Can't Resist...

Knock Knock

How (Not) to Write a Book

1) Have kids, eat, sleep, have basic personal hygiene, have friends, have any life at all, take time off for being so sick you can't even crawl across the floor or having a baby.

2) Go on Facebook (enough said)

3) Get sucked into watching all eight seasons of Charmed end to end. (Who, me?)

4) Start reading books by your favorite authors 'for research' and end up 1-clicking yourself into debt.

5) Have a neat and tidy house. If the house is clean, the creativity isn't rolling. Cleaning the house is just a procrastination tactic.

6) Run out of caffeine.

7) Did I mention having kids?

8) Actually become 'mentally and emotionally stable'-- I personally think that's just a myth.

9) Have a love life. (Which, after all, just leads to more kids and even less writing time-- so what's the point?)

10) Manage to drop your computer so many times that you actually break it four times in one year and have to have it sent away to be fixed at two weeks a pop. Thank goodness for warranties! (Yes, this has happened this year to me.)

11) Ebay. Etsy. Just... forget they exist.

12) Entertain any idea that there is or ever will be anything more to life than-- in the (paraphrased and rather morbid) words of Hemingway-- sitting down at the keyboard and bleeding.

Just A Little Teaser

Everyone will be happy to know that I have been working hard and dilligently on How (Not) to Kiss a Ghost. I'll be releasing it in August for all of you to enjoy!

This book in the Cindy Eller series answers a lot of those questions that have been hanging over our heads.

Here's a little taste of what you are in for. Remember: this is rough draft and subject to change!

And as always, this is totally copyrighted! No stealing, peeps, or I won't be able to share anything anymore!

  The woman sitting in front of me was beautiful, with golden waves of hair falling over her shoulders, nearly the same shade as her amber-colored eyes. Dimples touched both of her cheeks as she regarded me.

  Those dimples were extremely familiar. In fact, they looked suspiciously like the dimples in my boyfriend’s cheeks.

  That was probably because this was his mother.

  Or so she said.

  The only problem was that he said he’d never seen her in his entire life. His mother was dead—had died when he was only sixteen years old.

  Timothy stood across the bakery at this moment, blending in with the crowd that had gathered to celebrate my advent into the television world. He watched me with a frown on his face as I approached the woman he had named as an imposter.

  “Quinna Borden,” I greeted.

  She smiled at me radiantly. She honestly didn’t look a day over twenty-five. “I’m glad you remember me,” she said.

  I had only met her briefly once before, but I didn’t think I would ever forget her.

  “Did you come for more of those split bananas?” I asked, naming the dessert she had purchased that night months ago when she had walked into my bakery and asked if I knew where she could find Timothy.

  Timothy, her son. The toad of my dreams.

  The man that was staring at us from across the room.

  Quinna laughed. “Those bananas were certainly delicious! I actually came by to see if you have heard anything about my son.”

  “Your son,” I repeated.

  “Yes, of course,” she said, smiling brightly. “My son, Timothy.”

  It took all of my will-power not to glance in his direction. If she couldn’t pick him out of a crowd then I was pretty sure she couldn’t be his mother—even if she did look just like a—younger—female version of him.

  And Timothy was adamant that she had no connection to him whatsoever.

  “Does he know that you’re looking for him?” I asked cautiously. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that she looked pretty good for a dead woman.

  Quinna tilted her head in thought. “I wouldn’t think so,” she said slowly. “You see, he doesn’t even know that I exist.”

Well, I hope you enjoyed this little taste! Keep an eye out for How (Not) to Kiss a Ghost-- coming out soon!

A Guest Post by Cindy Eller

Hi, everyone, it's me, Cindy. 

I just finished a long day at the bakery, but I'm too hyped up to try to sleep. It's probably all the sugar I breathe in all day long-- I don't really eat that much of my goodies... well not tons, anyway.

I got another visit from Quinna Borden. She says that she's Timothy's mother, but he says otherwise. I think my boyfriend would know if his mom was still alive... and looking like a twenty year old. I have a sneaky suspicion that we're in for some more Magical mayhem. I guess you'll all see what I'm talking about when How (Not) to Kiss a Ghost comes out in August.

I thought I'd answer a few questions:

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I consider surviving my Mother and my childhood nothing short of a miracle. As far as achievement goes, though, I'd have to say opening my very own bakery. It has been a dream come true!

• What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Good food, good friends, family... just the right level of business balanced out with some quiet time. I'm pretty easy to please.

• What is your current state of mind?

I'm kind of revved up right now. I've been working on a bunch of new recipes and that always gets me kind of 'high', I guess you would call it. I'm also a little worried-- I don't like it when Timothy is upset, and this whole Quinna thing has him wearing that 'stoic' face that means he's hurting.

• What is your most treasured possession?

Other than my bakery? OK, don't laugh at me, but I really treasure my pink mixer. It makes me think about Tansy and feel like she's still nearby.

• What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Maybe it's too soon to tell, but I really think Timothy Borden is the one for me. Sure, we both have bad tempers-- I'm a redhead in fact and he can act like one sometimes, but it just means we're both passionate people, right? Our road hasn't been smooth, but I think we're nothing short of Magic when we are together. We... fit.

• What is your greatest fear?

My greatest fear is that something will happen to my family. My family is everything to me. If something happened to someone I love... I think it would destroy me. I can't even handle it when someone I care about has hurt feelings, and that's not even something major.

• What is your greatest extravagance?

That would have to be ingredients-- nothing but the best for my treats! I have no problem dropping down thousands for quality ingredient, but I can't bring myself to spend much on new clothes. (Shrugs) I guess it just shows my priorities.

Well, that's all I have time for right now! Be sure to keep an eye out for the next book in the Cindy Eller series-- How (Not) to Kiss a Ghost.

derelict phantasm oreos

derelict phantasm oreos

derelict phantasm oreos

derelict phantasm oreos

derelict phantasm oreos

Google it

 Don't ask me why

They will attack-- I swear...
It's the first step in the zombie apocalypse
Or am I trying to mess with google on behalf of my brother?
The world may never know

New Release!

Goldie Locke and her Magical menagerie return in another thrilling addition to the Goldie Locke and the Were Bears series.

Goldie's life has been in upheaval ever since a bite from a were bear has rendered her caught somewhere between were and witch. As she struggles with this transformation she is hired to find heiress Paige Turner, whose kidnapping involves vampires, ancient legends, and a series of brutal murders.

Does Goldie have the strength and courage to face the danger that lies ahead in rescuing Paige, when she herself is trying to adapt to her new way of life?

With the whole world hanging in the balance, she has no choice but to try.

Join Us on Facebook!

To celebrate the release of Baehrly Bitten (Goldie Locke and the Were Bears #2) we will be giving away a gorgeous necklace created by pinkabsinthe. For details, check out my Facebook page!

How (Not) to Kiss a Beast!

It's here! The long-awaited third book in the Cindy Eller series!

Goldie Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

We're Counting Down to Goldie Locke!

We first met Goldie Locke, CIndy Eller's little sister, in How (Not) to Kiss a Prince:

Last of all came my fifth sister, Goldie Locke. I couldn’t even make this stuff up. My mother was truly that evil. Goldie fit her name perfectly, with her bright gold hair and huge dark eyes. She surveyed the room briskly with a straight forward attitude. My little sister was a promising young Environmental Magic lawyer with the three Baehrs, Attorneys At Law. She spent her days fighting for the rights of endangered magical creatures.

Her suit was all no-nonsense without one ounce of frill, but she still looked more feminine than I would in a gown of frilly lace.

It had been almost two years since I had seen Goldie. She had been traveling all over the world with her work. I grinned with excitement as she spotted me and immediately crossed the crowded room to seek me out.

“This is organized chaos,” she announced with a wry smile, returning my greeting hug with enthusiasm.

“Thanks, I think,” I answered, “since I’m in charge of it.”

Her nose crinkled when she smiled. She smoothed back her golden hair and sighed. “I suppose you know that I’ve been doing all kinds of overtime work lately for Mom, trying to solve your little problem?”

I blinked at her. “I had no idea,” I confessed. I licked my lips. “Is there any hope?”

Goldie sighed. “Not yet,” she admitted reluctantly. “It’s pretty clear and simple for this kind of contract. Mom agreed that her eldest child, if a daughter, would marry the eldest son of the Family of the Middle Lands.” She shrugged. “You’re the eldest. And, well, with Mom being who she is, well, even if we didn’t have the contract hanging over us, we have enough Blood that the Council would have stepped in and insisted that you marry first to fill the old law—archaic though it may be.”

I scowled. “Great,” I muttered. “I’m trapped.”

Goldie popped a truffle into her mouth and ate it elegantly. “It’s not so bad, right?” she said soothingly. “It’s not like you’ve ever had any love life to speak of. Surely he’s not bad-looking?”

I fought the urge to rip my hair out. “I have a boyfriend,” I growled. “A boyfriend whom I happen to love.”

She blinked. “Oh.” She thoughtful nibbled at another truffle. “I had absolutely no idea.” She brightened up. “What’s he like? What kind of Magic does he have? How did you meet?”

“Um,” I said slowly. “Goldie, my boyfriend is Ordinary. He’s a foodie, like me.”

Her dark eyes searched mine for a long moment. A sideways grin curled up one side of her mouth. “I bet Mom just loves that,” she chuckled. “Way to go, Cindy!”

Now Goldie is starring in her very own series of books! Goldie Lock and the Were Bears: #1 Baehrly Breathing will be coming May 9th to Amazon Kindle and paperback. I'm going to be giving away some gift and swag, so keep your eyes peeled!

Ew. That is kind of a gross phrase, isn't it?

Here's what one beta reader had to say about Baehrly Breathing:

"Cute and tough, Cindy Eller's half-sister Goldie Locke finds herself as a PI on a hush-hush case involving endangered magical mini-mastadons while partnering with an Ordinary detective. But of course, he's not quite as ordinary as he seems....

This book was a delight from start to finish, even while keeping the suspense up in a high-stakes crime investigation. I recommend it to Cindy Eller fans as well as anyone who likes romance along with pink pachyderms and greedy dragon hatchlings... who are bonded to at least one zombie rooster."

How (Not) to Kiss a Prince

It's here! I am pleased to announce that my latest book in the Cindy Eller series is available in both paperback and for Kindle.

Let the Magical Mayhem begin! Cindy Eller has not one, but two weddings to prepare for in less than two weeks when the cupcakes hit the fan-- a mysterious man has appeared claiming to be betrothed to Cindy and insisting she must marry him before her sister's nuptials can take place.

Obviously this doesn't sit well with Cindy's Ordinary boyfriend.

That's the way the cake-- and the wedding-- crumbles!

How (Not) to Play With Magic

Here's a little snack for everybody eagerly anticipating the release of How (Not) to Kiss a Prince, the second installment of the Cindy Eller series. How (Not) to Play With Magic is a short story featuring Cindy Eller and her mischievous twin sisters, Rainey and Starrie Skye. Cindy must keep her magic a secret from her roommates while trying to manage the disastrous duo's gift for magical mayhem all while creating her truly delectable desserts.

Bon Appetit!

 

Irish Gold Blog Hop!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How (Not) to Kiss a Toad Book Trailer

Be in the Next Cindy Eller!

Do you want to appear as a pivotal character in How (Not) to Kiss a Prince (the sequel to my popular contemporary Fantasy novel How (Not) to Kiss a Toad)? 

Here's how you enter to win. Simply share this post/link and comment that you've done that and mention your favorite dessert. I will draw the winner randomly on March 1st at noon Arizona time! :) Have fun!

Compared to Who? Nice!

I just got a review comparing How (Not) to Kiss a Toad to some of the works by indie author, Rose Pressey. I was truly honored. I really respect her as an author and enjoy her books as an avid reader. Have you read her books yet? If you haven't here's a link to one of my favorites. I promise, you'll get hooked and come back for more.

Me and My Ghoul Friends by Rose Pressey

Meanwhile, How (Not) to Kiss a Prince is progressing nicely. Think everything has calmed down for Cindy Eller and her witchy baking skills? Sadly, no. The chaos has just begun! The flour is really starting to fly.

What's your favorite dessert?

For me, it is always about the chocolate, but it is also about contrasting textures.

Who's Loving Cindy Eller?

Why is How (Not) to Kiss a Toad flying off of the shelves? Let's see what our readers have to say:

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a cute novel! January 4, 2013

By Cary Barner-Nelson

Format:Kindle Edition

I read How (Not) to Kiss a Toad. I am genuinely surprised. I didn't read a description or anything about this book before it was given to me for free for an honest review. This novel is so cute! I loved it.

Cindy Eller is a witch, minus the warts, broom, and witch hat. She uses her magic for the good of men and women... baking desserts. The description of these desserts made me want to run to a bakery. No joke.

Cindy has been cursed, or at least she believes she has. Anytime she kisses a potential boyfriend, he turns into a toad. After being completely fed up with this, she swears off men and toads. She turns to a new love... SweetDreams ice cream.

As the story progresses, you learn that Cindy Eller works for the Davies at a bakery in Tuscon, Az and they are about to sell the business to their nephew. She is distraught about possibly losing her job. Not to make matters worse, but Cindy's mother, MIranda is overbearing and belittles Cindy's choices, including her career.

Cindy also meets Timothy and she goes on several dates with him. She is really falling for him, until she finds out he has been keeping a secret.

I don't want to give away too much. You'll have to read it for yourself! I highly suggest it! Five Stars!

Elizabeth A. Reeves did a wonderful job telling this story. It was fun and light-hearted.

Her facebook link is: [...]/#!/authorelizabetha.reeves?fref=ts

5.0 out of 5 stars delightfully witchy! December 31, 2012

By Leanne Herrera

Format:Kindle Edition

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was not sure what to expect when I first got this book in my email. I assumed that it was a romance and that it had something to do with finding Mr. Right. I was right and wrong in so many ways. In fact when I began reading and realized it was a witchy book I squee-ed with delight. I love paranormal books and was extremely happy before I could even get through the first chapter. Now I would have known what kind of book it was if I had seen the lovely book cover.

I found the characters believable and pleasant. I kind of felt bad for the guy who became the super toad. I always did go for the bad boys. I have decided that I really need some of these recipes and will be actively searching for some of them. I drooled over the cupcakes and the ice cream as well as the characters. During my reading I expected the typical love story and was thrown off balance by the twist that the author threw at me. I was still happy.

The book was very difficult to put down and kept me up all night long. This book earned 5 out of 5 for me and I will happily share it with others.