Marilyn Brant's Blog, page 12

Many thanks to lovely writers Jill Thomas and Brittany Roshelle for both bestowing the honor of this blog award on me -- it's most appreciated! In accordance with the rules, here are 7 things about me that you may not know:

1. Autumn is my very favorite season.

2. No matter how carefully I chew popcorn, it always gets stuck between my teeth and it drives me crazy. I have to floss right away.

3. I really wanted to visit Yugoslavia when I was in Europe, but it's a country I didn't get to see because of the war going on there at the time.

4. My husband and son understand the humor of "The Three Stooges," but I don't really get it. They laugh at me a lot because of this.

5. I don't enjoy board games and avoid playing them at all costs.

6. When I was in school, I studied a bunch of different foreign languages (French, Spanish, Italian, Russian and a few more), but -- except for French -- I only took them for a semester or two each, so I only know how to ask things like, "Where is the train station?" and "Do you have chocolate here?" (You know, the important questions...)

7. All of you probably know this one about me because I was so happy when I first read it that I already FB'ed and Tweeted it everywhere (*grin*), but my first official book review for A Summer in Europe was from Publishers Weekly. Just in case you missed it, they wrote: "Brant's newest...distinguishes itself with a charismatic leading man and very funny supporting cast, especially the wonderful elderly characters with their resonant message about living life to the fullest." I celebrated with ice cream and a little jig around my office, LOL.

I'm sharing this blog award with all of you reading this. If you have time and would like to write 7 things about yourselves, I would most certainly love to read them!!

And, on the subject of versatile blogging, I'm going to be in 2 places on Monday: Austen Authors (talking about reviewers) and the Girlfriends Book Club (talking about why, exactly, we write). Hope you'll stop by. Happy Columbus Day Weekend!!

Virtual confetti today to my friend Joni B. Cole on the release of her fabulous and funny collection of essays, Another Bad-Dog Book: Tales of Life, Love, and Neurotic Human Behavior (Publishing Works).

About the book, Publishers Weekly wrote: "Despite its title, this collection of personal essays from Cole (Toxic Feedback) is not a dog book, and only the title essay concerns the author's Chihuahua mix. Instead, this is a person book, and its scope is personal, for better or worse. Cole shares her most private thoughts: her worries that her husband is not her "best friend"; her obsession with her previous book's Amazon.com rankings; her shock, after friend-ing her high school crush on Facebook, only to discover that he is an aggressive poster of right-wing rants... Nevertheless, by the end of this friendly, honest book, the reader will feel much affection for Cole, her little brood, and her bad dog."

Congrats, Joni!!!

I've had the pleasure of reading it early, and it's such funny, delightful and honest collection. Hope you'll pick it up ;).

Happy Friday, everyone! I'm at two places today: Blake Snyder's blog, talking about creativity and living on the edge between the digital and print age. I'm also at Magical Musings, talking about cooking lessons/writing lessons gleaned from Top Chef finalist Fabio Viviani last weekend (ohhh, such a charming guy!), so please stop by.

Also, some good news to share: the book club rights to A Summer in Europe just sold to the Literary Guild, Rhapsody Book Club and BOMC2 this week. So thrilled about that!

May you all have a fantastic weekend and a happy beginning of October!!

Today, I have the pleasure of being a guest on Kristyn's blog, Romantic Love Books, for a Q&A about my romantic comedies. And, to brighten my day further, RLB's grade for On Any Given Sundae is an "A" with an accompanying review that I just love and have already printed out for my keeper folder ;).

Kristyn review begins: "Marilyn Brant's On Any Given Sundae is sweet, sexy, and super fun. I loved the story line, I loved the characters, and I loved the setting."

Hug!

Even though it's pouring outside and I have an un-fun doctor's appointment scheduled for this morning, the day is off to a great start. Thanks, Kristyn... Hope you all have a wonderful day, too!

I'm excited to visit Jennifer Becton's blog, Skidding in Sideways, today! Yes, yes, yes, the topic is ice cream (I'm an addict ;), but the focus of this post is on the naming of unusual flavors, so I'd love to hear yours! Plus...there's a giveaway... I'll also be at Romantic Love Books, Magical Musings and Blake Snyder's Save the Cat blog this week (I should be burning calories from all this running around, LOL). I had a really fun weekend and will have pictures/stories to share as the week goes on. Hope yours is off to a great start.

Also, for those of you familiar with kiddie holidays, today is Johnny Appleseed Day! (Yeah, I was elementary school teacher, why do you ask?) Because my heroine in Double Dipping teaches 2nd grade, I thought you might enjoy a short excerpt from the book that involves this particular holiday. Hope you'll like it!

Johnny Appleseed Day was on her heels. Although no special all-school event was scheduled to commemorate the notable September twenty-sixth birth date of John Chapman, eighteenth century apple-tree planter extraordinaire, Cait still needed to get things ready for her class. She jotted down a list of possible apple activities for tomorrow:

*counting the number of seeds and graphing the results
*tasting the differences between apple types and rating them
*measuring their heights and circumferences in centimeters
*slicing apples widthwise so the "star" is visible and dipping them in tempera paint to create apple-star patterns on paper
*sticking toothpicks with raisins and marshmallows on them into the apples to make Scary Fruit Monsters
*coring them, adding a cinnamon-sugar filling, then baking

Since making Scary Fruit Monsters topped her personal favorite list, Cait circled the asterisk by it but soon found herself doodling on the edge of her paper. She deserved a moment of laziness this week. She needed it. It was imperative for her mental health to take time away from serious school tasks and worrying about Mom to...to...draw the perfect depiction of an enormous marshmallow-mouthed Macintosh with beady raisin eyes who, if given the opportunity, would plan a hostile takeover of Milwaukee.

She tilted her head to consider its proportions on the page. Goodness, the thing kind of looked like their principal, Ronald Jaspers.

"Nice piece of artwork you got there," Garrett said, balancing a heavy-looking box on his shoulder. He'd entered the room so stealthily she didn't see him until he spoke.

She covered up her drawing with the first folder she could grab and leaped from her desk. "Umm, hi. What's in the box?"

"C'mon and see," he said, setting the mass of cardboard down on one kid's desk and motioning her over...

I'm over at Austen Authors today talking about comedy, particularly in Pride and Prejudice (I'm sure my choice of novel shocks you ;). I'm also hosting a giveaway there with PDF copies of On Any Given Sundae and Double Dipping up for grabs, so you know you're all most welcome to stop by.

And, relating to something I'll tell you about later (my mom gave me a fun present but I'm going to blog about it next week), check out this delicious recipe by Top Chef Fabio Viviani: Nutella Biscuits with great pictures on Ciao Florentina's blog. YUM!

Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

Just a pop in to say hello! It's been busy here, and I'll be visiting a couple of other sites this week -- Austen Authors and Blake Snyder's Save the Cat blog (direct links coming Wednesday and Friday, respectively) -- as well as three sites next week -- Jennifer Becton's blog, Romantic Love Books and Magical Musings!! I feel as though I'm zipping around the blogosphere like the Jetsons in their little spaceship, LOL.

But I was delightfully surprised with a lovely review by Candy Morton on her "So Little Time" book review blog, that I just had to take a moment to share it! It's for Double Dipping, and my favorite part was this section: "It was fantastic! It had me laughing and on occasion crying, I love it when a story does that to me. I didn't want to put it down!" Thanks so much, Candy -- what a wonderful way to start the week ;).

Here's hoping this post finds you all well as we get ready to delve into autumn. Bring on the warm apple cider and the pumpkin spice muffins!

I've been long awaiting the release of this anthology! Aside from having a gorgeous cover, it contains short stories by so many of my favorite writers, and all the proceeds from its sale will go to an excellent cause. Take a look:

Ghosts, vampires, demons, and more! Entangled includes ten suspense-filled paranormal short stories from authors Cynthia Eden, Jennifer Estep, Edie Ramer, Lori Brighton, Michelle Diener, Misty Evans, Nancy Haddock, Liz Kreger, Dale Mayer, and Michelle Miles, plus a Seven Deadly Sins novella by Allison Brennan.

Stacia Kane contributed the foreword. Formatting and cover art were also donated to the project by Lori Devoti and Laura Morrigan.

All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The stories include:
HALLOWEEN FROST by USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Estep (author of the Mythos Academy, Elemental Assassin, and Bigtime series) — It's Halloween at Mythos Academy, but Gwen Frost and her friends are in for more tricks than treats when they run into a mythological monster intent on killing them.

THE FAT CAT by Edie Ramer (author of Cattitude, Galaxy Girls) — In a battle for the souls of seven women, a wizard has the god of war on his side; all the witch has is a fat, black cat.

MEDIUM RARE by Nancy Haddock (author of the Oldest City Vampire trilogy) —What's spooking the spirits of St. Augustine? As the witching hour of Halloween approaches, ghost seer Colleen Cotton must team with a by-the-book paranormal investigator to locate the one ghost who can save the city's specters. If she fails, her own great grandfather's spirit may be lost forever.

SWEET DEMON by Misty Evans (author of the Witches Anonymous series) —When Chicago's vampire king insists Kali Sweet join his empire, the vengeance demon must rely on her ex – the half-human, half-chaos demon who left her at the altar three hundred years ago – in order to escape the vamp's clutches.

SIAN'S SOLUTION by Dale Mayer (author of the Psychic Visions series) — When a vampire discovers the human man she loves has been captured and hung in a blood farm, she goes against her own kind and risks everything to save him.

A BIT OF BITE by Cynthia Eden (author of NEVER CRY WOLF and ANGEL OF DARKNESS) — A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it's up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava's ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she'll either have to prove his innocence…or watch the whole town go up in flames.

SINFULLY SWEET by Michelle Miles (author of the Coffee House series) — When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who's come to warn her those who murdered her sister are now after her.

A NIGHT OF FOREVER by Lori Brighton (author of A Night of Secrets and To Seduce an Earl) — Who is Aidan Callaghan? Mary Ellen James is intent on uncovering the truth about the mysterious man, but as she soon finds out, some things are best left buried in the past.

FEEL THE MAGIC by Liz Kreger (author of the Part of Tomorrow series) — Jenna Carmichael's magical attempt to rectify Jessica Manfield's birth identity takes an unexpected turn when the past comes back to haunt her.

BREAKING OUT by Michelle Diener (author of the Tudor-set historical suspense novel In A Treacherous Court) — Imprisoned in a secret facility, powerful telekinetic Kelli Barrack and two other 'special' inmates grab a chance to escape, only to confront their worst nightmares on the outside.

GHOSTLY JUSTICE, an all-new Seven Deadly Sins novella by New York Times bestselling author Allison Brennan (author of the Seven Deadly Sins series) — Demon hunters Moira O'Donnell and Rafe Cooper are dragged into the dangerous world of nocturnal predators to find "Ghostly Justice" for a virgin sacrificed to an ancient blood demon.

Entangled is now available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com, as well as at Smashwords.com and Allromanceebooks.com.

HAPPY RELEASE WEEK!!!!

The awesome group of Austen lovers known collectively as Austen Authors is having a big one-year birthday celebration!! For the week ahead, there will be extra giveaways and blogs, so please stop by and join us for the party ;).



Wishing you all a wonderful week!

Hi, Everyone!



For the next two days, I'll be posting over at Magical Musings. Today, September 1st, we're celebrating the release of Susan McBride's awesome new women's fiction book, Little Black Dress, a novel about which NYT bestseller Sarah Addison Allen said: "Written with touching insight into family relationships and what we call home, Little Black Dress is a lovely and entertaining journey into the magical side of things. I bet you'll never look at your closet the same way again."



YAY, Susan!! I hope everyone will join us for the Q&A and the book giveaway!



And tomorrow, Friday, September 2nd, it's my day to post on the blog, and I'll be doing a Magical Musings release party for Double Dipping, so if you're able to visit for that, too, I'd love to see you there.



Wishing everyone in the States a long and relaxing Labor Day Weekend, and here's hoping everybody has a fabulous start to September!