This bushy evergreen with white berries has been a part of our collective imagination since the time of the Druids, who believed it held aphrodisiac and healing properties. If found growing on a sacred oak, they would collect it with great ceremony then utilize it during their Winter Solstice celebrations, which included the sacrifice of cattle, feasts (thank you, cow) drink and rowdiness. The Romans believed mistletoe was the product of lightening, a gift from the gods, since it suddenly appeared out of nowhere. In the frozen north, Norse lore holds that the goddess Frigga so loved her son Baldur that she extracted a promise from all the vegetation and inanimate objects around him that they would never harm Baldur, but she forgot to ask the mistletoe. The prankster god Loki discovered this and poisoned Baldur. But not to worry, Baldur was soon resurrected from the dead. Meanwhile the Anglo-Saxons had also noted this bushy green on their slumbering apple trees and the thrush seen on them before the growth appeared. Practical, agrarian folk, they put two and two together and call it mistletoe, mistle meaning dung, and tan meaning twig. Thus calling it “dung on twigs.”  (Sort of takes…

Ready for the second book in the Demons Unleashed series? We’re headed to the “kitchen”…DEMONS LIKE IT HOT by Sidney Ayers A RECIPE FOR DISASTER… Matthias Ambrose is a demon mercenary who never took sides, until his attraction to the spunky caterer he was hired to kidnap leads him to almost botch a job for the first time in eight hundred years. Now he must protect her from his former clients, but even an ice-cold demon like Matthias struggles to resist her fiery charms. OR THE PERFECT RECIPE FOR PASSION… Completely engrossed with planning menus and prepping recipes for her shot at cooking show fame, star caterer Serah SanGermano refuses to believe she’s on a fast track to Hades. But how’s she supposed to stick to the kitchen if she can’t stand the heat of her gorgeous demonic bodyguard? As a diabolical plot to destroy humanity unfolds and all hell breaks loose in Serah’s kitchen, she and Matthias find themselves knee-deep in demons and up to their eyeballs in love… Check out the excerpt from DEMONS LIKE IT HOT in stores / online now! “So you’ve finally decided to join us?” The loud voice boomed in Matthias Ambrose’s ears. He…

Sloane Hall by Libby Sternberg, a novel set in old Hollywood and inspired by Jane Eyre, will be offered for FREE for Kindles by Amazon on December 15 and 16, 2011! In 1920s Hollywood, young John Doyle learns the craft of cinematography when a stupid mistake costs him his job. On a tip, he heads to Sloane Hall, the estate of a famous silent screen actress, Pauline Sloane, where he lands a position as chauffeur. Sloane Hall first offers him peace as he enjoys the bounty of the luxurious home, then unrest as its beautiful namesake returns and starts preparing for her first talking picture. Despite his best efforts to resist, John falls hopelessly in love with his employer. His future brightens, however, when she appears to return his affection, leading to plans for a secret wedding—until other awful secrets intrude, leading to heartbreak and separation. A story of obsession and forgiveness, Libby Sternberg’s Sloane Hall was inspired by Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and takes place against the tension-filled backdrop of Hollywood’s shift from silent to sound pictures. Libby Sternberg is the author of women’s fiction and mysteries, including four YA mysteries, the first of which was an Edgar nominee….

Hi Everyone! Thanks for having me here today. I’d like to take this opportunity to talk a little bit about something near and dear to everyone’s heart — clothes. In particular I want to talk about the five worst articles of clothing that women endure in order to look sexy. They itch, constrict and pinch, and yet we keep wearing them again and again. Why do we do this to ourselves? The answer is simple  — to make us feel and look sexy. Ah, the things that we do to attract the opposite sex. 1) The thong (AKA G-string) –  It’s hard to be sexy when that tiny piece of fabric is riding up your but, isn’t it? I had a discussion about this on Facebook the other day. There are so many heroines in romance novels who are considered “kick ass.” Do you think that they could still be kick-ass and wear a thong? It would be hard to perform any type of martial arts if you are constantly picking your wedgie. Just sayin’. In my humble opinion, I think the “kick ass” heroine would probably have to wear grannie panties, don’t you think? Grannie panties may not be…

As the nights get longer and the temperature starts to hit freezing more often than not, I’m happy to be ensconced in my office for hours on end. I hate the cold. I would much rather spend my days in sweltering 90-degree temperatures with high humidity than deal with frigid conditions. Sure, I like looking at the snow. It’s very pretty for about two days. After that, I’m longing for open windows and warm breezes. In the summer, I can throw on a pair of shorts and a tank top and head out the door. In the winter, it takes me 10 minutes just to gear up for a 40-minute run (but the shower when I get back feels that much better). I’d rather stay inside when the day is gray, snowy, windy and freezing. I’ll be warm and cozy in my office, playing in my imaginary worlds of magic, deities, and tall, dark and handsome heroes. One of the only things that entice me to get outside during the dead of winter is hockey. My husband and I have season tickets for the Reading Royals hockey team, a professional ECHL team. For the past 10 years, we’ve spent many…

Brrr! I’m sitting here finding it quite hard to believe that it is December and that 2011 is almost at a close. The chilly weather is keeping me soundly indoors where I can get lots of writing done. Now I’m the first to admit that I’m not much of a winter person. Ironic, as the universe has seen it fit for me to be born Canadian. But winter does bring with it the holidays, and Christmas is a personal favorite celebration for me. Not because of the presents, but for the wonderful opportunities that the holidays give us to spend with family and friends. Those opportunities are wonderful, even if our family can drive us around the bend on occasion. I love building those familial connections in my stories. This fall, I have been very fortunate to have been able to share the Long family with you. Three siblings, each with their own challenges, scars and hang-up, each one looking for love while they run their coffee shop, Pulled Long. This way my first go at really trying to show the strength that people can draw from their families. Not to mention, I loved being able to give each of…

Though not all children who are avid readers grow up to be prolific writers, there are few such writers who weren’t also lovers of words from an early age. And I am no exception. I’ve authored/published more than thirty books of my own, plus ghostwritten/edited scores of others. I’ve also published countless newspaper and magazine articles and stories, devotionals and poems, and I constantly get the question: How in the world do you produce so much on such a regular basis? Though I give credit to my journalism training and experience, I always go back to my passion for words, which was evident even before I started school. My mom always told I was reading the comics when I was three, and my favorite outing throughout my childhood was a trip to the library. I read voraciously! And if I found myself without something to read, I immediately set out to write my own stories. One such story, which I wrote in the third grade, was turned into a play for the entire PTA—parents, teachers, and students. I was hooked! I went on to write for the school newspapers and won writing contests throughout junior and senior high school, and…

Lucky Harbor November 2011 On Sale: November 21, 2011 704 pages ISBN: 1455502529 EAN: 9781455502523 Mass Market Paperback (reprint) $7.99  Add to Wish List Holiday, Romance Contemporary Buy at Amazon.com Double for one price Christmas in Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis Two Lucky Harbor Novels for one low price Love awaits you in Lucky Harbor . . . Simply Irresistible After losing her boyfriend and her job, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim her inheritance-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. She sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if she can give the inn the makeover it needs. Enter Jax, a tall, handsome contractor who knows exactly what Maddie needs… The Sweetest Thing Helping her sister set up the family inn is just the thing to make Tara forget her ex-husband and focus on her new life. Until she meets a sexy, green-eyed sailor determined to keep her hot, bothered, and in his bed. When her ex reappears, Tara must confront her past and decide what she really wants. If the sisters are lucky, they might just find that everything their hearts desire is right here in Lucky Harbor. Previous Picks

Chesapeake Shores October 2011 On Sale: September 27, 2011 Featuring: Matthew O’Brien; Lalia Riley 400 pages ISBN: 0778312704 EAN: 9780778312703 Hardcover $16.95  Add to Wish List Women’s Fiction Contemporary, Romance, Holiday Buy at Amazon.com Tales from two beloved families… An O’Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods Follow the O’Briens to Ireland for the Holidays, Then Return to Chesapeake Shores for One More Emotional Story Dating Matthew O’Brien–a playboy and a younger man–cost Laila Riley her career and her parent’s respect. A high price even for love–and when Laila decides it was just a fling, she breaks it off, despite Matthew’s objections. It’s a great time to get away from it all, but Laila has reservations about joining the O’Briens for a Dublin holiday. Matthew’s bound to be there, and she’s far from immune to his charms. What if she can’t resist temptation? Meanwhile, the O’Briens are in uproar over matriarch Nell’s unexpected romance with an old flame. Will she follow her heart despite the risks? And will Laila discover that some risks are actually once-in-a-lifetime opportunities? Lucky this is the season for miracles. Previous Picks

I’ve got a serious addiction, Angel Trees. Maybe you’ve seen one in your favorite restaurant or coffee shop. The Salvation Army sets up the trees in hopes of gathering gifts for underprivileged kids. That doesn’t sound like such a bad addiction, you might say. It’s not—if I’d just take one or two and walk away. But like Lays potato chips, I can’t take just one. This year I grabbed four tags off the Angel Tree in the Embassy Suite’s lobby. That’s a far cry from last year when I de-angeled the tree at our local Denny’s, so I’m doing better—addiction wise. Usually I look for kids ten and under. I know what this age group likes. But wait, what about teenagers? You know they’re losing out to those sweet toddlers, so I’ll grab a few 13 and 14 year olds. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that I was a teenager. *cough-cough* I try to place myself in the shoes of a teen. What would I have liked to receive if these were the only gifts I’d get? Personally, I’m all about comfort, writing, reading, and art. I prefer to nurture their imagination, not their physical appearance, so I…