One Summer Night Cover Reveal & Prizes for Reader #Giveaways

Good morning and Happy Friday! We’re continuing with the Cover Reveal celebration today!

First of all, thanks to everyone who spent the day with me! I really appreciate you taking the time to do that. I’ll be picking the giveaway winners over the weekend and will announce the winners on Monday! Please keep on sharing and tagging until midnight EST Saturday to be eligible to win the #giveaways at the One Summer Night Cover Reveal.

If you’re not a lucky winner, don’t fret. There is a Second Chance Prize giveaway that will be open until midnight EST Monday, May 15th. I’ll be posting links to blogs that have been kind enough to take part in my cover reveal in the comments section of this Facebook Post. Leave a comment at one or all of those blogs and I will pick someone to win a $10 gift card, T-shirt, Koozie and autographed copy of an earlier release!

For those of you who don’t participate on Facebook, you can leave a comment on this blog for a chance to win $10 gift card, T-shirt, Koozie and autographed copy of an earlier release! You can leave comments at the blogs through midnight EST May 15th. I will pick a winner on Tuesday, May 16th!

Video Premiere At the Shore Contemporary Romance Series

Blurb for ONE SUMMER NIGHT

Maggie Sinclair has tried everything to save her familyâ€™s business, including mortgaging their beloved beach house on the Jersey Shore. But now, sheâ€™s out of options.

The Sinclair and Pierce families have been neighbors and enemies for almost thirty years. That hasnâ€™t stopped Owen Pierce from crushing on Maggie, and heâ€™s determined to invest in her success. Now he has to convince her that heâ€™s more than just trouble with a capital Tâ€¦

You can pre-order ONE SUMMER NIGHT at the following retailers:

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2krMwfE
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2kYLWZV
B&N: http://bit.ly/2kNuo0p
iBooks: http://apple.co/2qsqdwx
Kobo: Coming Soon!

Prizes for Readers Giveaway

I’m participating in a fabulous contest with my author friends at https://www.prizesforreaders.com/. Enter for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from Amazon or Barnes & Noble (your choice,) while voting for the best blurb and cover. Super easy one-click entry, no Rafflecopter or anything complicated. Winner will be announced on May 13 or May 14th.

No matter what, you are a winner! Even if your name is not selected for the gift certificate, you will be receiving free book download links from various authors for your reading pleasure and I’ve specially priced JUST ONE NIGHT at .99 cents for you. Please note you must be 18 or older. US, Canada, UK, Germany, Australia only. Void where prohibited.

Thank you!

May 8, 2017February 17, 2021

Aaron Diaz & At The Shore #ManCandyMonday

Happy Man Candy Monday! I’ve started the timeline for #3 in the At the Shore series and am creating in my brain the image for Carlo Teixeira, the hero in #3. Carlo is of Portuguese descent and his family lives in the Ironbound section of Newark. He has a number of older brothers who run the Caminho bakery, but two younger brothers (who I hope to spin off into their own stories later!).

There are a number of Latin men who could fit the part of Carlo, the caterer extraordinaire, and he’s taking shape physically in my brain. As I was searching for assistance with this, a hard job but someone has to do it, I ran across sexy Aaron Diaz.

Aaron was born in Mexico on March 7. OMG, we share a birthday. How right is that?

Aaron has appeared in a number of telenovelas and also had a role in the short-lived PAN AM series on ABC and is now appearing on QUANTICO.

Thanks to Aaron Diaz’s Instagram for this photo! You can follow Aaron at the following sites:

Website: http://aarondiazspencer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AaronDiazMX/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aarondiaz/?hl=en
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AaronDiazSVK

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A post shared by Aaron Diaz (@aarondiaz) on Mar 24, 2017 at 7:49am PDT

Speaking of At the Shore, don’t forget the #AttheShore Cover Reveal for One Summer Night on May 11. Sign up and get behind the scenes tidbits and a chance for a slew of #giveaways! http://bit.ly/2qs0vYO

May 5, 2017

#FridayFun One Summer Night Playlist #AttheShore

Admit it, there are some songs that bring back memories every time you hear them. Whether it’s thoughts of hitting the open road on your way to the beach (or the shore as Jersey folk like to say) or of a special time in your life, those songs stick with you.

Wouldn’t it Be Nice by the Beach Boys is one of those songs! Being down the shore on summer nights brings the sounds of the Beach Boys to mind for sure. But this song is doubly special because it’s “Our Song.” It was part of the soundtrack for the movie Shampoo which was my first date with my husband. Being without transportation, we went to see the movie together on campus at Villanova. Brings back good memories every time I hear it.

FYI – this song is from the Pet Sounds album which is considered one of the best albums of all time. If you love the Beach Boys like I do, check out Love and Mercy which is the Brian Wilson story and has a lot on the creation of the Pet Sounds album. Fabulous movie.

Have a great weekend and if you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to sign up for the May 11 Cover Reveal event on Facebook.

Please click here if you can’t see the Beach Boys Video below or cut and paste this link: https://youtu.be/lD4sxxoJGkA.

May 3, 2017

#WriteWed Bryant Park from One Summer Night #AttheShore

It seems odd to be chatting about Bryant Park when I’m talking about a contemporary romance series set on the Jersey Shore, but two of the heroines work in New York City and Maggie Sinclair, the heroine of One Summer Night, has her family’s beach home on the Jersey Shore.

I love Bryant Park! I walk through there every morning on my way to work and I’ll often post photos of the lovely flowers there. I couldn’t have a book where the two heroines work in another fav place, namely the Chrysler Building, and not have a scene set in Bryant Park.

Here’s my little tour of the park for you this #Write Wed. Click here to see the Bryant Park tour if you can’t see the video below!

May 2, 2017

#TastyTuesday Chicken & Rice #AttheShore

Just finished #2 in the At the Shore Contemporary Romance Series and I think it’s a story you will really love! It’s sexy, but tender and packed with emotion as the hero and heroine, Connie Reyes and Jonathan Pierce, learn to let go of the past so that they can build a future together.

In one of the scenes, Connie turns to her friend Emma (the heroine of #3) for some time away from Jonathan. As she stays with Emma at her friend’s Sea Kiss cottage, Connie decides to make Emma some Chicken and Rice as a way to say “Thanks.”

So here is my recipe for Chicken and Rice, a must have in any Latin kitchen. I’ve found that the easiest way to make it is in the oven, although you start it on the stove. If you have Corningware, Le Crueset or some other stove to oven cookware, even better. Who wants to spend time cleaning pots!

Chicken and Rice Recipe

Ingredients

One fryer chicken, cut into pieces
Olive oil
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 cup chopped red & green peppers
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups white rice
2 cups water
1 cup white wine
1 tsp BIJOL (this is a coloring agent you can find in the Latin cooking section of your market)
1 chorizo (also in the Latin section)
2 bay leaves
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350.

In your pot, put in a little olive oil and brown the chicken. Remove and set to the side.

In the same pot, add the red and green peppers and saute for about 5 minutes. Then add the chorizo and the onions. Saute for another 5 and add the garlic for just a minute. Then add the tomato sauce, bay leaves, oregano and wine.

Simmer for about 15 minutes to get rid of the raw tomato taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then add the 2 cups water and also, the Bijol. Give it a stir and add the rice. Stir again to mix and then add the chicken pieces. Arrange the chicken pieces so they are spread throughout the pot.

If you don’t have stove to oven cookware, make it in a regular pan and then move it a large enough rectangular aluminum foil pan.

Place the mixture in the oven and cover tightly. Cook for about 30 to 45 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

To serve, fluff the rice and also add canned peas and some sliced roasted red peppers.

If you can’t imagine eating peas straight out of the can, you can add frozen peas to the mixture in the oven during the last ten minutes of cooking.

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

April 28, 2017

#FunFriday A Wedding a la Beauty & the Beast

My two fav animated features are Beauty and the Beast and Anastasia. Seeing live action versions of my two favs this year has been AMAZING! I know I’m not the only who loves these movies given the fandom at the movie theater for B&B and the amazing lines and responses of attendees at the Broadway version of Anastasia!

But now, for some Friday Fun, a couple whose real live B&B wedding was gorgeous! Check it out. If you can’t see the video below, click here to see the Beauty & the Beast Wedding or use this link: http://7ny.tv/2qeiNNp

Please don’t forget that it’s not too late to add ONE SUMMER NIGHT to your Goodreads Want to Read pile for a chance to win an ARC of ONE SUMMER NIGHT & Jersey Shore Goodies! Add ONE SUMMER NIGHT here: http://bit.ly/2o4WJRz

April 24, 2017

#ManCandyMonday Dark Hair or Blonde?

The two brothers in the At the Shore Contemporary Romance Series are very different physically and have very different personalities.

Owen Pierce, the hero of book #1, One Summer Night, is dark haired and dark charcoal eyes. Owen’s a by-the-book kind of guy who is married to his work and not looking to get involved. Especially not with the daughter of his father’s worst enemy. Of course, that’s just who he is going to fall in love which makes for an interesting Romeo and Juliet kind of tale.

Jonathan Pierce, the hero of book #3, tentatively titled The Goodbye Summer, has sun-streaked light brown hair and sky blue eyes. Jonathan is a rebel of sorts. A genius who marches to his own drummer and has left the love of his life behind because she’s just too uber-responsible and career-focused. Jonathan will have his hands full in more ways than one in this second chance at love story.

But now, for today’s Man Candy, dark hair or light? I decided to do both in this series with the two brothers, but which do you prefer?

This is how I pictured Owen when he does shuck off that suit and lets himself spend some fun time in Sea Kiss, the fictional Jersey Shore town from the series. I’ll share my thoughts (and pictured) of Jonathan soon!

By the way, don’t forget that you have until April 30 to enter the giveaway for an ARC of One Summer Night and a collection of Jersey Shore Goodies. Just add One Summer Night to your Goodreads Want to Read pile. Click here or use this link: http://bit.ly/2q6OzIc.