Where's the book I'm looking for? Answered....

So I know you've been looking...and can't find a SINGLE ONE OF MY BACKLISTED TITLES! I'm so sorry. But I promise that it's only temporary!  I'm in the process of switching publishing houses, therefore all my older titles are in transition. I will have them re-releasing in October...yes, only short while away! I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, but at the same time, my heart is warmed that so many of you are searching for my books! What a huge blessing!  I'll be sure to keep you posted.  In the mean time, please 'like' my author page on Facebook because I tend to update it quicker than anything else...especially now that I'm almost due with baby number 5!  Here's the link:

www.facebook.com/kristinvaydenauthor

Also, have you checked out "To Refuse A Rake" my newest Regency Romance?
Amazon, To Refuse a Rake
Barnes and Noble

Or "Beyond Broken?" A breakthrough New Adult romance with a strong inspirational theme?  Beyond Broken, Amazon
Barnes and Noble, Beyond Broken

Thanks to all of you for your support and encouragement!

Kristin Vayden

Tasty Summer Reads Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Tasty Summer Reads Blog Hop! 

Here's how the hop works! Each author invites other authors to answer five questions about their current summer release or WIP and a tasty recipe that ties into it! I'm so thrilled to be a part of this hop with so many wonderful and talented ladies! Not going to lie, I'm fan-girling here.  I was invited to particiapte by my sister, Rachel Van Dyken who, in turn, was invited by the amazing Sophia Barnes!  (like I said, fan-girl!) Deep breaths.

Here's the original link for those of you interested:Avon Hop 

First I want to share my newest release with you, "To Refuse a Rake".  It's brand new, not even week old yet! And guess what? It's only .99! 

Emma has sworn off love.

After all, it is pointless to subject oneself to such torture when in the end, heartbreak is inevitable. Just like her sister had suffered. So, when Lord Daventry, the muddy brown-eyed boy from her childhood, returns to society she refuses to even look at him... well, maybe she'll look once.

Or twice.

But only because his eyes have changed into the most decadent color of dark chocolate. And his tanned skin from his travels is distracting, especially paired with his wide and devilish grin.

The stirring of her blood from his hot whisper in her ear is nothing... at least that's what she tells herself.

Lord Daventry has one response to marriage. Drink Brandy. Especially when his mother decides it is time for him to produce an heir. Reluctantly, he attends his first ball since returning from India, swearing to head to White's shortly after the first dance. However, he is pleasantly surprised to discover that Miss Emma Kingsly, the same girl he tried to kiss when she was nine, is still unmarried.

Her frigid demeanor should have warned him off... but unable to ignore a challenge, he plunges in head first... never expecting to fall in love with the one woman in the ton completely set against marriage.

Who can resist a rake with searing gaze the color of dark chocolate? Maybe  Emma...maybe not.

Barnes and Noble Purchase Link
Amazon Purchase Link

And now for a recipe...When visiting London this past year I learned the importance and delight of tea time.  One of my favorite experiences was at Gorings, their high tea was amazing, as in you wanted to re-wind time and have it over and over again.  *sigh*  To celebrate the release of "To Refuse A Rake" I'm going to share my favorite recipe for Blueberry scones.  I've got blueberries on the brain because my hubby and I picked about thirty-five pounds last weekend!

Blueberry scones
4 cups flour
6 tbsp of sugar ( I add more because I like it sweet)
4 1/5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp cold butter ( you can add a bit extra too..I always do)
2 Eggs
1/2-1 cup of whole milk. ( enough to make it moist but not too sticky)
2 cups fresh ( or frozen) blueberries
A few extra tbsp of granulated sugar for dusting.
Egg wash
Preheat oven to  375

Cut the butter into the flour, salt and sugar.  Add in the baking powder. Mix well. In a separate bowl, add the eggs to the milk (start with a 1/2 cup) and stir.  Add the egg/milk mix to the flour mix. Combine gently, don't over mix.  Lumpy is good. Fold in the blueberries.  Now you have a choice.  You can take a large spoon and scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet, making circular scones that look more like biscuits, (works great if your in a time crunch) or you can dust your countertop with flour and divide the dough in half.  Put one half on the flour surface and press it down gently, adding a bit of flour to the top so that your hands don't stick.  Press down till you have a circular shape then take a sharp knife and cut it into 5-6 wedges. Take each wedge and place it carefully on a cookie sheet.  Repeat with the second half of the dough.
Take a few tbsp of water in a measuring cup, add an egg. Mix well and brush the tops of your scones with the egg wash. Sprinkle sugar on top and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes.  You want them golden brown but not too brown. The egg wash will give them a glossy touch that will give it that caramelized color.

Ok. I'm hungry now.  But that's not saying much. I'm also a little over six months pregnant at this time (with number five!) so hungry is just my lot in life right now!

Let's start with the questions!
1)When writing are you a snacker? If so, sweet or salty?: 
Didn't I just mention I was six months pregnant?  Yes.  Love to snack while I write. But that's not necessarily a good thing.  Truth be told, I usually think I want to snack, then get irritated when I feel like I need to finish my snack and it's in the way of me writing as fast as I want to.  But if given the choice, I'll choose sweet over salty, but I usually take fruit of some sort.  

2) Are you an outliner or someone who flies by the seat of their pants? Are they real pants or jammies?:
I start with  vague idea, then pretty much go by the seat of my pants. I know what I want, how I want to get there, but I'm not that organized.  I wish I were, but alas, I'm not.  I really respect people who can sit down and do the detailed outline!  And the pants are pants, or a skirt, rarely jammies, unless it's late at night.

3)When cooking or baking, do you follow the recipe exactly or wing it?:
Wing it. Always.  I love baking and cooking, anything in the kitchen really. Which is a good thing since I have a big family.  I joke with my husband about being able to stay in the kitchen all day and stay busy because someone is always hungry.  I 'm also a field editor for the magazine, Taste of Home. I enjoy baking my own bread, and have had to learn the science of baking gluten-free as well because of my husband and son's allergies.  THAT has been an adventure.  

4) What's next for you after this book?: I'm actually switching directions.  I'm almost finished with my first Young Adult with the title "Beyond Broken." And I just started another NA WIP yesterday...gotta love it when you wake up in the middle of the night with a great idea...now if I could only get back to sleep afterward!

5)Last question...on a level of one being slightly naughty to ten being whoo whoo steamy, where does your book land?
"To Refuse A Rake" would probably be a 6 or seven? May a bit higher depending on your scale.  It's not, by any means, erotica, but it is hot enough to make me blush a bit when I re-read it.

I want to thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this blog hop!  And thanks everyone for stopping by!  It's been fun but my time is up, primarily because my two year old is tugging on my skirt and trying to climb into my lap right now...for the fourth time.  Have a great weekend!

Continue on the hop by visiting:

Take Two on Romance

Iris Blobel's site


Ruth Hartman's blog

"SURVIVING SCOTLAND"

HOORAY! It's release day!  "Surviving Scotland" is now LIVE!

Seriously, this is my favorite book I’ve written…ok so maybe it’s a tie with my upcoming release “To Refuse a Rake” but its still up there.  Ioan, the hero, stole my heart from the first time he spoke to Elle, the heroine, in his Scottish brogue.  It doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome, charming and fiercely guarding his heart against the one thing he wants but can’t have; Elle. 

            Elle is strong.  Her traitorous heart flutters whenever Ioan is around…yet when he opens his mouth the attraction ceases. How is it possible for someone so captivating to be so incredibly annoying? His sharp retorts and barbs constantly keep her on her toes…but it isn’t enough to stop her growing attraction. Because beyond the barbs and easy demeanor, she sees something more in Ioan, something that both excites her and frightens her.  Something she can’t resist.

            When the treat to her home becomes more, they’ll find out that love is the only hope they have in “Surviving Scotland.”

Here’s a fun excerpt ( I'm including two, one with more...(ahem) tension ;):

“I tho’ yer uncle said ye weren’t ta wander about?” Ioan’s voice startled me and I spun around. He spoke with an arrogant twist to his lips, as he raised an eyebrow then grinned. Though he smiled, his tone was the same one he would use for a small child. Offended at his superior attitude, I glared back.

“Don’t ye have somethin’ better to be doin’ than ta sneak around followin’ people?” I asked.

“Nay.”


I rolled my eyes and turned my back on him, walking away.

“Ye ken I’ll just follow ye.”

I ignored him. There was no way I was going back to the keep just to be forced back to bed. I was almost completely recovered, and there was no reason for them to continue treating me like an invalid.

“I knew ye had ta be feelin’ like a bird in a cage. I’ll take ye somewhere... if ye want.” Ioan’s voice was clear as it echoed against the stone wall.

I stopped and turned slowly. Was he telling the truth? Did I want to go anywhere with him? I studied him for a moment. Attraction warred with irritation. His green eyes were steady as I watched him, so I nodded.

“That’s a good lass, let’s get ye back ta yer room and find ye a—”

“No. I’m not going back there, at least not yet. Do you have any idea what it feels like to be stuck up in one room for so long? I understand! I was sick! But I’m not dead. I need some space, some air.” I released a heavy sigh and closed my eyes then inhaled the fresh air. I glanced back to Ioan and waited for his response.

He studied me for a moment, his green eyes narrowing in concentration. Belatedly, I realized I had lapsed into a more articulated accent rather than a Scottish brogue, but I didn’t care.

“Lass, I understand, but if we’re ta go ridin’ then ye’ll need a bit more clothing.” I glanced down at my dress. It wasn’t indecent, but it did feel a bit light for the weather.

“How do I ken ye willna lock me in my room once I get there?” I narrowed my eyes.

Ioan grinned and took a slow and purposeful step forward. “Ach, lass, if I locked ye in yer room, ye wouldna be wantin’ to leave.” He winked at me and I blushed at his implication. Though I was certainly attracted to Ioan, I was equally annoyed with him.

“Ye’ve lost yer senses, but I knew that already. Are we ta go or what — or are ye goin’ to sit there dreamin’ o’ me all afternoon?” I retorted, arching an eyebrow.

“Ach, lass, my dreams are far better than the likes of ye.” Ioan responded lazily and leaned against the stone fence.

“Then I don’t think ye’ll be lockin’ me in my room, eh?” I grinned.

“I willna lock ye in yer room, for pity’s sake. Where do ye get these ideas in yer head, Elle? Ye need to be more of a lady.”

“You are the one that said—”

“Ach, lass, I implied. You took it from there. I’ll meet ye in the kitchen in about a quarter hour.”

He turned and left, whistling a merry tune as if he hadn’t a care in the world. I fumed, angry at his implication and more so, that he had bested me.

Two can play that game, Ioan.

One more…just because I LOVE kissing or almost kissing scenes…ah, tension. This part takes place after Elle has a bit of her own revenge on Ioan.

“Found ye!”

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, but it was no use. Ioan caught up with me and reached his hand around my waist and pulled me backward through the air, and I landed on top of him in a heap. Instinctively I rolled off of him, twisting his arm back enough to free myself. Ioan was up in an instant, watching me curiously. We circled each other, evaluating the other’s movements. I matched Ioan’s steps and counteracted his small attempts at throwing me off. After a moment, he lunged at me, but I spun and sidestepped, so that he would miss me. Ioan’s face registered confusion and respect before it split into a wide grin.

“Ach, so we’re to play like that, are we?”

Ioan came at me again, but from the side, and I ducked and rolled, escaping him once again. His grin grew wider and he picked up a stick and tossed it to me. I caught it mid-air and automatically took a defensive position. I didn’t have time to question how I knew how to do all this, because as soon as I had taken that position, Ioan advanced with his own stick and began to attack. He slapped my stick-sword and I fought back, strike for strike. After a moment, I began to take an offensive position rather than defensive, Ioan’s smile began to fade, and in its place was a look of concentration. We lunged, parried, and spun, each unable to best the other, ‘til Ioan took me by surprise. With a lightning-fast maneuver, my stick-sword flew through the air, and Ioan caught it with his other hand. He gave me a cocky grin and took a bow.

“I suppose ye want me ta clap for ye?” I was breathing heavily, but laughing. This was the most fun I could ever remember, though that didn’t mean much in my current situation.

“Of course!”

Ioan bowed again, only this time he glanced at me expectantly. I shook my head but clapped anyway.

“Thank ye!” Ioan’s clothes dripped onto the already saturated earth. He wiped his brow with his hand and shook his head spraying me with water.

“What are ye doin’!” I shouted, putting my hands up to shield myself from the water.

“Givin’ ye less than ye deserve. In fact...” Ioan’s green eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint and I took a step back. He took a step forward and I took another one back only to find myself against a tree. Ioan chuckled and advanced faster. His arms reached around and pulled me into a tight hug, soaking my clothes.

“Aaaahhh!” I squealed against his freezing body. “Shh, lass, yer warm. Donna move.”


“Get away from me! Ye are like a wet dog!”

 “Woof.”

“Eww! Ye are getting me soaked to the skin!”

“That’s the idea.”

I shoved hard and Ioan backed away but only far enough to see my face.

“I told ye it wouldna turn out well for ye.” Though Ioan’s voice was teasing, his eyes smoldered, and my belly flipped in response. Lost in his emerald gaze, I couldn’t have glanced away if I’d wanted to. He held me captive. The heat that began to radiate from his body, as he was pressed up against mine, made my skin prickle with awareness. I clenched my fist to resist the urge to caress his jaw. His dark hair appeared black, since it was wet, and it made the color of his eyes burn with a deeper intensity.

Ioan’s gaze searched my own, and his eyes traced the lines of my face as if memorizing them. His eyes locked onto my lips and his expression was tormented. He leaned forward slightly. Was he going to kiss me? I wanted him to. With a desperation I didn’t know existed, I wanted to feel his lips caressing my own and be lost in his warm embrace. I held my breath and waited, watching the inner conflict in Ioan’s eyes, wondering which side would win.

His lips hovered just over mine, and his warm breath tickled my skin. I swallowed compulsively, and I gently exhaled the breath I was holding. Ioan’s eyes drifted closed, but he didn’t move closer; he stood frozen just a breath away from kissing me. All I needed to do was lean slightly forward to meet his lips. But if I were to experience my first kiss, at least the first kiss I remembered, then I wanted it to be given, not taken. For what seemed like an eternity, I waited, but then Ioan stepped back. His eyes watched me intently, searching for answers to questions I didn’t know.

“Ioan...” I whispered, my voice hoarse from the tension of the past few moments.

His eyes darkened with desire but he blinked quickly and turned away. He stared into the trees for a moment before turning back toward me. His handsome face turned up into a familiar grin and he tipped his chin up as he spoke.

“I’ll race ye to the castle. I promise to go slow.”

He raised his eyebrows in challenge and I grinned back, though part of me was even more confused at his change in demeanor. I shook my head at him, and then took off, knowing whatever distance I was able to achieve wouldn’t be enough. Ioan passed me, turned and ran backward for a moment, winked, then rushed ahead taking a piece of my heart with him.

 AMAZON LINK

Barnes and Noble Buy link

AP ( my publisher's) site   This one will give you any format you can think of, will work with kindle, nook, even a just download it as a PDF.

Winner!

So I JUST selected the winner and will be e-mailing them shortly!  Thanks everyone for entering and helping me celebrate!

In other awesome news, "Surviving Scotland" Will be released in less than three days! HOORAY! Don't go far! I'll be posting excerpts and maybe another giveaway!

CELEBRATE!

Whoo Hoo!  

I just hit 200 'likes' on Facebook! I'm so excited! To celebrate, I'm giving away a $5.00 egift card to AMAZON! Want to win it? Enter in on the rafflecopter widget and share, tweet and like your hearts out! I'll pick a winner in a few days and let you know!  

LET'S CELEBRATE!

And if you haven't yet, check out my historical and contemporary romances!

"Redeeming the Deception of Grace"

 Lady Grace Hashiver has perfected the art of hiding behind a sarcastic wit when it comes to dealing with the rakish Ewan Emmett Duke of Greys, her childhood tormentor. Her wit protects her from betraying the attraction and desire she feels whenever she is around him.

Ewan Emmett, Duke of Greys is perfectly thrilled to torment Grace at every opportunity, until an old acquaintance begins an honest suit for Grace’s hand. When Ewan begins to feel the pangs of jealousy causing him to question his reasons for his constant teasing of Grace, he discovers a depth of emotion he didn’t know he harbored towards the golden haired beauty. Suddenly he is no longer the tease, but on the receiving end of the torment as he wonders if he‘s to late too fight for her love.

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

"Living London"

What if you found yourself waking up two hundred years in the past? What if you wore the gowns and waltzed around Almacks? What if you found out first hand just how dangerous a rake could be, or how much fun? For Jocelyn Westin, this is her reality. But reading all the historical fiction in the world could never have prepared her for what it would be like to be “Living London.”
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

"Pursued"

When Abby’s husband walks out, she questions how could God allow this to happen to her, and her children? Through her journey of discovering how God takes the ashes of our lives and creates beauty, she discovers so much more about God, and love than she ever imagined. As Abby’s faith grows, she discovers something about God she never imagined…He truly writes the most beautiful love stories…

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Thanks!

Thanks Everyone!

The Blog Hop to celebrate Rachel Van Dyken's Contract with Grand Central Publishing was a HUGE success, thanks to all of you!!  It was a wonderful time and I enjoyed reading all of your comments. Isn't Summer a wonderful time of year? Too bad it's freezing and windy outside right now!

I selected and notified the winner Of "Living London". In fact, I was so thrilled by all the comments and everyones encouragement of my sister, I also selected additional winners who received an e-copy of "Redeeming the Deception of Grace."

Soon I'm going to be posting an excerpt from my newest Regency Romance "To Refuse A Rake." I can hardly wait for it to be released! I'm hoping to have it available by the middle of June.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend and don't forget to read a good book while you relax in the sunshine!

So PROUD!

So I told my sister that I wanted a shirt that said "I'm RACHEL VAN DYKEN'S SISTER!" She didn't think that was a good idea.  I'm still not sure why!  Though it might have something to do with her wanting me to wear a "Seaside High" T-shirt instead...Marketing never ends! This is especially true for the Indie published or the self published author.  Rachel happens to be both.  But before I get into everything,  I really want to brag,  Really REALLY REALLY want to brag about my sister.

Not only did Rachel Self Publish "The Bet" a NYTimes #1 Bestseller...but also, she's running a half marathon next week. She's been a  USA Today bestseller numerous times, but she also can make any one who meets her begin to smile and laugh.  She can write characters that you swear are alive, but she can coax a distressed teen out of their pain and help them find their voice. She loves turtles, but swears she'll never have one as a pet and is freaks out when you call them 'bob' rather than "stuart". Rachel isn't just an amazing author, she's an amazing woman.

Rachel's journey to writing started out as an escape. As a junior high counselor, you deal with a lot of drama and heartache.  Rachel's way of coping? Writing.  When she first started, she'd send me a chapter here or there and each time I'd be riveted to my computer screen. Then I'd text her and tell her to write more! She had to laugh, saying something about having a job and not having time to write.  Now, Rachel is so successful that writing IS her job!  Right now, she's one of the most popular and sought after authors around.  She's represented by Trident, a MAJOR managing company and just signed an amazing contract with Grand Central Publishing, an amazing and prominent company!

I'm so excited for her! To celebrate, a bunch of us are hosting a hop that will take you from site to site where you'll learn more about Rachel and her books. It's pretty cool because you'll learn about us as authors as well. Don't forget to enter the GRAND PRIZE contest and all the other contests along the way.  I'll be giving away a copy of "Living London." My regency romance with a time-travel twist.  Here's a blurb.

"Jocelyn Westin wasn't expecting to find love.  With the recent death of her beloved grandmother, she was simply surviving, till she woke up in Hyde park almost two hundred years in the past.  Survival takes on a whole new meaning as she faces the London elite, the Ton. When Lord Ashby steals her heart with his warm gaze and crisp accent, she has to figure out if love really conquers all...or if you can ever truly trust a rake."

Living London

To enter the contest for "Living London" simply leave me a comment with your e-mail address and tell me your favorite part of Summer.  Mine? Sprinklers!

I wanted to include some pictures...(insert evil laugh) but I was REALLY kind and picked out the good ones. Well, mostly. (wink) There is this one picture...the 'mikey' picture. You'll have ask her about it sometime.  You can follow all of Rachel's ( and consequently, her families' adventures) on Facebook by 'liking' her page. www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken and I would HIGHLY suggest checking out her webpage too(www.rachelvandyken.com). She has a Regency Romance installment novel she releases chapter by chapter each week called "The Spinster Club." It rocks!

Rachel's inspiration comes from the beautiful marriage she has with Nate. ( I can brag about him too!)  They have the most hilarious and romantic relationship, it's constantly entertaining and endearing to watch!

This is one of our annual trips to the beach.

I'm so proud of my sister, in case you didn't catch that from everything before.  She's an incredible woman.  Her integrity, respect and ability to meet people where they are constantly astound me.  God's love shines through her each day and I'm blessed to watch her continually grow and become more beautiful, inside and out.

Rachel's other books are available on Kindle, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble and Kobo:

"The Bet"

"Elite"

"The Wolf's Pursuit"

"The Devil Duke Takes A Bride"

"Tear: A Seaside Novel"

"Pull: A Seaside Novel"

"Whispered Music"

"Upon A Midnight Dream"

"The Ugly Duckling Debutante"

"Waltzing With The Wallflower"

"Beguiling Bridget"

"Savage Winter"

"The Redemption of Lord Rawlings"

"The Seduction of Sebastian St. James"

"Every Girl Does It" 

"An Unlikely Alliance"

"Compromising Kessen"

"The Parting Gift"

"Taming Wilde"

And Coming soon!

"Shatter: A Seaside Novel"

"Divine Uprising"

"When Ash Falls"

"Elite"

"Fall: A Seaside Novel

"The Wager"

"The Spinster Club"

You don't want to miss ANY of them! (I would know because I've read them all!)

You can find the other bloggers celebrating Rachel's success and their posts about Rachel at THIS blog!

Don't forget to leave a comment and enter to win "Living London!"