Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Vive la French Soup!

Sharon Ledwith is visiting again with another of her savory soups. Studs and I enjoy this recipe, accompanied by a fresh salad and a crisp white wine, for Saturday night dinner. Bon Appétit, mes amis!

In my middle grade/young adult time travel books I try to write in a scene where my characters sit down for a meal or share some food together. In The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, I’ve got a scene where Melody Spencer is dishing out rabbit stew in bread bowls for the kids. In Legend of the Timekeepers, two of the characters—She-Aba and Tau—are introduced to a ‘long yellow fruit’, a.k.a. bananas. Why do I do this? Simply put, so readers can relate to my characters. We all need to eat, and coming together to eat gives my characters a place to talk over their dilemmas, make plans, reassess the situation, and recharge their batteries.

So when I finally got my hands on my grandmother’s coveted French Soup recipe, I thought it fitting to share this fabulous meal. It’s so easy to put together and a bonus for those cool days or evenings. Many a tale has been told digesting this soup around the table, and my hope is that this meal will spark new conversations between you and your loved ones.

Vive la French Soup!
1 lb lean ground beef
2 small cans or 1 large can of tomato soup
1-14 oz can of green wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of yellow wax beans (do not drain)
1-14 oz can of peas (do not drain)
1 can sliced mushrooms (if desired, drained)
4 medium-large potatoes (cubed)
½ teaspoon of salt
Dash of pepper
Worcestershire sauce or Tabasco sauce to taste (your preference)
Garlic powder to taste (if desired)
Crock pot

Fry the lean ground beef and drain.

Add the canned vegetables, potatoes, tomato soup, drained ground beef, and seasonings into the crock pot.

Cover and cook on slow for approximately 8 hours.

Serve with biscuits or rolls.

NOTE: Please feel free to experiment with this recipe. My mom adds one small can of tomato sauce to add flavor to the soup. The above recipe will serve a family of eight.

Voila. Dinner is done. Now what will you do with all that time on your hands while the soup is cooking in the crock pot? How about indulging in one of my books from The Last Timekeepers series?

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.

To read an excerpt from Legend of the Timekeepers please click here.

Legend of the Timekeepers Buy Links:
MUSA PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀ SMASHWORDS ׀ APPLE

If you haven’t already read Sharon Ledwith's novel, The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, here’s the blurb…

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, please click HERE.

BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing - Amazon Link - Barnes & Noble - Kobo

BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.

Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Say It with Chocolate

by Sara Daniel

Orgasmic Chocolate Martinis
1½ shots Godiva® Chocolate Liqueur
1½ shots crème de cacao
½ shot vodka
2½ shots half-and-half

1. Pour all of the above into chilled martini glass or mix in a shaker with ice and then pour into glass.

2. Garnish with chocolate shavings, whipped cream and/or chocolate syrup.

3. Enjoy an orgasmic experience.

4. Read HALEY'S MAN and compare your chocolate martini experience to hers.:)
She must choose between the man of her dreams and the man of her fantasies.

When Haley Miller posts on a sexual fantasies forum that she wants to have an orgasm while surrounded by her friends, one reply stands out. Intrigued and desperately aroused, Haley prepares for the orgasm of her fantasies.

But when she arrives at her friend’s party, she learns that the man of her dreams, Seth Gardner, is back in town. Now she must decide if she wants to go through with her plans for public pleasure or go after her dream date with Seth, or risk losing them both.

EXCERPT
“Are you still looking for the half-and-half? I was sure I had a full carton.”

The female voice dashed Haley’s hopes, returning the lump to her throat. Gina had joined her, not Seth.

“Where did Seth go? He was here when I first came in, and now I can’t find him.” Haley willed herself not to cry. Gina knew about her crush, of course, but wouldn’t understand why his absence left her on the verge of tears.

“I heard the front door open. Maybe he went out for a smoke.”

Haley tried to swallow but couldn’t. Seth hadn’t smoked before. She’d given his mouth a thorough exam minutes ago. He hadn’t picked up the habit. He’d also never been as sports crazy as the rest of the guys cheering on the basketball game.

He’d told her he had other plans, which were apparently more important than waiting for her. Why shouldn’t he put them first? She’d given him every indication that hers came before him. In doing so, she’d thrown away their one chance together.

Gina opened the fridge and took out the half-and-half. “Bummer. I thought tonight would finally be your shot to get together. Come on. You need some chocolate martinis to forget him.”

Haley had yet to find a drink capable of accomplishing that goal, but she allowed her friend to lead her downstairs.

BUY LINK

To read excerpts from other books by Sara Daniel please click a vendor's name Musa Publishing - Amazon.


Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction and was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels. She lives her own happily-ever-after romance with her hero husband, and she gets amnesia at least three times a day because she can never remember where she left her keys!

Learn more about Sara on her website and blog. Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter.

Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Easy and So Delicious

Jane Nolan is an incredible woman with a strength of character I've always admired. We've been friends for many years. The kind of friends who don't have to see each other often, but still click like not a second has passed when they do meet up. Another attribute of Jane's is her kitchen talent. Here is one of her latest creations that tastes marvelous and is healthy, too.

Cranberry Cake
3 eggs
2 cup sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (not margarine)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
2½ cup cranberries (fresh, or if frozen, thaw slightly if you have time)
2/3 cup chopped pecans
whipped cream or topping for serving

Preheat oven to 350 °F.

Grease a 9x13 pan.

Beat eggs and sugar together for 5min.

Add butter and vanilla. Beat 2 more minutes.

Stir in the flour just until combined. (Very heavy batter)

Add cranberries and nuts. (I use the mixer for about a minute just to incorporate well. This also breaks a few of the berries apart & lends a nice touch to the finished product)

Spread into the pan. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes. (Usually done after 50 min.)

Serve with whipped cream or whipped topping.

I'll be back Monday. Until then...

Enjoy life to the fullest,

Sloane

Monday, February 16, 2015

CELEBRATE with SHARON LEDWITH

As an author I had to ask myself this question: do we sell a product (book) or an experience (memory)? I recently read a marketing post where there was a study conducted in which people were asked if they would prefer to purchase a product (car, couch, etc.) or an experience (holiday, concert, etc.), and guess what most said? Yup. You guessed it. An experience.

So this got me to thinking that authors have it pretty good. Yes, we sell a product whether it’s a book or an ebook or an audio-book or all three. We still have to market and promote these ‘products’ in order for our consumers (readers) to find them. But once our books are in the hands of readers, magic happens and they’re whisked away into another place, and another time. We authors create an experience for each of our readers. And that’s the payoff. Experiences tend to have a lasting effect on people. Sure, buy a car and you’ve got that new car smell for about a year. But I bet you remember going to your first concert, don’t you? Or maybe your first trip to Disneyland? I certainly do.

If you purchase a book, true you may lose it, but I guarantee you that story will stay with you for years to come if the tale hits an emotional cord. And isn’t that why we authors are in this vocation to begin with?

And since February is my birthday month, I’m hoping to generate lasting memories for readers by offering two Goodreads Giveways. One for The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, and one for the prequel to my time travel series, Legend of the Timekeepers. BTW—both giveaways are international so no one is left out in the cold! Happy Birthday to me!









Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis by Sharon Ledwith

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis

by Sharon Ledwith

Giveaway ends February 25, 2015.


See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win












Goodreads Book Giveaway

Legend of the Timekeepers by Sharon Ledwith

Legend of the Timekeepers

by Sharon Ledwith

Giveaway ends February 25, 2015.


See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win




Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

CUPCAKES IN THE PARK

Longtime friend author HL Carpenter is here to tease you with a devilishly good story and a batch of Sinfully Delicious Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes. So sit back and enjoy. The kitchen is all yours, HL!


The day was perfect; one of those low humidity, blue sky, breeze-off-the-lake days that made tourists flock to central Florida. Green and yellow tents filled the park and costumes were the attire of choice. Dogs in costumes, babies in costumes, teens in costumes, turtles in costumes; every life form Andi encountered wore a costume.

Her own costume was her usual jeans and boots, topped by a red tank and a red cap to match the red linen covering the platter of cupcakes in her hands. This year the cupcakes were salted caramel apple. The recipe was new and the friends who’d taste-tested had raved over them. They were sinfully delicious and should easily be the best cupcakes in the park.

She’d still baked three batches before she was satisfied. Competition in the Cupcake Wars at the annual Cooter Festival was always fierce.

She signed in, took her number, and walked to the table at the end of the tent. To get to her assigned spot, she had to step around a lumbering turtle. The damp lettuce leaf draped over its shell was only partly a costume. The real reason for the decoration was that the turtles—or cooters as the locals called them—were well cared for and the festival organizers were making sure this one stayed cool.

Andi put the cupcakes and her bag on the table and took her place beside a leggy teen. The girl had crafted sugar lily pads, fairy wings, and miniature frogs to go with her mint and chocolate cupcakes. With their pink frosting and blue polka dots, the cupcakes seemed ready for an impish tea party as she positioned them on a miniature tree-shaped stand.

After Andi finished setting her cupcakes on the upended crystal goblets she’d brought, she walked along the exhibit table to greet the other contestants. The confections were as varied as the bakers. Classic vanilla, red velvet, peanut butter truffle, tiramisu, banana walnut, double maple, pumpkin spice—all mouthwateringly scrumptious and worthy adversaries. With luck the proud presenters would not be sore losers.

When the judging began, Andi took her assigned place and handed out samples to the judges. As her friends had proclaimed, her cupcakes got high marks for taste. But when all the votes were tallied, the leggy teen’s presentation won the blue ribbon.

Andi congratulated the young baker and admired the silky ribbon. Then she distributed the rest of the salted caramel apple cupcakes to the passers-by and packed her goblets. As she stepped past the exhibit table, she hooked her boot around the metal leg and tugged. The table tipped. The teen’s beautiful display landed in the dirt with a splat, icing-side down. The other contestants gasped. The lettuce-draped turtle moved in for a taste.

Andi settled her hat more securely over her hair so her horns wouldn’t show and elbowed her way through the crowd.

There might have been better cupcakes than hers in the park that day.
But she didn’t think so.

Sinfully Delicious Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Batter
1 stick plus 1 tablespoon butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3 apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Put ¼ cup apples and 1 tablespoon butter in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute at 50% power to soften. Mash with a fork (lumps are okay). Let cool.

Cream together the stick of softened butter and brown sugar. Blend eggs and vanilla into the creamed mixture. Add the mashed apples and heavy cream to the batter and mix well.

In a small bowl stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Add to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Batter will be thick.

Fold chopped apple pieces into batter.

Line a 12-muffin tin with baking cups. Spoon batter evenly into the cups.

Bake 20 minutes.

Let cupcakes rest in pan for five minutes. Transfer to baking rack to cool completely.

Frosting
1 stick of butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp. salt
2 cups powdered sugar

Melt butter in pot on stove over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and heavy cream. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Stir in salt.

Let mixture bubble for 2-3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Frost cooled cupcakes.

Caramel Sauce
1 cup white sugar
¼ cup water
¼ cup butter
2/3 cup heavy cream

Heat sugar and water in pot on stove over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture boils.

Let mixture boil without further stirring until it browns to the color of caramel. Add butter and stir until butter is melted.

Remove from heat. Add heavy cream. Stir until the bubbling stops and the sauce is smooth. Drizzle over cupcakes.

Remaining sauce can be used for other recipes.

For additional flavor, garnish cupcakes with a sprinkle of salt.

Makes 12 cupcakes

After all your hard work, how about treating yourself to a break with a devilishly good book?

Who killed Fyne Literature? The Fictional Book Investigation Agency is on the case—and the lead investigator is closer to the culprit than he realizes.

Ivy League wants to learn who murdered the love of her life. The Fictional Book Investigation Agency agrees to take the case, and soon discovers a surplus of suspects.

Is the killer one of the victim’s many enemies? Is there more to the story than anyone knows? The Agency’s profiler has a clue, yet she’s remarkably reticent.

For the lead investigator, unraveling the plot means confronting the mystery within.

EXCERPT:
Jane said, “So, we have Ivy League, who loves Fyne Literature. Fyne Literature was murdered by an explosion of serial killer hackwork in a distressingly predictable plot produced by an unknown party or parties.”

“Precisely. Ivy said Fyne had become reclusive over the past few years, hiding on a shelf in the university library, so I thought I would start by interviewing his former friends. Three of them in particular, the ones Ivy said had grown to dislike him intensely.”

“Would they be Booke Publisher, Ima Reeder, and Manny Authors?”

“So you were listening.”

“Are those your only suspects?”

I frowned. “Do you have someone else you think I should consider?”

To read an excerpts from all the books written by HL Carpenter click a vendor's name
Musa Publishing
Amazon


HL Carpenter is a mother/daughter writing team. Their latest young adult novel is Walled In, the story of Vandy Spencer, who discovers her entire life has been built on a heart-shattering deception when her father is accused of fraud. Learn more about HL Carpenter on their website.

Monday, February 09, 2015

Exciting New Read and Giveaway


Haleys Man1

She must choose between the man of her dreams and the man of her fantasies.

When Haley Miller posts on a sexual fantasies forum that she wants to have an orgasm while surrounded by her friends, one reply stands out. Intrigued and desperately aroused, Haley prepares for the orgasm of her fantasies.

But when she arrives at her friend’s party, she learns that the man of her dreams, Seth Gardner, is back in town. Now she must decide if she wants to go through with her plans for public pleasure or go after her dream date with Seth, or risk losing them both.


Excerpt
The man turned and pinned her with a steady hazel gaze. His dark brown hair framed a strong, handsome face that she hadn’t seen in far too long. His lips curved in a lopsided smile.

She gasped. “Seth.”

“Haley.” Her name rolled off his tongue like one long delicious lick over her sex. He jumped to his feet, bringing himself eye-level with her—a good thing, since he’d been in a position to look directly up her skirt.

She scrambled to cover her own gawking. “You’re not wearing your glasses.”

“Contacts.” Not turning from her, he nudged the freezer drawer closed, rippling the ringlets of curly hair that hung past his ears. Without his wire-rimmed glasses, his sweet, safe image transformed into that of a dashing unpredictable man, leaving her disoriented and embarrassingly eager to discover the real man beneath his white dress shirt and pink-and-gray striped tie.

“Oh. Well, you look good.” As soon as the words were out, she wanted to kick herself. Way to come up with scintillating conversation, Haley. No wonder he never wasted his time chatting with her.

“So do you.” He tucked a strand of her wavy black hair behind her ear in a move that weakened the backs of her knees. “So who’s the lucky boyfriend right now?”

She loosened the knot of his tie, stalling for time. Her single status wasn’t in question, but a guy like him wouldn’t consider a woman available if she’d already booked an orgasm for the evening. Why couldn’t she hit on the right timing with Seth?

To read excerpts from other books by Sara Daniel please click a vendor's name Musa Publishing - Amazon.

About the author


Sara Daniel writes what she loves to read—irresistible romance, from sweet to erotic and everything in between. She battles a serious NASCAR addiction and was once a landlord of two uninvited squirrels. She lives her own happily-ever-after romance with her hero husband, and she gets amnesia at least three times a day because she can never remember where she left her keys!

Learn more about Sara on her website and blog. Subscribe to Sara’s newsletter.

Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.



Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, February 04, 2015

The Devil Made Her Do It

My good friend and cohort Sharon Ledwith is here with One Devilishly Charming Chocolate Mousse Cake to tempt that one special someone in your life. The kitchen is all yours, Sharon!

In my recent time travel yarn, Legend of the Timekeepers, the prequel to The Last Timekeepers series, I give you an up-close-and-personal look at Belial, the nasty antagonist of the entire series. Love him or hate him, Belial is the foundation that cements this middle grade/young adult time travel series together. Face it, without a villain to fight, a hero has no purpose, no goal. And the Timekeepers need a quest in Earth’s past to stop Belial from changing history, or all hell will break loose. Which, by the way, is exactly what Belial wants to happen. Bahahaha!

The following recipe will make you look like a hero in the eyes of your family and friends. It takes about 25 minutes prep time, and a total of 5 hours (including refrigerating) to create. Can you say chocolate?

One Devilishly Charming Chocolate Mousse Cake

½ cup chocolate syrup
1 package (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix (we use Betty Crocker® Double Fudge)
1 cup water
⅓ cup oil
7 eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 package (250 g/ approx ½ lb) cream cheese brick, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (370 mL/12 oz) evaporated milk
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted (we use Baker’s®)
1 cup thawed whipped topping (we use Cool Whip®)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Spray 3-L (12 cup) fluted tube pan (Bundt) with cooking spray. Pour in chocolate syrup; tilt pan to evenly cover bottom with syrup.

Beat cake mix, water, oil and 3 eggs with mixer for 2 minutes or until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Pour over syrup in pan.

Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until blended. Add remaining eggs; mix well. Blend in evaporated milk and melted chocolate; gently spoon over cake batter. Cover with foil sprayed with cooking spray, sprayed-side down.

Place Bundt pan in large pan (like a lasagna pan). Add enough water to larger pan to come at least 2 inches up side of Bundt pan. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in Bundt pan on wire rack. Refrigerate 2 hours. Invert cake onto plate; remove pan.

Serve with whipped topping. Makes 24 servings.

NOTE: To unmold cooled cake, use a long thin spatula to loosen the cake from the sides of Bundt pan. Place plate over pan; invert cake onto plate. Spoon any chocolate syrup remaining in pan over cake.

Now while you’re waiting for this devilishly good chocolate mousse cake to cool, how about making a date with Belial and the Timekeepers? After all, better the devil you know, than the one you don’t!

Children are the keys to our future. And now, children are the only hope for our past.

When 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her annoying classmates are caught in a food fight at school, they're given a choice: suspension or yard duty. The decision is a no-brainer. Their two-week crash course in landscaping leads to the discovery of a weathered stone arch in the overgrown back yard. The arch isn't a forgotten lawn ornament but an ancient time portal from the lost continent of Atlantis.

Chosen by an Atlantean Magus to be Timekeepers--legendary time travelers sworn to keep history safe from the evil Belial--Amanda and her classmates are sent on an adventure of a lifetime. Can they find the young Robin Hood and his merry band of teens? If they don't, then history itself may be turned upside down.

To read an excerpt of The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis, please click HERE.

BUY LINKS
Musa Publishing - Amazon Link - Barnes & Noble - Kobo

There is no moving forward without first going back.

Lilith was a young girl with dreams and a family before the final destruction of Atlantis shattered those dreams and tore her family apart. Now refugees, Lilith and her father make their home in the Black Land. This strange, new country has no place in Lilith’s heart until a beloved high priestess introduces Lilith to her life purpose—to be a Timekeeper and keep time safe.

Summoned through the seventh arch of Atlantis by the Children of the Law of One, Lilith and her newfound friends are sent into Atlantis’s past, and given a task that will ultimately test their courage and try their faith in each other. Can the Timekeepers stop the dark magus Belial before he changes the seers’ prophecy? If they fail, then their future and the earth’s fate will be altered forever.

To read an excerpt from Legend of the Timekeepers please click here.

Legend of the Timekeepers Buy Links:
MUSA PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE ׀ SMASHWORDS ׀ APPLE

BONUS: Download the free PDF short story The Terrible, Mighty Crystal HERE.

Check out The Last Timekeepers series Facebook Page.


Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, available through Musa Publishing, and is represented by Walden House (Books & Stuff) for her teen psychic series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, yoga, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.

Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.

Monday, February 02, 2015

The DISENCHANTED Book Tour Continues

Suspenseful, dark, romantic, and brimming with old magic, Disenchanted by Leigh Goff captures the intrigue of New England’s witchlore.


A dark curse, a forbidden love, an impossible choice.

Orphaned sixteen-year-old Sophie Goodchild is an outcast among the ordinaries and her coven, but not because she’s untalented. Descended from a powerful Wethersfield witch, her spellcasting gift is awkwardly emerging, but that’s the least of her worries. The boy she’s forbidden to fall for, a descendant of the man who condemned her ancestor to hang, carries a dark secret that could destroy them both unless Sophie learns how to tap into the mysterious power of her diamond bloodcharm. 

EXCERPT
I sat, soaking wet, shaking from the adrenaline. Whoever he was, he rescued me from the would-be thief who bore the symbol of the Leos, a breath-saving nickname I gave Judge Mather’s Law Enforcement Organization. I strained to see, but the rain drops clinging to my long eyelashes blurred my vision. I wiped them away as my heart settled to an even pace.

With his back to me, he watched the thief disappear into the stormy night. He ran his hands through his thick, wavy, wet hair. His broad shoulders relaxed before he turned to offer me assistance. He extended his long arm to help me to my feet. I hesitated for a second, unsure of him, but as he reached for me, our fingers brushed together. A shock of electricity bolted through my hand. I froze as I caught the surprised reaction on his face, telling me he felt it, too. His fingers clasped firmly around mine and, with no effort, he pulled me to my feet. Unsteady, I pressed my hands against his firm muscled chest that showed through the drenched white shirt. A dizzy, swirly sensation swept through my head as if I were on a merry-go-round spinning around at one hundred miles per hour.

He had to be six feet tall.

“Are you okay?” he asked in a smooth British accent. His deep voice vibrated with tension, sending warm chills inside me.

I balanced myself and brushed my wet hair behind my ears, swallowing hard. A British accent that could make a girl melt if the girl didn’t have alarm bells going off in her head. There were no Brits currently living in our small part of Wethersfield, which meant he had to be one of them. My wide eyes flitted around, looking for a clue to make sense of why the statuesque Mather boy with his soaking wet shirt and black tailored pants left the comfort of his father’s manor house to brave the storm.

He stepped closer, breaching the already slim gap between us and forcing my eyes up. The streetlight illuminated his handsome features. His ivory complexion, dappled with raindrops and a shadow of thick stubble, revealed a hint of blush as if it were wintertime and the cold air had plucked at his cheeks.

I followed the perfect straight line of his nose to his brooding, dark eyes full of mystery. His eyes wandered over the details of my face and settled on my own, waiting for me to reply. A warm, wet breeze swirled up from behind him and wrapped his alluring scent around me; clean, floral and woodsy and thoroughly masculine. I inhaled again and again, unable to exhale. With all the plants and flowers I had smelled in my lifetime, he smelled better than any, alone or in combination. I wavered slightly, side to side, feeling dazed. I gulped a mouthful of air, trying not to breathe him in. What was wrong with me? I shook myself out of the stupor.

“Did you know that man?” he asked.

“Did you?” I said in an accusatory tone, but at that moment, I didn’t care about the attacker.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He drew back like I was crazy for suggesting anything.

He was the enemy. Say something, I thought. “What…what are you doing out here anyway?”

He furrowed his eyebrows inward. “Saving you, obviously.”

I threw my hands on my hips, shocked by the irony. A Mather helping a Greensmith? Hell was freezing over somewhere beneath our feet and every kind of farm animal was sprouting wings to fly. “That’s impossible.”

“And why is that?”

“Because…because you’re a Mather,” I said, not meaning to sound disgusted, but I struggled to contain my feelings. Fact was, the Mathers had Greensmith blood on their hands, as well as my coven’s blood. Through Wethersfield’s history, they were known as witch-hunters and with each generation, they changed only to appear more politically correct, but their intentions remained unchanged.

BUY LINKS Musa Publishing  -  Amazon


Leigh Goff loves writing young adult fiction with elements of magic and romance because it's also what she liked to read. Born and raised on the East Coast, she now lives in Maryland where she enjoys the area's great history and culture.

Leigh is a graduate of the University of Maryland, University College and a member of the Maryland Writers' Association and Romance Writers of America. She is also an approved artist with the Maryland State Arts Council. Her debut novel, Disenchanted, was inspired by the Wethersfield witches of Connecticut and was released by Musa Publishing in December 2014. Leigh is currently working on her next novel, The Witch's Ring which is set in Annapolis.

Learn more about Leigh Goff on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

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