Let’s do something completely different today! What are you watching? Hubby and I recently watched Quiz Lady with Awkwafina and Sandra Oh and LOVED IT! We also just finished watching Season 2 of Surreal Estate. If you love stories about ghosts and otherworldly happenings, I highly recommend it! Now for another completely different thing. My newsletter went out today and my newsletter VIPs got a chance to download the South Beach Love e-book for FREE. It’s not too late to sign up and get your copy for FREE. Plus, if you sign up now, the next newsletter will have an exclusive VIP giveaway of 10 print books of Biscayne Bay Breach! You can sign up at https://bit.ly/CaridadsNewsletter and open the January 31 newsletter to find out how to enter the contest!
Breaded Pork Cutlets #WellnessWednesday
Eating well during this pandemic has been a little rough for me. Too many carbs and comfort food, but we’ve been trying to get back on track. We’ve also been trying to find healthier ways to cook some favorite foods, like breaded pork cutlets (or any cutlet for that matter). When we moved, we had to get a new toaster oven and after some research bought the new Cuisinart toaster oven with the air-frying option. We love how well the air frying works and here’s a recipe on how to make breaded pork cutlets with that option.
Breaded Pork Cutlets
2 Pork cutlets (about half-inch thick)
1 egg
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 grated parmesan cheese (the real kind)
Pepper to taste
Cooking spray
Directions:
Mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, pepper, and garlic powder and place in a shallow dish. Beat egg in another shallow dish and place cutlets in beaten egg. Make sure cutlets are coated well with egg, but let excess egg run off. Dredge cutlets in bread crumb mixture until coated and then place them back in beaten egg. Cover both sides with remaining beaten egg and then go back into the bread crumbs for a nice thick coating.
Place breaded cutlets on a shallow dish. Spray both sides with cooking spray. I scored some free Pompeian Olive Oil Cooking Spray and I love it!
Set the pork cutlets aside and let them rest. This will help the bread crumbs adhere better.
Set the toaster oven to air fry at 400 degrees and pre-heat for five minutes.
Using the baking tray and mesh cooking tray provided with the toaster oven, line baking tray with aluminum foil and spray the wire mesh tray with cooking spray.
After five minutes, place bread crumbs on wire mesh tray and place in toaster oven. Cook for five minutes and then flip the cutlets. Cook for another five minutes until golden brown. Then remove from oven and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
Serve with your fave sides and applesauce!
Hope you enjoy!
#WickedWednesday – A Deleted Scene from What Happens in Summer
When you write it’s good not to have a self-editor that keeps you from putting certain words or scenes on the page. It’s important to let the story flow and then step back and see how a scene works and how it fits into the story you want to tell. That stepping back sometimes shows you that a scene doesn’t belong somewhere and Snip! It ends up on the cutting room floor. That’s what happened with this very sexy scene between Connie and Jonathan in WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER. It was just too much too soon sadly, but don’t worry. The story has other sexy and emotional and tender bits between Connie and Jon. LOL!
WARNING: For Mature Audiences
“I missed you,†she said as she tumbled back onto the mattress and brought him down with her, all earlier trace of playfulness gone as she stared up at him, her exotic green-gold gaze serious as she swept it over his face. Her wavy hair was a dark cloud against the bleached white of the linens.
“I missed you, too,†he said and knew it was more about the separation to come in a week and not about the long hours since last night.
He bent his head and kissed her, his touch tender and caring, and she answered in kind, her lips soft and coaxing. Inviting him to join with her.
Reaching down, he slipped his hands beneath the hem of the cotton nightshirt she wore and eased it off her body. He touched every inch he revealed, savoring the womanly curves. Bending to kiss the tan lines just below her navel and then higher, along the swells of her generous breasts. Feathering his lips across her passion-tight nipples. How he’d wanted to see and taste those breasts last summer when she’d first caught his eye as he’d been surfing down on the beach.
Although Maggie had been bringing her friends to the Jersey Shore every summer since they’d met freshman year in college, he’d never really paid much attention at first. He’d had his share of the girls from his high school class fawning over him.
But when Maggie and her friends had come back the next year, he had finally, gratefully, noticed what a real woman should look like. Like Connie, all luscious curves and gorgeous breasts, he thought as he bent his head and kissed the tips once more. Caressed them into harder nubs with his fingers and sucked them deep into his mouth.
She keened his name and threaded her fingers through the longish strands of his hair. Bumped her hips against his erection and he couldn’t be patient.
Neither could she as together they undid his jeans and peeled them off. He paused only long enough to pull a condom from his wallet and she took it from his hands, opened the packet, and rolled it down his length.
A shudder worked along his spine at her caress and at the knowing smile she gave him from beneath half-lowered lids.
“You’re a hard woman, Connie Reyes,†he teased.
“And luckily you’re a hard man, Jonathan Pierce,†she teased right back and her smile promised he wouldn’t be disappointed.
He slipped between her thighs as she lay on the edge of the bed, eager for him, but he didn’t want to rush. As impatient as he might be to make love to her, he wanted her to know how much this meant to him. How this wasn’t only a summer romance for him.
He leaned over her, his gaze locked on her face. He wanted to say the words, Lord how he wanted to, but they stuck in his throat and so he let every kiss and touch tell her what he couldn’t voice. He reaffirmed his love with caress after caress of her body until she was straining beneath him, wild with need. Begging for him to be with her, not that Connie was normally the kind of woman to beg.
His Connie was proud, smart, and independent. That she pleaded with him to take her only made him that much more aware of how careful he needed to be with the gift she’d given him. Slowly he entered, possessing her inch by tempting inch until he was buried deep inside her warmth. He watched her face as he took her, their gazes locked together as they lost themselves to the pleasure they could bring each other.
Her gaze became molten, golden, as her release pulled her upward and she moved beneath him. She ran her hands all over his body, her every touch a fiery brand against his flesh. Her hot hands smooth against his harder body.
Her breasts moved with each shift of his hips, enticing him until he could no longer resist. He bent his head and tasted and sucked as he drove into her over and over, forcing desire ever higher until her release burst over him.
She grabbed hold of his shoulders, digging her fingers into his muscles as she cradled him with her knees and pushed up, deepening his possession. Her body convulsed around him, embracing him until with a rough shout, he came, shaking and sweating from the force of his release.
He dropped onto her and she held him close. Ran her hands across his shoulders as he gulped in a few rough breaths. Against his ear her heart was pounding wildly beneath her passion damp skin. Her breath was shaky until little by little, peace enveloped them both.
He’d never had such peace with anyone else before. Okay, maybe his brother Owen, who always stood up for him and had his back.
But never anyone else. Never a woman, especially one like Connie.
Order
You can purchase WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER at the following locations:
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2y6hi4h
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2y92UIQ
B&N: http://bit.ly/2BJNcov
B&N Paperback: http://bit.ly/2sHmY3l
Google: http://bit.ly/2hKg3BW
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2HlVlly
iBooks: http://apple.co/2hKgP1J
Kobo: bit.ly/koboWHS
Audible: https://amzn.to/2M2ZWfY
Also, don’t miss out on the special pricing for ONE SUMMER NIGHT! It’s just 99 cents for a limited time!
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2krMwfE
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2kYLWZV
B&N: http://bit.ly/2kNuo0p
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2ik8EfG
iBooks: http://apple.co/2qsqdwx
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2fuEphL
Audible: https://amzn.to/2l2D0S2
Radish: Read three chapters for free – http://bit.ly/2AERQFk
#WickedWednesday – A Short Read from FOR LOVE OR VENGEANCE
As I’ve mentioned, I’m lucky to be taking part in a great new project — the Sorcery and Steam Story Bundle. This bundle is a collection filled with magic, fantasy, suspense, bad guys, mythic creatures, goddesses and a little bit of romance!
My contribution to the story is For Love or Vengeance, a unique story from The Calling is Reborn Vampire series. Unique because the vampires are not at the forefront of the story. Instead we have a Greek Goddess taking the lead in order to help a host of FBI Agents find the Broadway Butcher, a serial killer who is murdering aspiring young actors and musicians. You’ll get to meet Nemesis, the Greek Goddess of Vengeance who has taken human form as FBI Agent Helene Alexander and her partner, Miguel Sanchez.
For today, a wicked sexy read for you from the FOR LOVE OR VENGEANCE! For mature audiences only, please!
Teaser
Miguel called himself a fool, and yet was powerless to deny he needed her. Needed the comfort of her arms. Needed to reach beyond her inflexible façade to the intense woman within. The one who felt pain and joy so deeply. Who understood the need for justice, and strove so hard to find it. The woman he hoped might be capable of more than just an occasional one-night stand.
She was leading him toward the door to another part of the club. It was guarded by a pale, muscular bouncer. The bouncer moved to block their path, but she held up the key and waved her hand, literally brushing him aside so they could pass.
Her steps were quick and short, the sound of her heels staccato sharp against the tiled floor in the hall. Room number five was at the end of the hall. Her hand fumbled as she tried to slip the large key into the lock and Miguel reached out to steady her hand.
She looked up at him and murmured, “Thanks.â€
“My pleasure.â€
Never one to miss a beat, she said, “And mine, I hope.â€
They went in and she locked the door behind him, then flashed him a sexy smile.
For a brief second, he registered an assortment of adult toys tacked up on one wall. And then her body was pressed against him, his back against the door.
She was quick to reach for his suit jacket, but he gently grabbed hold of her hands and stilled their motion. “I know you need to forget what happened today, but there’s no sense in rushing. We have all night.â€
He reached up and caressed her curls, then rested his hand at the crook of her neck. He gently brushed aside her hair and bent his head. Nuzzling the soft skin by his hand, he whispered, “You’re very beautiful.â€
She tipped her head to give him better access and murmured playfully, “Tell me something I haven’t heard before.â€
“Immodest, too.†He kissed the side of her throat and leisurely dragged his mouth along the sensitive skin to a spot behind her ear. “And headstrong.â€
“Ooh, you say such sinful things to a girl,†she cooed breathily.
He tugged on her finely worked hoop earring with his teeth, tongued her lobe, and whispered, “Opinionated.â€
She cradled the back of his head and slipped her hands beneath his suit jacket to tug him closer. “I think those two are almost redundant,†she murmured.
“Smart-mouthed.†Then he covered that smart mouth with his, tasting her full lips. Urging her into the kiss with the press and tug of his mouth against hers. Inviting her to open, and when she did, slipped in to trace the perfect line of her teeth. He danced his tongue across hers and dared her to do more.
She dropped her hands from his shoulders and covered his pecs. Found the hard nubs of his nipples beneath the fabric and circled them with her fingers, making his erection surge to life. He gave a rumble of pleasure. She smiled against his lips. “You like that, don’t you?â€
He could lie, but what was the sense. She seemed to know more about what gave him pleasure than he did himself. “Mmm. I like.â€
She increased the pressure, tweaking the nubs before bending down to suckle first one, then the other, through the fabric of his shirt.
He held her head to him and because he needed more, he grasped her hand and moved it to his cock.
A Little More About the Bundle
The initial titles in the Sorcery and Steam Bundle (minimum $5 to purchase) are:
- Alchemy and Steam by Fiction River
- Familiarity by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
- Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger
- Blood and Magic by Ann Gimpel
If you pay at least the bonus price of just $15, you get all four of the regular titles, plus SIX more!
- Specters in the Storm by Pauline Baird Jones
- Rare Stakes by Michelle Fox
- Valkyrie’s Vengeance & Hunger Moon – Ragnarok: Doom of the Gods 1-2Â by Melissa Snark
- Ghosted – Nikki Ashburne – Book 1Â by Dayle A. Dermatis
- Alys of Asgard by Catherine Banks
- For Love or Vengeance by Caridad Pineiro
This bundle is available only for a limited time via http://www.storybundle.com. It allows easy reading on computers, smartphones, and tablets as well as Kindle and other ereaders via file transfer, email, and other methods. You get multiple DRM-free formats (.epub, .mobi and .pdf) for all books!
It’s also super easy to give the gift of reading with StoryBundle, thanks to our gift cards – which allow you to send someone a code that they can redeem for any future StoryBundle bundle – and timed delivery, which allows you to control exactly when your recipient will get the gift of StoryBundle.
Why StoryBundle? Here are just a few benefits StoryBundle provides.
- Get quality reads: We’ve chosen works from excellent authors to bundle together in one convenient package.
- Pay what you want (minimum $5): You decide how much these fantastic books are worth. If you can only spare a little, that’s fine! You’ll still get access to a batch of exceptional titles.
- Support authors who support DRM-free books: StoryBundle is a platform for authors to get exposure for their works, both for the titles featured in the bundle and for the rest of their catalog. Supporting authors who let you read their books on any device you want—restriction free—will show everyone there’s nothing wrong with ditching DRM.
- Give to worthy causes: Bundle buyers have a chance to donate a portion of their proceeds to AbleGamers!
- Receive extra books: If you beat the bonus price, you’ll get the bonus books!
StoryBundle was created to give a platform for independent authors to showcase their work, and a source of quality titles for thirsty readers. StoryBundle works with authors to create bundles of ebooks that can be purchased by readers at their desired price. Before starting StoryBundle, Founder Jason Chen covered technology and software as an editor for Gizmodo.com and Lifehacker.com.
For more information, visit our website at storybundle.com, tweet us at @storybundle and like us on Facebook.
#TeaserTuesday Dare to Love from TAMING THE VAMPIRE
I’ve got a great new new anthology – TAMING THE VAMPIRE – with some friends who also write vampire romance. My contribution to the collection is DARE TO LOVE, a new story in THE CALLING IS REBORN Vampire series. The anthology is only 99 cents for a limited time and best of all, these are ALL NEW stories! Not re-releases and not available anywhere except in the anthology. You can read more about the anthology here: http://bit.ly/tamingvamp
DARE TO LOVE features vampire slayer Benjamin, a sexy alpha hero who first appeared in TO LOVE AND SERVE. This is kind of how I pictured Benjamin looking.
Today I have a little teaser and excerpt for you from that story, but a warning first. There is a SPOILER ahead so if you haven’t read the latest books in THE CALLING is REBORN series, please DO NOT READ this teaser.
Teaser
- Months earlier, Slayer Council member Benjamin hadn’t been ready to die and begged for his life from a compassionate vampire. Being turned and living as a vampire had created a new hell for him, however. He was no longer welcome in the Council, but tolerated as their ranks had been depleted. He knew that it was just a matter of time until someone staked him, but he wanted to make the most of it, especially when it came to Slayer-in-training Rhiannon.
Rhiannon had been attracted to Ben when he had been her instructor in the ways of the Slayers. His death had caused her grief, but his return was proving to be even more difficult as she battled her growing feelings for the Slayer-turned-vampire who was shaking up her beliefs in all that she had been taught.
Can Ben and Rhiannon dare to defy the rules of the Slayers and find love or will Fate make them enemies sworn to kill one another?
Excerpt
Please click here if you cannot see the excerpt from DARE TO LOVE from TAMING THE VAMPIRE.
You can purchase TAMING THE VAMPIRE at these online retailers:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bfy9Js
Kobo http://bit.ly/2by9MsM
iBooks: http://apple.co/2byaNAP
B&N: http://bit.ly/2byaGoW
Click here for more about TO LOVE AND SERVE.
#WickedWednesday A Teaser from DARE TO LOVE in TAMING THE VAMPIRE
I’m am very excited to be in a new anthology – TAMING THE VAMPIRE – with a bunch of my friends who write vampire romance. My contribution to the collection is DARE TO LOVE, a new story in THE CALLING IS REBORN Vampire series. Best of all, the anthology is only 99 cents for a limited time! You can read more about here: http://bit.ly/tamingvamp
DARE TO LOVE features vampire slayer Benjamin, a sexy alpha hero who first appeared in TO LOVE AND SERVE.
Today I have a little teaser and excerpt for you from that story, but a warning first. There is a SPOILER ahead so if you haven’t read the latest books in THE CALLING is REBORN series, please DO NOT READ this teaser.
Teaser
- Months earlier, Slayer Council member Benjamin hadn’t been ready to die and begged for his life from a compassionate vampire. Being turned and living as a vampire had created a new hell for him, however. He was no longer welcome in the Council, but tolerated as their ranks had been depleted. He knew that it was just a matter of time until someone staked him, but he wanted to make the most of it, especially when it came to Slayer-in-training Rhiannon.
Rhiannon had been attracted to Ben when he had been her instructor in the ways of the Slayers. His death had caused her grief, but his return was proving to be even more difficult as she battled her growing feelings for the Slayer-turned-vampire who was shaking up her beliefs in all that she had been taught.
Can Ben and Rhiannon dare to defy the rules of the Slayers and find love or will Fate make them enemies sworn to kill one another?
Excerpt
Please click here if you cannot see the excerpt from DARE TO LOVE from TAMING THE VAMPIRE.
Jersey Girl Bridesmaids Kozie Giveaway
I’m having a free Koozie giveaway while supplies last! Here is what the Koozie looks like:
To get the Koozie, just fill out the form below by midnight EST August 14th. Click here to request the Koozie if you cannot see the form below.
Prizes for Readers Giveaway
Don’t forget about this fabulous contest I’m in with some of my author friends at Prizes for Readers.com (https://www.prizesforreaders.com/)
Enter for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate from Amazon or Barnes & Noble (your choice) and take a moment to vote for best blurb and cover. It’s a super easy one-click entry, no Rafflecopter or anything complicated. Winner will be announced on Aug 17th or Aug 18th.
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 us for your reading pleasure.
You must be 18 or older. US, Canada, UK, Germany, Australia only. Void where prohibited.
#WickedWednesday Sexy Excerpt from Stay the Night
STAY THE NIGHT is available for pre-order at various retailers and will be available on December 15. It’s the next book – #4 – in the Take a Chance series.
I have so loved writing these stories about military heroes risking it all for a night that may lead to a lifetime of love and passion. I hope you’ve been enjoying the series as well. If you haven’t checked it out yet, your best bet is the Take a Chance Box Set which is only 2.99. That’s 99 cents per novella.
STAY THE NIGHT is a story about Rafe Castillo, a Navy Seal who has been away at war for five years and finds himself coming home to a woman who has changed drastically since the day he married her. Rafe still loves Elena, but he’s not sure if she’s still in love with him and whether there is a place in her life any more. She’s accomplished so much and he feels as if she’s passed him by.
In this scene, Rafe is on his way home and remembering the very first time that he and Elena made love. Warning – this scene is for mature audiences. If you can’t read the excerpt below, click here to read this teaser from Stay the Night.