Friday, June 29, 2012

Book Spotlight Friday - Lori Corsentino


In the spotlight this week is Lori Consentino’s new release Destiny’s Awakening.  Check out Lori’s venture into the world of the Fey.   Have added it to my TBB list!

Lori’s love of reading has transcended to include penning her own tales of romance. She is experimenting with writing in several different genres, including paranormal – a definite favorite. “There is just so much you can do when you step outside the known world,” she explains “and creating a paranormal story allows you to take yourself and your readers anywhere your imagination wants to go!” 
Destiny's Awakening is Lori's first foray into the "Tales of the Fey" paranormal romance trilogy. Visit her website at www.loricorsentino.com and follow her on Twitter @LoriCorsentino and on Facebook.com/LoriCorsentino. Also check out her blog weekly for a Manic Monday, Wicked Writer Wednesday, or Favorite Friday entry. 

BLURB:  Men of the present weren’t able to hold archaeologist Evelyn Wright’s interest for long. Her passion lay with discovering the lives, loves, and legacies of men in the past.

Five hundred-year-old Prince Alexander slumbers alone in an enchanted sleep.  Imprisoned by ancient Fey magic to stave off a civil war, he awaits the woman who is destined to awaken him.

Thrown together by an unseen force the career-minded modern woman and the aristocratic Fey Prince share a magical kiss that sparks more than mere romance.  

Together they will create a key to open their hearts to a true love that will thwart the plans of an evil Wizard and save their worlds. 

EXCERPT:
“What were you doing when I first arrived here?” Evie again motioned to the podium. “The talking head said you were in ‘The Greatest Sleep’ or something?”
“Yes. In my language, it is called the Ka’al’inar. The Great Sleep.”
“When did this happen?"
“It was during the tenth phase of the Dragontides.”
He said it matter-of-fact. Did he think everyone in the world knew what a Dragon-tide was?
“Oh, really?” Shrillness crept back in and leant a sharp edge to Evie’s voice “The tenth phase you say?” At his nod she continued, “Oh, Okay. It makes sense now.”
“How is it you know of our phases when you know nothing of my world?” Skepticism colored his words and lent them a harshness she’d not yet heard.
“Do you have sarcasm in this magical world of yours?”
“Yes.” His eyes narrowed, showing his displeasure. “We also have rudeness.”
Fire returned to her cheeks with a molten rush. She was once again ashamed of her behavior. She was making a habit of this.
“I’m sorry.” She broke eye contact and looked down as she apologized. She didn’t know where this inexcusable need to be such a bitch was coming from. “That was rude of me.”
“Yes, it was.” She looked back up. He inclined his head, gracious as ever. “I see no reason to admonish you. Apology accepted.”
Evie really felt like shit now. He was so noble, so majestic. No wonder he was a Prince.
“Why would you do such a thing to yourself?”
“What? The Ka’al’inar?”
“Yes. The Call-in-ar.” She angled her head to the side. “Is that how you say it?”
“Yes.” He approved. “You have very good pronunciation.” The dimple peeked at her. “You say it almost better than me.”
“Gee, thanks.” Evie wasn’t buying it, yet. “Why?”
“To save my people.”
He was direct with his answer. Evie bet he probably hadn’t thought twice about subjecting himself to this greatest sleep thing. He’d just gone ahead done it. To him, it was the only thing to do.
“They, your people, are pretty important to you, aren’t they?” Evie couldn’t help the bit of awe which crept in to her voice.
“It is my duty to protect them,” he answered. “I am the Ruling Prince of Sha’Mir. My life is devoted to my people.”
“Did going in to the sleep hurt?”
“Yes,” he answered. “But not nearly as much as the tortures I endured at the behest of Claudius.”
Evie smothered a giggle. Did he really just say behest? No one said behest. She bit the inside of her lip and endured her humor. He looked at her and raised a questioning eyebrow.
Evie fought to keep to the thread of conversation. He probably wouldn’t understand her laughing at his use of the old language. It was actually quite charming. Saying things like behest and admonish were charming the pants off her.
Literally.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Recipe Wednesday - Do You Believe Cough Syrup!

Had a really nasty cough and in order to function during the day needed something that didn't knock me out.  Discovered this receipe on the internet and it did help and I could take a spoonful when needed vs. having to wait four hours.  If I've shared before, thought I'd do it again given all the coughing I hear around me when I'm out and about.


  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons water
    Mix and take by the teaspoon.

The recipe doesn't indicate how much to take. I took 3 teaspoons the first time because I had a bad dry cough for over three weeks.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Monday a day Late

Yesterday had Toddler & Tween here from an overnight stay and lots of things planned for the day.  PopPop took the day off to share the fun and all of us were exhausted after a non-stop day of fun and adventures.

So here's the RomCon scoop a day late.  Had a great time. There really are a lot of delightful people that attend this event and I discovered yes, I can stay up until 2:00 a.m. instead of waking up then.  Needless to say when I came home Saturday afternnoon to rest up for family stuff kicking off Sunday, the rest period was really needed.

Of course, in all the maddness to get out the door I forgot my camera...dang it.  Waiting on a couple of photos from people who took a snaps with theirs and promised to send them.  Will post if they aren't too horrid...we all know I don't take the world's best picture.

Anyway, here's one that I pulled from my friend Elizabeth Haysmont FB photos album of my friend Helen Hardt and myself.  Of course, I have my mouth open...what else is new?



Have a great day all!

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

While the Cat's Away Entry Contest

Still lots to do if I'm going to meet my goal before heading out to RomCon tomorrow.  Look foward to the fun and if you attend too, be sure to say 'hi'. Heck, we could even have a glass of wine and fun conversation.

So no more posts until Monday or possibly Tuesday since a couple of the granddarlings are camping out overnight Sunday and Monday will be filled with their wishlist of 'to do' events.

Have a great rest of the week all.  And just for grins we'll have a While the Cat's Away contest...any of my followers who leaves a comment here before my next post will be entered into a drawing to receive some fun stuff from RomCon.  I know there will be plenty of good things for me to try and collect!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Monday Fun - Announcing the Rising From the Ashes Blog Tour

Between husbands surgery and my acute case of crud (when the doctor mentioned all the acutes I had, 'a cute' ass wasn't one of them...go figure) I've gotten behind in the work arena, this blog being one of the areas.  But I'm happy to announce while quiet online, I have been working to set up a blog tour.

Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the DEAD series is being brought to life my Musa Publications.  It just goes to show a defunct publisher and the return of rights can be a good thing.  In this case new life with additional edits, tweaks and brand new covers for a fun series!  And a blog tour with fun and prizes to celebrate!!!

The tour kicks off July 9th at Author Island and will end July 21st with a 'party' here!  Still finalizing a couple of stops, so the schedule won't go up right now.  I can share that releases for the four books start July 20th with DEAD Awake (formerly Waking Up Dead) and one every 2 weeks from there.

So, here's the cover for DEAD Awake.  What do you think?



Friday, June 8, 2012

Book Friday - Sandra Sookoo

Today we have the delightful (and prolific) Sandra Sookoo in the spotlight.  Sandra is one of my favorite people and I really enjoy her work.  Check out work and you'll fall in love with her too.  Also, make sure to stop by her blog.  She's a Disney fan and has a fun post on the subject each week, as well as other interesting subjects and guests. 

Now here is Sandra!!!!
Thanks for having me back on your blog, Lizzie!
Today, I’d like to talk about one of my favorite books I wrote called Winging It.  Since summer’s bearing down on us, I thought this is a great story to read poolside.
When I first set out to write this piece, I knew I wanted polar opposites in the story.  You have the hero Dev who is an ex-military guy.  His viewpoints are black-and-white, and he's a no-nonsense type of man who doesn't have much time to fun or happiness.  Unable to shake some of the horror he's seen while deployed in Afghanistan, he's thrown for a major loop when he crashes--literally--into Lia, a fairy whose life revolves around smiles, flirtations and laughter.  She's never known hardship or heartache.  What better conflict than to throw these two together? 
Midway through the project, I became stalled and needed to set the piece aside anyway in favor of doing a mountain of other work that needed more immediate attention.  It wasn't until I threw my 2011 Valentine's Day party on my blog that I got the shot in the arm I needed to finish this book.  I had asked the readers attending the event to tell me how they met their husbands or significant others.  One of my friends--Wendy--shared the best story of meeting her military man.  I liked her story so much, it got me so excited that I dug WINGING IT back out and finished it within the month.  I dedicated the book to her.
Life's very interesting, don't you think?
Want to connect with me on social media? You can find me here:

Believing is Seeing blog:  http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/sandrasookoo

Blurb:
Joy and despair, light and dark, you can’t have one without the other.
Devlin Addams has recently returned home from Afghanistan.  Haunted by memories that he survived the fighting while his buddies didn't, as well as chased by the knowledge his mom is crazy, he’s having trouble acclimating himself to civilian life. Now, armed with a dog and a therapist, he constantly battles the urge to end it all.
Lia Farry—because her Fae name is a mouthful—has tumbled into the Mortal Realm through the Veil between worlds by mysterious circumstances.  Thrust into a new and harsh human existence, finding anything to be happy about is hard. If she can’t go home, she’ll have to make it work.
Forced to interact, Dev’s protective instincts kick in, but he’s unprepared for the onslaught of lust Lia represents.  He wants a normal life but not at the expense of getting involved.  Lia knows she soothes his torment yet she’s battling her own problems. Desiring Dev is a dangerous prospect.  Add in a meddling Fae queen and suddenly life as they know it will change forever.  Love is at stake.  A leap of faith is all they have to depend on.
In this snippet, Dev and Lia are at a super store. He’s trying to help her find clothes and it’s not going well.
Excerpt:
“Where did you get the scar on your belly?” Lia had seen the silvery scar that stretched across his abdomen like a snake and wondered about it. Did humans not heal automatically when they became injured? Did they not have practitioners of magic who mixed mystical poultices? Could they not commune with the energy in the Earth and bathe in the power gained from living things?
It’s none of your business.” Dev abandoned the rack and moved to the next one.
Her frown deepened, and she wondered why he didn’t wish to talk of it. As fast as it came, she banished the frown with a smile. “Can I touch your hair? I’ve never seen any man keep his hair quite so short. It looks prickly.” Lia giggled as she followed him through the maze of displays. Blond, with hints of red in some lighting, the strands stood less than half an inch on the top of his head, shorter than that on the sides and back. It was…intriguing.
“Why the hell do you want to feel my hair?” He swung around so quickly she almost bumped into him. “And no. Find something to wear.”
“I don’t like anything here.” When he leaned into her personal space, she gasped and backed up, tripping on the unfamiliar and too-big canvas shoes he’d given her upon leaving his house. Dev shot out a hand, fisting his fingers in her shirt front before she tumbled into a stack of t-shirts on a low table. “Can we please leave?” So close she could see each one of his blond eyelashes, she swallowed, held captive by his very angry gaze. As if he’d been burned, he released his grip, and this time when she stumbled, it wasn’t due to screwed-up equilibrium.
He held a wealth of secrets, rage and heartache in those eyes. She wished to draw them out, take them into herself in order to make him happy. Lia wondered if he’d ever laughed in lighthearted glee. She suspected it had been a long time since he’d been happy.
“I should have known shopping would be a train wreck, same as the pizza.” He edged backward, turning his attention to the shirts.
Lia shivered, as much from the loss of his heated presence as from the memory of that hideous food he’d called pizza. What was one supposed to do with such a flat, messy food that dripped grease and a red sauce that resembled blood?
She trailed after him, touching the fabrics as she went past. Were humans incapable of making anything nice? Did they not care what they covered their bodies with? Again, the loud, echoing voice boomed through the store. She whimpered and resisted the urge to cover her ears. Obviously, Dev didn’t like it when she did that. “Can we go home and come back tomorrow? We can bring Zeus.”
Dev turned and shoved a stack of haphazardly-folded clothes into her hands. “No. We’re doing this tonight, and besides, dogs aren’t allowed in the store.”
“I don’t like these.” She attempted to return them, but he piled on another stack, this time of some sort of heavy blue material. “Or those.”
“Too bad.” He gripped her upper arm and propelled her through the racks toward a cluster of booths with the words: Dressing Rooms over them. “You can’t keep wearing my sweatpants. Sooner or later they’ll slide down and show your business to the world.” With a smack to her rear end, he pushed her toward one of the cubicles. “Try these on. I’ll see if I can find some underpants and other stuff.”
He was gone before she could question him or the warmth that flooded her insides at his fleeting touch.
A woman, years younger than her and wearing a blue vest with red lettering, approached her, a sympathetic expression on her face. “Don’t worry, hun. Men aren’t the best when it comes to shopping.” She took the clothes from Lia’s arms and dumped them on a nearby countertop. “These are the wrong size, but I’ll fix ya up and bring the lingerie, too.”
Lia didn’t know what lingerie was, but she liked the sound of it. “Thank you. Dev’s a little grouchy tonight.” A grin lifted the corners of her mouth, and she felt her customary good humor creep into her soul.
“I can just imagine. His type gets like that without a good, regular lay.” The woman’s brown eyes sparkled, and the store lighting winked off a ring in her right eyebrow. “You keep him on that hook, and he’ll do anything you want pretty soon.”
“I don’t have a hook.” Lia’s smile faltered as the clerk snorted. It didn’t matter. Dev needs to smile. He’s too prickly—like his hair. Maybe his hair causes his bad mood! She shrugged. I’ll make him laugh somehow. With a sigh, she focused on what the blue vest lady said. “Do you think Dev has magic?” She didn’t protest as the woman led her into one of the dreary gray booths.
“Yeah, from the looks of that body, I’d say he’s got some real good magic. I’ll bet his package is huge.” 
Excitement rose in Lia’s chest. Ooh, did that mean Dev had a surprise waiting back at his house? She wondered what it could be. “I love surprises.”
I absolutely adored writing these characters.  I hope you'll pick up a copy of this book.
And since the story of how the book came into being kinda revolves around Valentine’s Day, here’s a quick little recipe for chocolate ganache.  Of course, you can use this for tons of things, and since summer is upon us, why not get your daily fruit intake in with it?
Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (you can also use chocolate chips)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon of your favorite liquor (raspberry, rum, orange, almond, etc.)
Directions
Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Keep an eye on it to prevent boiling over. When the cream has come to a boil, pour over the chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the flavoring. 
Allow the ganache to cool slightly before application (dipping or pouring).
Giveaway on this post.  Since summer is upon us, I’m giving away a $5.00 Starbucks gift card.  Have a frap or iced coffee on me!  Random winner will also get a subscription to my newsletter plus book swag.  Please leave your contact info!

Friday, June 1, 2012

Book Spotlight Friday - Meet Jessica Aspen

I love Jessica Aspen's twist on Little Red Riding Hood, a fairy tale we all grew up reading and know how the wolf disguises himself as Grandma in order to gobble up Red.  In Little Red Riding Wolf, the table is turned and Red, the darling of the story is actually the werewolf who falls for her mortal enemy...a human.  This is a spicy hot read filled with humor and heat.  Check it out!


Tired of being the runt of the litter, feisty Red jumps on the opportunity to take on the sexy new forest ranger, but when Evan uncovers evidence of wolves things get out of control. Can Red keep her were-wolf identity secret and still save Evan from her brother's thirst for blood?

Fraternizing with humans is taboo, but when feisty werewolf Red runs into hunky new forest ranger Evan Brewster, she jumps on the opportunity to let loose her desires. Evan is stoked when he meets the petite red haired hottie, and combined with his new discovery of wolves in Colorado, thinks his career and life are made. Then Red pushes him away, her hostile brother threatens his life, and things begin to spiral out of control. Caught between her sexy lover and her pack can Red trust Evan with her secrets, or must she sacrifice her human lover and her heart?