You’ll be warm, happy and ready for desert!)
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1 stick of butter (1 cup)
Empty the room temperature butter, chips, caramels into a microwave proof pot. Pour the milk over it all.
Then, in 2 minutes increments, cook the mixture on High in the microwave, for a total of 10-12 minutes.
Stir (and sip your scotch) between every 2 minute cook.
Remove from microwave, stir with a spatula for one-2 minutes to ensure that the teeny tiny bits melt down.
Pour into a glass jar with a metal spoon inside to ensure the glass does not break from the heat. (I use canning jars, large and lovely, for this! As a gift, I tie a bow around the lip. Viola! Happy friends!)
This makes such a heap of deliciousness, your family will thank you. YOU will thank you. Over ice cream or brownies–or…um…just straight from the darn jar, this sauce is divine.
Also divine is the opportunity to write for a number of terrific publishers. (I love my job.)
On Feb. 3, I debut a short short with my Sassy 7 friends for Decadent Publishing in their new series, The Edge. They even invited us to launch this line for them!
BE MINE, my story, tells the tale of a man who has hunted for the woman he met and fell in love with last Valentine’s Day.
Hope you will read them all and enjoy them, my chocolate sauce and your cocooning activities, (wink, wink!) whatever they are!
Come to http://www.cerisedeland.com for more news about me and my fiction.
New Faces at Sweet n Sexy Divas!!!
I’m pleased to announce the addition of several new and fabulous authors at my other site Sweet n Sexy Divas!
Without further ado, let me introduce them.
Stormie Kent
Please join these fabulous authors and our other SNSD member authors each day for great posts and news of their recent releases, including contests!!
Renee’s Done It Again
Renee Vincent, an author friend, has a wonderful series called Sweet n Sexy Soulful Quotes that she runs at my other site Sweet n Sexy Divas.
This month’s are so good, I wanted to post them here, just in case you missed them.
Sweet N Sexy Soulful Quotes
Hello everyone and welcome to another addition of Soulful Quotes. Today, I have several great books I think you will like for this month’s feature. Each one of these authors is a fellow Turquoise Morning Press author and it gives me great pleasure to spotlight a few of my favorites.
The books I feature today are from authors who were not afraid to be soulful, sappy, and/or suggestive when it came to their heroes. So, grab a seat, and pick up a pen and paper so you can add these to your TBR list.
Happy reading!
“You’re being ridiculous.”
“No, sweetheart, I’m being a man.” He glanced down at the blankets he’d spread out. “It’d be warmer if we slept down here together and could share body heat.”
“A pick up line.” She rolled her eyes. “Still being a man, I see. Did your grandpa teach you that too?”
“God, you’re beautiful… I needed to see you, to touch you.” He removed his hand from my cheek, and I felt a moment of loss, wanting him to hold me again. “I don’t know what, or how much you remember. I don’t care. I’m just glad you’re alive. I’ve said it before, I’d rather have you alive and hating me than to not have you at all, and I mean that. When they buried—” His voice roughened and broke. A tear trickled out of his blue eye.
Tank never cried.
He laughed, he joked and he got mad. He never cried. Without thinking, I flicked away his tear, then cupped his cheek in my palm, busy blinking back my own tears.
After a brief pause, he cleared his throat. “When they buried you, they may as well have placed me in the casket with you. All of me was with you.” He took hold of my hand and pressed it to the centre of his chest. “You are my heart. Without you, I don’t exist.”
Her name came out too abrupt, too urgent. He opened his eyes to meet her wide green gaze and forced a shaky smile. He plucked the fork from her hand and dropped it to the plate, weaving his finger through hers as if she could anchor him. She blinked away the confusion clouding her eyes when he opened his mouth and no words came out.
A nervous smile twitched her lips. “What? What’s the matter? Speak, boy. Is Timmy in the well?”
He managed a weak chuckle in appreciation of her lame joke and shook his head. “I just…” His finger tightened around hers. “I just…You’re happy, right?” he managed in a rush. “With how things are going? I mean, obviously we’re not pregnant yet, but other than that…Me and you? You’re okay with how things are with us, aren’t you?” When she reared back, he leaned in, desperate to keep her from slipping from his grasp. “I am, I mean…Really happy. I think things are going really well—”
Stubborn pride had him clamping his mouth shut the moment she wrested her hand from his. He looked away as she slipped from her chair and rushed into the kitchen. He stared at the wall, the muscle in his jaw ticking with tension. Somewhere, there on the cat-hair-dusted floor, his heart lay split open wide and bleeding. He didn’t want to risk a peek.
“I have something for you.”
His head jerked up. He clenched his teeth and sucked in a deep breath before turning to look at her. Maggie leaned against the doorway, waving a plastic stick as if it was a magic wand.
“I’m happy with all that and with how the getting pregnant thing is going, too,” she said, a slow, sly smile creeping across her face.
“Huh?” His forehead creased into a frown when she waved the stick in front of his face again. He caught her wrist and leaned back, squinting to bring the scrap of plastic into focus. A blue line streaked across the tiny window. His head jerked up, their gazes met, and her smile unfurled like a flower in bloom. “You’re pregnant?”
The quick, herky-jerky movements of her head could have gone either way, but his brain engaged at last, reminding him that she wouldn’t be standing there brandishing a stick she’d peed on if the answer wasn’t yes. Eyes locked on hers, he rose from his seat, winding his fingers around hers and trapping the magic wand in her closed fist.
“We’re pregnant,” he whispered, dipping his head to seal the declaration with a kiss.
“Your place or mine?” she asked.
“Yours,” he said leaning his head against the seat.
At home, she got him settled on the couch, then looked him up and down. “Take off your clothes.” She laughed at the grin spreading across his face. “Your clothes have blood on them and need washed.”
“I don’t have anything else to wear.” But he began removing his clothes anyway. “You’re staring,” he said, kicking his jeans to the side. Beneath he wore boxer briefs and a hard on.
“You’re gorgeous,” she said on a husky whisper.
“You stole my line.”
Visit Renee Vincent at:
http://www.pasttheprint.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/reneevincentauthor
http://www.twitter.com/ReneeVincent
The 10 Reasons You’re No Juliet
The following article was sent to me by topdatingsites.com – I enjoyed it so much, I thought all of you might like it too.
For centuries, Romeo and Juliet have been synonymous with love and passion. Comparisons are almost inevitable whenever we consider our own romantic fortunes. So, how does your love life stack up in comparison to our Shakespearean maiden, the young Capulet? Let’s break it down. Here are the ten reasons you’re no Juliet:
- At the tender age of thirteen, Juliet had discovered, fallen in love with, and married the love of her life. You, at age thirty-five, are often undecided between a Friday night date and CSI:NY.
- Juliet was willing to forsake her family, social status and fate for her true love, Romeo. You need a consensus among six friends, your horoscope, a psychic, and Dr. Phil before giving out your phone number.
- Juliet feigned death in order to escape being wed to Paris, her suitor. You feign having the flu in order to escape wedding invitations.
- Juliet is the daughter of aristocracy, a product of high social status. Your family is so blue-collar that until you were 18, the only union with men you ever knew about were the Teamsters.
- Juliet rejected the worst reports about Romeo’s character, and chose to trust her intuition, and Romeo himself. You, in contrast, won’t even do lunch without first conducting an online background check.
- Her love for Romeo was so intense that Juliet, upon seeing him dead, plunged a dagger into her own heart. You fairly faint at the sight of a syringe, and so have never so much as donated blood.
- Juliet, in the span of four days, exhibits a steely determination to pursue this, her love of a lifetime at all costs. You, on the other hand, would need that long to decide on a pair of shoes.
- Juliet develops from a naive child into a self-assured woman through her love affair with Romeo. That pretty much works in reverse for you, when it comes to romantic interests.
- Marriage is not a priority for Juliet, despite the urgings and manipulations of her parents. You are constantly reminded that all of your friends have married, and are tired of being the proverbial ‘fifth wheel’ at parties.
- On the plus side, you’re willing to wait until the right guy comes along, without killing yourself in the process; and you have the love and support of your family in doing so.
I’m at TalkingTwoLips today!!
Hey all -
If you get a chance, please stop by TalkingTwoLips, a yahoo group. I’ll be visiting there today!
To keep things hopping, I’ll be offering cover art and blurbs of my novels and some excerpts too from 10 am EST to 1 pm EST.
And, for one lucky commenter, I’ll be offering a copy of one of my ebooks, including:
1. Lush Velvet Nights – ebook – Reviewer’s TOP PICK the Pagan & the Pen; 5 ANGELS Fallen Angles Reviews; 5 STARS JERR
GOLDEN NIB AWARD – MIZ LOVE LOVES BOOKS
FINALIST – EPIC 2011 COMPETITION
2. Adored - ebook – 4 stars Romantic Times; Second Place Winner NEC RWA contest!
FINALIST – EPIC 2011 COMPETITION
3. Deep, Dark, Delicious - ebook – 4 stars Romantic Times; nominated for Book of the Week Whipped Cream Reviews; 5 Stars, Reviewer TOP PICK – NOR
FINALIST – EPIC 2011 COMPETITION
AWARD OF MERIT – HOLT MEDALLION 2011 COMPETITION
4. In His Arms – ebook – 6 FIVE STAR REVIEWS – recommended read TwoLips Reviews
FINALIST – DDRWA PICTURE PERFECT CONTEST
4 STARS – ROMANTIC TIMES
5. Sensual Stranger - ebook – Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category) Blue Moon Reviews
Recommended Read TwoLips Reviews – Best Book rating Whipped Cream Reviews – Five Siren Stones Siren Books Reviews – 5 STARS Top Pick Night Owl Reviews
4 STARS – ROMANTIC TIMES
6. The Yearning – ebook – Bestseller
Recommended Read Two Lips Reviews; Nominated for Book of the Week Whipped Cream Reviews; 4.5 Stars Sensual Reads
7. Take Me Away – ebook
Hot Stuff – #1 Pick – Miz Love Loves Books; 5 Stars – Romance Writers Reviews; 4.5 Hearts – The Romance Studio; 4 Stars – JERR; 5 Siren Stones – Siren Book Reviews
Guest post with Tracey Kitts
Tracey’s taken over my blog today. She’s writing about writing abnormal stuff (nope, I’m not going to explain – read her post!).
__________
When are you going to write anything normal?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked this. Everyone from my mother to people I used to go to school with have asked me before. The conversation usually goes something like this.
“So, your latest book is about werewolves (or vampires)?”
“That’s right.” I proceed to tell them about my latest book.
“Um. So, when are you going to write something normal? Cause I don’t read anything weird.”
The last time someone asked me this question they were about to purchase a copy of Terminator. I replied, “Right. Because sending your father back in time to get your mom pregnant is totally normal.”
Many people (particularly in small towns like mine) seem to be under the false impression that just because the characters are not completely human that you can’t relate to their stories. That’s not true at all. We all have things to overcome in our relationships and within ourselves. It may not be as serious as an aversion to sunlight or a severe need to wax on the full moon, but everyone has problems.
The difference is our problems aren’t solved between the pages of a good book. That’s what’s so great about fiction. I strive to make my characters and their situations REAL. That doesn’t mean it could really happen. It means that what they are feeling is real. The emotion is what brings reality to my stories.
Besides, being a vampire or a werewolf could be a metaphor for almost anything. It’s about looking beyond the surface to see who they really are. The man behind the beast is a very attractive concept to me. I’ve seen some great looking men who were monsters underneath. I write stories about the exact opposite.
Beauty and the Beast is a classic story that somehow comes through in each and every paranormal romance I’ve ever read or written. It all comes down to can you see what’s beneath rather than what everyone else sees? Isn’t that what love is all about?
You don’t love someone because you don’t see their flaws. You love them because you see the flaws … and the flaws don’t matter. They are simply a part of the person you love.
So what if he has a hairy back once a month or grows fangs from time to time? Back to the original question: When am I going to write anything normal? According to my dear friend Skyla, I already do.
You can find out more about Tracey and her books at www.traceyhkitts.com
Her latest release is Frank and The Werewolf Tamer, an erotic paranormal romance, available exclusively for Amazon Kindle.
Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Frank-Werewolf-Tamer-ebook/dp/B006PU2JBW/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_7
There’s still time to enter my monthly contest!
JANUARY CONTEST
Rules: Simply leave a comment AT THIS LINK about the above picture and yummy guy and you’re entered in my January contest! WINNER CHOSEN AT RANDOM.
Duration: Contest begins January 1 and runs through January 25 – Winner announced January 26
Prize: Winner chosen randomly and will receive her choice of one of my following books:
1. Lush Velvet Nights – ebook – Reviewer’s TOP PICK the Pagan & the Pen; 5 ANGELS Fallen Angles Reviews; 5 STARS JERR
GOLDEN NIB AWARD – MIZ LOVE LOVES BOOKS
FINALIST – EPIC 2011 COMPETITION
2. Adored - ebook – 4 stars Romantic Times; Second Place Winner NEC RWA contest!
FINALIST – EPIC 2011 COMPETITION
3. Deep, Dark, Delicious - ebook – 4 stars Romantic Times; nominated for Book of the Week Whipped Cream Reviews; 5 Stars, Reviewer TOP PICK – NOR
FINALIST – EPIC 2011 COMPETITION
AWARD OF MERIT – HOLT MEDALLION 2011 COMPETITION
4. In His Arms – ebook – 6 FIVE STAR REVIEWS – recommended read TwoLips Reviews
FINALIST – DDRWA PICTURE PERFECT CONTEST
4 STARS – ROMANTIC TIMES
5. Sensual Stranger - ebook – Book of the Year 2010 (erotic category) Blue Moon Reviews
Recommended Read TwoLips Reviews – Best Book rating Whipped Cream Reviews – Five Siren Stones Siren Books Reviews – 5 STARS Top Pick Night Owl Reviews
4 STARS – ROMANTIC TIMES
6. The Yearning – ebook – Bestseller
Recommended Read Two Lips Reviews; Nominated for Book of the Week Whipped Cream Reviews; 4.5 Stars Sensual Reads
7. Take Me Away – ebook
Hot Stuff – #1 Pick – Miz Love Loves Books; 5 Stars – Romance Writers Reviews; 4.5 Hearts – The Romance Studio; 4 Stars – JERR; 5 Siren Stones – Siren Book Reviews
GOOD LUCK!!!
(Picture courtesy of PhotoBucket)
Guest post with Molly Daniels!!
Molly’s here today talking about her Arbor University series. So sit back, relax, enjoy and leave a comment to show your love!
__________
How Does A Series Begin?
My Arbor University series began in a strange way. In 1985, while on vacation in Florida, my mind wandered back to a blind date I’d had the previous April, and wondered what would happen if I were to see him again. A few lines of dialogue ran through my mind, and I jotted them down. One evening a few months later, while being bored one evening, I came across this particular notebook and began writing.
Soon it was obvious I had to have more than two characters….and then since my heroine was in college, she had to have roommates….and more friends, right? And then the college has to have a name, so I stopped for a moment. What isn’t typically seen in southern Indiana? A grape arbor popped into my mind, and so the fictional town of Arbordale, Indiana, and Arbor University was ‘born’.
(Interesting side note: I’ve been back in my college town now for five years and there are now five wineries within driving distance! Plus a Denny’s, which didn’t exist in 1985…)
Anyway, after I wrote what is now Love Finds A Way, other characters demanded their own stories. Here is a brief introduction to the first four‘girls:
#1 Love On The Rocks, published Oct 2011 from Secret Cravings Publishing
Elicia Keller starts her first year of college as a snobbish, self-absorbed coed. When she starts enjoying the party scene, will her self-destructive attitude drag her down, or will she learn from her mistakes? Sometimes, the ‘man of our dreams’ isn’t always the one we picture…
#2 Love Finds A Way, published Jan 3, 2012 from Secret Cravings Publishing
Can a blind date turn into a romance? Amy Callahan wants to find out, so when she flies to California to spend a week with Matt Slagal, she discovers the ups and downs of a long distance relationship. Which one prevails…”Absence makes the heart grow fonder” or, “Out of sight, out of mind”?
#3 Forbidden Love, arriving Jan 2012 from Secret Cravings Publishing (http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/)
Keri Patterson meets an older man, and is instantly transported into her first adult relationship. But is Kyle Sampson really telling her the truth about his ex-wife? Is Keri’s ambition to someday be a part of an Indianapolis 500 racing crew interfering with her love life?
#4 Balancing Act, arriving summer 2012 from Secret Cravings Publishing (http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/)
Gretchen McLaren has her life mapped out. Peace Corps, then settling down as a social worker, working with the elderly. But her boyfriend Joe Walker doesn’t agree with her plans. Find out what happens when love and ambition collide, and what happens when true love has been under your nose the entire time.
Are you intrigued? I kept my setting in the mid 1980’s, so sit back, enjoy a time when computers were only in office buildings; cell phones were called ‘car phones’ and carried in bags; ‘Call Waiting’ was non-existent, as was Caller ID; the only way we knew we were receiving a long distance phone call, or off-campus call was because of the double-ring; and letters from loved ones were eagerly awaited. I used to write letters with a ‘PS: The spiders in my mailbox are having babies….please write!’
Also, boys were only allowed on our floor on weekends: Fridays from 5pm-2am; Saturdays from noon-2am; Sundays from noon-9pm. This in reference to the Visitation Policy Stephanie refers to in the excerpt.
And most importantly to the heroine in Forbidden Love, the glass ceiling was very much intact. Girls were beginning to explore careers in male-dominated areas, so Keri feels the pressure as she tries to break into ‘The Good Ole Boys Club’, the world of Auto Technology. And she never expected to lose her heart to an older man in her second year of college!
Excerpt:
“It’s about Kyle.” Keri tried to find the right words. “See, I was raised to save my virginity for my husband, or at least someone who loves my dearly, and who’s planning to marry me.”
“So…what’s the problem?” Stephanie frowned, then her eyes widened. “Ohhh, Kyle wants you to go to bed with him, right? Is he putting on the pressure? He’s been awfully patient these past, what’s it been? Four months?”
“Almost five. And no, he’s not pressuring me, but…we’ve done some things, things I’m not sure I should really be doing.” Heat rushed to her face.
“Keri, to be honest, well, when you spent the night with him, I just assumed…” Steph gestured. “How far have you gone?”
“Promise you won’t tell anyone?” Keri pleaded. When Steph nodded, she continued, “My shirt’s come off, and last weekend, well…” she lowered her eyes. “His jeans were unzipped.”
“Did you jack him off?” Steph was blunt.
Keri closed her eyes and nodded.
“Did you enjoy it?” Stephanie laughed.
“Steph!” Keri glared at her.
“I’m sorry, but that’s not bad. You don’t need to feel guilty.”
“It’s not that I feel guilty,” Keri protested. “It’s just…well, he’s not divorced yet, he’s never told me he loves me, and sometimes, I feel like his ‘other woman’.”
“Right now, you are,” Steph pointed out.
“Well, yeah,” she admitted. “But it’s not an affair, because we’re not having sex.”
“Yet,” supplied Stephanie. “And you say he’s not pressuring you?”
“No, he isn’t.” Keri put her lazy-back pillow at the foot of her bed and leaned against it. “I hardly see him, now, since we’re both working, but when I do see him, it’s like I’m starved for his touch. Does this make any sense?”
“You bet.” Stephanie moved to lie on her stomach with her chin propped in her hands. “When I lost my virginity, it was like, you know, a favorite toy or song. I couldn’t get enough of it for a few months.”
“Was it gradual? Heavy petting, then after months, you finally let him?”
“To tell you the truth, I’m not sure, Keri.” Stephanie sighed. “After the Prom, my date brought some beer. I drank too much, and I just didn’t object when Tommy started taking off my clothes.”
“Did it hurt?”
“A little at first, but afterwards, nothing but sheer heaven!” Stephanie closed her eyes, smiling. “Then last year, Marcus had a private room, and we’d meet every night at nine to spend a few hours in his room.”
“You…you did use protection, right?”
“Oh, hell yes! Who wants to get pregnant?” Steph’s eyes snapped open.
“Who’s better, Cory or Marc?”
“Cory, definitely.” She rolled over on her back and hugged her pillow to her chest. “He’s very considerate.”
“But doesn’t it bother you that you may not have a future with him?” Keri tried to wrap her head around the concept of casual sex.
“No, who cares? I’m safe, I’m having fun, and right now, with this stupid Visitation Policy, I only do it on weekends. I’m thinking seriously about going on the Pill. Stopping to put on a rubber is so mood-killing.”
Thanks for having me today Tina!
So in love…
Tired of ordinary romances? Well, you’re in luck. Here are some great shots of kittens smitten with each other. Enjoy.
(Photos courtesy of Photobucket)
Dance Monsters…
Okay, okay, I know the official title of the Lifetime show is Dance Moms, but have you seen even one episode? Yikes!
Abby Lee Miller
Having danced a lot of my youth away, taking endless classes in ballet and jazz, I was kinda/sorta looking forward to this new reality show. I most wanted to see the choreography and the skill of the young dancers.
What I got was a whole lot more.
Abby Lee Miller, the central figure in this drama, owns her own dance studio and is sort of like Hitler on steroids when she’s dealing with the little girls she’s trying to make into stars.
There’s Maddie who never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER loses a dancing competition. She has the serenity of a pint-sized Angelina Jolie. I’m beautiful, her smile says. I’m talented. I’m unbeatable. Looking straight into the camera, she tries to project humility when she says stuff like (paraphrasing here): “I know I’m the strongest dancer in this competition. But if I don’t win, that’s okay. The important thing is that I tried my best.”
Sure. When Chloe, her closest rival, got the coveted lead role in a music video, Maddie looked like she was going to implode. I had to wonder what happened after the cameras were turned off. Tears? A temper tantrum? A bit of self-doubt to remind this wee little girl that no one, not even Angelina Jolie, is always the winner.
And then there’s Chloe – my personal favorite. That poor kid has been in Maddie’s shadow since the show began. When she (and the others) had a chance to be chosen as the lead dancer in a music video, she looked straight into the camera and spoke with the wisdom of someone who’s always second best – that she really wanted the spot but all she could do was try her best. In other words, she expected to lose.
When it became clear that the video’s singer wanted a little girl to portray her, I knew Chloe had the part. God, she had the same blonde hair, features, everything. They could have been mother and daughter. However, Chloe, so used to defeat, didn’t seem to think so. If I recall correctly, she thought Maddie would get the part. Say what? Maddie has brown not blonde hair and doesn’t look a thing like the singer.
In any event, Chloe won. The gratitude on her face brought tears to my eyes and made me wonder why in the world her mother would put her through this – and on TV to boot. It’s hard enough growing up, but to be considered second-best week after week in front of millions of viewers? Damn. I don’t know how that kid takes it.
And even though she won that coveted spot, she still didn’t make it to the top of Abby’s pyramid the following week. You guessed it, Maddie was still there – the supreme star who never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER loses. As much as I feel for poor Chloe, I also feel for Maddie. She’s getting a false sense of reality if she thinks she’ll never lose. It’s inevitable. No one stays on top forever.
IMHO, no one, especially a loving parent, should put their kids through a reality show like this.
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