Blog

About Crimson Winter: City of Ruby:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It’s so easy to misplace things, well it is for me, so I thought I
should share this recipe for a great meatloaf dinner before I lost it.

Combine ingredients in a small bowl then coat meatloaves with the
mixture.  

Preheat oven to 400° F. 

Mix ingredients together, ground beef through breadcrumbs, I
use my hands.  Shape into 5 small loaves and place them (not touching) onto
the center of the baking pan. 

Wash, dry, and cut into about ½ inch pieces potatoes with skin on. 
Add garlic. Sprinkle lightly with olive oil and Italian herbs.  Set
aside. 

Spray a shallow baking pan big enough to hold the meatloaves in
the center and a mixture of vegetables around the edges. 

Bake 35 minutes.  Check to see that the meat loaves and
veggies are done.  Let stand 5 minutes and serve. 

Enjoy! 

Allow me to share a little of my latest novel, that is close to my heart, for your reading pleasure.

My historical novel– Lady Munevver: The Opium Merchant’s Daughter– is set in the Victorian period as England is preparing to enter the War in the East, the Crimean War, to support the Ottoman Empire that has been invaded by Russia.  Russia’s 1853 invasion of Crimea results in three Empires—England, France, and the Ottoman Empire– declaring war on Russia. It precipitates a disastrous marriage for Lady Munevver. It changes the world with advances in ships and military weapons, the development of the telegraph with its ability to deliver war news almost instantly, and the creation of modern nursing in Scutari Hospital. 

In Surrey, England, the merchant father of beautiful but handicapped Munevver is obsessed with gaining acceptance by the Ton.  Refusing Munevver’s plea to marry her childhood love, William of Yorkshire, he arranges a marriage with James, the dissolute son of an impoverished, hard-handed Duke.

When England is drawn into the Crimean War, James joins the Light Brigade and sails to the Ottoman Empire to fight the invading Russians. After learning her husband has died in Scutari Hospital, an improvised hospital for English soldiers located across the Bosphorus from Constantinople, Munevver, terrified at what her father-in-law might do, flees England. Her destination: the ancient city of Aleppo in the eastern part of the Ottoman Empire where she hopes her uncle will shelter her in his vast trading compound.

Her escape ends in Constantinople when. the Sultan, irate at Queen Victoria’s command that he return the widow of one of her Lords, arranges a marriage for Munevver with Ari, a member of his court. Problem solved.  Munevver is now the wife of an Ottoman citizen. She is invisible.

Banished to the ancient, primitive city of Ankara, the young couple struggles to survive political intrigue, intense cold, and lack of medical care.  After Ari dies of tuberculosis, Munevver is desperate to return to Yorkshire, to her grandfather and to the man she loves, William. But how? Dare she accept the quid pro quo arrangement offered by the most powerful woman in the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan’s mother? 

Available in e-book and paperback.

Amazon Buy Link 

Eris Field was born in the Green Mountains of Vermont—Jericho, Vermont to be precise—close by the home of Wilson Bentley (aka Snowflake Bentley), the first person in the world to photograph snowflakes. She learned from her Vermont neighbors that pursuit of one’s dream is a worthwhile life goal.

As a seventeen-year-old student nurse at Albany Hospital, Eris met a Turkish surgical intern who told her fascinating stories about the history of Turkey, the loss of the Ottoman Empire, and forced population exchanges. After they married and moved to Buffalo, Eris worked as a nurse at Children’s Hospital and at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

After taking time off to raise five children and amassing rejection letters for her short stories, Eris earned her master’s degree in Psychiatric Nursing at the University at Buffalo. Later, she taught psychiatric nursing at the University and wrote a textbook for psychiatric nurse practitioners—a wonderful rewarding but never to be repeated experience.

Eris now writes novels, usually international, contemporary romances. Her interest in history and her experience in psychiatry often play a part in her stories. She is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Western New York Romance Writers. In addition to writing, Eris’s interests include Prevention of Psychiatric Disorders; Eradicating Honor Killings, supporting the Crossroads Springs Orphanage in Kenya for children orphaned by AIDS, and learning more about Turkey, Cyprus, and Kurdistan.

Learn more about Eris Field on her website. Stay connected on Facebook.

Ever wondered what the
rationale is for happiness? When you think of it, the things that make some
people happy can only make other people sad. For example, a full fridge
overflowing with food can be a dieter’s hell. And the moaning sound of a moose in
rut, although giving rise to happy enthusiasm on the part of a cow moose, only
strikes worry and fear into the hearts of people living on the edges of forests
in cooler climates.

Sunrise or sunset? What brings
you more happiness? Why? If it’s sunrise, is it the thought of the day to come?
What if the sunrise is weak and watery? Does happiness fade in anticipation of
a squally, unhappy day? And if sunset toggles your happiness genes…why? Is it
the color? Is it the thought of the end of a working day so you can finally
relax? Or is it just plain appreciation of nature’s beauty?

Now I take umbrage at the late
20th century insistence on “everybody must be happy” psyche. Why? Why
must we be happy? Doctors and psychiatrists say it leads to healthier
people. Yeah? What if you’re a healthy athlete with a depression problem? How
does that work? Smiling for photos? Yick.

You know what? If I feel sour,
leave me alone. Sure, I’m wallowing, but we all need time to wallow. And see –
even the word ‘wallow’ has negative connotations. Have you thought about this,
that the superficially ‘happy’ upbeat person can be hard to live with, day
after day? Shut up, Pollyanna.

Innocent Hostage, is a compelling story with the right amount of twists and turns and red herrings that will keep you enthralled and guessing to the last page. Here’s a little to tease you…

Two years ago, Breck Marchant handed his son, Kit, over to his ex-wife, Tania, even though it tore him apart. She knows all about kids. Thanks to his own upbringing, he hasn’t a clue. But when the boy is held hostage, Breck steps up to the plate. Somehow he’ll make this father thing work and hold down his dangerous job at the same time even though the odds are against him.

Ingrid Rowland is Kit’s preschool teacher and she has known Tania for years. As far as she can tell, neither Tania nor Breck know the first thing about being parents. She fears for Kit’s future. When Breck turns to Ingrid for help with his son, she sees a different side of him. As Breck and Ingrid work to protect Kit and hold on to their careers, they begin to work together to fight off a puzzling series of vicious attacks. Then a startling revelation culminates in a murderous turn nobody sees coming.

EXCERPT
Toeing the inside of each stair tread he climbed the stairs that led to the bedrooms. As he got near the top, he hesitated. More perfume, different from the smell of soap powder hung in the air. Tania’s perfume, strong and poignant. It was called Chloe. He ought to know. He’d bought enough of the stuff.

He stopped. Was she here? Had she been here? That stuff lingered for a long time. Their apartment had stunk of it for weeks after she’d left.

“Tania?” he whispered.

A disturbance in the air was his only warning. He ducked as something whizzed over the top of his head. Then he was shoved aside as a dark figure pushed past him. Breck clutched at the banisters, his feet shooting out from under him on the slippery carpet. Shit! Scrambling to his feet, he bounced down the last couple of stairs and chased the stocky figure careening down the hallway.

His quarry wrenched open the front door. Dusk had settled and it was almost dark outside. He managed to grab his attacker’s coat and began reeling in the interloper like a fish. But the man wriggled out of his plastic raincoat and fled towards a blue pick-up truck waiting at the curb. His balding head gleamed under the streetlights. Someone inside the vehicle leaned over and flung open the passenger door, revving the engine just as Breck aimed a solid punch at the back of the attacker’s neck. Reeling against the car door, the man half-collapsed on to the front seat of the truck, his legs hanging out the door. The driver floored the accelerator and the blue truck jerked out from the curb as if the driver was unfamiliar with the gears.

BUY LINKS
The Wild Rose Press – Amazon

Vonnie Hughes is a multi-published author in both Regency books and contemporary suspense. She loves the intricacies of the social rules of the Regency period and the far-ranging consequences of the Napoleonic Code. And with suspense she has free rein to explore forensic matters and the strong convolutions of the human mind. Like many writers, some days she hates the whole process, but somehow she just cannot let it go.

Vonnie was born in New Zealand, but she and her husband now live happily in Australia. If you visit Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand be sure to stroll through the Japanese Garden. These is a bronze plaque engraved with a haiku describing the peacefulness of that environment. The poem was written by Vonnie.

All of Vonnie’s books are available at The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.

Learn more about Vonnie Hughes on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Goodreads.

I’ve got fellow time travel author and friend, Stella May in my virtual kitchen today, baking up some of her delicious Almond Meringue Cookies just in time for Easter. Perfect to serve at your family gatherings, or tuck into your children’s Easter baskets, these sweet treats won’t disappoint, but will disappear! So, without further ado, I’m handing off the spatula. Take it away, Stella…

This recipe
for a classic meringue dessert is easy to prepare and wonderful to eat. My
family loves these cookies as a sweet after a good dinner. If you choose to use
vanilla extract, you’ll have a classic méringue desert called La Bise (kiss in French). Bon appetite! 

Preheat
oven to 200° F.

You need a
hand or standing mixer. Mix egg whites and salt on high-speed to the
consistency of dense foam.

Add sugar
by small portions, mixing well. Try not to stop your mixer while adding sugar. Add almond
extract.

Cover
cookie sheet with parchment. Spoon mixture into 12 cookies. You can use an
ice-cream scoop.  Place one whole almond
on top of each cookie.

Bake for 1
hour. Lightly touch the cookie. It will have a firm crust and a soft center.
That’s ideal. Turn off the oven and leave the cookies inside the oven for 1
hour.

Remove from the oven to cool completely. Enjoy!

Here’s a little to intrigue you on Stell May’s latest time travel romance.

After
months of working like a woman possessed, Nika Morris kept her promise. Coleman
House is finished. It’s gorgeous. Spectacular. Brilliant.

It’s
breaking her heart.

Because
once the new owners move in, she’ll be cut off from the time portal to 1909, where
she met and fell in love with Eli Coleman. Now stranded in her own time, she’s
waited months for the key to reappear in its hiding place. Only it hasn’t. Which
means Eli must have believed the terrible things she was accused of.

Back
in 1909, Eli is stunned at his best friend’s deathbed confession of a shocking
betrayal. Nika—his Daisy, his time-traveling wonder—was innocent. Once he finds
the key, he wastes no time stepping through the portal, determined to make
things right.

But
the moment Eli stumbles into her shiny, noisy, confusing future, he
realizes reconciliation won’t be simple. There is more than one emotional
bridge to rebuild before he and Nika can return to the time their love was
born—and live their destiny out to the fullest.

Amazon Buy Link

Talented author Stella May is the penname for Marina Sardarova who has a fascinating history you should read on her website. 

When I told a friend of mine I was thinking about writing a book, she said to me, “Ah, you have something to say.”I frowned, and said, “No. I just have this awesome story in my head.”

So, with those words planted in your mind, “Let me tell you a story…” 

My journey to publication started in the mid-90s. One evening while I was reading, I thought how simple the structure and dialogue was in this particular novel. You can write, a voice urged inside my head. Let me tell you, I almost fell off my chair. But the words rang true for me. So, I decided to act on this truth, and took a writing course—Writing your Novel—where I met a great couple of like-minded would-be writer gals. Together we started a writing support group, and I wrote my first novel—a paranormal romance. This manuscript caught the eye of an agent, but I was hardly ready, and I see that now. What I needed to do was to hone my craft and get better and better with the process of writing. And that takes making lots of mistakes at the expense of your ego. In other words: lots of rejection, rejection, rejection! Ouch!

Then one night, during my writer’s group, one of my friends said something that floored me. She mentioned that I hit my twelve-year-old character’s voice bang on. So, this got me to thinking—how hard would it be to write a young adult novel? It was a stupid question. Of course it was hard! After thinking about what my friend had said to me, I decided I’d challenge myself and write not just a novel—but a series—that would appeal to my son, who at the time was the target age of my audience. Since I’ve always loved the time travel genre, it was a no-brainer for me.

Time travel to almost twenty-five years later, and it turns out that I had plenty to say! About my writer’s
life. About the writing process. About my journey to publication. And about the feeling I finally had holding a printed copy of my first book, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis. Let me tell you that was a bitter-sweet moment. Bitter because I didn’t realize the amount of work that lay ahead of me to continue on with my journey as a published author. Sweet because all those years—seventeen to be exact—I’d worked so hard to achieve getting published, had actually paid off. Perseverance, they say, truly wins in the end.

So, you want to write a book? It begins with INTENT. Back when I started blogging, I was so green and didn’t have much to offer writers or even knew what to say. I was scared, insecure, and filled with tons of self-doubt. BUT I moved forward with tenacity and embraced the desire to be a published author, and dare I say, Bestsellingauthor. I’ve built my blog, and my writing career brick by brick, word by word until I’ve amassed quite a collection of helpful and heartfelt content to assist anyone who is remotely interested in delving into the murky, yet exciting world of writing and all the challenges a writer might face. Today, I still have a long way to go, but I’m definitely on the right track with my goals and aspirations as a young adult author.

It is my hope that you find my free PDF ebook Tips, Tricks and Tools for the Tenacious Writer insightful, inspiring, and illuminating as you begin your writing journey or just need some tips, tools, or tricks to help you shine in this crazy publishing business. All the best. All the success.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her WEBSITE and BLOG. Look up her AMAZON AUTHORpage for a list of current books. Stay connected on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, PINTEREST, LINKEDIN, INSTAGRAM, and GOODREADS.

When is it not fun to be a blond? 

What happens when a blond beauty hits town like a tornado stirring up memories and causing turmoil? Detective Kevin Fowler and his wife, the former Beverly Hampton, owner of the local newspaper, are settling into blissful married life. Although Beverly is sanguine over the demand on Kevin’s time by the good people of Hubbard, she is more than dubious when his duties include the escort of a drop-dead gorgeous female from his past.

There is some concern over the persistent vandalism of residential mailboxes, but an infamous arsonist has decided peaceful but dull Hubbard would make a great place from which to operate. He brazenly locates down the block from the detective and his wife.

What bait and tackle shop in the village has a dual purpose? Kevin ponders why two goons have invaded town shooting at and attempting to kidnap and murder three women. A state patrolman, aptly nick named Rooster, teases Fowler at the riotous scene of a traffic accident where the press, not the police, wins the day.

Another mystery and adventure with a satisfying ending that unfolds in peaceful Hubbard, New York, small-town Americana, where Detective Kevin Fowler keeps an ever-vigilant watch.

Amazon Buy Link

Emma Lane is a gifted author who writes cozy mysteries as Janis Lane, Regency as Emma, and spice as Sunny Lane. 

She lives in Western New York where winter is snowy, spring arrives with rave reviews, summer days are long and velvet, and fall leaves are riotous in color. At long last she enjoys the perfect bow window for her desk where she is treated to a year-round panoramic view of nature. Her computer opens up a fourth fascinating window to the world. Her patient husband is always available to help with a plot twist and encourage Emma to never quit. Her day job is working with flowers at Herbtique and Plant Nursery, the nursery she and her son own. 

Look for information about writing and plants on Emma’s new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.

Stay connected to Emma on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to check out the things that make Emma smile on Pinterest.