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A review of Chasing Her Trail by Keri Ford

Chasing Her Trail by Keri Ford
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 356 KB
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Publisher: Sapphire Nights Books (November 9, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0065KXL5A
Amazon  | B&N 
Jessie McBride barely survived the unexpected death of her loving parents. Forced to fend for herself with few people to depend on while raising her younger cousin, Jessie learned to be self-sufficient. She kept a few friends close and pushed the rest of the world away, along with that helpless, dependent girl she was once. Been there, done that, never again.

It works until Henry Green enters her life, with sentimental tales of his grandpa and family. Jessie is drawn in as Henry strives to take care of the man who raised him. But while Henry is putting things in place for his grandpa to retire, his well-intended controlling ways are smothering Jessie.

Can Henry’s invitation back to life and love tempt Jessie to drop the emotional wall, or will Henry give up on chasing the girl she once was?

My thoughts:
Chasing Her Trail is book 6th and final book in Keri Ford’s Apple Trail series.  I am truly sad that this series is coming to a close, but very excited about Keri’s new project.  I have loved all of Keri’s stories.
In Chasing her Trail  we get to meet Jessie McBride again.  The tough talking, takes no crap, needs no one but herself cousin of Tiffany McBride (from Making Her Nights).  Jessie has been taking care of herself and Tiffany since their parents passed away so many years ago.  But Jessie’s life is about to be completely blown away when a very familiar face from the past show up at her door step.
As I said before I have loved all of Keri’s Apple Trail stories.  If you have not visited Apple Trail, Arkansas I would highly recommend a visit.  
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Triple review of The Fortney Follies Series by Elaine Golden

An Imprudent Lady
Amazon | B&N 
Book 1
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 197 KB
Print Length: 45 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Historical Undone (February 1, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B004JF6DIK
As a young woman, Lady Charlotte Fortney learned what passion truly was from her handsome neighbor, Daniel Walsh. When they were discovered, her father sent the lowly doctor’s son far away from their precious daughter.
Years later, spinster Charlotte is content to watch others play the courtship game—until Daniel returns from India, rekindling a desire that time could never erase. But Daniel seems to have set his sights on another woman, the one match Charlotte would do anything to prevent. He may be willing to give her up—if Charlotte gives herself in exchange….
Book one of the Fortney Follies series.
Disgraceful Miss
Book 2
Amazon | B&N
Julian Kenneway, Earl of Vinedale, has a secret: he is in love with innocent debutante Angelica Fortney. She’s the one thing he desires more than the tenuous peace he has regained since returning from India. Yet everyone, including Julian, believes he’s unsuitable for her—and seducing her could ruin both their lives.
But when a rival for Angelica’s affections arrives, Julian realizes he can’t lose her—and can no longer control his passion for her….
Book two of the Fortney Follies series.
A Compromised Innocents
Book 3
Amazon | B&N 
Under intense pressure to secure a marriage contract, Miss Lizzie Talbot doesn’t dare hope that handsome Oliver Fortney, Duke of Wainsborough, would ever be interested in her. Though she longs to know his taste and touch, he is far above her station.
So Lizzie is shocked when Oliver promises to show her pleasure she never imagined… Yet she doesn’t expect more than a brief dalliance. For Oliver is destined for a match of importance and wealth, neither of which Lizzie can offer….
Book three of the Fortney Follies series.
My thoughts:
I chose to do the review for these three books together.  They are all novellas and I didn’t want to give too much away with each review.
Each of these stories can be read as a stand-alone novella, but they are linked by common characters. And I believe that you will enjoy them more if you read them in order.
I enjoyed each of these stories.  They may not have been my favorite historical books that I have read, but they were good.  I enjoyed how each set of characters  have to struggle with love, lust, desire and what is socially acceptable.
If you are looking to get your toes wet in the historical romance genera I would suggest you give Fortney Follies series a try. 
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A review of Hot Vampire Touch by Lisa Renee Jones

Hot Vampire Touch
Book 3 The Vampire Warden Series
by Lisa Renee Jones
Order here Amazon | B&N
In blood they will find destiny and the eternal bond of passion…

A Vampire Warden betrayed by a werewolf he loved, turned into something not Vampire or Wolf. The woman – the wolf – who will heal him…if he doesn’t destroy them both first.

My Thoughts:
Hot  Vampire Touch was a great conclusion to the Vampire Warden Series.
We have all grown to love Troy in Hot Vampire Kiss and Hot Vampire Seduction.  As the baby brother of Ethan and Aiden, we all want to know who and what happened to Troy.  In Hot Vampire Touch we get all these questions answered. 
It was great to see Troy grow over the course of these three books.  In Hot Vampire Touch we see how Troy finally comes to terms with who is his now.  He learns that no matter what he may or may not be he is still worthy of love.  Not just the love of his brothers, but the love of one very special woman.
If you have read the first to books in the Vampire Warden series you will not be disappointed with Hot Vampire Touch.  If you have not read the series yet, you can now order the whole trilogy here.  I would highly suggest you step in the world of the Vampire Wardens and see the lengths they will go to protect us and the ones they love. 
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A review of Hot Text by Cari Quinn

Available: Amazon/ B&N
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 192 KB
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave (November 2, 2011)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0063EWGN6
Sometimes what you think you want and what you need are two very different things.As a technical editor, Jeffrey Maddox deals with plenty of words, leaving him few to spare on people, except his baby sister. To keep Daisy from wrecking her newly rehabbed life by shacking up with her older, married lover Lonny, he impulsively texts Lonny’s wife, Karyn. And then meets her at a coffee shop on a snowy night, ostensibly to convince her to stay with her philandering husband.But soon texting turns to sexting. After spending the night getting to know Karyn, Jeff wants something much more personal—Lonny’s wife. For himself.Despite her misgivings about Jeff’s intentions, Karyn can’t fight their attraction. She’s still not divorced, though she knows there’s no way she’ll return to her husband. But maybe an amazing night of conversation—and even more amazing lovemaking—can lead to more than just one night of hot text.
My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this short story.  I love the idea of a big brother over stepping his bounds only to find himself in way over his head.  A woman learning to move on and finding that with the right timing and the right guy anything is possible.
Thank you to Cari for sharing your wonderful story with me. 
If you want a quick, hot read please give Hot Text a chance.
“Oh and don’t forget the wine”— you will just have to read the story to understand  J
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Interview with Tara Chevrestt….Giveaway of A Facebook Affair

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Tara Chevrestt to our website today. 

Tara: Thrilled to be here.

Q1) Can you tell us a little about yourself 


Tara: Well, first of all, like the heroine of A Facebook Affair, I’m (hearing impaired) deaf. I prefer to say deaf even though I have a enough hearing left to use a huge hearing aid in one ear because “impaired” implies I need fixing and I don’t feel I do. J I’m a book reviewer, a dog mom, a wife, and an aircraft mechanic. And in the last year, I became an author as well.

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?

Tara: Yes. When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I never said I wanted to be an author, but the idea was always in the back of my mind. I say this because I loved writing. I loved every essay assignment that came my way and I loved it when we had to write stories and make books with illustrations. (I had to stick to horse stories when the tale required illustrating, however, as that was all I could draw, horses and trees. LOL)

Q3) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?

Tara: That’s a tough one because I love so many writers. I have been especially inspired by Christina Courtenay (Trade Winds, The Scarlet Kimono). I read her work and liked it so much I contacted her and we became friends and I often bounce my ideas off her and get inspiration and encouragement to continue my pursuits from her. I am also a huge fan of Elizabeth Chadwick, Victoria Hislop, Jodi Compton, and Cecilia Samartin. I hope to write like them one day.

Q4) Can you tell us what a typical writing day for you is like.
 
Tara: I work full time so I have to cram my writing in when I can, usually on weekends. I have learned not to dare cook anything while writing, however, as I get so into my story that I tend to burn whatever it is. A typical writing day for me is: I waste the first half of the day pretending to be writing but really, I’m browsing goodreads. I finally start writing in the late afternoon and once I get going, before I realize it, the entire house is dark around me. Time just flies.

Q5) Let’s talk about your new book A Facebook Affair.  Can you tell us a little about it

Tara: It’s about a hard of hearing woman who is coping with the loss of her mother and is feeling really lonely. She joins Facebook to social network and make friends and looks up a boy she knew from long ago. They begin a messaging romance.. but there are some obstacles that could prevent their relationship from ever becoming more than a Facebook affair.

Q6) How did you come up with the idea for this story?

Tara: I was bored one night and began searching for old friends on Facebook as I had recently joined the website. I actually found a boy I remembered from school and he is drop dead gorgeous now. I’m happily married, but I still appreciate looking at gorgeous men. LOL This book is entirely fiction, but the idea came to my head and I sat down and began writing.

Q7) What is up next for you?

Tara: My historical YA novel, Ride for Rights, is due out in February of 2012 so I will most likely be pretty busy with that. Also have a sequel to that on the back burner.

Q8) What is the best piece of advice you would give to a give to someone who is thinking of becoming an author?

Tara: Write about what you love. If you don’t love what you are writing, your readers aren’t going to love what they are reading.

Q9) What is the next book on your To Read Pile that you are dying to jump into?


Tara: As I answer this question, I’m really excited about Victoria Hislop’s The Thread. It isn’t available in the States yet though.

Q10) Is there anything else you would like to add?

Tara: I hope everyone who reads A Facebook Affair, whether they enjoy the romance aspect of it or not, learns something from it and walks away with a greater understanding of what hard of hearing people have to deal with on an everyday basis. And parents, please, teach your kids about the harmful effects of bullying in school.

Books-n-Kisses: Tara, again thank you so very much for making Books-n-Kisses a stop on your book tour.  I have enjoyed learning more about you and your book.  I look forward to reading and see what you come up with next.

Tara: Thank you and I sincerely hope everyone has a wonderful Holiday season. 



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Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling Series

SLAVE TO SENSATION

Dive into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind—and none of the heart…
In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”— the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was….
Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…


1.5 “The Cannibal Princess” – free short story

VISIONS OF HEAT 

Go deeper into the world of the Psy and the changelings, where a gifted woman sees passion in her future-a passion that is absolutely forbidden by her kind…
Used to cold silence, Faith NightStar is suddenly being tormented by dark visions of blood and murder. A bad sign for anyone, but worse for Faith, an F-Psy with the highly sought after ability to predict the future. Then the visions show her something even more dangerous-aching need…exquisite pleasure. But so powerful is her sight, so fragile the state of her mind, that the very emotions she yearns to embrace could be the end of her.
Changeling Vaughn D’Angelo can take either man or jaguar form, but it is his animal side that is overwhelmingly drawn to Faith. The jaguar’s instinct is to claim this woman it finds so utterly fascinating and the man has no argument. But while Vaughn craves sensation and hungers to pleasure Faith in every way, desire is a danger that could snap the last threads of her sanity. And there are Psy who need Faith’s sight for their own purposes. They must keep her silenced-and keep her from Vaughn…

CARESSED BY ICE

Explore new heights of sensuality in this return to the world of the Psy—where two people who know evil intimately must unlock the good within their icy hearts…
As an Arrow, an elite soldier in the Psy Council ranks, Judd Lauren was forced to do terrible things in the name of his people. Now a defector, his dark abilities have made him the most deadly of assassins—cold, pitiless, unfeeling. Until he meets Brenna…
Brenna Shane Kincaid was an innocent before she was abducted—and had her mind violated—by a serial killer. Her sense of evil runs so deep, she fears she could become a killer herself. Then the first dead body is found, victim of a familiar madness. Judd is her only hope, yet her sensual changeling side rebels against the inhuman chill of his personality, even as desire explodes between them. Shocking and raw, their passion is a danger that threatens not only their hearts, but their very lives…

MINE TO POSSESS

Nalini Singh pulls away another dark layer of sheer desire, revealing passions unknown, in her latest novel about the world of the Psy. A ghost returns from a leopard changeling’s past, making him question everything—even his base animal instincts…
Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed…and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man and losing his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.
Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare is stalking her life–the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows…
Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again, his hunger to possess her, a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent, Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past…or lose everything that ever mattered.

HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE

With her darkly seductive Psy/Changeling world, Nalini Singh has created “a sensual, dangerous adventure not to be missed” (New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh). Now, as the deadly Psy Council tightens its grip, a rebel Psy scientist finds herself at the mercy of a changeling who has sworn vengeance against her kind…
Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy–cool, calm, emotionless…at least on the surface. Inside, she’s fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper’s embrace.
DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard’s rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian’s agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules…
5.5 “A Gift for Kit” ~ free short story


BRANDED BY FIRE

Hailed by Christine Feehan as “a major new talent,” New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh now brings together two fierce changelings in her most explosive story yet.
Though DarkRiver sentinel Mercy is feeling the pressure to mate, she savagely resists when Riley Kincaid, a lieutenant from the SnowDancer pack, tries to possess her. The problem is not simply that he pushes her buttons; the problem is that he’s a wolf, she’s a cat, and they’re both used to being on top.
But when a brilliant changeling researcher is kidnapped from DarkRiver territory, Mercy and Riley must work together to track the young man—before his shadowy captors decide he’s no longer useful. Along the way, the two dominants may find that submitting to one another uncovers not just a deadly conspiracy, but a passion so raw that it’ll leave them both branded by fire…

BLAZE OF MEMORY 

Nalini Singh returns to the Psy/Changeling world and its “breathtaking blend of passion, adventure, and the paranormal”* as a woman without a past becomes the pawn of a man who controls her future…
Dev Santos discovers her unconscious and battered, with no memory of who she is. All she knows is that she’s dangerous. Charged with protecting his people’s most vulnerable secrets, Dev is duty-bound to eliminate all threats. It’s a task he’s never hesitated to complete…until he finds himself drawn to a woman who might yet prove the enemy’s most insidious weapon.
Stripped of her memories by a shadowy oppressor, and programmed to carry out cold-blooded murder, Katya Haas is fighting desperately for her sanity itself. Her only hope is Dev. But how can she expect to gain the trust of a man who could very well be her next target? For in this game, one must die…


BONDS OF JUSTICE

Return to the powerful, turbulent Psy/Changeling world created by the “amazingly talented”* Nalini Singh, as a human detective finds himself working the most unlikely of cases—in the dark heart of a Councilor’s domain…
Max Shannon is a good cop, one of the best in New York Enforcement. Born with a natural shield that protects him against Psy mental invasions, he knows he has little chance of advancement within the Psy-dominated power structure. The last case he expects to be assigned is that of a murderer targeting a Psy Councilor’s closest advisors. And the last woman he expects to compel him in the most sensual of ways is a Psy on the verge of a catastrophic mental fracture…
Sophia Russo is a Justice-Psy, cursed with the ability to retrieve memories from men and women so twisted even veteran cops keep their distance. Appointed as Max’s liaison with the Psy, she finds herself fascinated by this human, her frozen heart threatening to thaw with forbidden emotion. But, her mind filled with other people’s nightmares, other people’s evil, she’s standing on the border between sanity and a silken darkness that urges her to take justice into her own hands, to become judge, jury…and executioner…

PLAY OF PASSION

Passion and reason collide with explosive force in the newest installment of Nalini Singh’s “mesmerizing”* Psy/Changeling series. As a conflict with Pure Psy looms on the horizon, two powerful wolves fight a far more intimate war of their own… 

  

In his position as tracker for the SnowDancer pack, it’s up to Drew Kincaid to rein in rogue changelings who have lost control of their animal halves—even if it means killing those who have gone too far. But nothing in his life has prepared him for the battle he must now wage to win the heart of a woman who makes his body ignite…and who threatens to enslave his wolf. 

  

Lieutenant Indigo Riviere doesn’t easily allow skin privileges, especially of the sensual kind—and the last person she expects to find herself craving is the most wickedly playful male in the den. Everything she knows tells her to pull back before the flames burn them both to ash…but she hasn’t counted on Drew’s will. 

  

Now, two of SnowDancer’s most stubborn wolves find themselves playing a hot, sexy game even as lethal danger stalks the very place they call home…


KISS OF SNOW

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s exhilarating world of shapeshifters and psychics is “paranormal romance at its best” (Publishers Weekly). Now comes the story of an alpha wolf named Hawke used to getting exactly what he wants–and of the only woman who dares tangle with him.
Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.
Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.
Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…
A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

TANGLE OF NEED (2012)



Novellas

All the novellas were written to to stand alone, so you can pick them up at any stage in the series. However, if you’d like to read in strict chronological order,follow this link.
1. “Beat of Temptation” in An Enchanted Season
AN ENCHANTED SEASON

Excerpt http://www.nalinisingh.com/enchanted.php
It’s the time of year when dreams come true, miracles happen every day, and love is the greatest gift of all… 

  

The holidays always seem to bring out the best in everyone, with heartfelt hugs for long-missed friends, sincere smiles in the spirit of the season, and a feeling of magic in the air… 

  

Here, for the first time, is a collection of paranormal romances celebrating the holidays as never before. From a shape-shifting leopardess who wants a pack-mate to be her soulmate to a surprise snowstorm that brings a surprise gift, these all-new tales by Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and Jean Johnson will stir your spirit in all the right places.

Beat of Temptation

Young Tamsyn has always held a special place in her heart for her powerful fellow pack-member Nate. But as a dominant male leopard in the pack, the more experienced Nate doesn’t want to trap Tamsyn into the fierce demands of the mating bond—a bond driven by the animal within—when she’s hardly had the chance to grow into a woman. But Tamsyn knows what she wants for Christmas, and she’s going to get it…


THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS CAT

Put a little meow in their stocking this year with these tales of Christmas and felines-from beloved bestselling authors!
New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh and top-selling authors Nalini Singh, Erin McCarthy, and Linda Winstead Jones have a special gift for readers this year: heartwarming holiday stories featuring passionate romance, paranormal adventure, and a distinctly alluring feline touch. With four new stories-including one featuring Lora Leigh’s genetically altered Feline Breeds-this is a collection packed with more surprises than Christmas morning, and more chills than the snowiest winter night…
Excerpt http://www.nalinisingh.com/cat.php


“Whisper of Sin” features Ria, who, as Lucas’s executive assistant, has appeared in a number of previous books in the series including Slave to Sensation and Mine to Possess. This novella is set back in time, and tells the story of how Ria met her changeling mate, Emmett, and became part of DarkRiver. It also shows us another glimpse of DarkRiver’s past.

Excerpt http://www.nalinisingh.com/burningup.php

4. Psy/Changeling anthology – tentative release date 2013

Find Nalini here
Website http://www.nalinisingh.com/index.php
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AuthorNaliniSingh
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/NaliniSingh
Goodreads  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/71688
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~17

Welcome to day 17 of Winter’s Favorite.
Today I have two totally Awesomely Rad ladies sharing their favorites.  Please welcome the Awesome Erin Quinn and the Rad Michele Hauf…

Erin Quinn’s favorite thing about winter:      
I live in Arizona where it’s always hot, so my favorite thing about winter is the cold.  I love sweaters and sweats, fires and hot chocolate.  I love to be all warm and toasty inside while it’s storming outside, put in a good movie and bake something while watching.  To me, paradise!
To learn more about Erin please find her here
Website http://www.erinquinn.info/
Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/ErinQuinnAuthur
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/ErinQuinnAuthor
Michele please tell us your favorite thing about winter:
My favorite part of winter is snow.  Having lived in Minnesota all my life, I don’t have much choice.  Either embrace the stuff or move.  While you’ll never hear me claiming to love the cold (Florida, anyone?) I do love snowflakes.  I love to watch the snow flutter from the sky on big downy flakes and softly hit the ground without so much as a sound.  I have a magnifying glass I keep by the door in the winter to study snowflakes.  Seriously!  They are the most gorgeous creations.  Winter’s jewels.  I’m a huge fan of Kenneth Libbrecht’s snowflake photographs, and have this print framed in my living room.  Stop by his website and just get lost in the beauty of nature for a while!  snowcrystals.com

To Learn more about Michele please find her here

Website http://www.michelehauf.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Michele-Hauf-Author/84169458804
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/michelehauf

To enter for a chance to win an e-book of Erin’s Kissing Kris Kringle or a signed copy of Michele’s novella found in A Vampire for Christmas. Please tell Erin & Michele your favorite thing to do during winter. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~16

Welcome to day 16 of Winter’s Favorites.
Today we have two wonderful authors sharing their favorites. So I will stop taking up your time and let W. Lynn Chantale & JM Kelly take over…..
Brrr, It’s Cold
by
W. Lynn Chantale
Oh what I wouldn’t give to be in the tropics or some place equally as warm. Let’s face it, Michigan is downright frigid in the winter. So far temps have hovered in the 20 to 30 degree range. Well no wonder Delia didn’t want to leave the sunshine. That hunk Jace wasn’t a bad reason to stay either.
Since I’m stuck in snow country and can’t get away to a tropical cruise, I have a hottie of my own who keeps me warm at night. Hmm, one out of two ain’t bad. 🙂 What can one do to chase away the cold winter’s blues?
Besides a steaming mug of hot chocolate, how about a loaf of fresh bread? Courtesy of my good friend Betty Crocker.
Until next time, Indulge Your Inner Romantic
Website: http://wlynnchantale.com
Blog: http://wlynnchantale-decadentdecisions.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/wlynnchantale
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/W.LynnChantaleAuthor


6 to 7 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour* or Better for Bread® bread flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
2 packages regular or quick active dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)
2 1/4 cups very warm water (120° to 130°F)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, if desired
1.       In large bowl, stir 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, shortening and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle.
2.       Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
3.       Grease bottoms and sides of two 8×4-inch or 9×5-inch loaf pans with shortening or spray with cooking spray.
4.       Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18×9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in pan. Brush loaves lightly with butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35 to 50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
5.       Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heat oven to 425°F.
6.       Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to wire rack. Brush loaves with butter; cool.
Makes 2 loaves, 16 slices each

Please Welcome JM Kelley 

This December marks my one-year anniversary as a South Carolina resident. Living so far south of the Mason-Dixon line, I realize my winters will be vastly different. It saddens me, ever so slightly, to know that I have little-to-no use for the shovel collecting dust in my car’s trunk.
I grew up in Pennsylvania. The state in which, every five years or so, we have one of those cataclysmic snowstorms that dump multiple feet of snow on our delicate heads. But the snow has magical properties, the kinds that wipe out our memories mere days after the last dirty clump has melted away from the landscape. The minute that record snowfall is gone, we’re convinced it never happened. And the next time the weatherman excitedly declares the storm of the century has us in its sights, we’re wringing our mitten-clad hands, wondering how we will ever survive.
In Pennsylvania, survival comes in the following forms: Toilet paper, eggs, milk, and bread. Stores drag out displays of Wonder Bread and Charmin to pile up next to the shovels and ice melt. Which brings me to another Keystone State anomaly: How does a store in a small town manage to sell two hundred shovels every time it snows? The numbers simply don’t compute. If you do the math, you’d see that statistically, every person in a fifteen mile radius must own around eight shovels.
Snow makes Pennsylvanians crazy. I suppose, if you’ve grown up in a state where all four seasons can make an appearance in a twenty-four hour timeframe, there are good reasons.  I mean, as a child, I remember those mythical snowstorms that would close down the school district for a week. Snow would drift so high, I could craft a complicated and completely unsafe network of tunnels all over the front and back yard, and never disturb the snows surface. I’ve slogged through waist-deep snow. Done 360s in a car that would make Michele Kwan jealous. I’ve stood at the top of a sloping driveway and made it down to my car without taking a step because of conveniently smooth and even-layered ice.
Snow is a big deal in that state.
Pennsylvanians know that snow is hard work. But even so, in all the winters I’ve weathered there, I’ve never once eaten more than half a loaf of bread in any given snowstorm. Personally, I think winter storm warnings are a marketing ploy. The makers of the Big Four of Snowstorm Survival are giving the weathermen a cut of the profits if they adequately scare viewers into stocking up in anticipation of the next Snowmageddon. A bloody conspiracy. I guarantee it.
About two weeks after I arrived at my new home in South Carolina, wonder of wonders, we had a snowstorm. The place shut down for over a week. Literally. It was like the End Times had begun with a fanfare of trumpets and an terrifying four inches of snow.
I laughed. I mocked. I stayed home because I realized the only thing more dangerous than say, nuclear weapons in the control of madmen, was an untrained South Carolinian on unplowed roads. I valued my life. And while I waited for the nimrods in control to allow the sun to take control of cleanup efforts, I hauled my trusty little shovel out of my trunk and shoveled out my parking space.
The residents of the apartment complex were confused. They watched me shovel. I think some had popcorn. I was asked why I’d do such a thing. When replying that physically removing snow was an actual option, they laughed and shook their heads. And went back inside, like hibernating bears, waiting to reemerge once the snow had all melted away.
I kind of miss Pennsylvania winters now. Not in the sense of welcoming another chance to embrace the exhilaration of below-zero wind chills and exploding frozen water pipes. But it would be nice to walk down the street again, in freshly fallen snow, enjoying the soothing roar of plow-trucks as they mosey on by, burying every curbside car they pass. Then I’d go home and make some toast and scrambled eggs. Put those survival supplies to good use one more time.
Want to learn more about JM or her books?
Check her out here
Website http://www.jmkelleywrites.com/
Facebook  http://www.facebook.com/pages/JM-Kelley/108021242585994?sk=wall
Twitter https://twitter.com/#%21/AuthorJMKelley
To enter for a chance to win a Chrsitmas Stocking full of goodies from W. Lynn or an Ebook of Drew in Blue by JM Kelley. Please tell W. Lynn & JM your favorite holiday tradition.. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Interview with Melinda Leigh


Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome Melinda Leigh to the blog today. We are going to be talking about her new book She Can Run.

Melinda: First of all, thanks to Books-n-Kisses for hosting a stop on my blog tour.  She Can Run is my debut romantic suspense, and I’m thrilled to celebrate its release with you.

Q1) Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Melinda: I’m a fully recovered banker and stay-at-home mom turned writer.  I love kids and dogs, so my house is usually chaotic. Housekeeping isn’t my forte.  When I’m not taxiing kids to the mall and guitar lessons, I write and practice martial arts.

Q2) Have you always wanted to be an author?
Melinda:  Yes, but writing is something I didn’t have time for until my kids went to school.  Once I started, I was hooked.  The process is challenging, fascinating, frustrating, and immensely rewarding all at the same time.

Q3) Who are some of your favorite writers? Who do you feel has influenced your writing?
Melinda:  I’ve always been drawn to murder, mystery, and mayhem in fiction. When other girls were reading Judy Blume, I was working my through my mom’s collection of Agatha Christie mysteries.  In high school, I discovered I preferred Stephen King to classic literature.  Lately, I’ve been reading Jim Butcher and Lisa Gardner. 

Q4) Can you tell us what a typical writing day for you is like. 
Melinda:  I try to write while the kids are at school.  I like quiet when I work.  I don’t listen to music.  The TV is off.  If I could only get my dogs to stop barking… Sometimes I work in the evenings and/or early weekend mornings. There are a lot of things writers have to do besides write. 

Q5) Can you tell us a little about you book She Can Run?
Melinda: The heroine is a young widow with two children. Beth makes the terrible mistake of marrying a powerful politician who isn’t what he seems. She accidentally learns a secret about her husband, and he tries to kill her to keep it. With luck, she escapes with her kids.  Months later, under a false identity, she takes a job as caretaker on a secluded estate. Unfortunately, the elderly man who hired her dies, leaving the estate to his nephew, a former homicide detective.  Jack isn’t buying Beth’s story, but his conscience won’t let him send her away. Instead, he begins to investigate. Her secrets, his suspicions, and their desire clash when a killer strikes nearby.

Q6) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
Melinda:  My stories evolve slowly.  News headlines often give me ideas.  I find that rooting characters in reality is a great way to make their stories plausible. I wanted to write an emotionally charged story, so I started by putting a character into a terrible situation. What could be worse than a threat to one’s children?  It’s the parent’s fault they’re in danger!   Once I established Beth’s situation, I moved forward into developing a worthy hero and villains. The plot built into its final complexity over five rewrites. That’s not a typo.

Q7) What is up next for you? 
Melinda: I’m currently working on a story that is loosely connected to SHE CAN RUN through secondary characters.  The book takes place in the same small town and focuses on the local police chief and a disturbing stalker case.

Q8) What is the next book on your To Read Pile that you are dying to jump into?   
Melinda: The Night Eternal by Chuck Hogan and Guillermo Del Toro, It’s the third book in The Strain horror trilogy. These aren’t poor, misunderstood vampires or sexy immortals. They’re pure evil, and they have a plan to take over the world.  There were lots of sleep-with-the-light-on moments in the first two books. I love monsters! 

Q9) Is there anything else you would like to add?
Melinda:  Readers can find more information about me and my book at my website, melindaleighauthor.com.  I love to hear from readers. So, please connect with me on Facebook & Twitter. 

Books-n-Kisses: Melinda, again thank you so very much for making Books-n-Kisses a stop on your book tour.  I have enjoyed learning more about you and your book.  I look forward to reading and see what you come up with next.
Melinda: Thanks so much for having on the blog.  
Want to learn more about Melinda?  Keep Reading…

She Can Run Book Summary
Elizabeth was a young widow with two small children when she met Congressman Richard Baker. Handsome and wealthy, with a sparkling public image, Richard seemed like the perfect man to provide the security that Beth and her kids were craving. But when she uncovers a dangerous secret about her new husband, Beth realizes he will go to any lengths—even murder—to keep it. After barely escaping with her life, she and her children flee. They eventually make their way to a secluded estate in the Pennsylvania countryside, where Beth dares to hope she has found a safe place at last…

Forced into retirement by an unexpected injury, Philadelphia homicide detective Jack O’Malley is mourning the loss of his career when his uncle abruptly dies, leaving Jack to dispose of his crumbling country house. Unbeknownst to him, his uncle engaged a caretaker just before his death, a mysterious woman with two children and a beautiful face that haunts his dreams. Determined to know her, Jack begins an investigation into Beth’s past. When he uncovers the shocking truth, and a local woman is viciously murdered, Jack puts his own life on the line to keep Beth and her children safe.

She Can Run is a sexy, satisfying debut from award-winning author Melinda Leigh, packed with enough suspense and romance to get even the tamest heart racing!


Melinda Leigh’s Bio:

More than a decade ago, Melinda Leigh left a career in banking to raise her children and never looked back. She started writing when her youngest child entered first grade as a way to preserve her sanity. Her paranormal romance and romantic suspense fiction has won writing awards across the country, including The Gateway to the Best Contest, The Marlene Award, Where the Magic Begins, Put Your Heart in a Book, and The Golden Gateway 1st Round Grand Prize.

Melinda is also an avid martial artist. She holds a 2nd degree belt in Kenpo Karate, studies Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and teaches women’s self-defense. She lives in a messy house in the suburbs with her husband, two teenagers, a couple of dogs and one neurotic cat with an inexplicable fear of ceiling fans. With such a pleasant life, she has no explanation for the sometimes dark and disturbing nature of her imagination.

Paperback
Price: $13.95
ISBN: 9781612181516
Pages: 326
Release: November 28, 2011

Amazon buy link | Barnes&Noble.com buy link

eBook
Price: $7.99
Kindle buy link

Publisher’s Weekly Review:
“In her debut romantic suspense, Leigh carefully weaves the subplot of a serial killer with the main plot of an abused wife on the run and successfully ties the threads in a thrilling conclusion… Leigh’s tight, consistent plotting marks her as an author to watch.” 


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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~15

Welcome to Day 15 of Winter’s Favorites Giveaway.
I am pleased to welcome the WONDERFUL Stephanie Julian to the blog to share her favorite thing about winter.
My favorite thing about winter… A lazy Sunday spent by the fire with my feet up and my Nook in my hand. A day where I have nothing to do and nowhere to be. I feel no guilt as I snuggle into my chair, a throw over my legs and my feet so close to the fire they’re almost too warm. If it were summer, I’d feel guilty sitting inside, especially if it were sunny and warm. But when the temperatures below freezing and the sky is a sullen gray and I don’t have anywhere to be, there’s nowhere I’d rather be.
Find Stephanie Here: Website| Facebook | Twitter 
To enter for a chance to win an ebook from Stephanie’s backlist. Please tell Stephanie your favorite thing to do during winter. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway.
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Interview with AL Kay

Books-n-Kisses is pleased to welcome A.L. Kay to the blog today.  We are looking forward to learning a little more about A.L. and her story in the Red Wine Anthology.  

A.L. Kay was born, raised, and currently lives in Jacksonville, FL.  She is the daughter of a pilot and a stay at home mom.  A.L. Kay is married, has two precious daughters and three crazy cats.  She is a psychology major, owns her own editing business and still manages to writer her own stories.  A.L. Kay loves animals; including snakes, frogs and spiders. A.L. loves Alternative Rock and Country music. Stories with mythological and paranormal elements are her favorite to read and write.  If you ever run into her, there will be a book not far from her grasp.

Q1) Please tell us a little about yourself
AL:  My name is A.L. Kay, I am a born and raised Jacksonville FL resident, mother of two girls, wife for 6 years (December 10th), and a psychology student.

Q2)  Tell us a typical writing day for you
AL:  Oh, well….writing comes as a side thing that I do.  It is not my career or main focus.  I write when I have time to, and I love to do it.  If I get a chance to write, I sit down with my iced coffee, make sure I am comfortable and begin.  Having two kids (5 and under) does not make it easy to have a peaceful writing time.

Q3) Have you always wanted to be an author or what made you become an author?
AL: I just started writing one day at the age of twelve.  I had never thought of being a writer, it just sort of happened.

Q4) Tell us a little about your story that can be found in the Red Wine Anthology:
AL:  In my short, you dive into the mind of a psychotic lover’s dark revenge.

Q5) How did you come up with the idea for this story?
AL:  Well the anthology was written just to release for Halloween time… and I was mad.  So, you put Halloween anthology short together with me being mad…and Red Wine was born.

Q6)  What is your current work in progress?
AL:  Oh I have about five works in progress; one of them is called “Ordinary”. I will have a short or two in the anthology “Dark Light” being released by Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing in Spring 2012.

Q7) Who are some of your favorite authors?
AL:  I have so many I love.  A few are:  Veronica Blade, Carrie Jones, Richelle Mead, and so many more.

Q8) Have to ask because I am nosey.  What is in your to be read pile that you are dying to read next?
AL:  There are sooooooo many!!!   Okay… picking one…randomly….”Awake at Dawn” by C.C. Hunter because I have read the first and I just really want to know what is happening, lol.

Q9) Is there anything else you would to add?
AL:  I would love to say thank you to everyone reading this and thank you to Books-n-Kisses.  I hope everyone will check out “Red Wine” and the new publishing company that will have wonderful stories to come in the spring, Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing.

Books-n-Kisses: A.L., thank you for taking the time to stop by the blog today to chat about yourself and your books 
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Winter’s Favorite Giveaway Day~~14

Welcome to Day 14 of Winter’s Favorites Giveaway.
Today we have the Beyond Awesome Larissa Ione and the Super Sweet Leslie Dicken sharing their favorite thing about winter.   And now I give the ladies the floor… Ladies…

Larissa’s Favorite thing about Winter:
My favorite thing about winter: Snow! And hot toddies. And Christmas decorations. And did I mention the snow? I love winter so much that I even made Immortal Rider a Christmas book (okay, Christmas is mentioned, anyway!)
Find Larissa here: Website | Facebook | Twitter 


Leslie’s Favorite thing about Winter:
I’ve thought a lot about what would be my favorite thing about winter. It’s not the cold and most definitely not the shorter days. I’m not much on skiing, snowboarding, or other winter sports and activities. Yet, I do like living in a part of the world where we have a real winter. I think that’s because I love to watch the snow fall.  Not to be out in it where I will be cold and wet, but to be inside where it is toasty warm. I love to see the pretty white flakes, large or small, float gently or blow wildly through the trees. Whether it’s a dusting on the ground or a foot accumulation or more, being inside a warm house while the snow drifts around outside is my favorite part of winter. I’ve included a picture of our first snowfall this year which happened the last weekend of October.
Find Leslie here: Website | Facebook | Twitter
To enter for a chance to win a Tote-bag & Swag from Larissa and an ebook from Leslie’s backlist please tell Larissa & Leslie your favorite thing about the snow. Then head over to the MAIN Winter’s Favorite page (<< — Click link) to enter the giveaway