By:  Donna Cummings
There is something magical about the winemaking process. I used to be a tasting room manager at a winery, so I got to have an up-close-and-personal view of how wine was made.  With just three ingredients — grapes, sugar, and yeast — an endless variety of wonderful beverages is possible.

Even more magical is the wine DRINKING process. That’s something everyone can enjoy!  When people came up to the tasting bar to sample the wines, they would often confess to me how they didn’t know much about wine, apologizing for their lack of knowledge as if they expected me to toss them out. And I think that’s because the people who do know a lot about wine often make it seem like an exclusive club, filled with crazy descriptive terms meant to act as some sort of secret handshake. I mean, “jammy” to describe wine with a lot of fruit flavor?  Everyone knows “jammy” is part of the writer’s official uniform!  So whenever someone told me they didn’t know a lot about wine, I always replied, “Great!  You’re going to have so much fun.”

The most important thing is to discover what pleases your palate. This is definitely a subjective thing. Everyone experiences life differently, so it’s to be expected that we’ll enjoy wine differently too.  For example, I like wines that are “fruity” or “fruit forward”. A lot of people interpret this to mean the wine is sweet. But that’s not the case. (Hah! Case. Wine humor.)  Anyway, it just means that the grape flavor is more dominant, because it hasn’t been subdued via oak casks.  When a wine is “dry”, it has been aged in oak, for an amount of time the winemaker determines.  This takes away the fruit flavor, and adds layers of things that use descriptions involving bread or toast or croissants.   (Is anyone besides me getting hungry now?)

In order to find what your palate prefers, you’ll have to sample a variety of wines. I know, I know. It’s hard to have homework, but that’s what a well-rounded education requires!  Once you’ve got that sorted out, you can experiment by pairing food with wines. Most people go with the old “white wine/white food, red wine/red food” mantra, but it’s worth being more adventurous than that. There are plenty of websites that can help expand your pairings, and give you reasons why they think spicy food should have a fruitier wine, for example. It’s usually about balance, and bringing out the best in the food and the wine. It’s a lot of fun to try combinations that on the surface seem like they couldn’t possibly work well together, and then discovering they do–just like our favorite couples in romances.  As for my favorite wine pairing right now. . .it would have to be a lightly chilled Riesling and the hot baseball pitcher hero in BACK ON TRACK, my just-released novella set on the Napa Wine Train.   

What’s your favorite wine?  Or your favorite winery?   To celebrate the release of BACK ON TRACK, one random commenter will win an e-book download.  Good Luck!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:   What’s a little lie between strangers?

Allie Whittaker is in a dating slump, too busy getting her fledgling marketing company off the ground to have a personal life.  All that could change, though, if she can get baseball superstar Matt Kearns on the cover of a charity calendar.  Except Matt won’t even talk to her.

Matt is in a slump, worried his career might be over.  A Napa Valley wine tour isn’t enough to take his mind off his troubles–until sexy, funny Allie plops into the adjacent seat and tells him three things about herself.  One of them, she says, is a lie.

Matt can’t resist playing along, and soon the afternoon getaway becomes an interlude with lies, truths, and desire flowing as fast as the wine. Then Allie lets slip one truth too many…and they both realize they’re playing for keeps.

Warning: A handsome hunk, a determined lady and a few glasses of wine.  Throw in a little on-the-run action, and what more do you need to while away an afternoon?

Author Bio:

I have worked as an attorney, winery tasting room manager, and retail business owner, but nothing beats the thrill of writing humorously-ever-after romances.
I reside in New England, although I fantasize about spending the rest of my days in a tropical locale, wearing flip flops year-round, or in Regency London, scandalizing the ton.

BACK ON TRACK, part of the Strangers on a Train collection, just released from Samhain on April 2nd. Also available are I Do. . .or Die, a romantic comedy/mystery from Crimson Romance, Summer Lovin‘, a contemporary romantic comedy novella, and Lord Midnight, a Regency historical.

My books are available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.   Click to check them out.

Where to find me:
Website/blog: www.AllAboutTheWriting.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/@BookEmDonna
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Donna.Cummings.Author
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5349107.Donna_Cummings
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/bookemdonna

The Hero Journeys with a Cast of Thousands

My first five historical romances featured characters who were only children and had the bare minimum of on-stage parents or siblings. Since my books are set in the medieval period, this took more explanation than you might think.

I made them orphans. Or bastards who were abandoned by parents they never knew. Or with siblings who stayed safely off-stage. Yes, there was the occasional sister or mother and those characters were important, but my primary characters, like the central figures of so many fairy tales, traveled the Hero’s Journey alone.

Most of us don’t.

Most of us have family we deal with on a daily basis.  And like it or not, those family members influence our romantic relationships, for good or ill.

When I started The Brunson Clan trilogy, only children were not an option.  Family was a key theme of the series and, because of the overall storyline and timetable,
I would have to deal with all three Brunson siblings, two brothers and a sister, in every book.

Not only with them, but in each book, I had to add the romantic partner brought into the story in the previous book. Strictly speaking, not a cast of “thousands,” I
realize, but a vastly more complex ecosphere than I usually juggled.

So by the time I wrote the final book of the trilogy, TAKEN BY THE BORDER REBEL, a March release from Harlequin Historical, Rob Brunson’s prospective partner had to be vetted by Rob’s brother (and his wife), from RETURN OF THE BORDER WARRIOR, and Rob’s sister (and her husband), from CAPTIVE OF THE BORDER LORD. Four important people would weigh in on Stella Storwick, who just happened to be a daughter of their blood enemies, which meant the immediate answer was “no.”

Instead of being the nightmare I had feared, this provided an extra layer of tension and conflict without taking away from the hero and heroine. As the head of the clan, the ramifications of Black Rob’s choice went far beyond the personal, and the story reflected that through the very personal reactions of his brother and sister and in-laws.
And anyone who ever made the awful “meet the family” trip can sympathize with what Stella Storwick had to face.

So, in a way I had not planned when I started the series, the last book ended with the conclusion of a family journey, as well as a romantic one.

How about you? Have you stories about bringing a prospective suitor home to meet the family? I’m offering your choice of a book from the Brunson Clan trilogy to one lucky commenter.  US and Canadian mailing only, please!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FROM THE BACK COVER:

TORMENTED BY HER INNOCENCE
As leader of his clan, Black Rob Brunson has earned every dark syllable of his name. But, having taken hostage his enemy’s daughter in a fierce act of rebellion, he is tormented by feelings of guilt and torn apart with the growing need to protect her—and seduce her!  Stella Storwick feels Rob’s disdain from the first. Then slowly she starts to see behind his eyes to a man in turmoil. Something he has no words for, something that can only be captured in a heart-wrenching kiss….

Blythe Gifford has been known for medieval romances featuring characters born on the wrong side of the royal blanket.   Now, she’s written a Harlequin Historical trilogy set on the turbulent Scottish Borders of the early Tudor era.  The books are RETURN OF THE BORDER WARRIOR, November 2012, CAPTIVE OF THE BORDER LORD, January 2013, and TAKEN BY THE BORDER REBEL in March 2013.   The Chicago Tribune has called her work “the perfect balance between history and romance.”    (You can order on Amazon)

Visit her at www.blythegifford.com    www.facebook.com/BlytheGifford,  www.pinterest.com/BlytheGifford or on Twitter @BlytheGifford.

Author photo by Jennifer Girard.   Cover Art Copyright © 2013 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited.   Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A. Cover art used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved. ® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Hi Everyone…thanks for having me over today for a little chat.

With the start of 2013 comes what I think may be my best book yet.  Once in a while I find a story where the characters take off and write the book.  With a young lawyer who thinks someone is trying to kill him and another couple building love from a childhood friendship, CHANCE OF A LIFETIME isn’t going to let you put it down.

In this visit to Harmony, you’ll see people from the town that you’ve met in other books, but the plot begins with a quiet librarian, Emily and her former childhood friend, Tannon Parker.  While he’s grown cold and hard over the years, she’s become afraid of the world.  He comes to the library every Friday night because he knows she’s afraid of the dark and though they barely speak as he walks her out, he thinks his heart only beats when she’s near.  For Tannon and Emily this may be their last CHANCE OF A LIFETIME.

With Emily forming a writing club to draw people into the library and a kid named Beau Yates about to hit it big as a singer, you’ll feel like you’ve lived in Harmony forever and love all the folks.

So, come along with me to Harmony.

Jody has a gift for one lucky commenter today!                         

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now I know all you readers out there can’t resist trying to win the free book, BUT just in case you don’t win…or if you just want to check out all her other wonderful books, click on the link to  Amazon.

In June 2011, WELCOME TO HARMONY, the first book in the Harmony series, won a RITA, the highest award for women’s fiction. Jodi currently serves as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can read more bout Jodi and her books at:

 www.jodithomas.com

Or you can comment and/or follow her at:

www.facebook.com/JodiThomasAuthor

www.twitter.com/jodithomas

DIPLOMATIC TUTOR

By:  Sandra Elzie

Okay, so I’m sure you’re all aware of how quickly things are changing in the world…and nothing is changing faster than the publishing industry.  That brings me to what I want to talk about today.  Back in 2008, I sold my first book to Avalon and it was well received …in hardback form…by libraries, my friends and family.  But once it was out of print, I started watching the ticking clock for when I could get my rights back.  A lot of authors today are happy to get the rights to their book back…some to eventually independently publish them on Amazon & Barnes and Noble in e-book form.

I marked my calendar for when my first book’s rights would be available to me…and even began to look at pictures for a possible new book cover.  And then I’m notified that Avalon Publishing has been sold to Amazon…and I quickly realize what this could mean.  My hopes of getting the rights back on that book are squashed.  (sigh)

With Amazon now in control of my book, I have a couple choices…stomp & scream or just shrug and go with the flow of life.  I chose the later.  It’s much less stressful and besides, I happen to believe that God is in control, so if something good is to come out of a negative situation, then it’ll happen…sooner or later.  As it turns out, it’s a good thing I didn’t waste time stressing because in November I received a nice, early Christmas present…Amazon notified me that they would be issuing Diplomatic Tutor in digital form.   Well, I guess the next best thing to releasing it digitally myself is having it released by Amazon with their name behind it.  I haven’t received the first royalty check yet, but I’m hopeful that this side business with Amazon will turn out well for the both of us.

The Diplomatic Tutor is a contemporary romance about a young girl from West Virginia who applies to the United Nations to become a tutor for a delegate living in America.  When she’s chosen, she has no idea just how much her life will change.

If you like a bit of suspense with your romance, this just might be the book for you.  Or maybe you just want to see how this strong-willed young woman handles a very precocious child (who steals almost every scene she’s in) and how she interacts with a British diplomat, then, again, I’ll suggest that you might enjoy this book. Below is a short description of The Diplomatic Tutor. 

                               ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Natalie Holmes accepts a position to tutor Kelsey, the five-year-old daughter of a British diplomat, she never expected to be the one put to the test.  She never expected to fall in love with the child or her handsome father.  She fights the attraction since she knows he could never love a coal miner’s daughter from West Virginia.

Trenton Lancaster is a widower with strict mandates concerning the safety and education of his daughter. Natalie and Trenton immediately clash, but he can’t resist her homespun simplicity and intelligence, and she falls in love with his strength of character and devotion to Kelsey. When Natalie thoughtlessly breaks a rule, she thinks she’ll surely be fired. Only Trenton’s growing affection for Natalie and her obvious devotion to Kelsey convince him to retain her services. Each must change, but when the prize is living happily ever after, it’s worth any risk and sacrifice.

                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since Petit Fours & Hot Tamales is having a month-long Anniversary celebration, I’m offering a free Amazon download to not one, but TWO of our lucky commenters today.  Happy New Year!   So be sure to leave a comment to be in the drawing!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sandra Elzie was challenged by her husband in 2001 not to wait until retirement in 2005 to start writing the book he’d been hearing about almost since they had been married.  Picking up the gauntlet he’d thrown down, Sandra spent the next eight years honing her craft and finishing twelve manuscripts.  She now lives in southern Georgia with her husband and cat and enjoys reading, traveling and family gatherings.  The Diplomatic Tutor was  Sandra’s first published book.

Sandra loves to hear from her readers or if you just want to learn more about her, be sure to click on her name above and visit with her at her website.     She also writes and has independently published several other stories as  Sandra McGregor.  Check them out on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

By way of introduction, here’s Julia’s “Official Bio” and photo I pinched from her website:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Julia Quinn loves to dispel the myth that smart women don’t read (or write) romance, and in 2001 she did so in grand fashion, appearing on the game show The Weakest Link and walking away with the $79,000 jackpot.  She displayed a decided lack of knowledge about baseball, country music, and plush toys, but she is proud to say that she aced all things British and literary, answered all of her history and geography questions correctly, and knew that there was a Da Vinci long before there was a code. Ms. Quinn is the youngest member of Romance Writers of America’s Hall of Fame, her books have been translated into 24 languages, and she currently lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest.

Julia’s latest books, Just Like Heaven and A Night Like This feature the Smyth-Smith Quartet. Beautiful covers, aren’t they?

Want to know more? Ask and ye shall receive answers.

Julia, thanks so much for being here.

I’ll start the Q & A by asking about a little rumor I heard. Is it true there will be giveaways today? Dare we hope a book might be involved?

Hello, PF&HT Readers!

It’s that time of year again. I’m not just talking about the holidays. I’m talking about another annual tradition— the Petit Four and Hot Tamales’ Group Novel.

Once again, we want to show you all how much we appreciate your support throughout the year by giving you a story. Last year, we presented you with our first paranormal romance, Merlin’s Daughter.

This year, we’ve cooked up a cozy mystery for your reading pleasure—The Undercover Librarian. Here’s your first clue:

Désirée Devereaux is not your average librarian. She can judge a book by its cover.  In fact, every time she picks up a book, she picks up vibes, flashes, emotions-even crimes committed by the last patron who checked it out. When Désirée’s boss, the Branch Manager,  turns up dead in the Mysteries section of the new branch of the Harrow County Public Library, Désirée is at the head of a list of suspects, which includes FedEx guy, Skirt Boy and a member of the Hookers.

Dead bodies start turning up all over the stacks and that spells Murder with a Capital M right here in Harrow County. But Hunky Detective Danny Bonner is on the case and as he gets close to Désirée, he begins to realize there’s more to the sexy librarian than meets the eye. This laugh-out-loud cozy mystery/romance is a suspenseful read you’ll definitely want to check out.

So what does all this entertainment cost? $24.95, like a hard cover book? $7.99, like a paperback at the grocery store? $4.99 like some eBooks? $0.99 like some other eBooks?

No. The Undercover Librarian is FREE! All you have to do is stop by during the last two weeks of the year. And…you might win a prize! We’re giving one away EVERY DAY and two final winners on December 31.

So see you all then. I can’t wait!

Daily Prize – $5 Amazon coupon
Final Winner #1 – Petit Fours and Hot Tamales cookbook
Final Winner #2 – $25 Amazon coupon

Final winners drawn on December 31. Good luck! What a way to say goodbye to 2011 and cheer in the New Year!

No matter how many times I count, “responsibility” is still not a four-letter-word. But, the more I develop Spring Fever, the more it seems like it should be!

I admit it. I have a slightly irresponsible urge right now. I want to go somewhere, do something, or, more to the point, do nothing.

But, I’m surrounded by the siren call of Responsibility – the five-year-old who just woke up, the fourteen-year-old who hasn’t woken up, and the husband who is about to be up. Oh, and the blog post that needs to be up!

Me, I’d rather pack a bag, put the top down on the car, and head out for parts unknown to have an adventure.

But that awful nag, Responsibility, reminds me that I can’t.

She – yes, I’m convinced Responsibility is a woman – reminds me that I have obligations.

She reminds me that others depend on me.

So, how do I balance Responsibility with the need for a little Spring Fling?

Reading.

Books are my answer to Spring Fever. A fever that rages no matter what my current responsibility level is at any given moment.

Yesterday, I downloaded MS Reader, an application that I didn’t realize was free. Then, because of a post over on Stephanie Bond’s blog, I downloaded about 18 free books, courtesy of Harlequin’s 60th Anniversary.

If you haven’t taken advantage of Harlequin’s offer, please do. And head on over to Stephanie Bond’s blog and hit the link to download one of hers, too!

Spring versus Responsibility. I guess they can both win. As long as I have books.

And speaking of Responsibility, a fourteen-letter word by the way, it’s Thursday, and I’m supposed to share a snippet of my work. In this brief glimpse, Beth, my heroine, has just started cooking breakfast for Micah, her unexpected guest and former fiancee, while he is in the shower. Up to this point, she has successfully hidden him from her family, friends, and an unknown killer while he recuperates from a bullet wound.

Beth gathered Micah’s clothes from outside the bathroom door and tossed them in the washer. The day was only beginning and she was already tired. Her emotional drain needed a plug and she wasn’t sure where to find one.

Once the bed was made, she headed down the hall to the kitchen to start some breakfast. The knock on the front door startled her, causing her head to hit the cabinet door. One hand on her head and frying pan in the other, she straightened up and let out an expletive that would have made her mother blush. The sound of a key in the lock set off her own personal alarm bells. Her mother. Her mother was the only other one with a key to the cabin.

“Beth? Are my clothes dry yet?” Micah walked into the room, still damp from his shower.

Shit. Any other time the sight of that gorgeous, masculine body insufficiently wrapped in a towel would have been great. As it was, all Beth could do was hold her aching head and brace for impact as the front door opened.
I hope you enjoyed that quick glimpse. Now, I’m off to fix breakfast, get the kids to school, and do all that Responsibility requires of me today. Only, I’m going to do it with the top down on the car and a book nearby for a quick escape!