A #Holiday #Recipe from romantic suspense author @Kris_Bock

Christmas treats

Photo by belchonock from depositphotos.com

Author Kris Bock is here with her Holiday Recipe and an excerpt from her Romantic Suspense The Mad Monk’s Treasure. Crock pot fondue–what a great idea!

Crock Pot Cheese Fondue Dip
This is a wonderful treat for a holiday party!

New Mexico green chile

Photo credit: New Mexico green chile, by Littlemisslibrarian, Creative Commons License

1 (10.75 oz) can cheddar cheese soup
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1/4 cup or more green chiles (these can often be found canned in the Mexican section of the grocery store)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. chives
1 Tbsp. garlic

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a fondue pot or small crock pot.
  2. Heat on medium, stirring frequently, until smooth and well blended.
  3. Adjust heat to warm and serve in the pot, with chips or veggies on the side. If it starts to get too thick, stir in a little more milk.

See “the dead man’s treasure bonus material” in the left-hand column of Kris Bock’s website for more New Mexico recipes.

Serve with corn chips, celery sticks, cauliflower, etc.

Mad Monk's Treasure coverThe Mad Monk’s Treasure

The lost Victorio Peak treasure is the stuff of legends—a heretic Spanish priest’s gold mine, made richer by the spoils of bandits and an Apache raider. When Erin, a quiet history professor, uncovers a clue that may pinpoint the lost treasure cave, she prepares for adventure. But when a hit and run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?

Erin isn’t sure she can trust Drew with her heart, but she’ll need his help to track down the treasure. She heads into the New Mexico wilderness with her brainy best friend Camie and a feisty orange cat. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to sudden storms. Plus, the sinister men hunting Erin are determined to follow her all the way to the treasure, no matter where the twisted trail leads. Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight, but is she ready to risk her life—and her heart?

“The story has it all – action, romance, danger, intrigue, lost treasure, not to mention a sizzling relationship….”

“Great balance of history, romance, and adventure. Smart romance with an “Indiana Jones” feel.”

Well-written with an attention to detail that allowed me to picture exactly in my head how a scene looked and played out.”

Excerpt:

Among all the legends, all the fact and fiction, one story stood out. The Victorio Peak legend had it all. A Franciscan priest and a swindler. Torture, murder, a government cover-up. Where was the truth, among all the stories? Erin wanted to find out. Over time, and with Camie’s encouragement, she’d started to take the treasure hunt more seriously. It wasn’t so much for the treasure itself—that would most likely belong to the government or the landowners. But it would make her reputation, open up new job opportunities—change her life in ways she hardly dared dream.

She touched the book gently. The pages were falling out; she didn’t want to risk carrying it around. Instead, Erin snapped a picture of the petroglyphs with her phone. That would be enough to show Camie for now.

The timing was perfect; she just had to turn in grades and field a few tearful last-minute requests for extensions, and she’d be done for the semester. What better way to spend the summer, than hunting for buried treasure?

Erin shook her head. Who would’ve thought that she, the quiet, studious girl who’d spent her entire adult life in academia in one way or another, would be planning such an adventure?

Erin wheeled the bike around the front of her house and mounted. At the corner, she paused and looked both ways. The long frontage road was dangerously narrow, with a cement wall on one side and a ditch on the other. Fortunately, traffic was normally light, and at this time of day the road lay empty. Erin pushed off, still grinning from her find. She rode on the right side, by the ditch, instead of facing traffic, because it was just too frightening to ride alongside the wall when a car passed.

She’d gone a block when she heard the hum of a car engine as it pulled out from a side street behind her. She rode along the very edge of the pavement, even though the car would have plenty of room to pass her without oncoming traffic.

Erin glanced over her shoulder. The black SUV 20 feet behind her hadn’t bothered to pull out into the road at all. Jerk. When would drivers learn to share the road with bicyclists? Erin pulled onto the two-foot wide gravel strip between the pavement and the ditch. She couldn’t stop without risking a skid, but she slowed so the SUV could pass.

The engine roared. Erin glanced back again.

Black metal bore down on her. Her heart lurched and the bike wobbled. This guy was crazy! She whipped her gaze forward, rose up in the seat, and pumped the pedals with all her power, skimming along inches from the ditch. He was just trying to scare her. She’d get his license plate and—

She felt the bumper hit her back tire. The bike seemed to leap into the air, and she went flying. The dried mud and weeds of the ditch seemed to rise up to meet her.

She didn’t even have time to scream.

Kris BockKris Bock writes novels of suspense and romance with outdoor adventures and Southwestern landscapes. The Mad Monk’s Treasure follows the hunt for a long-lost treasure in the New Mexico desert. In The Dead Man’s Treasure, estranged relatives compete to reach a buried treasure by following a series of complex clues. In The Skeleton Canyon Treasure, sparks fly when reader favorites Camie and Tiger help a mysterious man track down his missing uncle. Whispers in the Dark features archaeology and intrigue among ancient Southwest ruins. What We Found is a mystery with strong romantic elements about a young woman who finds a murder victim in the woods. In Counterfeits, stolen Rembrandt paintings bring danger to a small New Mexico town.

Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

Get The Mad Monk’s Treasure for FREE!

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Festive #Holiday Punch #Recipe from #PNR Author @brenda_sparks

Christmas treats

Photo by belchonock from depositphotos.com

Paranormal Author Brenda Sparks is here today with an excerpt from Alpha Lover and a Holiday Recipe.

Festive Holiday Punch

” Make a day in advance to allow the flavors to meld.”

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 quart cranberry juice
  • 2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
  • 3 tablespoons almond extract
  • 1 (2 liter) bottle Lemon/Lime soft drink such as Sprite
  • 1 pint of cranberries
  • Vodka (optional)

Directions

In a large container, mix together sugar, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and almond extract. Refrigerate for 1 day.

  1. To serve, pour juice mixture into a punch bowl. Stir in Lemon/Lime soft drink.
  2. Garnish with cranberries

Optional:

  1. To make an alcoholic version stir in vodka to desired taste

Alpha Lover coverAlpha Lover (Book 3 in the Alpha Council Chronicles series)
by Brenda Sparks
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Book Blurb:

Starved for blood, vampire Nicholai Peterhof is greatly relieved when two tourists decide to grace his restaurant, but one sip from the pretty brunette and his world is forever turned upside down. Juliette Saint-John is everything he could have asked for in a heartmate; pretty, smart, built with curves in all the right places…and totally unavailable.

Juliette doesn’t want anything to do with the handsome, young-looking Nicholai. As if their differences aren’t enough, the acute grief over the loss of loved ones keeps her heart guarded. He may be her fantasy, but that’s all he can ever be.

To get past Juliette’s defenses and in order to keep her safe, Nicholai must prove himself worthy of her love and trust. Unbeknownst to the couple, her personal demons are not the only ones threatening their relationship. Hiding virtually unseen by the vampires, Demon Royalty plots to destroy not only the couple but the entire vampire breed. Luckily, Nicholai will do anything for Juliette—even if it means sacrificing himself.

Buy Links:

Amazon buy link: http://mybook.to/AlphaLover

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/alpha-lover-brenda-sparks/1124934443

iTunes: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/alpha-lover/id1173716918?mt=11

Kobo buy link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/alpha-lover

Wild Rose Press buy link: http://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/4760-alpha-lover.html

Excerpt:

Julie’s gaze swept the landscape. The moon’s rays glittered on the snowy bows. The birch trees stood with their trunks painted white to match their limbs. Thick pine branches held fast under the weight of the new fallen snow, making them appear as if they wore white blankets made of virginal cotton about each limb. Sparkling mounds cluttered the ground between the trees, hiding the forest’s treasures beneath.

Save the sound of the hooves pounding on the ground, they journeyed through the silent night to a clearing in the trees. Nicholai clicked to his stallion, and with a flick of the reins, the steed increased into a rolling canter up a steep incline. Julie’s thighs pushed against the sides of the horse as she tried to match the new rhythm.

Nicholai’s breath warmed her ear when he spoke. “Not too much further. It’s right up ahead.”

“What’s up ahead?” Just as the words left Julie’s mouth, they crested over the ridge.

The frozen valley below took her breath away. A glaciate waterfall stood still as a statue against the rocky terrain. The cascading water, stopped as if by magic, reflected the moon’s soft rays and cast tiny prisms on the snow below.

Julie’s breath hitched in her throat. She took in the serene beauty of the land as they cruised at a slow trot. Debris rolled under Kedar’s hoofs. It created a hollow rattle in the night, barely audible to Juliette.

When they reached the valley, Nicholai pulled up the stallion and handed the reins to Julie. She patted the horse’s steaming neck as her lover dismounted with a fluid grace. He turned, grabbed Kedar’s reins, then reached up for Julie. Her thick coat seemed to melt as his strong hands clasped around her waist. She put her hands on his shoulders, and the bulge of muscle under his coat played under her fingers when he helped her down. A thrill went through her body.

Her breath frosted the air in a white plume. The lovers held each other, his hands about her waist, hers resting on his shoulders. Quiet as the moon above, they stared deeply into each other’s eyes. Nicholai captured her lips in a gentle caress that welcomed her to this special place.

Author Bio:

Born in Virginia, Brenda Sparks now resides in the Sunshine State.  Balancing her professional commitment to the local school district with her writing is challenging at times, but writing suspenseful paranormal romances is a passion that won’t be denied. Her idea of a perfect day is one spent in front of a computer with a hot cup of coffee, her fingers flying over the keys to send her characters off on their latest adventure.  Brenda loves to connect with readers.  Please visit her online or stop by her website to say hi.

Author Links:
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/forBrendaSparks
Twitter : @brenda_sparks https://twitter.com/brenda_sparks
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/BrendaSparks   
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Brenda-Sparks/e/B00B7AJBBQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Website : www.brenda-sparks.com