Everyday Celebrations by Maria Loggia Spotlight!

Maria Loggia’s kitchen door is always open. Her home and garden are a gathering place for friends and family, who come to share her easygoing enthusiasm and generosity – and her inspired Italian cuisine. In this, her second book, Loggia celebrates the seasons with 16 sumptuous menus – from a spontaneous al fresco garden party to a slow-simmered midwinter feast and a traditional Sunday family lunch.

Everyday Celebrations with Maria Loggia is on a spotlight tour from July 14 to 18.

Author & Chef: Maria Loggia

Category: Non-fiction

Genre: Cooking, Food & Wine, 176 pages

Publisher: Cardinal Publishing

Published: Oct 1, 2012

Amazon.ca  *  Cardinal Publishing  *  Amazon.com

Try One of the Recipes!

Petto di Pollo Farcito con Uva e Noci

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Grapes and Walnuts

Ingredienti

For filling:

1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
¾ cup (180 ml) walnuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup (125 ml) red seedless grapes, quartered
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp (30 ml) bread crumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
7 oz (200 g) soft goat cheese, cut in 6 slices 

For chicken:
6 tbsp (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
6 bone-in chicken breasts, skin on
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tbsp (45 ml) unsalted butter, softened
1 orange, cut into wedges
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, each cut in half
5 bay leaves

 
To serve:
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange

Preparazione
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

To prepare filling: Heat butter and oil in a large skillet and sauté shallots until soft, 1 to 2 minutes, and remove from heat. Stir in walnuts, grapes, chives and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly. Leave goat cheese aside for now.

To prepare chicken: Oil a 14-inch (35 cm) round earthenware tiella or roasting pan with 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the olive oil and set aside. On a baking sheet, season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Make a lengthwise slit in each chicken breast, being careful not to cut all the way through. (This will form the pocket for the stuffing.) Rub remaining 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil into the chicken (including in the pockets). Divide stuffing equally among chicken breasts, stuffing it into the slit in each breast, and top with a slice of goat cheese. Pull the chicken skin over the filling and secure with toothpicks. Smear butter over the skin and season again to taste with salt and pepper.

Gently transfer chicken to prepared tiella. Scatter orange wedges, rosemary and bay leaves around chicken. Roast 35 to 40 minutes, or until juices run clear when the thickest part of the breast is pierced. Then broil 2 to 3 minutes, or until skin is crisp and golden. Drizzle with orange juice and serve warm with pan juices.

Serves 6

Tips from Maria:

Consigli di cucina (kitchen tips)
The chicken breasts can be assembled the day before, covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. When ready to serve, bring chicken to room temperature and cook as instructed. Doing it this way allows the flavours time to meld together beautifully.

Che cos’è? (what is it?)
I’m convinced food tastes better when cooked in a shallow, glazed earthenware dish known in Italian as a tiella. I find earthenware dishes distribute heat slowly and evenly as the food cooks. Aromas and flavours are intensified and casseroles never stick or dry out.

To season a tiella: Before using your tiella the first time, immerse the dish in cold water to soak overnight. The next day, empty the tiella and wipe it dry. Rub the inside with olive oil and place in a preheated 300°F (150°C) oven for 1½ hours. Remove seasoned tiella from oven and place on a wooden board or thick tablecloth to cool. (If placed on a surface like granite or a cold stovetop, it will crack.) To clean a tiella, soak it in warm, soapy water, then scrub with a soft sponge.

Meet the Author

Maria Loggia is one of Montreal's best-loved Italian cooking teachers. Her Tavola Mia cooking school in the village of Hudson is a warm, inviting place to learn about Italian cuisine. She also appears regularly on television, is featured in newspapers and magazines, and leads culinary tours in Italy.

Maria finds inspiration in her Italian heritage and draws on family recipes that go back generations. She founded Tavola Mia, her at-home cooking school in 1999. Through her study of Italy's regional cuisines, which has included numerous sojourns back to her native country, she has acquired great expertise in the art of Italian cooking. Her passion, humor and dedication to excellence have made her an inspiring teacher. Using fresh local ingredients, Tavola Mia celebrates the seasons in authentic, irrepressible Italian style.

An Interview with Maria Loggia

Maria Loggia from Pierre Blais on Vimeo.

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Tour Schedule

July 14
Being Tilly's Mummy
Walking with Nora
Rockin' Book Reviews
Bookroom Reviews
Musings from Sri Lanka
The 1000th Voice

July 15
One Frugal Girl
Essentially Italian
Off the Cuff...
A Mama's Corner of the World
Kincavel Korner
Book Blast Central
Storeybook Reviews

July 16
Like a Bump on a Blog
Beagle Book Space
Il Mio Tesore
The Book Faery Reviews
Black Lilac Kitty Cozy Book Corner

July 17
I'd Rather be at the Beach
Cheryl's Book Nook
Cindy's Love of Books
Brooke Blogs
Carole's Book Corner

July 18 
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, &. Sissy, Too!
Library of Clean Reads
Celticlady's Reviews
Deal Sharing Aunt
Ivory Owl Reviews

Techno Crazed by Sara Makela Spotlight with Giveaway!

Title: Techno Crazed (Hacked Investigations) 
Author: Sarah Makela 
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance (with SciFi flare) 
Sexual Content: Hot bordering on erotic 
Publish Date: July 11, 2013 
Publisher: Kissa Press LLC

~Synopsis~

Private investigator Hannah Franklin's life is turned upside down after being contacted by a former employee of MAX Home Security, the leader in security services. But they're not just protecting people anymore. Hannah's informant claims to have proof that MAX has ordered the assassination of politicians who stood against the corporation. When her informant is killed and an attempt is made on her life, Hannah has no choice but to contact a freelance hacker. Her only hope now lies in the hands of a man she never expected to welcome back into her life. Ian Bradley has lost his girlfriend and his job, as well as having acquired a very annoying gnome. Now his ex, Hannah, is in danger, and she needs his help. Ian vows to protect Hannah with every resource available to him -- and as a technomage in a high-tech world, his resources are almost endless...  

Goodreads

Purchase Links

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About the Author

Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author, but she’s written all over the romance spectrum with cyberpunk, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy… even a sweet contemporary romance!

A life-long paranormal fan, she still sleeps with a night light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies and Ghost Adventures, and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves traveling the world too.

Connect with the Author: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Blog

Read an Excerpt

Excerpt :

Hannah rested her forehead against the cool, metal desk. She anxiously awaited the moment when she could dive into bed and close her eyes. Cheating spouse cases currently flooded her office. Most of the ones she’d worked were fueled by insecurity and simple misunderstandings that could’ve been resolved through conversation or therapy. Just two more reports to file, then she’d be able to call it.

Memories of her soft blankets and the comfort of her pillow relaxed her bunched shoulders. Her eyelids drooped, and she exhaled, ready to give into her exhaustion.

Ringing jarred her from the edge of sleep. She jerked upright and rubbed her eyes. Clearing her throat, she reached for the office telephone. She used an old landline since they were more secure than the wireless communication devices on the market, which ranged from implants in the ear to high-tech cell phones.

“Franklin Investigations, how may I help you?” she asked, stifling a yawn.

“Is this Hannah Franklin? I need to speak with Hannah.” The male’s deep voice radiated urgency, with panic underlying his tone.

“This is she. Who’s calling?” Her spine stiffened, and tension tightly wound its way through her. She grabbed a stylus pen and poised it over her e-ink notepad. The electronic leaflet awoke within seconds filled with comments from her previous assignment. Tapping an icon in the top right corner, she brought up a clean page.

“Rich Granger. Listen, I can’t talk for long.” He paused. “Shit! Hold on.” Rummaging and his frantic breathing sounded over the phone. “Okay. This is the deal. I used to work for MAX Home Security. Everything was fine until a few months ago. A turnover happened with the corporate execs. You’ve heard the news, right?”

How could she not? Everyone was talking about the scandals involving the home security giant. Some of it was a bit too sci-fi weird, even for her. Yet, it also made her think of… Grrr… No, she wouldn’t do that to herself.

“Yes, I have. What’s this about?” She kept her voice professional and scribbled down notes about the new potential client.

“You know the senators who spoke against them are dead, yeah? Well, that’s not a coincidence. I have proof that MAX killed them. Meet me at the donut shop on the corner of Fifth and Main Street. You need to see this. Shit!” Sneakers smacked pavement and tires screeched over the phone line. “It’s too late,” Rich said. “They’re here. A freelance hacker I know can help you finish this. Malloc. Reach out to him. This needs to stop.”

The hackers she’d met weren’t the most trustworthy, but if he could help… And wait, she’d be finishing this? Alone? Reluctance rose within her. Her caseload was already full. Besides, after opening her own firm, she needed compensation for her time. Bills streamed in faster than paychecks. However, none of her current assignments held this level of excitement. This case could drive in more business.

“All right, I will.” She scribbled down the hacker’s name and notes about the donut shop.

Men yelling and the distant sound of thundering footsteps disrupted her thoughts.

“Mr. Granger? Rich? Hello?” She glanced at the caller ID to write down Rich’s number and turned to her computer, keying in the digits to a reverse lookup search engine. She needed to know who exactly this guy was.

A gunshot blast rang through her ear, and she jumped out of her chair, dropping the phone. Blowing out a calming breath, she grabbed the phone and listened again.

A pained whimper yanked at her heartstrings, and plastic clattered against a hard surface, presumably Rich’s cell phone hitting the sidewalk. Two more shots fired.

She slammed the handset onto the receiver, a wave of nausea and helplessness crashing into her. Bile rose in her throat, but she shoved it down. Now wasn’t the time. Slumping back into her chair, she stared at the name on her notepad. Malloc. Geez. Hackers could be impossible to track down. This wasn’t the first time she’d looked one up. The last hacker had taken several days to locate. Time wasn’t on her side now.

Giveaway

$5 Dollar Gift Card 2 Ebooks of Authors Backlist

Entry

Abiding Flame by Pauline Creeden Sale!!

Book Details

• Paperback: 342 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 24, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1500225576
• ISBN-13: 978-1500225575

About the Book

Darkness can be overcome…

Terminally ill Lynette Lamb is forced to reunite her wayward son and grandson. Her options are as limited as her strength and mobility. Through a fateful series of events, the rejoined pair will leave Earth to become part of a colony orbiting a new planet. Sam Austin and his wife mourn the loss of their only child and decide to make a fresh start at the space station. The same ship holds the one who will fulfill the dark planet’s prophecy, but a demonic force boards to stop the vessel. The demon’s obedient but unwilling servant is sent on a suicide mission to keep the ship from reaching its destination.

Purchase Links
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About the Author

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.

Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy.

Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been a #1 Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine.

Her debut novel, Sanctuary, won 1st Place Christian YA Title 2013 Dante Rosetti Award and is now available as an audiobook. #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Christian Sci/Fi and Fantasy (October 2013)

One of Pauline's short stories has won the CCW Short Story contest. Other short stories have been published in Fear & Trembling Magazine, Obsidian River and Avenir Eclectia. An urban fantasy short will appear in The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves from Port Yonder Press, and a vampire short will appear in Monsters! from Diminished Media Group. 

Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell Author Interview and Excerpt!

Traitor’s Blade by Sebastien de Castell                                                  

Quercus / Jo Fletcher Books                                                       

ISBN-13: 978-1623658090                                                              

On-sale:  July 15, 2014                                                                   

Price: $26.99

In his debut novel, TRAITOR’S BLADE (July 15, 2014; Jo Fletcher Books/Quercus; Hardcover; $26.99), Sebastien de Castell has created a fantastic swashbuckling adventure reminiscent of Alexandre Dumas’s The Three Musketeers with a touch of George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones.

Stirred to write a novel about fallen heroes in a world where concepts such as justice and honour have become corrupted, de Castell created the character of

Falcio val Mond, First Cantor of the Greatcoats.

Falcio had it all: serving as a beacon of justice for the people, two best friends and brothers in arms, fantastic skill with a sword, and a King set on righting the wrong in the world—until it all came crashing down one day.

After the King’s untimely demise, Tristia is on the verge of collapse as each Ducal house vies for supremacy.  As chaos descends upon the land, Falcio and the rest of the King’s magistrates, also known as the Greatcoats, are forced to disband and are labeled traitors by the Dukes.

All Falcio has left are his two best friends, Brasti and Kent, the ridicule of the people he once protected, and a mysterious mission left by his beloved King. With his mission as his only solace, Falcio is willing to do anything to see it through—even if it means reuniting the Greatcoats and taking the Dukes head-on.

Says de Castell of the experience of writing TRAITOR’S BLADE, which has already drawn numerous rave reviews from bestselling authors and media outlets months before publication:

“I think that, as with most writers, every experience becomes a tool you can use in your storytelling. My degree is in archaeology and that inspired me to want to show Falcio’s own buried history inside Traitor’s Blade - so that events in the present are informed by the little pieces of evidence from his past.

The fight scenes are inspired in part by my experience as a sword choreographer for the theatre. Those jobs taught me that every fight has to be a story in and of itself, and every moment within the fight needs to be as specific to the character as their lines of dialogue.”

Sebastien de Castell has created a spectacular tale of hope, betrayal, love, and loss that keeps the reader on edge till the very last chapter… because in Tristia every noble is a tyrant, every knight is a thug, and the only thing you can really trust is a traitor’s blade.

About the author:

Sebastien de Castell had just finished a degree in Archaeology when he started work on his first job. Four hours later he realized how much he hated archaeology and left to pursue a very very focused career as a musician, ombudsman, interaction designer, fight choreographer, teacher, project manager, actor, and product strategist. He lives in Vancouver with his wife, where he is director of strategic program  development at the Vancouver Film School. 

Author Interview

Sebastien: I’m thrilled to be on the site - thanks for having me!

I think I’m like most fantasy readers - my favorite books shape my internal world and fill me with a desire to find that same sense of wonder in everyday life. That hunger for enchantment has led me on an odd career path. I studied archaeology in university, toured as a full-time musician, choreographed sword fights for the theatre, acted in films, been an ombudsman, an interaction designer, a teacher, a strategist, and done one job so strange that I’m taking it with me to the grave.

Why should Traitor’s Blade be the next book everyone reads?

If you’re like me and you love swashbuckling adventure but want it spiked with dark fantasy and gritty political intrigue then you’ll enjoy Traitor’s Blade. When my friends in the film industry ask me what it’s like I tell them it’s The Three Musketeers meets Game of Thrones.

Who is your inspiration for the character of Falcio?

Falcio is what would happen if you took the kind of person so many of us wanted to be as kids but dumped them in a place where ideals of valour and heroism have utterly failed. He’s a man desperate to stay true to those beliefs even though he’s discovered that they don’t work anymore. Traitor’s Blade is the story of what happens to him next.

Which character from Traitor’s Blade do you most identify with?

Falcio - not so much because of his strengths but because of his insecurities. He sees himself as surrounded by people who are better than he is - Kest is a better swordsman, Brasti is more charming, the King was more intelligent. Falcio never feels as if he’s mastered anything. I can relate. He’s also never sure if he’s made the right decision or if he’s ruined the lives of the people he cares for, which I think is something we all struggle with these days.

Which character was the most difficult/easiest to write and why?

King Paelis, who we only see in flashbacks, was the easiest to write. We know of him only through Falcio’s memories - through the eyes of a young man who very much idealized this visionary King. This allowed me to make Paelis not so much larger than life but a better, more decent man than we expect to find in a ruler.

The most difficult character to write was, believe it or not, the horse. Making her work was definitely threading a very fine needle.

What are you currently reading and what is in your to-read pile?

I’m reading Jorge Luis Borjes collection of short stories Labyrinth right now (thank goodness you asked this when I was reading something that makes me sound sophisticated!) I’m also reading James Elroy’s Blood on the Moon.

Traitor’s Blade is the first book in the Greatcoats series, and Greatcoat’s Lament is the follow up novel, what direction will you be taking the series and how many novels are planned?

There are four novels in the Greatcoats Quartet, each one forcing the central characters deeper into the conflicts between their own beliefs and the reality of the world around them. At the heart of the series is a single question, for which the answer gradually unfolds: did the King really have a plan to save the country from itself? Or was he simply a deluded idealist who has led Falcio and all those who follow him into despair and, ultimately, death.

Although I’m very excited about how readers will react to the ultimate completion of the series, I’m also determined to ensure that each book is complete in and of itself - a tale with a beginning middle and end that doesn’t force the reader to wait a year to reach a satisfying conclusion.

What authors/works have most influenced you and what type of influence (e.g. good/awful) were they?

I have a bit of an odd mix of influences. Reviewers bring up The Three Musketeers quite often (so much so that I’ve taken to describing the book that way too!) But when it comes to adventure stories I’m equally influenced by C. S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower stories - especially the way Hornblower approached every situation and battle as a sort of puzzle that needed to be solved.

From a prose standpoint, I admire the economy of writing from some of the noir authors like Raymond Chandler and, in the modern context, Dennis Lehane.

For dialogue, I learned a great deal from watching Aaron Sorkin shows - his sense of timing is just brilliant. I’m also a big comics fan and I’m a big fan of the way Brian Michael Bendis grounds super-heroic characters in personal relationships just as much as he does in massive plot events.

In the fantasy realm, Roger Zelazny’s Nine Princes in Amber had a big effect on me - particularly the way he could show you the story purely through the eyes of his main character without having to describe every aspect of the world. Finally, Steven Brust was the first author whose work showed me you could have fantasy characters who didn’t speak in fake old-timey dialects.

What is the most satisfying aspect to writing?

If you’re reading this and you’ve always wanted to write a novel, do it. Write your book. Finishing a novel, regardless of what you do with it next, is an incredible feeling. The first book I ever wrote, a  a mystery that wasn’t particularly good, still represents a huge milestone in my life - the difference between trudging from one day to the next and actually having accomplished something that I will forever value.

But the most satisfying feeling? That’s when you read your own book after not having looked at it for a year and realize you wrote the story you most wanted to read.

Excerpted from Chapter 3 of Traitor’s Blade

By Sebastien de Castell

 The fall from the second-floor window of the inn played against my strength. Kest was inhumanly coordinated; he could probably fall from the top of a tower without hurting himself. Brasti was unbelievably lucky and managed to hit a wide awning above the rear entrance. He slid down to the cobblestone courtyard. I was neither agile nor lucky, so I just kind of fell. Hard.

As I rose to my feet I saw eight men arrayed in front of us, all armed with pikes. I hate pikes almost as much as I hate magic. Twelve feet long with a sturdy wooden shaft and a wicked iron spearhead, properly grounded, a pike had enough stopping power to take down a Knight charging in on an armored warhorse. At the same time, it was a simple enough weapon that even an amateur could wield it effectively in battle. And the more men you had with pikes, the easier it was to take out a group of swordsmen, regardless of their skill. 

The Lost Love of a Soldier by Jane Lark Book Blast!

Title: The Lost Love of a Soldier (Marlow Intrigues #4) Author: Jane Lark Genre: Historical Romance 18+ Regency Period Publication Date: July 17, 2014 Publisher: HarperImpulse an imprint of HarperCollins Event Organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis

Young, naïve and innocent, Lady Ellen Pembroke falls for a young army officer. Paul has such an easy enchanting smile and his blue eyes glow, vibrancy and warmth emanating from him. She is in love. Captain Paul Harding, finds his attention captured by the beautiful young daughter of the Duke of Pembroke at a house party in the summer. Finding Ellen is like finding treasure on a battle torn field. His sanity clings to her; something beautiful to remind him that all in the world is not ugly. She’s someone to fight for and someone to survive for when he is called to arms in the battle of Waterloo…

The Lost Love of a Soldier Excerpt

“Ellen?” Paul whispered her name into the night as he heard the rustle of frost bound leaves on the ground. His breath rose in a mist into the cold winter air. He was on the Duke of Pembroke’s land. He’d not dared encourage her to take a horse, so he’d come close enough that she might walk from the house and find him. He waited at the end of an avenue of yews, out of sight of the house, in a place she could easily see him. His horse whickered, sensing something, or someone. “Ellen?” he whispered again. Still no answer. He stayed quiet. Listening. Wondering if she’d been caught as she left the house. He hoped not. If she’d been caught her father would give her no freedom. Short of leading a military assault on Pembroke’s home, he would not be able to get her out then. The horse shook its head, rattling its bit, and snorted steamy breath into the cold air. The chill of the winter night seeped through his clothes. There would be a hard frost. He hoped she’d dressed in something warm. He’d have to buy more clothes for her before they sailed. She would need garments to keep her warm in the sea breezes she’d face on their journey to America. There was another sound. “Ellen?” “Paul?” How did this woman manage to make his heart beat so erratically whenever he saw her? He could run into battle and not be so affected. She looked even more beautiful in the dark. Ethereal. A band of silver light reached through the scudding clouds and caught her face. He let go of the horse’s bridle and instinctively moved forward. He’d never held her. In the summer there had been no moments alone, she’d been strictly chaperoned and even when she’d come to meet him she’d brought the groom and her sister. When they’d met a fortnight ago, she’d still brought a groom. For the first time they were alone. “Ellen.” He stepped forward and embraced her. In answer her arm came about his waist. It was the most precious feeling of his life. He would always remember this day. She was slender and delicate in his arms. She slipped free, but he caught her nape and pulled her mouth to his, gently pressing his lips against hers. It was her first kiss, he knew; he could tell by the way her body stiffened when he‘d pulled her close. He let her go, a tenderness he’d never known before catching in his chest. “Come.” He took the leather bag she carried. “Will you ride before me, or would you rather sit behind my saddle and grip my waist?” “Would it be easier if I ride behind you?” Her voice ran with uncertainty. She was giving up everything to come with him. “Do what feels comfortable for you, Ellen.” She nodded, not looking into his eyes. “I would prefer to ride pillion.” “Then you shall.” He warmed his voice, hoping to ease her discomfort. Turning to the horse he slipped one foot in the stirrup, then pulled himself up. “Did you have any difficulty leaving the house?” “No, the servants’ hall was quiet, and the grooms had all retired.” He rested her bag across his thighs, then held a hand out to her. “Set your foot on mine and take my hand. I’ll pull you up.” He watched her lift the skirt of her dark habit and then the weight of her small foot pressed on his, as her gloved fingers gripped his. She was light, but the grip of her hand and the pressure of her foot made that something clasp tight in his chest, and the emotion stayed clenched as her fingers embraced his waist over his greatcoat. He shifted in the saddle, his groin tightening too. A few more days. Just days. He had been waiting months. As he turned the horse, Ellen’s cheek pressed against his shoulder. “Did you tell anyone you were leaving? Your sister? Or your maid?” “No, I did not want them to have to face Papa knowing the truth. He would be able to see they’d lied, and then who knows what he might do.” Paul urged the mare into a trot as Ellen continued. “He made me spend the day on my knees reading the Commandments because I refused to marry the Duke of Argyle.” “Today?” He wished to look back at her but he could not. Her father had been diabolical to Paul, sneering as though he was nothing when he’d done the decent thing and offered for her. He could not imagine the way Pembroke treated the girls. He had to get Ellen to Gretna before her father caught them, so she never had to come back and face his retribution.      

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Purchase Links

 

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About the Author

Jane is a writer of authentic, passionate and emotional Historical and New Adult Romance, and a Kindle top 25 bestselling author. She began her first historical novel at sixteen, but a life full of adversity derailed her as she lives with the restrictions of Ankylosing Spondylitis. When she finally completed a novel it was because she was determined not to reach forty still saying, I want to write. Now Jane is writing a Regency series and contemporary, new adult, stories and she is thrilled to be giving her characters life in others' imaginations at last. You might think that Jane was inspired to write by Jane Austen, especially as she lives near Bath in the United Kingdom, but you would be wrong. Jane's favourite author is Anya Seton, and the book which drew her into the bliss of falling into historical imagination was 'Katherine' a story crafted from reality. Jane has drawn on this inspiration to discover other real-life love stories, reading memoirs and letters to capture elements of the past, and she uses them to create more realistic plots. 'Basically I love history and I am sucker for a love story. I love the feeling of falling in love; it's wonderful being able to do it time and time again in fiction.' Jane is also a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development in the United Kingdom, and uses this specialist understanding of people to bring her characters to life. Connect with the Author: Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Website    

Giveaway

This giveaway, includes an antique English necklace worth £150, plus signed copies of The Illicit Love of a Courtesan The Passionate Love of a Rake And The Scandalous Love of a Duke

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The Pinkaboos Bitterly and the Giant Problem Spotlight and Giveaway!

Helping Children Fight ear Since May 2014!

Be Sure to Check out the Fearless Giveaway Below! Enter just by commenting!

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This is going to be the best year ever for best friends Bitterly, Abyssma and Belladonna as they are starting a new school year at Fright School! As young frights they'll learn how to chase aware the fears of little human girls by entering their dreams and teaching them how to overcome nightmares. 

But when Bitterly, the most promising fright, is faced with a school bully and some nightmares of her own, she finds help from the last place she expected-the little girl whom she has sworn to protect. Pinkaboos is an empowering new chapter book series for girls and young readers (6-9) that presents the challenges of childhood through the thrilling and magical world of the Pinkaboos. 

Praise for the Pinkaboos chapter books from the author of Monster High: "Facing fears has never been so much fun. The Pinkaboos are ah-dorable!" -Lisi Harrison, author of The Clique, Alphas, Monster High, Pretenders.

(Chapter book for ages 6-9)

PURCHASE THE PINKABOOS

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Laura Gosselin - After receiving her undergraduate degree in English from Cal State University Long Beach in California, Laura Gosselin completed her MFA at Stony Brook Southampton. She has since served as a reporter for a local newspaper in New York, an editor for a national magazine in Vancouver, Canada, as well as senior copywriter for a marketing firm. She currently lives in southern California with her husband and daughter where she works as a creative consultant for Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.

Jake Gosselin completed his undergraduate degree in Anthropology at the University of Toronto before heading to New York where he finished his MFA in English and Writing at Stony Brook/Southampton College of Long Island University. He currently lives in Southern California where he works as an author, freelance writer and website producer for FourSeasons.com.

Connect with The Pinkaboos Team at their:

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** AWESOME GIVEAWAY **

One lucky reader will win a Kindle along with a Kindle copy of The Pinkaboos!

For a chance to win the Kindle,  share your best anecdote on how your child overcame fear!

-We don't need a novel, just simply share how your little hero conquered their biggest fear or helped someone else conquer fear..-

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Books Aren't Just For Reading by Laina Turner Release Blitz!

Title: Books Aren’t Just For Reading
Author: Laina Turner

Genre: Cozy mystery/chick lit

Release Date: January 12, 2014

Release Blitz: July 16th

Blurb:

Trixie and her friends, Berklie and Sophie, are excited about the opening of Read/Wine their new business venture of a bookstore/wine bar. All is going well until they happen to find a dead body in the shop and that wasn’t part of the business plan. All signs pointed to Berklie since it was her ex-husbands lover who was murdered. Trixie knew Berklie hadn’t murdered Sylvia so who did?

Author’s Bio:

As a child Laina thought she would either be a truck driver (thanks to Jerry Reed in Smokey and the Bandit) or work at Taco Bell (her favorite restaurant as a child). As she grew older she realized her talents lay in academics and business and for the last several years has been a business consultant and college professor where she uses the analytical side of her brain and not the side that makes up stories.

Through all her career choices she has continued to have a passion for writing. This stemmed from childhood whereas an only child she developed a vivid imagination spending most of her time making things up and thinking the Incredible Hulk lived in her closet.

Proud of her vast experiences in life from barrel racing to being on the dance team for a semi pro basketball team to being a mom of 2 amazing kids, she tells her family and friends that no one is safe from their escapades slipping in to her books.

Taking the plunge to write books that she actually lets people read in 2010, she has worked her way up to having 5 fans (maybe 6 now). Her blog, The Art Of Living Fabulously, was launched to share the daily fun in the life of a Real Housewife of the Midwest along with the musing of other fabulous ladies.

Author's Website: www.lainaturner.com

http://www.lainaturner.com/books/books-arent-just-for-reading/

https://twitter.com/laina_turner

https://www.facebook.com/LainaTurner

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+LainaTurner/posts

http://www.pinterest.com/lainaturner/