Wednesday, July 31, 2019

"Rocky Mountain K9 Unit Series"--from author Katie Ruggle--set in the beautifully rugged Colorado Rockies--K9 unit officers and their devoted partners will "Protect & Serve" at all costs--especially to keep safe the women who have claimed their hearts

Run to Ground (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit, #1)



He lost his mentor.
He lost his K9 partner.
He almost lost his will to live.
But when a ruthless killer targets a woman on the run, Theo and his new K9 companion will do whatever it takes to survive—and save the woman neither can live without.


Grieving the death of his partner, Theo Bosco has no room in his life for distractions. Though his instincts scream that he should avoid Juliet 'Jules' Jackson, he can't seem to stay away. It doesn't help that Theo's new K9 companion has fallen head over paws with Jules's rambunctious family.

Or that when he's with her, Theo finally knows peace.

When Jules rescued her siblings, whisking them away to the safety of the beautifully rugged Colorado Rockies, she never expected to catch the eye—or the heart—of a cop. Yet as Jules struggles to fight her growing attraction to the brooding K9 officer, another threat lurks much closer to home...


And this time, there's no escape.



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"Run to Ground is a great series opener and will find fans with readers who enjoy brooding cops and heroines that challenge them. 4 1/2 Stars, TOP PICK
" - RT Book Reviews


"Gripping suspense, unique heroines, sexy heroes." ―CHRISTINE FEEHAN, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

 "I love Ruggle's characters. They're sharply drawn, and vividly alive. I'm happy when they find each other. These are wonderful escapist books."―CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Sookie Stackhouse series

"Sexy and suspenseful, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough."―JULIE ANN WALKER, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author for Hold Your Breath 
 
"Chills and thrills and a sexy slow-burning romance from a terrific new voice."―D.D. AYRES, author of the K-9 Rescue Series for Hold Your Breath

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On the Chase (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit, #2)



Injured in the line of duty,
His orders are simple: Stay alive.
 
But when a frightened woman bursts into his life, Hugh and his K9 companion have no choice but to risk everything to keep her safe.

The sole witness to a horrific crime, Kaylee Ramay flees to the Colorado Rockies to start a new life. There she becomes Grace, a dog kennel employee desperately trying to avoid attention—especially from dangerously attractive K9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.

Because Hugh is tall, dark…and nothing but trouble.

Hugh is anxious to get back in the field after an act of heroism left him warming the bench. Until then, he and his K9 partner Lexi spend their hours teasing the town’s mysterious newcomer. But when their simmering attraction is nearly cut short by a sniper’s bullet, Hugh’s mystery woman must come clean about the secrets she keeps…

Or both of them will pay the price.


Survive the Night (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit, #3) 



He's always been a haven:
For the lost. The sick. The injured.
But when a hunted woman takes shelter in his arms, this gentle giant swears he'll do more than heal her battered spirit―he'll defend her with his life.


K9 Officer Otto Gunnersen always had a soft spot for anyone in need. As Monroe's very own Dr. Doolittle, he dedicates himself to rehabilitating the injured souls that cross his path―but for all his big heart, he's never been in love.

Until he meets Sarah Clifton's haunted eyes. Until he realizes he'll do anything to save her.

All Sarah wants is to escape a life caught between ambitious crime families, but there's no outrunning her past. Her power-mad brother would hunt her to the ends of the earth...but he'd never expect Sarah to fight back. With Otto and the whole of Monroe, Colorado by her side, Sarah's finally ready to face whatever comes her way.

It's time to take a stand.
 



Through the Fire (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit, #4) 


 
He’s tall.
He’s dark.
He’s brutally handsome…
And he may be her only hope.

 
Kit Jernigan despairs of ever fitting in with her new tight-knit K9 unit. They've been through too much to open their arms to a stranger―and as mysterious fires begin raging across Monroe, she can't convince them to trust her long enough to catch the woman she knows is responsible.

Wesley March, local fire spotter, knows Kit is right, and he's willing to help her prove it. But the more time they spend together, the closer they get...and the more danger they're in. A member of the K9 unit's inner circle is determined to get revenge―no matter who gets burned in the process.
This time, it's personal.
 




Katie Ruggle

Katie Ruggle 

A fan of the old adage “write what you know”, Katie Ruggle lived in an off-grid, solar- and wind-powered house in the Rocky Mountains until her family lured her back to Minnesota. When she’s not writing, Katie rides horses, trains her three dogs, cross-country skis (badly) and travels to warm places where she can scuba dive. A graduate of the Police Academy, Katie received her ice-rescue certification and can attest that the reservoirs in the Colorado mountains really are that cold. A fan of anything that makes her feel like a bad-ass, she has trained in Krav Maga, boxing and gymnastics. You can connect with Katie at http://katieruggle.com/, https://www.facebook.com/katieruggleb..., or on Twitter @KatieRuggle 

HER NAME IS LOLA--and "What LOLA Wants", LOLA gets!--smart, sexy, savvy PI Lola Cruz stars in her own fast, funny mystery series from author Melissa Bourbon

Living the Vida Lola (A Lola Cruz Mystery, #1)



Meet Lola Cruz. After paying her dues as an intern, she’s now a full-fledged detective at Camacho and Associates. Her boss is Manny Camacho, a muy caliente former cop with a mysterious ex-wife, a Lara Croft look-alike girlfriend, and a sudden personal interest in Lola.

Her first big case? A missing mother who may not want to be found. And to make her already busy life even more complicated, Lola’s helping her cousin plan her quinceaƱera and battling her family and their old-fashioned views on women and careers. She’s also reunited with the gorgeous Jack Callaghan, her high school crush whom she shamelessly tailed years ago and photographed doing the horizontal salsa with some other lucky girl.

Lola takes it all in stride, but when the subject of her search ends up dead, she realizes she has a lot more to worry about. Soon she finds herself wrapped up in the possibly shady practices of a tattoo parlor, local politics, and someone with serious—maybe deadly—road rage. To top it all off, her treasured post-coital pictures of Jack are missing!

Still, Lola is well-equipped to handle these challenges. She’s a black-belt in kung fu, and her body isn’t her only weapon. She’s got smarts, sass, and more tenacity than her Mexican mafioso-wannabe grandfather. A few of her famous margaritas don’t hurt, either.



Hasta La Vista, Lola (A Lola Cruz Mystery, #2) 



When Lola comes home to her parents’ house to find a horde of relatives mourning her death, no one is more surprised than she is. The news had reported that one Lola Cruz, PI was found murdered in an alley, causing great alarm in the Cruz family.

Before Lola can say “boo,” a cop comes to the house. It turns out the dead woman had a driver’s license with Lola’s information.

Between avoiding an unsavory ex-boyfriend, sorting out mixed signals from the very interested but not yet committed Jack Callaghan, and filling in as a waitress at her parents’ Mexican restaurant, Lola tries to find out who the woman was and why she stole her identity. Was the woman hiding from someone who meant her harm, or is there someone out there who wants Lola dead?

This follow-up to Bourbon’s debut novel, Living the Vida Lola, is a red-hot, fun-filled mystery. Lola, a black belt in Kung Fu who loves to salsa dance, makes for a sexy, unique, and vivacious detective.  



Bare-Naked Lola (A Lola Cruz Mystery, #3) 



Going undercover is second nature for Private Investigator Lola Cruz, but she’s out of her league when the case of a murdered Royals Courtside Dancer leads her to a local nudist resort.

Parading around the sidelines of Sacramento’s professional basketball scene in a barely-there cheer-leading outfit is one thing—but parading around in nothing but a smile?

If she has any chance of hiding this from her traditional family and on-again/off-again boyfriend Jack, she’s going to have a lot more than her duct tape bra and killer dance moves to keep under wraps. 



What Lola Wants 



The Sacramento Police Department has hired Camacho and Associates for one specific reason: They need Lola Cruz to go undercover at The Broadway, a salsa club suspected of running a prostitution ring.

She fits the description: Young, Latina, beautiful, and a PI.

But the secrets at the club go much deeper than anyone thought, and Lola finds herself embroiled in a dangerous game she may not be able to win.



Melissa Bourbon

Melissa Bourbon 

Melissa Bourbon is the author of the Lola Cruz Mystery series, A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series, and the Bread Shop Mystery Series, written as Winnie Archer, as well as a few top secret projects. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love/hate relationship with yoga and chocolate, is devoted to her family, and can't believe she's lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams.

She also has written two romantic suspense novels, a light paranormal romance, and is the co-author of The Tricked-out Toolbox, a practical marketing guide for authors. She lives in the mountains of Colorado where she cuddles with her pug, Bean, and chases after her crazy Siberian Husky, Ivy.
 

 
https://misaramirez.com/

Monday, July 29, 2019

"Modern Calligraphy for Kids: A Step-by-Step Guide and Workbook for Lettering Fun"--jump into the joy of creating fancy, colorful lettering for everything from school assignments to thank you cards and artwork

Modern Calligraphy for Kids: A Step-by-Step Guide and Workbook for Lettering Fun



Calligraphy for kids, step by creative step.

Help kids learn to dazzle friends and family with beautiful writing, thanks to this fun and contemporary guide to calligraphy. Modern Calligraphy for Kids makes it easy for kids ages 9 to 14 to learn the basic techniques―and develop the creativity and control that come with them.

The detailed step-by-step instructions are easy for beginners to follow. You’ll even find built-in practice pages―plus a link to print more anytime. Get started with lists of materials you need, and let kids show off their skills with extra projects like making their own party invitations. Jump into the joy of creating fancy, colorful lettering for everything from school assignments to thank you cards and artwork.

Modern Calligraphy for Kids offers:
  • A brain engaged―Discover the challenge and satisfying sensation of writing on crisp paper with brush pens.
  • Lucky number three―Learn three kinds of letters (serif, sans serif, and script), and three types of calligraphy (pointed brush, monoline, and classic).
  • Real-time progress―The built-in workspaces let kids look back and see how much they’ve improved.
Give kids the tools to teach themselves the art and fun of calligraphy―no screens required.

MY REVIEW:  "Modern Calligraphy for Kids: A Step-by-Step Guide and Workbook for Lettering Fun", from author, painter, and professional calligrapher Sally Sanders, is truly a treat for those who long to add elegance and dramatic flair to their ability to put pen to paper. The book is targeted toward "kids from 9 to 14", but anyone of any age with an interest in calligraphy will greatly enjoy this book. There are three basic forms of lettering: "Serif"; "Sans Serif"; and "Script", and three basic types of calligraphy: "Pointed Brush"; "Monoline"; and "Classic". Included here are: practice pages with a link to download and print off more practice pages; materials guides; and suggestions on how to create special projects for very special occasions. Of course, you may just want to dress up a quick note to a good friend--or it could be that you want to share your heart and soul with a loved one in a one-of-a-kind love letter written just for them. The only limit is your own creativity when dreaming up unique works of art and designs for items like T-shirts, invitations, mugs, cards, menus, and signs. Encouraging and supporting creative inclinations in the young (and young-at-heart) can lead to beautiful results that may turn a hobby into a fulfilling career. 

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers


Sally Sanders

Sally Sanders

Sally lives in the Western US, dwarfed by mountains and endless sky, monolithic sandstone and vast open desert, continually surrounded by beauty that finds its way into her art. She is a painter and a professional calligrapher. She has taught calligraphy to hundreds of students, and finds teaching valuable in helping to ensure the art form is alive and flourishing. Modern Calligraphy for Kids is her first book.

http://sallysanders.com/ 

"Crochet Cute Critters: 26 Easy Amigurumi Patterns"--from alligators to zebras, Crochet Cute Critters features 26 beginner-friendly patterns for creating all kinds of cuddly companions (see my review)

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Crochet a zoo full of adorable animal friends with ease.

Discover how simple crafting your own crochet plush animals can be. From alligators to zebras, Crochet Cute Critters features 26 beginner-friendly patterns for creating all kinds of cuddly companions.

Amigurumi―the Japanese art of crocheting stuffed toys―might seem intimidating, but this book keeps it easy and fun with complete guides that cover everything you need to know. Whether you’re stitching up delightfully huggable gifts for kids or grandkids or just looking to assemble your own plush menagerie, Crochet Cute Critters will have you up and going in no time.

Crochet Cute Critters includes:
  • Cute critters, from A-to-Z―Alex the Alligator, Freddy the Fox, Walter the Whale, Zina the Zebra…choose from 26 lovable designs that span the entire animal kingdom.
  • Amigurumi for everyone―Step-by-step instructions for stitching, detailing, and stuffing make things easy for beginners and experts alike.
  • Build on what you learn―Every animal shares the same basic head and body pattern, allowing you to carry your practice and experience from project to project.
Discover how fun and easy it can be to crochet your own Amigurumi with the help of Crochet Cute Critters.

MY REVIEW: With "Crochet Cute Critters: 26 Easy Amigurumi Patterns", author and crochet world blog-star Sarah Zimmerman provides easy, clear instructions which will allow you to create an adorable stuffed animal to match every letter in the alphabet. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures. For the designs featured in this book, every animal shares the same basic head and body pattern. Working with worsted weight yarn and a size "H" crochet hook, you will create a crocheted animal kingdom by making adaptions to the basic pattern. Who could resist such cuddly creatures as these: "Callie the Cat"; "Ginger the Giraffe"; "Kate the Kangaroo"; "Oswald the Owl"; "Penelope the Penguin"; "Walter the Whale"; and 20 more "cute critters". Each finished animal will measure approximately 10 inches tall by 8 inches wide (from head to foot). Instructions are included on how to stuff and finish the animals and add the features. Follow safety recommendations (avoid choking hazards for small children and pets) when adding plastic eyes and noses and such. You can also add cute faces to your creations by simply stitching on yarn eyes, noses, eyebrows, and smiles.

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers 


Reviews

 

“Sarah Zimmerman of Repeat Crafter Me is a household name in the crochet blogging world! She is well known for her clear, easy-to-follow patterns that always result in cute projects, and the 26 designs in her new book are no exception. Crocheters will love being able to create a wide range of adorable animals for every letter of the alphabet!”―Stephanie Lau, founder of www.allaboutami.com

”From starting stitches to finishing touches . . . Sarah Zimmerman meticulously walks you through the process of creating adorable crochet toys. Sarah’s patterns are both whimsical and thoughtful, making this a valuable addition to any crocheter’s library!”―Katherine, Yarnspirations designer

”Sarah is known for her fun and approachable crochet patterns, and she's brought her adorable aesthetic to this book of fantastic amigurumi! From start to finish, Sarah guides you through 26 alphabetically-organized animal designs that are a delight to make and to give to others.”―Tamara Kelly, founder of Moogly (www.mooglyblog.com)



 Sarah Zimmerman

Sarah Zimmerman 

Sarah is the crocheter, crafter, blogger, wife, and busy mom of three behind the blog Repeat Crafter Me. As an avid crafter and a self-taught crocheter, she took her hobby and passion for the two and created www.RepeatCrafterMe.com as an outlet to share her craft tutorials and free crochet patterns. A graphic designer by trade with an eye for color, Sarah's crochet patterns have gained lots of praise for their fresh, cute designs that are trendy, seasonal, and adaptive. You will find many animal and character hats for babies and kids as well as new and unique designs that appeal to all ages. She offers simple patterns with easy to follow tutorials and detailed step-by-step photos.

Her book "Corner-to-Corner Lap Throws for the Family" is all about C2C Crochet! By following a pixel graph instead of a written pattern, you can incorporate virtually any character or image you want into a crochet blanket. This great book includes how-to instructions and photo tutorials. Also included are instructions for 5 cute throws. All designs are made using #4 worsted-weight yarn.

Her book "Crochet Cute Critters" features 26 lovable amigurumi designs that span the entire animal kingdom. Step-by-step instructions for stitching, detailing, and stuffing make things easy for beginners and experts alike. Every animal shares the same basic head and body pattern, allowing you to carry your practice and experience from project to project.


https://www.repeatcrafterme.com/

Sunday, July 28, 2019

"Perfectly Logical!: Challenging Fun Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids"--helps curious kids develop logical reasoning and critical thinking skills while having a blast (that’s the most important part). With puzzles that progressively increase in difficulty, this book engages and challenges kids for hours on end.

Perfectly Logical!: Challenging Fun Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids

Perfectly Logical!: Challenging Fun Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids


Learn logic the fun way―with PUZZLES!

Find the missing pattern pieces. Break codes and secret messages. Discover visual connections. With ten chapters of puzzles, each with its own set of unique challenges, this book has all the logic and brain teasing fun a child could want!
Perfectly Logical helps curious kids ages 8-12 develop logical reasoning and critical thinking skills while having a blast (that’s the most important part). With puzzles that progressively increase in difficulty, this book engages and challenges kids for hours on end.

Inside this logic puzzles for kids book, you’ll find:
  • 100 skill-building logic puzzles for kids―Solve logic grids, crossword puzzles, matchstick puzzles, and so many more while sharpening critical thinking.
  • Easy-to-follow instructions―Descriptions of the skills your child will learn, plus kid-friendly instructions at the start of every chapter.
  • Next level―Take your skills to a new level with every problem you solve―each activity in this logic puzzles for kids book increases in difficulty from easy to medium to hard to up your game!
Ready, set, solve super fun and educational logic puzzles for kids!

MY REVIEW: It's quite logical and no puzzle at all that young people (and adults) will enjoy learning while making the most of their cognitive skills. Author Jenn Larson's "Perfectly Logical!: Challenging Fun Brain Teasers and Logic Puzzles for Smart Kids" not only motivates minds through pleasant problem solving, it's a lot of fun and may very well cause a increased desire for more and more challenging mental stimuli! The author begins by explaining the benefits of logic puzzles and brain teasers and then advises parents and teachers how they can use this book to include beneficial brain exercises for homeschooling and classroom work. This big, colorful book has a wide variety of activities such as fun logic puzzles and brain-teasers, pattern recognition, analogies, code breakers, logic grid puzzles, crossword puzzles, and more. The work will remain interesting and non-repetitive. This book is suggested for "Ages 8-12", but older kids and adults will also find it very enjoyable.

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers

Image result for JENN LARSON

JENN LARSON has taught elementary students for over twenty years. In addition to teaching, she writes blog posts to share teaching activities and ideas with classroom teachers and homeschool parents on The Teacher Next Door (www.theteachernextdoor.com). When she isn’t solving puzzles, you can find Jenn spending time in nature and doing anything slightly daring, like zip lining and rappelling off of bridges or into caverns.
 

 https://www.the-teacher-next-door.com/meet-jenn

"Sharing Stories, Making Memories: A Journal for Grandparents and Grandchildren"--with fun, insightful questions about childhood, family traditions, friends and relationships, and so much more, this grandparents journal is the perfect place for grandparent and grandchild to get to know each other

Sharing Stories, Making Memories: A Journal for Grandparents and Grandchildren

Sharing Stories, Making Memories: A Journal for Grandparents and Grandchildren

 

Dear grandparents and grandkids, write the story that brings you closer.


In these pages, you’ll pass down family memories and make new ones. You’ll connect the past with the future. You’ll write the story of the special bond you share as grandparent and grandchild. Together.

Sharing Stories, Making Memories is a shared journal for you to strengthen your relationship. With fun, insightful questions about childhood, family traditions, friends and relationships and so much more, this grandparents journal is the perfect place to get to know each other.

Inside this grandparents journal, you’ll find:
  • A shared keepsake —Share your answers and experiences side-by-side with this participation-friendly grandparents journal design.
  • Thoughtful prompts —Connect with each other through fun questions like “what is your favorite family tradition?” or “describe a really fun day when you were little.”
  • Follow your curiosity —Ask and answer your own questions about each other’s lives with blank Q&A pages.
Uncover your unique bond and treasure it forever with this grandparents journal.

MY REVIEW: Grandparents are the best storytellers--especially when they are telling family stories from long ago or spending time having fun and making new memories. Author Scarlet Paolicchi has created "Sharing Stories, Making Memories: A Journal for Grandparents and Grandchildren", a fun little keepsake journal to record memories and experiences from both the past and the present. Designed in a user-friendly format, the book features simple, soft-colored illustrations that give it a light-hearted, happy feel. There are a few pages for drawing, but most of the pages are lined for answering the prompts and questions preprinted on the page. For each exercise, there is a page for the grandchild and a page for the grandparent. The pages face each other, so it's easy to compare what each generation has to say. When the book is filled, it will make an interesting family history, and it may encourage more creative memory sharing throughout family members. There is also a "Family Tree" with space to record from great-grandparents down through the parents and siblings of the child writing in the journal.

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers


Reviews

 

"Scarlet Paolicchi brings her thoughtful charm to a new family resource that spans generations. This book is the perfect way to deepen bonds between grandparents and grandchildren―whether they live next door or halfway across the world!"―Chelsea Day, Founder of somedayilllearn.com

"After parents, grandparents are the single most influential force in a child’s life. Our kids are so fortunate to be able to make such great memories. This journal is the perfect place to share it all."―Stacie Connerty, Founder of DivineLifestyle.com & @StacieinAtlanta

"Sweet. Valuable. Perfect. Time flies too quickly and that’s exactly why this journal is SO important. I knew Scarlet had created something truly special because my heart grew a little with each chapter. I’d truly give anything to have a treasure like this with my own grandparents."―Dawn Lopez of cutefetti.com


Scarlet Paolicchi

Scarlet Paolicchi

Scarlet Paolicchi is founder of Family Focus Blog which she created in 2009 to be a resource for all things family related from parenting, to recipes, to family travel ideas. She enjoys sharing family lifestyle inspiration and connecting with other parents through her blog and social media platforms.

Scarlet has always had a passion for green living and she attended Tulane University where she earned her bachelors in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. She married her college sweetheart and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two children.

Her blog has received several awards and is recognized as a top mom blog. Scarlet has been a guest on NBC Nashville's More At Midday and Today In Nashville shows. Her expertise has been seen in Country Living, Money, Shape Magazine, Family Circle Magazine, Healthline.com, and more. She was a speaker at the BarkWorld Expo and will be a community leader at the 2019 Blissdom conference.

In addition to writing family lifestyle tips for familyfocusblog.com, Scarlet creates content for brands such as Cracker Barrel, Master Lock, Staples, Blue Diamond, Purina and more to connect consumers with useful products in an authentic family setting.




TOM HANKS AS "MR. ROGERS"--A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD - Official Trailer (HD) https://youtu.be/-VLEPhfEN2M via @YouTube

Saturday, July 27, 2019

"The Dogfather Series"--from author Roxanne St. Claire--Daniel Kilcannon is known as “The Dogfather” for his renowned skills as a veterinarian, his tremendous love of dogs, and his ultimate life's goal to see his six grown children all settled into their happily ever afters! Review included for your enjoyment.

Sit...Stay...Beg (The Dogfather, #1)



Garrett Kilcannon, a former dot com super-success who now devotes his life to rescuing dogs and finding them homes, prefers to keep his secrets buried as deep as a dog hides his bone. So when he learns his father has invited a journalist to Waterford Farm to write and produce an in-depth profile on him, he doesn’t care that she’s a childhood friend or drop dead gorgeous. He has zero tolerance for the media…until he sees a different side when she gets through the walls of a rescue dog who’s refused to eat during her short stay at Waterford. Unwillingly charmed and undeniably attracted, Garrett agrees to the interview that could break down a few of his emotional walls, too.

Garrett might not want to share the story of his colorful former life, but Jessie Curtis has the skills to peel back the layers of this sexy, complicated, caring man. In the process, she not only discovers his secrets, she finds herself falling for a man who touches her heart in a way she never thought possible. Her entire career is riding on this one explosive interview, but can she bear to repay Garrett’s trust by selling his secrets? Or can a woman who gave up on happiness a long time ago learn to believe that all it takes to rescue a lost heart is the love of a good man?


MY REVIEW: "Sit...Stay...Beg" is Book #1 in "The Dogfather Series" from author Roxanne St. Claire. Animal Welfare and Literacy are two of the causes closest to my heart. I was an only child who communicated with animals better than I did with people (still true), so reading a heartwarming contemporary romance about rescue dogs, a big, loving & complicated family, and a healing-hearts romance is a very enjoyable experience. Garrett Kilcannon built a successful business, sold it, and returned to his family homeplace, Waterford, to rehab and train rescue dogs. He intends to keep the secrets he brought with him deep and buried, but Fate has other plans. His father, Daniel, a highly-respected veterinarian also known as "The Dogfather", has given permission for a journalist to visit Waterford to do a feature story on Garrett. However, it's not just any journalist who's coming--it's Jessie Curtis, a childhood friend of his sister. Coming back to Waterford--a place where she spent many happy hours as a child--should be a good thing for Jessie, but her whole professional future is riding on how well her feature interview with Garrett turns out. A rescue dog named Lola--a beautiful spirit--will break down barriers between Garrett and Jessie with the special magic that only dogs have--but will these two humans be able to face the truths about themselves and about each other? When all secrets and doubts are made clear, will there be room for the love of a lifetime and a happy future? I very much look forward to reading the complete "Dogfather Series" from talented storyteller Roxanne St. Claire.


ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE

Roxanne St. Claire

The Dogfather Series

Daniel Kilcannon is known as “The Dogfather” for a reason. It’s not just his renowned skills as a veterinarian, his tremendous love of dogs, or the fact that he has turned his homestead in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains into a world class dog training and rescue facility. Ask his six grown children who run Waterford Farm for him, and they’ll tell you that their father’s nickname is due to his uncanny ability to pull a few strings to get what he wants. And what he wants is for his four sons and two daughters to find the kind of life-changing love he had with his dearly departed wife, Annie. This old dog has a few new tricks…and he’ll use them all to see his pack all settled into their happily ever afters!  


Every book cover in this popular series was shot at Alaqua Animal Refuge in the author’s home state of Florida using only rescue dogs (and local guys) on the covers. A portion of book sales is donated to Alaqua to save animals and help them find forever homes.


Book 2

New Leash on Life




Book 3

Leader of the Pack




Book 3.5

Santa Paws is Coming to Town




Book 4

Bad to the Bone




Book 5

Ruff Around the Edges




Book 6

Double Dog Dare




Book 7

Bark! The Herald Angels Sing




Book 8

Old Dog New Tricks





 Roxanne St. Claire

AUTHOR ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE SAYS:

"I don’t know about you, but when I check out an author's bio, it’s usually because I’ve read a book I liked and wondered about the person behind it. Let's skip the formal bio and I'll give you the inside scoop on who Roxanne St. Claire really is.

First of all, call me Rocki. Everyone does. Evidently, when my mother brought me home from the hospital I seemed too scrawny and small to pull off “Roxanne” (she’d read Cyrano de Bergerac while pregnant or I would have been Judy) so they called me Rocki.

I grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, the youngest of five (overachievers, every one), and fell in love with words and stories the summer I read Gone With The Wind. That year, for my twelfth birthday, my parents gave me a typewriter (with italic font – it was the coolest thing) and from that day on, I’ve had my fingers on a keyboard, pounding out love stories for fun. My AP English teacher taught me the two most important lessons an aspiring author ever needs: 1) verbs are the key to life and 2) a writer should get a real job. After attending UCLA and graduating with a degree in communications, I tried acting and television broadcasting. Oh, they aren’t real jobs? I learned that the hard way. I changed my last name from Zink to St. Claire because a news producer told me Roxanne Zink had too many harsh consonants for a TV personality – apparently Katie Couric didn’t get the memo. I got some fun gigs, and even met Tom Hanks when I did a guest appearance on Bosom Buddies. I liked on camera work, but wasn’t too crazy about starvation, so I moved to Boston and got that “real” job. In fact, I placed my foot on the bottom rung of the corporate ladder and didn’t look down until I’d climbed all the way up to the level of Senior Vice President at the world’s largest public relations firm. On the way up, I met the man of my dreams in an elevator. Two years later – in the same elevator! – he asked me to marry him and I wisely said yes.

I stayed in PR, moved to Miami, had a few babies, lost my home in a hurricane, built another one a few hours north and all along, I kept writing my “stories” for fun. One night, I read a particularly fabulous romance novel that changed my life for good. That night, I decided I wanted to make someone else feel as whole and happy as that author made me feel. (Everyone asks! It was Nobody’s Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.) With two small children and one big “real” job, writing my first novel wasn’t easy, but I did finish a manuscript that managed to get the attention of a literary agent. She told me to do one thing and one thing fast: write another book. (The first one is usually a “learner” book, honestly.) That second manuscript sold to Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books and was released in 2003 as Tropical Getaway. Since then, I’ve written almost thirty more, in multiple genres, and long ago replaced the corporate ladder with the roller coaster of publishing as a full-time novelist. Finally, writing is my real job.

Today, I live in a small beach community in Florida with my husband and two dogs. Our kids are off to college and law school, which means my nest is empty! I spend my time writing, working with the kids at my church, enjoying my husband's gourmet cooking, and hanging with my many writer friends. Of course, I love to read. I’m still crazy about words and stories and hope to write at least a hundred books in my lifetime. And, yes, verbs are the key to life. My favorites? Love. Work. Believe."


Friday, July 26, 2019

"First to Fight Series"---from author NICOLE BLANCHARD--These U.S. Marines are always the first to fight when it comes to their country…or the women they love. Includes a review just for your enjoyment.

Anchor by Nicole Blanchard



I'll do anything to save her.

A woman I’ve never met, whose name I don’t even know, gambled her own life to protect my child. In return, she was taken by a mad man.

I’ll put my career, my security, and my life on the line to get her back, even if it means facing the truth about my own mistakes.

The only thing she can't trust me with... is her heart.


MY REVIEW:  "Anchor", a fast-paced romantic suspense tale featuring a smart-strong heroine, is Book #1 in author Nicole Blanchard's "First to Fight Series". When Chloe McKinney steps forward without hesitation to save a frightened young girl from an unknown terrorist, her life will be forever changed. Saving the little girl places Chloe's life in danger as the enraged madman takes her hostage instead. Gabe Rossi, former Marine, now Coast Guard, is beyond grateful when his daughter is spared, and he's determined to save the heroic woman at any cost. When the kidnapper's agenda becomes all too clear, Gabe is far more personally involved than he ever imagined, and he also finds himself more and more drawn to the brave and beautiful Chloe. To say the least, having an awesome man-of-action come to her rescue when she least expects it is an all-new experience for Chloe, and she can't help but be attracted to Gabe's imposing looks and masculine bravado. Too bad they have met during a life-threatening terrorist crisis! If Gabe's military training and Chloe's natural savvy can help them save the day and save each other, is there a chance for a new beginning for the two of them together? Be sure to also read the other books in this action-packed romantic suspense series from author Nicole Blanchard.


Reviews

 

"Stand-alone novel Anchor by Nicole Blanchard has just the right mixture of danger, suspense, action and drama, along with smoking hot chemistry between Chloe and Gabe." Rural Reader

"Nicole Blanchard you will always be a "one-click" "go-to" author for me. Once again you have given me a story that I absolutely love.Reading is Our Satisfaction

"Anchor is an out of this world, incredible story that combines an adrenaline-laced thriller with a sweet, steamy romance.The Wonderings of One Person 
 "It had a perfect combination of action, suspense and romance.Crystal's Crazy Book Ramblings 

"Heart pumping and thrilling!Kawehi's Book Blog

"Anchor is full of suspense. It is a nonstop, action packed thriller / thrill ride." Kiki Reader


Book 2

Warrior




Book 3

Survivor




Book 4

Savior




Book 5

Honor





Book 6

Traitor (First to Fight Book 6)

Traitor



Nicole Blanchard 

Nicole Blanchard 

Nicole Blanchard is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of gritty romantic suspense and heartwarming new adult romance. She and her family reside in the south along with their two spunky Boston Terriers and one chatty cat.

You may learn more about Nicole and her work at www.authornicoleblanchard.com

Thursday, July 25, 2019

"The Big Book of Reading Comprehension Activities, Grade 2: 120 Activities for After-School and Summer Reading Fun"--designed to give kids extra practice in key skills for their grade level, this book begins with easy lessons and advances to more challenging readings and exercises

The Big Book of Reading Comprehension Activities, Grade 2: 120 Activities for After-School and Summer Reading Fun



The BIGGEST collection of fun-filled activities for reading comprehension!

When school is out, learning doesn't have to stop. This big book is filled with engaging activities for 1st graders to get extra reading comprehension practice while having tons of F-U-N too.

The Big Book of Reading Comprehension Activities helps kids learn to really understand what they're reading. Designed to give kids extra practice in key skills for their grade level, this book begins with easy lessons and advances to more challenging readings and exercises to keep your little reader's skills as sharp as their pencils!

Inside this reading comprehension book, you'll find:
  • 120 Awesome activities--Fun stories, crosswords, coloring, and more engage kids and make them want to learn.
  • All levels--Kids build comprehension skills as they progress from easy to medium to harder exercises.
  • Key skills--Guide your eager reader retell stories, describe main ideas, compare and contrast, and more with reading comprehension activities that support common core standards.
Make extra practice extra fun with each and every reading comprehension activity in this book.

MY REVIEW:  With "The Big Book of Reading Comprehension Activities, Grade 2: 120 Activities for After-School and Summer Reading Fun", author Hannah Braun offers an extra learning boost to help first-graders transition to second grade. This is an interesting and appealing book, not just in the content, but in the progressive learning techniques which are designed to encourage children to not just learn to read the words, but to understand the meaning behind them. When a child's comprehension increases, their whole world moves forward. Here, children are also taught to think about how they would react if they were the character in the story, talk about what surprised them about the story, and create an alternate ending. The stories are short, just a paragraph (or two), and you'll find titles like these: "New Shoes"; "Moving Away"; "Carter's New Team"; "Earth's Biggest Animal"; :All About Caves"; "Working Dogs"; "How Crayons Are Made"; and so many more. Each story includes a connected learning activity on the same page, and each page is labeled with the skill development related to completing the story and activity. In order to keep little learners stimulated and motivated, lessons increase in difficulty as the book progresses.

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers



Hannah Braun

Hannah Braun M. Ed.

Hannah Braun is a curriculum writer and former elementary school teacher. She has worked with diverse learners in whole-class and reading intervention settings. Hannah takes pride in helping parents and teachers bring about "light bulb" learning moments for children. Her lessons are easy to follow, fun, and use research-based strategies.

Hannah lives with her husband and two children in the Columbus area. She enjoys playing French horn, paper crafting, fitness classes, and painting.

You can find out more about her work at www.theclassroomkey.com

Follow her on Facebook or Instagram, both @theclassroomkey

"My Kindergarten Workbook: 101 Games and Activities to Support Kindergarten Skills"--continue your child’s education with a kindergarten workbook specially designed to build on what they’ve been learning in school: letters, reading, early math, science, social studies, and more

My Kindergarten Workbook: 101 Games and Activities to Support Kindergarten Skills

My Kindergarten Workbook: 101 Games and Activities to Support Kindergarten Skills

Expand the learning, increase the fun.

Discover a great way to keep the learning going all year round. Bursting with exciting challenges, My Kindergarten Workbook is an educational activity book that your young student will love. From word searches and color-by-numbers to crosswords and counting puzzles, your child will discover loads of enjoyable games and activities that help them learn as they play.

My Kindergarten Workbook includes:
  • Games and activities galore―Make sure the fun and learning lasts with 100+ amazing activities sure to keep your young one entertained.
  • Educational and fun―Watch your child light up as they explore a kindergarten workbook that transforms games they’ll love into lots of learning.
  • Made for kindergartners―Continue your child’s education with a kindergarten workbook specially designed to build on what they’ve been learning in school: letters, reading, early math, science, social studies, and more.
Learning important lessons is all fun and games with My Kindergarten Workbook.

MY REVIEW:  With colorful, fun pages filled with illustrations and interesting activities, "My Kindergarten Workbook: 101 Games and Activities to Support Kindergarten Skills" is sure to be a hit with both children and parents alike. Author Brittany Lynch has created a helpful workbook especially for kindergartners to keep their minds motivated and ease their progression to the next level of schooling. To give the little learners an extra boost, at the beginning of the book, there are several pages of numbered stars which can be colored in when the coordinating activities are completed. The child can follow his or her progress to see just how far they have come. At the end of the book, there is a "completion certificate" with a space for the child's name. Parent and child can look back through the book together and share pride in the progress that has been made.

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers


Reviews

 

"Starting Kindergarten is a HUGE step in a child's life! As a primary teacher and Kindergarten parent, I know that this workbook offers activities children can work on enthusiastically while providing the right kind of practice in the essential skills they need for success as they begin school. Whether you are looking for a way to better prepare your child for their learning journey or support them throughout, this workbook is it! The activities and games included in this workbook make learning FUN for kids!"—Elyse Rycroft, Creator of Proud to be Primary

"As a retired Kindergarten teacher, I understand the importance for young learners to master required early skills. My Kindergarten Workbook is a valuable resource to ensure children will have the foundation for a successful start in their educational journey. The workbook not only covers all areas essential for Kindergarten, but is also filled with stimulating and engaging activities that build confidence and make learning fun. This workbook is a definite must-have!"—Jackie Harker, M.Ed., Educator of 33 years, Learning Coach/Advisor at Ben Davis University High School 

"My daughter starts kindergarten this fall and loves doing workbooks during quiet time at home, so this book is just what I needed this summer. The activities in this workbook are fun and engaging and she loves coloring the stars inside the front cover each time she completes an activity. Great extra practice to keep her skills fresh over the summer!"—Jessica Plemons, Curriculum creator and education blogger at Mrs. Plemons' Kindergarten



Brittany Lynch

Brittany Lynch

Brittany Lynch is curriculum author and founder of Tickled Pink in Primary (www.tickledpinkinprimary.com). She helps provide resources for elementary teachers around the world. Brittany loves to incorporate technology, and create hands-on, engaging resources that make learning fun! She holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education and taught in the primary grades for 8 years. To find out more about her work visit her blog or follow her on Facebook & Instagram: @tickledpinkinprimary

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

"Right after the Weather"--from author Carol Anshaw--eloquent, moving, and beautifully observed--filled with flawed, sympathetic, and uncannily familiar characters

Right After the Weather



The author of the “graceful and compassionate” (People) New York Times bestseller Carry the One presents a new and long-awaited novel exploring what happens when untested people are put to a hard test, and in its aftermath, find themselves in a newly uncertain world.

It’s the fall of 2016. Cate, a set designer in her early forties, lives and works in Chicago’s theater community. She has stayed too long at the fair and knows it’s time to get past her prolonged adolescence and stop taking handouts from her parents. She has a firm plan to get solvent and settled in a serious relationship. She has tentatively started something new even as she’s haunted by an old, going-nowhere affair. Her ex-husband, recently booted from his most recent marriage, is currently camped out in Cate’s spare bedroom, in thrall to online conspiracy theories, and she’s not sure how to help him. Her best friend Neale, a yoga instructor, lives nearby with her son and is Cate’s model for what serious adulthood looks like.

Only a few blocks away, but in a parallel universe we find Nathan and Irene—casual sociopaths, drug addicts, and small-time criminals. Their world and Cate’s intersect the day she comes into Neale’s kitchen to find these strangers assaulting her friend. Forced to take fast, spontaneous action, Cate does something she’s never even considered. She now also knows the violence she is capable of, as does everyone else in her life, and overnight, their world has changed. Anshaw’s flawed, sympathetic, and uncannily familiar characters grapple with their altered relationships and identities against the backdrop of the new Trump presidency and a country waking to a different understanding of itself. Eloquent, moving, and beautifully observed, Right after the Weather is the work of a master of exquisite prose and a wry and compassionate student of the human condition writing at the height of her considerable powers.
 


Reviews

 

Right after the Weather is about the terrifying discoveries we make—about ourselves, about the world—when the membrane separating civilization from barbarity is torn. Carol Anshaw has a genius for rendering life on the page, for characters and situations as ferociously complicated as reality. She is a master.” Author: Garth Greenwell, author of What Belongs to You

“Carol Anshaw is one of the best storytellers we have. She sees all the outside and all the insideof this difficult time we live in, of these complicated, puzzling, heart-stopping lives we lead. No one can put down an Anshaw novel and we are lucky, especially now, to have this one arrive.” Author: Amy Bloom, author of White Houses

"I love the way Carol Anshaw looks at the world, her eye for people and the strangeness of the everyday. Right After the Weather is a beautiful study in light and dark contrasts, the lives of the blessed and the lives of the bleak, in the vein of Paula Fox's Desperate Characters."  Author: Dan Chaon, author of Ill Will
“Anshaw crafts an engaging narrative with her customary precision and tart humor. Another treat from the great Anshaw: sharply observed, unsentimentally compassionate, always cognizant of life's complexities.” Source: Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"The Carry the One author is adept at finding compassion in dire circumstances, a skill she brandishes with brilliance in Right After the Weather." Source: O, the Oprah Magazine 


Carry the One 



“When you add us up, you always have to carry the one.”
 
Following a devastating moment in the hours after Carmen’s wedding, three siblings and their friends move through the next twenty-five years under its long shadow. Through friendships and love affairs; marriage and divorce; parenthood, holidays, and the modest calamities and triumphs of ordinary days, Carry the One shows how one life affects another, and how those who thrive and those who self-destruct are closer to each other than we’d expect. Whether they take refuge in art, drugs, social justice, or love, Carol Anshaw’s characters are sympathetic, funny, and uncannily familiar as they reflect back to us our deepest pain and longings, our joys, and our transcendent moments of understanding. 



Carol Anshaw

Carol Anshaw 

Carol Anshaw is an American novelist and short story writer. Her books include Carry the One, Lucky in the Corner, Seven Moves and Aquamarine. Her stories have been anthologized in The Best American Short Stories in 1994, 1998, and 2012. She has an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts (1992). She has won a National Book Critics Circle Citation for Excellence in Reviewing, an NEA Grant, an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship, a Carl Sandburg Award and Society of Midland Authors Award. Her newest novel, Right after the Weather, is forthcoming in October from Simon & Schuster.

Anshaw is also a painter. She divides her time between Chicago and Amsterdam
 


"Farm Fresh Southern Cooking: Straight from the Garden to Your Dinner Table"--encourages you to go fresh, go local when possible, and go for the gusto of food prepared and served the way it was meant to be enjoyed--these recipes are literally a "return to the roots" of good food from good earth

Farm Fresh Southern Cooking: Straight from the Garden to Your Dinner Table



Is there anything better than a kitchen countertop spread with the spoils of a Saturday morning at the farmers market? Every trip yields some new assortment of old favorites and newfound treasures. One week, you re tempted by the sun-warmed heirloom tomatoes and the Mason jars brimming with orange blossom honey. Another week, it s the slabs of milky Havarti cheese and the Red Haven peaches heavy with juice, enticing you to spend just a little more than you planned. Kentucky pole beans, silky ears of sweet corn, and sacks of stone-ground buckwheat flour may find their way into your basket on another visit.

Whether you shop with a list or purely on impulse, you ll always find the truest taste of home at the local farms, roadside stands, and produce markets in your community. These are the places that offer up the native flavors of the South and all its seasons. They are your portal to the fields, the waters, and the vines where your food is cultivated. Get to know the origins of what you eat and the people who produce it. Tammy Algood s "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking "celebrates this experience with delicious recipes that will enhance the natural flavors of your latest market haul and stories of the South s most dedicated growers and culinary producers.


MY REVIEW:  One of a Southerner's favorite meals is a slice of juicy, ripe homegrown tomato on a fresh, hot butter biscuit! I could almost taste that biscuit and feel the butter and juice from the tomato on my chin as I read "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking: Straight from the Garden to Your Dinner Table" by Tammy Algood. What a wonderful book! Beautifully produced on thick paper with colorful photos and helpful insights, this book is just the right size to be holdable and readable. As I write this in Spring, our Farmer's Markets here in the States will soon bloom with gorgeous produce and other seasonal offerings. However, at any given time, somewhere in the world, garden goodness is ripe for the picking and fruit orchards offer a bounty of delights. "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking" encourages you to go fresh, go local when possible, and go for the gusto of food prepared and served the way it was meant to be enjoyed! These recipes are literally a "return to the roots" of good food from good earth. I am not a great fan of black-eyed peas, but when I saw the photo and recipe for "Pea-Picking Salsa", I wanted to dip a pita chip right into that page! "Roasted Bacon Pecans"--heh-heh--pecan, butter, bacon, sugar, and salt--heh-heh!!! "Garden Vegetable Soup"--no meat at all--just gorgeous veggies and veggie stock, kicked up with added white wine. If I list all the marvelous ingredients in the "Sweet Potato and Shrimp Chowder", you might just start to cry from longing. "Hot Bacon Dressing over Wilted Greens" is an absolute Southern Classic--really! "Twice As Nice Corn Casserole" is so darn good, you must have at least two servings. "Parsnip and Tart Apple Puree"--a most perfect accompaniment to a pork main dish. "Baked Parmesan Catfish" will set your whiskers to twitching with its crusty, salty goodness. "Orchard Fresh Peach Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting"--have mercy! "Sweet Cherry Dessert Sauce" made with cherry brandy or liqueur--can you imagine the sinful goodness of this sauce on rich, dense, homemade vanilla ice cream! "Savory Zucchini Pie"--a crustless "quiche"--quick-mixed all in one bowl. "Summer Fruit Watermelon Smoothies"--fresh watermelon blended with ice, lime juice and raspberry sherbet--even just thinking about it is refreshing! Tammy Algood has written a delightful, delectable book that brings back many good memories to this Southerner's heart! "Farm Fresh Southern Cooking" is a sure pick when you are in the market for cookbook treat!

Book Copy Gratis Thomas Nelson Books
 



Tammy Algood


 


Tammy Algood is a marketing specialist with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. She is the author of numerous cookbooks including Farm Fresh Southern Cooking: Straight from the Garden to Your Dinner Table, In a Snap!: Tasty Southern Recipes You Can Make in 5, 10, 15, or 30 Minutes, and The Southern Slow Cooker Bible: 365 Easy and Delicious Down-Home Recipes. She also conducts cooking schools at various Tennessee wineries. 

Tammy Algood develops for The Tennessee Magazine recipes that feature farm-fresh Tennessee food. Those fresh, local ingredients will always add cleaner, more flavorful foods to your table. We recommend visiting local farms and farmers markets to find the freshest seasonal produce. For more information about our recipes, contact Algood at talgood@tnelectric.org.

Tammy Algood is an author, editor, and spokesperson. She conducts cooking schools at various Tennessee wineries and has been published in numerous magazines and newspapers. She is a weekly food personality on Nashville's local ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox affiliates as well as statewide on PBS. She has appeared nationally on the HGTV and DIY networks. The author of The Complete Southern Cookbook, Tammy is married and lives in Nashville. 

https://www.tnmagazine.org/author/tallgood/

"Callie's Biscuits and Southern Traditions: Heirloom Recipes from Our Family Kitchen"--author Carrie Morey Carrie shares her family stories behind each recipe—growing up in Charleston, learning to cook from great Southern matriarchs, and founding and growing her business

Callie's Biscuits and Southern Traditions: Heirloom Recipes from Our Family Kitchen



The popular owner-entrepreneur of Callie’s Biscuits reveals her modern approach to traditional Southern cooking, sharing charming stories and fabulous, accessible recipes in a Southern-style Make the Bread, Buy the Butter.

Carrie Morey started her company, Callie’s Charleston Biscuits, with a simple goal: She wanted to make her mother Callie’s delicious biscuits—unbelievably tender, buttery creations—accessible across the country. Carrie’s handmade biscuits combine unique, brilliant flavors—sharp cheddar with fresh chives, cracked black pepper with cream cheese and green onions, and cinnamon biscuits so buttery they melt in your mouth. The biscuits are an iconic Southern staple, but they are just the beginning.

Now Carrie Morey shares her modern approach to traditional Southern cooking in more than one hundred recipes that pair classic Low-country fare with surprising twists, for incredible results. Carrie guides you through the foundational techniques of Southern cooking to reveal how she developed her new takes on favorite heritage dishes and how to take the fuss and huge time investment out of traditional preparations. She shares skillet recipes passed down through generations, including Lemon Zest Cast-Iron Fried Shrimp, Macaroni Pie, and Cast-Iron Herb Lamb Chops. She gives roasting and slow-cooking techniques for Beef Stew with Herbed Sour Cream, Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Salad, and Roasted Pimento Cheese Chicken. Her DILLicious Cucumber Sandwiches, BBQ Chicken Salad Biscuits, Fiery Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs, and Summer Crab Salad will make any picnic or casual get-together a true Southern affair. And her desserts are to die for: Mama’s Sour Cream Banana Pudding, Alex’s Chocolate Chess Pie (so good that Carrie credits the pie for sparking her and her husband’s whirlwind romance), and Blueberry and Peach Cobbler finish your meal on the perfect sweet note.

Carrie also shares her family stories behind each recipe—growing up in Charleston, learning to cook from great Southern matriarchs, and founding and growing her business. Fill your kitchen with the comforting aroma of home-cooked goodness with Callie’s Biscuits and Southern Traditions.


“Opening the oven on culinary secrets…full of charming asides, cooking tips, and always a story… A lifetime of dishes that have been the binding agent of one family, now shared with others." Source: Charleston Magazine 

Meet Carrie Morey

 

Owner & Daughter of Callie

 

Carrie Morey founded Callie’s Charleston Biscuits in 2005 with the goal of making the tender, buttery, made-by-hand biscuits of her mother accessible across the country. Touted by Saveur, Food & Wine, Southern Living, The New York Times and Oprah among others, Carrie and her small team of bakers are keeping the tradition of Southern biscuit making alive. In addition, she authored Callie’s Biscuits and Southern Traditions, a cookbook and narrative on entrepreneurship and life in the lowcountry. Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit – grab-and-go biscuit restaurants in Charleston’s Upper King District, the Charleston City Market, and in Atlanta’s vibrant Virginia Highland neighborhood are Carrie’s latest tasty endeavor.


 

Carrie and her Daughters

 

Carrie has appeared live on the NBC Today Show, The Martha Stewart Show, Fox & Friends, and QVC and has been twice profiled by The Food Network’s hit television show Unwrapped. In addition to her role as owner at Callie’s Charleston Biscuits, she operates an incubator, offering baking space along with mentoring to small artisan food businesses on location at Callie’s Charleston Biscuit’s bakery. She acts as a consultant to these entrepreneurs – helping them navigate everything from regulations to production and advising on marketing and growth strategies.

Carrie is a guest lecturer at the College of Charleston School of Business where for over five years she has been a vital part of the curriculum—presenting the Entrepreneurship Class with a yearly project and valuable lessons from a successful and sustainable small business. She has also presented at the annual Southern Foodwriters Conference and The Southern C Summit. Corporations, associations and individuals frequently call on Morey to for speaking engagements and “biscuit bootcamp” retreats.

https://calliesbiscuits.com/blogs/team

Monday, July 22, 2019

"Dessert Cooking for Two"--from food writer, blogger, and recipe developer Robin Donovan--Cooking for two has never been sweeter!

Paperback Dessert Cooking for Two : 115 Perfectly Portioned Sweets for Every Occasion Book

Dessert Cooking for Two: 115 Perfectly Portioned Sweets for Every Occasion


Guilt-free indulgence—dessert delights just for two.

Say goodbye to pre-packaged sweets and hello to fresh and flavorful desserts. From The Very Best Chocolate Chip Cookies to Cinnamon Sugar Monkey Bread, Dessert Cooking for Two helps you create delicious desserts that are just the right size for two. Enjoy all the fun treats you crave without worrying about overindulging or wasting lots of leftovers.

Never made your own desserts before? Dessert Cooking for Two keeps things simple with recipes that use equipment you already own—plus tips to make things easier. You’ll also get helpful guides for melting chocolate, mixing ingredients, working with pastry dough, and other dessert-making techniques.

Dessert Cooking for Two includes:
  • 115 yummy recipesDessert Cooking for Two satisfies your sweet tooth with a huge variety of small-portion treats, including Pumpkin Mini Pies, Blackberry Vanilla Bread Pudding, and Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Cake.
  • Handy kitchen hacks—Become a dessert expert and master important skills at home—like how to create the perfect workarounds when you don’t have specialized equipment.
  • Pick your perfect dessert—Recipes are indexed by both flavor (so you satisfy your current craving) and by leftover ingredients (so you make magic with whatever you have on hand).
Cooking for two has never been sweeter than with Dessert Cooking for Two.

MY REVIEW:  "Dessert Cooking for Two"--from food writer, blogger, and recipe developer Robin Donovan features 115 dessert recipes for every occasion. While there are few photos to accompany the recipes, and there are no nutritional breakdowns, there are cooking tips and helpful hints scattered throughout the pages. Advice on portioning and shopping for two is also included.The variety and originality of the recipes is excellent, and after reading the book, I was so hungry for a sweet treat! Recipes are labeled into 4 categories: "Quick"; :No-Bake"; "Mini-Equipment"; and "Lightly Sweet". There is a very helpful section which explains three different techniques for melting chocolate. Readers are encouraged to use dessert-appropriate leftovers to make their own inspired creations. I couldn't wait, and I tried "Dark Chocolate Pudding" and "Coffee and Cream Brownies" as soon as I could make them--they were scrumptious! Here are some more of the many delicious recipes you'll find: "Toffee Pecan Sandies"; "White Chocolate Butter Cookies"; "Blueberry Cheesecake Bars"; "Coffee Crumb Cake"; "Mini Carrot Cakes"; "Banana Cream Mini Pies"; "Pear and Coconut Crisp"; and "Butterscotch Bread Pudding". Treat yourself well and indulge without over-indulging.

Book Copy Gratis Callisto Publishers



Robin Donovan

Robin Donovan

Robin Donovan is a food writer, blogger, and recipe developer. She is the author of numerous cookbooks, including the bestselling Campfire Cuisine: Gourmet Recipes for the Great Outdoors. Her food writing has appeared in Cooking Light, Fitness, San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, and elsewhere. Her love of cast-iron cookware runs deep and she has been known not only to cook every meal in cast iron for weeks on end but to take her cast-iron skillets on wide-ranging outdoor adventures where she cooks some of the best campfire food you can imagine. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and son and blogs about fun, easy recipes for delicious dishes from every corner of the world at www.AllWaysDelicious.com.