Jean Brashear and Holidays That Live On In Infamy!

Posted by Beth Andrews Dec 20 2011, 4:00 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Jean Brashear

Holidays That Live On In Infamy…

Remember the dogs stealing the turkey off the dining room table and the succeeding Chinese food dinner in A Christmas Story? (Or can you only remember that gosh-awful fishnet stocking leg lamp and “You’ll shoot your eye out!”?)

I suspect all of us have had our own versions of that very funny movie disaster (or our own not-so-funny ones.) On the theory of bad news first, I will never, ever forget (nor will my family) the Christmas we had a houseful of company and were just sitting down to eat dinner when I zipped back to my bedroom…only to discover that the carpet was soaking wet! And getting more so, the closer I got to the master bath. Yikes. Pretty sure you could have heard my shriek halfway around the world.

Ah, yes…broken toilet something-or-other (I try not to think too hard about it.) You could literally slosh your way across the floor…and the water was rising. Got the water shut off, and I don’t really remember eating the meal, but before the day was out, we’d used the wet vac over and over, then had to pull up the carpet and pad—after moving a ton of furniture, natch. Good thing it was all family…hmmmm…have they been back?

Kidding. Yes, they have, and we’ve laughed over it. Except that a few years before, our septic system failed on, yep, Christmas Eve! (What is it with us and bathrooms or water or…???)

Okay, so let’s leave the yucky stuff and go to the fun—well, sort of. What happened was this: our beloved Norwegian Elkhound Baron decided, one Thanksgiving morning, to try jumping out of our yard. Now keep in mind that our lot sloped down toward the river, and he had to make the leap a good six feet up to a rock-walled flower bed, but after that, all he had to do was trot down the wall until he reached the street. Clever boy!

So we could be proud of his ingenuity while immediately trying to figure out how the heck to close that one gap between fence and house we never dreamed we’d need to, right? Well…yes and no. Because the way we discovered he could climb out was that someone’s lovely still half-frozen smoked turkey was sitting in our back yard, with Baron happily gnawing away.

 Oy.

Turned out to be our next-door curmudgeonly neighbor’s turkey they’d thought to thaw on the back porch. And no, they didn’t have a fence. But they’d also never needed it…not until our darling boy decided to take up jailbreaking! Many apologies, much embarrassment, declined restitution despite our best efforts…my face is still red when I think of it!

I know I’m not the only person with funny/embarrassing holiday stories, so…spill!

Jean is giving away an ebook copy of TEXAS SECRETS along with a print copy of its original incarnation, A FAMILY SECRET which was her second published book, a 1999 Silhouette Special Edition!

Recipe:

Spicy Pecans

 2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 ½ Tbsp. orange juice concentrate

1 ½ Tbsp. butter

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. chili powder

¼ tsp. pepper

1 ½ cups coarse chopped pecans

Cook first six ingredients in skillet on med/high. Stir until brown sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir into pecans.

Transfer to lightly greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

Cool and store in airtight jar.

Bio info:

USAToday and Kindle bestselling author Jean Brashear’s latest offering is the TEXAS HEARTS trilogy of classic romances rich with emotion, ripe with secrets, scandals and sexual tension, available individually (TEXAS SECRETS, TEXAS LONELY, TEXAS BAD BOY) or in a boxed set for all types of ereaders or via apps for your computer or smartphone.

Dalton Wheeler vanished from Morning Star, Texas nearly forty years ago under suspicion of murder, leaving behind him a trail of secrets, scandal and lives torn apart in the wake of his reported death. The woman he loved married another, and life went on.

 Now the main characters in this tragedy are all gone, and in the wake of the final man’s last will and testament, the past has roared back with a vengeance. Secrets will be revealed and the lives of four people will be shattered as they learn that who they are and where they come from is not at all what they always believed.

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Family and Friends for Sandra Hyatt

Posted by Beth Andrews Dec 19 2011, 4:00 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Lessons In Seduction, Sandra Hyatte

It’s a wonderful life – Sandra Hyatt

“Cake recipe said even a five year old could make it. No pressure! It’s a bit like someone saying “you can’t miss it” when giving directions.” – Sandra Hyatt

Harlequin Desire author Sandra Hyatt passed away suddenly in August, as many of you know, and her daughter Sarah is kindly sharing her mother’s highly sought after Christmas mince pie recipe with the Romance Bandits community.

 Sandra Hyatt’s Christmas mince pies

 125g Butter (Beth’s note – I believe this is about ½ cup + 1 Tbl in US equivalent)

 1c Flour

 ½ c Icing Sugar (Beth’s note – confectioner’s sugar)

 400g Fruit Mince (store bought is fine!) (Beth again – I think this is close to 4 cups or around 14 oz)

 Place butter, flour and icing sugar in a food processor and run machine until pastry clumps together in a ball. Chill for thirty minutes then dust a work surface lightly with a little flour and roll out two-thirds of the pastry and cut circles. With floured hands press the pastry into the non-stick mini muffin tins.

Use the remaining pastry to cut small star shapes. Spoon fruit mince into each pastry case, being careful not to overfill and top with the stars.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180.c (Beth again – I believe this is close to 350 degrees) for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Delicious served warm, or dusted with icing sugar.

Sandra’s seventh book, Lessons In Seduction, is a December release.

The romance community is wonderfully supportive of its own and her writing friends are banding together to ask readers to buy her book and increase royalties for her family.

Read an excerpt here: http://www.harlequin.com/store.html?itemid=24943&cid=416

 Lessons In Seduction

A prince on a quest to find the perfect wife doesn’t have time to trifle with a commoner. But Adam Marconi’s longtime friend and sometime driver, Danielle St. Claire, has him contemplating a change in plans. Why can’t the royal have a little fun before finally settling down? Then their supposedly quick affair suddenly turns serious.

And Prince Adam finds himself in a quandary. Say goodbye to the one woman who sets his heart and body on fire, or defy all the rules and cause the scandal of the century.

Romantic Times gives the book its top grade of 4.5 stars – Reviewer Pat Cooper says: “Readers are the ones scoring the hit when they pick this one up.”

And Sarah Wendell of Smartbitchestrashybooks.com has chosen Lessons In Seduction as her book club pick. Join the discussion on December 22. 

 Buying links:

Through Harlequin

 Ebook: http://ebooks.harlequin.com/718AEFE8-0EC6-46DE-BA70-298253A3D1CC/10/141/en/ContentDetails.htm?ID=9B48083C-2CC9-478E-8835-4BF6B874F944

 Print: http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=24943&cid=2869

Through Amazon 

Print – Just click the cover below!

Kindle – http://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Seduction-Harlequin-Desire-ebook/dp/B005WJDNY4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321307754&sr=1-1

Through bookdepository.com

 http://www.bookdepository.com/Lessons-Seduction-Sandra-Hyatt/9780373731411

Thanks so much for supporting Lessons In Seduction. Sandra once wrote in a Christmas blog: “Whatever your religious persuasion it never hurts to stop and count your blessings and the gifts in your life.” She was one in ours.

Visit her site: www.sandrahyatt.com for information on Sandra’s other books and to read a short Xmas story, previously unpublished called Charmed.

One commenter will win a book from Sandra’s backlist! Sandra’s writing friends and her daughter Sarah will be popping by today so in honor of Sandra, let’s share what we’re most grateful for at this moment! 

75 Comments

Cookies and An Excerpt

Posted by admin Dec 18 2011, 12:57 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Aunty Cindy explains it all for you, High Seas Deception

posted by Loucinda McGary aka Aunty Cindy

Happy Holidays! I’m not really here in the Lair. As this post publishes, I’m on board the beautiful Carnival Splendor chugging my way toward the port of Long Beach and the conclusion to a most lovely holiday escape to sunny Mexico.

I’m happy to report that Santa heard my plea, and I now have my very own Kindle!  I hope you have your very own ereader too, because my new release High Seas Deception (Can’t get enough of that gorgeous cover!) will soon be available in electronic format. Of course, even if you don’t have an ereader, you can still download the story and read it directly from your laptop or desk top.

This romantic suspense tale is set (appropriately enough) aboard a cruise ship off the west coast of Mexico. Here’s a little excerpt to whet your appetite:

From the balcony of the ninth story condominium, the Irishman drained his coffee cup and walked to the railing. Lifting a pair of small field glasses to his eyes, he focused on the boxy white ship gliding across the smooth waters of Banderas Bay. Through the early morning haze, he took a moment to distinguish the black, stylized ‘A’ on the vessel’s smokestack, but once he did, the tingle of anticipation zipped along his nerve endings. Adventure Cruise Lines Intrepid – his objective, was right on time.

He saw the harbor master’s gleaming metallic cutter rushing out to meet the huge ship and guide her into the port. Slipping the field glasses into his pocket, he walked back inside to ready himself for his own meeting with Intrepid.

Forty minutes later, he slumped in the shade on a wrought-iron bench and sipped a bottle of water. Through his sunglasses, he watched the first passengers emerge through the gate in the chain link fence that separated the pier from the tiled plaza in front of the flea market a few meters to his left.

A score of eager taxi drivers descended on the new arrivals, crying out in accented English.

“I take you on a tour of the city…”

“… to Mismaloya…”

“… to the tequila factory…”

“… good price!”

“… cheapest price!”

He’d seen the same scenario in every tourist port he’d ever landed in, though he had to admit that as tourist towns went, Puerto Vallarta was one of the prettiest. When the first hardy group negotiated their way past the gauntlet of aggressive drivers, he tossed his empty water bottle into the nearby trash bin and listened closely to their chatter. Their accents matched his intel which said most of the eighteen hundred passengers were from the US or Canada. He’d have no problem posing as one of them.

As a second, larger group made their way toward the shops in the flea market, he looped his backpack over his shoulder and joined them. Ignoring the calls of the pushy vendors, he took less than five minutes to spot a likely mark. The man at the counter stood close to his own height, though huskier in build. His personal identification stuck out of the back pocket of his shorts when he pulled out his wallet to pay for a tube of sunscreen.

This really is child’s play, the Irishman thought as he side-swiped the man’s shoulder. Then he murmured, “Lo siento mucho,” at the same time his unsuspecting benefactor said, “Excuse me.”

The man scooped up his change, dropped the pesos in the bag with the sunscreen and hurried out the door, wallet still in hand. The Irishman followed at a safe distance just to be sure the American didn’t notice his missing ID card.

The Irishman glanced briefly at the white and blue plastic sea pass card before he zipped itinto the inner pocket of his backpack. “Thank you, Robert Adams,” he murmured under his breath.

#

And now for some goodies for your holiday munching pleasure, Aunty will share a super-simple cookie recipe:

Cream Cheese Cookies

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. brick of cream cheese

1 stick  of margarine

1 egg

1 box of cake mix (Devil’s food is Aunty’s fave, but Lemon works well in this recipe too.)

Method:

Soften the cream cheese and margarine enough so that you can mix them thoroughly together. (Don’t soften too much in microwave or the cookies will be hard when baked.)

Once the two solids are creamed into one, add the egg and mix until gooey.

Stir in the cake mix about 1/3 box at a time. Note: the mixture will get stiffer and stiffer until it will be really difficult to get the last 1/3 to blend. Persevere! You want plump, chewy cookies, not flat, crispy ones!

Once you have all the cake mix blended in, refrigerate the dough for at least a half-hour (an hour is better) so that it firms back up.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your non-stick cookie sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes. Be careful not to overcook!

Slide the cookies onto a cooling rack for 15 minutes, or until you just can’t wait any longer.

ENJOY!

So please tell us, what is your favorite cookie?

The  12 Bandita Days of Christmas started after I left on my cruise, so I know we are giving away something. Aunty will throw in a $10 Amazon gift card just to sweeten the pot for one random commenter. Sorry I can’t be here to join in the fun.

78 Comments

Bandit Booty x 2!

Posted by Beth Andrews Dec 17 2011, 11:30 pm in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Bandita Booty

The winner of a copy of THE TEXAN’S CHRISTMAS by Linda Warren is…Gillian! Please send your information to Linda at: lw1508@aol.com (that’s l w 1508 @ aol DOT com)

The winner of Dec 16th’s 12  Days of Christmas prize AND a copy of THE EARL’S MISTAKEN BRIDE is…gamistress66! You can contact Abby at: abby@abbygaines.com.

Congrats, ladies!

2 Comments

Bandita Christmas Bonanza Booty!!!

Posted by Kate Carlisle Jan 5 2011, 4:40 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Bandita Booty, Kate Carlisle

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Lair to say hello on Christmas Day! Our official random number generator has chosen the big winner of the fantastic Bandita Christmas bonanza — and the winner is …

And thank you to everyone who visited us here in the Lair throughout 2009. You are all truly special gifts to us.

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Bandita Booty

Posted by Donna MacMeans Dec 28 2010, 4:45 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, prize winner

Bandita Booty!!!!

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Bandita Christmas Booty!

Posted by Anna Sugden Dec 24 2010, 4:45 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Anna Sugden, Kate Walker

by Anna Sugden

Thanks for all the Christmas movie suggestions – I look forward to checking some of them out!

Jersey Girl and CC have dipped their paws into the hat and pulled out the winner for my prizes!

Congratulations to Pissenlit who wins the 12 Days of Christmas prize and the copy of Kate Walker’s 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.

Please send me your snail mail details at anna@annasugden.com and I will ensure your prizes are despatched asap.

****UPDATE** Pissenlit has generously offered up the writer’s craft book – Kate Walker’s 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance – to any writer who would like it – so, the first writer to email me at the above addy will win the copy!

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9th Day Bandita Booty!

Posted by admin Dec 23 2010, 5:33 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Bandita Booty

Thanks again to everyone for guessing the real titles of my crazy Christmas carols.

And thanks even more for some of the FABULOUS and CREATIVE titles suggested in the comments.
Ye Olde Random Number Generator says the winner of the Bandita Twelve Days booty is:

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TWO 12 Days of Christmas Winners!

Posted by Beth Andrews Dec 22 2010, 4:55 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Beth Andrews, prize winners

The winner of Sunday’s blog post with guest Holly Jacobs is: gamistress66!!

Monday’s winner is Deb Marlowe!!

Congrats, ladies

Please send your snail mail info to: beth@bethandrews.net and we’ll get your prizes out to you asap *g*

Thanks so much to everyone for chatting with us and Merry Christmas!!

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Crazy Carols

Posted by admin Dec 21 2010, 5:44 am in 12 Bandita Days of Christmas, Aunty Cindy explains it all for you

posted by Aunty Cindy aka Loucinda McGary

On the 9th Day of Christmas my cabana boy gave to me
A post by Aunty Ciiiiindy!

Sorry, but it’s December 21st, the shortest day of the year and only 4 more days until THE BIG DAY and Aunty is so far behind she can’t even see the tunnel, much less any light at the end of it!

1. Embellish the interior passageways
2. Diminutive masculine master of skin-covered percussionistic cylinders
3. Obese personification fabricated of compressed minute ice crystals
4. Natal celebration devoid of color
5. Move hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their belief
6. Small municipality in Judea southeast of Jerusalem
7. Nocturnal time span of unbroken quietness
8. Delight for this planet
9. Frozen precipitation commence
10. To decry matriarchal osculation of Yuletide anthropomorphism (Aunty’s personal favorite)

How many do you recognize? Or maybe you can come up with some alternate bureaucratic titles of your own. Please share!

The 12 Bandita Days prize will go to a randomly chosen commenter.

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