Sunday Snippet ~ Brede~ by Connie Vines #Sunday Snips

Welcome to Sunday Snips.  This is a Blog Hop of sorts, a chance to sample a snippet of each participating author's work.  Today I'm sharing a snippet from Book 2 of my Rodeo Romance Series, "Brede", published by Books We Love.

I hope you enjoy this Romantic Suspense story!

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Prologue

Audralynn Maddox heard her own soft cry, but the pain exploding inside her head made everything  else surreal. distanced somehow by the realization that someone had made a mistake.

A terrible mistake.

He caught her wrists, pinning them behind her and shoved her, face first, against the van, "Nobody double crosses J.B., bitch. Nobody!"

His attack had come so unexpectedly that Audralynn hadn't seen his face. His voice didn't sound familiar, yet she delved into the depths of  her subconscious, trying to pin a name to the voice.  She jerked and heaved against his grip, trying to gain her freedom, but he was far too strong.

"I don't know any J.B.," she whimpered. She wanted to scream the words, but her head pounded. Tears of pain stung her eyes and ran down her cheeks.

He laughed. The hateful sound mocked her growing terror. Her pitiful struggles only increased his cruelty, but she dared not stop.

"Thought you could go back on the bargain, did you?  We've been watching your place. Your friend didn't want to cooperate, either.  Too bad she put up such a fight."

Vikki  What did you do to Vikki?

He shoved her face against the door.  "She didn't cooperate.  Stupid bitch.  I only wanted the photos."

The man's hot, rancid breath assaulted her senses as he grabbed her by the shoulders to still her struggles. "  Now, you're a smart little piece," he hissed. Don't cause me any more trouble and maybe I'll let you go.  Where'd you stash the photos?"


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Brede is avaiable at Amazon in ebook format for 99 cents!
www.amazon.com/Connie-Vines/e/B004C7W6PE

Please visit the links to other participating authors.



Ginger Simpson

Tricia McGill
http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/ (Juliet Waldron)



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Sunday Snippet #11/15/2015

Fall has arrived in SoCal!  With the promise of El Nino to take the edge off our drought worries, I found myself baking with several items available at local farmers' markets, or if you live in a rain rich region, you make have these vegetables and fruits in your backyard.

My featured novel this month, "Brede", is set in New Mexico.  To honor the bounty of this diverse state, I have posted two delicious recipes that you may wish to try this winter.  Both are simple, filling, a good for you.  As you know, Brede's mystery woman isn't know for her culinary skills.  However, sandwiched between her dramatic failures, she does manage to turn out a tasty meal or two!  

Pull out your slow cooker (I know you have one somewhere in your cupboard) and prepare these Fall treats!

Carrot and Coriander Soup

Root vegetable, such as carrots, are great for slow cooker soups.  Their earthy flavor becomes rich and sweet when cooked slowly over a gentle heat and goes perfectly with robust herbs and spices, and their texture becomes beautifully smooth when pureed.

Serves 4
1 lb carrots, preferably young and tender
1 tablespoon. sunflower oil
3 tablespoon butter / low fat margarine
1 onion, chopped
1 stick celery, plus 2 -3 leafy tops
2 small potatoes, peeled
1 1/2 pints/ 3 1/4 cups boiling vegetable stock
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1/4 pint/ 2/3 cup milk
salt and ground black pepper

Trim and peel carrots and cut into chunks.  Heat oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan and fry onion over a gentle heat for 3 - 4 minutes until slightly cooked. Do not let it brown.

Slice the celery and chop the potatoes, and add them to the onion in the pan.  Cook for 2 minutes, then add the carrots and cook for an additional minute.  Transfer the fried vegetables to the ceramic cooking pot.

Pour the boiling vegetable stock over the vegetables, then season with salt and pepper.  Cover the pot and cook on low for 4 - 5 hours until the vegetable as tender.

Reserve 6 - 8 tiny celery leaves from the leafy tops for the garnish, then finely chop the remaining celery tops.  Melt the remaining in a large pan and add the ground coriander.  Fry for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the aromas are released.

Reduce the heat under the pan and add the chopped celery tops and fresh coriander. Fry 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.  Ladle the soup into a food processor, blender, or use an immersion blender (or a potato masher if you wish like a few veggie pieces).  Using the same pan, stir in milk and heat until piping hot.  

Check the seasoning, then serve garnished with the reserved celery leaves.





Pumpkin and Banana Cake

Rather like a cross between a carrot cake and banana bread, the luscious cake is an excellent  way of using some of the scooped-out pumpkin fresh after making Halloween pumpkin lanterns.  A cream cheese topping provides a delicious contrast with the dense moist cake. 

Serves 12

2 cups of self-rising flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of salt
10 tablespoons/ 5 oz. of light brown sugar
3/4 cup/3 oz. pecans or walnuts, chopped
4 oz. pumpkin flesh, coarsely grated
2 small bananas, peeled and mashed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup/1/4 pint sunflower oil

For the topping

1/4 cup/2 oz. 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup/ 2 oz. soft cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup/ 4 oz. confectioners' sugar.
pecan halves, to decorate

Line the base and sides of a deep 8 inch round bake tin or souffle dish with baking parchment.  Place an upturned saucer or metal pastry ring in the base of the ceramic cooking pot, then pour in about 1 inch of very hot water.  Switch the slow cooker to high.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt (or just dump it all in a bowl like I do).  Stir in the sugar, chopped nuts and grated pumpkin until thoroughly mixed.  Make a slight hollow in the middle of the dry ingredients. 

In a separate bowl, combine the bananas, eggs, and sunflower oil, then stir into the dry ingredients.  Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface. 

Cover the tin with a pieced of buttered foil and place into the slow cooker.  Pour sufficient boiling water to come just over halfway up the sides of the tin.

Cover the pot with the lid and cook on high for 4 - 4.5 hours, or until the cake is firm and skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Carefully remove the cake from the slow cooker and stand the tin on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.  Turn out and leave to cool completely, then peel off the lining paper.

To make the topping, put the butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat until blended and smooth.   Sift in the confectioner's sugar (I do sift here) and beat again until smooth and creamy.  Thickly spread the topping over the top of the cake and decorate with pecan halves.  Chill in the refrigerator for a least 1 hour before serving to allow the topping to harden.


I hope you try and enjoy these delicious recipes.  Remember "Brede" Rodeo Romance, Book 2 is 99 cents during the month of November.

Stop by and see what everyone else is talking about this week's Sunday Snippets!

Happy Reading,

Connie

http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/  Juliet Waldron  

http://mizging.blogspot.com/       Ginger Simpson

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/  Tricia McGill

bookswelove.com

Do You Believe in Angels, Spirits, Ghosts, or Demons?

Thank you Robin for a fitting Halloween topic for this month's
Round Robin Blog.

Topic:  Do you believe in angels, spirits, ghosts, demons or other ethereal beings or locations?  What do you think when the appear in stories?  Have you used them in your own stories?

I believe in angels.  Guardian Angels have touched my life many times.  Who hasn't sensed a hand resting on your shoulder, pulling you back from harm?  Or, that gentle voice guiding you in the right direction?


Ghosts? As Beverly said in her blog, New Orleans has that 'presence', as does the Waverly House in San Diego, and many Native American sacred grounds also.  Emotions are powerful.  Why can't emotions remain imprinted in an area where horrors have taken the lives of people?  Spirits of loved ones I imagine would like to protect and look after loved ones after parting from this physical word. I now I certainly would.

As for demons.  Since I believe in Good, the flip-side would be Evil.  I know we all have our personal demons.  As for 'pure' evil.  I pray I never encounter it in any form.

As for my stories.  Everyone who is acquainted with me, or has read my novels and articles, knows watching the episode of "Meerkat Manor" where Daisy was killed, equaled a week's worth of  nightmares for me.

Do I sprinkle these elements in my writings?  Not as of yet.  However, as my friend Jacques Condor, Fox Sauk, reminded.  "The story finds the storyteller.  It is the storyteller's responsibility to bring the story to life."

Happy Reading Everyone,

Connie

Please stop by and visit these wonderful authors.   I am certain they, too, have tales about 'things that go bump in the night'.



Marci Baun   http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/
Margaret Fieland   http://www.margaretfieland.com/blog1/
Diane Bator   http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Victoria Chatham   http://victoriachatham.webs.com/
Beverley Bateman   http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
A.J. Maguire   http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Fiona McGier   http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Heather Haven   heather@heatherhavenstories.com
Bob Rich   http://wp.me/p3Xihq-wU
Anne Stenhouse   http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Helena Fairfax   http://helenafairfax.com/
Hollie Glover   http://www.hollieglover.co.uk
Rachael Kosinski   http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Rhobin Courtright   http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com/

Skye Taylor  http://www.Skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the-sea

Sunday Snippets #Sunday Snippets

Welcome to today's Sunday Snippets.
Today I am continuing with the first novel in my Rodeo Romance Series, "Lynx".

Did she have the courage to love Lynx? Was she willing to expose every layer of her being to this man in the name of love? Once she went to Texas, there would be no turning back. Lynx was making the first step toward commitment.

Commitment.  The word that chilled Rachel to the core of her soul. She tried to sit up in bed as the panic over whelmed her.

Lynx tightened arms.  "Where do you think you're going?"

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https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/connie-vines/id624802082?mt=11

https://www.smashwords.com/books/tags/connie_vines

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/search?query=vines%2C%20connie&fcsearchfield=author

See you next week!

Connie



http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/ (Janet Waltron)
http://mizging.blogspot.com/ (Ginger Simpson)
http://triciamg.blogspot.com/ (Tricia McGill)
http://romancingscifi.blogspot.com/ (Vijaya Schartz)

http://authorjamiehill.blogspot.com/(Jamie Hill)

Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow –Sunday Snippet #sundaysnip #07/12/15

Since the 1^st story in my Fun & Sassy Fantasy Series, Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow  is on sale

this month (for only 99 cents), I’m am featuring the story in today’s blog post.

Meredith resisted the urge to finger comb her caramel-highlighted ‘surfer-girl’ hair.  Viktor had said she was his angel.  That was why she’d been blessed with her shining halo of golden hair, his reminder to keep on a heavenly, albeit rather boring, path.  She’d laughed, but she melted into his embrace, his deep slightly accented baritone a loving rumbled against her ear. The beginning in their relationship was magical.  Then everything seemed to change. . . 

 “You’ve got this marvelous career and money and everything that you could possibly want,” Pippa continued, jarring Meredith out of her thoughts, “and there's nobody in your life to share with."

"You mean I should have a couple of kids by now," Meredith responded.  That was so not going to happen.

"You need a man to have kids, little sister."

 She almost said: Zombies can’t reproduce, but stopped herself just in time.  Instead, she managed a convincing comeback. "Well, right now I'm not in the marriage in the market.  Believe it or not, I'm perfectly happy just the way I am."

Pippa’s expression shouted she seriously doubted that, but she allowed the topic to rest.  "If you say so,” she replied good-naturally.  "How about second cup of coffee to go with a slice of pecan pie?"

http://www.amazon.com/Today-Zombie-Tomorrow-Connie-Vines-ebook/dp/B00OA25GJY/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

For additional buy links, go to my website home page: http://www.novelsbyconnievines.com

Please stop and see what the other story snippets have be selected for your summer reading pleasure.

Happy Reading,

Connie 

Blog Hop:

http://triciamg.blogspot.com (Tricia McGill)

http://romancingscifi.blogspot.com/ (Vijaya Schartz)
http://mizging.blogspot.com (Ginger Simpson)

http://authorjamiehill.blogspot.com/(Jamie Hill)

Sitting in the Shade of My Mimosa Tree by Connie Vines, Sunday Snippets #sundaysnips

“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago”.  ~Warren Buffett

I find in the day-to-day living of our super-charged lives, we, speaking of Americans collectively, often neglect to give thanks for our multitude of blessings. I believe one of our greatest blessings—a blessing that many have lived, sacrificed, and died to uphold is celebrated this, and every, 4^th of July.

We must remember those who planted the seeds of freedom, which grew into the abundance of our lives today. Like those who planted the shade trees sheltering us, we need to acknowledge that July 4th is much more than a time for picnics, fireworks, and relaxation.  We should verbalize the history with our children, young family members, and remind ourselves why freedom is important.  Why we must never that freedom as something to take for grant.  

We celebrate American Independence Day on the Fourth of July every year. We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

So what exactly happened on the Fourth of July?

According to Constitution Facts.com We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

However, July 4, 1776 wasn't the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776).

It wasn’t the day we started the American Revolution either (that had happened back in April 1775).

Moreover, it wasn't the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn't happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).

So what REALLY did happen on July 4, 1776?

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.

July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.) It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. Therefore, when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.

As I sit in the shade of my mimosa tree on this beautiful Southern California, I give thanks to those who founded our Nation, and I honor those who made so many sacrifices.

Happy Reading,

Connie

Please stop by and visit the other authors participating in today’s blog hop: 

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/  Tricia McGill

http://romancingscifi.blogspot.com/ Vijaya Schartz

http://authorjamiehill.blogspot.com/  Jamie Hill

http://mizging.blogspot.com/ Ginger Simpson

Barnes and Noble Booksellers

Remember "Lynx" Rodeo Romance is available in trade paperback at your local Barnes and Noble Bookseller.  Books are wonderful stocking stuffers, too!

I snapped this photo at The Montclair Plaza, Montclair, California.