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Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book, Short Stories from Eden's Garden, soccer mom updates

Desperately Seeking Werewolves- coming soon

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Welcome back to our Liquid Friday blog. We’re excited to announce our next book in the Help Wanted Series.

Here’s the blurb:

What would you do if the guy you’ve been crushing on kept you in the friend zone and you found out it’s becuase you were betrothed to a werewolf? Sasha’s been in love with Jinx since she met him. He’s the perfect geek complete with tech pockets and wide rimmed glasses. She knows there is more to him than meets the eye, but then she meets her betrothed, the very sexy Werewolf King Gavin and sparks fly. Will she end up with her first love or embrace the King of the Werewolves?

Other books in the series:

While we wait for the gods of Amazon to pot our book, books 1 & 2 in the series are still available for purchase and now also on Audiobook with virtual voice narration.

Book 1

https://a.co/d/e9G93DG

In her last year of college, with the promise of an exciting future in veterinary medicine, Autumn discovers she won’t live to see her next birthday.
Before she blinks out, her dying wish is to be immersed in her own movie fantasy of vampires and monsters, even if just for a moment.
For as long as Autumn can remember, Horror films were her favorites. She connected with those monsters on the screen, flawed, strange, and beautiful in their own way. Before the final curtain is drawn, Autumn wants to meet the monsters she’s dreamed of her entire life. She puts up a help wanted ad for a hospice nurse, titled: Desperately Seeking Vampire. 
Andrei, a man hot enough to melt Autumns steel resolve accepts the job offer and agrees to play the game… but is he just pretending? And what happens when things get hot in the bedroom?
As Autumn begins to fall for Andrei, they embark on a monster seeking adventure, and she soon discovers that some fantasies are real.

Book 2

https://a.co/d/4LhLGGn

After finding her twin brother murdered, Madison hunts down the suspected killers, only to find out they are vampires. Needles to say, she gets subdued, captured and placed on trial by the Conclave. She knows to much to be allowed to live, but they seem hesitant to just kill her. One of the Obsidians, a group of Conclave’s enforcers, named Gabriel saves her life by offering to keep her captive for the rest of her life or until she willingly chooses to become a vampire.

She vows to kill them all, even the one who saved her life, while she bides her time and plots to escape. She’d put a stake in his heart, but the longer she is around him the deeper Maddie falls in love with him.

To help put the ghost of her murdered brother to rest, despite never finding his body, she participates in his memorial celebration and all hell breaks loose as werewolves bent on world domination crash the event.

Will Maddie ever find out what happened to her brother? Will she kill every last member of the Conclave or spend eternity with Gabriel?

Butler and Mooshu- enjoying a little sunshine

Since we usually include a cocktail, I’ll be popping open a bottle of bubbly tonight to celebrate the completion of another book and enjoying some Mimosas tomorrow. Since I party with children and the two little werewolves, I’ll also have some sparkling cider, pear is my absolute favorite. If you’re drinking, stay home or uber back safely. Please don’t drink and drive.

While we wait for the big release day for book three, here’s a little author info-

About the author

Eden Freed approaches everything with a Jersey Girl tenacity, whether it’s researching material for her newest book, soccer mom duties, or training the “Perpetual Puppy” a.k.a. Butler the Chinese Crested Powderpuff and his younger brother from another mother, Mooshu. Eden loves the beach, a good cocktail, cozy reading time, and a good walk with Butler. Don’t forget to visit her blog for Cocktail Recipes, Guest Authors’ Insights, and Books . She loves your feedback, so please leave a review or a comment on her blog . Happy reading!

Thanks for reading!

Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed

Mocktails & Mayhem

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Cranberry Mint Mojito Mocktail

For dry January we have some fun mocktail recipes. Since the Lunar New Year is just weeks away we have guest author, Deserie Kelly, with some book previews.

Book 1

https://a.co/d/0EXoxo9

A bullied orphan. A life-changing martial arts contest. An ancient rivalry showing its bloody claws…

Chinatown, New York City. Silver is tired of never fitting in. After years of teaching at her adoptive uncle’s kung-fu school, the loyal seventeen-year-old is depressed to see a mediocre student promoted above her. So she’s thrilled at the chance to redeem her honor by competing in a high-level tournament where the winner performs the complex dragon dance during Chinese New Year.

Training hard to win, the determined young woman forces herself to ignore the instant attraction she feels to a handsome boy at a rival school. But after she emerges victorious, Silver is horrified when her triumph is rewarded with a deadly attack by a demon-in-disguise.

On the run from a sinister enemy she can’t remember, with only the cute kung fu master as an ally, will this accomplished fighter discover her destiny before her flame is eternally extinguished?

Book 2

https://a.co/d/43OTdF1

Kuàilè Shu has just settled into a new life and found her place in Silver’s Kung Fu school where she has both admiration and respect from other students, friends, and immortals. She’s now a junior in high school with all the hopes and dreams of any girl, mortal or otherwise: finding the perfect prom dress, going to college, finding love. Then, Monkey shows up…..
Thrown in the whirlwind of jealousy, insecurity and a mission she has left incomplete, Kuàilè bets all on a mortal existence. But is giving up immortality the right choice when a demon capable of possessing even the immortals themselves is after her and those she loves the most?

Book 3

https://a.co/d/86N1SSK

Kelly, one of the Zodiac Shifters, has a terrible secret that has kept her from pursuing love. She has all but given up on ever having happiness, but life is full of surprises. Jamin, for all his size and strength, is just as shy. Despite their personal hangups, it looks like the stars might finally align on the couple until tragedy strikes.


Silver is ready to have her baby when the magic begins to fade around her. Damian is off battling demons that have the worst timing, and that says a lot for a dragon capable of freezing time. Silver isn’t sure she’s even ready to be a mother. Fushi is there to help, but Silver needs Damian, now!


Can Kelly overcome her own dangerous secrets to save the love of her life or has time run out on her as a Zodiac Shifter? Will Silver have her baby on the earthly plane or make it back to the Jade Palace in time with Damian? Find these answers and more in the latest Tales of the Zodiac Shifters story: No Time for Regrets-Tales of the Zodiac Shifters Book 3

Tales of the Zodiac Shifters series has more books to come so catch up now before you are left behind.

Cranberry Mojito Mocktail Recipe

Before we get started, since I have diabetics in the family, I also offer substitutes for sugar whenever possible in my recipes.

Ingredients:

2-3 Tablespoons fresh or frozen cranberries

5-6 cranberries to garnish

1/2 ounce simple syrup/ or sugar free lemon lime soda

1/2 lime for juice

1 slice lime for garnish

1 sprig (7-8 leaves) mint for mix

1 sprig mint to garnish

Seltzer

(Optional) Alcohol free/ sugar free rum flavoring

Ice

You’ll also need:

Mortar and pestle to muddle cranberries and mint

Spoon to mix

Glass with ice and straw to serve

How to:

  1. Muddle cranberries and mint together until flavor is released
  2. Mix in simple syrup or sugar free lemon lime soda
  3. Pour over glass filled with ice and garnish with lime wedge, cranberries, and sprig of mint.
  4. Serve and enjoy

If you have trouble finding cranberries and mint you can use mint flavored seltzer and unsweetened cranberry juice or use cranberry juice cocktail (sugar free cranberry juice mixer) and omit the simple syrup/sugar free lemon lime soda.

Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book

Just In Time for Halloween Reading

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Desperately Seeking Vampire Hunter: A Help Wanted Romance (Help Wanted Romance Series Book 2) has been published and we’re pleased as punch, cranberry punch to be precise (recipe below).

Cranberry Punch for your Halloween Party (see recipe below)

About the Author:

Since it’s me, I’ll be candid. I am a beach loving Jersey girl with a spooky obsession. I blame all those books on cryptozoology and monsters that I read as a child for making me the lady that’s just bat-shit crazy over Halloween.

Even before the autumnal equinox, I’m busy as a bee preparing for Halloween. It’s my absolute favorite holiday and I kinda put a spooky twist on everything, even my favorite treat- candy apples.

When you are a fulltime writer and Mom to a large family, you learn to make due and save the splurges for science center memberships and walking sticks for our hikes. Instead of buying overpriced costumes, I let the imps pick out cool weapons and implements (gotta have swords) and make more unique costumes for Halloween with the aid of a sewing machine (or 3) we use year round for alterations and my ebay store (paying for the tiny sickly canid monster’s medical care with my earnings).

This year my youngest imp, Soph, decided to make his own costume and I couldn’t be prouder. I supervised while he picked out a pattern, shopped for fabric (coupons, coupons, coupons), and read the instructions to prepare himself. He pinned and cut everything out and slowly the garment began to take shape. There was a small accident with pinking sheers that left a little hole as he was trimming his edges, but he patched it up and you can’t tell even up close. Costume finished, he put it on and paraded around the house, victorious.

His older brother Esteban found some cool weapons in one of the many Halloween stores we visited. Spirit Halloween is his favorite store and he will probably stop by every one within a two hours drive of our home-it’s an obsession. This year he needs a black cape for his costume and is now completely out of children’s sizes that we have at home, so it may give Soph an extra sewing project to do before Halloween.

Unless it’s raining, the plan is to put our the big folding table complete with spooky tablecloth, the black flame candle, the book, and wait for a virgin to arrive-or something like that. We will have safe spooky treats like spider rings and candy for the thirty to fifty trick-or-treaters brave enough to stop by and let me ooh and ahh over their costumes.

This will be my first year having two crazy canids (dogs) to dress for Halloween and I haven’t even started on their costumes yet, so I have to play catch-up now and come up with something truly brilliant. Wish me luck.

Book Blurb:

After finding her twin brother murdered, Madison hunts down the suspected killers, only to find out they are vampires. She gets subdued, captured, and placed on trial by the Conclave. She knows too much to be allowed to live, but they seem hesitant to just kill her outright. Gabriel, one of the Obsidians, a group of Conclave’s enforcers, saves her life by offering to keep her captive for the rest of her life or until she willingly chooses to become a vampire.

She vows to kill them all, even the one who saved her life, while she bides her time and plots to escape. Madison would put a stake in his heart, but the longer she is around him the deeper Maddie falls in love with him.

To help put the ghost of her murdered brother to rest, despite never finding his body, Madison participates in his memorial celebration and all hell breaks loose as werewolves, bent on world domination, crash the event.

Will Maddie ever find out what happened to her brother’s body? Will she kill every last member of the Conclave or spend eternity with Gabriel?

A word from the Author, Eden Freed:

I hope you get to read Desperately Seeking Vampire Hunter: A Help Wanted Romance (Help Wanted Romance Series Book 2). Yes, Autumn is still in there, but we have switched focus to Madison for this book. I have some more fun in store for Book 3 and even bigger plans for the series. If you have KU, you’ll get to read them all for FREE. I’ve kept the price down for eBooks and you can always order a signed copy from me or get yours at one of my book signing events. If you’re saving your money for Halloween costumes and candy, ask your library to order a copy.

I always appreciate likes, stars, and shares for both the blog and the books, so thanks for making this Jersey girl smile. It take a lot of juggling squeezing in writing time with two amazing dogs and five busy children, but you keep me motivated, thanks. Enjoy the recipe below.

Cranberry Punch Recipe: Perfect for Cocktails, Mocktails, and little Monsters at the door

Ingredients:

64 ounces Cranberry Juice (cran-grape or sugar-free work great, too)

1 liter Gingerale or Lemon Lime Soda(can be sugar-free)

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 lemon

Optional: Gummy spiders, gummy worms, and gummy bugs to adorn glasses, eyeball ice cubes look cool floating in the punch.

Optional: Add 1/2 liter of your favorite vodka and 8 oz blackberry brandy for partygoers over 21

Instructions:

Mix ingredients in a large punch bowl with plenty of ice and serve. Have some Gummy body parts, eyes, spiders, worms… to adorn glasses for extra fun.

Caution: If serving children and adults, make it alcohol free. Children tend to try everything at a party, so its safer to stick with a mocktail. You’ll be certain adults can drive their children back home safely, if they haven’t ingested alcohol. If it’s only an adults party and you are drinking, pre-plan transportation (party bus, Uber, Lyft…), so everyone is as safe as can be. DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE

Have a Safe and Spooky Halloween!

Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book

Desperately Seeking Vampire Hunter- Cover Reveal

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We’ll have this book available for purchase soon but in the mean time a little teaser is in order. Let’s start with the cover.

Since the vampires won’t be drinking cocktails, we’re making Assam Iced Tea- directions below.

About the book-

Madison is an a vlogger, filling her days with adrenaline and candy fueled adventures her brother arranges. It seems like the perfect life until her brother is killed.

She blames vampires for his murder, and after losing her temper in front of the conclave ends up beholden to Gabriel, oldest of the Obsidians.

On the other side of the world, Queen Autumn is bringing the clans together. Her dream of peace is almost within reach. Meanwhile, several high ranking members of the conclave and rival clans want nothing more than to see Queen Autumn’s plans foiled.

Madison is about to find out not all vampires are out for blood, but which ones can she trust? What happens when clan politics are put to the test?

Sometimes you just need to call in a vampire hunter.

Assam Iced Tea-

What you need:

Water

2 Heaping tablespoons Assam Black Tea

Lemon to taste

Honey or sugar to taste

Ice

I steep my Assam Tea in a small 2 cup glass pot for an hour- bitters have health benefits and I don’t rush the process. This also lets the tea concentrate cool naturally.

As this is now a concentrated tea, I fill a tall glass with ice and pour enough of the concentrate to fill in the gaps(usually 1/2 cup to 1 cup). Add a wedge of lemon or freshly squeezed lemon juice for a vitamin c pick me up.

Books worth checking out, My Book, soccer mom updates

In Favor of Horror Fans Everywhere

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I think most of us began as fearless children, the ones that wanted to jump the highest on the trampoline, swing highest, build a ramp and take it at top speed, sit on the edge of a cliff and looked down, rode the Cyclone as many times as they’d let us in a row(trust me it was a lot)… we set the bar high.

What separated us from the rest of the pack wasn’t a lack of imagination of the bad things that could happen with our stunts. To the contrary, we probably had the best imaginations of the horrors that could occur, we just didn’t let fear stop us. We didn’t let anything stop us. We ate that fear like it was sugar coated cereal on a Saturday morning.

While our friends cringed and covered their eyes, ours were wide open. We waited for that little terror to make us giggle and make us feel alive. We were the first to tell spooky stories by the campfire and approached Halloween with religious reverence. (Still the best day of the year)

We played out Horror movies in backyards and parks and got into character, complete with black trash bag capes and weird smelling leftover plastic Halloween masks. The thrill was everything.

And with classic horror movies like Nosferatu, The thing With Two Heads, Mars Needs Women, Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Black Cat, Fall of the House of Usher, the Phantom of the Opera… we got hooked on the terror and the monster themselves. In the 1908’s we saw so many great monster movie remakes. They were brilliant and we were so ready for them.

Then came slasher movies like the Nightmare on Elm Street, Sleepaway Camp, Halloween. Puppet Master… How many of us bought that Freddy Krueger glove and sat in the movie theater for the third or fourth time scaring the wits out of unsuspecting people? Okay, I did but it was all in fun.

We’ve watch so many great vampire films like Near Dark, the Hunger, the Lost Boys, Fright Night… and laughed at so many cheesy ones like Modern Vampires, Vampire’s Kiss, Subspecies, My Best Friend is A Vampire, Vamp… while we were reading incredible books like Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire (we’ll chat about that movie later).

And we ate up movies with jump scares like Poltergeist, the Evil Dead, Pet Sematary, the Exorcist, IT, Cujo, the Descent, Hell House and others because we couldn’t get enough. It’s in our blood.

Highschool ended and I packed up my things (movie posters included) to take with me to college. The first day I went room to room knocking on every door trying to find all the horror film fans I could and I brought out my shoebox of vhs horror films and we sat and giggled our asses off watching them. They were also the same group that went to comic book conventions and got the very best vampire/monster/horror comics, some wrapped in brown paper for mature audiences only-but they got them all the same in vinyl bags with backboards or cruised the mall for the bookstores and read every scary word they could find. You know your people and where to find them.

Now we are streaming horror films and playing the audio in our cars or as ringtones on our phones and why not? It’s all in fun, right? Break out the popcorn for viewers in the back while we drive to the latest horror film, horror book signing, vampire convention, book store hunt, or other dark broody adventure.

So, in that same adventurous giddy horror bound spirit, I give you Autumn Ravenwood, our heroine in Desperately Seeking Vampire: Help Wanted Romance Series now available free on Amazon KU, for ebook or paperback purchase. https://www.amazon.com/Desperately-Seeking-Vampire-Wanted-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CLXV6GNG?

If your the choosy connoisseur and prefer a signed copy, those will be available directly from me at Vampires of New Jersey Convention on November 18, 2023 from 2p to 8p at QXT’s Night Club, 248 Mulberry St, Newark, NJ.

I think we’re going to have a fabulous day with lots of people in the horror movie industry, writers, vampires… who knows. You don’t want to miss it, so get your tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vampires-of-new-jersey-convention-tickets-655033150787

I’m going to be there and we’re going to have some fun, talk about horror films, books, comics… Promise I’ll keep the Freddy Krueger glove at home, so the scares will have to come from someone else this time (maybe).

Claire will be vending jewelry to die for and I’m going to have some kooky things like filled coffins, goodies, give aways, and we’ll also have Deserie Kelly’s Zodiac Shifters books.

What’s your absolute favorite horror film?

Books worth checking out, Liquid Friday with Eden Freed, My Book

Halloween Happenings

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New Book for Spooky October

Though I try and celebrate everyday, Halloween is extra special for me. I decorate, bake, make up goody bags with lots of candy, snacks, and prizes for my trick or treaters(sometimes overwhelming them with my costumed dog- Butler), but it’s all in fun.

In that same playful spirit, I am releasing my newest book, Desperately Seeking Vampire: Help Wanted Romance Series to Kindle unlimited and ebook on Amazon (link below the image)

https://a.co/d/eBe60IM

Get your copy now and tell me what you think of it. Does it get you in the mood for some spooky fun?

So easy to get spooky!

I’ll be mixing up a batch of cocktails this evening, before I break out a bottle of Apothic Red Wine and my favorite NY aged cheddar. You can turn any drink spooky with a black olive stuffed cocktail onion. If you’redrinking adult beverages take and Uber or Lyft home and save that blood for a vampire.