by Christine | Writer Wednesday
My friend, Author Sally Felt. She’s almost always laughing!
Sally Felt is another one of my online writer hang-out group that I dearly adore. Way back in 2003, when there were four of us exchanging snippets and encouragement online, Sally blew me away with her writing.
So I’m extremely happy to note that two of the books she’d been working on back then are now (and soon to be) available for purchase. I’ve had her on Writer Wednesday before, but she deserves another showcase.
Her first romantic comedy is called Going Native, and I had the pleasure of watching this novel evolve from tentative first steps to the glorious thing it is now.
Here’s the blurb for Going Native:
“Violet Maison is house sitting a fabulous penthouse loft with a wardrobe to die for. Tired of worrying about everyone else’s expectations, Violet’s ready to walk a mile in her friend’s very sexy shoes. She embraces her new life by planting a jubilant, champagne-fueled kiss on the sexy stranger
Going Native by Sally Felt
next door.
Eddie is in town to help close a business deal—and lick his wounds after a bad breakup. The last thing he wants is complications. But surprise kisses from the tipsy redhead next door prove a Texas-sized distraction he can’t ignore. Violet is demure one minute and suggesting clandestine sexcapades the next. Eddie can barely keep up. Or wait to see what Violet does next.
Something about Eddie burns away Violet’s inhibitions, though discovering he holds the key to the future of her family’s business shakes her newfound confidence. But Violet finally knows what it’s like to feel sexy and powerful, and she’s not about to give that up. She’s ready to fight for the life, and the man, she wants.
A Romantica® Contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave”
Sally’s newest book, Flushed, comes out on February 6th, 2014 and is currently available for pre-order. Here’s the quick blurb for Flushed, also an Ellora’s Cave publication.
“Blush sensuality level: This is a sensual romance (may have explicit love scenes, but not erotic in frequency or type).
Flushed, by Sally Felt. Available February 6, 2014
Kissing her plumber in the middle of her dinner party is the very last way Isabelle expected to spend her night—after all, she’s sworn off dating. But when Kim Martin, plumber to the rescue, charms her guests and poses as her new guy to spare Isabelle the humiliation of an uninvited ex, she makes an impromptu exception—and gets carried away.
At first, being Isabelle’s faux beau suits Kim Martin just fine. She’s hot, intriguing and won’t get in the way of his plans to blow town and build a business he’s passionate about. But Isabelle just isn’t cut out to be a goodtime girl. She gets under Kim’s skin and into his head—and he’s not entirely sure what to do about that.
Kim should be everything Isabelle believes of men in general—confident, flirtatious and too attractive for his own good. Yet the more Isabelle tries to fit him into a box, the harder he fights his way out of it. He’d be maddening if he weren’t so intriguing.
A Blush® contemporary romance from Ellora’s Cave.”
Check out Sally’s Amazon Page, and her website.
Happy Wednesday, my lovelies!
)O(
by Christine | Observations
About January Black
Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.
More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.
What was January Black?
It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.
January Black is the silver medalist in the 2013 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, Young Adult – Coming of Age category.
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Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights. She can be found online in the following places:
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by Christine | Cooking, Wine Friday
Mulled Wine
I’m copying an old post on mulled wine here, plus at the bottom there are recipes for other, hot and festive drinks for the holidays. Cheers!
Who “invented” mulled wine? Why? What’s supposed to go in it, and what type of wine should you use? All the sites I found on the internet seemed to crib off each other. To distill it for you, basically mulled wine has been around as long as wine has been around. It warmed people up in winter (and some people said it was to make bad wine taste better – a winter version of Sangria, I suppose) as well as gave them something “healthy” to drink (because water – well, it wasn’t very clean “way back when”). It can be found in almost every European country, and is often called “boiled” or “burned” wine. Of course, you don’t want to boil or burn the wine! (Boiling burns off all the alcohol.)
Ingredients
First off, start with a hearty red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel will work nicely. If you’re making enough for a crowd, use two bottles – pour into a non-reactive pan (or hey, use that crock pot you got for your wedding and has that thick layer of dust on it – make sure to clean it first). If just for two to four people, use one bottle. DON’T use the cheapest wine you can find (although if you must, go ahead…); but likewise, don’t waste an expensive bottle. Anything that you like the taste of non-heated should be fine.
Next, add the spices. This will totally depend on your tastebuds. I like two cinnamon sticks – hubby likes only one. I generally put six to a dozen whole cloves, and if I had allspice, I’d toss that in, too. You can add ginger – either 1/2 teaspoon grated, or a small slice; or you could put in 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger (but fresh is much better). I’ve seen recipes that include cardamom pods, star anise, even bay leaves. Experiment!
Your next addition should be another liquid. Amounts kind of depend. You can add up to a cup of plain water, a cup of fresh squeezed orange juice, or a cup of apple cider; many recipes call for adding 4 ounces of brandy (some say cherry brandy). I started with water; next time, I think I’ll add brandy AND some OJ.
Then comes the sweetener. The amount depends on how much wine you start with. So you can add anything from 1/2 cup of white or brown sugar to 1 and 1/4 cup of honey; start on the stingy side, and taste as you go. Add more if you need to. My guess is if you’re using Agave syrup or Stevia for your sweetener, you can use them here, too; just be VERY stingy with your amounts until it’s where you want it.
Lastly comes the fruit. Whether or not you’ve already used orange or apple juice, you might want to add strips of orange zest or lemon zest; thin slices of orange and lemon; either in the pot, or in the bottom of the mug.
Let everything sit on low; either on the back of your stove, or in your crockpot. As the day goes on, the spices and the fruit really open up into the wine, and turn it into something magical. Plus, it leaves your house smelling really festive.
Hot Buttered Rum
Here is my version of Hot Buttered Rum. Put the tea kettle on to boil. In the meantime, get out a couple of heavy mugs that feel good in your hand. Add a tablespoon of sweet, unsalted butter at the bottom; top with 1 to 2 teaspoons brown sugar (to your taste). Add a shot to a shot and a half of rum. Once the water is boiling, fill the cup with the hot water about half way. Stir briskly with a fork or a small whisk, if you have one (I do). Add the hot water the rest of the way. Cuddle up by the fire and watch Scrooge deal with some pesky ghosts!
Rachael Ray has her own way of doing things, adding spices and Captain Morgan spiced rum and doing it up with a blender. Go here for that recipe.
Of course, Martha Stewart also has a recipe. It’s a bit more complicated, but still sounds just as tasty. Go here for that recipe.
Other Hot Holiday Drinks
I found a fun spot online called Secret Tips to the Yumiverse, and they have eight hot holiday drinks to indulge you. Of course, there are the coffee drinks – Coffee and Bailey’s, Coffee and Kahlua, or Coffee and Irish Whiskey – but there are some other, really tasty drinks. Go give Yumi Sakugawa a look-see for some fun and festive drinks.
There you go, my dears. Enjoy this holiday season, be safe, stay warm, and hug your loved ones. Sending out love and big squishy hugs to you all! What’s YOUR favorite hot holiday drink?
)O(
by Christine | Writer Wednesday, Writing
Yvonne Jocks, Author (Isn’t this logo FABULOUS??)
I met Yvonne Jocks at my very first Romance Writers of America conference in 2002 in Denver, Colorado. Yvonne was not only signing books, but she was teaching a workshop on how to incorporate the use of magic in your writing. When I saw in the syllabus for the week that one of the books she used as a reference was one of my brother Scott’s, I of COURSE had to introduce myself. Big hugs and instant friendship – I count myself very lucky to have Von in my life (though it has been TOO LONG since I’ve hugged her!) She is also a part of the online band of intrepid writers that I belong to, along with Jenn Reese and Anne Nesbet, middle grade authors that I profiled last week.
Whether you pick up books by Yvonne Jocks or Evelyn Vaughn, the experience is always spellbinding. Harlequin has published many of her books (two series I adore, The Grailkeepers and The Bladekeepers, are written under Evelyn Vaughn for Harlequin), and she has a new series out now called Overtime, written under the Yvonne Jocks name. The Overtime series is the one I’m focusing on today.
Here’s the first in the Overtime series. SEARCHING
Overtime, Book 1 – Searching
When an 1870’s trail boss with no sense of humor rescues a pretty time traveler with no memory, there’ll be trouble on the cattle drive.
A girl doesn’t wind up naked in a Kansas creek bed without asking herself the tough questions. If the first one is “Who am I”, she’s in for a rough time … or maybe the wrong time completely!
Despite the reluctant help of an 1870s trail-boss, “Lillabit” finds only contradictions. Though she’s guileless, her language shocks Texas cowboys. Though independent, she can’t rein a horse. She’s smart, but not about “current” events. And her dreams feature elevators, electricity, plumbing–and impossibility.
Something awful has happened. So as Lillabit acclimates to the slow, steady world of an Old West cattle drive, is she really finding herself? Or is she, just maybe, losing worlds more than her memory?
And book 2…TURNING
Turning, Book 2 in the Overtime series
I FIGURED IT OUT. I’M NOT FROM AROUND HERE.
Amnesia was easier.
Stranded in 1870s Dodge City, Lillabit remembers: She’s Elizabeth Rhinehart, a modern woman thrown back in time against her will.
Also? Someone may be out to kill her.
Her only hope of returning home lies with a trio of scientists in Colorado. To get there, Elizabeth needs passage with someone she can trust… perhaps someone like the no-nonsense trail boss who first rescued her from the desert. But even if Jacob Garrison lets her rejoin his cattle drive to Wyoming–once he learns her secrets, will he let her go home? Will she WANT to?
TURNING is the 2nd book and continuation of the somewhat romantic, sometimes comic, cattle-drive time-travel OVERTIME series. It ties up several major elements of the story–but we have 2 books to go!
Don’t those sound fantastic? If you want to know more about Yvonne Jocks, drop by her website.
And if you want more information about the Grailkeepers, click on the Grailkeepers button over to the left – there’s a wealth of history and research and other fun stuff there.
Speaking of books, what are you reading right now?
)O(
by Christine | Writer Wednesday
Jenn Ree
It’s not Writer Wednesday, but sometimes you just gotta break tradition! So, here we go!
Another one of those fantastic writers that I hang out with (and who humbles me with her snippets of awesomeness) is Jenn Reese. I’ve known Jenn since before I began my writing journey; she’s one of the very first people who assured me I can do this. (She’s still assuring me, and I don’t take that for granted one little bit.)
So, in my totally unbiased opinion, Above World is an adventure that ANY middle-grade reader would devour.
But before I introduce you to the books, here’s more about Jenn from her Amazon page:
“Writer. Martial artist. Geek.
Jenn writes science fiction and fantasy stories about heroes and adventure and lasting friendships. Her short stories have appeared online in Strange Horizons and in a number of anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning Paper Cities. She makes her home in Los Angeles, a sun-bleached desert city of freaks that she absolutely loves. When she’s not sitting in traffic, she’s studying martial arts, playing video games, and dreaming of rain.
For more information on her stories, novels, and adventures, visit www.jennreese.com.”
Here’s the scoop from Amazon:
Jenn Reese’s middle-grade debut, Above World
A suspenseful sci-fi escapade plucks two children out of the ocean for a thrilling adventure. Thirteen-year-old Aluna has lived her entire life under the ocean with the Coral Kampii in the City of Shifting Tides. But after centuries spent hidden from the Above World, her colony’s survival is at risk. The Kampii’s breathing necklaces are failing, but the elders are unwilling to venture above water to seek answers. Only headstrong Aluna and her friend Hoku are stubborn and bold enough to face the terrors of land to search for way to save their people. But can Aluna’s fierce determination and fighting skills and Hoku’s tech-savvy keep them safe? Set in a world where overcrowding has led humans to adapt – growing tails to live under the ocean or wings to live on mountains – here is a ride through a future where greed and cruelty have gone unchecked, but the loyalty of friends remains true.
And Book Two, Mirage…
Book Two in the Trilogy
A thrilling sequel from an exciting new voice in middle-grade sci-fi tracks two ocean-born children braving the dangers of the Above World. The desert is no place for ocean-dwelling Kampii like Aluna and Hoku, especially now that Aluna has secretly started growing her tail. But the maniacal Karl Strand is out to conquer the Above World, and the horselike Equians are next on his list. Aluna, Hoku, and their friends — winged Calli and Equian exile Dash — race to the desert city of Mirage, intent on warning the Equians. When they arrive, Strand’s clone, Scorch, has gotten there first. Now the Equian leader has vowed to take all his people to war as part of Strand’s army. Any herd that refuses to join him by the time of the desert-wide competition known as the Thunder Trials will be destroyed. To have any chance of defeating Scorch and convincing the Equians to switch sides, the four friends must find a way to win the Trials. The challenge seems impossible. But if they fail, the desert — and possibly all of the Above World — will be lost to Karl Strand forever. Here is the action-packed follow-up to Above World, which Kirkus Reviews called “a thrilling sci-fi adventure. Imaginative and riveting.”
And of course, there’s a third book, coming in February 2014! Here’s Horizon, available for pre-order.
HORIZON:
Aluna and Hoku, Kampii from the City of Shifting Tides, and their friends, Equian Dash
Horizon, Book Three in the Above World Trilogy
and winged Aviar Calli, are determined to stop a war. The maniacal ex-scientist Karl Strand is planning to conquer the world with his enormous army of tech-enhanced soldiers . . . unless the four friends can get to Strand first. Aluna’s plan is dangerous: pose as Upgraders and infiltrate the army. But the enemy isn’t what they expected and the strategy begins to crumble. When the friends are torn apart by conflicting allegiances, their slim chance of avoiding war seems to disappear completely. For Aluna and Hoku, what began as a quest to save their own people has become a mission to save the world. But do Aluna and her friends have any hope of defeating Strand if they can’t take him on together?
If you have middle grade readers, add these books to their Christmas – they and you will be glad you did! Again, these are books worth giving in hardcover, as they will be read over and over again.
I have SO MANY talented friends. Do you know middle grade authors who deserve a shout out? Feel free to put a link in the comments…after all, Christmas is coming.
Thanks for stopping by – big squishy hugs to you all!
)O(
