Feed Your Reader: Hot New Adult Fantasy!

The next book in the best-selling Forever Evermore series as Caro goes where no spirit elemental has gone before…

When Philip Masterson sends Caro back in time, he doesn’t expect to set off a series of events that will see her return stronger and more powerful than ever before. But her time spent with the Prodigies, Kings, and Elders in the nineties has long-reaching consequences that no one could have foreseen, consequences that increase tensions between the Mystical leadership when peace is needed.

Then Caro discovers something that changes the entire trajectory of her life, and finds herself torn: between the man she loves and the man who could mean everything, and the life that she’s chosen and the life that she was born to lead.

Chosen One is available today!

iBooks, Booktopia, Amazon AU, Amazon UK, Amazon US, Nook, Kobo, Google

Feed Your Reader: Hollywood Glamour and Unexpected Romance

Some choices are easy. Some choices are hard. And some choices will break our hearts…

When jaded movie director, Tyler Wentworth meets Mallory Hughes on the set of his latest movie, he immediately notices two things: she’s too sweet and she’s somehow familiar. But he has no time for mysteries – as long as she can do her job and continue to keep her notorious starlet out of trouble, she can keep her secrets.

Mallory knows exactly who Tyler is, the young man she had a huge crush on has grown to a Hollywood heavy-weight. But the last thing she wants is to be associated with the shy, awkward girl she was then. She’s here professionally, managing her troubled sister who has the talent to be the biggest star on screen, but a turbulent past. This is Bobbie’s last and best shot, and Mallory will do nothing to jeopardise it.

But as the filming begins, Mallory not only finds herself drawn more deeply to this grown-up Tyler, but that her attraction is more than reciprocated and she can’t help herself from indulging in all of her girlish fantasies. However, when their pasts catch up, she is going to have to choose between the sister she’s devoted her life to and the man who’s won her heart.

NOW AVAILABLE

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The harder you fight, the harder you fall when Opposites Attract…

Lingerie for Felons – Ros Baxter

If there’s one universal truth, it’s this: You’re always wearing your worst underwear when you land in trouble. She is determined to make a difference in the world; he is all about the bottom line. But sometimes Mr Wrong just needs to time to find the right path.

Funny, touching, emotional and political, Lingerie for Felons is Bridget Jones meets An Inconvenient Truth, a contemporary romance about doing the right thing, finding the right person, and always thinking through your underwear choices.

Rescue Nights – Nina Hamilton

English surgeon Andrew Wentworth left behind a successful career and a failed engagement to join the Cairns Rescue Helicopter team, but it’s not shaping up to be the rejuvenating working holiday he expected.

Rescue paramedic Kate Spears is used to proving herself in a man’s world, so informing the handsome surgeon that all his orders now come from her is deliciously satisfying. But she soon finds that Andrew cannot only take everything she throws at him, he keeps coming back for more.

Opposites attract in this medical romantic suspense set in the high adrenalin world of the Cairns Rescue Helicopter team.

This is Now – Maggie Gilbert

A gritty, urban New Adult Cinderella story where the princess can do her own rescuing — she just needs someone to believe in her.

Sister to car thieves, ex-girlfriend to a drug dealer, high school dropout, no-hoper and loser — Jess is on the sidelines, watching her life become one epic fail.

Then she meets Sebastien, a gifted cellist from a very different walk of life. Sebastien is clean and strong and talented. He seems to think she can do anything, and Jess, despite her fears and the secrets she hides, is starting to believe him.

But just as Jess dares to hope, the secrets in her past and the lies in her present catch up with her. All seems lost and she has to make a choice. Between past and future. Between home and hope. Between now and never. And this is now.

THREE FULL-LENGTH NOVELS; ONE FANTASTIC PRICE. AVAILABLE NOW

Feed Your Reader: A M/M romance and a Bound bind-up!

A diva who lives for the spotlight, a sailor deeply in the closet, a love that will change them both.

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From hot author Nicole Flockton comes three steamy stories of powerful men discovering what they need the most…

Method Writing: Ballet Dancing

by Shona Husk

I like research. I enjoy learning new things. Sometimes though reading or even talking to others isn’t enough. Sometimes the only way to get a feel for it is to get out there and give it a go.

So in October last year I decided I’d give ballet a try. I did ballet in grade one, jazz ballet around grade six, and belly dancing my twenties, so it wasn’t as though I had never danced before. Yet somehow I had forgotten what hard work it was (I had also forgotten everything about ballet except first and third position and good toes/naughty toes–in my adult beginner class my toes were never called naughty even though they were…).

I’d also forgotten how much fun it was–way better than turning up at the gym. I was getting fitter (ab and thigh work out as well as cardio) and learning something. I think dancing is now my preferred work out. Well, aside from karate 🙂

In both cases though there is footwork and posture and names and routines to learn (and after years of sinking my weight and keeping my knees soft it is really hard to turn out and keep my legs straight). I’m getting there, though I don’t think I will ever be graceful.

So how does this help my writing?

Experiencing new things sparks new ideas. And the people watching is amazing, really. New things means new people to watch and it’s always interesting to see how people pick up a new skill–the drop out rate was surprisingly high. Some people came all done up in leotards and skirts for their first class…some of us just wore our gym leggings.

Even though I had spoken to a professional dancer (hi Tamsyn!) while writing In the Spotlight–and I spent far too long watching things like world ballet day on YouTube (it’s a thing, check it out) and watching interviews with dancers….watching dancers…  OK I spend a lot of time on You Tube–there is nothing like actually giving it a go. Being in a class and hearing the corrections, being singled out, trying to memorize the routine and then keep in time with the music while drawing in your stomach, pointing your toes–but remember not to be wooden! It’s different to watching. It’s more fun. And I’m getting better. When I started I thought I’d just do one 5 weeks basics course, but it’s been close to a year.

Giving something a try adds a layer to the story. While no one wants to read about all the research, there are little bits that can slide in and make the scene more real. As a bonus you might get a new hobby 🙂

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A diva who lives for the spotlight, a sailor deeply in the closet, a love that will change them both

Ripley Malone is returning to Perth in triumph. A principal ballet dancer in a production that has critics raving, he is an unqualified success, and all the small-minded  people that made his life hell can kiss his lycra-covered ass. But behind the makeup and the glitter and the costumes, Ripley is beginning to tire, tire of the competition, the drive, the endless parade of meaningless lovers.

For Pierce Lovell, joining the Navy was a way out of rural Victoria, but becoming a submariner comes with its own set of challenges. The close living quarters and long months away are awkward enough without adding any extra tension around his sexuality. The fear is probably in his head, but he isn’t taking any chances with his career. He gets by on anonymous one-night-stands every time they come to shore and keeps his heart well-shielded. But one night with Ripley opens the tantalising possibility of more.

Through a mistake Ripley is injured. He can’t dance. His wings are clipped and he crashes down and hits the earth hard. Pierce knows their affair can’t possibly end in anything but heartache, but he can’t stay away. As Ripley heals and reassesses his life, he is determined not to make the same mistakes again. That means letting someone see the vulnerable side of him. But vulnerability for Pierce could cost him everything

Feed Your Reader: first May Releases

Jaz risks everything to save the love of her life in the latest instalment of Fiona Palmer’s series about the young spies of the MTG Agency.

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A fresh, funny and poignant romance set in the beautiful Adelaide Hills.

Leaving the Friend Zone

by M.A. Grant

Good stories come from good conflicts and tropes offer some of the best, most familiar conflicts out there. We’ve all got our favorites, but to me, a child of the ‘90s and all its high-school film incarnations, there is no greater emotional disaster than two people leaving the friend zone for parts unknown.

That’s right, the sound you just heard was Pandora’s box opening.

Feelings get admitted or denied, with varying results, which leads to emotional fallout, where the characters and readers both ask the same question:

Then, if things progress, the risks exponentially rise.

And don’t get me started on the sex.

Is it good? Is it bad? Now that you’ve had sex, do you have it again, or do you decide that it has become the greatest taboo since putting ketchup on hot dogs?

If all that turmoil isn’t enough, you are now vulnerable to the one person who knows every single one of your buttons.

And because they’re your friend, they will push that button every damn time.

From this point, when complications come up (as they always do), there’s nothing we can do as readers but read on, watching the dominos line up. And the second we hit that black moment we all saw coming, when the world falls apart at the seams, we’re left…well, destroyed, is probably the best adjective to describe it.

I believe we’re not just mourning the loss of the love, but the loss of that safe friendship that had meant so much. Friends know how to flip each other inside out, so that dark moment—when the friendship is utterly, almost irretrievably broken—rips out your heart and stomps on it for a while.

But the joy of romance is that once you crawl back to your feet and wobble through those last few chapters, you’re rewarded with an emotional catharsis that leaves you a blubbering wreck, no matter your intentions of not crying at work/school/home/etc.

These brutal highs and lows are the reason I love writing this trope. I admit that most of the time I have no idea what my crazy kids are going to do next, so I’m typing from the edge of my seat while I wait for the next catastrophe to strike. It’s the unpredictability of this seemingly clear-cut plotline that makes it stand out to me, both as an author and a reader. I hope you see that come out in my newest release First, where Cat and Dallas are forced to leave the friend zone in their dust.

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Best friends do everything together—including falling in love…

Feed Your Reader – January Releases

A sexy new adult duology about falling in love with completely the wrong person. Best friends do everything together—including falling in love …

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Now available, two new bundles at fantastic prices…

From the passionate, pacy pen of Alyssa J Montgomery comes a three-book bundle about the most powerful men in the world – and the women who bring them to their knees…

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From Lena Dowling comes two emotional, heart-wrenching, heart-warming stories about second chances at life – and love. 

December Recipes: Curry Prawns

by Suneeti Rekhari

Christmas Prawn Curry (Or when Prawn Cocktails just won’t do!)

Serves 4 (or 2 v greedy) people

Ingredients:

• 20 King Prawns (shelled, veined, cleaned and tails left on)
• 2 Spanish onions (diced)
• 3 tomatoes (chopped finely)
• 1 Tsp tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves (finely diced)
• 1 green chilli (or more depending on your heat tolerance) sliced lengthways
• Handful of fresh curry leaves
• Lime wedges
• Fresh coriander leaves (chopped finely)
• 2 Tsp oil salt to taste
• Spices:
  • 1 Tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 Tsp Asafoetida powder (you can omit this if you can’t find it in your grocery store)
  • 1 Tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 Tsp coriander powder
  • 1 Tsp cumin powder
  • 1 Tsp chilli powder

Method:

Heat oil in frying pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida powder, fry until they start to sizzle.

Add onion and salt and fry for 3-4 minutes, till nicely caramelised and brown.

Add the rest of the spice powders and fry for 30 seconds.

Add garlic, tomatoes and tomato paste. Fry for 5 minutes, when the oil starts to separate. Add fresh curry leaves and fry for a minute. The kitchen should be smelling like heaven right about now!

Turn up the heat (in the pan) and add prawns. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes – until the prawns turn pink and juicy. Add green chilli.

Your curry is ready. Serve with a sprinkling of fresh coriander and lime wedges. Enjoy watching it disappear in seconds!

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A fresh, exciting, funny, fabulous take on New Adult Paranormal about an enterprising matchmaker…and her paranormal clientele.

December Recipes: Chocolate Smoochies

by MA Grant

My family is full of readers and whenever we get together (rarer times now since I live in Alaska and everyone else is in California), my mother rereads us our favorite children’s books. Laura Joffe Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie was a favorite for me and my sisters, and now my niece and nephew love it just as much. Even better, there’s a companion cookbook which has a family favorite recipe: Cousin Bitsy’s Smooches (or, as they’re known in my family, Chocolate Smoochies). The recipe is simple and addictive.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup softened margarine
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• approximately 30 unwrapped Hershey’s Kisses

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit (175 degree Celsisus or Gas Mark 4).
2. Mix together all the ingredients except the Kisses.
3. Drop one-inch balls of dough onto a greased/parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Press a chocolate Kiss into the top of each cookie.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bottom edges of the cookie are golden brown.
   
5. Cool cookies on a wire rack (to avoid molten chocolate Kiss burns).

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Best friends do everything together—including falling in love…

December Recipes: No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Slice

by Shona Husk

It’s hot in Australia during Christmas so the last thing you really want to be doing is baking. This recipe is super quick and only uses one pot… it’s no bake peanut butter chocolate slice!

As the name suggests there is no baking, just the painful 2-3hrs as you wait for it to set in the fridge. On the plus side you can lick the pot as there are no raw eggs!

Here is the original recipe: http://www.barefeetinthekitchen.com/2013/03/no-bake-chocolate-peanut-butter-coconut-bites-recipe.html

I changed some of the cup measurements to weights because you can stick the saucepan on the scales and add to the pot (plus have you ever tried to put peanut butter in a cup and then scrape it out? Not fun. Ditto for the honey.).

Melt these together:

• 1 cup peanut butter (250g, crunchy or smooth it doesn’t seem to matter. Maybe live dangerously and try almond butter?)
• 1/2 cup honey (150g)
• 1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil (80g)

Stir these into the saucepan with the melted stuff:

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts, whatever you have in the pantry)
• 1 1/4 cups dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (220g dark chocolate)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Press into a slice tin or whatever pan you have handy and put in the fridge. Lining the pan with baking paper will make it easier to get out.

Wait.

Wait.

Wait.

No you can’t cut a slice off the edge…okay you know you want to…

Wait.

Wait.

Wait.

Okay! Now you can cut it into small pieces. Small because this slice is rich.

Enjoy!

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Shona Husk’s sexy new adult series about emerging rock band Selling the Sun concludes this month with a story about a woman who doesn’t want to connect, a man who’s forgotten how and the friendships that save our lives.