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Book Blog, Book Promo and Updates!, love story, Promotion and Publicity, Random Misc Blog Posts

I’ll take three hot soldiers for a thousand, Alex!

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I am thrilled to announce that the next installment in my popular and super-sexy Career Soldier series is releasing on April 7th (which just happens to be my birthday)!

And today, I’m revealing the sizzling covers, designed by the talented Meg Murrey. Check them out below and click PREORDER so all three will show up in your e-reader in a month.

 

The Mustang

 

 

Duty. Honor. Country. 

Love. Romance. Passion.

Lark

Look, I don’t need a psychologist to tell me why I am the way I am. I grew up with a mom who was forever chasing her happily-ever-after, never considering the cost to herself–or to me. That’s why I’m not interested in fairy tales or in finding some elusive prince charming to solve all of my problems.

Until I meet him in the bar where I work. One night of fun somehow begins to mean more, and it scares the crap out of me.

Nolan

I joined the Army when I was just a kid, mostly because I didn’t know what else to do with my life. I never dreamed I’d love it enough to make it my career, but now here I am, an officer, stationed at West Point, leading a company of soldiers. What started as an escape has become my passion–and it’s one that doesn’t have space for anything–or anyone–else.

Until I meet her at my buddy’s bachelor party. I think I’m indulging in one meaningless night, but I can’t stop thinking about her. Remembering her. Wanting her.

Preorder Here! 

 

The Rotorhead

 

Duty. Honor. Country. 

Love. Romance. Passion.

Addison

The last thing I wanted was to move back in with my father, the hard-ass who raised me in the same strict military style that he ran every platoon, company and battalion he led. But thanks to some of my, uh, ‘life choices’, I’m living with my dad at West Point–and everyone knows me as the commandant’s wild daughter. I hate it.

Until I meet him one night at a party off-post. Sure, he’s a little too straight and serious for me, but still . . . he might be the one addiction that I can’t quit.

Sawyer

I’m an Army helicopter pilot. It’s my life, my dream and everything I ever wanted. Being stationed at West Point is fine for now, but I see it as a stepping stone for my next big move. When the commandant asks me to keep my eye on his out-of-control daughter, I agree to do it. I’ll do anything to keep advancing my career.

Until I meet her. Running into her at that party isn’t as random as she thinks, but pretty soon, I find it hard to remember the real reason I’m spending time with her . . . I just know I can’t stop.

 

Preorder here!

 

The Shavetail

 

Duty. Honor. Country. 

Love. Romance. Passion.

Paige

For two long years, I’ve been silently and hopelessly in love with a guy who doesn’t see me as anything but a casual friend. I stood by and watched as he found a woman to love–and as she dumped him the day before their wedding. I haven’t given him even a hint about my true feelings.

Until the day he asked me to be his pretend girlfriend. Now that he needs me, I finally have the chance I’ve been longing for–to show him how perfect we can be together.

Wyatt

My life was perfect. I was about to graduate from West Point and marry the most beautiful girl in the world all in the same day, then launch my career as a brand-new second lieutenant. When my fiancee dumped me, I thought I’d lost everything. I didn’t know how to go on.

Until the day I panicked and asked my friend to be my fake girlfriend. She saved my ass, and now I find myself looking for reasons to keep her close . . . because it turns out I don’t want to let her go.

 

Preorder here!

 

 

 

 

Book Promo and Updates!, Life Blog, What's Cooking Wednesday

Let the good times roll with a Mardi Gras menu!

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In our family, we laissez les bons temps rouler on Mardi Gras! Our day begins with beignets and cafe au lait as we listen to New Orleans jazz . . . then for dinner, we pull out all the stops: gumbo and mock choux corn, with King cake and praline sundaes for dessert. YUM!

Want to know how we do it? I’ll share a couple of recipes . . .

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo (from Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet, courtesy of his book The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American)

  • 1 pound sausage (any kind, though we prefer andouille)
  • 1/2 cup peanut oil
  • 3 pounds of bone-in chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2.5 quarts chicken stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1/2 tbs poultry seasoning
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • pinch of allspice
  • 1.5 tbs Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Tabasco
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the sausage in a large pot with just a little oil. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the pot and fry the chicken until brown. Remove and set aside.

Add flour to the pan and cook until you have a dark, rich roux, about the color of peanut butter. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to get up all the goodness. Add the vegetables and the garlic and saute until limp. Add the stock and stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Add the seasonings and simmer, cover, for at least one hour.

Add the chicken and sausage, and cook until the chicken is tender, usually about an hour . . . I simmer it all day.

Serve over hot, fresh rice. The proper way to dish it up is to put the gumbo into the bowl first and then add the rice.

 

Praline Sundae Sauce (from The Gumbo Shop in New Orleans, my favorite place to eat in the Quarter–best after Mass at St. Louis Cathedral)

  • 1 pound granulated sugar
  • 2 cups dark corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup double-strength black coffee
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 cups roasted pecan halves or pieces

Place the sugar in a large, heavy pot and set it over medium heat. Stirring often, slowly let the sugar melt and caramelize until dark brown, being careful not to let it burn. Add 2 cups of dark corn syrup. Add 1 cup of water along with the coffee and butter. Bring the pot to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water.

Add the roasted pecans shortly before serving so they will maintain their crispness. Without the pecans added, the sauce will keep for several weeks in a covered container. If you choose to refrigerate it, which is unnecessary, be sure to let it get back to room temperature before serving.

Book Blog, Book Promo and Updates!, Keeping Score Series, What's Cooking Wednesday

Super Bowl Recipes for a Winning Party!

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Is there anything that goes better with football than food? The perfect Super Bowl gathering this Sunday has to include recipes that are delicious, fun and easy to eat. Each dish is the perfect opportunity to score big for the home team!

The top five must-serve football foods for the 2020 season are:

  • Beermosa Let’s face it: mimosas aren’t really football drinks. In those prissy little flutes, they don’t hold up to yelling at theIMG_2732 refs or chest bumps when your team scores. But a beermosa, served in a sturdy mason jar, is just what you need for a Sunday late morning or early afternoon gathering . . . or basically any time.  My recipe is simple: two fingers of orange juice, then fill the jar with my favorite beer. I used Bud Light with Lime, to add a little more citrus kick.
  • Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels Wings are a football party staple, but they’re a mess to make and to eat. These pinwheels give you a taste of buffalo and bleu cheese together without all the napkins! They’re quick and easy to make, and they go a long way. There are many variations, but this is one I like.
  • Roasted Garlic Cheese Dip Football party dips have to possess enough ooomph to knock down a linebacker. This one seems delicate enough, but it packs a punch. The cheese is rich, FullSizeRender 22but it’s the roasted garlic that makes this dish soar like the pigskin through the uprights. Serve this dip with toasted croutons, and you can’t go wrong.  Find the recipe here.
  • Tot Skewers Plain old French fries are so 2014. And even if you dress them up with cheese and bacon, they tend to become soggy–and hard to eat. But these tot skewers are a step up: they stay crispy, and they’re super-yummy, too. The ranch seasoning is the secret here–get the whole story!
  • Bread Bowl Chili Having a football celebration without chili is a definite flag on the play. But serving it up in a way that’s new and fun is the real challenge. That’s why these adorable bread bowls are perfect. They contain just enough chili to satisfy–and these crusty sea salt and rosemary rolls are just the thing to add both flavor and a brand-new way to enjoy it. Pipe a little sour cream over top to form the football stitching and add FullSizeRender 20some creaminess.  Use your own favorite chili recipe, scoop out the rolls and dish it up.

I’ll be serving all these dishes this Sunday as we enjoy the game! I think Leo, Quinn and the rest of the gang would approve of this menu!

Book Blog, Keeping Score Series, Recommended Reading

A new look for the hottest football players around!

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The Keeping Score series just got a makeover!

One of my favorite series has just gotten even better!

The books formerly known as the Keeping Score series have been re-titled, re-covered, re-blurbed and re-series’d.

I’ve divided them into two series: the first three books will now be the Keeping Score Trilogy, and the subsequent books will all be called Making the Score Football Romances.

Here’s how it works

Keeping Score

What used to be When We Were Us is now—-False Start

What used to be Hanging By A Moment is now—-Three & Out

What used to be Days of You And Me is now—-The Comeback Route

Making the Score Football Romances

What used to be Not Broken Anymore is now—-Down By Contact

What used to be Your Wildest Dreams is now—-Next Man Up

What used to be Sway is now—-Game of Inches

And the new covers–they’re smokin’ H O T! Done by Meg Murrey, these are quintessential football sexiness.

To celebrate this revival, I have two pieces of good news. First, False Start is FREE on all vendors and Down By Contact is only 99 cents. That means this is the perfect time to snatch up all of these books at once. YAY!

And second, in spite of everything I said about this series being over . . . there are going to be two *brand new* releases in this world in early 2021. I’m not announcing titles or who these books will feature (can you guess???), but I promise details will be shared shortly.

Book Blog

2020: The Year of COMMIT

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Last November, I was privileged to attend an amazing author intensive learning weekend, hosted by the fabulous Skye Warren. Romance Authors Mastermind weekend was mind-blowing and life-changing.

One of the presenters asked us all to choose a word to represent our goals, our hopes and our plans for 2020. At the time, I wasn’t sure what to choose. I like to think that my relationship with my readers is marked with affection and compassion (it goes both ways!). But that didn’t feel quite right. I told some of my fellow authors that maybe my word for 2020 should be MINE, in that I’m making these twelve months my own. Good still, but not quite.

Tonight, I realized what my word for 2020 is, and it hit me with certainty and a sort of fierce determination:

COMMIT.

For a long time, I’ve toyed with the idea of quitting this authoring business. While I love it, and being a published author is a dream come true, it’s also hard and painful and disheartening. More times than I can count, I’ve wondered if I’m meant to be doing this.

This past year, I came closer to throwing in the towel than I ever have. My sales are down. I don’t have money to re-invest in advertising. I’ve questioned if what I write really matters.

But in 2020, no more questioning. No more self-doubt. My word is COMMIT, and that is the word I am living out. I’m hoping y’all will hold me accountable, and if you see me wavering, just email me or comment here or post on social media to me:

COMMIT.

And if I can do that–and I CAN–then 2020 will not only be mine . . . it can be ours.