A Family Forever Box Set Release Day!

Release Day!

I'm so happy that A FAMILY FOREVER Box Set is finally here. I hope you'll celebrate with me!

Many people say family is everything. There is nothing more beautiful than two people coming together for the sake of a child, finding love, and forming A Family Forever. From marriage-of-convenience to second-chance-at-love to pure Irish-fairytale fantasy, A Family Forever Bundle brings you sweet, emotional stories of romance and love that arrives unexpectedly and culminates in happily-ever-afters that will leave you smiling. So brew yourself a cup of tea, settle on the sofa (or under that big beach umbrella) and enjoy these three full-length, contemporary novels.

Included in this bundle:

A BEAUTIFUL STRANGER – When wealthy but emotionally wounded Sean Hudson arrives to claim his new daughter, he discovers the adoption hinges on the impossible. Unless he finds a wife immediately, the tiny orphan will be snatched away from him forever. But before he can abandon hope, a beautiful stranger proposes a surprising solution—marriage.

MADE IN PARADISE – For ten long years Amber has believed her child was lost to her forever. Then an unexpected inheritance leads the lovely doctor back home… to the man she’s always loved. There she discovers her beloved Jon is a bachelor father, and the little girl he is raising is their daughter!

A REASON TO BELIEVE – It seems like a grand idea, temporarily trading her pixie wings for a womanly form to help handsome widower Paul Roland with his baby girl. And the moment she holds the precious bairn in her arms, Fern knows true happiness for the first time. But she never anticipates the dizzying emotions she feels for the man who not only needs her as a nanny, but as a woman whose passion can heal his wounded heart. Suddenly the forbidden fairy rule she gently bends is in danger of being irrevocably broken.

Couples coming together for the sake of a child and finding… A Family Forever!


What readers are saying:

“A must-read… that touches the heart.” ~about A Beautiful Stranger

“Loved this sweet story of Amber and Jon who come together again after 10 years and a secret kept by their parents who tried go keep them from the love they had for each other!” ~about Made in Paradise

“I love fantasy books… highly recommended!” ~about A Reason to Believe

Find this Bundle:

US Kindle        UK Kindle




Google

Other titles in the series:

Bonus!

It's harvest season in the garden and the zucchini are rolling in. One of my favorite recipes to make this time of year is Mock Crab Cakes. These little fried patties, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, are seasoned with Old Bay. Find the recipe here: Mock Crab Cakes

Spreading Peace in a Violent World

Is it just me, or does violence seem to be growing? The savage behavior displayed in Charlottesville, Virginia unnerved me. That human beings could treat other human beings so callously is disturbing. I watched the evening news as people committed violence against others in order to forward their own personal beliefs. I wondered… what can I do? Violence is happening everywhere, all over the world. The list of terror attacks just during the month of August 2017 is appalling. What can any of us do?  

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Nonviolence is an active force of the highest order.” 

I believe those words with all my heart. I also believe something else Mr. Gandhi said: “Outward peace is useless without inner peace.”

I strive for inner peace. I meditate. I pray daily for my own inner peace and for the inner peace of those I love, and for the inner peace of all people around the world. I want to live in a world filled with Love and Light and Peace. I don’t know how else gain and maintain peace for myself and for everyone I come into contact with except to walk a path of peace. Gandhi said, “There is no path to peace. Peace is the path.”

I intend to walk this path as best I can and I urge you to do the same. If the old adage, “violence begets violence,” is true (and I believe it is), then let’s create a new and better adage to live by: PEACE BEGETS PEACE.

If you pray, pray every day for a peaceful world. If you meditate, take a few moments of your meditation time to send out a loving message to the world. If you’re not a person who prays, I urge you to simply sit quietly for a bit each day, focus on your heart, fill yourself up with a feeling of love, and imagine that love beaming out of your chest as pure white light. It might sound hokey, but please give it a try. You might find that you like the idea of becoming a Warrior of Peace.

What other ways could we work toward world peace? Leave your comments below.

Here are some other Gandhi quotes I love. Feel free to copy and paste them on your blog or social networks. The quotes in this post and the words for peace used below come from Gandhi International Institute for Peace.







The word for “Peace” in different languages:

Salaam – Arabic/Iranian
 

Heping –Chinese, Mandarin
 

Kapayapaan - Filipino
 

Paix - French
 

Friede - German
 

Irini - Greek
 

Maluhia - Hawaiian
 

Shalom - Hebrew
 

Shanti - Indian
 

Pace - Italian
 

Heiwa - Japanese
 

Pyonghwa - Korean
 

Pax - Latin
 

Mari Rangi Maria – Maori
 

Meleilei – Micronesia, Pohnpei
 

Mir - Russian
 

La Paz - Spanish
 

Amani - Swahili
 

Shite - Tibetan
 

Thanh Binh – Vietnamese

If you’re like me—disturbed by the violence in this world—go out and spread peace and love. Every day and in every way.




Sweet Balsamic Sirloin Steak #Grilling #Recipe

The August heat makes it too hot to cook indoors. So here's a recipe for outdoor grilling. 

Sweet Balsamic Sirloin Steak

For the marinade:

4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon dry red pepper flakes
2 pounds sirloin steak
Salt and fresh cracked Pepper to taste


1.     Place the soy sauce, oil, sugar, vinegar, and pepper flakes in a large, re-sealable plastic bag and massage to combine well. Add the steak, seal, and marinate in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, turning once or twice to distribute marinade evenly.
2.     Pre-heat grill and coat the grate with a little oil to prevent sticking.
3.     Remove steak from marinade, season with salt and pepper, and place on hot grill. Cook for 5 minutes.
4.     Meanwhile, place the remaining marinade in a small sauce pan and simmer until reduced to about ½ cup. Watch carefully.
5.     Turn steak and cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until desired doneness.
6.     Remove from the grill, cover with aluminum foil, and allow steak to rest for 5 minutes.
7.     Slice steak against the grain, ½ inch thick. Place slices on a platter and pour reduced marinade over top.



This recipe is included in my cookbook,




Enjoy your summer!


Learn about The 8 Primal Cuts of Beef at BroBB.
This Infographic is designed by Jack Thompson from BroBBQ


Scorching Summer Sale! #Kindle #Nook Kobo iBooks Google

99¢ Sale! Save $7! 3-Book Series!

It’s August and the temperatures are hot as fire. To celebrate, here’s a scorching summer sale. You can get the first three books of The Ocean City Boardwalk Series for just 99¢. That’s a $7.00 saving off the regular cover price. So… what are you waiting for? Take advantage of this scorching summer sale now!

About the series: Sara, Heather, and Cathy are best friends. Through the years they’ve cheered each other on, celebrating each victory, and they’ve been supportive through every crisis. Join them as they face love and loss… and learn to hold tight to the idea that friends are your chosen family.

The Ocean City Boardwalk series, where life isn’t just fun in the sun—love is waiting on those sandy shores!

Don’t miss this scorching summer sale. Find the bundle:

US Kindle        UKKindle





As a bonus, here’s a frozen summer dessert that’s sure to cool you down.

Summer Coconut Peach Dessert

Ingredients

3 cups raw cashews
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 fresh peaches, peeled and thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Prepare cashews: Place nuts in a bowl and cover with water. Soak for several hours to soften, drain. Discard water.
2. Combine the cashews, lemon juice, coconut oil, coconut milk and agave in a food processor and process until smooth. This step may take a few minutes.
3. Line a greased sheet pan with wax paper. Allow paper to hang over the edges of the pan to make removing easy. Pour cashew mixture into pan, spreading evenly.
4. Place the pan in the freezer and chill for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from freezer and layer peach slices on top. Freeze for at least 2 additional hours.
6. To serve, remove from freezer and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing into squares. Place any leftover squares in a covered container or zip-top bag and store in the freezer. Keeps for about a week.