Category: The Blog

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Friday Roundup And A Winner

I decided not to wait until next week to give away a download of HMSG (although I’ll do another next week to make it fair to anyone who hasn’t entered yet).  The winner of an electronic copy:

14. Erin Kendall

Erin, please e-mail me with your desired format!

Also, don’t forget to enter the contest at Among the Muses for more free books including a print copy of DSIY, and another chance to win HMSG at The Geeky Bookworm.

Thank you to everyone helping Victor hit #2 on the Samhain Top Ten Best Sellers List!

Posted on by — 34 Comments

V’s Giveaway

The V is very important to Victor.  Yeah, it’s his name, but he especially likes to see the V marked on Shiloh in various devious ways.  *winks* 

To celebrate the release of Hurt Me So Good, I’m offering this custom handmade charm bracelet  crafted to the winner’s specifications.  Personally, I’d go for the V and perhaps a red heart, but I’ll order you different initials or charms for this bracelet if you wish. 

To enter, comment here on this post before midnight CST October 17th.  You can throw your name in the hat once, or enter multiple times by posting links to any reviews, ratings, comments, tweets, etc. that you’ve made about HMSG (one entry for each link).  The winner will be posted Monday, Oct 18th. 

I will also draw one name from the commenters for a free download of HMSG, or any book from my backlist if you already have it.

Thank you to everyone who’s already helped spread the word for Victor!

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Interview, Review, and Giveaway!

Tanya at Among the Muses gave me the incredible opportunity of an interview and giveaway on her blog to help me celebrate release day!  Please hop on over to her blog and ask any questions or simply comment to win a free download of HMSG or a print copy of DSIY!

In addition, she gave such a lovely review:

The plot of the story can be easily described as HOT, fun, and unconventional. I absolutely loved the fact that the author has taken a slightly avoided topic, and woven it in to a fun, lovable, passionate, and tasteful context of a BDSM reality show. During the course of the ‘show’, there’s an educational aspect taking place, shedding light on the S/M part of a lifestyle, causing for a healthy balance of smexiness and learning. As with the first story, each chapter starts off with a first person POV from the female lead character which allows us to really grasp what’s going on in the mind of masochist. Add to that the easiness of the author’s writing style, and you have one hell of a tastefully done erotic story. All I can say is if Texas is this hot, I’m putting in for a job transfer ASAP!

Thank you so much, Tanya!

P.S. Don’t forget to stop by Susi’s blog for another giveaway!

Posted on by — 5 Comments

Victor is Coming Tomorrow

*throws confetti*

Tomorrow is Victor’s day!  I’ve got several interviews and reviews that I’ll link to tomorrow.  I haven’t settled my mind on the right promo item (whether charm or necklace yet), so that’ll come in the next week or two.  I’ll plan to give away a copy of HMSG tomorrow here on the blog to celebrate.

We had a full weekend that I haven’t even had the chance to tweet or blog about, including a bonfire at my Dad’s Friday night.  The kids spent the weekend riding Papa’s horses, while we cleaned the garage and went through some storage items.  Fun huh?  * insert sarcasm*  I didn’t even get a bottle of wine out of the deal.

Meanwhile, I’m still working on Vicki *dies* and I’m beta reading for a friend.  Oct feels like it’s already slipping through my fingers.

Posted on by — 12 Comments

These Books Need a Home

Updated:  the books promised or already sent have been removed from the list.  I also added a few new ones!

I’m cleaning out my bookshelves, and as most bibliophiles, I’ve realized I have way more books than I will ever read (or read again).  I thought who better to offer these books to than my friends and blog readers! 

These books are all either new or gently used.  Media mail postage is pretty cheap in the US, so my postage budget will go pretty far.  If my international friends see some they’d like, I ask that you bundle a few together and I’ll get prices to ship them.  If it’s extremely expensive, I may have to hold off a while before sending them.

I’ll keep adding books to this post and cross off the ones that are taken.  You can drop me an e-mail (joelysueburkhart AT gmail DOT com) or comment here if any book strikes your fancy.

In no particular order:

Beyond the Edge, Susan Kearney, Extreme Blaze

The Lost City of Z, David Grann, hardcover, Double Day

The Stepsister Scheme, Jim C, Hines, DAW

The Satin Sash, Red Garnier, Penquin Heat (trade)

Close Encounters and Close Contact, Katherine Allred, EOS

Moonstruck, Susan Grant, HQN

On Basilisk Station, David Weber, Baen

Melusine, Sarah Monette, Ace

Dark Legacy, Anna DeStefano, Love Spell

Amazonia, James Rollins, Avon

The Prince of Midnight, The Hidden Heart, The Shadow & the Star, Laura Kinsale, Avon

Scandal, Ravished, Surrender, Seduction, Mistress, Rendezvous, Deception, Affair, Mischief, Dangerous, Amanda Quick, Bantam

The Sword of Shannara, The Elfstones of Shannara, Terry Brooks, Del Rey

Feast of Souls, CS Friedman, Daw

Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay, Roc

The Silence of the Lambs, Thomas Harris, St. Martin’s

Working for the Devil, Lilith Saintcrow, Warner

The Lion’s Lady, Julie Garwood, Pocket

By the Sword, Winds of Fate, Winds of Fury, Mercedes Lackey, Daw

Rules of Attraction, A Well Pleasured Lady, Christina Dodd, Avon

Talyn, Holly Lisle, Tor

Lord of the Dead, Tom Holland, Pocket

Posted on by — 4 Comments

General Updates & Apple Escapades

First up, let me cover the business.  The free read prequel that I posted as Friday Snippets is now ready to be downloaded in a pdf:  Lie to You.  I have an epub version but WordPress isn’t liking it — and I can’t find where to change the security rules to allow it to be updated.  If you’d rather have epub, just drop me a note and I’ll e-mail it to you.

I’ve also posted Chapter One of HURT ME SO GOOD.  As we get closer to release date, I’ll probably post a few more teaser excerpts, so stay tuned!

Now for apple escapades:  we drove up to my mom’s (Granny’s) this weekend to pick apples and celebrate her birthday.  She has two apple trees in their yard, one a cooking apple of some sort (I can’t remember–all those apples were gone) and a Red Delicious tree.  We picked up at least 3 bags of apples and the kids had a ball.

The best part of the trip, though, was the canning lesson Mom gave me.  I learned how to can applesauce (and brought home the pints we canned).  When I was a kid, she had a pressure canner that always scared the crap out of me, but she showed me a different way to do it.  She calls it “cold press” which makes no sense to me since we still boil it, but no hissing pressure build-up to freak me out.  I bought a canner last year but was too scared to use it (and I couldn’t find any jars that late in the season).  This week my goal will be to try some applesauce, and then I want to hit our local orchard and buy some cooking apples for apple butter.

If we have any of these apples left, that is.  I made fresh juice this morning (which took about 12 apples), and then I made a “Puffy Apple Pancake” in my iron skillet that was pretty good.  Of course the kids keep snatching them and munching away, too.  They’re just too good and sweet to resist!

Posted on by — 3 Comments

Pedigree: Adopt a Dog

Both of our dogs were adopted, one from a vet clinic and the other from a shelter and I can’t imagine life without either of them.

We’ve had Pepper the longest.  My SIL used to work at a vet clinic, and she called us one day because a dog had come in that was going to be put down if they couldn’t find a home for him.  His elderly owner had passed away and the family couldn’t take care of him.  He’s such a sweet, tolerant dog.  As soon as I sit down in my chair, he jumps up in my lap.  It’s always fun trying to juggle the laptop and the lapdog, especially when KC decides to join us.

KC (named after the Kansas City Chiefs) is our newest dog – we’ll have her a year this Thanksgiving.  On a whim, we stopped at a newer animal shelter.  I know the volunteers absolutely love pets and do the best for them, but there were SO MANY dogs.  There were at least 30 dogs in an open cage in the center of the shelter, with walls of small kennels around the outer room.  The noise was unbelievable (not to mention the smell).  We were getting ready to leave without getting attached to any of the dogs, when I heard this low, soft whine.  How I heard it over the din of barking, frantic dogs, I have no idea, but I turned around and saw her.  She was so sweet, licked my fingers, whining and crying. 

We went home without a dog — it’d been a whim after all.  However, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.  I kept hearing her cry.  I just knew we had to go back and get her.

KC is a bundle of energy.  The kids adore playing with her.  She’s a hunter — no bug escapes unharmed (she rescued us from a praying mantis just last week).  She runs and plays until the kids and her all drop and sleep in a cute little pile.

So what’s all this about?  Pedigree is donating dog food for every blog post about adopting dogs.  They have some nice information here if you’re interested in adopting from a shelter.  If you can’t adopt but have a blog, take a few minutes and blog about dog adoption, then link back to this site & add your blog.

 KC, our adopted dog, and Littlest Monster, sound asleep

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Retake Homemade: Kalua Pig

I can’t remember where I first found this recipe (or I’d give credit), but it has become a family favorite.  Last weekend I bought a huge pack of pork butt on sale at Sam’s Club, came straight home, and popped half into the crockpot on low.  It cooked all afternoon, night, and we came home after church on Sunday to incredibly moist pork for BBQ sandwiches with tons of leftovers.  Even better, I have another pork butt in the freezer for later!

5-8 lb pork butt or shoulder, whatever will fit into your crock pot

2 T liquid smoke (or more to taste)

1 T coarse sea salt (the original recipe called for Hawaiian sea salt, which I haven’t been able to find)

Cook on low for up to 24 hours.  The meat will fall off the bone (if there’s one in your roast).  Use forks to shred and reserve some of the juice from the crockpot to keep the meat moist.

This meat can be eaten with BBQ sauce on rolls.  Or add salsa and eat on tortillas.  Or throw into any stew, shepherd’s pie, etc.  Enjoy!

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Retake Homemade: Blueberry Compote

This is not going to be an exact recipe — I didn’t measure anything.  But it was so good, I had to blog about it. 

What’s funny:  I don’t even like blueberries.  Not really.  I can eat them in moderation but just to sit and eat them alone, no.  However, I’d made some multi-grain pancakes this morning and I didn’t want to ruin all that healthy goodness with regular syrup, and we were out of applesauce.

[Aside:  warmed cinnamon applesauce, no sugar added, is fantastic over whole-grain pancakes!]

I remembered the blueberries in the freezer, but I didn’t want to eat them whole on my pancakes.  I was afraid I wouldn’t like them, and I certainly didn’t want to ruin my lovely pancakes!  So I decided to try and make some syrup or compote – I’m not sure what it technically was, but it was sooo good, I’ll definitely do it again.

About 1 1/2 c. of frozen blueberries

About 1/4 c. of sugar.  I just sprinkled a little to cover in a small saucepan.

1-2 T of water to moisten the sugar. 

Cook on med-low as the rest of the breakfast is cooking.  The blueberries melt and begin making their own juice. 

Mine were too runny, so I mixed up a little corn starch in cold water and poured in.  Instant blueberry “sauce” that tasted like pie.

So good!  I used it as topping on my pancakes, but it’d make an incredible crepe (if I knew how to make them) with a little cream cheese.  Oh yum.  I think I need to learn how to make crepes!

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your recipe and view the entire list of great Retake Homemade recipes!…

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Oklahoma!

So my Beloved Sis has been rehearsing for weeks to be Aunt Eller in the musical Oklahoma! at her local community theatre, along with her friend I know as Pesh (Laurey).  It was a no-brainer that I’d go — but I wasn’t sure if the monsters would make it.  They *wanted* to go, but I had to be realistic. 

After all, Oklahoma is my least favorite musical of all time. 

It goes back to high school when Mr. Adams (music teacher) would let us watch a musical in class the week after regional contest.  It usually took several days for us to get all the way through a musical, and I remember that one whole day’s viewing ended up being that dream sequence where Laurey imagines the shoot out between Jud and Curly.  I hated finding out that whole day was a dream!  Argh!  I felt cheated.

However, that all changed watching Molly and the rest of the cast.  But I have to admit, the FUNNIEST aspect was watching the girls, especially Middle Monster.  I about died laughing at her when the lights came up for intermission.  Her eyes lit up and she said, “Is it over?!?”  Honestly, she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to be disappointed or glad when I told her no, it was only halfway.  She loved it — she was just getting tired of sitting.

All of them were terrified of Jud, despite Molly’s assurances after the show that he was really a big teddy bear.  My Dad was there too and we kept snickering at all the little lines that went right over the kids’ head.  Ado Annie and Ali Hakim had us rolling in the aisles.  Sooo funny — their personalities were perfect and they were able to ad-lib through the little mess ups that make live theatre so much fun.  (Like when Ali accidentally broke a bottle of bath salts as he was reviewing Will Parker’s bag of gifts he’d blown his $50 on.)

Plus we had a nice dinner and strawberry shortcake for dessert, followed by a nice visit at McDonald’s (the only place we could quickly find open at 11 PM) for ice cream, coffee, and dinner for Sis.  We didn’t make it home until after 1 AM but it was so worth it.

It was a night the kids will never forget.  Well done, Sis and Pesh!