#SCENTsational Saturdays The Way to a Man's Heart 4th of July Edition Pig Lickin' Cake

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. To celebrate Independence Day, this is a great refreshing dessert full of sweet citrus Mandarin oranges and mouthwatering tropical pineapple that will have you scarfing it up like a pig at the trough. Enjoy this treat anytime, but most of all, I hope you enjoy the upcoming holiday with family and friends, fireworks and really delicious SCENTsational foods!

PIG LICKIN' CAKE

1 package Butter Cake Mix (doesn't matter which brand)
4 Eggs
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1- 15 oz can of Mandarin Oranges with juice
1 tsp. Vanilla

Topping-
1- 5 oz instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1- 20 oz can (1lb 4 oz) Crushed Pineapple with juice
1 container Cool Whip (8-9 oz)

Beat cake mix, eggs, oil, juice from oranges and vanilla.
Then add oranges and beat until pieces are small, about 3 minutes.
Bake in greased and floured 9 X 13 inch cake pan (preferably one that has a lid) at 350º for 30-35 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cake cool.

To make topping: Blend juice from pineapple with the pudding mix. Add powdered sugar, Cool Whip and drained pineapple. Blend well after adding each ingredient. Spread on cake and refrigerate.

Called Pig Lickin Cake because people make pigs of themselves.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Hope you have a SCENTsational Saturday!

#FFF The Reunion Game by Jan Scarbrough @romancerider @FictionWitches #TMPress

Click Image to purchase on Amazon Kindle

99 CENTS!

The Reunion Game is the fourth ebook novella in the re-release of the Ladies of Legend original title, Finding Home. First time released as a separate ebook!


Thirty-three-year-old Jane Smith's biological clock is ticking. But pickings are slim in Legend, Tennessee, until the fifteen year high school reunion gives Jane a second chance. Graham Winchester will be back in town.

In high school, Jane's shyness has stopped her from taking action. Now she's older, wiser and no longer afraid. Graham has moved to the big city and won't stick around after the reunion. He's a confirmed bachelor and happily-ever-after is not in his makeup. Yet, Jane must exorcise the demon Graham has become so she can get on with her life.

Switching places with her glamorous twin sister is just what she needs to get Mr. Most Likely to Succeed into bed and out of her heart.

Jan’s Bio: I've dreamed of being a writer since I reported on freelance writing for a career project in the ninth grade. After majoring in English at Western Kentucky University, I taught high school English for five years. Since 1982 I've made my living as a writer — a technical writer — but I didn't have the nerve to make my dream come true until after a life-threatening illness in 1988. I've enjoyed my process of becoming a published author. A member of the Romance Writers of America, I've been active in my local Kentucky RWA chapter and am a member of Novelist, Inc. My best friends are fellow writers. Who else will check a point plot for me or understand GMC and POV? I live in Louisville, Kentucky, along with two dogs and four cats. I enjoy taking riding lessons on the American Saddlebred Horse. I'm a member of the American Saddlebred Horse Association . I volunteer at The Luci Center, a non-profit 501c3 organization located in Shelbyville Kentucky providing therapeutic riding and hippotherapy for individuals with disabilities. www.janscarbrough.com

Related Works:
Claiming the Legend  by Janet Eaves (January 31, 2011)
Midnight in Legend, TN by Magdalena Scott (Feb 7, 2011)
Bed,Breakfast and You by Maddie James (Feb 14, 2011)
Finding Home (combined print edition of all novellas above) March, 2011

#WIPlash Wednesdays Complete Manuscript Number 11 #writing

Sunday I put the finishing touch on my 11th manuscript, Perfect Recipe for Love. Well, the official finishing touch- The End. Edits will ensue eventually, but for now I'm enjoying that sense of accomplishment that comes with putting the finish on yet another story...

Up next, I plan to start the 4th and last in the Pryce of Love series about the Pryce Brothers, manuscript #12 for me. Mark is up next, young surfer boy and he's going to have his hands full with the competition- "Alex" Alexa- who's the only girl in a male-dominated surf competition. You know she's going to be stubborn and bullheaded.

Considering I write by the seat of my pants though, that about all I can tell you at the moment. LOL I intend to invest in a few books about surfing, perhaps see if there are any videos on Youtube that might give me more insight and I have a bunch of websites bookmarked that list surfer lingo and information about the lifestyle. The last few books I've written had minimum research, but this one I will be giving a bit more time over to learning about the subject matter so I can present it in a realistic knowledgeable way.

I'm also endeavoring to learn more about self-publishing, and have currently been reading Smashwords Style Guide, just to familiarize myself with it before I attempt anything. Learning a little at a time, I'm really warming to the idea, but I'm not quite ready to rush in headfirst, but I'm seriously considering self-pubbing both of my 4-book series and after that, who knows. :o)

This week I'm still enjoying visiting with my parents and sister and friends and just enjoying touching base with my roots. The older I get, the more I need it. Hope everyone's having a great week! Stay cool!

#TuesdayswithTaryn Dustin Stevens

Tuesdays with Taryn

Dustin Stevens

What book(s) most influenced you as a writer?

I tend to go more by author than individual book, so I'll find someone I like and plow through everything they've ever written.  These include Lee Child, John Sandford, Clive Cussler, Kathy Reichs, James Lee Burke and am currently working through the CJ Box novels.

What book do you read over and over again?

I'm not sure that I've ever re-read a book.  I like going into the library and grabbing something new and random.  If I were to revisit something though, it would probably be one of the Dirk Pitt novels by Cussler or Billy Bob Holland novels by Burke.

Tuesday Trio-

I'll preface this by saying I don't really have favorites of any of these things, just whatever seems to grab me at the moment.  That being said, catching my interests this week are…

1)      Movie-  Leatherheads.  Vaudeville style football comedy set in the Roaring 20's starring John Krasinksi and George Clooney.  Can't beat it.

2)      Music- Somethin Bout a Truck - Kip Moore.  I recently completed a 1,500 mile road trip through the Rockies and must have heard this song a hundred times.  Never got old.

3)      Decadent Dessert- Living in Hawaii, we have some interesting desserts that just aren't found on the mainland.  The coco puffs from Liliha Bakery and Malasadas from Leonard's are both fantastic, but at the moment I'm big on the Hula Pie from the Duke's in Waikiki.  Google it, you won't be sorry.

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel?

A lot of the time I will try to include new or exotic angles into my stories just so I have the excuse to research them.  Recently I've come across two interesting bits of random trivia.  First, chimpanzees have photographic memories.  I haven't yet had any call to use that one, but rest assured I will try.  Second, apparently when the boogeyman goes to bed at night, he checks under his bed for Chuck Norris.  Makes sense when you stop to think about it really.

Novel on your Nightstand:

Who/what are you currently reading?

Right now there are a trio of books waiting to be read.  First is CJ Box's Free Fire, a wilderness/legal thriller set in Yellowstone Park.  Second is Rusty Nail, an offering from JA Konrath, resident hero to ebook authors everywhere.  Third is No Angel, a non-fiction piece from the only ATF agent to every infiltrate the Hell's Angels.

Whom would you cast as your Hero & Heroine if your book became a movie?

The main characters in this one are high school students, so the actors would have to be around that age.  For the male lead, probably Alexander Ludwig, who played Cato in The Hunger Games. As for the female, maybe Hayden Panettiere?

Blurb:

Huntsville, Ohio is the kind of place young boys dream of growing up.  A small town where football players are the top of the social hierarchy and heroes are held in high esteem long after their final game is played.

For the past three years, Clay Hendricks has realized that dream unlike few others.  As the starting quarterback for the Hornets, he has dated the head cheerleader, been greeted by name everywhere he went and served as the visible leader of the community as a whole.

Now, faced with his final game, Clay is forced to actually make peace with the impending conclusion of it all.  In doing so, he slowly starts to realize that what he was doing all those years was far greater than just playing quarterback and that the impact football has had on himself, his family, and his community is far greater than being just a game.

You can find out more about Dustin on his 

WEBSITE
(if link takes you to a temporary landing page, rest assured, Dustin will have his site up soon)

Just a Game is scheduled for release from Turquoise Morning Press July 2012

 I will update and add buy links when they become available.

And the Winner of @RobynLeatherman's #Autographed #Historical #fiction Novel Summer Rain is....

I put the names in a bowl and let my 9 year old pick one.

Cheryl Norman!

I will contact you and also get your email to Robyn so she can get your contact info to mail you Summer Rain!

Thanks to those who stopped by and thanks to Robyn for coming to visit!

@RobynLeatherman visits, answers #Author Q&A & has an #Autographed Copy of Summer Rain for 1 Lucky Person!

 Author Q&A and Autographed Print Copy Giveaway

with

Robyn Leatherman

What book(s) most influenced you as a writer?

My mother came home with a college textbook when I was young - Cultural Anthropology. That book made me interested in groups of people and what made them tick. In my teens, my cousin lent me a copy of Child of the Morning by Pauline Gedge. It's the historical novel that pushed me over the edge and made me want to write about things that had happened and shouldn't be forgotten.

What book do you read over and over again?

The Grapes of Wrath

Tuesday Trio-

1)      Movie- The Man in the Iron Mask

2)      Music- School Boy Humor

3)      Decadent Dessert- Pecan Pie with vanilla ice cream

What’s the most interesting or bizarre bit of trivia you’ve learned from researching for a novel?

This is going to sound odd, but when I researched to origin of barbed wire, I discovered it had been in use even before 1863, but because nobody had patented the concept, it didn't catch on at that time. In 1873, a type of "barbed" fencing caught the eye of a man by the name of Glidden; I wonder if his family developed the line of paint? (Maybe an idea for a future historical story there …) I have no idea why this has stuck in my mind, but here is the website for anyone else who wants to learn about it!

Barbed Wire Museum

Novel on your Nightstand:

Who/what are you currently reading?

I'm almost finished with Jenny Wingfield's advance reader's copy of The Homecoming of Samuel Lake; it's one of the best books I've read in a long time!

Whom would you cast as your Hero & Heroine if your book became a movie?

Tijer Lily Company is a Native American arts and entertainment film company that deals with not only the cast calls and media, but with props as well. She has access to a list of Native actors and actresses who would be perfect for the movie version of my book.

 Click Image to purchase on Amazon

Also available from

Barnes and Noble

Your Book Launch

Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency

About the Book
Welcome to the life of a young Cherokee girl named Rain, as she grows into maturity just as the Trail of Tears begins. Summer Rain: Getsikahvda Anitsalagi (The Removal of the People) is an unforgettable story that taps into a sad part of American history.

This journey begins in Georgia in a typical Cherokee village in the early 1800s, where a young girl and her best friend realize there are strangers poised to take their land and home away from the Cherokee and from neighboring tribes.

The girls witness the birth of the new written language of Tsalagi in the year 1821 and the printing press in the year 1827. The Cherokee Nation’s growth is also financial, and would mark the first newspaper to ever be printed and circulated by a Native American tribe.

Rain falls in love with a white boy and is forced to follow her heart and save her own life, or to remain loyal to her family, knowing that in doing so, she could lose not only her true love, but her very life as well.

The first 2 chapters of Summer Rain may be read on my website: Preface and First Two Chapters

To find out more about Robyn, her book and Cherokee Life

WEBSITE

Twitter

Goodreads

And don't forget to leave a comment (and you (at) email (dot) com) to say hi or ask a question so you can be entered to win a 

AUTOGRAPHED PRINT COPY

of

Summer Rain!

Comments must be posted before MIDNIGHT

Eastern Daylight Savings Time, Winner will be announced here

 and notified via email and then Robyn will be in touch as well

to get your contact info to send your book.

777 Challenge~ I've Been Tagged! #writing #excerpt #WIP

 (my interpretation of Ben and Sunni)

Just discovered that I was tagged by Devon Matthews for a 777 Challenge. The challenge is to go to page 7 of your current work in progress and post at least 7 lines from the page, then tag 7 other authors and challenge them to do the same on their blogs. So, here we go.

My work-in-progress (WIP) is still a contemporary romance set in California. Ben runs "Ben There, Ate That" a bar and grill- one he's trying to "go green" with by hiring Sunni, who lives at the "Ripple on the Pond Commune" where they grow everything organic, to help him design and set up a rooftop garden for the restaurant. My 777 comes from the moment at the commune after Ben and Sunni first meet. Wolf, a fellow commune member who's close to her age and has a thing for her,weighs in on his instant dislike of Ben. This scene is only a few pages after the Six Sentence Sunday I shared today.


From Perfect Recipe for Love, Page 7

Wolf was three years her senior, the same age as her sister Autumn, but for some reason he had attached himself to Sunni from childhood. Now their parents’ teasing had grown to be the bane of her existence. If she wanted to do work outside the commune, it was easy to see why.

Wolf wouldn’t give her a moment’s peace.

If Autumn hadn’t already attached herself to another young man from a different family within the commune, this wouldn’t have been a problem. Her parents would have tried to pair Autumn with Wolf instead.

Sunni wasn’t sure it would have mattered. She was like a magnet for him and always had been. The idea of him touching her in any way that implied intimacy set the gag reflex into motion. He was like an older brother, dorky and not too bright.

“I don’t want to leave you alone. You are my Sunflower.” The words made her cringe.

Why had her parents insisted on naming her Sunflower with a last name like Fields?

“I am not your sunflower, thank you very much.” She dumped the manure into the compost heap.

“Oh, come on… you know I pick you…” The sticky sweetness of his words implied so much, but the warmth of his firm fingers grasping her hips and pulling her backside against him was where she drew the line.

Flailing, she ripped his hands off her hips. Sunni turned and pounded her fists into his chest.

“Would you take a fricking hint, Wolf? I want you to leave me alone.”

Holding up his hands as a sign of defeat, he backed away.

“Geez. Touchy much?”

He marched away, disappearing into the barn and apparently out to the fields to see what the other folks were doing.

Sunni fumed as she shook the wheelbarrow out and then stomped off toward the creek.

Wolf had destroyed her perfectly good morning with his appearance. Not to mention he ruined the little sexual fantasy she had been building up in her mind about Ben Pryce.

The idea of belonging to any man sounded like a nightmare. Wolf didn’t get that she wasn’t his possession to play with. Communal living had many benefits, but becoming Wolf’s wife was one thing she didn’t see as a benefit at all.

“I’d rather be left for the coyotes…” She grumbled, squatting down to unlace her filthy boots.

Stripping all her clothing off, she left it lying at the creek’s edge. A dip in the cool water was just the thing she needed to release the tension and give her a quiet moment or two to fantasize what it would be like to let Ben have his way with her, arrogant attitude and all.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Here's my list of authors I tag to do the 777 Challenge:


J.M. Madden
Cherie Marks
Donna McDonald
Katherine Lowry Logan
Krista Ames
Madison J. Edwards
Ruth J Hartman


Hoping they'll participate in the challenge and give us a really great 777 scene to whet our appetites. :D

#SixSunday- Six Sentence Sunday- Sunni Gives it Some Thought...

 Click the link above the check out more 6 Sentence Sunday Authors!

Check it out on Twitter with #sixSunday

Hello Sunday Sixers! I'm back again!

Last week in my excitement to share for the first time, I forgot to explain what 6 Sentence Sunday is, for those who might not know- here are the rules~

Pick six (6) sentences from anything you like (it can be from a Work in Progress (WiP), something you recently sold, something you hope to sell or even something already under contract and available for purchase – and don’t worry, Six Sentence Sunday is for published AND unpublished writers). Then post them on your blog on Sunday. That’s all there is to it!

You can add yours link to their official list by signing up before midnight the Saturday beforehand, but I'm simply sharing. Here's another 6 from my current WIP, Perfect Recipe for Love- Here are few of Sunni's thoughts after meeting Mr. Ben Pryce, who we met last week on the SSS and couldn't keep his mind off her "ample distractions."

She had to admit, Ben Pryce wasn’t completely repulsive, not by any means. Getting out into the world and mingling had never been very high on her list of priorities, but it seemed someone or something had thrown Mr. Pryce in her path.

He was sexy, albeit arrogant.

And he thought he could get her in the sack.

He didn’t have to say it, vanity rolled off him like a loud perfume. He thought he could win her over with his smirk of a smile and those deep brown eyes.