Follow the AUTHORS IN BLOOM directions and enter to win an eReader (Nook or Kindle, your choice!) + a $25 gift card!! That's the Grand Prize. :) But, also, every one of the 75 participating authors in the hop is offering individual prizes, too...including me!



To enter my personal blog giveaway -- open internationally -- for a pair of Murano glass bead earrings made in Venice and two A Summer In Europe luggage tags (see photo), you only need to leave a comment on this post before 11:45pm Central time on Wednesday, April 18th, and to (pick one) follow me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and/or join my free newsletter list . You can get up to three entires total if you decide to do all three, but only one is required for my giveaway. (And if you're already following me on one or more of these sites, simply say so in the comments and you're entered!!) Please leave an email address along with your comment so I can contact you if you win. I'll announce the winner of the earrings and luggage tags on my blog on April 19th.

To enter the grand prize, you need to collect all the phrases for the traveling story (hint: the lines I have are below) by visiting all of the OTHER AUTHORS, and then you submit that completed story with all the lines on the grand prize landing page at A Cozy Reader's Corner by using the form provided there. Only those who collect each phrase to complete the story will be entered into the drawing for the eReader of his/her choice and the $25 gift card. Good luck, everyone!

My phrases for the traveling story:
Line 9: "Are my petals too plump?
Line 10: "Do these leaves make my bottom look wide?"

My best gardening tip:
The very best advice I can give you in regards to gardening is...PLEASE don't listen to me!! I have two of the blackest thumbs imaginable. My son inherited his green thumb from my father and it, very clearly, skipped a generation. So, for the safety of your plants, I offer NO tips!

Recipes, however, I can do ;). In A Summer In Europe , my characters enjoy many decadent foodie delights, particularly in Italy. Below is one of my favorites!

Recipe for Tiramisu:
~from pg. 150 of my Great Tastes MEDITERRANEAN cookbook~

Ingredients:
5 eggs, separated
6 oz (170 g) superfine sugar
11 oz (300 g) mascarpone cheese
9 fl oz (250 ml) cold strong coffee
3 Tbsp brandy or sweet Marsala
36 small sponge fingers
3 oz (80 g) dark chocolate, finely grated

Directions:
1. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone and beat until the mixture is smooth.
2. Whisk the egg whites in a dry bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into the mascarpone mixture.
3. Pour the coffee into a shallow dish and add the brandy or Marsala. Dip enough biscuits into the coffee to cover the base of a 10 inch (25 cm) square dish. The biscuits should be well soaked but not so much that they break. Arrenge them in one tightly packed layer at the base of the dish.
4. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuit layer. Add another layer of soaked biscuits and top with the rest of the mascarpone. Smooth the top layter neatly.
5. Dust with the grated chocolate right before serving. (Serves 4)

Enjoy, all!
What's one of your favorite desserts?