SuperRomance Authors Blog

A Little Help? (And a Give Away)

noreply@blogger.com (Jeannie Watt) — Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

By Jeannie Watt

If any of you happened to catch my blog at The Pink Heart Society, you know that the more trouble I have with the story I’m writing, the more I want to sew. Some might call this escapism or perhaps procrastination. I prefer to call is accessing another part of my brain and allowing the story-spinning part to recuperate. Lately though, sewing has become almost as difficult as the problems I'm trying to work out in my plots.

Let me walk you through my latest project, the Crossing Nevada revision dress, and see if you can identify my problem.,

I usually make a muslin if the pattern is new to me. No sense wasting fabric on a dress that doesn't fit--I've had that happen way too many times in the past.

I lay out the pattern carefully, making certain to align the grain of the fabric properly.

I cut the contrast fabric at the same time, after prewashing it to make certain the dye doesn't bleed.

I do a lot of interfacing to give the finished garment body. I hate cutting and applying interfacing, but I do it.

After I have everything cut out, I make my tailoring marks and then remove the pattern.Then I arrange the pieces in the order I'll sew them together. I'm very organized, yet somehow stuff keeps getting mussed up and sometimes ends up in a heap on the floor.

Oddly, I have no problem when I actually sew. Perhaps something to do with the noise, however, I do have to drape all my working pieces over a chair. You can probably figure out why.

Here is a photo of the finished dress. Note that there is no "helper" in the photo. The cat is not allowed outside, otherwise I’m certain she’d be peeking out from under the skirt.

I'm celebrating handing in the revisions for Crossing Nevada by giving away a $15 Amazon gift card. Tell me about the biggest challenge you face when you're trying to complete a project, be it pursuing a hobby in too small of a space, or tackling a killer project at work.

Summertime, Summertime, S-S-Summertime!

noreply@blogger.com (Kay Stockham) — Wed, 16 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

(((Sorry this is posting late. I forgot to, um, hit post. LOL)))

It’s that time of year again. The time of year when attention spans are shorter than ever, energy levels are skyrocketing and not from an abundance of sugar, and teachers are counting down the days until the end of school as diligently as the kids are.

Me? I’m counting them down, too. Because in my house Kid 1 and Kid 2 do not get along and when summer vacation hits—it’s every Mom for herself. LOL

My kids are older now and you’d think this would mean less fighting. Noooo, not in our house. It typically means more. The dh and I have informed Kid 1 that a summer job is a requirement. So far, no luck. Not that he’s tried that hard.

As for Kid 2, summer will bring more help in the office and around the house—I hope. We’ve talked a good game and made big plans, declaring our “Summer Project” to be a full-house declutter-and-clean mission the likes of which our house has never seen. My energy is already lagging just from the thought. Any volunteers out there???

Regardless of what takes place this summer I’m sure there will be a lot of yelling, some tears, a few slammed doors, lots of laughter, too much mess, and not enough writing but we’ll all do our best. I can’t complain too much when my kids aren’t that far from college and all the noise and bickering will soon be gone for real. Just remind me of that when I'm pulling my hair out, okay?

Growing up, my older brother was the one getting a summer job to earn date money and to get out of the house. He drove an icee truck that also sold cotton candy. I loved his job. *sigh* LOL

My summer jobs were boring, usually spent working as a legal receptionist and secretary. Great experience but not much fun. And there wasn’t any cotton candy to be had.

Did you have a summer job in high school? Was it fun? Boring? Were your parents thrilled to get you out of the house and out of their hair, or did you stay home and wreak havoc on your mom’s nerves? ;)

I’ll choose a winner from those who post and you’ll win your choice of my books (If available). What were your summer vacations like?

Kay Stockham

www.kaystockham.com

North Star, MT series Sep 2011-Jan 2012

THE CRASH BEFORE CHRISTMAS, DEC 2011

RETURN TO EDEN, AVAILABLE NOW!

BLIND MAN'S BLUFF, FALL 2012

@KayStockham - Twitter

Kay Stockham Fan Page - Facebook

Whipped Cream Confessions

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Brady) — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Mary Brady

I was recently asked if there was anything whipped cream could be put on top of or added to that I didn’t like. (I am going to ignore all the innuendo popping up in my head and stick to the fluffy stuff that tickles my tongue and if piled high enough, perhaps even my nose.)

Quick answer, no. Real answer is longer.

The context of the question had to do with stewed dried plums. If you stew dried fruit—plums and apricots are my favorite, cool the fruit, fold sweetened whipped (real) cream into the fruit in a 3 to 1 ratio, you get a kind of fluffy, sweet concoction that I could eat every day—but don’t. My mother called the dried plum version prune whip. (Prune Whip The McCall Publishing Co.)

I started to wonder if there was anything I put whipped cream on/in that I didn’t like.

I’d have to say the quick answer is correct—but there are qualifications.

I’ve had whipped cream on/in things I didn’t like, but I didn’t put it there, someone else did. And because I was so (TIC) polite, I tasted the offering and, if the person stood and watched me, I ate it—all. Slight shudder. If they walked away or got distracted, I found various ways to dispatch it. Think “Friends” when Rachel Green crosses recipes and makes Beef Trifle. Everyone but Joey (of course) found ways not to eat it.

One “whipped cream” (called that by those serving it, not the manufacturer) has been lined up with a collection of things which contained at least one ingredient or one precursor ingredient also included in the whipped topping: margarine, suntan oil, detergent, antifreeze, and others, some even less savory.

To be fair, these ingredients:

Provide air-cell stability under cold to hot conditions,

Reduce syneresis,

Provide freeze-thaw stability,

Reduce processing time.

Sorry, I don’t know what syneresis is and I am not looking it up. (All right, the writer in me eventually will.) I’m just not eating whipped "topping" any more no matter who serves it to me.

For myself, when I refer to whipped cream, I mean handmade from heavy cream, dehydrated cane sugar juice and real vanilla. Add coffee if you want. Add chocolate. Add Cointreau, but please hold the polysorbate 60.

What do you like your whipped cream or whipped topping on most? Or tell your whipped cream story!

Comment for a chance to win a book from my back list or a set of TossOn™ bracelets. For examples of TossOn™ bracelets check out Juls and Maude.

Happy topping to all!

Winners from Ellen Hartman's Book Club Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Ellen Hartman) — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:32:00 +0000

Please get in touch so I can send you a copy of The Long Shot! (ellen@ellenhartman.com).

BW
Joye
Kaelee
Jill

Thanks to everyone who came by and shared their comments!

Book Clubs

noreply@blogger.com (Ellen Hartman) — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:00:00 +0000

Karina kindly posted on the News page that The Long Shot is the May pick for the Smart Bitches' Sizzling book club. The chat is happening on 5/30 and the book is on sale at All Romance until 5/15. This event has me thinking about book clubs. I haven't been in a book club in years and I miss it.

The last book club I was in was amazing and crazy all at the same time. (Are there any book clubs that aren't at least a little crazy?) Most of the women in the club had small children. We were lucky enough to be able to meet in a penthouse apartment in downtown Ithaca that belonged to the parents of a club member. This apartment was not only gorgeous, it was a kid-free oasis. Going to book club in that place at that time of my life felt like going to a spa.

Five Books We Read

Anna Karenina (A gorgeous edition. Loved this.)
Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House (Loved this. With two small children at home, the concept of order and science and solutions at home was super appealing.)
Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable (HATE. I think this was the book that drove me out of the book club. Go ahead and read the description. Would you have stayed in the club?)
Middlemarch (I loved this. I freely admit that I skimmed/skipped most of the descriptive passages which means I read about 1/3 of the book, but it's wonderful.)
Arcadia (I don't like reading plays. I loved reading this one.)

Five Things I Loved About the Book Club

Theme food. One person brought food that somehow coordinated with the book's theme. You don't want to know what we had when we read The Red Tent. It was mostly delicious, though, and most importantly, it was grown up food!
The view. The penthouse view was breathtaking at night, especially when it was snowing.
The leader packets. One person led the discussion and usually came prepared with questions, background info, and other interesting tidbits. I learned a lot in this book club.
The grown-up conversation about grown-up books.
Being forced to read books I wouldn't have chosen. As weird as it sounds, I really did love that housekeeping manual (#2 above) and I never would have picked it up. Same with Arcadia. And Middlemarch. And a bunch of others.

Five Things I Didn't Love So Much

The theme food. I'm cooking challenged on a good day. Having to prepare delicious, sophisticated food that somehow matched a book? Drove me nuts. (Luckily M&Ms are the new black.)
The night when my car broke down on the way to book club and then my husband called me three times to tell me about the bird that flew down our chimney and was nesting in the fireplace and then after hitching a ride home, having to chase that same bird through our house in an effort to make it GO BACK OUTSIDE TO NATURE.
People who didn't read the books. (I went to Catholic school. I do my homework.)
Bickering about which books to pick next.
Bickering about everything.

So eventually the load of bickering grew too heavy and we read that alphabet book of experimental fiction and I'd had enough. The book club fractured and a splinter group formed a new club.

A gin club.

I'd like to say we were playing cards, but we were actually drinking gin. Correction: we were tasting gin. That makes it more respectable, right? We tasted some excellent gin. (Also some well-dressed gin.) But then the gin club experienced some issues with over-indulgence and it wasn't fun anymore so once again we splintered.

And that was when three of us formed up into a critique group. A writing group. We were still sipping gin and still discussing books, but now they were our own books! I miss being in a book club, but I love my critique group.

What about you? I already know you love reading, but are you in a book club? I love to hear your stories. Give me a top 5 list from your book club or other club. What's the best book you were ever forced to read? Have you read Ella Minnow Pea and did it make you rage? Ever make theme food to match a book or movie night?

I have a book out this month, so here is the obligatory tie-in with my book section of the blog post: I don't think it's a spoiler to reveal that Deacon Fallon, the hero of The Long Shot (May 2012), is illiterate. I never write about actual people I know, but I often write about themes or situations I'm working through. Because I have a son with a mild learning disability and I work in communication, I think about literacy and how it impacts inclusion and access to many aspects of life from basic services all the way up to the independent joy of reading for pleasure. That contemplation is where Deacon's issues came from.

WIN BOOKS: I'll choose 4 commenters to receive a copy of The Long Shot. Maybe you'll read it and join me for the book club chat on 5/30!

Finally, It’s May (Garden Memories)

noreply@blogger.com (Cathryn Parry) — Wed, 09 May 2012 06:41:00 +0000

Last weekend, I won a gardening gift basket. My writer’s group held a luncheon event where the person whose birthday is closest to the speaker’s gets to take home the centerpiece on the table. (Yay! Don’t you love when you win something?)

The gift basket was filled with annual seeds, gardening tools, gloves, even a cute garden gnome.

So this week, in the midst of revision-problems that have been giving me fits, I’ve been taking breaks to go outside and “play” in the dirt. I’ve found it’s a great way to work out plot issues, and I’ve been enjoying the May flowers as an added bonus.

This is my crop of lilac bushes (the photo is from last year, but you get the point). Lilacs remind me of my childhood; I think they’re very “New England.” White lilacs were part of my wedding bouquet, and I remember that every time I looked at them that day, they made me happy.

Blueberry bushes are another New England favorite. My dad planted four for us in our miniscule back yard. Right now, they are budded with flowers and dozens of bees are hovering over them, pollinating, but in June, Dad will stop by for a morning of helping me stretch nets over the plants so the birds won’t eat the ripening berries.

Here’s a photo of last August’s crop. The berries taste great in pancakes and smoothies. I can’t wait!

Another favorite plant is of Lily of the Valley. I do nothing special to take care of them, and yet they blossom every year, smelling great. Lily of the Valley reminds me of my grandmother, who died when I was 17. Her backyard was covered in them every spring. When we sold her house, we transplanted some of her lilies, and the flowers in my yard are descended from hers.

They remind me of her, and they make me smile, too.

(I don’t have a photo of the lilies, but here is Otis the Cat with a pot of spring herbs.)

I’d love your comments. Do you have any garden memories? If not gardening, what tasks do you do to think out knotty problems?

Everyday Heroes

noreply@blogger.com (mary sullivan) — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:24:00 +0000

Mary Sullivan

I’m sure this topic has been covered many times before, but I’d like to share a couple of things I’ve seen lately.

Across the street from my apartment building, there’s an elementary school that has a daycare attached to it. I happened to be outside one day and witnessed this scene. A police officer had parked across the street from the daycare and had been inside the school for a while, possibly to talk to a class or at an assembly. He came out of the school to get into his car to leave just as the children came out of their daycare to play outside. They all ran to the fence so they could wave to him, but then asked him what was wrong, because his flashing lights weren’t on.

This huge, muscular guy played right along, saying, “My lights aren’t on? I forgot to turn them on?”

He climbed into his patrol car and turned on his flashing lights and his siren and that ‘whoop whoop’ sound that emergency vehicles sometimes make. He pulled the car over so it was sitting right in front of the children and they all cheered. I LOVED watching this burly cop turn into a marshmallow for little kids.

On a completely unrelated topic, I learned recently that one of my daughter’s friends, who is in university working on his Ph.D., decided that he really wanted a place on campus where students could go to get super healthy food at cheap prices. He got together with two like-minded students and started a small café. All of their time is donated. This is completely a volunteer effort on their part.

My daughter’s friend bakes nine loaves of bread from scratch every week and makes incredibly healthy soups and salads. He works there three days a week and gets paid nothing for his labor. He finds joy in cooking for people.

So for $5, a student, rather than picking up junk or fast food, can go to the café and get a huge salad, a satisfying bowl of soup and a bunch of homemade bread.

I really admire these three young people who showed such initiative—who did more than just have a great idea, but actually saw it through to fruition—give of their time and labor so generously. It makes up for all of those in the news who aren’t doing so well, who are hurting those around them.

On the news tonight, there was coverage of an awards ceremony that honored pets who had saved their owners lives. They were gorgeous dogs and cats who had a strong bond with their owners, strong enough that they sensed when their owners were in distress, even while their owners slept through medical emergencies. Aren’t pets sometimes the most heroic creatures on earth?

There’s a cashier at my neighborhood grocery store who is unfailingly polite and cheerful, no matter what the customers are like. She wears glasses with bright red frames and lipstick to match and tells everyone to have a good day after she rings in their order. When I watch her I can SEE her make the choice to be pleasant. She consciously maintains her good humor.

A million years ago, I put myself through school by working as a cashier in a large grocery chain store. I know how hard it can be when you get tired, when you’re nearing the end of your day, to put up with customers who are tired and can become crabby on a dime. This woman makes everyone feel good.

These are the people (and pets) I admire, who make those around them feel good, feel cared for, who make us smile at their whimsy, their constant good will, or their generosity of spirit. Are there people in your life, or on the periphery of it, who make you feel good whenever you come into contact with them?

I'm giving away a copy of my May release, NO ORDINARY SHERIFF, to someone who comments today.

Breakfast Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Andrews) — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

by Beth

The other day, my youngest and I were out running errands and saw a sign at a local restaurant advertising Mother's Day Brunch, to which I commented: I love brunch.

Which, in turn, caused my fifteen-year-old to ask: Are you trying to tell me you want us to take you out for brunch for Mother's day?

I assured her I wasn't, that I was just declaring my great and abiding love for that meal which-is-not-really-a-real-meal.

Although if they did want to take me out, I wouldn't complain :-)

Over the past year or so I’ve come to love brunch, or technically breakfast, with a passion that is sort of frightening. Every Sunday I spend half of the morning making scones or muffins or omelets or waffles for my family and I had my mother throw me a birthday brunch instead of birthday dinner party. My husband even took me out for breakfast for Valentine’s Day instead of doing the romantic dinner for two thing *g*

To celebrate my adoration for all things breakfast, I thought we’d do a quick Breakfast Q&A!

1. Coffee, tea or juice?
2. Pancakes, waffles or French toast?
3. Eggs – scrambled, fried or poached?
4. Bagel, English muffin or toast?
5. Bacon, sausage or ham?
6. Donut, danish or fresh fruit?
7. Muffin, scone or coffee cake?
8. Cereal – cold or hot?
9. Omelet or quiche?
10. Favorite Breakfast indulgence?

Can’t wait to read everyone’s answers…after I’ve eaten, of course :-)

Another Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (mary sullivan) — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:12:00 +0000

Tammy Yenalavitch, you've won a copy of NO ORDINARY SHERIFF, from my April 24th blog. Please contact me with your mailing information through my website, www.marysullivanbooks.com

Congratulations, Tammy!

Mary

Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Rogenna Brewer) — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Congratulations Marybelle!

Your the winner of a $10 amazon.com gift card

"Another Sixty Dollar Tomato"

by Rogenna Brewer

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Happy Star Wars Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Emmie) — Fri, 04 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Emmie Dark

Source

May the Fourth be with you!

Geddit?

Are you a Star Wars fan? If not, you're probably puzzling over that greeting. But, even if you're not a fan, Star Wars is such an pervasive cultural icon, it's almost impossible not to know at least the general gist of the story.

Just in case anyone reading hasn't seen the movie (IS there anyone who hasn't??) the fourth of May each year has been dubbed "Star Wars Day" by fans because of its similarity to the line from the movie: "May the force be with you."

At the danger of dating myself terribly, I remember going to see Star Wars at the cinema back when it first came out. Mostly I remember my younger brother's saucer-like eyes after it finished. He became, from that day on, an avid sci fi geek. I happily rode on his coat tails, watching Dr Who with him from behind the couch (those tinfoil monsters were scary!) and even staying up late to watch randomly-scheduled Star Trek Next Generation episodes. (Anyone out there have a teen crush on Riker? *cough* *blush* No, me either.)

On the scale of sci fi geekdom, I'd describe myself as averagely geeky. Geeky enough to get references when they're peppered into pop culture. Geeky enough to be disappointed in the new Star Wars movies. Not geeky enough to collect figurines. However I did just recently buy myself this awesome t-shirt, and you'll have to decide for yourself just how geeky it makes me...

Because I like a little chic with ma geek...
(You can have one too! Buy it here.)

How cool is that? I love that true fans are going to "get it" right away. Yep, that's Princess Leia with Cloud City in the background. Others will (hopefully) just think, "Oh, that's a pretty art nouveau design".

Princess Leia is a pretty awesome heroine when you stop to think about it. She's the leader of the rebel alliance, risking everything to fight against the evil empire. She back chats Darth Vadar fearlessly and then faces torture at his hands with just the slightest quiver. She fights stormtroopers with men, Wookies and Ewoks by her side. Even when forced to wear that gold bikini (and thus inspiring the nighttime fantasies of millions of guys around the world) she manages to convey how very put out she is about the whole business, and then she strangles her captor with the chain he'd used to imprison her.

Go Leia!

When the sexy hero, Han Solo, falls for her, she plays it cool. In a movie full of pretty terrible dialogue, Leia arguably has the best line of anyone: when Han tells her he loves her, she simply replies with "I know."

So, happy Star Wars Day to you. Even if you're not a fan, I don't think there's anything wrong with us all getting our Princess Leia on today. Put your hair in braids (wrapping them into buns around your ears is entirely your decision). Fight for what you believe in. Back chat authority. You could even, if you want, get your gold bikini out of the closet. (It's a little too cold in Melbourne for that right now, though...)

How geeky do your rate yourself on the sci fi geek scale? Have you seen ALL the Star Wars movies?

Girlfriend's Weekend - Oh, Yeah!

noreply@blogger.com (liztalley) — Thu, 03 May 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Girlfriend’s Weekend – Oh, Yeah!

by Liz Talley

So here’s the deal – all around me throughout the years I’ve heard moms on the playground, the gals next to me in Sunday school and neighbors talk about this myth - this venture out onto beaches, vacation houses and shopping meccas, with only girlfriends. For years I’ve longed for the same opportunity – to leave the laundry, the dishes in the sink (okay, I actually HAD to do those before leaving) and my whining children, barking dogs and grumpy husband all in search of wine, sales and talk of the cutest of shoes. Yep, I’ve been yearning for a girlfriend’s weekend.

And as my 4oth birthday approached (I know. I look 29, right?) I decided to cajole, bribe and beg my high school besties to drop what they were doing for just one weekend out of the year and join me on a little trip. Luckily, they all needed a break like I did J and we set the last weekend in April for our trip. We all live in Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma, so we decided the easiest place to triangulate and meet would be the Dallas area. One of the gals lives in Plano and suggested an area called Legacy which has great upscale outdoor restaurants and cute little boutiques. So off we went.

And it was wonderful!

Incredible!

And felt so good to be with the girls who knew me so well. My son asked why I was so excited about this trip, and the only way I could put it is that when you grow up with people, there’s this automatic bond. You go through all these things together – first kiss, first period, bra shopping, break-ups, studying for finals and….growing up. All those strange and yet wonderful firsts forge something special, or at least that’s the way it was with us. Doesn’t matter how long it’s been, it’s as comfortable as that pair of Levi’s in the closet, as sweet as that bottle of vanilla vodka we mixed with our Cokes, and far more valuable than could ever be described. We talked, we laughed, we cried and it was PERFECT. I’m not kidding. PERFECT.

I posted a pic so you could see how happy we were to be together…we’ve all changed, but one thing has not, and that’s our need to be together, love each other, and not do any laundry. Oh, and I brought them all a copy of Waters Run Deep, my new book that came out Tuesday. In that book my heroine Annie doesn’t really have any of these girlfriend bonds (or any others for that matter), but she finds a home in Bayou Bridge…and a chance at love. In one way, I feel sorry for her that she grew up so unstable she never forged bonds with girlfriends. On the other, I’m a little jealous of Annie…well, she is a tough former FBI agent and ends up with a sexy Cajun detective. Hope my Housewives of Webster Parish enjoy reading one of my books. Should give us something to talk about at the next get together. Oh, yeah. It’s now an annual thing.

What about you? Have you ever gone on a girl’s trip? Where’d you go? And if not, what’s your idea of the perfect girlfriend getaway? Or maybe you’d rather be left alone to read a book?

Another Sixty Dollar Tomato?

noreply@blogger.com (Rogenna Brewer) — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:01:00 +0000

The last time I attempted anything close to a garden It cost me $60 to harvest one tomato. Plant, planter, cage, topsoil, fertilizer, plant food...

It all adds at the register. I remember thinking I would have been better off spending that money in the produce section of my grocery store.

Eventually, I got tired of my two trips a day lugging gallons of water out to the patio. Yes I know there is such a thing as a garden hose, but it involved an even longer walk around the house and unwinding the darn thing.

After that first fruit I gave up entirely.

The following year the home stores started selling potted tomato plants complete with cage. A much better bargain for $14.99. I pick one up every year, but that, and tossing wildflower seeds into my garden beds is the extent of my gardening.

So why on earth am I planting a vegetable garden this year? Our back yard is on a slop, and except for the southwest corner there's really no place to put a garden. For years I've been eyeing the spot, but my husband had dibs for a shed he never got around to building.

This year instead of ruminating about a garden, and having him veto my idea with his shed. I asked if he was going to get around to building that shed this summer. It must have sounded like a demand to get it done because he was quick to say it wasn't going to happen.

"Well, then I think I'm going to put in a garden."

"Okay."

Who knew it was that easy?

Easy, but not cheap. The trip to the Home Depot cost me $77.12 for the cherry wood border, topsoil and fertilizer. I spent another $55.47 at Walmart for plants and seeds and assorted accessories, like gardening gloves and a hose.

There's no way I'm going up and down that hill to water twice a day. Our youngest broke his collarbone on a Slip & Slid down that hill. Leave it to the oldest to find a way to make a dangerous water slide even more dangerous and then make his brother go first.

Anyway, I can just see myself taking a tumble...

So I invested in a soaker that I can leave in the garden and all I have to do is turn it on and off by the back door. Then my husband got into the act, he's talking about building steps to make it easier for me to get up and down and he bought me a duel hose head and a misting wand so I can water the garden and the patio planters without having to attach and detach hoses or haul water.

I don't know what all that cost him, but it cost me nothing so I didn't add it to my total of $168.12

Counting $13.88 at the Dollar Tree for decorations. And a trip back to Walmart to the tune of $21.65 for mulch.

Am I crazy or what? I'm never going to be a canner like my mother-in-law. I don't have her time and patience or her green thumb. Or a farmer-size garden.

I'll be surprised if I even recoup my money in produce.

I'm already having gardener's remorse and I haven't put in a single plant yet. But when I'm sitting at the top of my hill, looking down on my little patch of earth none of that matters. I have a garden.

72 various seedlings, 12 cabbage, 6 cucumber, 3 tomato,
1 sweet pepper & and marigolds to keep the bugs out.

Oh, and not enough room for them all!

How about you? Have you been bitten by the gardening bug this year?

I'm giving away a $10 Gift Card to amazon.com so you can sit back and relax with a book while admiring your own patch or earth. Check back Saturday for a post announcing the winner.

Super Authors Gifts and Critiques

noreply@blogger.com (Jeannie Watt) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:08:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again—Brenda Novak’s Annual Online Auction for DiabetesResearch will begin on Tuesday May 1^st and run through May 31^st. There are tons of fabulous items up for auction and the Super Authors have their own page!

Here’s what’s being offered by the Super Authors:

Geri Krotow is offering the coolest prize—a Skype book club session, with books! The package includes the Skype session with Geri, 10 signed copies of her June 2012 SuperRomance Navy Rules and 10 small Navy related gift bags!

Sarah Mayberry is offering all eight of her SuperRomance novels—A Natural Father, Home for the Holidays, Her Best Friend, The Best Laid Plans, The Last Goodbye, One Good Reason, All They Need, More Than One Night—and an assortment of Australian goodies for an authentic immersive reading experience! Including: Tim Tams, Vegemite, Cherry Ripe bars and other delicacies.

Mary Sullivan is offering an autographed set of all six of her books set in Ordinary, Montana—No Ordinary Cowboy, A Cowboy’s Plan, The Cowboy’s Son, Beyond Ordinary, The Ties That Bind and No Ordinary Sheriff and a critique of a 3-chapter proposal package.

If you are a prospective SuperRomance author and would like a critique from those in the know, the following Super Authors are offering three-chapter proposal package critiques:

Karina Bliss

Rogenna Brewer

Joan Kilby

Carrie Weaver is offeirng a wonderful Arizona gift bag that includes autographed copies of Once a Ranger and Welcome Home, Daddy, both set in Arizona. The Best of the Best from Arizona Cookbook, a colorful t-shirt (size large) , a gorgeous insulated travel cup, Cerreta’s Cactus Chews and Redstone’s Red Chili Chipotle Chocolate and a red bandana!

Linda Warren is offering a handmade brown and turquoise magnesite necklace with a western cross with aTexas star on it. There are chunks of irregular, round and barrel shaped turquoise beads surrounded by silver zinc findings and brown Chinese crystals. There are also matching earrings. Linda is also offering autographed sets of two popular Superromance series: The Belles of Texas, which includes Caitlyn’s Prize, Madison’s Children and Skylar’s Outlaw; and The Hardin Boys which includes The Texan’s Secret and The Texan’s Bride, which was recently nominated for the prestigious Rita Award.

Jeannie Watt is offering a cut glass mosaic mirror. This mirror is a repeat of the most popular mirror on her auction page last year and features pink flowers on a cream background.

Mary Brady's gift basket includes autographed copies of her three, Montana set SuperRomance books: He Calls Her Doc, Promise to a Boy, Winning Over the Rancher. Come on out and see how Happily Ever After struggles and grows in Big Sky country. Included in the basket are TossOn™ stretch bracelets and earrings. In deference of the cause, Mary mentioned that she’s left out (eaten) the chocolate.

Sure hope to see you there! Happy Bidding!

New Releases ~ May 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Rogenna Brewer) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Waters Run Deep
by Liz Talley
Harlequin Superromance
ISBN: 9780373717767 (#1776)

Getting attached to someone nearly sidelined agent Annie Perez's career. So she's not about to make the same mistake twice. This latest undercover assignment in Louisiana—acting as nanny for a famous couple under threat—suits her perfectly. She can investigate quietly and under the radar. That is, provided she can stay clear of way-too-suspicious detective Nate Dufrene.

Easier said than done when Nate seems to be around every corner. And with each encounter, Annie is tempted a little more by this son of Bayou Bridge. Yet regardless of their chemistry, they are worlds apart, and she's not willing to compromise for love again. But when she needs an ally, Nate has her back. And that could convince her to get very attached!

The Long Shot
by Ellen Hartman
Harlequin Superromance
ISBN: 9780373717774 (#1777)

Deacon Fallon has made something of himself. Yeah, it wasn't easy becoming a successful—now retired—pro basketball player, but he did it. In the process, he made his brother's life better. That's always been Deacon's goal.

This latest effort to help, however, may push Deacon too far. He's been roped into coaching the high school girls' team! Worse, there's a little offside action brewing between him and his hot assistant coach, Julia Bradley. Definitely not in his plans, but he can't resist her. And for the first time, Deacon wants something that has nothing to do with his brother and everything to do with Julia!

Like One of the Family
by Kimberly Van Meter
Harlequin Superromance
ISBN: 9780373717781 (#1778)

White beaches, blue waters…St. John is paradise for most. But not for Lora Bell. Her childhood home is a source of painful memories and obligation. And this visit isn't likely to change anything. She's here to deal with a mountain of trouble at her family's resort, her grandfather…and Heath Cannon, the guy she'd rather forget.

Being around Heath reminds Lora of another side of herself—the less serious, more carefree side. And while that might be a welcome change, this is not the time. She has to be strong to make the tough decisions required to save the resort. So these feelings need to stop. Now. But it may be too late. Because those beaches, the water and Heath seem to be changing everything.

For Just Cause
by Kara Lennox
Harlequin Superromance
ISBN: 9780373717798 (#1779)

Guilt. Innocence. Psychologist and body-language expert Claudia Ellison can sense them both, which is why she's so good at her job. Unfortunately, even the innocent are convicted and this time Claudia's partially to blame. To help free a wrongfully imprisoned woman, she teams up with Project Justice investigator Billy Cantu, the one man she can't read.

They must track down the truth before someone gets hurt. And to do that, they need to trust each other. Only, the ex-undercover cop has secrets he wants to keep, and to Claudia, not knowing everything is not an option. But some things aren't meant to be shared. Because once they are revealed, they can never be taken back.

No Ordinary Sheriff
by Mary Sullivan
Harlequin Superromance
ISBN: 9780373717804 (#1780)

Shannon Wilson is on the fast track to the top. A DEA agent from the big city, she's simply passing through Ordinary, Montana, to settle a score. And no small-town sheriff will derail her plans simply because he flashes a badge and a great smile…no matter how sexy he looks in that cowboy hat.

After all, Sheriff Cash Kavenagh is ready to settle into that white-picket-fence ideal. And Shannon isn't about to swap her fast-paced lifestyle for such an ordinary existence. Only problem is—wrapped in those big masculine arms of his, Shannon can't seem to shake the feeling that life with Cash may just be the most extraordinary thing that's ever happened to her.

Healing Dr. Alexander
by Tracy Wolff
Harlequin Superromance
ISBN: 9780373717811 (#1781)

This was not his professional plan. Dr. Jack Alexander—dedicated surgeon and humanitarian—never expected an accident would end his time in the O.R. Nor did he expect to have to abandon his aid work. Now, back in Atlanta, he's faced with rebuilding his career…his life. And his hope for the future comes from the least likely source—the little family next door.

From the first moment he spots Sophie Connors having a water fight with her young sons, Jack is captivated. She defies all of his assumptions about family and relationships. Too bad she resists committing. Somehow he has to change her mind. Because together they may find that life doesn't always turn out the way you planned…sometimes, it turns out even better.

Yummy men

noreply@blogger.com (mary sullivan) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:38:00 +0000

Mary Sullivan

There's something incredibly sexy about men who cook. A man making dinner for me would be a fabulous date. I would even agree to do the dishes if only HE would cook. Don't get me wrong. I love to cook. But a man cooking for me? Heaven.

These days chefs are rock stars. For three or four months in the fall, I watched a free preview of the Food Network. Wow, was it fun. I have a serious crush on some of the male chefs--most notably, Alton Brown and Bobby Flay. In my opinion, Geoffrey Zakarian, Mario Batale and Masaharu Morimoto are culinary geniuses. Just once, I'd like to taste what looks so incredible onscreen.

The women are amazing, too, i.e. Cat Cora and Anne Burrell, but today we're talking about men.

My favourite shows were The Iron Chef and Chopped. Both shows could get pretty tense. A new show, Sweet Genius, looks strange but compelling. Unfortunately, my free preview ended and I won't pay for it. I know I would watch it FAR too much!

I've never followed Jamie Oliver before, but his Christmas shows yielded fabulous recipes and his Mulled Wine knocked my socks off.

When I first met him, my (now ex-) husband wasn't a very good cook, but he made me dinner when we first started to date. I remember it well. He made wieners and beans and toast. It wasn't gourmet, but it was fun. Another time, he made Beef Stroganoff for me and some of our friends. Unfortunately, when the recipe said that it served six, he believed it. I often find recipe portions skimpy. There was barely enough for each of us, but he made up for it with dessert: ice cream covered with crushed Crispy Crunch chocolate bars and corn syrup drizzled on top. Again, not gourmet, but fun.

By the time our marriage ended years later, he was baking pies for all of his fellow firefighters. He used to like my apple pie and wanted to bake it for the other (at that time, early on, all male) co-workers. He had to make four at a time, though, because they were big eaters. His pies became so good that he became known for them in all the fireballs and was nicknamed The Pie Man. He would also, on occasion, want to make them dinner, so I taught him his faves of mine and we would double or triple the recipes and he would make them at work. He turned out to be a really great cook.

Years ago, as a joke, a friend gave me a book called The Hunk Cookbook. It was full of beefcake photos of good-looking men. Those photos obscured, though, that the men were real cooks who had donated recipes to the book. In fact, all of the recipes were donated by men--and they were really good! The author conducted a survey of 4,000 men and her results blasted a lot of preconceptions. Men were very, very interested in cooking in the kitchen, not just on the barbecue, and salads and vegetables were high on the list of things they liked to cook. As well, they avoided a lot of foods that weren't healthy. This book was published in 1989, so already they were leaning toward healthier options.

Has a man ever cooked a meal for you that you really loved? Who is your favourite celebrity chef and why? Does a night at home with a man cooking for you rate as an ideal date?

May is creeping closer and my release, No Ordinary Sheriff, will soon be on bookstore shelves. I would like to give away a copy to one of today's commenters.

Slumps, tuning forks and soulmates

noreply@blogger.com (Karina Bliss) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:30:00 +0000

DRAW WINNER: Kristina Matthews won the draw for an advance copy of Bring Him Home. Kristina if you'd like to contact me with your address on karina@karinabliss.com I'll get a copy to you!

Add caption

I’m in a slump. Not a reading slump thank heavens.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve been reading, Making a Good Writer Great, Writing Romantic Comedy, Writing Subtext (guessed I need inspiration yet?) and for fun the latest releases from J.R. Ward, Sarah Mayberry, Abby Gaines and some ‘new to me’ Karen Marie Moning. I’ve also got Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal from the library from a recommendation on Anne Stuart’s blog. And that's before I get to other new Superromance releases.
But at close to fifty thousand words into the new book with thirty to go I’m tired of 'staying with the cattle' as writer Elmore Leonard describes the writing process. I want to ride into town, raise some hell, kick up my heels!
Still the book's taking shape (the fourth in my SAS heroes series - His Goodbye Girl). It’s about a soldier who comes back from the dead to discover his buddies have given his gal the engagement ring they found in his locker. Which he wouldn't have a problem with only he proposed on the eve of his departure - and she turned him down. Ouch!
I love the premise and thought lots of comic mayhem would ensue but the book’s taken another direction though it still has comic moments.

That’s the interesting part of writing...doesn’t matter what kind of detailed synopsis I labour over or how many times I juggle my scene cards the tone of the book works itself out through the writing. Sometimes I feel like I’m following my characters around with a tuning fork listening for the right note.

Bring Him Home, book 3 of the SAS series is out in May through e-harlequin and June through other retailers. While I was finishing line edits I did an interview with debut author Kyle Griffin about my writing process, which I’d never dissected before.

So instead of giving you the back cover blurb let me tell you how Bring Him Home evolved. A guy falls in love with his army buddy's widow. That’s the basic premise. Then I asked myself some ‘what if’ questions.

What if he had to make a Sophy's Choice (lesser of two evils) in the ambush that killed his buddy. What if his buddy was complicit in that choice?

What if he's so scarred emotionally he turns his back on his friends, the only family he has? What if his best friend's widow forces him to come home because his signature in a family trust is required in order for her sell the home and invest in a business?

What if she hasn't forgiven her late husband for something and the hero acts as go between? What if his own redemption is increasingly tied to reconciling the widow to her late husband at the same time he falls in love with her?
I also looked at my favourite genre conventions and tried to twist them. Let's have a widow who adored her husband. Let's have the late husband a major character in the book. Let's have the love triangle about the hero's loyalty to his best friend as much as his love for his best friend's widow. Let's have a woman who's moving on and a hero who can't.
Can you have different kinds of soulmates? Or one? How can I resolve the story so the reader believes that this man and no other is the 'one' while developing an affection for the late husband.

The book is set in Pataua, NZ renamed Stingray Bay.

Anyway, back to reading. I’m loving Going Postal, my first Terry Pratchett. What book has been recommended to you lately that turned out to be a great read? Or if you have a tip on how to be industrious when you don’t want to be, I’d be delighted to hear it.

Post a comment and go into the draw for a copy of Bring Him Home. You can read an excerpt here.

The Writing Life--Lenora Worth

noreply@blogger.com (Lenora) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 06:30:00 +0000

Thanks to technology--most writers can do their job just about anywhere--in an airport, at a coffee shop, waiting at the doctor's office, on the front porch or while riding in a car. But most of us have offices that we use every day. I'm sitting in my new office in Florida. We will be moving here this summer and we've been here for a few weeks doing renovations. Well, my husband is doing the renovations while I try to meet my deadlines. Sometimes we both scream in frustration at the same time! Even though this room is smaller than my other office, we managed to make it cozy and bright. I found a chair that I love and it suits my bad back. The walls are a dark creamy yellowish color that reminds me of sand and my chair matches that color. My new desk is glass and wood and L-shaped so I can see out the window. I love beach scenes so I'll hang a few of those around to remind me that I'm now close to the sea. I have bookshelves in the closet and we are bringing down an antique armoire that used to hold my shoe collection. Yes, it's going from one of my favorite things to another of my favorite things. But don't worry, my shoes will be safe in their new closet on bright white shelves where I can still see them. I have a cream colored chaise that will occupy one corner--that's my dreaming chair. I think I can write in this new space but I'll also have to try out writing on the deck that looks out on the bay, too. I can watch for dolphins and get a chapter in. Now that I've described my writing space, I'd sure enjoy hearing about where some of the other Super authors enjoy writing. When we decided to move down here, my husband kept telling everyone "Lenora can write anywhere. That's the beauty of her job." That is part of the beauty of this job. It always goes where I go. And the possibilities are endless.

What is it with Men and Socks?

noreply@blogger.com (Jeannie Watt) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:00:00 +0000

By Jeannie Watt

What is it with men and socks? Or at least the men in my life and socks?

When I was single, I had very few problems with socks, except for one or two that were eaten by the washing machine, but that’s just life. When I married, however, my relationship with socks—and not my own socks, mind you—started to change. Nothing earth shattering, but certain phenomena began repeating.

One of those is the Invisi-sock Phenomenon. Apparently the Y chromosome renders certain objects, including socks, temporarily invisible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to stop doing important things, like reading blogs before getting ready for work, to find the missing pair of running/biking/hunting/white/brown/lucky socks that are sitting front and center in the sock drawer when I open it. When I hand them to my husband, the following exchange then ensues:

“Where did you find them!?”

“In the sock drawer.”

“I looked there!”

“I know you did. So, until tomorrow…”

Not to be smug, but in our several decades of married life, I have never once asked my husband to help me find my socks. My car keys, yes; my sun glasses, yes; but socks—never. (To be fair, however, I must mention that my husband rarely loses anything except his socks--and they aren't really lost. They're just invisible.)

After my son was born, I noticed another sock phenomenon that continues to this day. The Sock Shed, as in the boy sheds socks wherever he goes. If I want to find him, I follow the trail of socks. Even when he tries not to shed socks, he does. For instance, if I call a hotel because I think I’ve left something in the room, the first question I get after security checks the lost and found is, “Was it a sock?”.

So after many years of guy/sock dealings, I’ve developed a Y-chromosome-sock theory. Nature, through specialized evolution, has made it impossible for men to manage their socks and therefore they eventually realize that, unless they want to spend their days sockless and blistered, they need a mate. Then they are able to pass that Y-chromosome on to new generations.

What do you think? Does the Y-chromosome render objects invisible and make it impossible to keep socks under control?

Hey--you know what? I just realized this is my second hosiery post in a row. What is it with me and socks?

About That Spring Fever...

noreply@blogger.com (Geri Krotow) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:21:00 +0000

Rogenna Brewer mentioned that she had spring fever. Me, too. For me it manifests in the compulsion to get outside and work in my garden. Because of living overseas for 6 of the nearly 9 previous years, I haven't had much to work with...containers with annuals, herbs, some roses in our lovely Belgian garden (we'd call it a walled yard, they call it a jardin). So it's great to be back home in the USA in the house we bought 9 months ago with the high hopes of not moving again for many, many years. Did I emphasize no more moves for a good while?

Even though the home we bought is relatively new, it's 9 yrs old but with no landscaping. This is good and bad. Let's focus on the good. I get to put in my flower beds and trees wherever I wish. On Saturday I decided it was time to start. But I'm afraid of digging into our dog's electric fence, so I kept this one next to the house. It's in a spot that if I mess it up it won't matter as much as say, the front yard.

You can see my handiwork in the photo. It seemed simple. Dig up a 10' by 10' (3mx3m) area. Just lift up the sod. How hard could it be? And I decided to make it kind of heart-shaped. Easy, right? All I can say is that if not for the great workouts I've been putting in at the gym in cross-fit and cardio-fit classes, I wouldn't have made it. The unseasonably warm day had sweat dripping down my face within minutes. I kept telling myself I was working off all of the Easter Bunnies I ate last weekend.

Now, the fun part. I get to pick up some dirt, mulch, and plants. Probably a weeping mini cherry tree is in the lot. Of course, as a romance writer I am brilliant. I conveniently had a cortisone shot to the shoulder yesterday (planned before the sod busting) and I'll have to rely on dearest hubby and teen daughter to bring in the dirt and mulch. Tee hee.

What are your best gardening tips?

Reassign, Recycle, Upcycle, Repurpose

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Brady) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

by Mary Brady

(Added 4/21/2012) If you didn't win today, I'll be blogging and giving away another prize on May 14!

And the winner is:

****TAMMY!!!****

Tammy, please send your snail mail address along with your choice of prize:

He Calls Her Doc

Promise to a Boy

Winning Over the Rancher

or a set of TossOn Bracelets to me at: Mary@marybrady.net

Check out similar bracelet sets at www.etsy.com/shop/julsandmaude

Congratulations and thanks! I love seeing your smiling face on my comments page!

For new arrivals, enjoy the Bonds and come next month for a run at a prize!

Reassign…okay, so maybe I stuck this one in so I could put pictures of things I have “reassigned” in my life. For instance, I have reassigned James Bond in all his forms to the observe only category, sooo that way I can begin to forget that he was never any place but there for me anyway. Sooo...it's Sunday night and I'll just move on. But the photos stay!

Recycle…my hubby will attest, I recycle everything I can and save up the rest to take elsewhere to special disposal sites—but everyone knows about recycling.

Upcycling and repurposing (ancient ideas but renamed so recently that my spell checker doesn’t recognize them) create some of my worthy causes and entertaining challenges. Caution: If you have hoarding tendencies, please do not bring things home for the purpose of upcycling or repurposing. You could easily and quickly…well, you know.

Before I recycle anything or toss anything out, I look at it as an object for consideration. Can said thing I'm about to dump be upcycled—updated for further use in a manner similar to that for which it was originally intended or can it be repurposed—used as something for which it was not originally created but for which it is well or reasonably well suited. I could make a long list of my "not ready for the landfill yet" objects but it would be interesting only to me.

This blog idea started when I had made too many potatoes with my corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day and had to upcycle some of them. I fried them for breakfast and trust me, that’s one yummy upcycle.

Recently, I saw these earrings in Jewelry Making Daily made from the colorful metal of cookie/candy tins—the ones painted with snow people, flowers, fruits, etc. They were bug's ear cute and the raw materials are currently quite abundant and varied.

It's in the little things like the broccoli rubber bands making the perfect closure device for a bag of coffee. It's in the big things like using retired ships as reefs for sea life.

What I am most interested in, however, is what do you upcycle or repurpose in your life that makes things better, saves the planet, and generally gives you a feeling that you just did something right and no one can take that away from you! To one commenter, I will give away my book of your choice or a set of TossOn™ bracelets. For examples of TossOn™ bracelets visit Juls and Maude (Check the comments section of this blog this Friday for the winner.)

Thanks for reading and have a great day!

Spring Fever

noreply@blogger.com (Rogenna Brewer) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 04:01:00 +0000

I have a serious case of Spring Fever so this post promises to be short and sweet.

What is Spring Fever?

Springtime here in the Northern Hemisphere begins with the March Equinox. The days get longer, the nights grow shorter and our hormones respond accordingly.

More sunlight means levels of melatonin fall, while levels of serotonin rise. In other words, we're naturally less lethargic and happier in the spring.

Sperm counts go up just in time for Spring Break. Yikes!

*Top Ten Spring Break destinations for families.

And all this new found energy leads to the phenomenon known as Spring Cleaning.

*All You Spring Cleaning tips and checklists.

For the baseball fan it means the end of Spring Training and that first game of the season on Opening Day.

*2012 Schedule for Major League Baseball

How do you celebrate Spring?

Viva con precaucion

noreply@blogger.com (Vicki Essex) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:00:00 +0000

My husband and I just returned from our vacation to Cancun, Mexico.

“Mexico?” you may have exclaimed. “But it’s so dangerous right now!”

That was the line I was getting from pretty much everyone I told about our trip. Recent incidents of violence—attacks on tourists, kidnappings, assaults, drug related murders, and so forth—have been making headlines all over the world and have given the country a bad reputation.

Before the trip, everyone was giving me advice. Don’t leave the resort. Don’t go to the city. Don’t show off your wealth. Don’t go anywhere alone. Pretend you live there (though how I was supposed to blend in with my pasty Canadian winter complexion I have no idea.) I started reading articles about the various incidents, and my fears grew. Not only did I have to worry about not drinking the water, but I also had to watch my back every second!

I was anxious, to say the least. I’d tried to reassure myself that it was all just media hype; that a few isolated incidents didn’t mean anything in a country that sees more than 21.5 million international tourists every year. A lot of the more heinous crimes happened in the big cities and on the U.S.-Mexican border, after all, and most were gang-related. I told myself as long as I didn’t go wandering alone at night into clearly marked gang territory, I’d be fine.

Turns out I was right. And we had a fantastic time!

Cancun is like a Mexican version of Las Vegas, built up and modernized with enormous resort hotels, gorgeous white-sand beaches, tons of tourist traps, and hordes of people selling local crafts. There are police everywhere, and even specially designated tourist police (whether you find that a comfort is up to you.) The locals are helpful and friendly and speak English. And everywhere you go in the Hotel Zone, there are always other tourists around. Frankly, the most dangerous thing that could have happened to us was getting suckered by pushy souvenir vendors.

We didn’t feel unsafe at all, but we took plenty of precautions wherever we went, booking hotel-approved tours and taking the guides’ advice about what not to do. As long as we stuck to the rules and didn’t do anything stupid, we were fine.

It just goes to show, you can’t believe everything you read, or judge a whole country based on what happens in a handful of cities.

Is there someplace in the world you’ve always wanted to visit, but have been afraid to go because of things you’ve read? Comment below!

The Best Easter Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Beth Andrews) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:43:00 +0000

Yesterday we hosted Easter dinner for my family which includes my parents, my two brothers and their wives, my two sisters and their husbands, thirteen nieces and nephews, a few of their girlfriends/boyfriends and my 7 mo great-nephew.

It was crowded, loud and so much fun! I love seeing my nieces and nephews and catching up with their lives. Most of them are out of high school and a few have graduated college and are out on their own and I'm so proud of them all :-)

But, I have to be honest here. My favorite part of the day wasn't the chit-chat or the gorgeous baby or my 3 yo nephew and his 5 yo sister doing a dance. No, my favorite part was dessert.

And if that's wrong, I don't want to be right.

You see, I made a Milky Way cake, one I'd made for the first time this past Christmas. This cake is gooey and chocolately and caramely (this cake is so wonderful, it deserves for me to make up a few words on its behalf) and addicting. It's also a cinch to make.

Oh, yeah, and it has two sticks of butter (one for the frosting, one for the cake) and a combined total of eleven (yes, you read that right. ELEVEN) melted, regular-sized Milky Way bars.

So, really, it's no wonder it's so good. It's also the reason I only make it on special occasions and why I told my husband that he was taking the rest to work so it wasn't in the house calling my name. Luckily, there are only two small pieces left to torment me. I'm hoping my girls eat them for breakfast.

(My internet provider isn't cooperating today so I'll have to come back and share the link to the recipe for you all. It's on The Pioneer Woman's website. Love me some Ree Drummond!)
What is your favorite decadent dessert? Where does your family gather for holidays?

Mmmm, Chocolate by Joan Kilby

noreply@blogger.com (Joan Kilby) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 04:05:00 +0000

What do women love even more than eye candy?

Chocolate.

Easter is an important time all around the world. It’s a time of renewal and the rites of spring and religious festivals. It’s also a prime holiday for chocolate lovers.

When I was a child I loved hollow bunnies of dark chocolate. It tasted different than chocolate bars and I waited impatiently all year for it. My father was a dentist so we didn’t have a lot of candy in our house. Halloween, Christmas and Easter were pretty much the only occasions we kids were allowed to pig out. Then, wow, we were told to eat the candy as fast as we could (so it wouldn’t linger on our teeth). Yes sir! No need to tell me twice!

My favorite Easter chocolate was the hollow bunny. Peeling the foil off and eating the bunny was quite a ritual. I always ate the ears first. What part of the bunny do you eat first? Take the bunny test and find out what that means.

My next favorite Easter treat was small, flat dark chocolate-coated marshmallow bunnies. The ones with the firm marshmallow not the fluffy marshmallow. Small solid chocolate eggs were good, too. Last on my list were the pastel-colored sugary eggs. They were kind of disappointing, like getting nuts in the shell in your Christmas stocking.

My husband works for Cadbury chocolate. Every Easter employees are given a big bag of Easter goodies for their children. Or in this case, me! Oh, okay, my kids get most of it but I make sure I get at least one bunny. I know, he’s a keeper. My husband, that is, not the bunny. He’s brunch.

Easter chocolate has evolved over the years. There’s a lot of variety, which is a good thing. These days I like the small chocolate eggs with peppermint or caramel filling. My absolute favorite chocolate of all time (shh, don’t tell hubby’s employer) is Lindt chocolate.

And while I know dark chocolate is better for you because of the anti-oxidants, I prefer milk chocolate. It’s so creamy and smooth. Yum. I mean, seriously, who eats chocolate for the anti-oxidants? I can get all the anti-oxidants I need from wine.

Before I get too carried away with visions of Easter chocolate, I have a new Superromance out this month, PROTECTING HER SON.

Crossing the thin blue line

Paula Drummond is finally back on a police force. And with so much at stake--she’s a single mom atoning for an almost career-ending mistake--she’s not risking anything but stellar performance. That means, regardless of whatever attraction is brewing between her and her partner, Officer Riley Henning, she will not get involved.

Still, working side by side with a man as hot as Riley and not giving in to temptation isn’t easy. Especially when he goes above and beyond to help keep her son safe. With all that evidence piling up, it seems as though her partner on the job is destined to become her partner in bed...and maybe even in life.

Visit www.joankilby.com for more information.

What’s your favorite type of chocolate--milk or dark, plain or with nuts, hollow bunnies or marshmallow--or any variation or brand you care to name? Comment to be in the draw to win a copy of PROTECTING HER SON.

HAPPY EASTER!!!