Category: TuesdayTakeover

I’m so excited to have fellow Harlequin author Meghann Whistler with us today and even better, she’s got a great recipe for us! Please welcome Meghann!

Do you like books that feature chefs?

The hero of my new book, Their Unlikely Protector, is a chef who can’t cook because he broke his hand!

I’m more like the heroine of this novel—she bakes cookies with refrigerated dough she bought at the store! ????

Here’s a super easy recipe for a squash casserole that even my cooking-averse heroine could make…and that my kids and I all love!

Ingredients

1 acorn squash
2 large zucchinis
4 eggs
½ cup tapioca starch
¼ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. rosemary

Instructions

Bake acorn squash until soft, 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees. Shred the zucchini with a cheese grater. Mix the cooked squash with the grated zucchini. Mix in the eggs, tapioca starch, baking soda, salt, and rosemary. Stir well.

Pour the mixture into a casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until the top is golden. Remove from the oven and enjoy!

About the Book

Here’s a little more information about Their Unlikely Protector, which is available now!

The last person Valerie Williams expects to rescue her and her toddler twin brothers from a fiery blaze is Brett Richardson, her high school nemesis. But with her house burned down, Valerie is forced to stay at the same inn as Brett and work with him on the town festival. Now Brett has the chance to make things right, but can Valerie let go of the past to make way for a future together?

Get your copy here: https://books2read.com/TheirUnlikelyProtector

P.S. – If you need a recipe for dinner tonight, check out my Cook’s treat section at https://www.caridad.com/meet-me/cooks-treat/.

You find so many tropes in romance novels! Forced proximity, friends to lovers, and fake relationships are just a few of the tropes you might encounter. But my favorite tropes to write and read are enemies to lovers and second chance at love. What about you? Between those two tropes, which one is your favorite? P.S. – If you love enemies to lovers, second chance at love, and friends to lovers, grab a copy of the AT THE SHORE contemporary romance box set with three full length novels for only 99 cents at https://amzn.to/4bRPZNq.

I am so excited to have my friend and fellow Harlequin author Heatherly Bell here today with me! I’ve known Heatherly for years and she writes fabulous contemporary romances. Here’s a little bit about her latest release, Her Fake Boyfriend.

Her Prince Charming…
In a make-believe fairy tale?

Talented divorce attorney and town newcomer Michelle LaCroix needs roots in Charming to make partner, according to her old-fashioned boss. And that means a boyfriend! Problem is, she’s got to produce her beau in the flesh. Enter the town’s most eligible bachelor, former professional athlete Finn Sheridan, who’s only too happy to play pretend with his best friend’s ex—for a price. To his surprise, the more he’s thrown together with Michelle, the more he’s intrigued by a woman who’s far more than her ice-queen exterior. But with Finn’s trust still shattered by a brutal divorce, the make-believe match is just a fun diversion…until it becomes all too real!

Grab Your Copy at https://www.heatherlybell.com/book/her-fake-boyfriend

You can sign up for Heatherly’s newsletter here:
https://www.heatherlybell.com/#newsletter

Please give a big welcome to my awesome friend and romance author Stacey Wilk! Stacey is a fabulous writer and also one of my top conference roomies. We always have a great time when we are together. Stacey is here to share about Christmas in July and her Christmas-themed book, Whispering Christmas!

Did you know that “Christmas in July” was introduced in the 1940 movie, Christmas in July? It was not a new concept that retailers created, trying to take advantage of early sales. They didn’t wait to jump on board to this fantastic idea, though. In 1944, the US Post Office and American Greeting Cards Company decided to get in the game.

And here we are, thinking about the most wonderful time of the year (can’t you just hear Johnny Mathis?) in the hottest month—at least where I live.

I love Christmas. The music, the baking, the shopping, the gift giving. Nothing beats a loved one’s facial expression as they tear away the red and green wrapping to find the perfect gift they didn’t know they wanted, but you did. You know that moment.

Because Caridad was so kind to allow me to spend some time with you, I wanted to share my love of Christmas in July. For a limited time, my Amazon #1 New Release, the book BookBub called “a charming second-chance romance,” Whispering Christmas, is on sale for $1.99

Grab your copy and stuff your e-reader in your beach tote or curl up by the fire come December with a good cup of tea and an emotional holiday tale. https://books2read.com/Whispering-Christmas

I’m very excited to have fellow Harlequin author Shana Gray with me today! Shana is sharing a little bit about herself and a tasty chicken recipe and if you like recipes also, please visit my Cook’s Treat section on the website. Please welcome Shana!

I’m thrilled to be here! Thank you, Caridad, for the invite.

I don’t know about you all, but I simply cannot believe how fast the time has flown by. It’s the middle of June and I swear the time clock has been wound up.

Here I am sitting in my gazebo (my oasis in the summer) surrounded by flowers, the trickle of a water fountain, and birds singing. My garden isn’t large, but it’s cozy. I like a wilder bee, hummingbird and butterfly friendly style of garden. About 14 years ago I planted a little maple tree and now it is glorious! Shades half of my garden, and lovely to sit under. Do you like to garden?

Am I a new-to-you author?

How about a little something about me ? I’m Shana Gray, and I live in a small town just outside Toronto. I’ve been writing, and telling stories most of my life. I’ve been published for fourteen years in contemporary romance, rom com, romantic suspense, er*tic romance, with various smaller presses in the earlier years and then Harlequin, Random House Loveswept, Headline Eternal Romance (Hachette UK) and Entangled. Also I write womens fiction as Catherine Hope, with a first book last year titled The Last Message.

My books are wide, available at all retailers, with a couple in KU. They are also available in Audio.

Do you like series? I have two! Girls Weekend Away, four books titled What Happens in Vegas, Meet Me in San Francisco, The Nashville Bet, A Match Made in Monaco. My second series is Get it On, currently with three books and more to come – these are my er*tic romance books.

If standalones are your preference take a look at Backdraft, Working Girl, The Road Home, and my Harlequin Blaze books More than a Fling, A Cowboy in Paradise. Both books are set in Hawaii. Working Girl is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch. To see more of my books head over to my bookshelf.

I’d be thrilled if you joined my newsletter, you get a free download too! And my FB group Shana’s Shananigators We share fun stuff, games, recipes and beside my newsletter they’re the first to hear all the news.

Speaking of recipes. I’m a hoarder. I have so many in my folders, saved in apps, and written down I doubt I could ever cook them all!

This dish goes well anytime of year and is so tasty!

Cheesy Mustard Chicken

2 lb chicken pieces skinned
1/2 c low fat yogurt
1/3 c light mayo
1/4 c sliced green onion
1T Dijon mustard
1T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t pepper
2T parm or mozz cheese

Place chicken in single layer in greased casserole or use parchment paper.
Combine all ingredients except cheese and spoon over chicken.
Bake 350 for about 45 minutes
Sprinkle with cheese and brown under broiler

I also have sourdough starter that I feed and use. It was on sleep mode for the last few months because of everything else that was going on. The other day I fed and watered the beast and it came alive with a roar!

I was wondering how you keep track of books you’ve read, your TBR, and reviews? I created a Reading Journal where you can keep track of all that, as well as your wish list, series tracker, monthly/yearly book tracker, DNFs, colouring pages, and more. It’s available on Amazon only, because everywhere else gave me a huge headache on turning it into a large format paperback. So the feedback is very positive. It certainly was a labour of love! Take a look and see if it could work for you at https://amzn.to/4c2KxYF.

I’ll be popping in throughout the day to check for comments and chat. Don’t be shy, say hi!

I’m very happy to have my friend and fellow author Mickey Flagg visiting with me today! I’ve known Mickey for quite some time since we were both writing vampire romance. I still have to start FIGHT FOR LOVE, the last book in THE CALLING IS REBORN series (and am not sure when that will be) but Mickey is still going strong with her fabulous vampire romances. So please welcome Mickey!

Happy Tuesday Takeover, everyone! I’m Mickey Flagg and I’m thrilled to be here today with Caridad. I write Paranormal Romance with lots of suspense thrown in. I add in a little bit of light horror in a scene or two, but my stories always have a happily ever after because that’s what I like to read. I’m proud to be published with The Wild Rose Press and self-published as well.

My paranormal series has three novels thus far. The fourth, Night of the Crescent Moon, takes place sixteen years after the third one. It will be available on October 2, 2024, the perfect release date: my son’s birthday! Many years ago, knowing how much I enjoy the paranormal genre, my son urged me to write about vampires. I had thought I’d have a teensy-tiny short story about two pages long. I never dreamed I would write an entire series based on the idea of redeeming a vampire. Both he and my daughter have been the inspiration for some of my characters (not the vampires ????).

I’ve worn many hats through the years: musician, actor, mother, teacher, school administrator. Those experiences become unique components in writing, with many disguised in my novels about unique vampires, witches, mystical warriors, and different realms.

I have one specific writing spot that is like my kitchen to cook up my novels. Outside a huge back window, I see natural beauty. It focuses me. There are four cardinals (two couples) that visit every day along with a red-bellied woodpecker, many mourning doves, and other little birds. There are bucks and deer with their young, a very old groundhog and baby bunnies, not to mention far too many chipmunks. The wildlife is scrutinized by my rescued Maine Coon. The man-cat weighs in at 24 pounds. He is full of affection and loves to greet company. I swear he wags his tail, not flicks it.

I tell you about where I write because it’s part of my recipe for writing. I rarely cook these days, so my recipe is existential for writers of paranormal fantasy. Like creating a special dish, you start with imagination. World building is next. It’s the most intriguing, especially within any paranormal trope. The next ingredients are creating mood, atmosphere, and setting. Then, I add characters and relationships to drive the drama within the storyline. In my recipe, the world’s elements and rules must remain consistent—or maybe not? All authors put their own secret ingredient into a writing recipe, so I’ll say that’s up to the individual to choose or even bend their own rules once in a while.

After all, no two pots of pasta sauce tastes exactly the same, right? Like a good cook, you might add a little bit more of this or that. In paranormal writing, whether it’s folklore, legend, heavenly entities, symbolism or science, the choice is yours. In my recipe, there is always a thin line between good and evil. In my paranormal fiction, romance and suspense are folded in for flavor.

Do you have a recipe for writing? Please leave a comment and share. I may have left out an ingredient or two!

Thank you for having me, Caridad. Many blessings!

I’m so excited to have with me fellow Harlequin author Laurie Batzel whose very first book and first series is in July! How exciting is that! Please welcome Laurie and her delightful Corgi and read on to find out how to enter the awesome giveaway she has for us.

Happy Tuesday everyone! My name is Laurie Batzel and I’m so grateful to Caridad for letting me visit you this morning. I’m an author of sweet romance for Harlequin Heartwarming. My very first book in my very first series with them debuts this July, but first a little about me:

Today is June 4th which, according to nationaltoday.com, is a special day for me for two reasons: first of all, it’s International Corgi Day. I’m not only the mom of four beautiful children, but also the very lucky mom/personal handmaiden/food delivery service to a six-year-old corgi named Stuart. I had wanted a corgi ever since I was young and pet sat for our neighbors’ litter of corgi puppies. The breed captured my whole heart. In addition to being known as the favorite breed of the late Queen Elizabeth II (a fact Stuart has taken very seriously in his demand to be treated like a member of the royal family), they are also smart, silly and amazing family dogs. Our menagerie also includes a two year old rescue lab mix named Midge, a guinea pig named Theodore and two ferrets, Rover and Luna. We can’t get enough of our furbabies and animal sidekicks/hijinks are always a staple in my books!

The other reason today is a special day is that it is National Cheese Day! I’ve told my husband more than once that cheese is my love language. From aged Gouda to a delightfully pungent Manchego to a simple Cheddar, I love it all. I also love to travel and one of my goals is to visit regions known throughout the world for their cheeses, such as Somerset, England (the birthplace of Cheddar), Paris, France, and Tuscany, Italy. My children have more than once accused me of having a “cheesy” sense of humor, which I take as the highest of compliments. Both plenty of mouthwatering food descriptions and lots of humor are two other hallmarks of every book I write, so if you’re a foodie who enjoys a giggle along with your swoony romance, you and I are meant to brie! (I’m sorry).

Just for you guys, here’s a special early hint into Book #2 The Valentine’s Plan: the male main character is the local cheesemaker!

June on the whole is National Dairy Month, which brings us to the main character of The Dairy Queen’s Second Chance, the first book in my Harlequin Heartwarming series set to release July 23, 2024! Here’s a little teaser.

In this contest…
Second time’s the charm?

Dairy farmer BeeBee Long wants to make the world’s best mozzarella, which means adding a water buffalo to her operation. Orlando the Bull costs more than she can afford, so she swaps her muddy boots for high heels…and enters a beauty pageant for the prize money! There’s just one problem—contestants must create a winning recipe and she can’t cook. Traveling chef Bill Danzig offers to train his former teenage crush, and soon they’re baking up a sweet second chance. But will BeeBee’s first love leave her behind again or crown her queen of his heart?

As I mentioned before, my favorite romances are the ones that balance the exhilarating highs and lows of falling in love with a healthy amount of humor. So it makes sense that my favorite movies have always been rom coms. While I’m a HUGE Nora Ephron fan and When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail are near the top of my Will Drop Everything and Watch When on TV list, there is a special place in my heart for the Sandra Bullock rom coms of the late nineties/early aughts. NO ONE does that special blend of physical comedy with emotional vulnerability like Sandy B. and just like me, she’s originally from Virginia! While You Were Sleeping is quite possibly my favorite romance film, but for comedy I go to Miss Congeniality every single time. So when I was writing The Dairy Queen’s Second Chance, Sandra Bullock’s lovably sarcastic fish-out-of-water beauty queen, Gracie Hart, was absolutely an inspiration for my main character, BeeBee Long (although I’m going to shoot my shot here and say if there was ever going to be a film adaptation of this book, Millie Bobby Brown is who I pictured for BeeBee physically with Niall Horan as her yacht chef first love, Bill Danzig).

Now on to the part everyone likes best…GIVEAWAYS!

Please visit Caridad’s Facebook fan page to enter the contest. I’m going to draw two lucky winners from the comments on that fan page to receive a free copy of The Dairy Queen’s Second Chance. Since I just completely overshared about some of my favorites, I would love to know some of yours! Tell me in the comments about your beloved pets (pictures would make my day!), your favorite dairy product or your favorite rom com film. Your comments might just inspire me as I’m hard at work writing Books #3 and #4 of my Crystal Hill Romance series now!