Sunday Snippets by Connie Vines #sundaysnips&stuff

It's another beautiful Sunday morning.  

Today I'd like to share another  snippet from my Rodeo Romance, "Lynx".

Page 51:

Blinking irritably at the heavy, burning sensation in his eyes, compliments of a sleepless night invaded by erotic dreams of Rachel, Lynx crawled from bed the following morning and staggered to the rear of the camper.  He managed to perk a strong pot of coffee before peering into the refrigerator.  A quart of milk with an expiration date of six days past, a mummified tomato, and a cardboard container holding a two-day old hamburger stared back at him.  The heavy scent of bacon, pancakes, and eggs from next door provoked a rumble of hunger from his stomach.  He needed food.  It only went to reason, Running Springs, being a small town, possessed one cafe--"The Round-Up" where Rachel worked.

With a resigned shrug, Lynx showered, shaved, and got dressed.

Lynx stopped short when he walked across the threshold of the cafe, his gaze riveted to the woman whose image had kept him up all night--Rachel.

He felt like hell, and he looked like hell, and to compound his ire, she sat at the end of the counter looking refreshed.  At five in the morning, she should have looked a little haggard!

Her silky hair was pinned at the nape of her neck in some type of complicated braid.  
She looked up at him when the bell over the door jingled, and she managed a smile.  "Good morning," she said cheerfully, rising to her feet.  

To read more of "Lynx" or "Brede" Rodeo Romance, Book 2.  Click on the book covers, or visit my website:  www.novelsbyconnievines.com

download now at Amazon.com



Please stop by and read the Sunday Snippets of the authors participating in our weekly Blog Hop, too!

Happy Reading,

Connie



http://triciamg.blogspot.com/
http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/
http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Snippets for Brede next week!

Sunday Snippets #12/27/15 #Cookin’ with Celebs

Since this is a holiday season that is a whirlwind of parties, gift giving, and food—I’d thought I focus on the food today.

I am certain everyone has a favorite T.V. chef.  You may not admit to it, but I know you have watched “Iron Chef,” “Chopped,” “Emeril” or “Cake Boss”.  I often go online and search Food Network, America’s Test Kitchen, Pinterest, etc. for an inspiration for the dinner menu.  Last week I was watching a popular country cook’s network show.  I watch her show several times a week while I’m getting ready to go to the gym.  I find with her recipes, it’s hit and miss.  I rate them A+ or ‘never will I make this again’—there is never any middle ground. 

I thought I’d share a “Bacon Appetizer” that this chef said was popular in the 1980s.  I am taking these appetizers to my brother’s Christmas Eve party tonight.  I hope that these will be appetizers will be a hit.

Prep

I purchased a Nordic ware cookie sheet with a rack (on sale at Smart & Final).  I also did not skimp on the ingredients, purchasing name-brand labels to give the recipe its best chance for success.

Cooking time: 2 hours                    Temperature: 250 degrees

Ingredients

1 box of Club Crackers (I used 1.5 sleeves)

1 lb. of thin sliced bacon

1 container of Parmesan Cheese (the type in the green container near the spaghetti sauce)

1 box of light brown sugar

While the oven preheats, separate the crackers and place on the cooking sheet rack.

These are two types of appetizers. Half are savory (Parmesan cheese); half are sweet (brown sugar).

With a teaspoon (use a measuring spoon), top the crackers.

Now take your pound of bacon cut the slab in ½.  The recipe says wrap one ½ slice of bacon over each cracker. *I found this to be too much bacon*.  I did make six this way and then cut the slab into quarters.  My finished product was more of a blanket rather than a complete wrap around a cracker.

By adjusting the amount of bacon, by appetizers did cook in 2 hours.  The six crackers with the ½ slice too almost 30 minutes longer to brown the bacon.  *30 minutes may not seem like a great deal of time.  However, when you have a time crunch, it is a very big deal.

Findings

My husband liked the cracker lesser amount of bacon.  He liked both the savory and sweet.

I did not like the appetizers.  However, I found the sweet more palatable.  Overall, I found the bacon appetizers dry and rather tasteless.

What did the party guests say?

Twenty-five guest (including children) loved the appetizers. 

Which goes to prove why I am a novelist and not a chef for the masses :-).

Thank you for stopping by for today’s Sunday Snippets.

Remember to stop by my talent author friends’ blogs and see what snippets are there for you!

http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/

http://mizging.blogspot.com/

http://triciamg.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading,

Connie

Sunday Snippets 12/20/15 #SundaySnippets

For today's Sunday Snippet is from "Brede" Rodeo Romance Book, 2.
This is my Romantic Suspense and this snippet features my heroine, who left for dead, has no memory of the trauma--or who she is.

"Remember your name and everything else should fall back in place." Her head pounded and her chest felt tight.  Physical excursion brought on a coughing spell and she wondered if crawling across the room might not have been a better course of action.

All of her discomfort receded into the background when she found herself standing in front of the bathroom mirror.

She was staring at a woman's reflection.  She touched the cold glass with her fingertips, as if the contact could trigger a forgotten memory.

Surely, the tall, thin woman sporting a nasty purple bruise on the side of her face had a name.

She ran her trembling fingers through her shoulder-length dark read hair and traced the cut above her left eyebrow.

Funny, she never imagined she'd be so attractive.  She swallowed and did a second take.

How could this possibly be real?

If this was really happening to her, she'd be short and average looking; that was how fate was, fickle and capricious.

Instead, she found the woman before her possessed an almost hypnotic beauty, intense and alluring.  Was it also they type of beauty that kept women at arms' distance?  She glanced at the bruise that marked her cheek and jaw.  But what about the men?

Did her looks bring out the best or worst in the men she encountered in life, or had a jealous boyfriend been the one who injured her?

She looked into the green eyes shadowed with fatigue, and her entire being filled with sorrow and hopelessness.  Something terrible had happened, but she was terrified that the perpetrator would come back and hurt her again.  Or maybe, this next time, he'd succeed in killing her.

If you have enjoyed this snippet and find out how the story end, please click through to you fave ebook vendor.

Also, please visit my friends blogs and enjoy more snippets.

Happy Reading!

Connie

http://yesterrdayrevisitedhere.blogspot.com/  (Janet Waldron)

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

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


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Stop by and see what I have to say (sign up for the contests and novels for everyone e-Reader at discount prices!)


http://bwlauthors.blogspot.com/

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Sunday Snippets By Connie Vines #SundaySnippets #0621

Today is Father’s Day. 

According to Wikipedia, Father’s Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. 

Even though my own father passed away over a decade ago, his paternal bond and code of honor still influences my life and my life choices.

Do paternal ties influence your ‘heroes’ as you write?  I believe so.  My father was a third generation Texan.  He competed in local rodeos while attending high school (thus the ‘cowboy code’) and later, he enlisted in the military (duty, honor).  I believe that the heroes of my novels reflect this same code. 

Who was the ‘paternal’ figure who had a positive influence in your life? Father, brother, uncle, teacher, spiritual adviser?

Perhaps a super hero had a positive influence on your life.  Or, maybe, it was a slow-talking, upstanding man.  A man who reminded you of a Texas cowboy.

Here is a snippet from “Lynx” Rodeo Romance Book 1, published by BWL (Books We Love).  “Lynx” is available in paperback and eBook.

**

Did he love her?

Rachel glanced across the table at Lynx. His earnest smile and green eyes were working their magic.  She could feel her uncertainty and shyness slipping away. Ina another few moments, she’d be begging Lynx to kiss her.

The truth was, being involved with Lynx scared her. Realizing that she loved Lynx made her nervous enough. But ‘commitment,’ even a hint of long-term relationship, made her clutch the table for a reality check.

His brand of charm and passion was well-nigh irresistible. He was a rodeo man.  He was  from Texas. And she love him, deeply, passionately. Desperately.

He made her yearn for things she’d only dreamed about having—things she desperately wanted but never hoped to touch.

When he looked at her, Rachel felt the pull. He wanted something from her, something she wasn’t certain she had to give. Lynx looked beyond who she was and saw who she could become. . .

**

I hope you enjoyed my snip from "Lynx".

Please stop by and visit the authors who are participating in this week's Blog Hop!
(We hope to see the list grow!)  Sharing is encouraged--see social media buttons below.

http://mizging.blogspot.com (Ginger Simpson)
http://triciamg.blogspot.com (Tricia McGil)
http://romancingscifi.blogspot.com/ (Vijaya Schartz)
http://www.jamiehill.biz/ (Jamie Hill)

Purchase links:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/connie-vines
http://www.amazon.com/Connie-Vines/e/B004C7W6PE
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/connie-vines/id624802082?mt=11

My publisher's author page:
http://www.bookswelove.net/authors/vines-connie/

My Novel, Lynx, Rodeo Romance is only 99 cents!

http://bwlpp.blogspot.com/2014/09/99-cent-sale-lynx-by-connie-vines-with.html

Sign up for the BWL contest and more!

Lynx, Rodeo Romance Book 1 is available in paperback!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lynx-connie-vines/1114972573?ean=9781771452861

This is a great SALE at Barnes and Noble.  FREE shipping with a $25.00 order!

Looking for a sexy cowboy and a sassy heroine?  Then "Lynx" is the book you've been craving.

HOLT Medallion and Orange Rose Finalist and Award os Excellence Winner.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lynx-connie-vines/1114972573?ean=9781771452861