Baby It's Cold Outside by Jenny Gardiner

There’s a pond in the woods back behind our house. A few times over the nearly 20 years we’ve lived here, in Central Virginia, winter has been cold enough for the pond to freeze over. On those times when our kids were little, we had such fun venturing out on the ice and sliding around, defying the strength of the frozen water, trusting that no one would fall through.

One frigid wintry morning years ago, we were scrambling to get everyone dressed, fed, lunches packed and out the door for school, when our young puppy somehow slipped outside and made off for the woods behind our house. The kids bolted after her and found her on the ice—then not frozen through, so her hind leg had slipped into it. Thankfully we were able to rescue her and get the kids to school not too late, with just a bit of early-morning drama!

During this bitterly January cold snap, my husband persuaded me to trek over to the pond to venture out onto the ice. The older I get the more of a weenie I become, so I was somewhat reluctant to go (and was rather comfortable with a cozy fire in the fireplace!), but I also didn’t want him to fall into the ice with no one to save him so we bundled out and headed out to the pond. As you all well know, it’s been a crazy cold winter, and sure enough, that ice was solid. My husband was convinced it was a foot thick. Not totally sure about that, but after a little persuasion I joined him to slip and slide around on it a bit. The far side of the pond doesn’t freeze as much—it’s dammed up and connected to the nearby creek—so we could hear loud cracks and pops coming from that end of things, and could even feel the crackles reverberating beneath our feet. It gave me a healthy respect to not mess too much with Mother Nature!

Well, if you’re like me and opting to stay curled up inside in semi-hibernation mode, I’ve got good news—a new book for you to read! My novel Falling for Mr. Maybe is finally available! Hope you’ll get a chance to check it out and in the meantime, stay warm!

Great news! Red Hot Romeo is free! A hot Italian, a gorgeous supermodel, and fabulous wines…what’s not to love?!

You can check out the first book in the Royal Romeo series for free here:

Kindle: bit.ly/RedHotRomeo
iBooks: http://bit.ly/RHRom
Nook: http://bit.ly/RHRNook
Kobo: http://bit.ly/KoboRHR
Google Play: http://bit.ly/RHRgoogle

Check out my Falling for Mr. Wrong series! Falling for Mr. Wrong,  Falling for Mr. Maybe, and Falling for Mr. No Way in Hell is now available for pre-order.

Lastly, don't forget, book one of the It's Reigning Men series, Something in the Heir, is free here!

I hope you'll have a chance to check out my Royal Romeos series, which is a spin-off of my wildly popular It's Reigning Men series--please do check them out!

Happy reading!

    

  

  

     

Roxanne Snopek: Two Tips for a Healthier 2016!

I’ve got two great things to share with you today: one fitness tip and one recipe. How great is that, being that it’s the first week in January and we’re all focused on starting the new year off right, and aren’t yet depressed because we ended up eating the last of the Christmas fudge instead of throwing it out, like we told ourselves we would?

Anyway, I’ve promised myself for the past several years that I’d get more exercise, particularly yoga, which you’d think would be easy, because I love yoga. Unfortunately, going to yoga class involves leaving the house, a barrier many work-at-home-borderline-kleenex-box-slipper-recluses may recognize.

But recently I discovered a great way to bring the yoga class to me, via apps! Whoo-HOO! All you need is a quiet spot with a mat or carpet, and your favorite device. You get the soothing voice of an instructor, pictures of someone in the postures and voila, you just follow the instructions to bliss and great abs. Or so I tell myself.

Doing yoga – even on vacation - makes me feel better about ...

Here are the three I’ve found:

Down Dog http://web.downdogapp.com/ This has options for your level of experience, the kind of music you want and the length of practice. I’ve done it several times already and really like it. I’m using the free version so far, but there’s also a monthly membership I might upgrade to, if I get bored.

... eating on vacation...

I’ve also downloaded Yoga Studio. http://yogastudioapp.com/ Billed as “The #1 yoga app for iPhone” this one has many more options, making it more customizable to your own needs. As it’s only $3.99, I downloaded it but haven’t tried it yet. Early days.

There’s also All-In Yoga http://sport.com/all_in_yoga.html As I love to have options, I downloaded the free version of this one on my phone too, because, why not, it’s free. I haven’t played around with this yet, to say whether or not I like it.

So far, my “do more yoga this year” resolution is going great, thanks to these apps. (You’ll notice I kept my resolution fairly vague. It’s the key to success.)

As for the recipe, it’s called 5 Minute Magic Green Sauce and it comes from Lindsay of Pinch of Yum. http://pinchofyum.com/5-minute-magic-green-sauce

Or indulging in the occasional Krispy Kreme...

It’s basically a pistachio-avocado pesto. Lindsay says she could eat it every day for the rest of her life and I GET IT. It’s delicious! Here’s the recipe:

5 MINUTE MAGIC GREEN SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

1 avocado

1 cup packed parsley and cilantro leaves (combined)

1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed

2 cloves garlic

Juice of one lime (or two – get lots of limey goodness in there!)

½ cup water

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup shelled pistachios

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.       Pulse all ingredients – except pistachios – in a food processor until incorporated.

2.       Add pistachios and pulse until mostly smooth (depends on what consistency you want.)

3.       Serve as a dip, spread or sauce – or add additional water or oil to thin the sauce for use as a dressing or a marinade.

Lindsay adds that you can sub walnuts or almonds for the pistachios and it’ll work, but she doesn’t think the taste is quite as good. I *LOVE* the pistachio version; those babies are expensive but worth it for this stuff. (I suspect pine nuts would also work but I have no data to back this up at the moment.)

Magic Green Sauce will cancel this out. Right??

I mixed this Magic Green Sauce with cooked farro, spinach and halved cherry tomatoes for a hearty and delicious salad. You could use quinoa or couscous, probably and it would be just as good.

I could eat this up with a spoon. (Actually, I did!) I’m with Lindsay on this: it’s AWESOMELY YUMMY!

Anyone else have current favorite recipes or fitness tips to share? I’m off to do some yoga, followed by some Magic Green Sauce salad. I hope to see lots of suggestions when I come back! J

Got the January blues?

The jury is out on exactly which day of the year is the most depressing, but most agree it's definitely in January. Some say it's the first Monday of the first full week back to work after the holidays. Others say it's the day that the Christmas purchases arrive on the credit card bill.

January probably isn't too bad for those of you in the southern hemisphere. At least you're getting your Vitamin D. Most of us in the Great White North are slogging along under grey skies, through snow, bundled tight with our muscles aching from bracing against the chill. And then the credit card bills arrive on top of the heating bill and, oh yeah, we had those new snow tires, too. Ouch!

To combat that gloom, I've lowered the price on my zaniest, most laughter-filled title, Hustled To The Altar, to a very affordable 99c.

It's a silly caper with con artists and a game designer hero who really does not know when to quit, plus loads of twists and turns all taking place the day before the heroine's wedding.

Ironically, I wrote this story long before I started writing for Montana Born, but it's set in Montana--at a hot springs resort.

There is a cure for the January blues. Now that I've thought of it, I might have to talk to the husband about heading to the ones nearest to us. Here's a photo from when we celebrated our twentieth anniversary at Halcyon Hot Springs.

We had quite a laugh as we read the brochure on this one. It said the secret ingredient in the water that makes it so relaxing--and such a cure for depression--is lithium!

I have to admit, however, that I'm a bit like my hero Con. I don't sit still very well so about fifteen minutes after I begin to cook, I start getting restless.

How about you? Do you enjoy visiting hot springs? Any recommendations? How is your January? Got the blues?

Blurb for Hustled To The Altar:

One Con Artist Bride...

The last thing Renny O'Laughlin wants to do on the day before her wedding is see her eccentric ex-boyfriend--the one with more dollars than sense who provokes the thrill-seeker inside her. But his grandmother just got duped. Renny has to tell Con before she marries another man and leaves forever.

One Innovative Ex-Lover...

Games-inventor Conroy Burke won't buckle to convention, especially marriage. He's crazy about Renny though. She's the only woman able to keep up with him. When she explains how Gran was tricked, he sees an opportunity to convince his wildcard she doesn't really want to settle down.

One chance to sting a professional thief...

Renny agrees to identify the swindler to the police, not expecting a caper with inept kidnappers, an ambitious reporter chasing the story--or her old feelings for Con to resurface. Marriage will make an honest woman of her, but getting Gran's money back would prove it too. It all makes for...

One hectic day before a wedding. 

Buy now:

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook

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Lazy January - Annie West

I love January. I always have. Here in Australia it's summer holiday time. Children are out of school for a couple of months, Christmas is over and, if you're lucky you'll have a little time away from work to recuperate or take a seaside holiday with the family.

Most Januarys I'm busy, since writing doesn't stop just because everyone else is on summer vacation. However, it FEELS different. It feels like holiday time.

A sleep in is understandable in summer, even if most of the time you don't get a chance. It's hot, which means you need to conserve energy by sitting, or even better, lying in the cool shade and reading or getting beaten at a board game by the family. Any outside work is done early in the morning or after the sun goes down (evenings are terrific) and long cool drinks with lots of ice are the order of the day.

The fridge is still full of leftovers, there are mountains of summer fruit to be eaten, like cherries, raspberries and mangos. BBQs and salads are fine for dinner, as are leftovers, which means much less hassle wondering what to cook for everyone. We always seem to manage a picnic in there somewhere. Eating outdoors, preferably with a feast of lovely fresh food and treats left over from the Christmas/New Year round of celebrations is one of my favourite treats.

Of course, while we're lounging, others are busy. In Australia it's tennis season, which means multiple tournaments on tv where you can watch the world's best in top form. If you've got the energy you can go to some of the matches. I'm thinking of Sydney this year for a day watching others swelter and stun me with their talent. Maybe next year I'll make it to Melbourne for the Australian Open (a real treat). There's cricket too. Even if I'm not watching it, I love the sound of it in the background, whether you're outdoors or working at home while others watch it on TV in another room. The gentle pock of the ball, the roar of the crowd and the relaxed pace epitomise summer. What is it about knowing others are working hard in the heat when you're cool and relaxed, that makes you feel good?

Despite my focus on the joys of relaxing in summer (especially with a book, a cool glass and preferably lots of water to loll in) January is the month I feel energised to get things done. Sort out the photos I've been putting off for ages. Find out just what is in the bottom of the cupboard in the spare room. You know, the jobs you never quite find time for in the general day to day rush? It's also the time I like (if I can) to treat myself to spreading a massive jigsaw across the dining room table in the hope others will help me with the hard bits. I love the sloth of summer but I want to achieve something too.

How about you, how do you like to spend your January? Are you caught up in the New Year sales? Following New Year's resolutions? Lying low after a big celebration or diving back into life as normal?

This month Annie's looking forward to the release of her Harlequin Presents Extra: PROTECTED BY THE PRINCE in early February. It's a sexy Cinderella story. A recent Romantic Times review said 'this modern-day fairy tale delights from start to finish'.
You can read an excerpt and behind the scenes information about writing it, or enter a contest to win a signed copy on her website. You can order a copy from Amazon or The Book Depository (free postage anywhere in the world).

You Say It's Your Birthday?!.......

.....it's my birthday, too, yeah!

Alas, it is my birthday today and I'm tempted to use some of that new-fangled math to come up with a number I like more than the real number (doesn't that new math still allow for imaginary numbers?). But, after facing some serious glitches in the matrix of life a couple of years ago, I guess I'm just fine starting my 53rd year on planet Earth.

Even though I'm acknowledging my body's age, I have to say that I don't think I'm really that old yet. At least not in mind and spirit. I still have things to do, places I want to see, people I want to meet, books I want to read...and write...., music to hear and people I want to be like when I grow up!! I think I've always been one of those people who never acts or thinks like their age. Now sometimes, that's not a nice thing to say, but I take it as a compliment because I think, as that "Kick the Can" episode of TWILIGHT ZONE taught us, that you are only as old as you let yourself be.

And, my habit at this time of year, not necessarily New Year, but on my birthday eve, is to think ahead at where I want to be or what I want to have memories of on my next birthday. Since I did this on January 29th, 2008 --

-- I've written two novels, one novella, and a short story,

-- I've signed with a new publisher to write 3 more books,

-- I hired a new agent,

-- I spent 3 weeks traveling all over the UK and got to climb the scaffolding to the top of Rosslyn Chapel, see the Highlands in the middle of a snowstorm, listened to harpists from all over the world, met a world-renowned scientist who spoke on how storytelling is one of two biggest differences between human and ape brains!, visited a library built in the 1700s, and rode buses all over London and Edinburgh, talking to the locals and meeting so many nice people!

-- took my hubby and son (and his friend) from San Francisco to southern California to Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon to Phoenix, meeting friends and romance readers and writers all along the way

-- celebrated countless family and friend birthdays and anniversaries and other happy occasions

-- had a wonderful quiet holiday season at home with family.

Are you tired yet? I am! LOL! So, 2009 has a lot to live up to if I compare it to 2008, but I've discovered that each year is special and offers wonderful occasions and events and milestones to remember. So what can 2009 bring to me to make it stand out.

Well, I think I am on the brink of a wonderful year ahead. How do I know? According to my horoscope over at Astrology Zone.com 2009 is MY YEAR! Okay, I have to share this fantabulous year with other Aquarians, but I'm willing because apparently there's lot of fabulous to share. I take horoscopes with a grain of salt, of course, but the last time Jupiter was in my sign (12 years ago in 1997) I finished my second manuscript, was on Lifetime TV with Debbie Macomber and Harlequin editor Paula Eyckelhof promoting it , I signed with my first agent, and sold my first book! So, I'm thinking this whole 'Jupiter in Aquarius' thing could be good again for me?

What do I hope for? Where do I want to be on birthday eve 2010?

The answer is the same each year -- to be surrounded by family and friends, to be in good health, to be writing books that my readers enjoy, to be seeing the places I want to see, doing the things I enjoy, meeting the people I like and new ones, too, and just being here.

The rest of it is all icing on the cake of life -- to be enjoyed, to make memories, but not essential to my savoring the plain, simple parts.

So yes! It's my birthday, too, yeah! How do you celebrate your birthday? Do you look behind or look ahead? What's the best thing, personally or professionally, that happened to you in 2008? Leave a comment and share it with me and I'll send something out to 2 randomly-selected posters, not limited to Aquarians so as to spread the good cheer around!

Terri

Terri's next release will be her Harlequin Historical UNDONE!, available online in June 2009, followed by the first book in her new "Knights of Brittany" trilogy, THE CONQUEROR'S LADY, for Harlequin Historicals, available in bookstores and online in July 2009. Then, watch for her first Kensington BRAVA historical romance, A STORM OF PASSION, available in December 2009. Visit her website at:

www.terribrisbin.com for more info on books, Terri, contests and everything!