Reading/ Book Signing at the Fremont Area District Library

I will be at the Fremont Area District Library tonight at 7 pm for a reading and book signing as a part of their Writers Live program. Copies of Courting Sparks will be available for purchase. And the Friends of the Library will provide cookies.

At least come for the free cookies.

Hope to see you there.

Six Sentence Sunday

Sandalwood and a touch of wood smoke.

The scents drifted from behind her and Daphne knew the man was sexy.  She closed her eyes as she stood on the corner of the dance floor and breathed deeply.  Maybe passing out candy bars for the Dollar Dance wasn’t such a bad thing.  Her Magic Eight Ball could be right. For once.

From Courting Sparks. 

Six Sentence Sunday

Goodreads and Guest Blogging

I'm guest blogging at Grand Rapids Region Writers Group today.  Check it out for an appropriate gift idea.

Also, today is the last day to register for the giveaway on Goodreads.

Hope you have a wonderful day with or without diamonds, chocolate and flowers.

Valentine's Day

My husband really is lucky.  By mutual agreement, we do nothing for Valentine's Day.  No hearts, cards, candy, flowers, or jewelry.  No dinner dates, nothing.

Okay, we do make fun of the Valentine's Day commercials.  (Is it just us or is all the special jewelry advertised this year especially ugly? The pendant that looks like a viper about to strike doesn't scream 'love of my life' to me. And don't get me started on the couple in the thunderstorm;  I know he's a serial killer.)

It just seems like such a hassle to go out on a weekend when everyone else is going out, so every restaurant is busy and every babysitter is taken.  We can celebrate our love on a day not dictated by Hallmark.

So in honor of our not celebrating Valentine's Day, I am giving away two copies of Courting Sparks on GoodReads.com. The drawing ends on February 14.

Here's hoping your Valentine's weekend is exactly what you hope it will be.

Guest Blogging at The Heart of Romance

For the next couple days, I'm a guest at Sherry Gloag's blog, The Heart of Romance (http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.com/).  She'll have an interview with me and then I'll interview Daphne, the heroine in Courting Sparks.  Hope you can drop by.

Guest Blogging at My Odd Little World

It's the last stop on the Courting Sparks Blog Tour and your last chance to enter the drawing for a copy of CEOs Don't Cry or Courting Sparks.  Stop by My Odd Little World (http://nancyg1950.blogspot.com/?zx=23fc73ad1fb2fd39).  There may also be an Amazon gift certificate available.  Ooh, I wonder if I'm eligible for that?

Thanks for travelling along with the tour and have a great weekend.

Guest Blogging at Sue Perkins' Blog

I'm guest blogging at Sue Perkins' blog http://sueperkinsauthor.blogspot.com/) today about my awesome critique group.  Find out how fantastic they are. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of CEOs Don't Cry or Courting Sparks.

Guest Blogging at The Skylarverse

Hey, I'm a guest at The Skylarverse (http://www.skylarkade.com/blog/) today. Stop by and leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of CEOs Don't Cry or Courting Sparks.

Guest Blogging at Just Views

Hey, I'm guest blogging at Just Views today (http://justviews.net/wp/). Stop by for a chance to win a copy of CEOs Don't Cry orCourting Sparks.

Guest Blogging at Authors by Authors

Hey, I'm guest blogging at Authors by Authors today (http://authorsbyauthors.blogspot.com/?zx=ccbf22061b334bd7). Stop by for a chance to win a copy of CEOs Don't Cry or Courting Sparks.

Guest Blogging at Long Live the Lit

I'm a guest sat Long Live the Lit (http://longlivechicklit.wordpress.com/) today.  Hope you can stop by and say hi.  Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win copies of CEOs Don't Cry and Courting Sparks.

First Chapter of Courting Sparks!

The first chapter of Courting Sparks is posted at D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters (http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/). Leave a comment for a chance to win copies of both my books.

Guest Blogging at The Life (and Lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object

Today I'm a guest at The Life (and Lies) of an Inanimate Flying Object (http://haleymathiot.blogspot.com/). Hope you can drop by and say hi.

Courting Sparks Blog Tour

Come with me as I zoom around the web.  Today I'm at Grace Elliot's blog.  Hope you can stop by.  Leave  comments at each blog for chances to win copies of CEOs Don't Cry and Courting Sparks.

Click on the Blog Tour page above to catch up with the tour during the next two weeks.

January 10: Grace Elliot - gripping historical romance
January 11: The Life (and lies) of an inanimate flying object
January 12: D. Renee Bagby Presents First Chapters
January 13: Long Live Chick Lit
January 14: Jennifer Shirk
January 17: Authors by Authors
January 18: Just Views
January 19: The Skylarverse
January 20: Sue Perkins, Fantasy, Romance & Young Adult Author
January 21: My Odd Little World

Have a great day!

Courting Sparks Blog Tour Continues

The Courting Sparks Blog Tour is continuing.  Leave a comments at the host blogs for a chance to win copies of  Courting Sparks and CEOs Don't Cry. Enjoy the tour.

If you are a blogger, there are still dates available, if you would like to host.

Today, the party kicks off at the Goddess Fish Party Pavilion. http://goddessfishparty.blogspot.com/

Magical Cookies

Today I’m guest blogging at Lisa Haselton's Blog (http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com).  Stop by and say hi, then try out these fantastic cookies.  They are my absolute favorite. 


Thanks for hopping along the tour with me.  Check back after the New Year for more tour stops. 


Wishing you all a happy and safe holiday season. 

Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa

About 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES, unwrapped (any flavor works)

Powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Mold scant tablespoon dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely. Shape into balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool about 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in sugar again just before serving, if desired. About 4 dozen cookies.

http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipes/detail.asp?id=8068&page=1&per=25& CategoryPage=true&keyword=mint%20kiss%20recipes&omnituresearch=true&category_id=20&rectypecat=Cookies

Lemon Squares

Today I'm guest blogging at Classic Romance Revival (http://classicromancerevival.blogspot.com) about our Christmas tree.  What are your stipulations for the perfect tree?


Lemon Squares

Prep: 10 min Bake 50 min
Makes 25 squares

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup stick butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, if desired
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
Powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix flour, margarine and powdered sugar. Press in ungreased square
pan, 8 x 8 x 2 or 9 x 9 x 2 inches, building up 1/2-inch edge.
3. Bake crust 20 minutes.
4. Beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on high speed about 3
minutes or until light and fluffy. Pour over hot crust.
5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched
lightly in center. Cool in pan on wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.
Cut into about 1-1/2 inch squares.

Sugar Cookies

Have you worn a bridesmaid dress a second time?  Or even a third? I have. Find out why at Terry O'dell's Blog (http://terryodell.blogspot.com/).

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups powdered sugar

1 cup margarine or butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon almost extract

1 large egg

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Granulated sugar

Directions:

Mix powdered sugar, margarine, vanilla, almond extract and egg in large bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheet lightly with shortening.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half ¼ inch thick on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 2- to 2 ½ inch cookie cutters.  Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet.

Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Makes about 5 dozen.

From Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook

Cream Cheese Kolacky

Today, there is an excerpt of Courting Sparks posted at Romancing the Book (http://www.romancing-the-book.com/).  Commenters are eligible to win a copy of the book.

Ingredients:

3 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup any flavor fruit jam

1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions:

Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add flour slowly until well blended. Shape into a ball and chill overnight or for several hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Roll dough out 1/8 inch thick on a floured pastry board. Cut into 2 1/2 inch squares and place 1/2 tsp (approx) of jam or preserves. Overlap opposite corners and pinch together. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool. Sprinkle lightly with confectioner's sugar.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cream-Cheese-Kolacky/Detail.aspx

Russian Tea Cakes

Okay, so I’ve never actually made Russian Tea Cakes.  They are one of my husband’s favorites. He used to make them with his grandpa when he was a little boy.  Isn’t that a cute image?  

I’m being interviewed at the Lovestruck Novice (http://thelovestrucknovice.blogspot.com/) and you read about how I met Mitch Malone at W.S. Gager on Writing (http://wsgager.blogspot.com).

Ingredients:

1 cup stick margarine or butter, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup finely chopped nuts

¼ teaspoon salt

Powdered sugar

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix margarine, ½ cup powdered sugar and the vanilla in large bowl. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.

Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar; cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Makes about 4 dozen

From Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook