A Festive Alternative to Thanksgiving Pie

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many of us are planning our holiday dinner menus. If your family is looking forward to the traditional pumpkin pie, wonderful! However, if you're looking for alternative desserts, or need an extra one if company is coming, I have a recipe for you. And it looks super festive, too! 

This family recipe for Apple Upside-down Cake is at least 70 years old, so definitely tried and true! Simple, everyday ingredients. It'll look lovely on your brunch table if that's the meal you're hosting on the big day.

Apple Upside-down Cake

Cake batter:

¼ cup butter or other fat

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ½ cups sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

½ cup milk

2-4 firm-fleshed apples, peeled, quartered and sliced (enough to cover the bottom of a 10-inch round pan)

Topping:

1-2 tsp. cinnamon (to taste preference) mixed with ¼ cup sugar

10-inch round pan. Springform pan works best but a layer-cake pan or pie pan also will serve.

Parchment paper

Cream the fat while adding the sugar, well-beaten egg, and vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients together and add alternately with the milk to the first mixture. Line the pan with parchment paper and spray or grease the lining. Pare, quarter, and slice the apples thin. Arrange the slices in an overlapping layer on the bottom of the pan, starting with the outer rim and working in circles to the center. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the apple layer. Pour the cake mixture over the apples. The batter is thick and may need to be spread with a knife to cover all the apples. Bake at 325 for 45 min. Allow to cool for a few minutes before inverting onto a plate or serving platter and removing the parchment paper. Serve warm or cool with whipped cream or hard sauce or ice cream.

Enjoy!

Got Tomatoes? Here's an Easy Sweet Sauce Recipe

If your garden is overproducing like mine, you'll want to do something with all those fresh, luscious, ripe red tomatoes. We are big fans of BLTs, but a sandwich a day only uses one of those big tomatoes. Of course, there are tacos and salads and sliced tomatoes on pizza and little tomatoes, halved and fried in butter. But even that isn't enough to keep up with the harvest. 

We used to can tomatoes, but we've moved away from that to making batches of spaghetti sauce and freezing meal-sized containers for quick access whenever we want a meal of spaghetti or ravioli. Since this is the height of tomato harvest, I'm sharing our family recipe. (Hint, we leave the skins on for a deeper red and all the nutrients.) You'll need a blender, a large saucepan, and measuring cups and spoons, plus the following ingredients. 

Enjoy!

Sweet Spaghetti Sauce (Meatless & Mild)

4 cups diced fresh tomatoes, skins on, simmered briefly (5 min.) with…

½ teaspoon salt

Cool pot in a water bath. Fill blender with cooled tomatoes and chop.

In a large saucepan (3-4 quart) add…

1/8 cup diced onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

Fry onions in oil in the saucepan until done. Pour chopped tomatoes over onions. Set to simmer. Stir in…

One 12-ounce can of tomato paste, stirring until all lumps are gone

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 packed tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons dried parsley

½ cup water

Simmer until flavors combine. If sauce seems too thick, add another 1/3 cup water. Serve over cooked spaghetti noodles.

Sauce freezes well. It also tastes great over cheese ravioli.

If you don’t have fresh tomatoes, you can use one 28 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes AND one 12 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes.

Spotlight on Susie Black's DEATH BY JELLY BEANS

My guest today is cozy mystery author Susie Black, whose latest release, Death by Jelly Beans, will be available Sept. 4. It’s #5 in the Holly Swimsuit series with these clever cartoon covers. 

Let’s dive in with the set-the-tone Blurb:

Mermaid Swimwear President Holly Schlivnik discovers the Bainbridge Department Store Easter Bunny slumped over dead and obnoxious swimwear buyer Sue Ellen Magee is arrested for the crime. Despite her differences with the nasty buyer, Holly is convinced the Queen of Mean didn’t do it. The wise-cracking, irreverent amateur sleuth jumps into action to nail the real killer. But the trail has more twists than a pretzel and more turns than a rollercoaster. And nothing turns out the way Holly thinks it will as she tangles with a clever killer hellbent on revenge.

Love this delicious Tag Line: 

“Brings a whole new meaning to the rabbit died.”

Now for a sample to whet our appetites:

Death by Jelly Beans Excerpt

I dragged my eyes over to the throne. The Easter Bunny sat slumped over with his chin resting on his chest and his body listing to the right. Good grief. A double-whammy. Not only did he dip into the jellybeans again after being warned not to, but he fell asleep on the job in a booze-infused slumber.

Why should I give a flying fig about the jerk who bowled me over without an apology, let alone helping me up? Yet a stab of unexpected pity pierced my heart. I checked the time. Still a few minutes before my command performance. Maybe rouse the poor guy and give him a chance to concoct another story Sue Ellen might buy unless the security cameras sealed his fate.

I laid my messenger bag on the library table next to the throne and gently shook the rabbit’s left shoulder. Nothing doing. I shook him again. This time a bit harder. I put my lips next to his ears and implored him. “Pedro, wake up.” Zilch. Geesh, how much booze did the guy chug? Or maybe booze isn’t the culprit. Perhaps the guy had a late night before or he is just one helluva sound sleeper? Oddly, he wasn’t snoring, but I attributed it to his neck bent down and his head dangling over his body.

I shook him again and got nothing for my trouble. His chest wasn’t rising and falling. Good gravy. Was the guy breathing? I passed my hand over the costume's mouth opening, but one so small I couldn’t tell. I clasped a paw to check for a pulse, but the heavy gauge costume fabric was too thick to detect one.

I checked my watch. No more time to crap around trying to help this idiot or I’d be late for my meeting. Despite my efforts to rouse him, the guy hadn’t so much as twitched. Annoyance coupled with dread tied my stomach in knots. I panned the department. No one was around except the rabbit and me.

The Goddess short-changed me in the height department but compensated by blessing me with a deep voice and a strong set of pipes. I put my lips next to his ear and shouted loud enough to wake the dead. “PEDRO, WAKE UP!”

I grabbed the rabbit by the shoulder and shook him with all my might. The guy didn’t move an inch. I grasped his arm tightly and yanked it hard trying to right him. Good grief. The bunny was stiff as a board. I might as well try bending a steel beam.

I let go of his shoulder and the rabbit slid off the throne. He crashed headfirst into the library table. Along with my messenger bag, the jellybean jar bounced off the edge of the table and fell onto the cement floor. My messenger bag survived the ordeal, but the jellybean jar broke into a zillion pieces. Jellybeans scattered all over the place. The bunny bounced twice and flopped unceremoniously face-down into a pile of jellybeans.

The concept of shouting loud enough to wake the dead?  Trust me, it’s a pile of hot hooey. I didn’t need an MD after my name to make this diagnosis. Pedro Conejo was as dead as the proverbial doornail. When the first responders arrive, they’re gonna close the swimwear department for who knows how long. This ought to put a nice crimp into the Easter promotion. And who gets to break the good news to Sue Ellen? None other than yours truly.

She’s not gonna be a happy camper. Naturally, I burst out laughing.

Love this! Love your character’s voice. First person is a challenge, but you’ve nailed it.

The book comes out September 4^th, but you can preorder it here:

Death by Jelly Beans Buy Links:

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-by-jelly-beans-susie-black/1145804565?ean=2940186124580

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/212700868-death-by-jelly-beans?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=PWl56Hmfkz&rank=1

https://www.bookbub.com/books/death-by-jelly-beans-holly-swimsuit-mystery-book-5-by-susie-black

Amazon.com : Death by Jelly Beans

Want to know more about the fabulous Susie Black? Here’s her Author Bio:

Named Best US Author of the Year by N. N. Lights Book Heaven, award-winning cozy mystery author Susie Black was born in the Big Apple but now calls sunny Southern California home. Like the protagonist in her Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series, Susie is a successful apparel sales executive. Susie began telling stories as soon as she learned to talk. Now she’s telling all the stories from her garment industry experiences in humorous mysteries. 

She reads, writes, and speaks Spanish, albeit with an accent that sounds like Mildred from Michigan went on a Mexican vacation and is trying to fit in with the locals. Since life without pizza and ice cream as her core food groups wouldn’t be worth living, she’s a dedicated walker to keep her girlish figure. A voracious reader, she’s also an avid stamp collector. Susie lives with a highly intelligent man and has one incredibly brainy but smart-aleck adult son who inexplicably blames his sarcasm on an inherited genetic defect.

Looking for more?

Contact Susie at:

Website: www.authorsusieblack.com

E-mail: mysteries_@authorsusieblack.com

Looking for that perfect swimsuit for your next beach vacation or cruise? Check out her Swimsuit Fit Guide here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7lerp4cy1al2j0l/CHOOSING%20THE%20RIGHT%20%20SWIMSUIT.pdf?dl=0

Susie Black Updated Social Media Links 8-16-23

Book Bub: www.bookbub.com/authors/susie-black

Facebook:    https://facebook.com/TheHollySwimsuitMysterySeries

Good Reads: Search results for "Susie Black" (showing 1-9 of 82 books) | Goodreads

Instagram:   Susie Black (@hollyswimsuit) • Instagram photos and videos

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/authorsusieblack-61941011

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/hollysusie1_saved/

Twitter:    http://twitter.com/@hollyswimsuit

Let’s all wish great sales for Susie Black’s latest mystery!

My Guest Today: C.E. Brown, YA Urban Fantasy Author

My guest today is author C.E. Brown whose latest release is SEEING GRAY, a YA Urban Fantasy, published by The Wild Rose Press. 

I have to include her bio right away because I love what she says about her cats.

Author bio:

C.E. Brown has lived most of her life in the Pacific Northwest, close to family and friends. She loves to travel, always searching for magical places to help inspire creativity. C.E. attests that she has a very patient and understanding husband, a wildly creative son, and three crazy cats—one steals her shoes, another steals her food, and the third is a sweetly neurotic old man who can’t decide if he’d prefer to be pet or left alone. C.E. didn’t find her passion for writing until she began wrangling kids as a school counselor, but then the writing bug bit and she’s been writing ever since.

I’m always curious about how and why authors become authors and what inspires them to choose a genre. C.E., what made you decide to write in the young adult genre?

I work in schools and enjoy writing about teens and wanted to make sure I touched on topics in my book that aren’t always talked about, like losing a loved one. Zoey, the main character in Seeing Gray, is drawn into the magical world by grief and her need for vengeance against the demon who killed her mother. It’s a world she’d always wanted to be a part of, but was kept hidden from by her parents.

Having taught teens myself, I get where you are coming from. The coming-of-age story, whatever genre it takes shape in, is a terrific bridge to adulthood for these young people.

Tells us about your book Seeing Gray.

Back of the book blurb:

    Celestials have been killing Seers for centuries, as prophesy states that a Seer will overthrow Celestial rule. Worried for Zoey’s safety, her parents forbid her from registering as a Seer and interacting with the Celestials, Fae, and Demons who hide among humankind. Zoey is forced to wear a necklace that hides magic from her and conceals her magic from them.
    Witness to her mother’s murder at the hands of a Demon, Zoey vows to track down her mother's killer and make him pay. Embracing her magic, Zoey is brought deeper into the mythical world by an unlikely ally and wonders if perhaps her parents were right to keep her out of it.
    Will she avenge her mother’s death, or will she meet the same untimely fate?

Excerpt:

    My heart stopped. Hidden in the shadows was a large shape. No, not large—massive. Hunched over, it was a tight fit under the bridge. The two yellow eyes were set in a mud-brown face with a huge potato nose. Floppy ears topped the head, and an immense belly protruded, as well as two curved tusks. I opened my mouth to say something, and no sound came. I swallowed. A low growl came from under the bridge, shaking the ground I was sitting on. I slipped and slid a few feet before catching myself, my side now covered in mud and my foot stuck in a squelching pile of goo. I hoped it was mud. It smelled awful. I somehow had kept hold of my notebook, but my pencil was long gone. I scrambled up the hill half crawling, fingers digging into the grass, terror making me shake. When I was at the top of the hill, I ducked back under the fence and then stopped, notebook pressed to my chest, and waited. No sounds came from behind me. Hands trembling, I shoved my notebook into my bag, grateful it had remained slung over my shoulder.
    No pursuit, no more growls. Should I go back? I debated, but the growl made me think that might be a bad idea. He or she had clearly not wanted me there. Was I breaking some sort of rule and invading its territory? The troll had just appeared. Had they come through a portal? Maybe they were just passing through.
    So, trolls. They exist. Check. I’d have to draw it when I got home and record what I knew. God, I wish I wasn’t such a scaredy-cat. Before Mom died, the sight of the troll wouldn’t have terrified me. I used to love to See strange creatures when I caught a glimpse. Now, anything larger than a cat sent my heart racing into overdrive and made me break out in a cold sweat. Not a full-blown panic attack, but close. Damn it. Gritting my teeth, I reached into my bag and grabbed the brownie I’d saved from lunch. Everyone liked brownies, right? I ducked under the fence, put my bag on the ground, and crept back down the hill.

Wow, trolls! What a hook. I see Kirkus Reviews was hooked too.

"Over the course of this novel, Brown presents a thrilling coming-of-age adventure story in a compelling urban fantasy setting...Excellent worldbuilding conjures an ideal backdrop for plenty of action and misadventures...A fast-paced fantasy with a bold lead character and a well-developed fictional world." - Kirkus Reviews

Tell us a bit more about your writing journey.

I’ve always loved writing, but was unfocused. When COVID hit, I suddenly had two extra hours a day since I no longer had to commute to work. I decided to use that time to write. I wrote three books before I was convinced by a friend to submit my latest book, Seeing Gray, to the PNWA Unpublished Young Adult contest where I placed third. I received a publishing contract for Seeing Gray, and have now written six books, although some are still unedited. I usually write in the evenings after my son goes to sleep. Most of my books are YA Urban Fantasy, but my latest is a MG Fantasy that I wrote for my son since I wouldn't let him read Seeing Gray (he's in elementary school). We were walking over a bridge and he asked me to write him a book about a troll and his dog, so I did.

Family, work, writing—what else rounds out your life?

When I’m not reading or writing, I have always enjoyed the arts. I recently tried glass blowing and paint pouring (finished projects are on my Instagram @cebrownauthor), and like to color and draw. I also enjoy cake/ cookie decorating and taking nature photos. When I had more time, I also did Taekwondo and earned my second-degree black belt. While I am no longer practicing, my son recently started up and I am loving watching him learn.

Last bit, links to C.E. Brown’s fascinating new release and her socials.

Buy Links:

Amazon 

Barnes and Noble
BooksAMillion

Social Links:

Website  

Instagram 

Goodreads

BookBub

Kirkus Review

Seeing Gray sounds like an amazing read, and it’s available now! Wishing C.E. Brown the best of luck with this new release.

Sharing a Sweet Summer Treat & Some News

Hooray for Summer!

I love berry season and I love sweet treats, so today I'm sharing a favorite recipe for a pie made without a pie plate. It's based on the French Galette, which can be sweet or savory, but it's made by spreading your pie crust on a flat surface rather than in a pie plate. And then you fill it with a cream cheese base topped with 2 cups of sliced berries. Mine has half fresh strawberries and half fresh blueberries. Here's a photo to whet your appetite. 

To make this, you'll need the following ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided

1 whole egg, separated

2 tablespoons sugar, plus a little extra for sprinkling

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 refrigerated pie crust (or make your own single-layer crust from scratch)

2 cups fresh fruit (Or use a 10-12 ounce package of frozen fruit or berries, thawed.)

Directions: Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400. Line a pizza pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch and the egg yolk in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix fruit, 2 tablespoons of sugar, remaining tablespoon of cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Unfurl pie dough on a lightly floured surface and roll to about 13 inches in diameter. Slide onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet or pizza pan. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Scatter fruit evenly over cream cheese mixture. Fold pastry border over the fruit, overlapping where necessary. Brush dough perimeter with egg white and sprinkle with a little sugar.

Bake galette until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 min. Grip parchment paper with tongs and slide onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.  Makes 8-12 wedges, depending on your desired portion size. Tastes great with topping or ice cream.

Now to the news! 

My children's fantasy chapter book FREDERICK FLY-CATCHER is only 99-cents in ebook all the month of June. If you want to get those "littles" reading over summer break, I'd love it if you'd check out my book. Here's the universal link: https://books2read.com/u/4Ekjo0

Author Spotlight--On Me!

Today NN Light Book Heaven has posted a beautiful Author Spotlight on yours truly, featuring all of my books. Please stop by to learn 10 new things about me: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/helen-c-johannes-abs

Hope to hear from you soon!

Spotlight on FOX TALE by Karen Hulene Bartell

A hearty “Welcome back!” to my fellow TWRP author Karen Hulene Bartell. She’s sharing the details on her latest release, the second in 2024. 

Title – Fox Tale

Author – Karen Hulene Bartell

Genre – Paranormal Romance

Publisher – The Wild Rose Press

Book Blurb –

Heights terrify Ava. When a stranger saves her from plunging down a mountain, he diverts her fears with tales of Japanese kitsune—shapeshifting foxes—and she begins a journey into the supernatural.

She’s attracted to Chase, both physically and metaphysically, yet primal instincts urge caution when shadows suggest more than meets the eye.

She’s torn between Chase and Rafe, her ex, when a chance reunion reignites their passion, but she struggles to overcome two years of bitter resentment. Did Rafe jilt her, or were they pawns of a larger conspiracy? Are the ancient legends true of kitsunes twisting time and events?

I haven’t heard of this legend, but a story about fox shifters who can manipulate time sounds fascinating. Let’s see the Fox Tale excerpt –

The kitten crawled on the pillow, purring in my ear as he kneaded my neck and shoulders with his silky paws.

“That actually feels good.” I chuckled at the irony, then exhausted, fell into a deep sleep. I found myself sitting on a shaded, grassy slope. A gentle breeze fluttered against my cheek.

No, not a breeze, Chase.

He caressed my cheek as he swept my hair behind my ear and whispered sweet nothings. His breath tickling, he nuzzled my neck.

Goosebumps slid down my spine.

Then he massaged my back….

As latent yearnings awakened, I arched my back, enjoying the waves of sensation. With a shudder, I moaned, pulling him toward me in a deep kiss….

Bbbrrringg, bbbrrringg, bbbrrringg.

As the alarm jolted me awake, the heat rose to my cheeks, and I scanned the surroundings to get my bearings. Mortified, I cringed beneath the sheets. What have I done? Then relieved to see only the kitten for a bed partner, I gave a nervous laugh. It was a dream--just a dream.

The kitten uncurled from between my legs, purring.

Embarrassed by the sensations it elicited, I scrambled to my feet. Did the kitten trigger those dreams?

When did you start writing?

An only child, I began writing my first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating my own happy endings…However, I got four pages into my first “book” and realized I had to do a lot of living before I could finish it!

IMHO, reading is the entry to writing. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually--sometimes monthly--I found my earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became my portable pals. Ghost stories kept me up at night--reading feverishly. Novels offered an imaginative escape, and the paranormal was my passion.

So here I am all these decades later, still creating my own happy endings… 

Your history sounds so familiar: grade school attempts at writing and scouring the library for fictional friends. (Been there, done that too!)

With another release under your belt, what's next for you?

I’m writing a political-suspense thriller set in Taipei, Taiwan, entitled Silkworm, that portrays a US Senator’s daughter caught between two men, two cultures, two political ideologies, and the two Chinas.

A love triangle is the metaphor for Taiwan and China (the two dragons) competing for geopolitical and technological accords with the US. As mainland China seeks to recover the third of its lost provinces–Taiwan–Rachel Moore struggles to escape the triple nightmare of impending war, a marriage of convenience, and an assassination plot against the man she loves. Silkworm weaves their stories with the trilateral events currently erupting in Southeast Asia.

Wow, from paranormal to political thriller! You are multi-talented, for sure. Best of luck with everything on your plate.

Here are the Buy Links for Fox Tale –

UNIVERSAL LINK: https://books2read.com/u/br9VJM

AMAZON: https://shorturl.at/uwGPX

GOODREADS: https://shorturl.at/jozDY

BARNES & NOBLE / NOOK: https://shorturl.at/nuMOZ 

For more about Karen, here’s her Author Biography –

Author of the Trans-Pecos, Sacred Emblem, Sacred Journey, and Sacred Messenger series, as well as Kissing Kin, Fox Tale, Wild Rose Pass, The Keys: Voice of the Turtle and more, Karen is a best-selling author, motivational keynote speaker, IT technical editor, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life. She writes multicultural, offbeat love stories steeped in the supernatural. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her mews—three rescued cats and a rescued *Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.

Connect with Karen on her Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenHuleneBartell

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/karenbartell

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuleneKaren

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/karenhulenebartell/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/611950.Karen_Hulene_Bartell

Website: http://www.KarenHuleneBartell.com/

Email: info@KarenHuleneBartell.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/karenhulenebartell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenhulenebartell/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-hulene-bartell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhulenebartell/

AUTHORSdb: https://authorsdb.com/community/17847-karen-hulene-bartell

 

Please show Karen some love by visiting her sites and checking out her books.

My Guest Today: Paranormal Romance Author Karen Hulene Bartell

My guest today is an author after my own heart, someone with wandering feet and an itch to travel to new places, someone who is inspired by what she sees. Please welcome Karen Hulene Bartell, a multi-published author whose latest release is the paranormal romance Kissing Kin. 

I’m always intrigued by how book ideas are birthed. What was the inspiration for Kissing Kin?

Whenever I visit provocative places, encounter new experiences, sample different ethnic foods, or chance upon stimulating people, I’m inspired. Ideas flow. (I should’ve been a travel correspondent.) There’s something about traveling that takes me out of my rut and propels me into new realms of possibility.

I’ve written some of my best concepts sitting in noisy airports or hotel bathrooms at midnight (so I don’t wake my husband with the light). Being out of my element and in new environments stimulates my imagination.

As I visit new destinations, I’m infused with innovative ideas, envisioning scene after scene, like vignettes flowing from one to the next and the next.

Oh, I love that feeling! How did that play out for this book?

In Kissing Kin’s case, my husband and I spent Christmas week hiking and horseback riding in Big Bend National Park twenty years ago. You’ve seen the area on maps--the southernmost tip of Texas that borders the Rio Grande and dips into Mexico. Spanning more than 800,000 acres of Chihuahuan desert, mountains, and rivers, Big Bend is larger than the state of Rhode Island--and filled with lions and bobcats and bears. Oh, my!

Driving home early that New Year’s morning, we missed the turnoff in Alpine and followed TX-118 north. Snow-covered and glinting against the frosty blue January sky, a remote jumble of mountain peaks and ranges beckoned as they rose above the desert floor. I was enchanted. Gazing at the sky island for the first time, wide-eyed, I wondered whether those rocky pinnacles were mirages or optical delusions.

But as the craggy peaks loomed larger (a mile high, I later learned), I realized they were no hallucination or Fata Morgana. A hasty glance at the map told us these were the Davis Mountains. As we approached, vertical basalt columns rose like thousands of giant fingers reaching for the sky. The palisades, buttes, and bluffs towered above both sides of the road with a raw, majestic beauty, and I breathed a contented sigh, almost as if coming home.

That missed turn took us only a half hour out of our way, but as we drove through those mountains, my life changed. From that day to this, the area’s held my heart and imagination. Wild Rose Pass became Book I of the Trans-Pecos Series, and Kissing Kin has become Book II. Both novels are standalones with dissimilar genres--Wild Rose Pass is a historical novel, while Kissing Kin is a paranormal romance.

What a fabulous setting! Now that we’re dreaming of those mountains, we’re primed to see the blurb and excerpt.

Book Blurb –

Maeve Jackson is starting over after a broken engagement—and mustering out of the Army. No job and no prospects, she spins out on black ice and totals her car.

When struggling vintner Luke Kaylor stops to help, they discover they’re distantly related. On a shoestring budget to convert his vineyard into a winery, he makes her a deal: prune grapevines in exchange for room and board.

But forgotten diaries and a haunted cabin kickstart a five-generation mystery with ancestors that have bones to pick. As carnal urges propel them into each other’s arms, they wonder: Is their attraction physical…or metaphysical?

Kissing Kin Excerpt – Dozing by the Fire

“Mind if I camp out ’til the roads clear?”

“Under the circumstances?” The clerk shook his head. “Not a problem.”

“Thanks.” He started toward the sitting room and nearly bumped into Maeve, leaning against the wall. “Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t.” She tossed her chin. “I was cat-napping.”

“Right.” He compared her guarded veneer to her sleeping-beauty persona. Which is closer to her true self?

“Couldn’t help overhearing.” Gesturing toward the clerk with her chin, she grimaced. “I’m responsible for you being out tonight--”

“No.” He shook his head. “This is just a freak storm.”

“You don’t have to sleep in a chair.” She took a deep breath and gave a quick, tight-lipped smile. “My room has two queen beds, and you’re welcome to one of ’em.”

Unsure of the extent of her invitation, he did a double take.

“Just so we understand each other, this is a bunk, a place to sack out. Period. Amen.” She spoke in a low-pitched, no-nonsense voice. “Nothing more, so don’t get any--”

“Got it.” He covered his disappointment with a laugh. “Thanks, I appreciate the offer, but I’ll be fine dozing by the fire.”

“Hey, I’ve bivouacked with soldiers in Afghanistan. We do what’s necessary under extenuating circumstances.” Shrugging, she glanced at the door. “And this blizzard qualifies.” Her face relaxed into a smile.

Her offer tempting, he compared sitting up all night to stretching out in a bed. Then he glimpsed the clerk.

“If you’re worried about my reputation, don’t be.” She laughed, the sound like sleigh bells tinkling on a crisp, wintry night.

What is it about her that conjures thoughts of other times--other eras? 

Now that you’ve hooked us into this paranormal story, we need the buy links.

UNIVERSAL LINK: https://books2read.com/u/boXl10

AMAZON: https://shorturl.at/iwEIJ

GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204849593-kissing-kin

APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/kissing-kin/id6475424012

BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kissing-kin-karen-bartell/1144521766?ean=9781509253951

And an author’s bio and social media links:

Author of the Trans-Pecos, Sacred Emblem, Sacred Journey, and Sacred Messenger series, as well as Kissing Kin, Fox Tale, Wild Rose Pass, The Keys: Voice of the Turtle and more, Karen is a best-selling author, motivational keynote speaker, IT technical editor, wife, and all-around pilgrim of life. She writes multicultural, offbeat love stories steeped in the supernatural. Born to rolling-stone parents who moved annually, Bartell found her earliest playmates as fictional friends in books. Paperbacks became her portable pals. Ghost stories kept her up at night—reading feverishly. The paranormal was her passion. Novels offered an imaginative escape. An only child, she began writing her first novel at the age of nine, learning the joy of creating her own happy endings. Professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin, Karen resides in the Texas Piney Woods with her husband Peter and her mews—three rescued cats and a rescued *Cat*ahoula Leopard dog.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KarenHuleneBartell

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/karenbartell

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuleneKaren

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/karenhulenebartell/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/611950.Karen_Hulene_Bartell

Website: http://www.KarenHuleneBartell.com/

Email: info@KarenHuleneBartell.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/karenhulenebartell

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenhulenebartell/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/karen-hulene-bartell

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhulenebartell/

AUTHORSdb: https://authorsdb.com/community/17847-karen-hulene-bartell

Thanks for visiting, Karen, and sharing the origins of your latest release. You've made us all want to visit the Big Bend area and check out Kissing Kin.

My Guest Today: Cozy Mystery Author Mary Ann Jacobs

Welcome to the month of March, where seasons change and snow still sometimes flies. A perfect month for showcasing a cozy mystery by none other than Mary Ann Jacobs, whose debut novel Don’t Mess with Me, is the first book in her Berkshire Mysteries series. 

I’m always fascinated by how writers become authors. Everyone seems to find their own particular path. What have the steps been on your journey to being a published novelist?

When I taught school, I always wanted to write. I published a poem and essays but had little time for any other writing. When I retired, I collected all my scraps and loose pages of writing from my messy classroom desk and vowed to organize my writings and create many different types of writing.

Covid was a blessing because I now had time for writing. At first, I wrote a poem a day and sent my poems to the members of my bridge group. Every time I decided to stop, they encouraged me to continue because they looked forward each day to a new poem.

You were extremely fortunate to have such supportive friends! Then what happened?

I published many of those poems in magazines and anthologies then turned my attention to a new genre. I had been watching Hallmark movies and reading cozy mysteries in our time of isolation. Finally, I decided that I would try my hand at a cozy mystery. I considered this as my Writing Therapy to escape the boredom of isolation during Covid. 

I set the mystery in the Berkshires where my grandchildren live, and where I spent many summers. I modeled Sadie’s character after my aunt who was a feisty, independent woman.

Knowing your setting is a definite bonus when describing it. Let's hear more about your book.

Blurb:

In the fictional small town of Pittman in the heart of the Berkshire Mountains, two murders and a kidnapping occur.

Robin George and Sadie Aboud form the Super Sleuths and intend to set the Sheriff straight and solve the crimes for him. At one point, the frustrated Sheriff suspects all the amateur sleuths, and Robin and Sadie must convince him of their innocence.

Of course, a cozy mystery needs villains. The two evil villains are Chester Fergusson, a realtor and con artist who is trying to buy up all the property on Farley Square, and Mopey Tyler, a suspected drug dealer and the owner of a smut shop. When they hatch their kidnapping plan, they involve Mike’s Dad, who owns the local bowling alley.

Excerpt:

Suspicions Revealed and Rebuked

            Sheriff Houtman frowned at the boys as he listened to their allegations, then he said, “If I catch any of you, and that includes the grownups in this room, inserting yourselves into our investigation, I’ll arrest you for obstruction of justice.”

            “We are looking for a murderer who is probably still right here in our town. It is too dangerous to be playing amateur detective. Do you understand me? Sadie, Robin, and Lola, this means you.”

            We all looked guilty and nodded our heads. I’m pretty he didn’t believe a thing we just reported. He then turned and left in a hurry.

Sounds like a perfect cozy to enjoy on spring break. Now that you have a novel with your name on the cover, what have you been doing?

            Don’t Mess with Me is now one year old. I have enjoyed going to many book clubs that have read my book. I enjoy the fact that when I ask the readers if they guessed the ending, the majority say they never guessed it. I also ask what they would like to see in the second book in the series, and I have included many of those suggestions into the second book in the Berkshire Mystery Series.

            The second book is now under contract with The Wild Rose Press, and we will begin to edit it in March.

            Since I love to cook, I have modernized my grandmother’s Lebanese dishes and included a couple recipes at the end of each book. I’m sure Sadie must serve these recipes at Sweet Indulgences, her fictional restaurant in Pittman.

Oh, could you share a recipe? I’m always looking for new dishes, and I’m sure my readers are too.

Creative Leftovers

In my family, we often use lamb in recipes. When we use ground lamb in rice and sauce or kousa, we often have leftover ground lamb.

Scrambled Eggs and lamb

1.     In a skillet, place 1 chopped onion, 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, and a pat of butter. Add leftover lamb then fry.

2.     Whip 4 or 5 eggs in a bowl.

3.     Add eggs to the lamb, onion, and pine nuts mixture, and scramble lightly in a skillet.

4.     Do not let the scrambled eggs get hard.

5.     Serve with heated pita bread.

I want to thank Mary Ann for visiting today and sharing her book and writing journey. For more information and to check out Don’t Mess with Me, click on the links below.

Buy links:

https://www.amazon.com/Dont-Mess-Berkshires-Mystery-Book-ebook/dp/B0BKYF5HJV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19PG1A36M97U0&keywords=Don%27t+Mess+with+Me+by+mary+ann+jacobs&qid=16

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-mess-with-me-mary-ann-jacobs/1142600182?ean=2940186700777

Contact the author at maryannjacobsauthor@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/maryannjacobsauthor

Website: maryannjacobsauthor.wordpress.com

Twitter: maryann68592654

https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1878950818?source=link_share

 

My Guest Today: Paranormal Romantic Suspense Author Mickey Flagg

Please welcome paranormal romantic suspense author Mickey Flagg. She’s just released His Soul to Keep, the third book in The Champion Chronicles. Let’s find out a bit about her before we ask her questions. 

Bio

Always an avid reader, the realm of paranormal fiction is the perfect landing point for Mickey Flagg. After a successful career as a music teacher and an urban school administrator, she continues to spin stories of passion, love and redemption. She’s been a contributor in a book on urban music education and has also authored an article for Still Standing, a web-magazine about loss and healing. Named a Distinguished Music Educator at the 2010 Yale Music Symposium, Mickey is a life-long New Jersey resident, a member of Liberty States Fiction Writers and NJRW, and has served as a Professor in Residence with a local university.

A number of writers I know are or have been teachers, but you’re the first I’ve met from the field of music instruction. Tell us, what inspired you to write fiction? And what drew you to the paranormal romance genre, specifically the vampire sub-genre?

I love doing puzzles. The more pieces the better. Writing is like putting a puzzle together and creating a vivid picture. I simply choose to make my vivid picture with vampires, witches, and mystical warriors. 

One of the first pieces of advice an aspiring author gets is write what you love. In my case, that’s paranormal fiction. When you add a heady dose of romance and some gut-wrenching suspense, the sub-genre becomes paranormal romance suspense. I write in a broad genre that is crowded with so many twists and turns that your head could spin. Focusing my stories on a cast of characters, the world I create consistently pits evil against good. Writing dark fantasy enables an author to bend the rules to meet his or her own criteria. I like that perk. It places my characters in situations that have roots in real-world relationships with more than a splash of other-world drama. 

Oh, I like that rule-bending perk too. Tell us more about the drama inherent in your stories.

My main character in The Champion Chronicles is a mystically enhanced vampire who regained his soul with some Heavenly help. Writing someone who should be intrinsically evil but chooses the most difficult path to redemption creates fascinating possibilities for him and for me as the writer. By giving him a soulmate who should have destroyed him and a troubled human son who shouldn’t exist complicates his world. Add to the mix a host of secondary characters that he must interact with, and my paranormal world is complete.

Some authors choose to write cozy mysteries, young adult, or second-chance romance. I choose to write tales of love and redemption in the realm of the paranormal. I’ve always been drawn to the genre because of the vampire trope. Be it Anne Rice or J.R. Ward, various writing styles intrigue me. So do story lines that involve all the fantastical what-ifs, like Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series. So, I write what I like. Strong characters who value love and family above all else. They just happen to be mystical or magical and live in a world that is always threatened by something evil. I build a story where good always wins, and whether mystical, magical, or human, my characters must face his or her demon within and do some soul-searching along the way. 

For me, writing paranormal fiction is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. I’m just never sure of the vivid, completed picture until I type: The End. 

I like the puzzle imagery, working the pieces until the image/story is complete. Let’s take a look now at what you’ve completed in His Soul to Keep.

Blurb

Too many questions. Too many doubts. Michael Malone’s new existence is not only shocking but beyond puzzling. Keeping his distance from his soulmate and his troubled son only makes matters worse. When his beast-within is resurrected by dark magic and implanted in a teenage girl, he feels the aberration, feels responsible. But he isn’t a commanding, mystically enhanced vampire anymore. Will he be able to destroy the evil entity, or will he be forced to take it back within his soul to save an innocent? First, he must locate who inspired this heinous act, the wicked wizard and a beautiful but cunning female vampire he knew centuries ago. His new reality, his very human life hangs in the balance and he will face unparalleled evil. Many innocent lives are at stake—should he not succeed.

Excerpt

In a familiar way, Alana settled between his long legs. Pulling out of the steamy kiss, her head rested on his heart, and every thump filled her with wonder. No ordinary man could wear snug black jeans and a simple black shirt with its sleeves rolled up the way Michael did. Dark colors enhanced his singular, intense look. Even with her eyes closed, she could see only him. She could sense strength in his soul, in his muscular body. His embrace was a place of comfort as well as erotic joy.

Years apart, and then realizing how much she loved him... What he had put himself through ten months ago had reshaped their destiny, and now, the possibility of a long life together had real meaning. She felt him deep in her soul. Being with him made her very core ache with a lover’s need. In an intimate way, she studied his day-old beard, the width of his shoulders, the lines of his face. Her hands weren’t willing to leave his chest. He shifted, and she drifted farther away to sit on her heels, to drown in the full vision of him. His eyes shimmered as his warm fingers threaded hers.

“How’d it go with Lu? Did you get a chance to talk?”

“Jeez, Mom, that’s a tough one. Couldn’t we start with something easier?”

She chuckled. “I think Mom sounds sweet. He lets me call him Lu.”

“If you’re okay with it, so am I.”

“Where is he?”

“Anywhere I’m not, apparently.” He groaned in a frustrated way and pushed back to sit up against the padded arm. His hands slipped out of her hold, and he laced them to his chest.  When he blew out a slow breath, shivers ran down her spine.

“Did something happen?”

“I expected non-stop questions, not a sudden shutdown.”

“Do you have any idea how unbelievable this is? How unexpected—”

“No, really,” he said with a touch of sarcasm. A distant look she’d never seen before settled on his face. “I asked for an end to my existence. I didn’t ask for life.”

His eyes dulled while hers blazed. Sucking in a breath, she held it. Maybe she’d misunderstood. “You wanted an end to your existence? Meaning… the forever kind of death?”

“Alana, I’m not about to lie.”

“Nope, rewind and talk. Talk fast.” The proverbial romantic, rose-tinted glasses had just ripped right off her eyes.

“What I did in undeath, unexpected questions fired at me by twelve individuals to explain or clarify… then sitting in the church after a six-hour inquisition—which took place a full month after I completed their Document of Atonement. I…came undone. Before I left you last May, I had no right to ask for your love.” He looked at the wall, down the hall, at anything but her.

“Michael—”

“And whose idea was it to have my son here, waiting for my return?”

“We all thought—”

“I told him I’d come for him when I was ready. That was the deal. He should have been forced to stay at school in England. I had no right believing I could teach him how to deal with life, either.”

“Michael, stop,” she managed to whisper. Illogical words came from a most rational man. She couldn’t swallow, didn’t recognize the chill in his tone.

Now that you have us hooked, let’s share contact info and buy links:

Contact links:

Website info: http://mflagg-author.com

Social Media links:

Facebook:    (1) M. Flagg | Facebook

Twitter:   https://twitter.com/flagg_michele

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickeyflagg

Buy Links:

Amazon.com: His Soul to Keep (The Champion Chronicles Book 3) eBook : Flagg, M. : Books

His Soul to Keep by M. Flagg, Paperback | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)

I’m so grateful Mickey was kind enough to visit today. Please take some time to check out her series, The Champion Chronicles and her latest release His Soul to Keep.