Christmas Titles

If you love them, we’ve got them!

Contemporary Christmas!

We can recommend all of Rhian Cahill’s holiday titles, but her latest is super fun.

For a man called Chris Kringle, Christmas is the most magical time of the year.  But this year, there’s something about a certain elf that’s grabbed his attention in the best of ways. 

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Christmas Magic!

Like your Christmas with a bit of sparkle? Try this funny, sweet story about a ghost, 12 Daves, and true love…

A beautiful, uplifting holiday story from bestselling author Juliet Madison about a lonely writer, her grandmother’s ghost, a road trip, and twelve different Daves.

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Country Christmas!

The small town of Swallow’s Fall will make you feel the Christmas spirit, even if they have to force it upon you…

From the author of the internationally bestselling The House on Burra Burra Lane comes a Christmas story — country style.

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Heart-warming Christmas

Not everyone gets to spend Christmas with their loved ones, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be special…

What began as an impersonal-but-cheerful holiday gift for a soldier far from home becomes so much more…

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Sweet Christmas

Because what’s Christmas without a special treat?

It’s going to take more than a few pieces of chocolate to fill this Scrooge’s heart with Christmas cheer. Luckily Candice Cane has a whole shop full…

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Christmas that’s out of this world

For SFF fans – we haven’t forgotten you!

What if your only chance at survival was to seduce the man who broke your heart?

 

 

 

December Recipes: Rustic Rocky Road

by Sarah Belle

I am a very fussy Rocky Road eater. That’s because, for me, RR is all about ratios. I don’t like RR’s that have a very thick chocolate base and miniscule pieces of marshmallow and jelly lolly on top. Noooo. I love light, fluffy, mountainous Rocky Road with the perfect combination of marshmallow, jelly and chocolate in each delicious bite. So, here’s my own recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 bags of Pascall’s marshmallows – the coloured ones are very pretty.
• 2 bags of jelly lollies – ripe raspberries are my faves, but you can use whatever tickles your fancy.
• 2 Blocks of chocolate – you can use milk, white or dark. It needn’t be high quality, but the home brand or cooking chocolate won’t taste as good.

Method:

Chop one bag of marshmallows in half. (This is for variety in mallow-bite size!)

Empty marshmallows and jelly lollies in a large bowl. Mix them up so they are evenly distributed.

Break up and warm chocolate (either in double boiler saucepan or in microwave. Just ensure that all utensils you use with melted chocolate are completely dry- water will cause the chocolate to seize up into one big, ugly, useless ball of gunk).

When the chocolate is three quarters melted, take it off the heat/microwave and stir with a silicone spatula until it is completely melted – this prevents chocolate seizing due to being over heated.

Pour chocolate onto lollies/mallows and mix until there is a light chocolate covering on everything. Tip this mixture into a large, lined roasting pan with high sides. Gently spread the mixture around until it is relatively even- don’t compress it or you’ll lose the fluffiness. It is meant to look a bit rustic.

Pop in the fridge for 3-4 hours and try not to pick at it until the chocolate has solidified. It’s tempting to eat a little bit, and I often fail to leave it alone until it’s set.

Chop into generous slaps and devour with gusto!

(This could, potentially, last for 7 days in the fridge- but ours never makes it past 3.)

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Magic realism mixes with romantic comedy in this new novel from Sarah Belle about the dangers of internet shopping – and using magic to solve real world problems.

December Recipes – Snowballs

by Juliet Madison

Lemon Bliss Snowballs: #glutenfree! #dairyfree! #paleo!

Dry ingredients:

• 1 & 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup almond meal
• 1/4 cup flaked almonds, crushed up a little

Wet ingredients:

• Juice and rind of one lemon
• A couple drops of vanilla essence
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 3 tablespoons honey

Mix dry ingredients together with a fork or whisk

Mix wet ingredients together

Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients using a fork, then roll into small balls, dip in desiccated coconut to cover, then place on a baking tray in the fridge until firm (about 30 minutes).

*Store in the fridge.

*Makes about 25, I think, but can never be sure because I’ve always eaten a few before I’ve remembered to count them.

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From Juliet Madison, the Queen of Romantic Comedy, comes a collection of three funny, fabulous stories with a touch of magic.

Books Seeking Readers – Last Chance at True Love!

We hope you’ve found your match, but we at Escape strongly advocate playing the field – at least when it comes to reading 😉 Here are the last of our lonely books, looking for love!

Exciting medical drama seeks reader who enjoys workplace romances, sexy beach interludes, and men who try to fix things. A love of sweet romance and interfering sisters is a must.

Find true love here.

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Rough-around-the-edges sci-fi romance seeks reader to engage in snarky battles of will, revel in fashionable corsets or manly body armour, and get excited about exploring a brand new world. Grace under fire needed as random fire-fights with mercenaries are likely to occur. Accurate aim and knowledge of battlefield mechanics would result in everlasting devotion and vaguely proclaimed, masculine words of an emotion that is most likely love, although that will never be explicitly admitted.

Find true love here.

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Smart-assed, grown-up romantic comedy, seeks reader with love of wisecracks. Appreciation of 80s music, 70s disaster movies, bad hair days, and a touch of murder a plus. Must be willing to handle peanut butter, have a good sense of humor, and know the value of friendship. An understanding that pizza is sexy is desirable. Aptitude for keeping government secrets, and juggling two jobs at once while finding unexpected love is essential.

Find true love here.

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Country story of the snazzy variety seeking romance reader who loves Chardonnay, humour, shooting stars and seeing how a city-chic designer loses her cool when faced with being secluded for 12 days and nights with a strong, muscly stonemason housemate. (Interest in straw hats and wellies of use.)

Find true love here.

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Enchanting, emotional book seeks reader who’s ever made a wish and wondered what would happen if it came true. If family, community, and following your passion is important to you, then we are a perfect match. I look forward to taking a stroll with you through Miracle Park, making a wish in the fountain, and watching the ocean waves tumble onto the shore. I’ll give you a date you’ll never forget.

Find true love here.

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Road trip story that breaks all the speed limits seeks reader interested in undercover heroes, heroines on the run, and the need to buckle up. No fear of gravel rash for readers who like their heroes in control and their sexual tension suspended.  BYO snacks.

Find true love here.

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Sweet medical romance seeks reader who isn’t afraid of a good cry. Must love nice guys, determined women, and tortured emotions.

Find true love here.

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Forty-something, romantic comedy looking for reader with experience in renovating homes and love lives. Proficiency with power tools and puppies optional, but may be useful when dealing with learner-driver teens and nonagenarians buying Dr Pepper and condoms. All applicant readers must be willing to listen to Iron Butterfly, eat onion rings, and deal with rats of all sizes. Reader must be prepared for kissing for all ages.

Find true love here.

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Futuristic romantic comedy seeks understanding reader with good empathy skills, who will support a 25 year old model trapped in 50 year old’s body as efficiently as a slimming spandex bodysuit. Or at least enjoy laughing at her. Especially when she gets trapped in the slimming spandex bodysuit. Perfect date: bungy jumping, followed by a better-than-sex facial, a ride on a ferris wheel (which may or may not involve getting stuck at the top), and a wild and wacky costume party.

Find true love here.

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Angsty billionaire romance with sidebar fat girl social commentary seeks reader who likes her billionaires to work for it, her heroines to have their own super charged lives, and doesn’t mind reading with her heart in her throat and her backside on the edge of the seat.

Find true love here.

Books Seeking Readers

Didn’t find your perfect match yesterday? Don’t worry – there are lots of lonely books out there. Here are today’s heartthrobs:

Matched set of dark, emotional romances seek reader who loves wolves, is up for adventure, and has faith in a meaningful happily ever after. Willingness to travel and put up with occasional brotherly bonding experiences a definite plus. Strong will, especially against attractive and charming men, highly suggested.

Meet your match here.

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Book of hope, strength and healing love seeks reader with fetish for medieval Scotland, curses and men in kilts. Only those addicted to a Happily Ever After need apply.

Meet your match here.

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Mild-mannered, unconventional romance seeks fun-loving youth for long walks to the spice shops and back, sojourns to secret vamp caves and patience with unresolved endings.  Must love tea, chocolate chip cookies and were-kangaroos.

Meet your match here.

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Sparkly, sweet story set in the showbiz world seeks reader who likes quickies. It won’t take long to enjoy me, but good things come in small packages. If you like the idea of a moondance with your soul mate, and are open to a touch of magic in your life, I am your Love Angel.

Meet your match here.

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Charming romance seeks reader who dreams of being swept off her feet in Paris. Must love food, sensuality and dizzying heights, including the Eiffel Tower.

Meet your match here.

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Hot rock star romance seeks groupie who craves the limelight.  Access all areas backstage pass supplied.  No gender discrimination – the rock star is a chick.  Bonus points for strong interest in molesting the roadies.  Put your hands in the air.

Meet your match here.

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Swashbuckling historical romance seeks readers with taste for cavaliers in wide brimmed hats with sharp swords for adventurous excursions, war-time drama, and deep family secrets. Courage in the face of certain death a bonus. A certain taste for military men a must.

Meet your match here.

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Naive and innocent book seeks adventure and experience – but only with the right reader, not just anyone will do. A taste for rule-bending, unlikely attraction, and steamy nights essential. Curiosity about tent-based antics a must.

Meet your match here.

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Have you been fumbling through the darkness, searching countless, pointless book relationships trying to find the story, yet only know the story exists because of the aching that has been left in your heart by its absence? Do you look at super-hot lead singers of rock bands and know you’re meant to read about them? Do you often long for the angst of a love triangle? If this sounds like you, then this sexy, deeply emotive story is a perfect match for you. But don’t try and find it, because it will most definitely find you.

Meet your match here.

It’s Valentine’s Day Again…

and we know what that means – you’re all desperately seeking fabulously romantic books to read. Without further ado, may we present:

Country story seeks romance reader wanting to be whisked to remote rural town in Snowy Mountains. Must like tall vets with genuine shy smiles. Sympathetic nature regarding runaway city girls searching for a fresh start vital. (Interest in cute pigs of use but not essential.)

Express interest here.

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Super fit and active book, seeks plenty of hot times with an open-minded reader. Sharing a love for the beach, mountains, delicious food and fruit salad would be beneficial but not essential.

Express interest here

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Fun, wacky, chaotic book seeks fun, wacky, chaotic reader who likes fun, wacky stuff, and chaos. And strippers. Male strippers. Or one, at least. Must also like to ride on emotional rollercoasters and go from laughter to tears, and not be afraid of ghosts. Bonus points if you can dance and sing a pitch perfect rendition of All The Single Ladies.

Express interest here.

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This grown-up tale is ready for romantic comedy readers who like quick-witted heroines and smart-assed heroes who grew up watching Star Trek. A flair for following quips that speed along like a Formula 1 race is an advantage. Must face the fear of claustrophobia and deal with reappearing horrid ex-husbands. Prospective readers may laugh at funky wedding cakes, quibbling bridesmaids, and a bride who sounds like Foghorn Leghorn. Knowledge that love doesn’t end after forty is crucial. Drooling while reading ice cream scene is obligatory and reader may want to be supplied with napkins.

Express interest here.

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Superhero fantasy with a touch of farce seeks reader with offbeat sense of humour and appreciation of the simple pleasures in life – pizza, beer, and repeats of Buffy. Must not take oneself or others too seriously, and be open to wild rides through the crime-fighting universe. Ideal date: breaking into an “unbreachable” containment facility for kicks before taking on a frenzied band of circus performers threatening to destroy the city.

Express interest here.

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This sexy romance is looking for a partner to trip the light fantastic and shake their groove thang.  This fish out of water tale feels most at home amid the sequinned backdrop of competition ballroom dancing.  Readers who like the sex appeal of Latin dance and the idea of an unlikely hero won’t put a foot out of place with this ensemble story.

Express interest here.

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Exotic romance seeks reader with a taste for adventure and a sense of justice to ride the sand dunes of Africa together. Must have heart and believe in true love.

Express interest here.

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Angsty, yet adorably cheesy romance, searching for a patient, dedicated reader. A love of the wine country is a must, and of course, a partiality to divine food, great music, and a charming winemaker who’s ripe for the picking. Show me your unwavering resolve and trust and I’ll give you everything you’ve been searching for.

Express interest here.

‘Tis the Season – for a bit of magic

The weather outside might be frightful, but I think you’ll find Juliet Madison quite delightful!

1. Give us a Twitter-length description of your Christmas title, 12 DAVES OF CHRISTMAS.

12 Daves over 12 days – some sweet, some quirky, some downright dangerous. Will Abby find her grandma’s long lost love before Christmas?

2.       Why did you set your story at Christmas?

I’ve always wanted to write a Christmas story, and when the idea came to me to change 12 Days of Christmas to 12 Daves, I knew I had to write it.

3.       What is your favourite thing about Christmas time?

The nostalgia, connecting with loved ones, childhood memories, and the magic of believing in something beyond the everyday. Also – food.

4.       What do you hope Santa will leave you under the tree this year?

Henry Cavill.

Failing that, a certain Christmas story to become a bestseller. 😉

5.       Finally, are your characters naughty or nice? 

Mostly nice, but Grandma Charlotte’s ghost is a little naughty. So are some of The Daves.

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A beautiful, uplifting holiday story from bestselling author Juliet Madison about a lonely writer, her grandmother’s ghost, a road trip, and twelve different Daves.

Abby Solomon may write happy-ever-afters for a living, but doesn’t believe she’ll have her own. But then a surprise visit from her grandmother’s ghost sets her off on a journey she’ll never forget.

Grandma Charlotte wants to find her first love, Dave, who she mistakenly thought had died in World War II. A quick trawl through the Yellow Pages yields a list of twelve possibilities, and Abby and Charlotte set off on a Christmas road trip — twelve Daves over twelve days along the sun-drenched east coast of Australia.

With just over a week to make the meeting happen, Abby has to meet a dozen Daves — some sweet, some quirky, some downright dangerous — while trying to honour her book deadline and enduring the awkward challenges of having a ghost as a travelling companion.

But when she comes across a young doctor who looks like the hero in one of her novels, Abby has the chance to discover that true love transcends time and space, and that happy endings aren’t only to be found between the pages of a book.

December’s Got Your Holiday Reading Sorted

International bestselling author Rhian Cahill kicks off a steamy new holiday series about a very Christmassy company and the three directors who need more than a little mistletoe.

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From Lee Christine, the critically acclaimed author of In Safe Hands, comes a tense, taut, urban romantic suspense about two lawyers, a high-profile divorce case and an attraction that even opposing counsels can’t shut down.

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From the best-selling author of A Man Like Mike comes a new contemporary romance: he can buy anything he wants — except the perfect woman to help rebuild his family.

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She came to Paris to forget about men, but the city of love has different plans for her…

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And finally, one more Christmas title to really help you find that holiday spirit: A beautiful, uplifting holiday story from best-selling author Juliet Madison about a lonely writer, her grandmother’s ghost, a road trip, and twelve different Daves.

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Have you caught up with the Sydney Housewives lately? Two titles release this month!

A strong man needs a strong woman, and Nella’s love is as strong as steel.

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Sienna knows that she’s got a good thing going with her boyfriend, Charlie, but when he sets Sienna up with a very unusual gift accepting it will test all of their limits and the strength of their relationship.
(releases 18 December)

AusRomToday – Reader Choice Nominees!

We are thrilled to be super well-represented in the inaugural AusRomToday Reader’s Choice Awards! Voting is so simple, and we would absolutely love it if you found the time to support your favourite Australian authors by visiting the AusRomToday facebook page.

Here are the Escape Publishing nominees:

Best New AuthorLisa Ireland

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Best Established Author

Amy Andrews

Juliet Madison

Fiona Palmer

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Author of the Year

Amy Andrews

Alissa Callen

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Cover of the Year

Engaging the Enemy – Susanne Bellamy

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10 Things Not to Buy Off the Internet

By Sarah Belle – the voice of experience.

10. Perfume – unless you know the seller is reputable and you are buying a perfume that you have previously worn and know won’t smell like cat urine on you.

9. Diet Pills – yeah, ‘cos who knows what’s really in them?

8. Twitter Followers – what are the chances they are truly interested in your twitterings? Remember people, it’s quality, not quantity!

7. Paint – that particular shade of ‘Smouldering Sexy Boudoir deluxe’ that looks so great on your laptop screen, actually looks more like something from Romper Room in the flesh. Don’t do it.

6. Uranium – just because you can doesn’t mean you should. You don’t want the government to go all gang-busters on your uraniumised butt.

5. A Private Island – why wouldn’t you pay a paltry US $50 million for a little piece of rock floating off the Panama coast? Because chances are, it doesn’t exist, is currently inhabited by a fugitive Cuban drug lord, or will require extensive flood insurance.

4. Shoes – unless you know the exact size. It’s hard enough to get a standard shoe size in retail, let alone on line.

3. Jewellery – if you only pay $25 for a 18ct gold necklace, then chances are it ain’t 18 ct! Good luck getting a refund out of these etailers.

2. A spouse – because someone who is meant to look like this:

Or this:

Will actually look more like this:

1.  A love spell – or any kind of spell for that matter. Unless you are a seasoned spell casting genius, or go by the name of Hermione Granger, it’s better for us novices to lay off the internet magic.

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Magic realism mixes with romantic comedy in this new novel from Sarah Belle about the dangers of internet shopping – and using magic to solve real world problems.

Lou’s life is perfect. She loves her job, her renovated house, and most of all, her gorgeous fiancé, Aidan. But when her old flame and Aidan’s school yard nemesis turn out to be the same person, Hunter Wincott, Lou’s life is blown apart. She must divulge her secret past, or have Hunter give it away. Either way, she runs the real risk of losing Aidan.

In desperation, she turns to Google. A quick search turns up Majique, the Internet Witch, and a spell that will delete herself from Hunter’s memory. But something goes wrong in the casting process, and Lou deletes much more than just a memory. She deletes herself from her life completely.

Luckily, there’s a one-week window for Lou to get back to the life she loved. One week to win back Aidan, before he walks down the aisle with the wrong woman, and damns everyone to a lifetime of misery. It would be easy, if only Aidan had any idea who Lou actually is.