#MondayMunchies - @sharonledwith shares her Backwoods Barbecue Ribs

from Sharon Ledwith

Ribs - a favorite of Grill Warriors. Ribs conjure up images of cook-offs and eat-to-the-death contests at festivals and fairs. Here’s a sweet and spicy rib recipe that will make your neighbors jealous, and your friends and family get down on their knees to beg you to make every time they visit. The secret is in the sauce, and most people can’t get enough of it! It takes fifteen minutes to prep, with a cook time of two hours and is ready in three hours, fifteen minutes. In the end, you’ll have enough ribs to serve eight, but will most likely kick yourself (or be kicked) for not preparing extra!

Backwoods Barbecue Ribs
4 pounds pork spareribs (we use back ribs)
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup Heinz® Ketchup
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup rum (we use amber or dark)
½ cup Heinz® Chili Sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 dash ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C).

Cut spareribs into serving size portions, wrap in double thickness of foil, and bake for 1½ hours. Unwrap, and drain drippings. Place ribs in a large roasting pan.

In a bowl mix together brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rum, chili sauce, garlic, mustard, and pepper. Coat ribs with sauce and marinate at room temperature for one hour, OR refrigerate overnight.

Preheat grill for medium temperature. Position grate four inches above heat source.

Brush grill grate with oil. Place ribs on grill, and cook for thirty minutes, basting with marinade.

WARNING—if eating outside, anything with wings (fairies included) will end up sticking to your hands, fingers, or face, so make sure you have plenty of napkins or wipes on hand.

Enjoy!

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

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

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

If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, here’s the blurb…

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, please click HERE.

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.

BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing
Amazon Link
Barnes & Noble
Kobo

When Sharon Ledwith is not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, kayaking, time with family and friends, and single malt scotch. Sharon lives in the wilds of Muskoka in Central Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, a water-logged yellow Labrador and moody calico cat.

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

Friday Friends - #newrelease SEAL THE DEAL by JoAnne Kenrick #selkies #PNR

After being ditched at the altar, Finn Kneale isolates himself at Port St. Mary’s magnificent lighthouse. A violent storm ravishes the coastline, pitching the maritime tower into the Irish sea and transforming Finn into a seal. Carefree at first, he soon longs to walk as a man again. When leap year arrives, bathing land and sea in magic, Finn temporarily regains his human form. If he can’t find his soul mate in twenty-four hours, he’ll be back to cavorting among the waves.

Anne Ward—resident midwife and newcomer to Port St. Mary, Isle of Man—guards some wild secrets of her own while avoiding entanglements with married doctors. A believer in fate, she seeks out Madame Eve’s exclusive agency to help find her destined mate. 1Night Stand matches these two lonely souls.

But will their extraordinary date allow Finn and Anne to open their hearts to magical possibilities and Seal the Deal?

Find all buy links here: http://www.joannekenrick.com/2013/08/selkie-romance-pnr.html

"Another magical read from JoAnne Kenrick. Passion, thrills, and romance, this book has it all. A must read!" ~ USA Today Bestselling Author, Marie Harte.

"JoAnne Kenrick transports her readers to that land between myth and reality where romance is all the magic you need. Don't miss your chance to visit!" ~ Heather Long, bestselling author of the Always a Marine series.

"Ms. Kenrick created a magical, romantic, and sexy world with vivid details that pull you in and make you beg for more. Seal the Deal is a wonderful, steamy addition to the 1Night Stand series and a must read." ~ Bestselling romance author, Lia Davis.

About JoAnne Kenrick

JoAnne Kenrick is a multi-published author who writes both contemporaries and paranormals. Her Irish Kisses series earned her the title of a Bookstrand bestselling author, and contemporary romance bestselling author at ARe and Amazon. When JoAnne's not writing, she enjoys creating book adverts and crafting.

Excerpt:

Finn Kneale slid from his watch-point rock a few miles out from the little tourist trap where he had lived for most of his life. Under the miraculous February 29th lunar eclipse, he delved into the depths of the Irish Sea. The orb hanging over the ocean like a dimmed lantern held his last chance to undo the spell shrouding him in misery. Water lapped, and he twisted, clapping flippers over the sea foam. Waves crashed over his mottled gray-and-black seal self. Excitement rushed through him and exited in a loud, brassy roar. Then he unleashed another and another, each increasing in volume for the benefit of his aquatic friends. The barked announcement told the world Finn hoped to meet his mate tonight.

He floated in the shallows, waiting, watching as the old, white lighthouse fluctuated in and out of existence. The sliver of moonlight cast a silvery glow over the once-in-ruins building sitting proud again, high on the cliff’s edge. Its beacon shone bright, yet the gray sky pitched gloom below. He had all of twenty-four hours to seal the deal—as long as the lighthouse stood—then the energy balance would return to normal along the rocky shores of the Isle of Man, the historical maritime building vanishing once again. At least, that was the story his father had relayed every morning for the last four years.

Shimmying his slippery body across the pebbled beach of Port St. Mary, he took cover between tall, bulky rocks for the transformation. Safely hidden, he squeezed his eyelids closed and tried to envision his human self. Too much time had passed; he wasn’t sure his memory was close to the mark.

Think, Finn, think.

Soft cotton towels against his whiskers, the warm touch of the sun on his shoulders as he worked the farm, tasty homemade soup tangy on his tongue. Soft flesh of a woman beneath him. Oh, to be admired for his manliness rather than his cutesy seal features and bubble-blowing talents. Fragmented recollections of the little things were all that had survived years of watching the shoreline.

#TuesdayToolbox - Publisher Promotions - #Free Cookbook from @MusaPublishing

One of the awesome things about publishing with a reputable publisher is when they engage in a promotion to bring traffic and visibility to themselves to boost sales of all their books...and by extension your books with them. There are many different ways of doing this.

Two months ago, Entangled Publishing had all the Bliss books (including Construction Beauty Queen and Love Him or Leave Him) featured as a Kindle Daily Deal.

Last week, Decadent Publishing had a blogging extravaganza and giveaway celebrating the publication of the 200th 1Night Stand. Two of my books--More Than a Fantasy and One Night with the Bride--are part of this uber-popular series.

Musa Publishing turned two years old this month. To celebrate, they are giving away a free cookbook to everyone who purchases a book from their site during the month of October. The cookbook is a collection of 80 tasty recipes provided by 39 creative Musa Authors! Simply add the cookbook to your cart. At checkout the savings automatically appears on your invoice.

#MondayMunchies - Vonnie Hughes is stirring up a tangy curry #recipe

By Vonnie Hughes

Spice up your life with a new dish that's not expensive and really takes very little hands-on time. I offer you one of our family favorites and I think you'll enjoy it, too. This sweet, mild curry serves eight.

TANGY CURRY
2½ lbs of cubed cheap steak (it will be simmered for ages so cheap steak is fine)
2 finely chopped onions
1 chopped apple
2 chopped carrots
2 tablespoons of ordinary flour
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons of golden syrup (light treacle)(corn syrup)
1 dessertspoon of mild curry powder
1 medium tin of tomato soup
1 small tin of pineapple pieces

Place the steak in a large pot. Add the onions, apple and carrots.

In a bowl mix the flour, lemon juice, golden syrup, curry powder and a little of the pineapple juice. Stir this flavored thickening and add to the meat in the pot.

Add the tomato soup and pineapple pieces.

Cook on a very low heat for two hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. (A little extra liquid may be needed. Water is fine).

Best served with rice and a tossed green salad.

Now while you have that 2 hour wait, how about a step back in time with an intro to one of my Regency novels?

When Alexandra Tallis sets free the attractive man her sister stupidly tried to hold captive, her actions lead not only to a love she never thought to find, but also to a horrific family secret that threatens that love.

When Alexandra Tallis discovers that her witless sister has imprisoned their father’s nemesis, Theo Crombie in their attic, she quickly frees him, fighting an unladylike impulse to keep him as her own special captive. Despite the brutal beating she receives from her father for her actions, Alexandra continues to yearn for the delicious Mr. Crombie even though she knows that nothing will ever come of her dreams.

Injured and shackled in a stranger’s attic, Theo unexpectedly discovers the woman of his dreams. But how can he pursue those dreams when her bizarre family’s complex relationships threaten the very foundation of his existence? Somehow Theo must find a way through this maze to claim his lady.

To read an excerpt from Captive, please click HERE.

Vonnie Hughes is a New Zealander living in Australia. She loves animals and jogging. Vonnie writes Regencies and romantic suspense novels along with short stories. She is presently working on a romantic suspense, working title: Innocent Hostage and a Regency novella, working title: A Tale of Two Sisters.

Her earlier book Coming Home is about a soldier and a nurse, thrown together during the Napoleonic wars, who find more danger on their return to England than they ever did on the Iberian Peninsula.

The Second Son is actually a prequel to Coming Home. A second son, filled with angst, stands to inherit a title and property through the death of a brother he has always loathed and mistrusted. A young disabled woman teaches him how to find his self-respect and how to love.

Another Regency Historical, Mr. Monfort’s Marriage, has businessman Matthew Monfort inveigled into marrying an earl’s daughter. With good reason he loathes the ton, so his new wife needn’t think she’s going to win him over, even though she’s quite delightful…and intelligent…and sweet…However Verity shows him that not all members of the ton are idle layabouts and that he can do much good with his largesse and with—shock, horror—the unexpected and embarrassing title conferred on him by Prinny.

All of Vonnie’s books are available on Amazon and Musa Publishing.

Learn more about Vonnie Hughes on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Goodreads.

#FridayFriends - @RebeccaRoyce has an awesome new #WiccanHaus book!

My guilty pleasure last weekend was reading Finding her A-Muse-Ment by Rebecca Royce. I love all the Wiccan Haus book, and I love to see how each author puts her own spin on this unique paranormal world. When I read the blurb, I didn't know how Rebecca would pull off this story, but let me tell you, she did! It was wonderful. I was even emotional about the goldfish!!!

Blurb:

Welcome back to the Wiccan Haus!
Susan Charlie is a best selling author who has finally finished her best selling series. Writing all the time has turned her into a shut in. Unable to produce any new work, her muse, Isyllus, is terrified he will be forced to leave her and finds a way to put the idea of the Wiccan Haus into her mind.

But once on the island, Susie can actually see Isyllus and his love from a distance becomes a hot, potent entity between them. Danger and deception threaten to keep them apart. Still, the question remains can an Author really fall in love with her Muse?

In the Wiccan Haus anything is possible.

Musa Publishing

Amazon

Celebrating the 200th 1Night Stand with @TarynKincaid and @DecadentPub

When Lightning Strikes

by Taryn Kincaid

A little over a year ago, I got struck by LIGHTNING. I enjoyed reading Decadent Publishing’s 1Night Stand series of fast-paced and sexy novelettes, and I wanted to revisit SLEEPY HOLLOW, the locale of my first published book. Looked up the “1NS Detail Sheet” on Decadent’s 1Night Stand website. Looked at the “Submit a story” Guidelines.

What?? No synopsis needed? No partial? Just send in the whole manuscript?  I was sooooooooo there.

And soon enough my first 1Night Stand story, LIGHTNING, was born. In fact, it is celebrating its 1-year book birthday, having been released on October 17, 2012. I was so thrilled by its speedy acceptance, I immediately started writing another, THUNDER. And another, FROST. And another, HEAT WAVE.  All of which have now been collected in the SLEEPY HOLLOW anthology, along with my story for Decadent’s The Edge line, BLIZZARD.

So that’s my Madame Eve story. Beginning with LIGHTNING!

Blurb:

In mystic Sleepy Hollow, succubus Lily Night put her prom date, Campbell Jones, into a coma after a night of wild, unbridled sex. She has steered clear of mortals ever since, afraid of damaging them or worse, not to mention the inconvenience of knocking out the power every time they have sex.

Successful architect Campbell Jones has lived with strange powers and a sexy secret since that prom night. He’s buried himself in work to forget the woman who’d dumped him at the ER then vanished from his life without a trace.

Neither Lily nor Campbell have forgotten that night or the love they’d shared. Will a 1Night Stand help them bury their past?

Excerpt:

“A little higher and more to the left.”

Lily Night narrowed her eyes as the building maintenance man shifted her framed diploma on the freshly-painted wall opposite her desk. She tried not to ogle the firm ass encased in a pair of tight jeans or the way the man’s shoulder muscles rippled beneath his T-shirt.

Maybe if I pop an Altoid, I’ll have an excuse to wipe away the drool.

She refrained from jumping the handsome worker dude’s bones. The last time she’d dallied with a human, the encounter had not gone well. Vivid images of that long ago prom night bombarded her. Campbell Jones had been a young, strapping, hunk-and-a-half football player and they’d started their date full of hope and expectation and lust. When he’d adjusted the fragrant gardenia corsage on her wrist, she’d inhaled his crisp, citrus scent and thought she might swoon at the sight of him in his tux. The black material stretched across broad shoulders that mirrored the promise of the bruising man he’d be in his prime. But she’d all but sucked him dry as flashes of lightning crackled over their heads. By the time dawn painted the sky, she’d turned him into a mere shadow of his former self. Literally.

And briefly knocked out cell phone service in the lower Hudson Valley, as well.

She’d sworn off humans ever since. Instead, she pulled all-nighter after all-nighter to evade the dreams in which men called to her—and to avoid the university dating scene that inevitably led to frequent and addicting sex.

Mortals. Bleh.

Amazon| Barnes and Noble | Decadent Publishing | All Romance | Smashwords | Bookstrand

 

Find Taryn: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | Pinterest
Visit Sleepy Hollow and fall under the spell...

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#MondayMunchies - The Insanity of Monday - @sloanetaylor2 has a #recipe to save you!

The Insanity of Monday
by Sloane Taylor

Mondays are always super busy with loads of laundry, cleaning up after the weekend madness, and that little thing that pays the bills called work. Oh yes, we authors lead madcap lives. At least we do on paper if not in the real world. And that real world requires meals. Since Mondays are time crunchers I've developed as easy dinner we enjoy about once a month. Mix up a big salad and uncork a good white wine and kick back.

Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella
½ package any curly pasta
3-4 plum tomatoes, diced
¾ cup olive oil
fresh basil leaves
1 clove fresh garlic pressed
fresh mini Mozzarella balls quartered
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta al dente.

While the pasta is boiling, sauté garlic in olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn or your dish will be bitter.

Drain the pasta. Place pasta in a serving bowl.

Add the oil/garlic mixture, Mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Toss well.

Serve the Parmesan on the side.

And now whet your reading appetite with a little from my latest release.

Lace and handcuffs...tools of the trade.

New Yorker Samantha Bradley has a fun, sexy career designing ladies lingerie. Now that her business is on the rise, she treats herself to a well deserved break on the French Riviera where the women are glamorous and the men are gorgeous. After a few days Sam is eager to sample more than just the local cuisine.

Cisco Bernier is France's key criminal prosecutor, but his courtroom charm falls flat outside the hallowed halls of justice. From family relationships to romantic trysts, his success rate is abysmal until a chance encounter with a sensuous young American businesswoman spins his staid world out of control.

Sam and Cisco sizzle together, but any future is threatened when their pasts collide. Her mob-connected father and his deceitful mother resurface and drag them into a corrupt world of lies and danger.

For an adult rated excerpt of FRENCH Tickler please click HERE.

To read excerpts from the other erotic romances by Sloane Taylor, please click HERE.

Sloane Taylor believes humor and sex are healthy aspects of our everyday lives and carries that philosophy into her books. She writes sexually explicit romances that take you right into the bedroom. Being a true romantic, all her stories have a happy ever after.

Her books are set in Europe where the men are all male and the North American women they encounter are both feminine and strong. They also bring more than lust to their men’s lives.

Learn more about Sloane Taylor on her website, and of course her blog for easy recipes. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

#FridayFriends - @SaschaIllyvich has a hot new release from @SecretCravings #menage #pnr

His Reign

by Sascha Illyvich

Józsi wants to maintain a normal life away from the Opeth pack. Moving from Hungary to Texas was a big change that he felt was necessary in order to avoid a prophecy that would ultimately make him Alpha of a dying pack, a responsibility he doesn’t want. 

Ilona and Lukina grew up loving Józsi even after he moved away. Yet the current pack Alpha has gone rogue and begun kidnapping and abusing the younger wolves that remained without mates. Ilona, becomes his next target and Józsi must return to once again deal with pack politics only to find that his heart misses what it could have. Can Lukina and Ilona convince him to return to Hungary in order to rule the Opeth pack and mate or will Kiba destroy them in a fit of insanity?

Click here for excerpt

About the author: Proclaimed by the Publishing industry as the Bad Boy of Romance, Sascha started writing fourteen years ago. His erotic romances have been listed under the Night Owl Romance and Road to Romance’s Recommended read list, and he's been nominated for a CAPA by The Romance Studio. Recently, Torn to Pieces was a USA TODAY Recommended Read. Former host of The Unnamed Romance Show on Radio Dentata, Sascha continues to write for Red Sage, Secret Cravings Publishing, Decadent Publishing, Sizzler Editions and Total E-bound. Find him at http://saschaillyvichauthor.com and on Twitter.

#TuesdayTeaser - Character Interview from Captivating the CEO

Phone Interview with Willow Jefferies and Colin Vanderhayden

from Captivating the CEO

Let’s start with an easy question. What’s your favorite color?

Willow: I didn’t have one until I met Colin. Now I’m partial to blue. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the Colin wearing a blue tie every day.

A blue tie every day. Hmm, so that must be your favorite color, Colin.

Colin: Actually, I like hazel.

The exact shade of Willow’s eyes. Interesting coincidence.  So, I’m curious. What do you each do?

Willow: I’m a massage therapist.

Colin: My massage therapist. I’m a CEO. I don’t have time to leave the office. In fact, I really don’t have time for this interview. I’m expecting another call any second.

Willow: He’s always on a call or doing some sort of work. Life is passing him by while he works himself to death in that office. Sometimes, I just want to disconnect the phone and show him the fun he’s missing.

Colin: I’m planning for the future.

What do you think he should be doing instead, Willow?

Willow: Living in the moment, obviously.

Those seem to be seriously opposing philosophies. What do you think of each other’s sayings?

Colin: She’ll be sorry when she wants to retire and has no money to do so.

Willow: Retire? Seriously, Colin. Yawn. You seem a little uptight. Is your neck bothering you again? Let me give you a neck rub.

Colin: We’re in the middle of an interv— Oh yeah, that feels gooood.

Wait, I still have more questions. Willow, why do you wear blue lip gloss? Colin, how do you stay in good shape when you sit behind a desk all day?

*click*

Hello? All right, then, I guess we’ve been disconnected…

Captivating the CEO

By Sara Daniel

Genres: contemporary romance, office romance, medical romance, new adult

Decadent Publishing
Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Smashwords

He only plans for the future. She might not have a future.

When live-for-the-moment massage therapist Willow Jeffries bursts into Colin Vanderhayden's office, she makes it her mission to loosen up the future-focused CEO, knowing each moment of the present is too precious to waste. Despite her immediate attraction, the only future she can offer is one full of heartache.

The last thing Colin needs is a flighty woman messing up his carefully-constructed plans, but her heavenly massages and addictive personality prove hard to resist. But he has no idea how sick she is.

No longer able to ignore her life-threatening medical condition, Willow slips away to spare Colin a miserable future with her. Is Colin willing to sacrifice his well-laid future plans to get Willow back?

Author Bio: Sara Daniel writes irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. On the personal side, she's a frazzled maid, chef, chauffeur, tutor, and personal assistant. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction and was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels. She follows research and new developments concerning tricuspid atresia and other congenital heart defects, and she holds a special place in her heart for “heart kids” and their families.

Website   Blog   Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest

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#MondayMunchies - Amazingly Simple Mac & Cheese from @samcheever

Amazingly Simple Mac & Cheese
from Sam Cheever

We've just moved the zoo to a new house. With all the unpacking and disorganization I needed a quick but tasty dinner for us humans. A quick rummage through two boxes and the fridge and I was good to go. Here is last night's dinner. We loved the clean taste and I think you will, too.

2 cups dried pasta
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup loosely packed shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Combine the pasta and milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir often. Cook over low heat until the pasta is soft, approximately 20 minutes. Do not allow the milk to boil.

Stir in the mustard, salt, and cheese (if you’re going to bake it, reserve about ¼ cup of the cheese for sprinkling over the top).

Cover and let stand for 5 minutes, then stir well and serve. Or bake it in a 375°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese on top is melted.

Add 1 can of drained tuna and bake as above to make tuna casserole!

Now if you want something with more bite, here's an intro from my erotic romance Cupid Only Rings Twice.

This Valentine’s Day, Rori’s gonna meet an honest to god Cupid. And he’ll use more than arrows to win her love.

Rori Foster is too beautiful to find love. Men just can’t seem to look past her exterior to recognize the human being inside.

Unfortunately he’ll have to save her from the bad intentions of a cocky Love Demon first.

But Damios is determined to protect her. Even if he loses her in the process.

MINI EXCERPT:
Damios lowered his head, capturing her exquisite lips in a kiss that was less a tender wish and more an urgent promise. Her mouth opened under his and he accepted her offer, slipping his tongue past her lips to savor her sweet taste.

She moaned softly as his hands slipped around her waist, up her back, and pulled her tightly against his chest. Her body heated under his kiss and her incredible scent slipped over him.

Damios broke the kiss long enough to say, “I lied. I want to come inside.”

They both stilled for a moment, Damios realizing how his declaration had sounded and Rori’s lips twitching under a suppressed grin.

He rested his forehead against hers, finding it hard to breathe. “Sorry. That came out wrong.”

She chuckled huskily, skimming the tip of one velvet thumb across his bottom lip. “No. It came out just right.”

Damios bit her thumb softly and slipped his hands down her body, cupping the firm roundness of her buttocks. His lips found hers again and he groaned as she ground herself against him.

Their kiss gained heat, their bodies thrumming under the imperative of a building need. Their tongues tangled, danced, and their hands skimmed, exploring with growing intensity...

To read more or purchase Cupid Only Rings Twice please click the vendor's name.

Musa Publishing | Nook | Kobo |
Sony | ARe | Kindle | Amazon.uk
| Amazon.ca

Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!

Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.

She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 11 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.

Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.

Friday Friends - @lizzietleaf shares how her DEAD series began

Love Among the Undead and Their Friends
by Lizzie T. Leaf

I like humor in my life. Maybe that’s why I enjoy reading and writing humor. When approached to do a vampire Halloween story for an anthology by a now defunct publisher, no surprise when my mind went in that direction.

I took the bull by the horns and did vampire “my way.” DEAD Awake’s heroine (thanks to a Jewish friend who suggested the idea) is a socialite from a Jewish family that keeps a Kosher kitchen. Our gal is a little on the wild side (think Paris Hilton), and a paparazzi darling. Her hook-up with a “hot” guy in a vampire costume at her annual Halloween party, changes her life…forever.

She wakes up smelling pine and discovers, thanks to the helpful stranger lurking outside the funeral home, our gal learns she’s now one of the living dead. And, her new main food supply is blood. Yuk! She doesn’t eat food that has snuggled against blood, let alone drink the stuff. But a girl can get hungry and real hunger can cause values to slip.

I finished the book and moved on…my vampire days behind me, or so I thought.

Readers asked, “When’s the next book in the series?” Series? My mind hadn’t ventured down that path. Then one of my friends suggested I write a book about a vampire who faints at the sight of blood.

Once she planted the seed, my mind wouldn’t leave it alone, and DEAD Faint came into existence, as well as the start of the DEAD series.

Vampires don’t always have to be scary, blood hungry, beasts. They can have “attitude” that will make you smile. And when they connect with a soul mate, it goes to show, vampires need love too.

In DEAD Hunter the heroine discovers her focus as a vampire hunter has been off course and not all vampires are her enemy, especially the one she falls in love with. DEAD Memory, has a hero with a little problem—he can’t remember he’s a vampire, or that he’s not supposed to be attracted to a werewolf.

Thanks to Musa Publishing’s encouragement, the series continues to grow. The latest release brings smiles with not only vampires, but shifters. If your daddy is Hispanic and your mama a cross-blend of Asian and German, the options are open...at least for the heroine in DEAD Hot. And I’m delighted that DEAD Hot is a finalist for 2013 Best Novella in the Aspen Gold.

November 2013 brings the release of DEAD Santa. Tangling with a bat during his Christmas Eve deliveries leaves Santa with problems. He has to deal with accelerated lust in the bedroom and an unquenchable thirst for blood. This leads to an unhappy wife, but what’s a fellow to do?

Will there be other books? So glad you asked. At the moment I’ve stated to make notes for DEAD Viking. We’ll have to see where that goes.

Do you like your paranormal with a touch of humor, or prefer blood and gore? Why?

Check out all my Musa books HERE.

Learn more about Lizzie T. Leaf on her website and blog. Connect with Lizzie on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Tuesday Toolbox - Free giveaways from authors...or not - @samcheever shares her thoughts

by Sam Cheever

Some authors like to give stuff away and some don’t. I personally know one author who refuses to give away copies of her books and just gives bookmarks and trading cards away at conferences. No bling for her. She’s not alone. Promotional items cost money, giving away books takes sales out of an author’s pocket. But what about the old business adage, you have to spend money to make it? Does it apply to creative businesses as much as traditional ones? I think it does.

Nobody can chart a direct effect from a promotional item to a book sale. It isn’t possible to identify a monetary result, because it’s not a direct transaction. It really isn’t even monetary. It’s emotional.

People love getting free stuff. They especially love getting clever and useful free stuff. And when they get something they really like they generally remember the person who gave it to them. That’s why I love fun promotional items. When I start researching a new item to take to conferences or give out to new fans in their goodie boxes, my first goal is to find something nobody else has thought of. I rarely give out bookmarks anymore. I have boxes and boxes of them in my closet as proof! When I give away a print book I include a Romance Trading Card because those are collectors’ items and they’re more fun. I load heart-shaped memory sticks with free reads, book trailers, and first chapters and give those away. They’re useful, they bear my website and tagline on their shiny red surface, and they contain lots of fun reading and viewing that will hopefully inspire someone to buy one of my books. It’s a win-win! For my Declan Sands books (MM romance) I found a tiny tool kit with four screwdrivers and a tape measure. Again, useful, and bearing my website and tagline in case someone decides he/she needs a great book to read while repairing their computer with the toolset.

I have knit caps with my website on them, book lights with twisty stems, mouse pad planners that double as notepads, and lots of other fun stuff. Call me Author Santa. Yeah, the stuff costs and I have no way of knowing if I’ll recoup my investment in book sales. But when people receive a goodie box or promo item from me they remember it and hopefully they’ll remember me. In fact, people often come up to me at conferences and exclaim, “Oh, you’re the one with the great promo stuff!”

I just grin and offer them something else from my red velvet bag. ‘Cause I’m selling fun and smiles…hopefully I’ll even sell some books!

Happy Reading Everybody!

Bitten by Paranormal Romance gives Cupid a
4 – A Pack Howl!
"This is a delightful and sexy story of competition not only in the office, but between a cupid and a demon."

Long and Short Reviews:
"Cupid Only Rings Twice was a very cute story that was short but entertaining.”

This Valentine’s Day, Rori’s gonna meet an honest to god Cupid. And he’ll use more than arrows to win her love.

Rori Foster is too beautiful to find love. Men just can’t seem to look past her exterior to recognize the human being inside.

Unfortunately he’ll have to save her from the bad intentions of a cocky Love Demon first.
But Damios is determined to protect her. Even if he loses her in the process.

To read more or purchase Cupid Only Rings Twice please click the vendor's name.

Musa Publishing | Nook | Kobo |
Sony | ARe | Kindle | Amazon.uk
| Amazon.ca

Sam Cheever writes mainstream romantic suspense and fantasy, all heat levels; and Declan Sands for M/M romantic suspense and fantasy. Her books are fast paced and fun loving. Not one of them will solve a single world problem, but you definitely won’t be bored while reading them!

Sam’s published work includes 40+ works of young adult, romantic suspense, and fantasy/paranormal. Her books have won the Dream Realm Award for fantasy, been nominated and/or won several CAPAs, were nominated for Best of 2010 with LRC and The Romance Reviews, and won eCataromance’s Reviewer’s Choice award. She is published with Ellora’s Cave, both Romantica and Blush; Changeling Press; Electric Prose Publications (her own imprint), Musa Publishing, and Red Rose Publishing.

She lives on a hobby farm in Indiana with 11 dogs, 2 horses, and one husband.

Learn more about Sam Cheever on her blog Eclectic Insights. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter. You can also find Sam on Goodreads.