Please help me welcome Julie Kenner, author of the upcoming erotic novel, Release Me, to Parajunkee’s View!
Happy holidays, everyone!
Today, I’m thrilled to be at Parajunkees as part of my blog tour counting down to the on-sale date for Release Me. I’m spending the holiday season hanging out, writing, hanging some more, eating, decorating, writing, and playing with my family – not necessarily in that order.
I wrote about billionaire heroes yesterday, and it occurred to me that being a billionaire would have one more perk (well, let’s face it, being a billionaire would pretty much have a billion perks). Today, I went shopping, as so many folks like me (i.e., folks who wait until the last minute) do the weekend before Christmas, and discovered to my dismay that the gifts my husband and I wanted to get the girls were sold out. Or, at least, the lower-end models were sold out. After much hemming and hawing and texting back and forth (he was with the girls shopping at the far end of the mall) we finally decided to go ahead and get a higher model. But that took a big bite out of our wallet.
If we were billionaires? Hey, no big deal. (I think I could handle being a billionaire at the holidays. Think of all the great gifts you could get for folks!)
When we got home, I immediately had to hide the gifts that were tucked away in my purse. That reminded me of the time when I was about eleven (the same age as my oldest daughter) and I was determined to find where my mom had hidden my Christmas presents. I searched and searched and searched, and—yes!—I actually found one. And I was soooooo disappointed. I couldn’t get a great look at it (I didn’t want to take it off the shelf because I was certain Mom knew exactly how she’d placed it) but I could tell what it was. A lunchbox. THIS was my fabulous Christmas present? I hadn’t even asked for a lunchbox!
And now, because I’d peeked, I had to spend the remaining days until Christmas trying not to telegraph the fact that I just knew I was going to be disappointed.
But then comes the magic of Christmas … because there, under the tree, is not a lunchbox at all! It turns out it was a case specially designed to hold my precious 45 records—all my faves, plus the really old ones that I’d been collecting from flea markets for at least a year.
It was a great present, and I loved it! But peeking cost me days of turmoil!
(I will say that the experience did not stop me from peeking in general. While I no longer search for hidden presents, I still peek at the end of books! Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone!)
Finally, although I shared this on-line not too very long ago, this is my absolute favorite holiday treat and I simply must share. There’s still time to run to the grocery store! (I am, in fact, making a huge batch the day this blog is going to post!) Enjoy!
FIVE MINUTE FUDGE
2 T. butter
2/3 c. undiluted Evaporated Milk
1 2/3 c. sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 c. miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional) (**I have never made it with nuts, so caveat eator. ha!)Combine butter, evaporated milk, sugar and salt in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. (Start timing when the mixture begins to bubble around the edges of the pan, and lean toward the 5 minute end-I find that works better. This is the crucial step. You really do have to stir the entire time, otherwise the fudge doesn’t set right.)
Remove from heat. Stir in the marshmallows, chips and vanilla (and nuts if you’re using them). Mix it all up well. (Do it fast, as it will start to harden as you’re stirring.)
Stir until it’s all blended (about 1 minute).
Pour into 8 inch buttered square pan.
Refrigerate to cool. Cut into squares. Eat. Enjoy the party in your mouth.
So there you have it, a holiday mash-up of thoughts and food. What’s the take-away? Don’t search the house for your presents. If you have a chance at a billion dollars, grab it; it’ll probably come in handy. And eat fudge. During the holiday season, it has no calories!
Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season with friends, family and good cheer!
What are your plans for the holidays? Any special trips or special guests?
_____________________
J. Kenner is the pen name of USA Today bestselling author Julie Kenner (who also writes as J.K. Beck). Release Me, an erotic romance, will be available in the U.S. and the U.K. on January 1, and in over a dozen other countries later in 2013. You can hang out with J.K., learn more about Release Me and her other novels, or just poke around and see what catches your eye at her website, her J. Kenner Facebook page, and on Twitter
For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared to You comes an erotic, emotionally charged romance between a powerful man who’s never heard “no” and a fiery woman who says “yes” on her own terms.
He was the one man I couldn’t avoid. And the one man I couldn’t resist.
Damien Stark could have his way with any woman. He was sexy, confident, and commanding: Anything he wanted, he got. And what he wanted was me. Our attraction was unmistakable, almost beyond control, but as much as I ached to be his, I feared the pressures of his demands. Submitting to Damien meant I had to bare the darkest truth about my past—and risk breaking us apart.
But Damien was haunted, too. And as our passion came to obsess us both, his secrets threatened to destroy him—and us—forever.
Release Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.
Click here for an excerpt via Scribd!
The Giveaway:
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Love your books no matter what name you write under.
Thanks, Deanna! And thanks to Parajunkee for hosting this stop on the tour!
I have truly enjoyed every book of Julie’s I have read. i am really excited about this one.
I’m looking forward to the release of RELEASE ME. I also received some good advice. Don’t sneak a peak just go with the flow. Thank you.
Our plans are to go to a David Broza concert at our temple. Should be awesome.
My plans are to stay at home and enjoy my children this Christmas <3
I've never read a book by Ms. Kenner (under any pseudonym) but I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on this one
Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.
I’ve really enjoyed your other books, and can’t wait to read the new one.
Thank you for the interview and I can’t wait for the book to come out! For Christmas we are traveling to be with my mother and family for Noche Buena aka Good Night. Great food and gift exchanges are done the evening before. Merry Christmas to you both.
thanks, everyone for all the great comments! I hope you all have a fabulous holiday!
I plan on spending Christmas with my husband & children, as we do every year
We’ve always had the tradition of staying home so the kids could enjoy their loot.
I’ve never has the pleasure of reading a book by this author, under any pseudonym, However, RELEASE ME looks amazing and I can’t wait to get my hands on it!
Thanks for the giveaway,
hesperialovesbooks(AT)gmail(DOT)com
We plan to have a meal with family and friends.
Yes. One year we located a present that had been forgotten. Unfortunately, it was March by the time it was discovered.
We moved to a smaller house this year and I’ve had a harder time finding hiding spots! Hopefully they aren’t disappointed if they’ve peeked!
No special plans this year except to hang out and enjoy being together.
I’ve read Release Me (NetGalley) and I LOVED it! Can’t wait for the next one! LOL!
I am visiting my parents, and I get to see a Great Uncle that I haven’t seen in about 10 years.
No special plans
Just dinner with family and 13 cats <3 We might dress up the cats with tiny Santa hats and mittens and then have a family picture taken with the Christmas tree! Lol
Merry Christmas Julie and wishing you success on the release of Release Me! I enjoyed Carpe Demon and I can't wait to read Release Me!
We have tons of Christmas plans. We’ve already had 2 family get-togethers over the weekend, another one tonight, another one tomorrow, and the last next weekend. Release Me sounds wonderful! Can’t wait to read it, thanks for the giveaway
I’m just spending time with my family and close friends! Thanks!
No special plans just time with the family