…….of Inner Voice by Russ Whitney

CONGRATULATIONS!!

WELCOME MEGAN HART

MEGAN HART

When she was in the third grade, Megan Hart fell in love for the first time. Not with a boy (that would wait until fourth grade), but with a story. The Homecoming by Ray Bradbury leaped out at her from the pages of a library book, and she tumbled head over heels. In the dark ages, before the days of photocopiers, the only way for her to keep a copy of this story was to copy it out by hand so she could read it over and over again. Something funny happened, though, as she carefully printed it on lined notebook paper.

She made “improvements.”

At age 12, reading Stephen King’s The Stand for the first time one memorable summer, it occurred to her that people really did write books for a living. That’s when she decided to become an author.

Megan began writing short fantasy, horror and science fiction before graduating to novel-length romances. In 1998, as a stay-home mom, Megan took up writing in earnest, attending her first writing conference and getting her first request for a full manuscript. In 2002, she saw her first book in print, and she hasn’t stopped since.

Published in almost every genre of romance fiction, Megan also writes fantasy, science fiction, women’s fiction, horrifyingly awful screenplays and continues to occasionally dabble in horror.

Megan’s goal is to continue writing the kind of books she’d like to read. She spends too much time playing the Sims. Her dream is to have a movie made of every one of her novels, starring herself as the heroine and Keanu Reeves as the hero. Megan lives in the deep, dark woods with her husband and two monsters…er…children.
Connect with Megan at these sites:

Q&A with Megan Hart

Writing and Reading:  
-Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
Of course. I like to say about my work that everything is fiction, and all of it is true. I don’t do everything I write about, and I don’t experience everything I write about, but I usually know someone who has. Drawing from personal experience means keeping ears and eyes open to other people’s experiences, too.

-Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
I most often start at the beginning, know the ending, and discover the middle along the way. I used to write in order, but now I’ll write scenes that move me, even if they’re not in order, then put them together in the revision process. I’m not a huge plotter. I like to discover the story as it unfolds.

-Your routine when writing?  Any idiosyncrasies?
I sit at my computer and…write. Sometime I write on my laptop. Very rarely, by hand. I listen to music and drink Coke Zero and sometimes coffee or tea. I procrastinate on the internet and then write some more.

-Is writing your full time job?  If not, may I ask what you do by day?
Writing is my full time job! Hooray!

-Who are some of your favorite authors?
Jacqueline Carey. Robert McCammon. Clive Barker. Stephen King. Gary Jennings.

-What are you reading now?
The Magician’s Assistant by Ann Patchett.

-Are you working on your next novel?  Can you tell us a little about it?
I’m working on the final part to my horror serial, The Resurrected, and I’m about to start final revisions on Flying, my next erotic fiction release from Mira. Flying’s about a woman who, in order to block out some pain in her life, flies to various airports and meets men and has one night stands. Then she meets a man who changes her life, and they begin a passionate affair! Hooray!

Fun questions:
-Your novel will be a movie.  Who would you cast?
For Tear You Apart, Will is definitely Norman Reedus. I can’t even pretend otherwise. Elisabeth (if I can’t play her, because um, hello, she’d get to kiss Norman Reedus) I’d like to see Gillian Anderson.

-Would you rather read or watch TV/movie?
Depends on the book or show!

-Favorite food?
Steak

-Favorite beverage?
Coke Zero!

Thank you for stopping by CMash Reads and spending time with us.

Thanks so much for having me!

ABOUT THE BOOK

I don’t know which stop I got on at; I only know the train is going fast and the world outside becomes a blur. I should get off, but I don’t. The universe is playing a cosmic joke on me. Here I had my life—a good life with everything a woman could want—and suddenly, there is something more I didn’t know I could have. A chance for me to be satisfied and content and maybe even on occasion deliriously, amazingly, exuberantly happy.

So this is where I am, on a train that’s out of control, and I am not just a passenger. I’m the one shoveling the furnace full of coal to keep it going fast and faster.

If I could make myself believe it all happened by chance and I couldn’t help it, that I’ve been swept away, that it’s not my fault, that it’s fate…would that be easier? The truth is, I didn’t know I was looking for this until I found Will, but I must’ve been, all this time. And now it is not random, it is not fate, it is not being swept away.

This is my choice. And I don’t know how to stop.

Or even if I want to.

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Erotic Fiction
Published by: Harlequin Mira
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Number of Pages: 304
ISBN: 9780778314776

PURCHASE LINKS:

           

THANKS TO ANNA AT HARLEQUIN,
I HAVE TWO (2) COPIES TO GIVE AWAY.
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September is being hosted by Yolanda @ Notorious Spinks Talks

Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia of A girl and her books and is now on tour.

According to Marcia, “Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Click on title for synopsis via IndieBound (I am an IndieBound affiliate)

      

      

Friday:  No Dawn For Men by James Lepore and Carlos Davis from Marian Brown PR

Saturday:  Swann’s Last Song by Charles Salzberg from Author-signed

                      Swann Dives In by Charles Salzberg from Author-signed

                      Devil In The Hole by Charles Salzberg from Author-signed

WELCOME CARLA NEGGERS

CARLA NEGGERS

Carla Neggers is the New York Timesbestselling author of more than 60 novels, with translations in 24 languages. Born and raised on the western edge of the beautiful Quabbin Reservoir in rural Massachusetts, Carla grew up with tales of her father’s life as a Dutch sailor and her mother’s childhood in northwest Florida.

At a young age, Carla began penning her own stories on a branch high up in her favorite sugar maple. Now she enjoys spending time at the family homestead (now a tree farm) with her six brothers and sisters and their families.

When she’s not writing, Carla loves to travel, hike, kayak, garden, and, of course, dive into a good book. She lives with her family in Vermont, near Quechee Gorge.
Connect with Carla at these sites:

Q&A with Carla Neggers

Writing and Reading:  
-Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?

I can’t always pinpoint what sparks an idea, but I can with Declan’s Cross. On one of our trips to Ireland, my husband, Joe, and I decided to visit Ardmore on the south coast, in the heart of Saint Declan country. Saint Declan is one of the ancient Irish saints, and seeing the ruins of his monastery and walking along the cliffs of this gorgeous part of Ireland appealed to my imagination. Of course, I wasn’t imagining Emma and Colin, my two FBI agents, taking a romantic stroll on the beach. I was asking myself, “What if an American turns up dead on the cliffs and Emma and Colin are sucked into the investigation?”

-Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
At the beginning, but it’s not that simple. I don’t just start on page 1 and keep going page by page until I type The End. I’m not that linear a writer. There’s a lot of back-and-forth in my process.

-Your routine when writing?  Any idiosyncrasies?
I’ve come to understand that my writing has a natural rhythm that works for me, but it doesn’t involve a rigid regimen. X number of pages per day or X number of hours per day. At the beginning of a book, I’m up and down from my desk a lot. I’ve done some of my best “writing” while hiking or kayaking! Once the story establishes itself, I have a more predictable “routine.” At the end…I could write 20 hours a day!

-Is writing your full time job?  If not, may I ask what you do by day?
Yes, writing is what I do. My first “day job” was cleaning motel rooms as a kid. That was great experience for an aspiring writer!

-Who are some of your favorite authors?
I have a long, long list of favorites, including many writer friends. I love to reread “classics” by Mary Stewart, Rex Stout and Alistair MacLean. I’ve also just started buying the reissues of Helen MacInnes’s novels.

-What are you reading now?
COLD by Stella Cameron. It’s the first book in her new Alex Duggins mystery series set in the Cotswolds in England. Joe and I are visiting the Cotswolds soon, so it’s perfect timing. Fabulous book!

-Are you working on your next novel?  Can you tell us a little about it?
I’m deep into the next Sharpe & Donovan novel, HARBOR ISLAND, and I’ve put the finishing touches on CIDER BROOK, my next Swift River Valley novel set in a small town in New England not unlike the one where I grew up. A “treasure hunter” comes to little Knights Bridge, but things don’t go as planned from day one when a volunteer firefighter rescues her from a fire at an abandoned cider mill that just might have the answers to a 300-year-old pirate mystery. I love writing both series!

Fun questions:
-Your novel will be a movie.  Who would you cast?
Oooh…wouldn’t that be fun? I have no idea. I’d love to hear what readers have to say!

-Would you rather read or watch TV/movie?
Almost always read, especially when traveling, but I love to dive into a good movie or TV show.

-Favorite food?
Depends on my mood. Right now it would be almost anything with apples since they’re in season. Yum!

-Favorite beverage?
Coffee in the morning and a glass of good red wine in the evening (although not every evening!). Then there’s a good Irish whiskey, but that’s only for special occasions.

Thank you for stopping by CMash Reads and spending time with us.
Thank you for having me. Happy reading!

ABOUT THE BOOK

For marine biologist Julianne Maroney, two weeks in tiny Declan’s Cross on the south Irish coast is a chance to heal her broken heart. She doesn’t expect to attract the attention of FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan—especially since a Donovan is the reason for her broken heart.

Emma and Colin are in Ireland for their own personal retreat. Colin knows he’s a reminder of everything Julianne wants to escape, but something about her trip raises his suspicion. Emma, an art crimes expert, is also on edge. Of all the Irish villages Julianne could choose…why Declan’s Cross?

Ten years ago, a thief slipped into a mansion in Declan’s Cross. Emma’s grandfather, a renowned art detective, investigated, but the art stolen that night has never been recovered and the elusive thief never caught.

From the moment Julianne sets foot on Irish soil, everything goes wrong. The well-connected American diver who invited her to Ireland has disappeared. And now Emma and Colin are in Declan’s Cross asking questions.

As a dark conspiracy unfolds amid the breathtaking scenery of Declan’s Cross, the race is on to stop a ruthless killer…and the stakes have never been more personal for Emma and Colin.

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Suspense
Published by: Harlequin Mira
Publication Date: August 27, 2013
Number of Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780778314639

PURCHASE LINKS:

           

THANKS TO ANNA AT HARLEQUIN,
I HAVE ONE (1) COPY TO GIVE AWAY.
OPEN TO US and CANADA RESIDENTS

FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM BELOW

GIVEAWAY ENDS OCTOBER 4th AT 6PM EST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
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..of Fool’s Gold Cookbook by Susan Mallery

CONGRATULATIONS!!

WELCOME CYNTHIA BRIGGS

CYNTHIA BRIGGS

Cynthia Briggs celebrates her love of cooking and writing through her cookbooks, “Pork Chops & Applesauce” and “Sweet Apple Temptations.” She has authored two e-books titled, “The Adventures of Lily and Leon: A Soppy Fish Tale” and “Bumper Crop: Beginning with Apples.” Cynthia wrote a nostalgic cooking column for seven years, she’s published in seven “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books, “Woman’s World Magazine” and numerous on-line publications. She enjoys speaking to women’s groups, critiquing cookbooks, and coaching budding authors.

Cynthia makes her home in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Ed, and their favorite dachshund, Leon.
Connect with Cynthia at these sites:

GUEST POST

Confessions of a Country Chef

If you talked to my kids they’d tell you their childhood was riddled with cooking mishaps. They claim we had zucchini for dinner every night, and in their opinion, any meal that included zucchini was a blatant error by the chef. Aside from my zucchini phase of cooking flops, I will confess (for the sake of this article) to my share of cooking faux pas.

My first big goof was in my early teens when I made Spanish rice. The recipe called for 1 1/2 cups cooked rice and I put in 1 1/2 cups uncooked rice. Needless to say, with the additions of so much water and tomato sauce, we ate Spanish rice every night for a week. The family never let me forget the blunder. I learned to read directions more carefully.

Not too many years later, I watched a cook in a small restaurant douse an enormous prime rib with a thick crust of salt and roast it for 3-hours. When the opportunity arose for me to make my first roast, I poured a very thick crust of salt over a 2-pound beef roast and put it in the oven for 3-hours. It came out of the oven a salty, inedible cinder. I learned to under salt rather than over salt.

Another time, I was living far away from my family when I made my first Thanksgiving dinner. I purchased an 8-pound turkey and baked it for 8-hours, “like Mom always does.” I was depending on the new-fangled cooking indicator to pop-up when the turkey was done. The doneness indicator failed, dry turkey jerky was the result. I put a good ‘cookbook with a meat cooking chart’ on my Christmas list.

Then when I was old enough to know better, I made probably my biggest culinary mistake. My husband and I had just gotten married. Beef stroganoff was one of my hubby’s favorite meals, so one night I served picture-perfect beef stroganoff over a bed of egg noodles.

We both filled our plates and before taking a bite I left the table to fill our water glasses.

When I returned, Ed was slowly eating the stroganoff and looking red-faced. “What’s wrong, Honey?” I asked him.

“The stroganoff tastes different than any I’ve ever tasted.” He replied reaching for his water glass.

I took a bite and, to my horror, I’d used cayenne pepper in the stroganoff instead of paprika. I learned to read labels more carefully.

This last 4th of July I tried making homemade baked beans by using black beans instead of white. Experience told me to make the beans ahead of time in case they didn’t turn out; experience knew what she was talking about. I calmly told myself, “nothing ventured, nothing gained” and made something different.

Over the years I’ve bungled my share of appetizers, entrees, desserts, side dishes and snacks. I’ve added too much mustard to the deviled eggs, roasted the turkey with the giblet packet still inside its cavity, and once I forgot to put baking powder in the baking powder biscuits.

My kids and their dad were the recipients of many culinary experiments in the early days, but I think they’ll agree that the successes far out-weigh the failures. Most of my cooking and baking skills have been learned through trial and error, yet culinary misses can make the difference between a mediocre cook and an excellent cook.

Thankfully, I’ve learned from my kitchen missteps. These days I can honestly say I haven’t charred meat or fowl, haven’t overused the salt shaker or used cayenne pepper instead of paprika…but then…the day isn’t over yet.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Cynthia Briggs message in Pork Chops & Applesauce is about focusing on what’s important in life; and how taking a break to reflect upon memorable family gatherings and the sharing of dinners provides a respite from the fast pace of living in today’s hectic world. Cynthia says, Your Roasted Garlic Potatoes are in the oven baking along with your Surprise Parmesan Meatloaf. The Pear Pie with Crunchy Pecan Crust is cooling on the counter. The dishes are done, the cut flowers are in a vase on the dining room table, and the whole house smells like paradise! Now, before your guests arrive, it s time relax and read one or two of the nostalgic and often humorous stories that introduce many of the recipes in Pork Chops & Applesauce. Enjoy!

BOOK DETAILS:

Publisher: AuthorHouse; 2nd edition
Publication Date: July 14, 2004
Number of Pages: 193 pages
ISBN-10: 1403381658
ISBN-13: 978-1403381651

PURCHASE LINKS:

           

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A COPY OF
PORK CHOPS and APPLESAUCE
VISIT THE MUFFIN AND ENTER.

….of Ebony Blood by Ella Durham

CONGRATULATIONS!!