My Books!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Welcome to My Cupcake Release Party!


Welcome to my cupcake release party for A New Dream! Why a cupcake theme? Because my heroine Violet Emerson works in a bakery, and because cupcakes are tiny little works of art. During the day I’ll be posting excerpts and some of my favorite cupcake recipes. If you comment on any of the posts you’ll be entered in a drawing to win a cupcake prize consisting of a cupcake stand, cupcake decorating kit, cupcake recipe and decorating book, and some cute little cupcake cups. If you share a cupcake recipe of you own you’ll be entered in a drawing for a second prize, a trinket box shaped like a cupcake with a bunny on top.
My first post is a blurb and the first part of the prologue from A New Dream. Hope you enjoy it! The buy link is http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662245&mode=product&product=2676585

Blurb:
After an auto accident destroys his pro-football career, Matt McCallum struggles to find a new dream for his life, but nothing engages him the way football did. After a stint in rehab, he takes a job managing a grocery store where he meets Violet Emerson.

Violet works in the bakery department, but her dreams carry her far beyond the doors of Chef’s Pantry. As soon as she can save the money, she plans to open a catering business. And she thinks the new manager’s broad shoulders and blue eyes are simply divine.

Thrown together at work, Matt and Violet find a common dream for their lives, but a loose end from Matt’s past returns to jeopardize their future. Will love be enough to save their new dream before it turns into a nightmare?

Prologue

The red convertible cut a path through the moonlight, its
headlights dancing along the arched limbs of the trees above the
road.

“Oh, Matt, it’s such a beautiful night,” Stacey declared with
a sigh. “I’m going to miss you when you leave tomorrow.”

Matt reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “I’ll
miss you too, but if I don’t report on time, I’m in trouble with the
coach.”

“That’s what I get for falling in love with a pro football
player,” Stacey teased, her blonde hair turned to frosted silver by
the light of the full moon above them.

Matt squeezed her hand that wore his engagement ring. “It’s
too late to back out now,” he teased. “You’re mine.”

“Mmm, do I like the sound of that!”

The car rounded a curve, and without warning a deer
bounded across the road.

“Look out!” Stacey screamed.

Matt braked sharply to avoid the animal. The tires slid on a
patch of loose gravel in the road, and he lost control of the
convertible. It fishtailed and started to spin in the road.
Matt hauled the steering wheel to correct the slide, but it was
useless. The car turned around once more and skidded backwards
for a short distance before it charged off the road. It jumped a steep
ditch and went airborne. All Matt could see was a blur of trees and
darkness as the car careened into the woods. It made a lazy turn in
the air and came to rest bottom side up.

The last thing he remembered was the sound of Stacey’s
screams.
****

11 comments:

  1. Hi, Its great to be at your party. I like reading all the portions of books. It gives a hint of things to come.
    saltpepper1_2000@yahoo.com

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  2. Thanks for stopping by. I'll be sharing more excerpts and recipes, so stop by later in the day for more.

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  3. Wow, that's a pretty intense prologue. I can't wait to read more exerpts.

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  4. Yummy delicious cupcakes! Congrats on the new release. Sounds like a great read.

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  5. Hi Elaine. Congratulations on your new book. Sounds good.

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  6. Congratulations, Elaine! Cupcakes are VERY popular around here. =)

    Chynna
    www.lilywolfwords.ca
    www.the-gift-blog.com
    www.seethewhiteelephants.com

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  7. I'm nuts for cupcakes. I'm going to do some with little Easter eggs on top for the kids at my friend's Easter Egg hunt.

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  8. Happy Release Day/Party...best of luck Elaine...

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  9. Happy release day! The excerpts are great!

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  10. Happy release day - and who doesn't like cupcakes!

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  11. This is a great party. I am going to reread everything to make sure I haven't missed a thing!

    My cupcake recipe:

    Ginger-Coconut Cupcakes

    2/3 cup molasses
    1/2 cup sugar
    1/2 cup shortening
    2 teaspoons ginger
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    2 cups sifted flour
    1 cup sour milk
    2 eggs, beaten

    Heat first 5 ingredients to boiling, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm. Sift soda and flour together and add alternately with milk and eggs, beating thoroughly after each addition. Pour into greased muffin pans and bake in moderate oven (350 degrees F.) 15 minutes. Makes 16 cupcakes.

    Ginger-Coconut Frosting:

    Frost cakes with Seven-minute icing and cover with shredded coconut.

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