This is a bit of a crazy week for me with both personal and writing deadlines. So I’m leaving you to take some time to check out this wonderful Happy Endings Giveaway Blog Hop! Take a moment to read this happy ending story and leave a comment here or tweet/share the following for a chance to win a copy of THE VAMPIRE’S CONSORT and NIGHT OF THE COUGAR novellas as well as a $10 gift card to your online book retailer of choice.

Ring of Honor Ring of Love #HEAGiveaway http://bit.ly/Vf7yMe

So here goes for my happy ending story!

After Castro came to power in Cuba, my family had to leave in a hurry. My mom and dad were forced to leave first to avoid imprisonment, leaving my sister and me behind with my maternal grandparents.

It took my parents over a year to get us out and when the word came to be ready, the house was in quite an uproar. My grandparents were not only getting us ready to leave, but giving away everything we had so that Castro and his people would not get it.

One of the things my grandma gave away was a bath robe to a friend and neighbor since she thought her friend would like it.

When the day came for us to leave, my grandmother could not find her engagement ring anywhere. She left Cuba without it and my grandfather knew just how much she missed the ring.

Times were tough here at first, but my family worked hard to achieve the American Dream. My grandfather also worked hard and set aside a little bit from each paycheck. He located the jeweler who had originally made my grandmother’s engagement ring and in time, he had another one made.

A ring of love for his wife of so long.

Fast forward a dozen years from when we left Cuba. We were living on Long Island and one day there was a knock on the door. I opened it to find someone who said he had been an old neighbor and friend in Cuba. He had been visiting Cuban friends nearby who happened to mention where we were living. He said that when he heard where we were, he had to come and return something: My grandmother’s engagement ring.

The ring had been in the bath robe that my grandmother gave to his wife.

It brought tears to my eyes to know that he had held onto the ring all those years, knowing the suffering he must have had in Cuba and how selling the ring would have helped. He was a man of great honor to keep it and return it.

A ring of honor and of love.

I hope you enjoyed this Happy Endings story!

Click here to visit the rest of the #HEAGiveaway participants!

We are switching it up today for this Wicked Wednesday! I’m visiting with the fabulous Elisabeth Staab to chat about THE PRINCE’S GAMBLE and tell you a little more about my campaign to raise money for the Jersey Shore.

I had the pleasure of meeting Elisabeth at last year’s RT Convention and I’ll be seeing her again soon at the 2013 RT in Kansas City as well as the awesome Liberty States Fiction Writers Create Something Magical Conference! Whether your a reader or writer, this is a great conference with a multitude of panels, workshops and some awesome networking events, including a fun Saturday night party.

Elisabeth is here to tell us about her latest release, Prince of Power, and to tell us why she loves the undead! Please welcome my friend, Elisabeth!

Why I love Vampires

Hi there! Thank you so much to Caridad for having me today. We are sort of playing a blog version of “Trading Spaces.” While I’m here today, she is at my place, promoting The Prince’s Gamble and her amazing fundraiser for the Jersey Shore cleanup.

I had the pleasure of meeting Caridad for the first time at the RT Convention last April where we were part of a fabulous panel that brought together authors and readers who all shared a mutual adoration of vampires (We will be there again in for RT2013, will you be joining us?). Now, for those of us who love reading and writing about vampires, the reasons why are many.

I’ll go ahead and admit that for me, while the fangs and whatnot are sexy, what I love most is the blood itself. Principally, the mythos that the blood exchange is sensual between two creatures who share an attraction. They drink, they desire, they make love, and they are not just bonding emotionally and physically but on a deep, primal, biological level. More than falling in love, they are creating an everlasting link.

We see this in Prince of Power, sequel to my debut novel, King of Darkness. In King of Darkness we met a wizard, an enemy of the vampire race, named Anton. Anton was supposed to kidnap the vampire king’s sister, Tyra, but instead he fell in love. Anton saved Tyra’s life, and then offered to help wipe out his own kind. Generous guy, that Anton. Unfortunately, some of the vamps don’t trust his motives and he takes a beating that lands him in a coma. It’s okay in the end, because Tyra can heal him with his blood, and then comes the desire…

… Anton groaned in his half sleep and swallowed again, tipping his head unconsciously and sliding his tongue on her skin for better suction. His breath deepened audibly, and his bare chest rose and fell with the effort. Something deep and primitive and fiery stirred inside Tyra. Something she’d never experienced before.

She knelt there by the bed, her breath coming in shallow pants while her free hand gripped a fistful of duvet. “Oh hell.”

Sometimes the blood exchange was sensual, sure. But this… a rush of desire chased Anton’s panic, melting the icy slush as it flowed from his body into hers and pooling deep in her core. It couldn’t even possibly be something he was conscious of.

Anton sucked harder and Tyra gasped. A part of her was embarrassed at having such a very base response, even though nobody was there to witness it. Not even him, actually. His eyes were still closed, and though he reacted physically, he clearly was still on a different plane somewhere.

She closed her eyes and shifted a little, thinking she might clear her mind or find a position where the seam of her fatigues wasn’t pressing in such a stimulating way. But when she opened her eyes again, everything was even more muddled. It wasn’t clear anymore what was her own physical need and what was channeling from Anton.

Her hand wandered from the bed across his face. A coarse dusting of stubble coated his jaw and chin. His cheekbones were prominent, his nose almost patrician. His chin was square, with a slight divot under all the stubble. In sleep, with his impossibly long eyelashes, he didn’t look like someone capable of great evil. Or even the offspring of a great evil.

It was incomprehensible that he’d done so much to protect her. That he could claim to love her. He didn’t know her. But the way he’d charged Siddoh. For her. 

Damned if that didn’t do things to a female…

PRINCE OF POWER BY ELISABETH STAAB

Wizards and vampires have been mortal enemies since the beginning. Now Anton, son of the Wizard Master, has one last chance to steal the unique powers of the vampire king’s beautiful sister, Tyra…and then kill her. But when he meets Tyra face-to-face, everything changes…

Tyra will stop at nothing to defeat the wizards, until Anton saves her life and she suddenly sees an opportunity she never could have imagined…

As the sparks ignite between them, together they could bring an end to the war that’s decimating their people, but only if they can find a way to trust each other…

FIND IT:

• Amazon
• B&N
• Indiebound
• Discover a New Love

Elisabeth Staab still lives with her nose in a book and at least one foot in a fantasy world. Her bestselling paranormal romance novel, King of Darkness, debuted in February of 2012. Her second novel, Prince of Power, is just out now. Find out more at ElisabethStaab.com and follow her onTwitter, Facebook and her newsletter.

Thanks again to Caridad for having me today and to all of you for stopping by! Tell me, what is it that you love most about vampires?

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

Don’t be a stranger…

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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]