Carolyn Brown spices things up...plus a giveaway

Now that spring is here (hopefully to stay), we see a lot of food gatherings in your future. Carolyn Brown is here to share a tasty recipe for you to share with your family and friends! You can also learn about her latest novel, The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off!

Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with more than sixty books published. Her bestselling cowboy romance series include the Lucky trilogy, the Honky Tonk series, Spikes & Spurs, Cowboys & Brides, and the new Burnt Boot, Texas series. She has also launched into women’s fiction with a Texas twang. Born in Texas and raised in southern Oklahoma, Carolyn and her husband make their home in the town of Davis, Oklahoma, where she credits her eclectic family for her humor and writing ideas. For more information, please visit  Carolyn at her website and Facebook. 

Thanks to Sourcebooks, we have TWO prizes to give away for some lucky US/Canada readers: ONE person will win a print copy of The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off and ONE person will win a Carolyn Brown Prize Pack (print copy of The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee, print copy of The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off and a cute recipe card set).  

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It’s a delight to be here today at Chick Lit Central to talk about the recipe blog tour we’re right smack dab in the middle of for The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off, the second book in the trilogy set in Cadillac, Texas. 

It seems that the girls down at Bless My Bloomers have decided to enter the chili cook-off in Cadillac and it’s causing a pretty big stink since up until now it’s been a man’s world that no woman dared set her foot in. However, that was before Carlene found out that her husband was a two-bit, lyin’, cheatin’ son-of-a-bitch. Seems Lenny Joe got careless and left his newest girlfriend’s red bikini under britches in his brief case…and Carlene not only found the, she’d made them right there in Bless My Bloomers. So she and her cousins who are co-owners of the shop, Patrice and Alma Grace, and their mothers, Gigi, Tansy and Sugar, along with the lady who works at the shop, Josie, have formed a team. Their goal is to knock Lenny Joe off a five year winning streak and take this year’s chili cook-off trophy from him. The only trouble is none of them can cook and they’re trying to learn.

This is the night they are making chicken chili. It’s the same night that Tip Gordon arrives to talk to Carlene about the divorce. The women in town have stopped by and brought rum cake and Mexican casserole to keep them encouraged. Today they get flowers.

The sisters arrived just as the shop was closing on Monday afternoon. Sugar met them in the kitchen and handed each of her sisters a little bibbed apron printed with roses and edged with lace that matched the one she already wore. Gigi wore a hairnet over her up-do and the other two had on ball caps. Sugar’s curly ponytail, pulled out of the hole at the back of the cap, looked like a ball of twisted yarn, and Tansy’s didn’t look much better even if it was a little bit longer.

“So you are trying chicken chili tonight, I take it?” Josie said.

“We found Mama’s recipe for it. The chicken is already cooked,” Gigi said.

“Which one of you handled the cold, dead bird?” Josie asked.

Gigi raised her hand. “I did.”

“And she didn’t even put oven mitts on her hands,” Tansy said.

Josie looked up at Gigi’s hairnet. “Goes real well with your longhorn earrings but the apron clashes with your orange jersey.”

“They made me put the hairnet on,” Gigi said.

“Well, I was wondering.” Josie smiled.

“Y’all about to get busy?” Patrice asked.

“Yes, we are. You want to stick around and taste our product?” Sugar asked.

“No, ma’am. I’ll taste it at the cook-off.” Patrice pulled her platinum hair up into a messy ponytail and secured it with a rubber band she pulled from the pocket of her snug-fitting jeans.

“How about you, Carlene?” Gigi asked.

“Carlene has had a hangover all day. She’d upchuck if she ate chili,” Patrice told them.

“I do not!” Carlene said right behind her. “I’ve got a wine headache and I took four aspirin and it’s wearing off.”

“It’s Lenny’s fault. She wouldn’t drink so much if he hadn’t riled her up,” Josie said.

Patrice nodded in agreement. “She went to the house and talked to him and finally figured out there is no future with him.”

Josie threw up her hands. “I heard all about it this morning at the convenience store. I’m glad you’ve figured out what most of us knew all along, honey. Now let’s get on with the job of running a business and beating the shit out of him in the cook-off.”

A hard knock on the kitchen door sent Tansy to open it.

“Floral delivery for the Fannin sisters,” the man said.

“I’ll take it. Thank you,” she said.

“Have a nice day.” He nodded.

Tansy set a lovely arrangement of yellow daisies, white mums, and purple-tipped baby carnations on the kitchen table and opened the envelope with the card. “I bet it’s from our husbands.”

Sugar and Gigi were suddenly glued to her side.

“Well?” Josie asked.

Gigi took the card from Tansy. “She don’t have her reading glasses. It says: We are all proud of you for entering the cook-off and we’re rooting for you even though our husbands are the Wildcat Team. We hope you teach the whole bunch of those male chauvinists that women can do anything a man can.”

“I’ll be damned,” Josie grinned.

Since the first lady who stopped to tell them she hoped that they beat Lenny and the other all-male teams brought a Mexican casserole, I thought we’d share that recipe today. Y’all got a favorite casserole you take to church pot lucks or to a friend in need? We’d just love for you to share it with us.

MEXICAN CASSEROLE

1 pkg. flour tortillas
1 lb. ground beef
1 (17 oz.) can chili beans, drained
1 c. prepared picante or salsa sauce
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 T. chili powder
3 c. shredded Mexican blend shredded cheese (NOTE: If you can’t find Mexican blend cheese, then use a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack or Monterey jack)

Remove tortillas from refrigerator. Heat oven to 375°F. Brown meat and drain. Add salsa, beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning mix and chili powder. Simmer, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Line bottom of greased 13 x 9 baking dish with 5 tortillas, overlapping edges. Top with half the meat mixture and half the cheese. Arrange 5 tortillas over cheese mixture. Spread remaining meat mixture all over and top with shredded cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese melts and casserole bubbles. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Be sure to follow along on The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off Recipe Sharing Tour!

April 1: Carolyn Brown’s Facebook Page

April 2: Dew on the Kudzu

April 3: Fresh Fiction

April 4: Book’d Out

April 7: Book Reviews & More by Kathy

April 8: Chick Lit Central

April 9: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

April 10: Bitten By Love Reviews

April 11: From the TBR Pile

Learn more about The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off and find out some delicious recipes from Carolyn and other readers along the way. Chances to win at each stop!

To purchase The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Books-a-Million

Chapters/Indigo

IndieBound

iBooks

Sourcebooks

THE RED-HOT CHILI COOK-OFF BY CAROLYN BROWN – IN STORES APRIL 2014

More Than the Chili's Heating Up Cadillac, Texas

Carlene Lovelle, co-owner of Bless My Bloomers lingerie shop, found a pair of fancy red-silk panties in her husband's briefcase, and all hell is breaking loose. She custom-made those fancy bloomers herself—and she remembers the bimbo who bought them. If her husband had a lick of sense, he'd known there are no secrets in a town like Cadillac.

Carlene's cohorts—and their mamas—plan to exact revenge on Lenny Joe where it'll hurt the most: break his ten-year winning streak at the prestigious Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off. Never before has a woman dared to compete. But the ladies of Bless My Bloomers are cooking up a storm...and it seems the whole town is taking sides in the showdown.

Welcome to Cadillac, Texas, where the chili is hot, the gossip is hotter, and friends stick by each other, no matter what the challenge.

Praise for The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off:

"With a cast of characters that will leave readers grinning, Brown’s latest is delightful, humorous “chick lit”... Fun, fun and more fun is on hand in a story that wins a blue ribbon in both originality and wit.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

“Fun, fresh and hilarious... The author showed that laughter is the best medicine and a sure fire cure for the toughest of challenges in life.” —Chick Lit Reviews

“The characters are vibrant and engaging, the story is endearingly off beat and full of down home folksy charm. A wonderfully heartwarming and highly entertaining novel.” —Book Reviews and More by Kathy

Thanks to Carolyn for sharing her recipe with us and to Sourcebooks for sharing her book with our readers. Participate in the Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off Recipe Sharing Tour by sharing your own casserole recipe in the comments!

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends April 13th at midnight EST.

Molly Shapiro shares a "heart" warming recipe, as well as her debut novel!

**Giveaway is now closed**


We are excited to have with us today Molly Shapiro, and her debut novel "Point, Click, Love," which was just released on December 20th.  Molly grew up in Kansas City, Missouri.  She graduated from Brown University with a bachelor's in semiotics, and in addition studied creative writing, pottery and film making.  After studying abroad in Rome, she returned to the states and started working at a New York City film production company.  After graduating from Columbia University's creative writing program, Molly wrote "Eternal City," a book of short stores, which won the Willa Cather Fiction Prize.  Molly lives in Kansas City with her two children.

 To learn more about Molly, visit her website, Facebook and Twitter pages.

 Thanks to Random House, we have FIVE e-books of "Point, Click, Love" for some lucky readers anywhere in the world!

I love these heart-shaped raspberry-filled cookies because they’re both pretty and delicious. They’re perfect for the holidays and are popular with kids and adults alike. The recipe comes from my mom, who’s an amazing cook and taught me everything I know. In fact, whenever I make one of her recipes, I end up calling her 17 times during the process, just to make sure it turns out exactly like hers. And the great thing about my mom is that she never gets annoyed when I call, or at least she doesn’t let on that she is!

I was inspired to write Point, Click, Love because of my own divorce and experience with online dating. I wanted to write something that really tackled all the craziness of love and relationships in the digital age. So I wrote about texting and Twitter and tawdry celebrity Web sites—all of those fun things that have become such an integral part of our daily lives.

The book’s four female characters cover the gamut—from happily divorced to miserably married to achingly single. There’s something for the divorcee who’s secretly looking for love online, the wife who’s tired of competing with Facebook for her husband’s attention, and the never-been-married professional who’s given up on men and wants to find a sperm donor on the Internet.

I hope you like the book—and the cookies! Happy Holidays!

Heart Cookies

Cream ⅔ cup shortening and ¾ cup granulated sugar. Add 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat well. Sift together 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Add 4 teaspoons milk. Divide dough in half and chill for 1 hour. On a surface lightly sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar, roll the dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Bake on greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. Cool. Spread half of cookies with raspberry jam. Make an icing by whisking together 1 cup powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons half and half. Drizzle icing over the remaining cookies and press them on top of the raspberry cookies to make a little sandwich.

Special thanks to Molly for sharing her recipe and to Random House for sharing Molly's debut novel!

How to win "Point, Click, Love":

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: Since this is our last giveaway before 2012, what are you doing to ring in the new year?
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.


Giveaway ends January 4th at midnight EST.

Monkeying around with Samantha March, plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Gail Allison

**Giveaway is now closed**

Samantha March fell in love with books at a young age, and that passion has followed her all through life. She lives in Des Moines, Iowa where she is already hard at work on her second novel. A tireless reader, writer, and blogger, you can check out her blog, Chick Lit Plus. She also blogs at her author page about becoming a writer, and all the joys and challenges associated with it. Samantha lives with her boyfriend, and is an avid Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs fan. We’re so excited to be giving away TWO e-books of her first novel, "Destined to Fail," to some lucky readers anywhere in the world. Thanks so much for sharing with us, Samantha!!

Want to learn more about what makes Samantha tick? Visit her at Facebook and Twitter.


About "Destined to Fail":
Jasmine Jones is ready to begin her new life as a college student, and is ecstatic to have best friend Abby by her side. But weeks into their new college life, Abby drops the bomb- she is pregnant, and dropping out of college. Jasmine can’t handle the fact that Abby is wasting her opportunity to get an education, and going back to her cheating, abusive boyfriend. She struggles to move on from her friendship with Abby, but befriends two new girls at college. Everything seems back on track for Jasmine- great new friendships and roommates, a strong relationship with boyfriend Nate, and excelling at her college courses. But Jasmine’s newfound happiness is shattered when her pregnancy test comes out positive. Does she have to drop out of college now and become a young mother? Will Nate stay with her? How can she afford a child? Jasmine’s life has been filled with obstacles and challenges along the way- from a missing father, sexual and physical abuse, and addictions that tore her family apart. With this latest setback, Jasmine fears her life will always be a struggle. Destined to Fail is one woman’s story about overcoming adversity in life, about taking the negatives and finding a positive, and about never giving up hope.

When Melissa informed me what the theme was for December, I was instantly worried. Recipe? Cooking? Baking? I’m sad to say these are foreign concepts in my house. I somehow missed all my mother’s baking genes, and actually had to throw away the last set of brownies I attempted to make. Phooey. But, one recipe that I do love (to eat) and at one time attempted to help make is monkey bread. First, the name always makes me laugh. Second, it wasn’t too difficult to coat little pieces of biscuits and arrange them around a tube pan. Third, it tastes delicious! Especially when coming right from the oven all warm and gooey. Current status: drooling. Here is the recipe that I have used:


• 3 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 cup packed brown sugar

The one I helped make did have walnuts in it, but since I am not a fan of them, I didn’t include them on here. There are also recipes that have raisins in them, which I am curious to try sometime. And here are the directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9 or 10 inch tube/Bundt® pan.
2. Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the margarine with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.


The first time I tried monkey bread, I was smitten. I also ask for this around the holidays now, but need an adult to supervise me in the kitchen...it’s dangerous when I’m on my own! I would love to hear if you try this recipe or have your own version.


Happy Holidays everyone!

Thanks to Samantha for sharing her tasty looking recipe and debut novel with everyone here at CLC!

How to win "Destined to Fail":
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 a failure or struggle that you have overcome in your life? (Or, what do you feel you are "destined" to do?)
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.

Giveaway ends January 3rd at midnight EST.

Sarah Jio bakes sweet looking scones and we have her latest book to give away!

**Giveaway is now closed**

There's no stopping Sarah Jio! She has three kids (including a baby born this past year), an amazing debut novel and another one out now that's sure to be another hit, as well as two more on the way (books, not babies). And she still has time to bake yummy scones for the holidays and share her recipe with all of us! She was here in May to share "The Violets of March," which has only received praise since its release. Her incredible storytelling talent is shown off once again in "The Bungalow," which was published today and reviewed right here at CLC! Even better, we have FIVE copies for some lucky readers in the US and Canada, courtesy of Penguin Books!

Visit Sarah on Facebook, Twitter and her website. You can also check out her health and fitness blog on Glamour.com.

Watch the book trailer for "The Bungalow," which has some great pictures and captures the essence of the story:


"The Bungalow," out on 12/27 from Penguin (Plume) is my second novel, and the story came to me so vividly it almost (quite literally) smacked me over the head. I remember the moment I had the idea to write it. I turned to my husband one night after the kids were in bed and said, “The Bungalow!” He looked at me and said, “what?” I nodded. “The title for my next novel,” I told him. (He’s used to me blabbering on about book titles, plots, and random ideas by now!) The story of Anne Calloway, a young woman from Seattle who joined the Army Nurse Corps and went on the adventure of her life to Bora Bora during World War II, captivated me as I wrote it, and I hope it will have the same effect on readers. I’m a true romantic at heart and was inspired to write this novel, in part, because of an old wartime journal kept by a great uncle who was stationed in the South Pacific islands during the war, and also in memory of my honeymoon in Tahiti. This book was a joy to write, and I hope readers will enjoy curling up with the book—and maybe a scone—this winter.

Easy Apricot Scones
I’m a health nut and usually bake things with “healthy” ingredients (flax seeds, whole wheat flour, you know). But these scones? They’re pure comfort. I make them every now and then—especially during the holidays when I can enjoy one for breakfast with a cup of coffee by the Christmas tree, or as a snack during a late-night gift-wrapping spree. They’re easy to make, and they hit the spot.

(Makes 8 scones)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup orange juice
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder (I know, it sounds like a lot, but you need it!)
1 stick butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk + 2 tablespoons + 3 tables spoons (the final three tablespoons are for brushing)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Soak the dried apricots in the orange juice (they should all be covered); set aside for about 5 minutes. Mix dry ingredients with a whisk. Mix egg, 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons milk. Drain the apricots and add to milk mixture. Cut the butter into the flour mixture, either using a food processor, or with a fork or pastry tool (I forgot what they’re called!), and mix until the dough looks like course meal. Create a well in the dry mixture and add the wet to the dry, mixing until just combined. If the dough looks too dry, add one or two more tablespoons of milk. Form the dough into a ball, then press down into a circle on a cutting board (dough should be about 2.5 inch thick). Take a sharp knife and cut into 8 wedges. Transfer each wedge to a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (watch them toward the end (as all oven temps vary…you don’t want the centers too get too dry or the tops too brown).

Special thanks to Sarah for coming back to CLC for the second time in less than a year (and sharing a yummy looking recipe, no less) and to Penguin Books for sharing Sarah's book with our readers.

How to win "The Bungalow":
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 favorite period of history?
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.

Lucie Simone makes holiday cooking easy...and she has a book to give away!

**Giveaway is now closed**


Lucie Simone is a single girl living, working and dating in Hollywood. She likes to write about her fantasies and even some of her nightmares (especially date-related ones) to amuse her readers. Her degree is in journalism and television production and she has worked in entertainment and advertising. She loves all her girl and guy friends. Her stories tell the most about who she really is: "A nice girl who sometimes likes to be naughty." She sure has Santa checking his list twice! Lucky for us, she is nice enough to not only share a really easy and yummy sounding recipe, but also TWO paperback copies of her latest novel, "Hollywood Ending" for readers in the US.

You can learn more about Lucie, who is as sweet as her recipe in our opinion, by visiting her at her website, Facebook and Twitter.

Check out her short holiday story, "Who Needs Mistletoe?," at the Chick Lit Bee.

Synopsis for "Hollywood Ending":
Hollywood Ending is a romantic comedy about life in Hollywood for the not-so-rich-and-famous. Trina Stewart is desperate to find a proper Hollywood job and finally quit teaching ESL, but after ten years in Tinsel Town, things are looking grim. That is, until she sets her sights on sexy new neighbor, Matiu Wulf, a New Zealander of Maori origin who is only in Los Angeles to get some scene design experience to beef up his resume, and then he's headed back home to Auckland. He manages to thwart Trina's advances, but when she falls under the spell of a toothy-grinned thespian, he's desperate to win back her heart. But when Hollywood gets in the way, these two soon discover that life in Tinsel Town isn't all red carpets, after parties and celebrity gossip. In fact, Hollywood can be a downright bitch!

My Favorite Holiday Recipe
By Lucie Simone

I love to entertain at the holidays and make yummy goodies for my close friends and family. But what I love most is when those delicious recipes are easy! This one is incredibly decadent and ridiculously simple. And another reason I love it? My dad made it for our Christmas and Thanksgiving celebrations every year when I was a kid. Please allow me to introduce you to my dad’s Cherry Dump Cake. Trust me, it tastes a lot better than it sounds!

Cherry Dump Cake
2 21 oz cans of cherry pie filling
1 box of white cake mix
1 1/2 sticks of melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 pan with 1/4 of the cake mix. Dump both cans of cherries on top & spread evenly, careful not to break the cherries. Pour the remaining cake mix evenly on top of the cherries. Drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix & top with the chopped pecans. Bake for 45 minutes & voila! Allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make it even more decadent.

Enjoy!

How to win "Hollywood Ending":
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 favorite food-related memory from the winter holidays?
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 only. Giveaway ends December 27th at midnight EST.

Juliette Sobanet has a kissable recipe for you....and a book to give away!

Introduction by Gail Allison

**Giveaway is now closed**

When she’s not busy practicing yoga, hanging out with her husband, cuddling with her two (huge!) cats, or teaching (she’s a French professor in Washington!!), Juliette Sobanet can be found nibbling un peu de chocolat and writing about her favourite place in the world: France. She’s just wrapping up the edits on her third book, and she’s here with us today to talk about her first book: “Sleeping with Paris.” She's also sharing a rather "kissable" dessert recipe!

“Sleeping with Paris” is available for download on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and ibooks. Or (even better) you could win a copy here! Juliette has three e-copies of "Sleeping with Paris" to give away to some lucky readers anywhere in the world.

Visit Juliette on Facebook, Twitter and her website.

Synopsis of "Sleeping with Paris":

Charlotte Summers is a sassy, young French teacher who is two days away from moving to Paris with the love of her life and from fulfilling her dream of studying at the prestigious Sorbonne University in France. But when she discovers her fiancé’s online dating profile and has a little chat with the busty red-head he’s been sleeping with on the side, she gives up on committed relationships altogether and decides to navigate Paris on her own.

Determined to stop other women from finding themselves in her shoes, Charlotte creates an anonymous blog on how to date like a man in the City of Love—that is, how to jump from bed to bed without ever falling in love. But, with a slew of Parisian men beating down her door, a hot new neighbor who feeds her chocolate in bed, and an appearance by her sleazy ex-fiancé, she isn’t so sure she can keep her promise to remain commitment-free.

And, when Charlotte agrees to write an article for a popular women’s magazine about her Parisian dating adventures—or disasters, rather—will she risk losing the one man who’s swept her off her feet and her dream job in one fell swoop?

Before I share my favorite holiday recipe with all of you lovely Chick Lit Central readers, there’s something I need to confess. I’m a chocoholic. In fact, to find inspiration for this post, I had to grab a bar of dark chocolate from the kitchen and treat myself to a few squares (read: entire bar) before I could even start writing. I know. It’s a problem. But at least around the holidays, it’s totally acceptable to eat massive quantities of chocolate (and cookies and fudge—which I am also quite fond of). After all, your friends and family members went to so much trouble with all of that baking. You can’t let it go to waste!

So, with my chocolate obsession in full force around this festive holiday season, I decided on a simple, classic recipe that includes an entire chocolate kiss in each bite: The Peanut Butter Blossom. I am certain that Charlotte Summers, my main character in Sleeping with Paris, would fully appreciate these cookies. After all, the sexy French man living two doors down feeds her chocolate in bed (men, please take note), and I’ve never heard her complain about it.

Peanut Butter Blossoms:

Topping:

48 chocolate kisses, unwrapped

1/4 cup sugar in bowl for coating

Batter:

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Using a mixer, beat unsalted butter until smooth. Add in peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar, then beat until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Continue to beat, adding in the egg, vanilla extract and milk. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture to the peanut butter mixture, and beat until fully combined. If dough is too soft to roll into balls, cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll into one inch balls. Roll balls in sugar to coat, then place on ungreased baking sheet two inches apart. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until just golden brown. Immediately after removing from oven, place one chocolate kiss in the center of each cookie, pressing down just until cookie begins to crack. Remove cookies from baking sheet and place on wire rack to cool. Makes about 48 mouth-watering, chewy cookies, perfect for chocolate and peanut-butter lovers alike.

*Note: Peanut Butter Blossoms (and all other desserts containing chocolate) become dangerously delicious when fed to you by a hot man. (Charlotte begged me to add this part in. And I have to say, I agree with her wholeheartedly).

Bon Appétit!

Thanks to Juliette for sharing her yummy recipe with us and her novel with our readers.

How to win "Sleeping with Paris":
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 favorite food item containing chocolate?
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.

Giveaway ends December 27th at midnight EST.

Milly Johnson lightens things up and has a fun package to give away

Introduction by Gail Allison

**Giveaway is now closed**

Milly Johnson has been writing her whole life, whether it’s greeting card copy, poems and jokes, or the (almost) library of novels that she now has under her belt. She’s not afraid to be completely honest and candid with pretty much everyone, and takes life with a giggle as well as with a grain of salt. She lives with her two sons, one dog, and a whole herd of cats in the middle of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. She still writes the occasional greeting card, and uses her excellent command of the language to pen an engaging blog, as well as write new novels, and keep up with her fans and friends on twitter. Also, she has really cool hair.

We’re so excited to have Milly here with us today to talk about her new novel "An Autumn Crush," a story about how complicated relationships can really be. Juliet Miller is recently divorced and half-heartedly advertising for a roommate when she meet Floz, a copywriter who is also still raw from a hard breakup. When Guy (Juliet’s twin brother) meets Floz, he’s immediately smitten, while we also learn that Guy’s best friend Steve is harbouring a massive crush on Juliet. Anything this complicated can’t end well for everyone...or can it?

Pick up your copy of “An Autumn Crush” today, or better yet...enter to win below! Not only are there TWO books up for grabs, but also a lovely bag and some bookmarks for each winner. And best of all, the giveaway is open worldwide!

Visit Milly at her website and blog, as well as Facebook and Twitter.

The recipe is a lovely Delia Smith one which I found ages ago and it's a lovely light cake after all that richness - note it contains raw eggs!

110g of softened unsalted butter
175g golden caster sugar
4 large eggs, separated
grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons
8 trifle sponges
275 ml double cream
3 tablespoons of lemon curd
1.2 litre souffle dish or pudding basin

1 - lightly oil the basin or dish
2 - beat the sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy
3 - beat the yolks of the eggs and add them them to the butter mixture, a little at a time inbetween more beating
4 - add the grated zest of the lemons plus all but a teaspoonful of the juice and blend
5 - whisk the egg whites until they are stiff peaks then fold into the creamed mixture

To assemble the cake
1 - split the sponges in half lengthways, then place a layer of them in the bowl followed by a layer of the mixture. Repeat finishing with a layer of sponge.
2 - Finally, cover the dish with foil, place a small plate on top to weight the cake down and leave in the fridge all night.

To serve
1- whisk the cream until thick and fold in 2 tablespoons of the lemon curd.
2 - loosen the cake round the edges with a palette knife, turn it out onto a serving plate and cover it all wih the cream.
3 - Gently heat the lemon curd in a small saucepan along with the reserved teaspoon of lemon juice and drizzle it over the cake just before serving
4 - scoff and enjoy!

Special thanks to Milly for sharing her recipe with us and her gift package with our winners!

How to win this "An Autumn Crush" prize package:
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 the craziest crush you've ever had on someone?
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.

Giveaway ends December 26th at midnight EST.

Rachael Johns is challenging us to a (yummy) snowball fight and has a book to give away

**Giveaway is now closed**

Congratulations to Rachael Johns! Today is the publication day for her novel, "One Perfect Night." We are delighted she is here today to share with us her success, along with her fun-and messy-holiday recipe. You can definitely say Rachael is one pretty busy lady. She is a wife, 24/7 mom to three children, supermarket owner and a retired teacher. Since she has joined the Romance Writers of Australia, she has received numerous awards and has been a finalist in a bunch of contests.

She's giving away ONE e-copy of "One Perfect Night" to a lucky reader anywhere in the world.

You can visit Rachael at her website, blog, Facebook and Twitter.


Synopsis of "One Perfect Night":
Peppa Grant’s fellow employees may call their new CEO Mr. McSexy, but she’s also heard that he’s aloof and distant. Cameron McCormac certainly seems cold toward Christmas when she meets him at the company’s annual party...but he’s also the sexiest man Peppa has ever seen. And when he offers to forgive the damage she accidentally caused to his expensive car in exchange for accompanying him to his family’s holiday get-together, she agrees.

Cameron needs a date to the family party to get his matchmaking relatives off his back. Their chemistry is instant and undeniable, leading to an incredible one-night stand. But Peppa wants love and family, while Cameron’s only interested in temporary pleasure. When their relationship takes an unexpectedly serious turn, will he run the other way—or will he give love a second chance?

When I think of Christmas I think of spending time with my family and watching my kids delight in the plethora of joys – presents, food, Christmas Carols, waiting for Santa, taking part in the school nativity play, decorating the tree. So, when it comes to cooking for Christmas and organizing presents for people beforehand, I like to involve my three boys as much as possible.

This year, we decided to make their teachers little baskets of home-made goodies. I’d like to share with you one of our favourite, easy-to-make and even easier-to-eat Christmas treats. This time round I made it with my two youngest and we had a BALL!

White Chocolate-Coconut Snowballs

Ingredients:
• 250g plain sweet biscuits
• ½ cup desiccated coconut
• 50 grams chopped glace cherries (we’re not cherry fans so we chopped raspberry jelly sweets instead)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk
• 375g packet of white chocolate melts
• 2 teaspoons desiccated coconut

Method:• Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Put biscuits in food processor and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Transfer to large bowl. Add coconut, cherries, vanilla and milk. Stir until well combined.
• Using damp hands, roll 1 teaspoon of mixture into a ball. Place on tray. Repeat with remaining mixture. Freeze for 1 hour.
• Place chocolate in heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM for 3 to 4 minute, stirring halfway during cooking with a metal spoon or until melted and smooth.
• Dip each ball into melted chocolate and then coat with coconut.
• Refrigerate until set. Serve.

Warning: Be prepared for a lot of MESS if doing this with young children

Thanks to Rachael for sharing her recipe with us and her book with one of our lucky readers.

How to win "One Perfect Night":
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 idea of a "perfect night?"
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.

Giveaway ends December 26th at midnight EST.

Sasha Wagstaff has a heavenly recipe for everyone to love and a book to give away

**Giveaway is now closed**

Today we welcome Sasha Wagstaff, author of "Wicked Games" and her most recent novel "Heaven Scent." "Changing Grooms," Sasha's debut novel, was the Asda Bookclub pick for April 2009. As a young girl she devoured books. She graduated from college with a BA in French and Russian studies. For the next eight years she was an assistant vice president at an investment bank. Sasha began writing during her long commutes to and from work. With the encouragement from her husband, she left her career at the bank and began a full time career as a writer. Sasha lives right outside of Essex in the UK, with her husband and two daughters. Her next novel, "Recipe for Love" will be published in the spring.

You can learn more about Sasha by visiting her on Twitter, Facebook and at her website.

Thanks to Headline UK, we have FIVE copies of "Heaven Scent" to give to some lucky readers anywhere in the US and or Canada.

Synopsis of "Heaven Scent" (July 2011):

A warm, witty and wildly romantic read set in the sizzling south of France…

When Cat Hayes impulsively marries a handsome, penniless French waiter in St Tropez, she didn't realise she'd be widowed in just a few weeks. Neither did she know that her late husband was actually Oliver Ducasse, heir to the Ducasse perfume empire. Invited by the Ducasse family to their glamorous French mansion, Cat finds a family in chaos. What's more she's regarded her with suspicion and hostility, especially by Olivier's playboy cousin Xavier. Will she run for the hills as fast as her high heels can carry her? Or will she realise that she is exactly what this mixed-up family truly needs?

Synopsis of "Recipe for Love" (May 2012):

Summer in a luxurious Italian villa should be a taste of heaven, shouldn't it?

Talented, passionate and notoriously private, Italian chef Rocco Disanti never talks to journalists. So why, when Cassia Blake has just three months to organise her wedding, has he suddenly granted her magazine an exclusive, all-access interview? Against Cassia's better judgement, she hands the wedding planning over to her frosty mother-in-law, and flies out to Italy to spend time with Rocco. But Rocco isn't exactly looking forward to Cassia's arrival. Persuaded to do the interview to help publicise his business, he has enough on his plate with his fiery girlfriend, wedding-obsessed sister and fiercely protective grandmother. And now it seems as if someone is trying to sabotage his restaurants too... Cassia's summer in Sorrento is shaping up to be a recipe for disaster. But could it also be a recipe for love?

Please check out my favourite holiday recipe. I love this recipe because these muffins smell incredible when they’re cooking or when they are re-heated on Christmas morning - and they’re the perfect, speedy breakfast snack to accompany present-opening!

Christmas Morning Muffins

Makes 12

250g plain flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
100g castor sugar
3 teaspoonscinnamon
dash of fresh nutmeg
zest of a clementine
75ml clementine or orange juice
125ml milk
75 ml groundnut oil
1 egg
100g dried cranberries (or for pure decadence, chocolate chunks)

Preheat the oven to 400 F/ Gas mark 6. Line a muffin tin with cases and set aside.

Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and spices into a large bowl; grate the zest of the clementine into the mixture and combine. (If doing this in advance, leave the zestinguntil Christmas morning – it makes the house smell lovely and festive).

Mix the clementine or orange juice with the milk up to the 200ml mark in a measuring jug.

Add the oil and the egg, and lightly beat until just combined.

Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir gently until well combined.

Fold in the cranberries (or chocolate chunks – go on, it is Christmas!), then spoon the batter into the muffin tins.

Bake for 20 minutes or so until tops are firm to the touch.

Devour whilst still warm, with a glass of bubbly. Open a present, then treat yourself to another muffin. Happy holidays!

Special thanks to Sasha for sharing her lovely recipe with us and to Headline for sharing Sasha's book with our readers!

How to win "Heaven Scent":

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 favorite scent?
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 December 19th at midnight EST.

Susan McCorkindale's recipe for a successful Christmas...plus a book giveaway!

Introduction by Amy Bromberg

**Giveaway is now closed**

I have had the honor and pleasure of meeting the wonderful, and quite hysterical, Susan McCorkindale who is here with us today. Since then, we have had the opportunity to get together a few more times. She also visited CLC back in August to talk about "500 Acres and No Place to Hide" (reviewed here) and is back now to share her favorite winter holiday "recipe." (Melissa A. and I especially like this idea for Christmas. ;) )

Susan has THREE copies of “Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl” to give away to some lucky readers anywhere in the US and Canada

To learn more about Susan visit her on Facebook, Twitter and her website.


My favorite holiday recipe calls for one take-out menu from my favorite Chinese food place, a phone, a wad of cash "borrowed" from my kids' Christmas stockings, and a car to go pick the order up. Throw in a heaping helping of shocked looks on the faces of my mother and brothers (who always expect lasagna), two screams of happiness from my sons (who are always relieved when I don't cook and don't care if I dip into their "stash" to cover their chicken and broccoli in brown sauce, spring rolls, and extra orders of crispy noodles), and a stack of holiday-themed paper goods and plastic utensils, (which means not only am I not chopping or mixing or pureeing and quite possibly poisoning my family, I don't have to do dishes either), and my Christmas dinner is served, Suzy style!

Special thanks to Susan for making us crave Chinese food (yum!) and for sharing her book with our readers.


How to win "Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl":
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 favorite Chinese restaurant or takeout related memory or story?
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 December 19th at midnight EST.