Before I announce the winners for the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways, I want to answer a question that so many of you ask: How can I help my favorite authors?

For me, the many notes and comments you leave or send are wonderful. I absolutely love chatting with you and getting to know you better. It really helps keep me inspired to keep on writing for you!

What else can you do? The Number One thing that helps authors: Reviews. I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to do one. It really makes a big difference. I know some of you feel uncomfortable, but a review can be as simple as, “This was a good book. I enjoyed the characters and am looking forward to the next one.” Short and simple and it will still help a lot. A LOT. I can’t emphasize that enough.

So if you’re wondering what you can do today, drop by one of the online retailers and leave a review.

But now. . . . The winners! Please e-mail cpsromance at att dot net with your postal address and an e-mail address by January 31, midnight EST, to claim your prize.

Day 1: $10 Gift Card – Jenny W.
Day 2: Chocolate Truffles – Donna S.
Day 3: Any backlist book available – BN100
Day 4: BORN TO SERVE Arc – Bonnie
Day 5: Aztec Gold E-novella – Jacki C
Day 6: Alina T-shirt – Laney4
Day 7: Ghost of a Chance e-novella – Diane S.
Day 8: THE CLAIMED print book – Sherry
Day 9: MORE THAN A MISSION or TEMPTATION CALLS print book – Ashley A.
Day 10: HER VAMPIRE LOVER e-novella – Colleen
Day 11: THE VAMPIRE’S CONSORT e-novella – Barb P.
Day 12: Complete Calling Collection E-book Set – Jenny W (Boy you were lucky!!)

Congrats to all the winners and please write me soon with your information! If you’ve won an e-book, just leave a message on this blog post with the e-mail to which you want the book sent!

Thank you all! Also, please take a moment to check out THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE and help out a good cause – rebuilding and restoring lives along the Jersey Shore!

One of the best things about my writing gig is all the wonderful friends I’ve made and today I’ve got two of them helping me out! I met Lisa Kessler and Laura Kaye at RT last year, although we’d been online buddies before that as we all write for Entangled Publishing. It was such a blast to spend time with them and get to know them better. Today, Lisa and Laura are helping me out!

Visit with me at Laura’s fabulous blog as I chat about THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE. Leave a comment on that blog and on this one for a chance to win a collectible print copy of GHOST OF A CHANCE, my paranormal ghost romance about an eighty-year old mystery and million dollar prize for solving it!

As for Lisa, she’s offering up some tasty information about her latest release, NIGHT THIEF. Man, does this sound like a great book! I can’t wait to read it.

So without further ado, here’s Lisa!

Hi everyone –

Thanks to Caridad for letting me visit her blog today!

I was excited to help her spread the word about The Prince’s Gamble and her project to raise money for the Jersey Shore.  We’re also speaking on a vampire panel together at the upcoming RT Booklovers Convention in May!  Woot!

And speaking of vampires… (Nice segue way, right? LOL)

I write the Night Series which involve Night Walkers. They’re similar to vampires, but their origins rest in Mayan mythology instead of the more traditional vampires of Vlad from Romania. Readers can expect tortured immortal heroes and strong heroines. I hope you’ll check them out! J

Night Thief –

After the fall of the Mayan civilization, Kane, an immortal Night Walker, has taken refuge in France for over 800 years. The modern world holds little interest for him until the night he meets the Golden Thief and is robbed of much more than his pocket watch.

Marguerite Rousseau is living a double life. By day she is the assistant to an eccentric French artist, Antoine Berjon, and by night she dons elegant evening gowns to woo French dignitaries before lifting their wallets.

Sparks ignite when Kane captures the thief, but Marguerite harbors a dark secret that could ruin them both.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Night-Thief-Series-Novella-ebook/dp/B009J7PC4O/

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/night-thief-lisa-kessler/1113064536?ean=2940015511499

Night Thief is a prequel to Book 1 of the Night Series. It takes place in Paris in 1840…  I hope you enjoy the excerpt!

Kane hurried into the darkness, following her scent. He caught a glimpse of the back of her hair a moment before she disappeared around a corner. He slowed when she paused and then crossed the next street. Kane ducked into the shadows of a darkened cobbler’s shop doorway and waited.

She turned, her blue eyes sweeping the street behind her. With a mask of confidence, she lifted her chin a notch and continued her journey.

Kane kept his distance behind her. Before he crossed the street to follow, a horse and buggy barreled past him. The wooden wheels splashed water onto his polished boot, but he didn’t stop to clean it.

She turned, making her way down a bustling street. Kane shoved his way through the masses in time to see her rush down a shadowed alley, trying each door she passed until one finally opened. He watched her vanish into the rear entrance of a bakery. He approached the darkened building slowly, trying not to draw any unnecessary attention to himself.

When he grasped the wobbly brass doorknob and twisted, the weathered metal squealed in protest. He froze and listened for any sign of movement from within. When he heard no answering sound, Kane pulled the door open and slipped inside.

Traveling down a dimly lit hallway, he found the room opened to reveal large brick ovens. In the far corner, she sat at a table with a single candle, spreading coins and jewelry pieces across the surface. The flame danced in front of her, casting a warm light over her fair skin. He took a quiet step closer, enticed by a stray curl of her golden hair resting on the soft curve of her breast. A crease marred her brow and her lips pursed together as she sifted through her night’s earnings.

“I believe that pocket watch is mine,” he said.

She gasped and popped up from the table. Her surprise melted away quickly, replaced by a well-practiced mask of charm.

“You frightened me, Monsieur.” She plucked up his gold pocket watch from the table. “I found a satchel in the street filled with these trinkets.”

The sound of her voice thrilled him, and he realized he’d been eager to see her again. Strange. He took a step toward her, wanting to feel closer to her, even if only in proximity and only until she fled.

“No, you found the watch on my vest while we danced tonight.”

“You are mistaken, and you insult me.” She lifted her chin slightly, enough to imply her shock at his accusation.

Kane narrowed the distance between them, surprised when she didn’t retreat. Her scent overwhelmed him with an alluring blend of roses and spice as his gaze slowly traveled up her body. Her dress was a rich emerald green color, fitted at the waist, her corset supporting her modest breasts. Even with the oversized skirt and sleeves, she remained a petite flower, though far from fragile.

She wore her golden hair up in a loose knot, with stray curls falling down her neck and framing her large round eyes and high cheekbones. Nothing about her was subtle or forgettable like a thief should be.

When he took the watch from her hand, he noticed a flush of color rising from beneath the velvet choker on her neck. Enticing. “You are a flamboyant thief.”

He never saw the slap coming.

“How dare you!” Her hands balled into fists at her sides.

Kane smiled and reached for her hand, drawing her soft fingers to his lips. Her struggles were nothing against his inhuman strength. Pressing a cool kiss to her knuckles, he stared into her eyes.

“Forgive me for being so rude,” he murmured. “You are the most lovely, delicate, and beautiful thief I have ever seen.”

This time, he caught her other wrist before her slap made contact with his cheek. Her bright blue eyes widened. “Let me go.”

“Not yet.” He tipped his head slightly. “I have a confession to make.”

“You?”

He released her. “I have been watching you, waiting to make your acquaintance. I wore my watch tonight hoping you might take it from me.”

A crease marred her brow. “Why?”

“Because you intrigue me. I have never met a thief quite like you.”

Her eyes searched his, and for a moment, he thought she might apologize for taking his property.

“I did not steal your watch.” She set her chin. “I found it.”

Marguerite placed the watch in his palm, and she closed his fingers around it. Glancing at his hand, she frowned.

“Your skin is cold.” She released him. “Are you sick?”

He shook his head. “I am well.”

She went back to the table and gathered her other treasures. “It is good fortune that our paths crossed again so that I could return your watch. Sadly, I will still need to find the other owners.”

“We could give the items you found to the police.”

“No!” She snatched up the satchel and hid it behind her skirt. He watched her clear her throat and her composure returned with her charm. “I could not trust another person with these valuables. Tomorrow, I will go back and inquire with the host to see which guests might be missing their belongings. It is the only way to ease my mind and know they will be returned to their rightful owners.”

“How thoughtful of you. With Le Voleur D’or stalking the streets of Paris, they probably fear their belongings are lost forever.”

Her back straightened and her lips pressed together as if she were a royal princess. It was all he could do not to kiss her. What was wrong with him? He should be angered, or in the least, willing to turn her over to the police.

His shoulders tensed at the thought of an officer touching her.

She cleared her throat. “What do you know of Le Voleur D’or?”

He stepped in closer to her and kept his voice low. “I have been told she has golden hair and her beauty is so blinding that no one notices her pluck their wallets from their pockets. I also understand that she charms her victims until they no longer care that she has lightened their coin purses.”

He tipped his head down. The scent of her hair and the sound of her heartbeat enticed him. Kane ached to taste her. Such an unusual woman. He bit back his desire and whispered near her ear. “Is my description far from the truth?”

She met his gaze. The candlelight flickered in the clear sea-blue of her eyes. “Perhaps you were not charmed enough, Monsieur Bordeaux.”

“In my rush to find you, I was nearly run down by a coach.”

She glanced down at the watch in his hand, then met his gaze again. “You do cherish that watch.”

He bent closer to her, until his lips nearly brushed hers. “It was not the watch that I was after.”

Thanks again to Caridad for the blog spot!  SO tell me, what makes an immortal sexy? J

Lisa

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Before we get to today’s recipe, please take a moment to visit with me and my lovely friend Lisa Kessler, who will be dropping by tomorrow! I am guest blogging at Lisa’s about THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE and my desire to help out those in need along the Jersey Shore.

But now for today’s recipe! I’m committed to a healthier lifestyle this year and a big part of that change was watching my carbs. I am a carboholic, no doubt about that and despite exercising, etc. I found myself unable to get to a healthier weight. These past two weeks, I’ve cut out a lot of my breads and pastas and voila, I’ve lost 7 pounds! SEVEN!

But it’s tough for me not to have a “starchy” something as a side dish along with my protein, vegetables and salad. So what to do? Mashed cauliflower is an excellent choice. You save about 100 calories per serving by using this vegetable instead of a potato. That’s a 90% reduction give or take.

What about rice? Well, there are some substitutes and one of them is quinoa (pronounced keenwa), a pseudocereal that was first cultivated by the Quecha in the Andean regions of the countries we now know as Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. You can get some more useful information on quinoa by clicking here.

You may remember the Quecha from my SIN HUNTERS series. Their language and some customs, along with Mayan customs, inspired the ancient race known as the Hunters! Look for THE SHATTERED, the next book in the series, in late summer 2013.

But back to quinoa. After a few hit-or-miss attempts, I tried this recipe last night and it was tasty. Even hubby, who detests the stuff, went back for a second helping. So here goes with the recipe! As for purchasing quinoa, it can be pricey, but Costco has a nice-sized bag at a reasonable price.

Quinoa with Nuts and Craisins

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts or a mix of all three!)
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1/4 cup Craisins (or other dried fruit for that matter)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf

You will need a 2 quart pot and it’s okay to make it all in one dish. The recipe says two different pots, but who has time to clean twice when you can avoid it!

Toast the nuts in the butter until they are just getting brown and then add the quinoa. Toast it as well until the quinoa is a golden brown.

Add the chicken broth, bay leaf and Craisins and bring to a boil. Once the mixture has boiled, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve!

This recipe makes about 4 cups of quinoa. We had leftovers so I am going to chop up some onion, cucumbers and tomatoes to make a tabouleh-like salad for lunch.

Photo Credit: [email protected]

It’s Monday! Sorry for the delay, but something came up this morning.

First of all, I’ll be picking winners for the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway this week and will have them for you by Friday!

Today is Monday and you know what that means! MAN CANDY. Today’s choice is a little out of my usual mix of actors and athletes. (Did you get that I love athletes of all kinds?)

Today we have Country singer Luke Bryan who won a number of awards in 2010 including Top New Artist and Breakthrough video of the year. I just love Luke’s smile and his body is rockin’ as well.

Photo Credit: Keith Hinkle