Our friend Marissa, from Grand Central Publishing/Forever, has another treat for us today.  She is stopping by to introduce us to another amazing bestselling author, Ms. Courtney Cole.   Welcome to CMash Reads.

COURTNEY COLE

 Courtney Cole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives near Lake Michigan with her family. She’s always working on her next project…or staring dreamily out her office window.

Connect with Courtney at these sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Twenty-four-year-old Pax Tate is an asshole. Seriously. He’s a tattooed, rock-hard bad boy with a tough attitude to match. His mother died when Pax was seven, leaving a hole in his heart filled with an intense guilt that he doesn’t understand. What he does know is that he and his dad were left alone, and they have never been close. Now, he uses drugs and women to cope with the black void in his soul. He pretends that the emptiness isn’t there and this has always worked . . . until he meets Mila.

Sweet, beautiful Mila Hill is the fresh air that Pax has never known in his life. He doesn’t know how to not hurt her¿but he quickly realizes that he’d better figure it out because he needs her to breathe. When the memories of his mother’s death resurface to haunt Pax, Mila is there to save him from his overwhelming guilt. Mila restores his broken heart, even as she evokes his powerful, sexual desires. Now for Pax to keep Mila, he needs to work on his issuesand stop being an asshole. But is that enough to make her stay?

BOOK DETAILS:

ISBN: 9781455578283
Published by: None
Genre: FICTION
Published on: April 30, 2013

PURCHASE LINKS:

THANKS TO MARISSA AT FOREVER/GCP,
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This is going to be a busy week here at CMash Reads!!  Are you ready?  And today I have the honor to introduce you to a very special guest.  She is currently on a VBT, and receiving rave reviews.  So without further ado, Ms. Merry Jones!!!

MERRY JONES

Merry Jones is the author of THE suspense novel THE TROUBLE WITH CHARLIE, as well as the Harper Jennings thrillers (WINTER BREAK, BEHIND THE WALLS, SUMMER SESSION),and the Zoe Hayes mysteries (THE BORROWED AND BLUE MURDERS, THE DEADLY NEIGHBORS, THE RIVER KILLINGS, THE NANNY MURDERS).

Jones has also written humor (including I LOVE HIM, BUT…) and non-fiction (including BIRTHMOTHERS: Women who relinquished babies for adoption tell their stories.)

Jones has a regular contributor to GLAMOUR, and her work has been printed in seven languages and numerous magazines. Her short story, BLISS, appears in the anthology LIAR LIAR, a project of the Philadelphia Liars Club.

In addition to the Liars, Jones is a member of Mystery Writers of America, The Authors Guild and International Thriller Writers.

For the last fifteen years, she has taught writing courses at a variety of institutions, including Temple University and Delaware County Community College. She has appeared on radio and television (local and national), and participates in panel discussions and workshops regularly.
Connect with Ms. Jones:

SYNOPSIS:

The biggest trouble with Charlie is that he’s dead. His soon-to-be-ex-wife, Elle Harrison, comes home from a night out with friends to find his body in her den, her kitchen knife in his back. And, oddly, Elle has no memory of her activities during the time he was killed.

Another trouble with Charlie is that, even though he’s dead, he doesn’t seem to be gone. Elle senses Charlie’s presence–a gentle kiss on the neck, the scent of his aftershave wafting through the house, a rose that seems to move from room to room on its own. And a shadow that appears to accuse her of murder–and with whom she argues.

In the process of trying to prove her innocence, Elle investigates Charlie’s death–and his life. A psychiatrist diagnoses her with a dissociative disorder that causes her to “space out” especially when she’s under stress. This might explain the gap in her memory, but it doesn’t clear her.

As Elle continues to look into Charlie’s life, she uncovers more and more trouble–an obsessed woman who might have been his lover. Siblings with unresolved bitter issues. A slimy untrustworthy business partner. And wealthy clients with twisted, horrific appetites.

Before she knows it, Elle is involved in more murders, a struggle for her life, and a revived relationship with Charlie, whom–for all his troubles–she has come to appreciate and love only after his death.

Read an Excerpt:

BOOK DETAILS:

PURCHASE LINKS:

          

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I was thrilled when I received today’s guest’s latest book from Jennifer and Jihan from The Hachette Book Group, especially since I had reviewed her previous book, The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship.  And even more exciting, she is stopping by to visit today.  Welcome Lisa Verge Higgins!!!!!

LISA VERGE HIGGINS

Lisa Verge Higgins is a RITA-nominated author of fourteen novels that have been published worldwide and translated into fifteen languages – twelve of which were penned while studying for her PhD in chemistry. Lisa made her first foray into mainstream women’s fiction with The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship (2011). The novel went on to win the 2011 Golden Leaf Award for Best Single Title. It was also selected as the first Best Read of 2011 by Barnes & Noble’s General Fiction Book Club and landed on their Top 20 list. Lisa Verge Higgins currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and three daughters.
Connect with Lisa at:

Q&A with Lisa Verge Higgins

Welcome to CMash Reads

-Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
What a great question!  I draw a lot of inspiration from personal experiences.  For example, I once took a three-and-a-half-month backpacking trip through Europe, from Scotland to Rome.  In my latest book, FRIENDSHIP MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER, the three characters—Monique, Becky and Judy—decide to put their lives (and troubles) aside to take a trip to Europe together. Travel can be a wonderfully transformative experience and I knew that’s what my girls needed to do, in order to deal with the difficult issues in their lives.  One of the lessons I learned during my travels actually forms the theme of the book:  Sometimes getting lost is the only way to find what you’re looking for.

[To peruse Monique, Becky & Judy’s snapshots, visit me at pinterest at http://pinterest.com/lisavergehiggin/friendship-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder)

-Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
As a former science geek (I used to be a chemist) I guess I can’t help but be methodical about the creative process.   What starts out as just a spark of an idea—a theme, perhaps, or a character who has grabbed hold of me—grows as I start to do research.  Eventually I write character charts and then a scene-by-scene plot outline.  It’s only when I start writing the first draft that I cut myself loose and see where the story takes me, which is often far off the original mark.  That’s okay—that’s the magic!

-Your routine when writing? Any idiosyncrasies?
In the research-and-plotting-stage I’m a completely normal individual.  During the first-draft process, however, I’m an absentminded mess!  I’ll put a cup of hot coffee in the cabinet and stick the peanut butter in the refrigerator.  I have to put an alarm on my phone so I don’t forget to pick up the kids from school.

What I’ve started to do after my workday is to play word games like Boggle or do a crossword puzzle to try to shake myself out of the “zone” in order to have a conscious conversation with my husband and kids.  Fortunately, they’re used to it!

-Is writing your full time job? If not, may I ask what you do by day?
I am a full-time writer but like so many others, I’m also a full-time mother. On my Facebook page, my most popular posts start “Under the Category of ‘Life With Two Teenage Daughters and One of Marriageable Age.’”  It used to be “Life With Three Teenage Daughters,” but my oldest is now of legal drinking age so she insisted I come up with a new title.  Since I get some of my funniest posts from their antics, I figured I should oblige.  😉  Those kids and my deadlines keep my life wonderfully full.

I invite you all to join me at www.facebook.com/lisavergehiggins

-Who are some of your favorite authors?
So many books, so little time!   In terms of women’s fiction, I’m a huge fan of Kristin Hannah, Kristin Higgins, Jodi Picoult, Luanne Rice, Nancy Thayer and Emily Giffin.   But I also read across a lot of genres.  I love Stefanie Pintoff’s turn-of-the-twentieth-century mystery series set in New York. I spent last summer working through George R. R. Martin’s EPIC series, Game of Thrones.  I’m also a fan of big juicy historical novels, like Michelle Moran’s MADAME TUSSAUD.

-What are you reading now?
I’m reading Emily Giffin’s HEART OF THE MATTER and loving it!

-Are you working on your next novel? Can you tell us a little about it?
Right now I’m working on RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS which will come out in April 2014.  It’s a road-trip book, a combination of the movies “Thelma & Louise” and “Pay it Forward.”   It’s about a woman, Jenna Elliot, who offers a friend a random act of kindness.  That act later returns to her in ways that she never could have expected.

I encourage your readers to sign up for Book Alerts! to receive an email when it comes out: http://www.lisavergehiggins.com/

Fun questions:
 
-Your novel will be a movie. Who would you cast?
Judy would definitely be Diane Lane—in fact, that’s who I posted as her doppelganger on my pinterest page.  She’s strong and comfortable in her own skin.    Monique would be Halle Berry, hands down (heck, if I got to pick….)  Becky is a little harder to cast.  I guess she’d be a younger, more vulnerable Cameron Diaz.

-Would you rather read or watch TV/movie?
I read all day, for pleasure and for work, so when I’m kicking back it’s often to watch TV or a movie.

-Favorite food?
If I’m in a restaurant, I’ll order anything that has goat cheese.  At home . . . sausage and peppers over pasta.   Colorful, healthy, filling . . . my favorite comfort food.

-Favorite beverage?
Lately?  Frangelico on the rocks.  Heck, I’m under deadline!  😉

ABOUT THE BOOK

What is the appropriate amount of time to grieve the loss of a spouse? Four years, two weeks, and three days after losing her husband to cancer, Monique Franke-Reed isn’t ready to let go. She still speaks to him when things get rough; summoning him in the bedroom they once shared, awaiting that familiar whisper.

In the days before his passing, Lenny created a bucket list of things they should do once he recovers – which includes rappelling down an alpine ledge, visiting the catacombs of Paris, and taking in the magnificence of The Last Supper – but, sadly, he loses his battle. An ever-reluctant Monique can’t bring herself to keep her promise because completing the list means that she is ready to move on; however, she contemplates the list with a new perspective when she notices changes in her best friends.

Judy – once a backpacking free spirit – is coping with the onset of empty nest syndrome as the last of her five children heads off to college. Meanwhile, Becky continues to laugh it off whenever she trips over smooth surfaces or bumps into people clearly within view. However, she is dealt a shocking blow when she seeks out an explanation for her diminishing night vision and learns that, over time, she will lose her sight.

Realizing that Becky is slipping into a world filled with anxiety, Monique sees the bucket list as the perfect opportunity to whisk her friends away for a European adventure and allow Becky to take in the sights for the first and last time. Together, the threesome embark upon a transformative journey that offers each woman new insight to help cope with the fears and loss they are facing.

PURCHASE LINKS

THANKS TO JIHAN AT GRAND CENTRAL PUBLISHING,
I HAVE TWO (2) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY.
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Crystal, from WOW!, sent me the information on today’s featured book and after reading the synopsis, I wanted to share it with you because I thought it would be something we would all enjoy reading.  And who better to tell of us about the book, but the author herself.  So I ask that you help me in giving a warm welcome to Ms. Judy Mandel !!

JUDY MANDEL

Judy Mandel was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but her family moved to the more suburban Cranford when she was three. The town she lives in now in Connecticut is nearly a duplicate of her childhood hometown.

In college, she tried several different majors over the course of finding her way. Finally, she settled on English and Journalism. She worked her way through those last college years singing and playing guitar in coffee shops and clubs.  Judy’s writing life began as a reporter. She later worked in public relations and advertising and somehow found herself in corporate communications at various insurance companies, where she earned a living for 20 years. Judy now balances her business writing for clients with writing fiction, nonfiction and articles.
Connect with Ms. Mandel at these sites:

GUEST POST

The Evolution of Replacement Child

When my parents died, within seven months of one another, I knew it was time to write the book they had always told me I should write. I found myself digging out an old file folder of news clips, notes and letters they had left me about the plane crash that killed their older daughter, Donna, and gravely injured their two year old, Linda. My mother had saved the news stories from the accident and wrote me longhand notes on many sheets of yellow legal paper. My dad added his letters explaining what had happened that day from his perspective. Linda, my sister who was badly burned in the resulting fire, wrote to me about her experiences in and out of hospitals, and gave me a window into her inner turmoil.

The accident happened two years before I was born, so the story of the plane crash took on a mythic quality for me as I was growing up. It was the aftermath of a tragedy, in this case, my own family’s tragedy, that intrigued me enough to keep me writing for the four years it took to wade through it.

I know that the writing was also part of my grieving process, to keep my family with me. And, I clearly heard their voices while I wrote the book. Not in an eerie way; it was comforting to have them around a while longer. Somehow I felt they would help me fulfill the responsibility to tell the truth of their journey. The hard part for me was finding my own place in the story—which didn’t start to happen until about two years into the project.

When I started writing, I thought this was a book about my parents. How they managed to pick up the pieces of their lives after losing their daughter. How they rallied for my sister Linda, giving her the courage to go through countless surgeries as a child, and to face the world with significant scars from her burns; then, how they had the hope to bring another child into the world—me.

Then, I thought it was my sister Linda’s story. I didn’t really see her scars. She was just my sister. I wasn’t aware she was different until I saw others react to her, and, I wanted to protect her from further hurt. Her bravery was an inspiration to me, and to everyone who knew her. Not only for her ability to endure a great deal of physical pain from many operations, but to confront a not always accepting world with humor and a smile.  I hoped her story would be an inspiration to others who read about it.

But, ultimately it turned out to my own story. When I discovered there was a psychological term for a child born after the death of a sibling—“replacement child”—it changed the focus of my book and my personal journey. As I learned more, I identified with the term and the characteristics associated with the replacement child. It explained so much to me about my life’s trajectory.

The writing of such a personal memoir is a journey with twists and turns no one can predict. My path led to healing, understanding and forgiveness.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Replacement Child tells the true story of a horrifying accident: A plane crashes into a family’s home, leaving one daughter severely burned and another dead. The death of the child leaves a hole in the family that threatens to tear it apart. In an attempt to fill the painful gap, the parents give birth to a “replacement child.” But what is life like for a child that was born only be replacement and how does that unique position in the family affect them into their adulthood?

In this powerful story of love and lies, family and hope, Judy L. Mandel tells the story of being the child brought into the world to provide “a salve for the burns.” As a child, she unwittingly rides the deep and hidden currents of her family’s grief—until her discovery of this family secret, years later, changes her life forever, forcing her to confront the complex layers of her relationships with her father, mother, and sister.

This powerful memoir switches between the history of the family before the accident, the day of the accident and Judy’s memories of her own life in a fascinating way of connecting the “before” and “after” families.

BOOK DETAILS:

Title: Replacement Child
Author: Judy Mandel
Genre: Memoir
Publisher: Seal Press
Publication Date: March 5, 2013
Paperback: 320 pages

PURCHASE LINKS:

THANKS TO CRYSTAL AT WOW!,
I HAVE ONE (1) COPY TO GIVE AWAY.
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I am so excited to be hosting today’s guest, especially since it is also publication day of her latest book.  I have read 2 of  her previous novels, Little Girl Gone and The Good Sister, and enjoyed both.  When Tanisha, from The Hachette Book Group emailed me, I jumped at the chance to have Ms. Drusilla Campbell visit with us again.  Welcome back!!!!

DRUSILLA CAMPBELL

Drusilla Campbell is the author of seven critically acclaimed novels including The Good Sister, Little Girl Gone, The Edge of Sky, and Blood Orange.  Before she started school she had crossed the Pacific Ocean three times.  She’s lived in Europe and Central America and has a MA in Broadcast Journalism from American University.  Drusilla happily lives in San Diego with her husband, the attorney and poet Art Campbell, two rescued dogs, and three horses.
Connect with Ms. Campbell at the following sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Bestselling author Drusilla Campbell masterfully weaves a story of a mother’s need to serve her country, win the respect of her father and learn to love her family in WHEN SHE CAME HOME.

Frankie Byrne has returned from the war in Iraq to a war in her San Diego home. Her daughter, Glory, is having problems with bullies at school, and Frankie and her husband, Rick, can’t agree on the best way to deal with it. In fact Glory is just one of many things Frankie and Rick can’t agree on any more. It seems like everything Frankie does–from buying groceries to socializing with friends–is wrong. Her father, Brigadier General Harlan Byrne, USMC retired, thinks that Frankie’s problems are her own fault. A woman, especially a mother, should not go off to war.

But Frankie’s problem is not that she wasn’t prepared to be a soldier. It’s that she can’t stop being one. Her time in Iraq, specifically a controversial moment the government doesn’t want to acknowledge, has left her with severe PTSD. She can’t forget the horrors she saw, and can’t forgive herself for not being able to do more. Frankie desperately wants to regain the closeness her family once shared, she knows the time has come to be honest about her PTSD and find a way to heal. It’s a battle that won’t be easy, but one she must face in order to save her daughter, her marriage, and herself.

Campbell’s story offers an intimate portrait and a strong narrative about a story that is becoming more and more a part of our social fabric—a mother’s return home from war.

BOOK DETAILS:

ISBN: 978-1-4555-1035-1
Price: $14.99/Trade Paperback Original
Release: April 9, 2013

PURCHASE LINKS:

THANKS TO TANISHA AT THE HACHETTE BOOK GROUP,
I HAVE FIVE (5) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS

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DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

Did you have a nice weekend?  I hope you rested because it is going to be another busy week here.  Today, Boryana from Finn Partners is stopping by for a first visit, which I hope is one of many, to introduce us to the very busy and talented author, Mr. Bob Adamov!!  Let’s give them a warm welcome!!!

BOB ADAMOV

Bob Adamov is an Ohio mystery adventure writer whose stories are based in the Lake Erie island resort town of Put-in-Bay. He often can be seen in Put-in-Bay, Key West and the Cayman Islands where he writes and markets his novels between boating, sailing and jet skiing with his scuba diving and treasure hunting friends. He had worked for an Arlington, Virginia-based defense contractor in the intelligence sector. A KentStateUniversity graduate, Adamov resides in Wooster, Ohio – not far from the shore of Lake Erie.

Sandustee is the seventh novel in the popular Emerson Moore series and Adamov’s string of island best sellers which include Rainbow’s End, Pierce the Veil, When Rainbows Walk, Promised Land, The Other Side of Hell and Tan Lines. Adamov’s writing style has been compared to Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy.

Adamov was the featured author at the 2006 Ernest Hemingway Literary Festival in Key West. He was recently named Writer of the Year for 2010 in regional competition sponsored by the University of Akron’s WayneCollege. His first novel was a 2003 runner up as the top fiction novel in the Great Lakes (won by Pulitzer Prize winner – Middlesex.) All of his novels were rated 5 Stars by the Midwest Book Review and named as top novels in northeast Ohio by the Akron Beacon Journal. His novels have won awards at the Hollywood Book Festival, London Book Festival, New York Book Festival and the Indie Awards.

“Bob Adamov is a superb craftsman of hanging-on-the-edge-of-your-seat mystery adventures…” – Midwest Book Review

Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s staff compared Adamov’s writing style to Clive Cussler and Tom Clancy. Cussler has become a fan of Adamov’s, had him speak at his October 2008 and September 2010 conventions and endorsed his novel, The Other Side of Hell.

A screenplay has been prepared on the first novel, Rainbow’s End, at the request of Dominic Sena, director of Kalifornia, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Swordfish, Whiteout and Season of the Witch. The screenplay is currently being revised. A screenplay is under development on The Other Side of Hell while the completed Tan Lines screenplay is under review by a Hollywood producer.

GUEST POST

Sandustee was an interesting and exciting write. It started one summer Saturday on SouthBassIsland when I was signing books in front of one of the island shops. An island bar tender approached me and told me about research he had conducted on the Masons in Sandusky, Ohio, which is located nearby on the mainland. It captured my attention (and imagination) as he said I could use the idea in a novel.

I started additional research and the outline for the plot began to form. I had no idea that a dinner with a treasure hunting friend would add another dimension to the plot.

Over a sumptuous dinner at Kelley’s Caribbean Restaurant and Bar in Key West the next April, Kim Fisher, whose family discovered the wreck of the Atocha and her vast treasure, told me about the Legend of 13. I was hooked and started listing names and places to see which had 13 letters.

The Legend of 13 holds that people and places with thirteen letters have a significant impact on our history. Included is this category would be: Osama Bin Laden, Jesus and the twelve disciples, a judge and 12 jurors, Andrew Jackson, Bourbon Street, The White House, Jeffrey Dahmer, Saddam Hussein, Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, and Marilyn Monroe.

Following are a few more notes about the Legend of 13:

• The Cuban Missile Crisis lasted 13 days.
• Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed died when their Mercedes struck the 13^th pillar in the Alma tunnel in Paris on August 31 1997.
• The Apollo 13 spacecraft exploded at 1:13 in the afternoon (1313 military time) on April 13, 1970.
• Companies file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
• Our barcode system is made up of 13 characters.
• There were typically 13 steps leading to the gallows.
• The hangman’s noose has 13 turns of the rope.
• The 13^th amendment passed during Abraham Lincoln’s term as U.S. President outlawed slavery.
• Sandustee was published in 2013 and listed on Amazon on 3/1/13.

It was amazing to me how the pieces of this puzzle began coming together as I wrote. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing this mystery adventure. I’ll be thinking of you all as I sip a rum and coke while watching a Put-in-Bay sunset.

ABOUT THE BOOK

If you liked National Treasure and DaVinci Code, you’ll love Sandustee. It’s a worldwide chase for clues to finding a lost Biblical scroll, the Nazarene’s Code, which gives the holder the power to control nations. Running through the novel is a thread which links Osama Bin Laden to Jesus and the twelve disciples to Abraham Lincoln to Lincoln’s assassination to Booth’s escape to Dr. Samuel Mudd’s house to Mudd’s imprisonment in the Dry Tortugas. The thread is the Legend of 13; words with thirteen letters have stunning implications on the plotline.

This action-packed novel is filled with murder, cross and double-cross, scuba action, a touch of Knights Templar, Masonic symbolism, and political intrigue in D.C. and the world intelligence community. Washington Post investigative reporter, EMERSON MOORE, is accompanied by a beautiful blonde German antiquities researcher, KATRINA BIEBER, as they try to stay one step ahead of the shadowy Russian KARAPASHEV in finding and interpreting the clues. Moore is aided by former NSA cybercode breaker STEVE NICHOLAS and retired German BND spymaster ANDREAS KALKER.

From scuba diving in the Red Sea to the allure of Bodrum, Turkey, Moore and Bieber chase clues in Germany, the island of Rhodes, London, Key West, the Dry Tortugas, New Orleans, the Washington, D.C. area, and Ohio’s Huron, Sandusky and Put-in-Bay. Death is close on their heels.

DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.

Rebecca, from The Cadence Group is stopping by to introduce us to today’s guest author, Mr. Joe Keller.  Welcome to CMash Reads!!!

JOE KELLER

Joe Keller is a father of two, an entrepreneur at heart, and a lifelong learner. His personal quest is to live a fulfilling, awesomely happy life and to help others do the same.

Single Effort grew out of Joe’s learning curve following a painful divorce. Through trial and a healthy dose of error, Joe learned to approach single life – and life in general – with smarts and heart, leading to newfound confidence and exciting new adventures.

Equally at home cooking a meal for his kids, crooning karaoke on a night on the town, deciphering the world of dating for his readers, or traveling the globe, Joe believes that it’s what’s inside that counts – that happiness comes from following your passion, loving and being loved, and ultimately, finding peace within yourself.

Joe shares his passion for helping others through volunteer work in the U.S. and abroad, via his writing, and through public speaking. Joe makes his home in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Connect with Joe here:   

GUEST POST

Learning to Cook as a Single Guy – Why It’s Important

When you’re thinking about dating, it’s important to develop “date-friendly” skills that will help you stand out as an attractive and worthy mate. All the better if those same skills will also serve you on your own as a single guy and father (if you have kids). Cooking fits the bill.

A nice way to impress a date is to tell her you know how to cook. A better way to impress a date is to show her that you can cook. Once you’ve learned the ropes, Single Effort your date night by offering to cook a meal at your home. You’ll be able to impress your date with your cooking skills while at the same time providing both of you with a relaxing evening she’ll truly appreciate. You’ll definitely stand out in her mind after the date is over!

If you don’t know how to cook, don’t worry. I didn’t cook well either when I was married – and if I can pick it up (a guy who didn’t know how to cook a decent grilled cheese sandwich before becoming single) then anyone can. Cooking is really quite simple. Read on for some “sage” cooking advice.

First and foremost, if you don’t know how to cook, start by getting familiar with the basics by visiting cooking websites and tuning in to cooking shows. Did you know they have an entire network on TV devoted to food and cooking? It’s called the Food Network and most cable and dish broadcasters carry it on their standard channel list. You can find a plethora of cooking tips and recipes on the Food Network. Pick a show that interests you and start watching to gain some insight into cooking lingo and to pick up tips and tricks.

Another great way to learn about cooking is to attend cooking classes. A quick search on the Internet should help you find many businesses offering cooking classes near you– sites like Local Cooking Classes and Local Cooking Class are wonderful references for classes local to you (and yes, they’re two distinct websites).

Community colleges and adult education courses are a great way to learn about the basics of cooking as well, and many speciality grocery stores, such as Whole Foods, offer affordable cooking classes to help you learn how to use the ingredients they offer in their stores.

Cooking classes are also a great Single Effort opportunity – they’re an excellent way to learn a new skill while meeting like-minded single women at the same time.

But the best way to learn to cook is simply by “doing” – find a recipe that sounds interesting and devote an evening to learning how to cook it well. If you can’t find a recipe that inspires you, try visiting Allrecipes.com for some great ideas!

I enjoy using Allrecipes because they allow me to save recipes found on their site into my own virtual recipe box. I can look up a recipe I previously saved with just a couple clicks of the mouse.

Allrecipes also allows you to print your recipes in a variety of sizes so you have the recipe in front of you, in an easy-to-read format, while in the kitchen preparing your meal. In addition, the recipes are well organized into food categories, easily searchable, and include pictures of the finished meal along with user ratings.

Allrecipes is truly unique – I rely on them for fantastic meal suggestions and cooking ideas on a regular basis. I consider Allrecipes.com to be to cooking what Amazon.com is to shopping.

For single guys trying to stand out from the sea of other guys their date has met, learning to cook is a skill that will give you that added boost. It’s the “secret sauce” that just might help you find and keep the girl of your dreams!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Single Effort is the best guide to be­ing single – but not necessarily staying single – that you’ll ever read! From food to fun, and finance to romance, Single Effort delivers clear, real-world advice to help you live a dynamic, successful life as a single guy.

You’ll discover how to:

• · Approach with confidence and attract not just any woman — but the right woman
• · Thrive in the online dating world and the competitive dating scene
• · Prepare tasty home-cooked meals and master the befuddling world of wine
• · Save time and money with proven product recommendations and advice on everything from daily living, to dating, to personal comfort (even cleaning!)

Single Effort isn’t just for men. Ladies, you’ll benefit too! From ideas to spice up your relationship to a revealing look at a guy’s perspective on dating – it’s all here! Destined to become a classic, this indispensable guide will change how you think about being single and help you find the life and love you seek.

For more information, please visit www.SingleEffort.com. There are five free downloads which include tips and helpful advice on dating, items to buy for your home when striking out on your own, cooking, divorce, and hiring a housekeeper.

THANKS TO REBECCA AT THE CADENCE GROUP, I
HAVE ONE (1) COPY TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO U.S.  RESIDENTS

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DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.

It’s been a busy week and it’s not over yet.  Stephanie, from Simon & Schuster, is stopping by today to introduce us to a very talented author.  Grab your coffee and give a warm welcome to Ms. Deliah Dawson!!

DELIAH DAWSON

Delilah S. Dawson is a native of Roswell, Georgia and the author of the paranormal romance Blud series for Pocket, including Wicked as They Come and an eNovella, The Mysterious Madam Morpho. The second book in the series, Wicked as She Wants and a second novella, The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance, will be out in spring 2013, and her first YA, Servants of the Storm, will be available in spring 2014.
Connect with author:    

 GUEST POST

On Damaged Women

If you’ve read any of the books or e-novellas in my Blud series for Pocket, you might have noticed that all my heroines have one thing in

common: they are damaged women. Tish in Wicked as They Come is leaving an abusive relationship. Imogen from The Mysterious Madam Morpho was kicked out of the house by her father and assaulted by her employer.

And Frannie from The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance was wrongly used by the first man she ever loved.

When I think back to the strong women I’ve known and the characters that have been memorable, very few of them have led easy, carefree lives. Game of Thrones is a tapestry of women forced into impossible situations who made mistakes, found their inner steel, and rose to greatness. Book favorites that come to mind are Ayla from Jean Auel’s Earth’s Children series, Sookie Stackhouse from Charlaine Harris’s Dead After Dark series, and Claire Frasier from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. Women are made strong for a reason, and many of us don’t truly find our strength until we’re pushed to our very limits and come out the other side.

And I speak from experience when I say that our tragedies make us more interesting and often more loveable. When I was younger, I thought romance was filled with swooning, naïve, virginal heroines who fell into the arms of handsome, tender dukes. Now that I’m older and looking beyond covers, I’m finding amazing stories about bluestockings, orphans, widows, queens, and uppity women who won’t back down no matter what their world’s mores dictate. Romance as a genre is just as varied as women as a gender, and I’m proud to contribute a series that’s filled for rollicking adventure and steamy romance but with powerful women at its heart.

My next book, WICKED AS SHE WANTS, is out April 30 and features my strongest heroine yet: a twist on the famous Princess Anastasia. But my Ahna is a blood drinker in a steampunk world who boards an airship brothel and faces bloodthirsty unicorns to find her way back home.

Part of the challenge of writing strong women is also writing men that compliment them, heroes who are confident enough to love strong women and give them the freedom to be themselves. Ahna’s paramour is Casper Sterling, a musician from our world with his own inner demons. When Ahna and Casper join forces, they become all but unstoppable.

When I was young, books were my escape and my salvation, and I was hungry for heroines who knew pain. Now, I like to think the underlying message of romance– my books included– is that there’s hope. Whoever you are, whatever you’ve been through, no matter how broken you might be, you deserve love.

Thanks so much for hosting me, and I hope y’all enjoy it! Please feel free to reach out to me on Twitter (@DelilahSDawson) or at my website, www.delilahsdawson.com anytime! And if you like artisan perfumes, be sure to check out the character-based scents at Villainess Soaps (http://www.villainess.net/wicked/). Seven new scents will debut this April to cover both books and e-novellas in the series.

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the author of highly praised steampunk-ian Wicked as They Come comes an urban fantasy romance about Frannie Pleasance, a woman who takes in stray animals to save them from the dangerous world of bludbunnies, bludbadgers, and Bludmen who populate Sang, an alternate-universe London. When her pet shop is set on fire by someone who doesn’t like her menagerie, Frannie meets a fireman who wants to help her track down the animals who ran away during the blaze, and find the person who tried to put her life in danger.

DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.