Smutty Sunday 9/22/13

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NetGalley Roundup

 

1. Jagged by Kristen Ashley

Colorado Mountain Men series by Kristen Ashley is probably one of my favorite KA series. The other being the ‘Burg series. Individually, I like some of her other books, but not the whole kit and caboodle. I was so excited to get my advance copy of Jagged. I pushed everything aside just so I could read it as soon as it hit my grubby little fingers. I was expecting a GREAT read in line with Sweet Dreams and Lady Luck. Instead, I got a story I was able to put down at will. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem. But for me to be able to STOP reading a KA book and walk away was telling. And all that it was saying wasn’t good.

Now don’t get me wrong, the book was good. And if some other writer had written this story, I would hazard to say it would have been a solid read for me. But I expect certain things from a KA book. One is length. And this book is about half of her other books in this series in word count and pages. Right there, that was a HUGE let down. And the drama was missing. Not that there wasn’t drama, but it was not high octane-can’t put the book down- must know what happens next- kind of drama. It was run of the mill kinda drama.

I liked Zara. I liked Reece. I didn’t like their pet names, Cookie and Ham, respectively. Most of all, I didn’t buy their relationship. I didn’t like them together. Don’t get me wrong, they had a certain amount of chemistry together. But it wasn’t the deep, all the way to the marrow of the soul deep. Not like say Joe and Vi. Or Tate and Laurie. It just felt like they were just at the right place at the right time to get together. The whole, even if it isn’t the right time, it isn’t the right place and this is the crappiest shit going on ever, I can’t stop myself from falling into you, grabbing onto you and keeping you forever and ever. Amen.

Maybe my expectations were too high. I dunno. But something was missing for me in this book. And it wasn’t just pages. From another author, I would be gushing cause this was a good book with decent characters and well-plotted story. But from KA? Not so much.

 

2. Mine To Keep by Cynthia Eden

Skye and Trace are back making another appearance in Mine to Keep after a riveting performance in Mine to Take. I’m pretty sure that this series will focus on two other main characters as it continues to play out. But it was good that Skye and Trace got this story because there were some loose ends that definitely need to be wrapped up.

One of those loose ends was Trace’s past. In Mine to Take, it was Skye’s past that came back to bit them on the ass. In Mine to Keep, Trace’s past was front and center in the drama unfolding in their lives.

I knew going into this book that I like these two characters. That they had GREAT chemistry, plus an entwined past and some demons that they needed to excise. So there wasn’t any of the angst I get reading a story about whether I’m gonna like the hero or the heroine. If the author made one too weak or whinny or in some other way portrayed them with characteristics I find annoying. Nope, I KNEW I liked these two and I like reading about them.

I also expected that once it was Trace’s past coming back to haunt them, that it would be about his time in the military- when he was away from Skye. Trace really didn’t want Skye to know about that part of his life. He wasn’t exactly proud of that period. But crazy was finding them and that very crazy made sure Skye knew exactly what Trace didn’t want her to know. What I didn’t expect was the twist that came. Surprised the hell out of me. Cause I thought I knew who the bad guy was. I was wrong.

Now, reading a story- a romantic suspense- is about the only time I will say this and mean it. I LOVE when I am wrong. It means the author did her job and did it well.

 

3. Hell Without You by Ranae Rose

All the pieces to Hell Without You were in the story to make it a good read. However, their combination still fell flat for me. I didn’t buy the reason that Clementine and Donovan were apart for so long. Once they were away from the town, they should have been able to get back together or just get in touch without any threat hanging over their head. With that said, if I suspend my rational mind and go with the premise, I can buy that they get back together when she comes back to her hometown and runs into him at her grandmother’s old house. A house that was sold off after her grandmother dies. To… you guessed it, Donovan.

The sale of grandma’s house to Donovan was the part I was able to believe the most about the story. Except… her parents hate him and would never sell to him. Ever. Okay. So I suspend belief for that and the rest falls pretty much in line from there. It seems like the plot turns are all plausible… on the surface, but once you really think about it in the context of the story, then not so much.

I get that fiction is about suspending belief, but it should at least fit with the characters as they are portrayed. And that was the problem in this story, at least for me. No amount of suspending reality was going to make the characters’ action believable. Not given the back story for each character. And the slight suspense at the end? Trite. I didn’t believe the initial reason for  the suspense and I DEFINITELY didn’t believe the resolution.

This book wasn’t terrible. The editing was good. The timeline was spot on. But it was the characters’ action in the context of the situations in which they were placed that made this book a so-so read for me.

 

4. Midnight Lies by Ella Grace

Midnight Lies is the second in Ella Grace’s Wildefire series about three sisters in a small southern town. Overall, the plotting was tight, the editing great and the characters sympathetic. I thought the suspense was well-done and the story kept me engaged.

But I had the same problem with this book as I had with the first book in this series. I thought the heroines were both fairly spineless and WAY too forgiving. WAY. There were many times I would read something asshole-ish the hero would do and the heroine would be all immediately forgiving. Samantha forgave Quinn way too easily. And fell into bed with him way too fast. Especially given what he’d done to her the last time they were in bed together. Seriously? And in my opinion, in this book as in real life when you don’t hold a person’s feet to the fire, they keep repeating the same actions towards you again and again. Quinn would push Sam away or be an ass and then be contrite. And Sam would immediately forgive him. End of story. It made me not respect her at all. And hello… the level of her guilt for thinking he’d done something when he hadn’t in the course of DOING HER JOB was not understandable. Dude, she’s  a cop. She HAS to ask questions when a crime’s been committed. It’s not about you.

There is so much to like about this story. There is so much to like about the series. So much. But wimpy heroines killed it for me. I just got fed up.

 

Non-NetGalley Books

 

5. Nocturne by Andrea Randall and Charles Sheehan-Miles

Okay. Now I’m back and ready to give my thoughts on the book and Savannah and Gregory. Let me start by saying that I wasn’t prepared to like this book. I’m not a big fan of adultery in novels. Not at all. It squicks me out. If I want real life shit, I’ll crack open a newspaper or watch E!. And I won’t go so far as to say that it was just fine and dandy in this book. What saved this sitch for me was that I felt like Gregory’s wife was the other woman. Yes, yes I know he was married to her and not to Savannah. But still. There are love links that can’t be bridged even when someone else gets to the vows first.

Gregory was socially retarded. Seriously. And Savannah, the youngest of the three of these mooks, was the most mature. I didn’t totally agree with all her decisions, but then again I don’t totally agree with anybody’s decisions. And you just knew when she and Gregory got back together, their connection was too deep to be denied. And yes, Gregory’s wife knew how he felt about Savannah and married him anyway. Get a clue. You can’t marry Romeo and expect him to deny Juliet when she comes back in the picture. Just. Not. Gonna. Happen. EVER.

Overall this read was awesome. The world building in the classical musical world was spot on. The characters were more than three dimensional. And the plot rocked.

I highly recommend this book. HIGHLY.

Open Road Release, Cover Reveal and Snippet

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OpenRoad_200Just a quick note about Open Road. It was first published in Jupiter Gardens Press’s anthology Hot Rods, Hot Bods back in July of this year. The story by itself will be releasing on September 26, 2013. It’s a little longer than a short story and a little shorter than most novellas. The term I’ve heard bandied about is novelette.

In any event, Open Road will be available as a stand alone story with it’s own beautiful cover. The cover is being shown here for the very first time. How awesome is that? I don’t have links to the individual story yet. As soon as I do, I will add them to this page and the home page where I announce stuff as well as the Titles page. Meanwhile, in celebration–even though it truly isn’t a first time release, I thought I would add a small little snippet from it in advance of it’s individual release date.

I know the story’s short. It was meant to be. But there’s more coming. Because like many of my stories, my brain works in series. And with these three people, Open Road is just the beginning. It tells the tale of how Zoe, Deke and Nathan met, what has propelled them toward each other and their future that will be teased out in yet-to-be written books. Because unlike my other series that I’m currently working on, the books in this series will be about Zoe, Deke and Nathan as they navigate their new relationship in addition to their careers as a stunt woman- her, and bounty hunters- the boys. A motocross racer turned stunt woman and two hot bounty hunters couldn’t get into any trouble… could they?

Starting Monday, if you leave a comment on the post about the Six-Pack Stud-A-Thon Blog Hop and Giveaway, I will randomly pick a winner to get a copy of Open Road. Click on the Home Page button to see the prizes being given away as part of the Grand Prize- one of the listed prizes are undies! OMG. Seriously? I hope they are clean… ! lol

Blurb:

Zoe Akio is a professional dirt bike racer who decides to ride her motorcycle across the country and think about a future post motocross racing. Her manager hires two bodyguards, Deke and Nathan, to travel with her. The three weeks with the three of them in close quarters changes all of their lives as a new, unexpected road opens up.

Excerpt:

“Finish her,” Deke commanded. “I’m dying over here.”

Nathan slid his finger forward and began to work her clit. Fast, furious without being too hard. He paid attention to her reaction. As soon as he could tell he had the proper pressure and speed, he kept it up until she came with a deep shudder. Nathan swallowed her moans with his mouth.

When he pulled back she was dazed. And incredibly aroused even though she had just come, as if the adrenaline rush wasn’t doing enough to ramp up her body. Those two were a lethal combination. She couldn’t believe they had brought her off in the parking lot of her favorite bar. And she had wanted it. More than enjoyed it.

She wasn’t normally so free with her affections. At least not to strangers she’d just met in a bar. But Deke and Nathan weren’t really strangers. They were her bodyguards. Besides, she’d lived her life in a tight, narrow bubble for so long, she’d never had wild and crazy like many of the other women she knew.

She’d never even had a one-night stand or picked up a guy in a bar. Her life, up until this moment, was defined more by what she hadn’t done than what she had.

She wanted to start a new chapter in her life. Part of that was grabbing for the brass ring when the ring presented itself to her. All tied up in a bow with Deke and Nathan underneath it. She could have stopped and pulled back. Withdrawn. But to hell with living her life confined. She wanted to experience life in large, joyful gulps, not take tiny sips.

Hot Rods, Hot Bods Buy links:

HotRodsHotBods_200
AllRomance
Barnes and Noble
Coffee Time Romance
Amazon
BookStrand

Random Thoughts- Author Comment on Reviews

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So much talk about this subject. So many words flying around the internet and swirling around the inside of people’s minds. Jesus, you’d think this was something serious and shit.

Look authors write. Readers read and, sometimes, review. That’s just the way it is. People get butt hurt about a lot of things. So is it any wonder that authors get butt hurt about less than stellar reviews? No. Is it any wonder that readers get butt hurt about being called to the carpet over their less than stellar reviews? No. It is what it is.

The debate flying around is whether authors should reply to reviews- at all. Some take this even further and say authors shouldn’t even look at reviews. La-di-fucking-da.  Are you frickin’ kidding me? Really? This is akin to telling teens to just say no -or- to wait until marriage to have sex. Not. Fucking. Gonna. Happen. EVER. If you are of the opinion that it could/should/would… I have some swamp land in Alaska to sell you. No, no, I really do.

Now, keep in mind that the internet is full of rude, obnoxious people who are able to hide their identity. So… starting from the premise that not only are there assholes in the world, but there are relatively anonymous assholes that inhabit this world and you begin to see the dilemma before us. Being faceless on the web seems to give people the courage and/or stupidity they would not have or exercise otherwise. Because these people allow an endless amount of drivel and shit to spew from their fingertips.

Look, just because we can’t see each other–can’t see the hurt on the faces of people as we cause pain with our words– doesn’t mean the normal rules of polite discourse should be ignored. It shouldn’t. Childish rhymes notwithstanding, words can hurt and wound. Plus, you never know, the person you are directing your vitriolic garbage to might be unhinged and hunt you down like Predator did Alien.

That’s not to say that honesty shouldn’t be part of the internet opinion exchange. It should. If you think a book sucked. Say so. If it was great. Say so. Just don’t say it like a dick. And maybe focus on the book or the cover or that the moons didn’t align, and not the author. And if a reviewer is being dick and not focusing on the book or dim chakras or the use/non-use of a word, then I actually think it’s okay to call that reviewer out. But don’t be a dick back. A few non-dickish words to point out the focus of the the review wasn’t the book under review might be appropriate, or a hey sorry you didn’t like the book. Again, emphasis on not being a dick. By authors, readers or reviewers.  On the other hand, sometimes, it just spools up the dickish behavior even more. It’s a judgment call. On the part of the people involved in the book and the review. The rest of us can have an opinion on what’s happening, but really we should stay out of the fray and just watch the train wreck as it happens. Rubbernecking is a spectator sport, not a participant activity. Plus, when the spectators jump in, well, we become the de facto dicks. Don’t be a dick.

It should be the guiding principle on both sides of this debate- DON’T BE A DICK. And if you can’t figure out who the dickish asshole is in the melee… well, it’s probably you.

 

Writing Evolution

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I think that no matter what you do, if you do it a lot and consistently, you get better at it. I read some of my earlier stuff and some of it makes me cringe. Seriously. Cringe. Worthy. I can’t really even reread my stuff because I’m all like holy shit… what was I thinking? Obviously not a lot ’cause I put these words to a page. It’s not that it’s total crap. My early stories just aren’t as good as what I am writing today. I mean an editor/publisher decided they wanted some of those stories. So it’s not just my opinion that they’re not total shit, but worthy of being put out there. But…but… but… I can do so much better now.

I don’t think trying to measure my work then to my work now is really fair to myself. But what-the-hell-ever. It’s not about fairness. It’s about evaluating my evolution as a writer.

Am I glad I write better now? You bet. Otherwise, I’d be a stagnate tadpole all swimming in the same pond, using the same tricks, and writing at the same level.

And as much as I hate editing, I have to say having outside of just plain writing more–all the time, every day– editors have done me a world of frickin’ good. Evaluating my writing myself and having my writing be evaluated by others is a necessary part of growing as a fiction author. As a writer period. It has been too long since I’ve had another person redline my work, call me on my bullshit, and generally tell me when I am being a douche with the written word. It’s painful- sure. But NECESSARY. So.

You know, I haven’t been writing for very long. Well, fiction writing as a job, anyway. And it’s been steep learning curve from writing dry technical pieces to engaging fiction works. It’s not a switch I can flip quick. I don’t think it’s a switch anyone can toggle rapidly. It’s been a slow process. But I’m getting there.

A big part of my evolution in becoming, hopefully, a better writer has been attending conferences and workshops and stuff (and that’s in addition to having someone edit my pieces with a dark red pen). I can’t tell you how learning from those who have been there and done that has helped. Immeasurably. Seriously. So to all those who have taken the time to teach, to give… Thank You! I hope one day I’m in a position to return that favor. Until then though, I will keep plugging away at getting better. Making more compelling stories.

It is my fervent wish that those of you who read what I’ve written today, keep reading what I write later. Cause I am only getting better. With time. With age. With experience. It’s only been a year–almost a year exactly–since I started writing fiction for realz, yo. I can’t wait to see where I’m at when another year goes by. I hope you can’t either.

Music Monday 9/16/13

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It’s that time again. Gonna go back to the 80s this time. Here are some tunes that make me happy. It’s a huge mash up of artists and styles. A real reflection of what I listened to, what I liked and what still makes me smile.

First up is some Judas Priest. Yeah, that’s right. The song I chose is You Got Another Thing Coming. Funny story. Not from the 80s but from the 90s. A cover band in Branson, Missouri played this song for me and started off an evening I have never forgotten. It involved a guy with one leg who had one brother named Daryl and another brother named Daryl- I kid you not… it’s how he introduced them, some cops, a local party house and memories that have lasted. Those of you who went with me, a group of 20-something law students, got an eye opening experience that night. It was AWESOME! lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWhInhE6emE

Next up is some Run DMC. I have never, not ever, subscribed to the theory that one type/genre of music is better than another. I like and listen to EVERYTHING. And this includes rap music. I liked it when it begin, when it went through growing pains and I still like it today. What’s not to like- it’s got beat, heart and speaks to the underdog, oppression and telling a story. Well, at the least, the best raps do. And the best rappers? Well, they can turn it on it’s head. And combine some Aerosmith as well. Run DMC was all that and a bag a chips. I got two selections. One is Walk this Way featuring Aerosmith. The other is pure 80s DMC, Can You Rock It Like This. I gotta say… I had a HARD time choosing the second selection.

Now the next artist blew up the 80s. And the 90s and the new millennium. Madonna. Need I say more? I remember my head cheerleader brought her record back from New York. It was totally bootlegged. The sound was terrible. But the music? The music was incredible. And thus, my love affair with the pop diva herself was born. Lots of selections from her. The one I selected is a different kind of groove. All the more sensual for the understated quality. It’s a naughty song. But then again, I’m a naughty girl who writes naughty stories. So I guess, Madonna’s Where Life Begins, is exactly where I was to end this Music Monday. Although, her entire Erotica album ROCKS!

FarSeen Snippet 2

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This is the second of four snippets that I will post. Hope you enjoy. 😉

**Preorder: 6th September 2013 (the book becomes available to preorder through the TEB website)
**Prerelease: 20th September 2013 (the book becomes available to buy through the TEB website)
**General Release: 18th October 2013 (the book becomes available through all outlets)

FarSeen

Here’s the blurb:

Taking a break from finding the cure for a magic sickness killing witches, Evangeline (Evie) Parker picks up Drew for a night of hot sex. One night is not enough, however. In strange twist of fate, Trent, Drew’s partner also comes into Evie’s life. One night is definitely not enough when two becomes three. As they come together, they realize while separately they are good, together they are great.

All Hallows Eve is the time when the cure to the magic sickness is predicted to make itself known. Combining magic and sex on that special night cures more than the magic sickness afflicting the witch community, it also cures three lonely hearts.

FARSEEN is hot and sweet in a small tasty bite. It is filled with sex magic, lit up chakras and hearts slowly opening up to each other.

 

Snippet:

When she woke up, it was to him staring at her. He smiled at her when she opened her eyes. “Morning, Evie.”

“Morning, Drew,” she yawned at him. “Need coffee.”

She was so not a morning person. And she needed caffeine like a heroin addict needed their fix in the mornings.

Drew reached over and picked up the phone on the nightstand. She heard him tell the person on the other end that they needed coffee and two American breakfasts ASAP. Then she felt him push some magic through the line. No doubt their room service would be showing up pretty quickly, from the push she felt.

“You are my god,” she told him when he hung up. “I need caffeine and food, in that order.”

Not real sure about the whole morning-after protocol, she was relieved to sense that he wasn’t going to just shove her out of the door. Not that she had any illusions that they had a relationship or something after last night, but she still didn’t want to feel all weird and what not. Plus, maybe she could get a little morning action before she took off to her stillroom.

He was drifting his fingers lazily over her skin as she burrowed closer to his body heat. They had just started fooling around with more serious intent when she heard the knock on the door. Damn that push he’d sent. Just a little longer and she would have had some morning joy.

 

FarSeen Banner

OtherKind Series

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I wrote about how my brain thinks in series, mostly, and not standalone books a few days back. It does. Apparently, that is how my brain is wired. As a result, I have a Paranormal Romance series- OtherKind, with witches, shifters, fae and vampires and sundry of other paranormal creatures. It’s a world shared by humans. It is an interesting world. A world where monsters can be anyone and heroes tested in life or death situations. And where love relationships rarely, if ever, happen with just two people.

Total-E-Bound is publishing two novellas that make up the prequel to the issues that the protagonists will face in the books that follow. Yes, a two book prequel. I know most people have one book as the prequel. But that can’t be helped. My prequel needs two novellas to start the story arc. So that’s what there is. So there. The first novella is called FarSeen and it is being released as part of the Wanton Witches line. The second, Night Blind,  just got a contract offer. I haven’t got a release date yet. But I am hoping it will be sometime in December. My fingers are crossed.

The next two books in the series starts the main show. One is a novella and the other is a novel. They are stories about how the different Others come out to the humans, who will be in control of the world and the age-old battle between good and evil. By the time the story arc wraps up, the world as the people in my books know it is changed as are the people themselves. Some parts of the world are better, others not so much. There is love and betrayal. Lust and denial. Friends who become enemies and enemies who become allies.

A tall order in the grand scheme of things. Even with multiple books, these subjects will never get fully exhausted. Universal questions will never get a definitive answer. But the OtherKind series will showcase humor, strength and being true to oneself in the face of change- drastic, monumental, world-shifting change. And I hope you come to love the characters as much as I love them. And get lost in the world like I have. Welcome to my mind- told and seen, in the form of a series.

FarSeen Available to PreOrder from Total-E-Bound

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I don’t hawk my wares too often. I think door-to-door salesman are only just slightly less annoying than those that are in a sell, sell, sell mode constantly. So I mostly just give a brief public service announcement and attempt to sparingly share my release day joy. In furtherance of sharing said joy, my witchy, magical menage is available for preorder at TEB. The preorder price is 15% off the cover. Three other authors have a release in the same Wanton Witches series begin offered by TEB just in time for Halloween. It’s scarily good. 😉 Just click on the cover and it will take you to the site.

FarSeen

 

Blurb:

Three lonely souls find each other and the cure to a disease ravaging the witching community on All Hallows Eve.

Taking a break from finding the cure for a magic sickness killing witches, Evangeline—Evie—Parker picks up Drew for a night of hot sex. One night is not enough, however. In a strange twist of fate, Trent, Drew’s partner, also comes into Evie’s life. One night is definitely not enough when two become three. As they come together, they realise that while separately they are good, together they are great.

All Hallows Eve is the time when the cure to the magic sickness is predicted to make itself known. Combining magic and sex on that special night cures more than the magic sickness afflicting the witch community, it also cures three lonely hearts.

 

FarSeen Banner

Eggplants for Fall

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It’s September. I don’t care what the calendar says. I don’t care what conventional wisdom or the Farmer’s Almanac says. When kids go back to school, the end of summer is at hand. Fall, as a result, is just around the corner. When I think of fall, I think of veggies. Summer makes me think of fruit. But fall, fall is reserved for cool veggies that are ripe when summer is late and fall is early. Below are two recipes. One for a Eggplant Parmigiana. The other for Eggplant Caponata. Both are Italian dishes. I dunno why, I dunno how and I don’t care, but the Italians can cook the hell out of those weird looking purple vegetables. Seriously, yum.

The best Eggplant Parmigiana I’ve ever eaten was at a little bistro in Rome. It wasn’t deep-fat fried. It wasn’t heavily breaded. It showcased the eggplant, fresh marinara and even fresher mozzarella. Simple. And really frickin’ fabulous. Two of my girlfriend’s and I stayed in Rome for a week, checking out various eateries. We found this little place near the Borghese Gardens and even nearer to the Spanish steps. It was the only cafe we went back to again and again during our stay. We couldn’t get enough of their eggplant parmigiana. Sadly, when one of those two girlfriends went back to Rome at a later date, the little cafe was out of business. We should all observe a moment of silence for this sad fact. In any event, I hope you enjoy the following recipe.

The next recipe I’m going to share is for Eggplant Caponata. The best I’ve tasted is at a little restaurant in Anchorage, Alaska called Villa Nova. If you’re ever there, go. Get the Caponata for an appetizer and the Tournados Gorgonzola as your main dish. The Tournados aren’t always on the menu, but they’ll make it for you anyway if you just ask. Caponata is typically a Silician dish. And on toasted bread rounds or even toasted bread points, it rocks. Like seriously ROCKS. Most places don’t add the extra pine nuts and feta. But the feta makes this dish. It complements the other flavors- sweet & sour, in the Caponata to perfection. I make a huge batch and freeze it so I can always pull out more for later. Sometimes- shhhh, don’t tell anybody- I just eat it by the spoonful. Enjoy!

~Tip: roast a huge batch of eggplant so that you have enough for both recipes. Eggplant roasting time for the Caponata is longer, but since you are probably going to cook the eggplant for the Parmigiana in batches, the extra time shouldn’t be a problem.  It’s a time saver, y’all~

Eggplant Parmgiana

– mostly Roman Style

~ you can skip a lot of steps by buying high quality marinara in a jar instead of making yours fresh. Not as good, but saves time.

Ingredients

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 medium carrot, finely grated
  • 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled, whole tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices reserved
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 large eggplant
  • 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, sliced
  • 1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/8-inch thick (to kick it up a notch find buffalo mozzarella)
  • 1/2 cup (or more) freshly grated Parmesan
  • 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs, lightly toasted under a broiler or in a skillet (optional)

Instructions

  1. Start by making the tomato sauce. In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion (and a pinch of salt) and cook for a few minutes until it softens; then add the garlic and wait for both to turn a light golden brown.
  2. Add the thyme and carrot and cook five minutes more; then add the tomatoes and juice, a pinch of salt, bring to a boil–stirring often–and then lower to a simmer. Cook like this for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce looks thick and tastes terrific (adjust with more salt, as necessary). Set aside.
  3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  4. Oil a baking sheet with olive oil.
  5. Slice each eggplant into 6 pieces about 1 to 1/2-inches thick; place as many slices as you can on to the baking sheet (you’ll have to do this in batches), drizzle them with a little more olive oil, salt and pepper. Pop into the hot oven and bake until they’re deep brown on top, about 15 minutes. Remove the eggplant slices to a plate to cool and roast the remaining eggplant.
  6. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. In a large baking pan, begin your layering. Start with the largest pieces of eggplant on the bottom, then a layer of tomato sauce, basil (if using), one slice of mozzarella for each eggplant slice, and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Top with a layer of smaller eggplant slices, more sauce, more basil, more mozzarella and more Parmesan. If you have more eggplant and cheese to work with, you can do another layer, but I stopped here. Finish by topping the whole baking pan with the breadcrumbs. ~ to make this more like the one I ate in Rome, leave off the breadcrumbs and add a little more cheese.
  7. Place in the oven and bake until golden on top and the cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Serve it up hot!

 

Eggplant Caponata

Ingredients

*1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds)
*Good olive oil
*4 ounces jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
*1/2 cup large green olives, pitted and chopped
*1 cup chopped yellow onion
*1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
*1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
*3 tablespoons minced parsley
*2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
*2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
*2 tablespoons drained capers
*2 tablespoons tomato paste
*1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (for variety try a balsamic vinegar)
*2 teaspoons kosher salt
*1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
*1/4 cup fresh feta- Greek or French

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

2. Place the whole eggplant on the pan, prick with a fork in several places, and rub with olive oil. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until the eggplant is very soft when pierced with a knife. Set aside to cool. Halve the eggplant, peel, and discard the skin. Place the eggplant, peppers, and olives in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until coarsely chopped. Pour into a mixing bowl.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onion and red pepper flakes and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the onion is lightly browned. Add the garlic, cook for 1 minute, and add to the eggplant mixture. Add the parsley, pine nuts, lemon juice, capers, tomato paste, vinegar, salt, and pepper and mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature with toasted pita triangles.

4. Sprinkle with fresh Greek or French whole milk feta and extra pine nuts.

Home Run Snippet 3

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Home Run was released last month from Rebel Ink. Working on the next book about a soccer player, a secret/not so secret baby and all because of a one night stand. But until then, hopefully, this little bit from Home Run will tide y’all over.

HomeRun_Cover

Blurb:

Daniela Sinclair is a trust fund baby who believes she can make a difference in the world by making the wishes of sick children come true. Noah Barker is a major league baseball player from a common background who agrees to fulfill a sick child’s wish. Together they burn up the sheets. Unfortunately, they also cause a family member to burn in anger. In a stunning case of betrayal, the home run ending they both envisioned is threatened and they teeter on the brink of striking out.

 

Snippet:

She gave herself a once over in the mirror knowing Noah was impatiently waiting downstairs. She was running late.

After a last glance in the mirror finding nothing amiss, she grabbed her evening clutch and went to join Noah.

She saw him before he saw her and he took her breath away. He was cute in his baseball uniform. He looked smoking hot in a pair of jeans. She’d seen him in a suit and that particular look always turned her on. But in his tux he looked fabulous. She could only stand and stare at him.

He turned and his eyes widened. “You’re lucky Reggie’s a friend of mine or I’d lock you in the bedroom and never let you out.”

“Umm, I’m not thinking that makes me lucky, Noah.”

“Yeah, I hear you,” he shot back. “I’ve always thought you were beautiful. But that dress? Shit, babe, beautiful doesn’t do you justice.”

“You are so getting laid tonight,” she laughed at him.

“Already knew that,” he said smugly.

She laughed as she went to him.