Month: April 2018

First the soup! Winter is over, but while the cold air and snow sticks around in some parts of the world, I thought I’d share this recipe. I won’t be able to start gardening for a few more weeks.

Hamburger Soup

1 1/2 lbs hamburger (or for added flavor, do half hamburger and half Italian sausage)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups shredded cabbage
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped (and if you want, add a yellow pepper for added color)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 8oz can tomato sauce
4 cups beef broth (I always end up using more)
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown the meat, onions, celery, garlic and pepper until the meat is no longer pink. Add the cabbage and cook together for a couple of minutes. (Tip: Unless you have a really big skillet, all the cabbage isn’t going to fit. No worries. Just add what’s left to the pot in the next step.) Drain and add the seasonings.

Put the beef stock and tomato sauce in a stock pot. Add the meat and vegetables mixture. Mix. Simmer 30-45 minutes. I like to serve with some shredded cheese to throw on top and some warm bread to dip in your bowl. Happy eating!

Now the new release.

Wolf-shifter Lori Grenville was rescued from near-slavery and a brutal pack leader by the Free Wolves. To pay back the favor, she’s dedicated her life to helping others in the same situation, leading shifters to safety and a new start, risking her life in the process. She’s faced down alphas and has no qualms in undermining pack structure.

Now she’s challenged with the task of restoring an alpha to his rightful place. If she gets it right, she can stop a war from ripping apart two packs and spreading across an entire state. If she fails, she’ll be among the first to die.

There’s still the option of walking away and letting the Jaeger and Destin packs destroy each other. That means she’ll fail in her original mission of rescuing the daughter of the Jaeger alpha before the girl is forced into marriage for political gain.

Lori hasn’t failed in a mission yet. This one may be the exception.

Although Wolves’ Gambit is the third book in the Free Wolves series, each book can be read as a standalone.

Excerpt:

     With a smooth motion, she swung the shotgun to her shoulder. Without taking time to aim, she squeezed the trigger. The recoil pushed her against the wall, which held her up. The wolf, still advancing, snarled and tightened the muscles in his hindquarters. Lori didn’t have time to figure out his plan of attack. She fired the second barrel. He dropped to the floor, whined, and crawled under a table.
     She retrieved two more shells from her pocket and reloaded. Outside, a lone wolf howled. It echoed in the night but received no answer. Surely Eugene hadn’t taken down an enemy already? Or had he abandoned her?
     With her back against the wall, she took a deep breath and braced herself for another attack. An oppressive silence, broken only by her breathing and the soft whimpering of the wolf she’d shot, blanketed the bar. Lori jerked her head, trying to shake a few stray hairs away from her eyes. She didn’t dare loosen her grip on the gun.
     Then two wolves, side by side, emerged from the darkness outside and hurtled through the window frame. A third followed. The first two paced towards her shoulder to shoulder. When she pulled the trigger, the scatter of one shot hit both of them. One stumbled for a fraction of a second, but didn’t stop. In two steps, they’d be on her.
     She fired again, the recoil pushing her hard against the wall. The double damage at close range forced them back. One limped to the window and crawled out. The other sought refuge behind the bar.
     She still had the third wolf to deal with and empty chambers. She broke open the gun and dumped the spent casings. They clattered to the floor, rolling towards the center of the room. The last wolf gathered himself for his onrush. Her hands shaking, Lori pulled more ammo from her pocket. One slipped from her fingers and rattled to the floor. There was no time to get another. She dropped the lone round in the chamber.

You can buy the e-book version at these retailers:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1368542376

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wolves-gambit-1

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZLFCPV

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1128396666?ean=2940159062932

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BZLFCPV

Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BZLFCPV

Keep scrolling for the giveaway!

And a Giveaway! In celebration of the release of Wolves’ Gambit, one or more lucky people will win an e-book version of Wolves’ Pawn, the first book of the series. You can enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

First the soup! Winter is over, but while the cold air and snow sticks around in some parts of the world, I thought I’d share this recipe. I won’t be able to start gardening for a few more weeks.

Hamburger Soup

1 1/2 lbs hamburger (or for added flavor, do half hamburger and half Italian sausage)
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cups shredded cabbage
1 sweet bell pepper, chopped (and if you want, add a yellow pepper for added color)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 8oz can tomato sauce
4 cups beef broth (I always end up using more)
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, brown the meat, onions, celery, garlic and pepper until the meat is no longer pink. Add the cabbage and cook together for a couple of minutes. (Tip: Unless you have a really big skillet, all the cabbage isn’t going to fit. No worries. Just add what’s left to the pot in the next step.) Drain and add the seasonings.

Put the beef stock and tomato sauce in a stock pot. Add the meat and vegetables mixture. Mix. Simmer 30-45 minutes. I like to serve with some shredded cheese to throw on top and some warm bread to dip in your bowl. Happy eating!

Now the new release.

Wolf-shifter Lori Grenville was rescued from near-slavery and a brutal pack leader by the Free Wolves. To pay back the favor, she’s dedicated her life to helping others in the same situation, leading shifters to safety and a new start, risking her life in the process. She’s faced down alphas and has no qualms in undermining pack structure.

Now she’s challenged with the task of restoring an alpha to his rightful place. If she gets it right, she can stop a war from ripping apart two packs and spreading across an entire state. If she fails, she’ll be among the first to die.

There’s still the option of walking away and letting the Jaeger and Destin packs destroy each other. That means she’ll fail in her original mission of rescuing the daughter of the Jaeger alpha before the girl is forced into marriage for political gain.

Lori hasn’t failed in a mission yet. This one may be the exception.

Although Wolves’ Gambit is the third book in the Free Wolves series, each book can be read as a standalone.

Excerpt:

     With a smooth motion, she swung the shotgun to her shoulder. Without taking time to aim, she squeezed the trigger. The recoil pushed her against the wall, which held her up. The wolf, still advancing, snarled and tightened the muscles in his hindquarters. Lori didn’t have time to figure out his plan of attack. She fired the second barrel. He dropped to the floor, whined, and crawled under a table.
     She retrieved two more shells from her pocket and reloaded. Outside, a lone wolf howled. It echoed in the night but received no answer. Surely Eugene hadn’t taken down an enemy already? Or had he abandoned her?
     With her back against the wall, she took a deep breath and braced herself for another attack. An oppressive silence, broken only by her breathing and the soft whimpering of the wolf she’d shot, blanketed the bar. Lori jerked her head, trying to shake a few stray hairs away from her eyes. She didn’t dare loosen her grip on the gun.
     Then two wolves, side by side, emerged from the darkness outside and hurtled through the window frame. A third followed. The first two paced towards her shoulder to shoulder. When she pulled the trigger, the scatter of one shot hit both of them. One stumbled for a fraction of a second, but didn’t stop. In two steps, they’d be on her.
     She fired again, the recoil pushing her hard against the wall. The double damage at close range forced them back. One limped to the window and crawled out. The other sought refuge behind the bar.
     She still had the third wolf to deal with and empty chambers. She broke open the gun and dumped the spent casings. They clattered to the floor, rolling towards the center of the room. The last wolf gathered himself for his onrush. Her hands shaking, Lori pulled more ammo from her pocket. One slipped from her fingers and rattled to the floor. There was no time to get another. She dropped the lone round in the chamber.

You can buy the e-book version at these retailers:

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1368542376

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wolves-gambit-1

Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZLFCPV

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1128396666?ean=2940159062932

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BZLFCPV

Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BZLFCPV

Keep scrolling for the giveaway!

And a Giveaway! In celebration of the release of Wolves’ Gambit, one or more lucky people will win an e-book version of Wolves’ Pawn, the first book of the series. You can enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

April 9, 2018 – Recommend books to your readers in your genre(s).

Here’s the thing. I try not to read books from my genres while I’m writing in that genre. And as I usually have a project going in both series at the same time, that means I rarely seek out new authors on those genres, and that most of my reading is in other genres.

There is one writer I’d like to recommend from the cozy mystery category. Jenna Bennett, the author of the Cutthroat Business series, is a hybrid writer. That means she writes and publishes as an indie, but also sells her stories to major publishing companies (sometimes using a different name.)

But back to the Cutthroat Business books. (also known as the Savannah Martin mysteries.) I read A Cutthroat Business, the first book in the series, long before I ever thought of writing a mystery myself. So, it’s earned an exemption from my rule about not reading in my genre. Besides, I love the overall story line and most of the books. Jenna is up to number fifteen  now, Home Stretch, but she’s also written a couple of novellas in the series as well as books outside of the series.

While not each of her books is gold, at least they are silver. And since I’ve grown fond of her characters, I’ll keep on reading.

Interesting side note: Jenna has changed the covers of her first books several times. I don’t know if that has helped her sales or not.

The second series I’m going to recommend are also mysteries. If you read this blog regularly, you already know I’m a fan of Craig Johnson and the Longmire books. Again, I liked the earlier books more than I like the later ones. (He’s up to number thirteen.) I think he’s gone more commercial, whether it’s because he was spending more time on the TV show or under pressure from his publishing company, I don’t know. Still, his books are worth the read, and I support him as a Wyoming writer.

Interestingly enough, most of the books I’ve read lately are romances. That’s one genre I’ve tried and failed to write. Sure, all my books have a romantic element, but they aren’t pure romance. That’s very true for my newest book, Wolves’ Gambit. The action takes precedence over the romance. (It’s there. Maybe not where you expected it.)

So there are my recommendations. Let’s head over to the other authors and see what they are reading.

April 9, 2018 – Recommend books to your readers in your genre(s).

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

WordPress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

April 9, 2018 – Recommend books to your readers in your genre(s).

Here’s the thing. I try not to read books from my genres while I’m writing in that genre. And as I usually have a project going in both series at the same time, that means I rarely seek out new authors on those genres, and that most of my reading is in other genres.

There is one writer I’d like to recommend from the cozy mystery category. Jenna Bennett, the author of the Cutthroat Business series, is a hybrid writer. That means she writes and publishes as an indie, but also sells her stories to major publishing companies (sometimes using a different name.)

But back to the Cutthroat Business books. (also known as the Savannah Martin mysteries.) I read A Cutthroat Business, the first book in the series, long before I ever thought of writing a mystery myself. So, it’s earned an exemption from my rule about not reading in my genre. Besides, I love the overall story line and most of the books. Jenna is up to number fifteen  now, Home Stretch, but she’s also written a couple of novellas in the series as well as books outside of the series.

While not each of her books is gold, at least they are silver. And since I’ve grown fond of her characters, I’ll keep on reading.

Interesting side note: Jenna has changed the covers of her first books several times. I don’t know if that has helped her sales or not.

The second series I’m going to recommend are also mysteries. If you read this blog regularly, you already know I’m a fan of Craig Johnson and the Longmire books. Again, I liked the earlier books more than I like the later ones. (He’s up to number thirteen.) I think he’s gone more commercial, whether it’s because he was spending more time on the TV show or under pressure from his publishing company, I don’t know. Still, his books are worth the read, and I support him as a Wyoming writer.

Interestingly enough, most of the books I’ve read lately are romances. That’s one genre I’ve tried and failed to write. Sure, all my books have a romantic element, but they aren’t pure romance. That’s very true for my newest book, Wolves’ Gambit. The action takes precedence over the romance. (It’s there. Maybe not where you expected it.)

So there are my recommendations. Let’s head over to the other authors and see what they are reading.

April 9, 2018 – Recommend books to your readers in your genre(s).

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

WordPress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up

get the InLinkz code

April 2, 2018 – Work time vs. family time. How do you manage it all?

Being a writer is at it’s heart, a lonely task. Hours sitting in front of a computer or a notepad, trying to get the right words to spill from your brain into some resemblance of a story. But not all of us live solitary lives. There’s work and families to consider in how we schedule our time.

So how do I do it?

Easy answer—not very well, I’m afraid.

I admit to spending far too much time in my writing space, away from my family. Especially when I’m at a turning point in the story and the words are flowing freely. While my husband watches television, I work on whatever my latest story is. I’ve tried to do it in the same room he’s in, but it’s too easy to get distracted by whatever is flashing across the TV screen.

So, I try to limit myself to writing when everyone else has gone to bed. Get in a lot of writing in a short period of time. If I mull where the story is going when I’m doing other things, hopefully I’ll be able to capture the thoughts later. Of course, that partially depends on my characters not changing things up on me when I have the opportunity to put words on paper.

Because there is another factor that plays into this time management mess. I have a full-time job, and work really hard not do any writing while I’m supposed to be doing something else. Granted, I’ve been known to sneak in a few minutes of writing here and there, but I can’t let it interfere with doing what I get paid for. But occasionally work bleeds over into my time, so I don’t feel too guilty about taking back a few spare moments.

And I haven’t even mentioned the time spent on social media trying to promote my books. Which I do badly, I’m afraid.

Speaking of promotion!

Now let’s head over to the other authors and see how they juggle it all.

April 2, 2018 – Work time vs. family time. How do you manage it all?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

WordPress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up:

get the InLinkz code

April 2, 2018 – Work time vs. family time. How do you manage it all?

Being a writer is at it’s heart, a lonely task. Hours sitting in front of a computer or a notepad, trying to get the right words to spill from your brain into some resemblance of a story. But not all of us live solitary lives. There’s work and families to consider in how we schedule our time.

So how do I do it?

Easy answer—not very well, I’m afraid.

I admit to spending far too much time in my writing space, away from my family. Especially when I’m at a turning point in the story and the words are flowing freely. While my husband watches television, I work on whatever my latest story is. I’ve tried to do it in the same room he’s in, but it’s too easy to get distracted by whatever is flashing across the TV screen.

So, I try to limit myself to writing when everyone else has gone to bed. Get in a lot of writing in a short period of time. If I mull where the story is going when I’m doing other things, hopefully I’ll be able to capture the thoughts later. Of course, that partially depends on my characters not changing things up on me when I have the opportunity to put words on paper.

Because there is another factor that plays into this time management mess. I have a full-time job, and work really hard not do any writing while I’m supposed to be doing something else. Granted, I’ve been known to sneak in a few minutes of writing here and there, but I can’t let it interfere with doing what I get paid for. But occasionally work bleeds over into my time, so I don’t feel too guilty about taking back a few spare moments.

And I haven’t even mentioned the time spent on social media trying to promote my books. Which I do badly, I’m afraid.

Speaking of promotion!

Now let’s head over to the other authors and see how they juggle it all.

April 2, 2018 – Work time vs. family time. How do you manage it all?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

WordPress:

Custom Blog:

An InLinkz Link-up:

get the InLinkz code