Sunday, October 25, 2009

Rachael Ray Rocks

Okay. I can admit it. I am not a good cook. I have several talents...cooking isn't one of 'em. My husband and children can attest to the sad truth of it. In fact, when I bake cookies the first thing my kids do is look at the bottom to see if they're burnt. Nice.

In an effort to improve my culinary abilities I have tried various cook books and recipes. I think I have Cooking ADD. None of them could hold my attention long enough for me to execute them properly OR they had several ingredients I don't have on hand at home.

The other day, in one final effort, I picked up a copy of Rachel Ray's magazine. "Everyday with Rachael Ray". I was skeptical. I thought this would be another wasted cookbook type purchase. Well---I couldn't have been more wrong. This magazine is AWESOME! For the first time one of these mags actually delivers what it claims.

There are shopping lists for the recipes, the ingredients are pretty straight forward, and they take very little time. The best part is many of them are kid friendly. So the time came for the true test. My kids. I let them pick out a few of the meal ideas they liked. I hit the grocery store for the fresh herbs...let's be honest....with four little boys that's not tops on my normal shopping list. Next stop--the kitchen.

Her 30 minute meals? Guess what? They really are done in less than 30 minutes. I couldn't believe it! And...the food I made actually looked like the picture in the mag. Okay...maybe not exactly like it but really close. Even better? The boys loved it!

So now when people ask me if I can cook I simply say, "Yes. As long as it's one of Rachael Ray's recipes. Other than that...I'm toast."

For her great recipe ideas, her magazine and all the other good stuff. Check out her website.



Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Guest Blogger--Nicole from HowlingGoodBooks.com


Well, hello again all! Sara has welcomed me back! W00t! So I thought I would turn her graciousness on everyone! Welcome to Sara’s Blog! And my return to answer any questions you may have! Ask away and I will answer! Whatever the question! Whether about this post, my site- HowlingGoodBooks.com, or being a reviewer!



And Happy October! What a wonderful month! A month when we get to dress up as anything that our imaginations can dream up and not be looked at funny! And since it is dress up as wacky as you can dream of month I thought we could discuss our favorite creatures that go bump in the night and how we came to read paranormal or Science Fiction!

My mom started me out! I will be honest, my mom much preferred for me to read than watch TV! “Books,” she said,” will make the imagination soar. Anything is possible in them!” When I was in middle school I came across her Greek mythology college text book and begged to read it. She allowed me to, knowing that I had exhausted all the books in my school’s library. I ate it up! After that I soared through Stephen King’s novels, skulked through Dean Kootnz’s books, and “learned” how to make magical mistakes with Piers Anthony.

As I grew into adulthood my fascination with the strange and unusual grew with me. I kept finding new authors to help me with my….. er, book addiction, lol. Or would that be helped my addiction continue? But whichever way you put it, my love of books, and reading, grew exponentially. I found new authors by the quotes they left on the authors’ books that I read already. And as my addiction became out of control so did my stash of books, much to my husband’s dismay! ;)

So what is my favorite paranormal creature? Magician? Vampire? Were animal? Alien? Well, it is not a space creature. Although they are intriguing, I love Earth! Magician? While I love magic and all the possibilities it opens up, that is not my fave! Blood sucking vamp? Nope! I would end up being the anal retentive, blood-o-phobe! Imagine a vamp having to be fed through an IV! I would be the shame of every vampire alive…. Er,dead… er undead lol. I would end up being staked by my maker! If you said Were you were right! I have always had a soft spot for animals, wolves in particular- and it simply carried over!
A Witch’s life may be glamorous with all the magic at one’s fingertips, but the responsibility! And all the things you give up to be a vampire! Sunrises, sunsets, chocolate! (Although I love how Michele Bardsley fixes that one!) But as a Were! High metabolism! So you can eat whatever you want! Great hair! And with that (at least) once a month change you don’t have to worry about if you get a bad haircut! You can go out ANYTIME! With no daylight restriction! What could be better? Hmmm, maybe a succubus? Having men panting after you! Being the being all men desire… But I would hate to leave a string of corpses behind! Nope! Weres it is! But don’t ask me to pick just one Were! I would love to be a true shape shifter, to be whatever I choose. That way if I am feeling catty I could grow claws and hiss! Or …. A bit of the canine female, well you get the picture!

But what about you? How did you come to love the paranormal? What brought you over to our “dark side” so to speak? What are YOUR favorite paranormal beings? And why? Share with us! We would love to hear what YOU like!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Welcome Guest Author--E.Jamie!


Thanks so much, Sara for letting me have a guest spot on your blog today. I think I'll share a blurb and excerpt from my novel Till Death Do Us Part with all your lovely readers!


Now available From Amira Press Till Death Do Us Part in both ebook and



Sara loved Connor, but he was from the wrong side of the tracks. They eloped and her father had him mudered or so she thought. Pregnant and desperate to escape an arranged marriage Sara married Connor's best friend, Aaron. When Connor returns very much alive, Sara is forced to choose between her first love and the new love she's found.Here's a wee excerpt to whet your apetite!


“You got a minute?”


“I made time,” Sara said with a slow nod, her mouth dry.“Thanks.”She forced herself to focus on what she had to say to him. “I have something I need to say to you first.” She stepped behind her desk glad for the small measure of comfort it provided.


“Okay,” he said, taking the pale blue-cushioned seat across from her.


“I owe you an apology for what I did the night of Aaron’s accident.”


“No you don’t. You were right. It was my fault he left the house angry and crashed his car,” Connor reminded her.


“No more than it was mine,” Sara said firmly.


“Sara—”


“Connor, please, let me finish. What I said to you was unforgivable, not to mention untrue. I don’t hate you. I never could. If I hated you, we never would’ve gone through what we have this past year. I hurt you so, so badly,” Sara said, her eyes filling with tears. She lowered her head.


Connor stood up and pulled her to her feet.


“I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you,” she said.


He cupped her face with his hands. “I love you so much, Sara. I’ll love you going to my grave, again,” he added with a smirk making Sara laugh through her tears. Then he grew serious. “I’ve just recently learned what really loving you meant. When I came back and demanded that you leave Aaron, you were right when you called me a selfish bastard. I was. I wanted you back, and I didn’t care what that meant for you.”


Sara trembled and tried to get a hold of her emotions. She placed her hands over his and stroked the fair blond hair at his wrists. “I wanted to come back to you, Connor. I wanted everything to be the way it was, but it can’t be. I’ve grown up. I’m not the same woman you married. I have so many responsibilities to other people. I don’t just mean as Aaron’s wife but as Nathan’s mother. I created this family for him, something so wonderful for him. He adores you, Connor. Never doubt that.”


“You’re wrong when you say you’re not the woman I married. She’s still there, inside. I’ve seen her every time you’ve been pissed off at me lately, but you’re right when you say you’ve grown up. So have I finally. I saw what my selfishness was doing to you, and I remember a vow I made on our wedding night after we made love for the first time.”


“I don’t remember you saying anything.”


“I made it while you were sleeping. I was watching you. Your face was so soft, and you looked so beautiful my heart felt like it was gonna explode into a million pieces. I knew I had probably hurt you that first time, and I felt horrible about it. Then in your sleep, you turned and slipped your arm around my waist. You trusted me when I said I wouldn’t hurt you again. Even though I had meant physically at the time, feeling your arm come around me showed me you trusted me not to hurt your heart, too. I promised you I would never hurt you in any way. I broke that promise the day you married Aaron, and I walked away. I broke it again when I came back and made you choose. I put you through hell this past year, and I regret that more than you could ever imagine. I’m here to make it right. I’m promising never to bring you another day of pain. So I’m going to do the right thing.” He wiped the tears streaming off his face and handed her an envelope.


“What?” Sara asked.


“I’m leaving. Not sure to where yet. But I’m going to let you go.”


Sara’s breath was knocked out of her. She felt ill. This was what she wanted, wasn’t it? She had made her choice, and it was Aaron so why did it feel like her very soul was being ripped from her body? Fresh tears fell from her eyes. She shook her head. “This is so wrong. This wasn’t supposed to be us. Never us.”


“No it wasn’t,” Connor agreed.


“This feels so wrong.” She began to tremble.


“I know, but it’s the right thing to do, for everybody, but especially for you. I never want to bring you any more pain.”


Sara wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. “I love you, Connor Nolan. With my heart and with my soul, I love you.” She pulled back, and he handed her an envelope containing what she learned was also a petition for joint custody of Nathan. “Of course,” she agreed, pulling up the sleeves of her white suit jacket and pulling open the middle slim drawer of her desk to look for a pen.


“I’m gonna be leaving town, so we’re going to have to work something out,” Connor said and blew his nose.She nodded again, still in disbelief. “We were so beautiful, weren’t we?” Their love had been something so amazing. Had been? No. Was. Would always be. “I’ll go to my grave loving you, Connor.”


Connor smiled. “We’re even good at breaking up.” He grew serious again. “There’s one thing I want before we file those papers.”


“What?” Sara asked, bewildered.


“One night with you.”


Swing on by my website at http://www.ejamie.net/ to get a peek at my other books, trailers and great contests!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Book Signing up at Borders near Fort Drum!











What a pretty time of year to take a drive up to Watertown, NY! It was a wonderful signing event at Borders in The Salmon Run Mall near Fort Drum. I had the distinct privilege of meeting several members of our military and their families. It was a beautiful Saturday but the mall was hopping!
My signing liaison, Stephanie ( a proud military wife) did an unbelievable job promoting our event--and as a result we sold tons of books!!
She posted in online and had it put in the area newspapers as well.
Way to go!!
Unfortunately her kiddies were sick and she couldn't make it....so I took lots of pics so she could see how all her hard work paid off.
The people up in Watertown are incredibly friendly and the staff was awesome! My last signing in this tour is coming up at my Alma mater--Marist College--during Alumni Weekend.

Amoveo Legend Series!

Amoveo Legend Video Trailers