A Summer in Europe...the Vlog!

Ohhhh, my God, it's JUNE! That's when school's out! It ends only a few days from now, and I'm NOT READY for that!! (Can you hear me panicking in Chicago?)

However, aside from my complete lack of preparedness for summer vacation, the week is going very well. I had the honor of being the blog guest of the lovely Jakki Leatherberry this week, who wrote a wonderful review of A Summer in Europe, did an interview with me (there's a book giveaway attached to that, btw!) and, as of today, has up a special vlog that she filmed about the book. I loved it so much, I just had to share it!!

I also had an interesting experience in the past week that, I'll admit, surprised me a little. I came down with another cold (that's not the surprising thing -- I need to get more sleep/take more Vitamin C/etc.), but I was up really late because I couldn't breathe and I thought it would be helpful if I at least did some work on my current manuscript. Well, Internet "book research" being what it is, I didn't exactly stay on task for as long as I should have. I veered...and somehow found myself at the CW Network site watching the pilot episode of "The Vampire Diaries."

This part is surprising because I really am not so big into the whole neck-biting, blood-sucking vampire thing, and I'd all but vowed not to watch it and yet, yet...the character that Ian Somerhalder (formerly Boone on "LOST") plays on the show, the remarkably strong cast as an ensemble, the conflict-laden brotherly relationship, the love triangle, the excellent writing and the unexpected humor (most of which originates with Somerhalder's bad-

boy vampire character, Damon Salvatore) totally won me over. Even more surprising, I ended up renting the Season One DVDs and have been devouring them like a vamp who was turned in 1864 and...oh, never mind.

Have any of you ever had that happen? You were so sure a show/film/book wasn't "right for you," but then you gave it a chance and it completely captivated you? Makes me wonder -- what TV series should I try next? (It does not need to have supernatural creatures in it to interest me, btw. ;) I'd love to hear about your faves, and I'm open to suggestions!!

Wishing you a great weekend and a very happy June, everyone!

Mid-Week Fly By

May has been zipping by so fast I'm afraid to close my eyes for fear I'll discover that it's really July...

A few bits of happy news to share: On Any Given Sundae is being featured this week on Facebook's KotC -- I'm their Spotlight Author! I can't tell you how exciting it is to hear readers saying they enjoyed this romantic comedy. It was such a fun one to write ;).

Also, the B&N General Fiction Book Club's discussion of A Summer in Europe has been truly wonderful!! The club members have asked tons of fabulous questions and shared so many personal insights that it's been a pleasure to get to visit with them every day. If you'd like to peek in on our conversations so far, the Week One discussion is here, and the Week Two discussion is in progress here. As always, anyone is welcome to jump in at any time!

And, finally, I have newsletter giveaway winners to announce! I've already been in touch with all three winners, so they know their book-club edition of Friday Mornings at Nine is headed their way, but I wanted to give them a personal shout out on the blog: Kelli R., Sharon S., and Robin W. -- congrats!! Hope you'll all enjoy the book.

Today, I'm planning to finish a few computer-related projects, and then I'm walking outside. It's gorgeous out there!! What about you? What's on your mid-week, mid-May agenda?

Join Me (and the B&N Book Club) for a Grand European Adventure!

It's the lovely month of May and, for me, that means it's time for a long-awaited virtual voyage to Europe with one of my favorite book clubs. The best part is that anyone in the world is welcome to come along for free! Please join me and the Barnes & Noble General Fiction Book Club as we discuss A Summer in Europe online and talk about our most cherished, funny or anxiety-provoking travel experiences...the most delicious meals we've ever had abroad...and the coolest sites we've seen in fabulous places around the globe.

No matter which airport you may be departing from, I know we're going to have smooth flights, hassle-free security check-ins, lots of overhead luggage space, ample leg room and endless onboard treats. (I'm already breaking open a tasty bottle of Welsh mead -- a honey wine -- that I brought back from a shop near Conwy Castle, and I'm beginning to pour glasses for everyone...)

So, if you already have the book or would like to pick up a copy (there's still time! you can find it at Amazon, B&N, IndieBound and more!), the reading schedule is posted here. I can tell you right now that we'll be reading and talking about Chapters 1-4 during the week of May 7-13, Chapters 5-8 during May 14-20, and Chapters 9-13 during May 21-27. The links to the weekly chats will be posted on the Fiction General Discussion Board HERE. Truly, I can't wait!

Because we were in England and, then, when we returned, I had both the RT Booklovers Convention and Chicago-North's Spring Fling Conference to attend, my real life got a bit too hectic for me to post everything I wanted to share. However, two wonderful friends had new book releases this spring, and I just couldn't wait any longer to tell you about them!

My amazing critique partner, Laura Moore, released the final book in her Rosewood trilogy at the end of March. Trouble Me is the story of Jade, the youngest and wildest of the Radcliffe sisters. She is the last to return home to her family’s sprawling Virginia horse farm and its unsettling memories. She never planned on a night of passion with a stranger before starting her new life as a teacher and riding instructor -- or the shock of recognizing the man who gave her so much pleasure standing right there in her classroom... Officer Rob Cooper is stunned. Not only is the woman who rocked his world his daughter’s second grade teacher, but she’s the troubled teen whom he blames for his wife’s death years ago. Worse, now that he sees her in the light of day, he wants her more than ever. Time has softened Jade’s hard, rebellious edge -- she’s spirited, honest, and sexy to distraction. But will the feelings ignited in the heat of desire be enough to heal a past that needs forgiving?

And, also, my good friend Robin Bielman just released her debut book -- yay! It's a romantic novella called Worth the Risk, which is a story of reunited love. Samantha Bennett put Dean Malloy out of her mind five years ago, when he broke her heart after a summer fling. But now he's back in her life, and ready to steal a heritage protection contract that could make or break her career -- if he doesn't steal her heart first. Samantha's vowed to hate him, but it's more than anger heating the competition between them. With sparks flying across the conference table and sizzling in every touch, Dean proposes a weekend liaison. Anything to have Sam again; anything to get her out of his system. But the unresolved feelings between them complicate both their personal and professional lives, and one wild weekend could turn into a disaster that would destroy the one job that means more to Samantha than anything...

Congratulations, Laura and Robin! I'm so thrilled for you both!! And to everyone, I hope you're having a wonderful start to May ;). What have you all been reading this spring?

Cookies, Reviews & the Blog Hop Winner!

Aren't these book-cover cookies beautiful?! They're from Carrie's Cookies and my publisher, Kensington Books, ordered small batches of them for each author participating in their mixer at the RT Booklovers Convention last week. Not only pretty but, in my opinion, delicious, too!!

In other exciting news, there's a brand new book blog out there for fun women's fiction/romance/mystery/etc. novels called Chick Lit Girls and, just a few days ago, they posted a lovely review for A Summer in Europe! I especially loved this segment of the review below:

"A Summer In Europe is an exceptional novel, to say the least… I was completely captivated, and couldn’t put it down. The characters are colorful different, and altogether, likeable. While reading--into all hours of the night--I felt like I was traveling through Europe myself, as I saw the sights, ate the food, and encountered many delights along the way. This fresh story, set in the most breathtaking and beautiful places of Europe, certainly is a page turner, charming, beautifully written, and realistic. A Summer in Europe by Marilyn Brant is a lovely story, and a must read!"

::happy sigh::

And last but certainly not least, many thanks to everyone who left comments for the Authors in Bloom blog hop! The winner of my personal prize -- a pair of Venetian glass-bead earrings and the two A Summer in Europe luggage tags is...JANEL!! Congratulations! I'll be in contact with you through Twitter so I can get your address. Hope you'll enjoy them ;).

Wishing you all a wonderful rest of the week and weekend!

Authors in Bloom Giveaway Hop!!

Follow the AUTHORS IN BLOOM directions and enter to win an eReader (Nook or Kindle, your choice!) + a $25 gift card!! That's the Grand Prize. :) But, also, every one of the 75 participating authors in the hop is offering individual prizes, too...including me!



To enter my personal blog giveaway -- open internationally -- for a pair of Murano glass bead earrings made in Venice and two A Summer In Europe luggage tags (see photo), you only need to leave a comment on this post before 11:45pm Central time on Wednesday, April 18th, and to (pick one) follow me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter and/or join my free newsletter list . You can get up to three entires total if you decide to do all three, but only one is required for my giveaway. (And if you're already following me on one or more of these sites, simply say so in the comments and you're entered!!) Please leave an email address along with your comment so I can contact you if you win. I'll announce the winner of the earrings and luggage tags on my blog on April 19th.

To enter the grand prize, you need to collect all the phrases for the traveling story (hint: the lines I have are below) by visiting all of the OTHER AUTHORS, and then you submit that completed story with all the lines on the grand prize landing page at A Cozy Reader's Corner by using the form provided there. Only those who collect each phrase to complete the story will be entered into the drawing for the eReader of his/her choice and the $25 gift card. Good luck, everyone!

My phrases for the traveling story:
Line 9: “Are my petals too plump?
Line 10: “Do these leaves make my bottom look wide?”

My best gardening tip:
The very best advice I can give you in regards to gardening is...PLEASE don't listen to me!! I have two of the blackest thumbs imaginable. My son inherited his green thumb from my father and it, very clearly, skipped a generation. So, for the safety of your plants, I offer NO tips!

Recipes, however, I can do ;). In A Summer In Europe , my characters enjoy many decadent foodie delights, particularly in Italy. Below is one of my favorites!

Recipe for Tiramisu:
~from pg. 150 of my Great Tastes MEDITERRANEAN cookbook~

Ingredients:
5 eggs, separated
6 oz (170 g) superfine sugar
11 oz (300 g) mascarpone cheese
9 fl oz (250 ml) cold strong coffee
3 Tbsp brandy or sweet Marsala
36 small sponge fingers
3 oz (80 g) dark chocolate, finely grated

Directions:
1. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the mascarpone and beat until the mixture is smooth.
2. Whisk the egg whites in a dry bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into the mascarpone mixture.
3. Pour the coffee into a shallow dish and add the brandy or Marsala. Dip enough biscuits into the coffee to cover the base of a 10 inch (25 cm) square dish. The biscuits should be well soaked but not so much that they break. Arrange them in one tightly packed layer at the base of the dish.
4. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over the biscuit layer. Add another layer of soaked biscuits and top with the rest of the mascarpone. Smooth the top layer neatly.
5. Dust with the grated chocolate right before serving. (Serves 4)

Enjoy, all!
What's one of your favorite desserts?

Last Train to London

I love being home...and I love traveling. But days of major transition, like this past Sunday, when we got up at 7am London time (1am Chicago time) and didn't go to bed until 4am London time (10pm Chicago time) are pretty hard on my body. I am -- not surprisingly -- still jetlagged from our somewhat spontaneous spring break trip to England, and I'm still computing the hours of every event this week into both time zones because my mind just can't be sure yet if it should or shouldn't be awake then, LOL.

Also, it's been 15 years since I've taken a transatlantic flight and, in the past 48 hours, I've felt every one of those years. I'd forgotten just how painfully my ears can pop on a rapid descent...my tendency to get hit with a cold virus the minute I step onto an airplane (I had 2 bottles of Airborne with me and kept nibbling on tablets all week -- that still didn't help)...the discomfort and hassle of super-long flights, stopovers in other countries and snake-like customs lines.

But nevermind any of the inconvenience, the leg cramps or the resulting congestion -- I got to go back to Europe for 9 days!!! I got to take my son to Stonehenge, Jane Austen's House, Conwy Castle in Wales, the Tower of London AND a West End theatrical production! I got to have traditional English breakfasts, fish-n-chips and an obscene number of Cadbury bars! I got to BritRail around England and take the Tube ("mind the gap") all through the capital city and to my little heart's content for a week and a half! (I love the European train and subway systems...) For all of these delights, I can deal with some exhaustion and a head cold.

Since it's 3:50pm Chicago time (9:50pm London time), I'm feeling the need for a nap right about now -- and fighting it. I have to walk around rather than stare at my computer or I'll fall asleep on my keyboard. So, I'll write much more about the trip later and how it came to be, and I'll post many more photos in the coming weeks. I took 580 pictures but, don't worry, I won't make you look at ALL of them. *grin*

For now, though, I'll leave you with this shot I took of Tower Bridge at night and links to two blogs I wrote this week. Yesterday, I talked a bit about the Austen-esque part of the trip over at Austen Authors . Today, I was musing a little more about the writing life at the Girlfriends Book Club and shared five gifts I'd give to aspiring writers. Hope you'll join me!

Happy Summer...um, Spring!

The Vernal Equinox came and went two days ago so, yes, it's officially spring. But usually -- in Northern Illinois -- that doesn't mean a whole lot. We've had snow days during this week in past years. I distinctly remember a very lengthy, no-electricity-in-the-house-for-days ice storm in Southern Wisconsin during one "spring break," so my expectations for warm weather in late March have always been fairly low.

Until this year.

This week we've had a series of days with temps in the 80s (!!!) -- it's so disconcerting! We're Midwesterners, for goodness sake, and it feels like the dog days of summer out there. I'm finding myself tempted to turn on the sprinkler in the backyard and then jump around in it...and, at odd points during the afternoon, I've caught myself wondering, "Where the hell is that ice-cream truck?"

So, this is pretty unusual. Not that I'm complaining. I'll take the July-like heat to January-esque hailstorms any day...but I do love SPRING weather. I'm missing that a bit right now.

Anyway, no matter what the temps outside, it's spring break for my son next week, so I'll be trying to be an attentive mom and will be offline more often than is typical for me. (Someone is seriously going to have to drag me away from Pinterest...LOL.) What are you all looking forward to doing in the next week or two? Do you plant flowers? Take care of some spring cleaning? Go anywhere special? Regardless, may the days ahead bring you that wonderful springtime sense of renewal!