Monday, December 26, 2011

Mary Carter helps Christmas last another day with her delicious drink...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Gail Allison

**Giveaway is now closed**

We are so excited to have Mary Carter sharing with us today (and not just because her holiday recipe is for a delicious-sounding martini!). This accomplished author is the third Mary in her family (and the second Mary Patricia), and she has certainly inherited the gift of storytelling through the family lines. She claims that her mother (a feisty redhead and the first Mary Patricia) is one of the best storytellers that she knows. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, as well as the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Mary is currently working on yet another novel! "The Pub Across the Pond" is her fifth novel, in addition to two novellas. You can check out her updates at her website.

Thanks to Kensington Books, we have one copy of "The Pub Across the Pond" to share with a lucky reader in the US or Canada.


Synopsis of "The Pub Across the Pond":
In Mary Carter’s newest novel of women’s fiction, THE PUB ACROSS THE POND, the author of MY SISTER'S VOICE and SUNNYSIDE BLUES invites readers to come on an exhilarating journey to Ireland, as one woman learns about luck, love, and finding the courage to listen to her heart.


Carlene Rivers is many things, but lucky isn’t usually one of them. At thirty, she’s living a stifling existence in Cleveland and starting to resent her many responsibilities. Then one day, Carlene buys a raffle ticket. The prize: a pub on the west coast of Ireland. Carlene is stunned when she wins. Everyone else is stunned when she actually goes. Arriving in Ballybeog, Carlene is smitten by the place and its people. The pub has challenges—from meddling neighbors to “colorful” regulars—but there are compensations galore. Like the freedom to sing, joke, and tell stories, and in doing so, find her own voice. And in her flirtation with the pub’s charming, reckless former owner, the freedom to follow her impulses and see just how lucky life can be...

Holiday Girls’ Night
By Mary Carter


I love throwing little parties and the holidays are a perfect excuse. Last year I found a recipe online for a Candy Cane Martini and after a little tweaking, I made it for a girls’ night I threw at my place. It was a huge hit! You don’t have to make it with an official martini glass, but if you have one, with a little dressing, it looks spectacular. Rim the edge of the glass with lime, then coat the glass with sugar. In a strainer mix the vodka, pepper schnapps, and cranberry juice. Strain into the glass. If you want to get fancy, add a splash of champagne or orange Cointreau. Hang a small candy cane over the side along with a wedge of lime, and in a few easy steps you have a holiday hit! For any non-drinkers in the crowd, you can make it non-alcoholic with seltzer, lime, and cranberry juice.

I decided to share this drink recipe because anyone who saw my previous attempts at making Gingerbread Houses will quickly ascertain that I should stick to mixology. But even more so, I picked a cocktail in homage my latest novel, The Pub Across the Pond, in which an American woman wins a pub in Ireland. Although the little pub is used to their own ways of doing things, my heroine, Carlene Rivers, brings in a few ideas of her own. And although she doesn’t exactly serve up Candy Cane Martinis, if there’s ever a sequel, I can certainly see a few of the regulars grudgingly giving it a try. Happy Holidays to you and yours, and cheers—or slanté—as they say in Ireland.


Candy Cane Martini

Vodka 1.5 ounces
Peppermint Schnapps – 1 or 2 teaspoons
Cranberry juice—can add as little or much as you want—either just to give it color, or more for someone who wants less alcohol
Small candy cane
Sugar
Lime
Optional ingredients: Splash of champagne or orange Cointreau


Special thanks to Mary for sharing this delicious sounding drink recipe and to Kensington Books for sharing "The Pub Across the Pond" with one of our readers.


How to win "The Pub Across the Pond":
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note:Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is your "must-have" item for a party (holiday or any other kind)?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.



US/Canada only. Giveaway ends January 2nd at midnight EST.

22 comments:

Lilian said...

lilianxcheng AT gmail.com

Lilian said...

BONUS entries:
What is your "must-have" item for a party (holiday or any other kind)?
BOOMBOX of course, the party doesn't start unless there's some party music.

twittered it: https://twitter.com/circustoybox/status/151302519824457729

I follow you.

sent join request for Facebook group.

The Book Chick said...

I would enjoy reading this one!

jonitathebookchick(at)gmail(dot)com

Hmmm....my must-have item would be my hubby, LOL! It sounds funny, but even if I don't talk to him all night I have a better time just knowing that he's there.

I am a GFC follower.

I am a CLC group member.

Literary Chanteuse said...

Mine are my table cloths, napkins etc. My Mom collected quite a few for every occasion and I now have inherited them and lovethem. They really are beautiful. I am a follower.

Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com

Dawn said...

My must-have item for a party is ginger ale. You can mix it with pretty much anything!

Dawn
gleamofdawn3 at yahoo dot ca

Stephanie said...

My must-have item is music.

I'm a gfc follower

Skk25@aol.com

Sheena said...

Must Have items for me are a cheese and sausage tray, and a great dessert something with chocolate!

I follow the blog and am a member on Facebook:)
wapneski@yahoo.com

Linda Kish said...

I would love to win a copy of this book.

Must have item...since I don't drink, sodas.


I am a GFC follower

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Patricia said...

My must have for a Christmas party would be Egg Nog, Bordens is the best.

mamaw1050 at gmail dot com

Patricia said...

I am already following on GFC, Patricia

mamaw1050 at att dot net

Patricia said...

I shared this post on faceboo, Patricia Kemp Blackmon

mamaw1050 at att dot net

Patricia said...

Already Joined Chick Lit Central on facebook. I added friend Lori Pace.

Patricia Kemp Blackmon

mamaw1050 at att dot net

Jordan said...

Must have for a party = vino :)

Follower of the blog.

Fan on FB.

jordanweber at live dot com

Marthalynn said...

My must-have is a good playlist. Second to that would be a nice-smelling candle in the powder room.

I follow you on GFC

marthalynn16 (aT) gmail (dot) com

Jeryl M. said...

We don't really give a lot of parties and the only thing I can think of that we always have at every party is soda.

I am a Facebook follower.

I am a subscriber.

Anjana said...

vasan.anjana@gmail.com

Must have item for a party : Music!

I'm already a follower - GFC : Anjana Vasan
Already on FB.

karenk said...

must have item: snacks :)

i'm a follower, too

thanks for the chance to read this story :)

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

StereoQueenBee said...

1. Please tell us: What is your "must-have" item for a party (holiday or any other kind)?

Must have item is champagne (these days anyway)

2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).

Already follow.

3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.

Facebook - Sabrina-Kate Eryou
Twitter - stereoqueenbee

4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

Already a member.

queenofcrunk at gmail dot com

Kim W. said...

1. I'm not very creative in the kitchen but I do make an AH-MAZING mexican dip! I make it or bring it for every party!

2. I follow CLC's blog

3. I shared this contest on FB

4. I belong to CLC on FB

kewalker1972@gmail.com

Courtney said...

My must have for any party is cake balls. They are a hit with everyon!

I follow you.

I reposted this on Twitter and tagged you.

I also sent a request to be in your Facebook group.

courtney (dot) marie (dot) turner (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

This has been on my to-read list!

ndbh39 AT yahoo DOT com

Nancye said...

Sounds like a great book!

GFC Follower

I like you on FB

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net