(Hopefully) The Last 2016 Update

Soooo...you all know I try to keep it mostly positive around here. But obviously things are sometimes not going to be positive, and sadly this is one of those times. I'm going to try to make this short so we can all move on with our lives.

Probably most of you have heard that All Romance ebooks is closing--everything will be down by midnight on the 31st. Right now they aren't honoring their obligations to pay royalties, and in fact won't be paying authors anything for purchases made between now and then, so please don't buy anything of mine through there. Currently I'm published through JMS Books and Dreamspinner, so if you want anything you can get it through their sites, or places like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

If you have a library of anything, go get it before it's lost. You should still be able to download a copy. If you preordered anything (I don't think anything of mine is currently up for preorder, but still) through ARe, both JMS and Dreamspinner are honoring those, just shoot them an email with a copy of your receipt. JMS is: adminATjms-booksDOTcom Dreamspinner is: contactATdreamspinnerpressDOTcom

Additionally, I have taken down the links on my blog to my Torquere Press publications. They have gone under as well and I haven't received payment for some of them. I haven't gotten rights back yet so I can't direct you anywhere else to get them at the moment. For now please hold off on buying any of them if you see them. I'm a little bummed about this because this was the entirety of my F/F work at the moment, but these things happen.

Anyway I wish you all a peaceful end to the year. Next post should hopefully be more positive!

Cheers!  

Egg the Halls Bonus Recipe

It's that time of the year already, and the Christmas-themed Yolks on You book is out! You can crack open Egg the Halls for a little escapism from the chaos, or you can wait for all that gift-return money to come in and treat yourself to the paperback. Kiko and Dom are certainly trying to dodge the stress of their holiday commitments in their preferred way--by getting tangled up in a mystery!

As usual I've got a bonus recipe for you--hot chocolate! This makes a brief appearance in the book and is so rich it's like drinking liquid truffles. Enjoy!

Hot Chocolate

7 cups milk
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 12 oz bag semisweet chocolate chips
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste

1. In a large pot, bring milk to a boil, then reduce to simmer.

2. Add sweetened condensed milk and stir until dissolved.

3. Add chocolate chips and stir until dissolved.

4. Add cinnamon and cayenne and simmer 5-10 minutes.

I'm sipping my own mug of this as I type to you, and I'm still trying to determine if all this richness is worth it. Seriously, if it's too much feel free to add more milk and dilute it some. And if you're interested in more recipes from Egg the Halls, as always there are five more at the back of the book!

Cheers!
 

December Releases -- And Snow!

Look at that beautiful snowfall! After a very warm start to the winter we finally got a little here, and I'm hoping it'll stick around a while for that cozy holiday atmosphere. Hot chocolate just isn't the same without snow out the window, is it?

Now that I'm finally in the spirit of things, I figured I ought to mention what I have coming out this month--all holiday themed! What else is December for? First up is a short story I have coming out in Dreamspinner's Bah Humbug collection:

This isn't a particularly happy story, although the ending might make up for that. First New Year's After the Apocalypse is a near-future science fiction about a couple struggling to find love together after global chaos erupts. There's a lot of time-jumping as we follow Wade's journey across the country and he looks back on the past year, but in the end he comes home.

And of course next up is the fourth book in the Yolks on You series from JMS:

Because I can't stop writing about these two cute guys solving small town crimes! It's winter now in Mount Angus, and the family drama is happening all over town. If you know Kiko and Dom you know they can't say no to a request to help solve who egged a local business--especially if it gets them out of thinking about dealing with family visiting! You don't even have to wait until Christmas for this one: Egg the Halls will be out this weekend already! And I'll definitely be dropping by again to share at least one bonus recipe with you. Or you could get yourself a paperback copy if that's more your thing!

Sending you warm wishes from finally-snowy Wisconsin! Cheers!

Yolks on You #4 Cover Reveal!

I know I only just unveiled the last Yolks on You book, but I really couldn't pass up writing a Christmas holiday mystery for Kiko and Dom! After everything they've been through together during Halloween, I had to give them a chance to have a less-deadly mystery. Can their relationship--and detective skills--withstand the most wonderful time of the year?

I'm giving nothing away but the cover!

Already in the mood for Christmas? You can preorder Egg the Halls now, in ebook or print! Which reminds me I still have holiday shopping to do...

Cheers!

A New Day Zero

You see those ducks? I fed those ducks! Feeding the ducks was something I hadn't done in a long time and I wanted to do it again. So I stuck it on a list, collected up my old bread, and tracked a few down. It was a great little calm moment in time, and much needed. (P.S. I guess they like pretzel buns best? If you were wondering.)

So, you all probably know that once upon a time I hated lists and now I love them with all my being because it's hard enough to keep track of characters' lives while writing. I certainly can't keep track of my own! I like to participate in Day Zero because while it *is* yet another list, it's a positive list, and I really need to check things off that aren't chores. Plus, as with the above duck adventure, this gets me to prioritize taking a little break or me-time, which I find I tend to put off.

Recently my first-ever Day Zero list ended and I ended up completing 75 out of the 101 items on it. Going into the final stretch I was a little glum about failing to get to so many things I'd wanted, but gradually I warmed to the fact that despite not completing 101 goals, I did do 75 things that I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have otherwise done. And that makes me happy. I have a lot of good memories from them--adopting pets, visiting nearby Crystal Cave, starting geocaching and realizing what an awesome hobby it is.

I've started up my next list now and am looking forward to seeing where it will take me. Feel free to have a look at it or even join me in my quest to use lists to make life and the world awesome. I think we all need to feel like we are doing things, and while we maybe can't get to all the things, it's important to encourage ourselves to get to what we can.

Cheers!

Deal with the Deviled Eggs Bonus Recipes

And it's here! The third book in the Yolks on You series, Deal with the Deviled Eggs, is out today. Perfect for a weekend Halloween read, or you could get the print copy for a treat! I am understandably excited about this, and I wanted to give you all a couple recipes not found in the back of the book to celebrate. They're full of pumpkin, of course.

First up...

Nutella and Pumpkin Cheesecake Filled Crescents

Ingredients:

1 8oz can crescents (a can of 8)
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 oz cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 teaspoons Nutella

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to temperature on crescent package. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. Lay out the crescents.

2. In a bowl, mix together pumpkin, cream cheese, and pie spice until combined and smooth.

3. Drop Nutella by 1/2 teaspoonfuls onto crescents and spread.

4. Drop cream cheese mixture on top of crescents.

5. Starting at the large end, roll crescents up, pinching to seal as you go.

6. Bake according to package instructions.

Enjoy!

The next recipe is inspired by the desire for soups in autumn. There's just something about soups, and I wanted one with pumpkin that wasn't full of apples or anything too sweet. (You're great, apples, but I just ate crescents for breakfast.) I present to you...

Chipotle Beer Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 tablespoon chipotle in adobo
1 cup corn
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup beer (I used a dunkel)
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
shredded cheese and sour cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Sprinkle chipotle chili powder on chicken breast and bake for 20 minutes or until done. Shred chicken and set aside.

2. In soup pot, saute garlic and onions in olive oil until onions are translucent.

3. Add paprika and adobo. Add corn.

4. Add broth, beer, and pumpkin. Stir until pumpkin dissolves. Add shredded chicken. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.

5. Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream. Serves 3-4. Enjoy!

Well I had a lot of fun today experimenting with pumpkin to celebrate. The crescents seem more a Dom type meal, not too complex, but the soup is definitely more Kiko's realm! For more recipes--and to find out whether Kiko and Dom can stop a murderer in time to enjoy Halloween night--go ahead and grab Deal with the Deviled Eggs!

Cheers!
 

Yolks on You #3 Cover Reveal!

Very excited here to announce that the next Yolks on You mystery will be Halloween themed! Who doesn't like Halloween, right? Fair warning, though--this will be the scariest mystery Kiko and Dom will face yet. There will be multiple murders, a terrible roommate, and a deadly corn maze.

And so, without further description, the cover:

That pumpkin means business. You know what's really scary? You can already preorder Deal with the Deviled Eggs--even in print!--and get yourself a treat just in time for Halloween.

Cheers!