Tag Archives: #amwriting

Freebie Friday!

It’s Mardi Gras and we couldn’t be happier! We’re making enough sweets and treats to keep us busy until Fat Tuesday(shrove Tuesday), but rather than give you a recipe, we’ve got a FREE ebook short story for you today on Amazon.

Just click the link below to download your copy (this weekend only) and get you in the Mardi Gras mood. Relax with a nice chicory coffee and some warm beignets or a slice of King’s Cake. Pick your favorite jazz artist from Louisiana and enjoy our short story.

https://www.Amazon.com/dp/B079WJGTC7

If you enjoyed King of the Mardi Gras, leave us a review and check out our other books. Our All Tied Up In Knots series has 2 full books and 6 short reads- perfect to keep you busy between Mardi Gras parties.

Laissez les bons temps rouler. 🎺 (Let the good times roll.)

Virgin Hurricanes and Mardi Gras Happenings

We’re past the middle of Dry January 2023 and two weeks into Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans. What better time to mix up a batch of Virgin Hurricanes and check out the parade?

To see this year’s parade route, click on the link below. Recipe to follow.

https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/parades/

Virgin Hurricane Recipe-

Ingredients-

  • 2 cups Passion Fruit Juice
  • 1 cup Orange Juice
  • 1 cup Pineapple Juice
  • 1/2 lime to 1 lime depending on taste
  • A generous pour of Grenadine syrup for that lovely color
  • Lemon lime soda of your choice- diet is ok, but remember that fruit juice has lots of carbs
  • Ice
  • Garnish: orange slice and cherry, lime if you like it tart

Directions

  • Mix fruit juice in pitcher (recipe can be doubled) add half the lime and more if needed
  • Add grenadine syrup for taste, sweetness, and color
  • Set mix aside- grenadine will settle so make sure you mix just before pouring into glasses
  • Fill Hurricane glasses with ice
  • Pour glasses 2/3 to 3/4 full with fruit juice mixture
  • Add lemon lime soda to thin juice, stir, garnish, and serve

Your guests will have so much fun watching the parade with these mock-tails they might even forget there’s no alcohol in them.

Don’t forget to read King of the Mardi Gras: A Short Story From Eden’s Garden and Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler (let the good times roll).

King of the Mardi Gras: A Short Story From Eden’s Garden https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079WJGTC7?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_0C3FZZN11XBYTYARGCXJ

This may be my biggest blog yet!

All eight books in the All Tied Up In Knots Series are finally available on Amazon! here are the links:

Knot An Actress: (Formerly Violet Blooms) (All Tied Up In Knots) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09S3XYZLT/

Knot A Geek (All Tied Up In Knots) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09S6JLBCX/

Knot His Superior (All Tied Up In Knots) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SGC5M2S/

Knot A Criminal (All Tied Up In Knots) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SGHM2CH/

Knot Daddy’s Girl : Formerly: Sweet, With a Hint of Kink (All Tied Up In Knots) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SHZ3LD3/

Knot A Photographer: Formerly: The Picture of My Heart (All Tied Up In Knots) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SGCLW8W/

Knot A Bunny: Formerly: Rope Bunny (All Tied Up In Knots) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09SGCGP2H/

Knot a Princess (All Tied Up In Knots) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FVN81Y6/

All Tied Up In Knots Series Release

I’m so excited that we, my partner in crime and I, are finally able to get some new stories out to you. Living with autoimmune illness can make shifts in weather dreadful, and this winter has been a beast. I’m waiting for my summer beach days where I can breath in the salt air or hit my favorite farm for tree ripened nectarines and a glass of homemade lemonade. In the meantime, I’ve decorated my window to the world for the next holiday and finished up this series (unless someone coaxes a sequel out of me).

Our All Tied Up In Knots series is bringing you new titles and some rereleases with bold new covers. Here is the list, you may recognize some of the works, but I have plenty of surprises in store for you. I’ll be posting the links as they become available. See below for our Perpetual Puppy, Butler’s take on things.

Knot An Actress- 1st in the series- formerly published as Violet Blooms, we’ve brought this story back with a new cover and a few changes. see if you can spot them. (Novel)

Knot A Geek- 2nd in the series- what could be more fun than a romp through a science lab? (Quick read)

Knot His Superior- 3rd in the series- I’ve heard that all is fair in love and war, but is it really? (FMF Quick read)

Knot A Criminal- 4th in the series- Balloons, Steampunk, and Kink, oh my! Holly is on the run from her past that includes a double homicide. She has no recollection of the events and wants to keep it in the past for a reason, she might just be the killer. Focusing on the future has Holly hopeful to learn pyrotechnics from a master of more than one skill. As she begins to fall for him, her past starts catching up with her. Now, she is torn between her desire for love and her fear of what she might be capable of. (Novel)

Knot Daddy’s Girl- 5th in the series- formerly: Sweet, With. Hint of Kink- Cala is a brat used to getting her own way. It’s simple, she only has to ask Daddy for something and she gets it. She’s about to find out that even the most powerful man she knows can be powerless to get her what she needs. Chef Pain is a man of principles, and no amount of money or power can intimidate him. He is a Dominant with his own power. He’s about to teach Cala, that power comes from within. (Short)

Knot a Photographer- 6th in the series- formerly: The Picture of My Heart- Julianne is an aspiring photojournalist making a living as a wedding photographer. Her muse is looking for something more and she finds it with Ann, famous artist Tadeusz Christov’s companion/model. The deeper Julianne probes, the more she discovers about Ann and Christov, until she isn’t sure what is real. The only thing she knows is what she wants, Ann. (FF short)

Knot A Bunny- 7th in the series- formerly: Rope Bunny- Candy wants nothing more than to be in Master’s Colt’s ropes. She’s new to the scene and hopes reality will one day match her fantasies, but when she meets DM Ethan Thompson she begins to wonder is she has been pining for the wrong Dom. (Short)

Knot A Princess- 8th in the series- Briar is a young mother and widow, struggling to cope with loss. No man can measure up to a hero that had given his life for his country, but that leaves Briar lonely. She bravely puts on Princess dress to entertain children at parties filled with rich snobs, so she can provide for her son. Then, this new age Cinderella gets noticed by the prince. Will this be just another gig, or happily ever after?

Butler the Perpetual Puppy has been spending his winter enjoying some well deserved snuggle time after his morning walks. Despite his ability to coerce snacks out of everyone, he is still a skinny energetic Chinese Crested powderpuff, with a very shaggy coat- the longest no shave November ever. This Spring he plans shave his winter coat, run around the dog park, and chase squirrels.

Workshop Submissions for 2018 Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference

We are very pleased to announce that it is now possible to submit workshop proposals for the 2018 Liberty States Fiction Writers Conference.

You can submit your proposal at: http://www.libertystatesfictionwriters.com/workshopsubmissions/

We are looking for workshops related to writing, the readers’ track, and a young adult track geared toward younger writers.  The writing and young adult workshops can be about craft, author wellness, the business of writing, promotion, self-publishing, etc.  The readers’ panels can be either fun and games or workshops intended to bring readers into the mind of the author.

Looking forward to seeing your proposals.  Feel free to forward this email to other writing groups and friends.

Registration for the conference is tentatively scheduled to open on September 1.  The room block will be open before that date and we will provide additional information on room rates, etc. at that time.

Thank you!

Liquid Friday with author Diana Strenka

This week we are featuring historical fiction writer Diana Strenka, author of  Blackbeard’s Daughter  available now on Amazon Kindle.

But before we dive into her book lets find out from Diana what is her favorite cocktail.

My favorite cocktail is the strawberry daiquiri. I am not sure what the recipe is, as I am used to other people making it for me. But I enjoy drinking it near the beach, as it reminds me of summertime. 🙂

I absolutely adore history, and I have a special fondness for colonial America. I got the opportunity to visit Bath, NC, a few years ago. Blackbeard was rumored to have visited during his piracy years. The city has a special kind of magic to it that you can only experience by being there.

Not to worry Diana, we do have a recipe for you and for all of your fans:

Recipe:

  • 6 cups of ice
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 4 ounces frozen strawberries
  • 1/8 cup lime juice
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup rum
  • 1/4 cup lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage

strawdaiquiriIn a blender, combine ice, sugar and strawberries. Pour in lime juice, lemon juice, rum and lemon-lime soda. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

 

 

So lest kick back with this delicious beverage and learn more about Dian’s latest book:  Blackbeard’s Daughter

Synopsis:

Blackbeard’s life begins as a wealthy and privileged child who desires to be free from the confines of upper-class life. The murder of his beloved servant and the loveless marriage between his parents scar him emotionally. He eventually marries and has a child named Margaret. Her life takes one disastrous turn after the other as she confronts the perils of illness, murder, war, assault, and revenge. When her father decides to pursue a life aboard a pirate’s vessel, Margaret eventually joins him in an effort to save his life. Though unsuccessful, Margaret discovers the unforgettable treasure that her father has left her: love, laughter, and an unquenchable spirit for adventure.

Excerpt:

I showed up at Father’s door a few days later. I was determined. I had a mission. And blackbeardnothing would change my mind.
“Margaret, I advise – strongly – against you doing any kind of combat.”
“Father, they stole everything from me. I have nothing left.”
“Margaret, this is very dangerous.”
“Yes, well, life is dangerous. But I can’t sit around and let things continue to happen. Not anymore.”
Father sighed. He handed me four handguns. “The key, Margaret, is to never reload. Reload, and die. It’s much better to have several guns already loaded.”
“Alright.”
“Do you need to practice more?”
“No. I think I can manage. Thank you, though.”
“Alright. We are launching an attack on an English base due west of here. Will you join us?”
“You know I will.”
**
The next day, I prepared my weapons. I saw the English ship sailing straight for us. I knew we were in for a fight.
I boarded the ship first, screaming. The men appeared taken aback by this. An empowered woman, leading the charge against the enemy! I shot them point blank range, straight in the head.
“Miss, please!” one of them cried. “I can’t fight a woman!” I stared deep into his eyes, and shot him in his throat. He stumbled back, and then fell off the ship.
It was the quickest battle we’d ever had.
I stood over the massive body count I had accumulated. The pirates stared at me, their mouths gaping. But no one spoke.
“Send me the next one,” I demanded. “I want more.”
“Margaret, we need time to recharge.”
“I don’t care! Send me more!”
“We can launch some raids.”
“I’ll kill those men, too!”
“Margaret, you made me promise not to kill captives.”
I paused. I had forgotten about that.
“More attacks! More!”
Father had orchestrated some offensive moves to quell our English enemies. I lead the charge, screaming, picking off the men one-by-one. I developed a bit of a reputation among the pirates. They didn’t know what to think of a cruel, murderous woman. It went against all their sensibilities.
The more men I killed, the better. I considered it a trophy of my rage.
Father was able to terrify the Englishmen with his fiery beard. I, meanwhile, had to rely on sheer strength and power. But ultimately, we were the perfect pairing. No one could destroy us.

About author Diana Strenka:

books are a gift

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, and a Master’s Degree in Education. I have dianaauthored and self-published several short stories on Smashwords and Amazon.   One such title is Rescuing the Titanic, a fictional account of the Californian arriving before the Titanic sank. I have also published several nonfiction articles for HubPages on medieval and renaissance historical figures. Feel free to click on the link below to access all 10 articles.