This week on Romance Writers Weekly, Dani Jace set the challenge – and a true challenge it was, for me at least! We’re one day away from Halloween. Have you ever seen a ghost or witnessed something paranormal? Received a sign from a loved one in the hereafter? If not, share the oddest thing that’s ever happened to you that you can’t explain. My life must be very boring. I cannot think of one thing that fits this topic! And it’s not that I’m a complete skeptic, either. While I don’t 100% believe in ghosts or parapsychology, I don’t totally discount it, either. There is too much that cannot be fully explained by the knowledge the world holds at this moment. So, because I can’t really participate in this blog hop, I’m offering a giveaway! After you’ve taken part, don’t forget to head over to A.S. Fenichel, whose next on our hop! GIVEAWAY! I will give you one of my books for FREE, simply by doing the following: In the comments below, tell me about a time where you experienced something unexplainable. Or, if you’re like me and don’t have that story to share, tell me whether you believe in the supernatural or not. There are no wrong answers! Once you’ve told your story, let me know which one of my books you’d like to receive: Mountain Fire, Chef d’Amour, When Time Falls Still or No Life But This. I will send it to the email you use to comment with. Then, I have only one more request. Today is my birthday – so while I’m giving you a gift, I’d love if you could give me one in return. Once you’ve read the book I send you, please leave an honest review at your ebook retailer or Goodreads – or better yet share it on Facebook or Twitter! I look forward to reading your comments! Happy Halloween!
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This Thursday is Thanksgiving in the United States. We Canadians have already had our holiday, but you can never have enough good recipes, so we're doing a recipe swap. It's time to share the yummy, delicious love! A.S. Fenichel recipe looked super scrumptious, didn't it? Mine is an old family favourite, and a really simple yet tasty dessert. Because you have never have enough desserts, can you? Bread Pudding Cut or crumble bread into chunks, enough to fill a loaf pan to heaping. This is a great way to use stale bread, but can be made with fresh. Put the bread in a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing bowl, combine:
Add milk in small amounts (about ¼ cup at a time) until the mixture is sloppy. It looks like a mess but trust me on this. :) Pour into bread pan. Bake 50 minutes at 1 hour in 400F oven, or until toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Serve warm with ice cream. Enjoy! I wonder what yumminess Dani Jace is sharing today. Be sure to continue on the hop by clicking here. ★★★★Happy Holiday Giveaway $2200 in Amazon Gift Cards!★★★★ $2200 in Amazon Gift Cards are up for grabs in the Happy Holiday Giveaway offered by 110 romance authors. Enter here: http://lovekissedbookbargains.com/happy-holiday-giveaway/
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This week on Romance Writers Weekly, Lyra Parish asks: When you release a new book, do you have a release day tradition? If you joined me from Leslie Hachtel,welcome! Well, this is going to be short and sweet. The answer is – No. I think one of the reasons I don't have any traditions is that two of my three release days have been scattered over months. My first release, Mountain Fire, came out on Kindle Unlimited on October 1, 2012 – but in e-format and print on January 8, 2013. My most recent release, When Time Falls Still, was released in print a few weeks before its April 4, 2016 e-book release. Only Chef d'Amour was released all at once. I suppose I could have had two celebrations for each release – after all, there's no law against that! I think I need some ideas on how to celebrate a new book - maybe S. C. Mitchell does something exciting. See his blog here! For the month of October, I am part of a wonderful initiative. Visit the website of Romance Has a Heart and send a little love - and a great read - to support a survivor, patient, caregiver or family member who has been touched by cancer. More than 100 authors have donated more than 2000 books - including Kristan Higgins, Nalini Singh, Grace Burrows, Romance Writers Weekly members and alumni - and little old me! Five copies of When Time Falls Still are available for to send to someone who needs an extra bit of love in their life. Birthing a book is a long process! I looked back in my records, and I did preliminary work on When Time Falls Still in December 2013. Actual writing began in March 2014. That's a more than two-year gestation period! Which is why I am so excited to be able to say - it's here!!
From April 4 to 15, you have a chance to win an e-copy of When Time Falls still. I'm giving away 5 copies!
You can enter the draw here on my Facebook Author Page! Drumroll, please! I’m so excited to be able to reveal the cover of “Deception”, Book Two in A.S. Fenichel’s series, The Demon Hunters. Love historical? Love paranormal? You won’t want to miss this! When Demons threaten Regency London, only a Lady can stop them. Lillian Dellacourt is beautiful, refined and absolutely lethal. She’s also the most feared and merciless demon hunter in The Company. She’s come a long way from the penniless seamstress’s daughter sold to the highest bidder, and it wasn’t by trusting a man, let alone an exiled Marquis with more on his mind than slaying the hellspawn . . . For Dorian Lambert, Marquis de Montalembert, being sent to keep track of Lillian is no mean task. He’s wanted the fiery vixen since he first heard of her five years ago. But wooing the lady while fighting the demon uprising is no easy feat, especially when the lady’s tongue is as sharp as the Japanese sai blades she favors for eviscerating the spawn of hell. These two will have to learn to trust each other fast, because the demon master is back, and he’s planning to turn Edinburgh into a living hell… “Deception” will be released July 7, but you can pre-order it now at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kensington. Also, be sure to enter the draw to win a $25 GC to the book retailer of your choice. Deadline is this Friday, so get your name in now!
Today's the day! Happy 6 Month Anniversary to the Romance Writer's Weekly! Head over to our Facebook Page and join in the fun!
But before you do, our blog hop this week is all about our favourite romances. We're supposed to list our top ten – be they books, movies, songs, or anything else. If you've joined me from Victoria Barbour, welcome! Here's mine, in no particular order... Pride and Prejudice I'm sure this is going to show up on a lot of lists, but I'm sorry, it has to be here. Romances are all about relationships (the sexy stuff is fun, too, but it doesn't have to be on the page) and Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett have two of the all time greatest character arcs ever. And the BBC miniseries is the best book adaptation I've ever seen Sabrina The original movie, with Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn. This is honestly one of the only movies I've seen where I've felt the connection between the characters so strongly. Again, very little sexy stuff, but such amazing chemistry. The Pina Colada Song I know, it's cheesy as hell. But I love the thought of people falling in love with each other for the second time. Claire and Jamie Fraser These are two of the strongest, most realistic characters to ever have a series woven about them. They argue and annoy each other, they are baffled by each others actions, and yet their love and commitment to each other is unquestionable. This Heart of Mine I've blogged about this Susan Elizabeth Phillips novel before. Utterly heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time. My favourite SEP for sure. Anything (almost) by Nora Roberts No list of top 10 romances would be complete without LaNora. But there is no way to narrow down which one of her books I love the best. Although if someone threatened to pull out my fingernails unless I answered, I'd have to go with “New York to Dallas” (yes, I know, it's JD Robb. Same diff') Unraveled No one does complicated heroes like Courtney Milan. And Smite Turner, who survived an abusive mother, is one of her most bewildering and lovable characters The Princess Bride Falling into both the book and movie categories, this is one of my all time favourite non-traditional romances. “As – you – wish.....” The elderly couple I saw holding hands Connections are so important. Holding hands is one of the simplest ways to say “I'm here.” And when the couple is well into their later years, shuffling slowly down the sidewalk, its a powerful statement. Taking out the garbage Doesn't sound very romantic, does it? But romance isn't only the big grand gestures. It's getting up to rock the baby in the middle of the night. It's folding the laundry even though it's not “his job.” It's doing things you don't want to do, because you know your partner doesn't want to do it either. Now, hop on over to see what Jeanne McDonald lists for her top ten favourite romances! The Book Crossing Tree There's a path near my home where I walk our dog. It is deep in a gully, with a muddy creek running through it and tall trees reaching higher than the houses on the banks above. And along this path is the Book Crossing Tree. I have no idea who puts these books on the tree. They are carefully zipped into plastic bags and sealed with packing tape to keep out moisture. Most of them are children and young adult books, and in my imagination I see a mother with young children helping small, clumsy fingers tie each book on a branch. The tree is barely five feet tall, and the branches bend with their load, but it seems proud of its role Have you ever been to the Book Crossing website? You register a book, label it with a special ID, and then you "set it free." A book lover that comes across your "release" can log in to the site and note where it was found...and then release it again. It is such a cool concept...sharing books, meeting new readers, making friends. Of course, the spirit of Book Crossing means I'd have to let go of a book, and I find it difficult enough to do that without tossing it into the wild. I would want to know it was found by someone who would take care of it and appreciate it. What about you? Could you leave a book you loved in a strange place, waiting for strange hands to pick it up? I'm guest blogging over at AJ's Notes, with award-winning author Autumn Jordon. Stop by for a chance to win an e-copy of MOUNTAIN FIRE! Deadline is Midnight PST tonight, so you still have a chance to enter.
The holidays can be times of blessings and peace, filled with family and friends and turkey and togetherness.
They can also be times of debilitating loneliness, when circumstances bearable at any other time of year become unlivable. It's important to reach out during this season. Some of us will volunteer at Christmas dinners for those who have nowhere else to go. Some of us will drop extra change into a kettle. Others will take over as hosts for the family meal to relieve the burden on ageing parents. Others will spend time with young children to allow new parents a moment or two away from that awesome responsibility. Many writers say their lives are lonely. We sit in our office (or corner of the living room in my case) and talk with the people in our heads, while the people in our lives wander in and out. It's important to step away from our imaginings and take part in our realities. Because nothing is more important than those we love. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. |