Thank you, Dear Reader!

Every now and then I will open my messages to find an unexpected note from a reader. I can't tell you how much this means to me. As a writer, my dream is to touch the hearts of everyone who reads my books in some way.

After spending the past week immersed in readying my next book for release, to find a reader has taken the time to tell me they are enjoying my work is the validation needed to keep moving forward. 

I guess I just wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your continued support. Just know that every kind word spoken or written to me is filed away in a very special place in my heart. 

Thank you dear reader, for being you! 

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday!

I hope you enjoy the little snippets from my books.

Killer Scents

Serial Killer/Romantic Suspense

 He drew a deep breath and then let it out slowly.

Calm down, you’ve been over this a hundred times. Stick to the plan and nothing can go wrong.

A quick look up and down the street assured him he was safe to step out of the shadows. He quickly rounded the corner of the house and knocked on her front door.

Ready or not...it’s time to die.

Purchase Link

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Coming Soon!

Becca and Randy are Harley-riding detectives who join forces to find the ruthless killer the press have dubbed The Florist. What does the flower he places in his victim's hands have to do with the sick, twisted way he ends their lives? Will they track him down before he strikes again, or will a turn of events find one of them at the mercy of a demented killer

Touching Base

I thought I'd slide by and say hello. I know I've been MIA this week, but with good reason. I'm hard at work revising Killer Scents. I am making sure it's nice and polished before release day!

I hope you will agree it was worth the wait after you read it. 

Stay tuned. If you haven't signed up for my Newsletter, you might want to do so now. Last edition I drew a name from my subscribers. Terri H from Texas won a print copy of my Iron Horse Rider Trilogy Special Edition. What will I give away next? 

You can sign up on the main page of my website. 

Stop by Six Sentence Sunday here on my blog. This Sunday I will share six sentences from Killer Scents!

Until then,

Have fun and Play nice :) 

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday!

I hope you enjoy the little snippets from my books.

Crucified

Romantic Suspense/Biker Fiction

 Painfully, she managed to inch her way across the rank mattress and wedge herself upright in the corner. With every move, the duct tape binding her wrists and ankles bit into her flesh.

An insurmountable desire to scream was stifled by the duct tape her captor had pulled taut across her mouth. She’d only seen him once since being brought here and even then the darkness hid his identity. He’d stayed long enough to snap a picture before he slipped through the partially open doorway. The sound of it locking behind him resounded through the room.

Purchase Link

Crucified

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Thirteen Cool Treats for a Hot Day

Thirteen Cool Treats for a Hot Day

Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcakes
1 cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup superfine sugar
1 cup chocolate ice cream (for filling)
1.5 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (for glaze)
4 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/3 cup heavy cream (for glaze)
4 eggs

 Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Place 18 paper baking cups in muffin pans. Combine all the cupcake ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with an electric beater until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the batter into the cups. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack. When cool, slice the cupcakes horizontally and spread a little softened ice cream on the bottom slice. Place the top back on the cupcake and freeze.
Prepare the glaze by melting the chocolate in a double boiler, or a medium bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring until completely melted. Remove from the heat. Add the cream and stir until well combined. Cool slightly and spoon over the cupcakes.

Return to the freezer to set.

Chocolate Milkshake Float

2 oz (55 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 scoops vanilla ice cream

4 scoops chocolate ice cream

shaved chocolate, for garnish

1 cup whole milk, as needed

1/3 cup boiling water

Combine the chopped chocolate and boiling water in a blender, and process until the chocolate is melted. Add the chocolate ice cream and about three-quarters of the milk. Process until smooth, adding enough milk to give the milk shake the desired consistency. Pour into 2 glasses. Top each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Sprinkle with chocolate and serve.

Banana Chocolate Smoothie

1 banana

1 cup milk

2 tbsp chocolate sauce

Chocolate for topping

1 scoop vanilla ice cream

2 tsp sugar (can substitute w honey)

Decorate the glass with chocolate sauce and keep it in the freezer, this way it does not melt and mess up.  Blend the pieces of banana, 1/4 cup of milk, 2 tsp sugar, chocolate sauce in a mixer or blender until smooth. Add the remaining milk and blend it for one last time. Blend the ice cream with the shake OR ice cream as a topping. Decorate with chocolate flakes and chocolate sauce.

 Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

2 sticks butter (1 cup)

1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 t baking powder
1/2 t espresso powder
2 c chocolate chips (semi sweet or dark if you prefer)

Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer in a large bowl.  Add eggs and blend.  Add cocoa and espresso powder and combine.  Add flour, salt, baking powder and espresso powder and mix on low until combined.  The dough will be very thick and a bit unruly.  Just work with it.  Stir in chocolate chips.  I dumped the dough out onto parchment paper and formed it into a log and wrapped it up.  This way I could slice the cookies to be a bit more uniform for the sandwiches.  Do what you please.  I let the dough chill in the fridge overnight.  When ready to bake preheat oven to 350.  Form flat, medium sized cookies.  Bake for 10 minutes.  You want them to be on the undercooked side.  Let the cookies cook completely.  With soft ice cream scoop a ball onto underside of one cookie and spread slightly.  Press another cookie on top.  With a knife, add ice cream to fill in the sides.  Wrap individually in plastic wrap.  Freeze for about 2 hours.  

        

Panda Freeze

1 scoop vanilla ice cream

1/2 ounce white crème de menthe (or peppermint schnapps)

2 ounces Baileys mint chocolate liqueur

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Combine the ice cream, Baileys and crème de menthe in a blender and blend for about 5 seconds. Add about 1/2 cup of ice and blend until smooth. (If the ice cream is too soft, add a few more ice cubes to make it thicker.) Add the chocolate chips and blend for 2 seconds (just enough to fold them into the mix).   Pour into a tall glass.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Parfait

5 1/2 oz (150 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and finely ground;

plus extra whole nuts, for garnish

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream

3 large egg yolks
Bring the sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil, brushing down any sugar crystals that form on the inside of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until the syrup reaches soft-ball stage (235°F/118°C).

Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the egg yolks and chocolate. With the mixer running, slowly pour the hot syrup into the chocolate mixture. Beat until melted and completely cooled. Fold in 1 cup of the hazelnuts.

Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Fold the cream into the chocolate mixture.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the rings on the sheet. Tape a strip of parchment paper around each ring, rising 1in (2.5cm) above the rim. Divide the chocolate mixture among the rings.

Level the surfaces of the parfaits with a metal spatula. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Remove the parchment collars. Working quickly, briefly wrap a hot, wet kitchen towel around each ring, and slide the rings off. Press the remaining hazelnuts on to the sides of the parfaits, and sprinkle the tops with more and some whole nuts. Serve frozen.

Creamy Fruit Popsicles

2 (6-ounce) containers yogurt (such as peach or strawberry)

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup diced fresh fruit (such as fresh peaches)
Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse to form a slightly chunky puree.

Spoon the mixture into a Popsicle mold or small paper cups. Insert sticks and freeze until solid. (If using paper cups, let the mixture freeze for 30 minutes, then insert plastic spoons, handle-end up, in the thickening mixture.) Peel the paper cups off the frozen Popsicle before serving.

CHEESECAKE BERRY TRIFLE

 6 sml sponge-cake or biscuits 

1/3 cup berry/orange juice + 1/3 cup Grand Marnier
2 cups frozen mixed berries
2 cups store-bought light custard
  For The Filling

250g light cream cheese
1 tsp gelatine
1 tbsp water
300ml light cream
2 tsp lemon juice
2/3 cup caster sugar

Method

Make filling by sprinkling gelatine over the water in a small heatproof jug. Stand jug in a pan of simmering water. Stir until gelatine dissolves, cool for 5 minutes. Beat sugar, cheese and lemon juice with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in cream. Stir in gelatine mixture.

Cut each sponge-cake or biscuit into three. Combine berry/orange juice and Grand Marnier in a bowl. Dip the sponge-cake or biscuit pieces in the liquid. and divide equally among 6 tall drink glasses. Divide cheese mixture, among glasses and top with frozen berries. Top with some custard and more frozen berries.

Chill for 2 hours before serving.

Strawberry No-Bake Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust

2 cups chocolate cookies or biscuits

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese

12 ounces strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

In a sealable plastic bag, thoroughly crush chocolate cookies with a rolling pin. Add cookie crumbs and sugar to a bowl. Melt butter and blend well with the crumb-and-sugar mixture. Press into the bottom and up along the sides of a buttered and floured 8-inch tart pan. (A springform pan or regular pie pan are also good options.) Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm.

While crust is setting, beat cream cheese in a bowl until soft. Add sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract, and beat mixture until fluffy and smooth. In a separate chilled bowl, beat whipping cream until firm peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese. Add the filling into the chocolate crust and spread out evenly.

Arrange sliced strawberries on top of cheesecake. Cover and chill for a couple of hours before serving.

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cups

Makes: 6 dessert cups

CHOCOLATE CUPS:

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

RASPBERRY MOUSSE:

1 tablespoon (1 envelope) 
unflavored gelatin powder

1/4 cup cold water

1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

2 cups whipped cream (1 c heavy cream, whipped) 
To make the chocolate cups, in a small saucepan, heat the chocolate chips and shortening over high heat, stirring continuously until melted. Using the back of a metal spoon, spread the chocolate evenly inside six 31/2-inch foil muffin liners. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
To make the mousse, in a bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for 2 minutes. Add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Transfer the gelatin mixture to a blender. Add the berries and blend until liquefied. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture through the strainer to strain out the seeds. Refrigerate until thickened (see tip below).
Rinse the blender of any remaining raspberry seeds and return the thickened raspberry gelatin mixture to the blender. Add the whipped cream and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until thickened (see tip below).
Tip: The gelatin should be the consistency of an extremely dense pudding. Keep it in the fridge for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes (depending on the volume, thickness, and chilling temperature).

Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups hulled strawberries

2 large egg whites

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 cup whole milk

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups sugar

24 strawberry slices for garnish
Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Puree the strawberries (3/4 cup) in a food processor or blender. You should get about 1/2 cup puree; if not, puree a few more strawberries to yield 1/2 cup. Set aside.

In a bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter (1 stick) and sugar together on medium-high for 4 minutes. Add the egg whites and beat for 1 minute on medium, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the strawberry puree and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) and mix on medium for 30 more seconds.

In five portions, alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the mixer bowl, beginning and ending with the flour and mixing well after each addition, about 20 to 30 seconds. Fill the liners halfway with batter and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then gently release the cupcakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the strawberry frosting: Puree the strawberries (3/4 cup) to yield 1/2 cup. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter (3 sticks) for 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the strawberries and mix. (The mixture may seem curdled, but will come together with the addition of the sugar.) Sift the confectioners’ sugar into the bowl 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract (1 1/2 teaspoons). Set aside.

Sangria

1 bottle white wine

Fruit slices such as peaches, nectarines, berries, plums, and oranges

4 oz Cointreau

Mint sprigs to garnish
Combine fruit and Cointreau in pitcher; allow flavors to marry, at least one hour.

Add wine and serve.

Fizzy Punch
4 12-ounce cans seltzer water

1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved
4 cups lemonade
1 cup halved grapes
1 cup apple cider
1 cup blueberries
4 kiwis, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons chopped mint, or to taste
1 cup raspberries

 In large punch bowl, combine seltzer water, lemonade and apple cider.Add fruit and mint and mix together.Add ice (try cubes made of fruit juice!) and you’re ready to serve!

More Great Recipes http://www.ivillage.com/  

Dear Angel - Coming Soon!

Covers By StruzA  

 Coming Soon!

Dear Angel 

by Adelle Laudan

Jack and Jenna's happily-ever-after is interrupted by the death of her father. She must leave the man she loves and return to the estate where she learns she's a very wealthy woman.

Will the allure of high society coupled with the discovery of her deceased mother's well-kept secret keep her in a world where wealth and status can, and does, buy anything? Will she learn the one thing she wants the most money can't buy?

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday!

I hope you enjoy the little snippets from my books.

Iron Horse Rider Trilogy

Book Two

Romantic Suspense

The younger girl, Gracie, swooped close to Shane and trailed the sheer fabric strapped to her wrists along his jaw line. She arched her back and shook her belly; her breasts jiggled seductively just inches from his face.

Never had Tia been so appalled. How could she? Did Sylvia tell Gracie that Shane isn’t my husband? I should have lied. Her nails dug into the fabric of her jeans. For the first time in her life, she wanted to scratch another woman’s eyes out. 

Purchase Link

Iron Horse Rider Trilogy

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Fifty Shades of ...RED

I think you'd have to live under a rock not to have heard the buzz about 50 Shades of Grey trilogy.
It is definitely not my genre of choice, but I had to read them.
$12 for an ebook? Holy crap!
How can a new author become such a global phenomenon with a trilogy that not so long ago would have made the banned books list?
Libraries are being forced to put the trilogy on their shelves due to the overwhelming public demand. Hotels are taking  the bible out of rooms and replacing them with 50 Shades of Grey?
             It's mind boggling.
So back to the why? Having read the books I am even more stumped than before. I think the only way an author can thoroughly enjoy these books is if they are able to turn off their internal editor. Yes, it's that bad. I don't want to give away too much for those who might be thinking about reading them. When you do read them keep these words in mind... my Goddess - my inner Goddess - oh my Goddess... you'll understand what I mean.

The thing I am most bafffled by is how many women are all googoogahgah over  the infamous Mr Grey. I've read a few bdsm books and know some wickedly talented authors who write in this genre. Mr Grey may be a dominant, but he's also a perverted egomaniac and bully.What is sexy about that?
Shaking myhead here. Have you read them? Am I alone in feeling stumped about the success of this trilogy?
How in the h*ll will they turn it into a movie?
What's your take?

Thank you, Peter. Check out this video.

Six Sentence Sunday

Welcome to Six Sentence Sunday!

I hope you enjoy the little snippets from my books.

Heart of Steele

Romantic Suspense

They stood in silence under a canopy of twinkling stars. In the background, the sultry tones of a romantic sax serenade. It seemed he’d gone to a lot of trouble for this dinner, and he’d promised no strings attached. Kara caught a glimpse of his profile. He gazed out over the beauty that surrounded them, as hers remained transfixed on the beauty beside her. She’d never used the word beautiful to describe a man before. 

Purchase Link

Heart of Steele

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