|
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I'm in NYC at the Romance Writers of America conference! Already having a blast with my writer pals, but what I'm really looking forward to is meeting and talking to readers tonight at the Literacy Autographing. If you're in the New York area, I hope you'll stop by and say 'hi!' I've got lots of fun, free stuff to hand out, like chapter excerpt booklets for Too Hot to Touch, and full sets of Rising Star Chef romance trading cards.
But the big news of the day is that I found out that the publisher is offering a special promotional price for my first foodie romance, Can't Stand the Heat! For the month leading up to the August 2nd release of Too Hot to Touch, you can try out my first trilogy (and hopefully get hooked on my writing!) for just $2.99!!!
I'm so excited about this deal, so I hope you'll tell all your friends! Here are some links.
Kindle
Nook
Sony E-Reader
Kobo
Should be in the iBookstore, too, but I can't link to it.
In case you've never seen or heard anything about the book, here's the blurb:
For sharp-tongued food critic Miranda Wake, the chance to spend a month in Adam Temple’s kitchen to write an exposé is a journalistic dream come true. Surely Miranda can find a way to cut the hotshot chef down to size once she learns what really goes on at his trendy Manhattan restaurant. But she never expected Adam to find out her most embarrassing secret: she has no idea how to cook.
Adam’s not about to have his reputation burned by a critic who doesn’t even know the difference between poaching and paring. He’ll just have to give the tempting redhead a few private lessons of his own—teaching her what it means to cook with passion…and doing more with his hands than simply preparing sumptuous food.
The three WINNERS of my So Close Giveaway are:
Alcott
Christiana
Sherie
Email me at louisa @ louisaedwards . com with your physical address, and I'll send your prizes out! Congrats to the winners, and thank you to everyone who commented.
If you weren't one of the lucky winners of the Too Hot to Touch excerpt booklets, don't despair you can see two full chapters on my website here. Check it out and get to know wandering Zen master chef, Max Lunden...
We're so close! To so many things. Close to the Romance Writers of America national conference in a week (come see me at the Lit Signing,) close to the release of Too Hot to Touch on August 2nd, and...close to hitting 1,000 fans on my Facebook fan page!
I wanted to celebrate these almost-milestones with a giveaway...and I've got the perfect gift for my readers. Books! All you have to do is post a comment to this blog that answers this question:
If you were trapped on a deserted island and had only one book with you, what book would you want it to be?
 I'm going to randomly choose three winners from the answers below. Each lucky winner will get one of the books below, plus a full set of my Rising Star Chef romance trading cards and a chapter excerpt booklet that contains the first THREE full chapters of Too Hot to Touch!
The other prizes are:
 Face of Danger by Roxanne St. Claire
Blurb: Private investigator Vivi Angelino loves living life on the edge, but stepping into the shoes of a movie starlet to bait a serial killer isn't just a thrill . . . it's a ticket to the big time for her fledgling security firm. That is, as long as a certain risk-averse FBI agent stays out of her way-and out of her fantasies.
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Colton Lang isn't above using his well-worn rulebook to stop Vivi's latest walk on the wild side. But when they learn her client is involved in something far more insidious than bad acting, Vivi and Colt must work together despite the electrifying attraction arcing between them. For each new clue is bringing them closer to a high-profile crime with a dark and deadly truth at its core . . . and a cold, calculating murderer with nothing left to lose.
 Already Home by Susan Mallery (Autographed trade paperback!)
Blurb: After nearly a decade as a sous-chef in a trendy eatery, Jenna is desperate for a change. She's supported her ex-husband's dreams for so long that she can't even remember her own. Until she sees a for-lease sign near her parents' home and envisions her very own cooking store. Her crash course in business is aided by a streetwise store manager and Jenna's adoptive mother. But just as she's gaining a foothold in her new life, in walk her birth parents—aging hippies on a quest to reconnect with their firstborn. Now Jenna must figure out how to reconcile the free-spirited Serenity and Tom with her traditional parents, deal with her feelings for a new love interest and decide what to do about her ex's latest outrageous request. In the end, Jenna will find that there is no perfect family, only the people we love….
 Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs (Autographed hardcover!)Blurb: Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her California home; continue her steady relationship with her boyfriend, Mark; and take care of her brothers and surfer dad. But Tempest is half mermaid, and as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide whether to remain on land or give herself to the ocean like her mother. The pull of the water becomes as insistent as her attraction to Kai, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities hint at an otherworldly identity as well. And when Tempest does finally give in to the water's temptation and enters a fantastical underwater world, she finds that a larger destiny awaits her-and that the entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.
And apologies to my international readers, but due to contest regulations in other countries, this giveaway is only open to U.S. residents.
 Leftovers are my favorite! Especially when they're this delicious. I used up some of my farmer's market booty last night--roasted the poussins and sliced the baby zucchini super thin, along with some avocado, and marinated it in olive oil and lemon juice. A little salt, some pistachios, and voila! Delightful summer salad, recipe courtesy of the grande dame of simple French cooking, Patricia Wells.
What did you have for dinner? Do you like to recycle dinner into lunch, or are you one of those people who hates leftovers?
 Today's trip to the Austin Farmer's Market yielded quite a haul! I got two bunches of beets, these baby zucchini that are so adorable, I have to call them courgettes, farm fresh eggs, the sweetest gold cherry tomatoes, mixed greens, and a couple of heirloom poussins--French for hens. Maybe I'm feeling so French today because the hens were sold to me by a morose Frenchman...I don't know!
Either way, whatever you call them, I'm planning to roast the hens and probably do this delicious, no-cook zucchini "carpaccio" dish with the squash. This Patricia Wells recipe makes a perfect hot weather appetizer or light lunch! Prettier and tastier than you would believe.
What on your agenda for the day?
 I have two Border Terriers: Oscar and Hunter. I adore them, and the feeling is mutual. They're cute, funny, sweet, loyal(ish), and...one of them is smart! The other one? Not so much. Which is why I looove this hysterical Hyperbole and a Half post about what it's like to have a simple dog.
Do you have pets? Are they brainiacs, or...simple?
I've got my excerpt booklets for Too Hot to Touch, and OHMYGOSH are they adorable! I'm so pleased with them, and I can't wait to start putting them in the hands of readers.
Of course I'll have them with me at the RWA national conference at the end of June, and probably at the Readers 'N 'Ritas conference in Dallas this November, but first I plan is to do a big giveaway through my newsletter in the next couple of weeks. I'll be giving my newsletter readers lots of chances to win an excerpt booklet AND a set of my Rising Star Chef romance trading cards.
So...are you signed up for my newsletter? If not, click here!
It's super easy, just plug in your name and email address, and you're all set. I don't send one every single month (don't want you to get sick of me!) but when I've got really fun news, like a new free read or chapter excerpt posted, appearances and signings, and other cool stuff, I send one out. And I always include a recipe!
I'm baking today, putting together care packages to send to a couple of my favorite girls in the world while they're at summer camp. I loved sleep-away camp when I was a kid...and I vividly remember the joy of getting a care package full of goodies!
So I'm making these raspberry oatmeal bars (they travel well and are always a huge hit,) as well as regular old chocolate chip cookies. The classic version from the back of the Tollhouse chocolate chip package. I've never found a better version of those cookies anywhere. Have you?
Did you go to summer camp when you were a kid?
For the past month, I've been searching around for great restaurants within walking distance of the Romance Writers of America 2011 conference hotel, the Marriott Marquis in Times Square (at 45th and 7th.)
It's not the best neighborhood for amazing food, but there are some gems, and some spots I'm excited to try! So here's my list. If you live in the city and have more knowledge than I do about what's hot and happening in the Times Square area, feel free to add to the list! I'd love some more recommendations. This is where I'm planning to eat while I'm in town for the conference:
Esca: Mario Batali's fancy new coastal Italian place that's getting raves all over town. (Ruth Reichl tweeted about her experience there!) I've never been , and am thrilled to be taken there for my editor/agent dinner. Will report back!
Ruby Foo's: We used to go to the one on the UWS all the time. so when a group of us rowdy, raucous romance authors plan to get together for dinner, I knew it would be the perfect choice. Solid pan-Asian cuisine, fun atmosphere, very group-friendly due to the family-style menu of shared dishes, and all the silly drinks you can imagine. So it won't matter how lively the party gets...and this one is just three short blocks from the hotel, straight up Broadway, so it'll be easy to stumble home afterward!
Tenpenny: Two and a half avenue blocks from the hotel is this little spot that the NYT gave a star, and that showed up on Eater NY's list of top pasta dishes to taste in the city! Also, they have an afternoon cocktail list. How perfect is that for a conference lunch?
DB Bistro Moderne: The 'DB' in the name stands for Daniel Boulud, so you know this is going to be good. I've never been to this place, but I've eaten at a bunch of the other restaurants in his empire, and never been disappointed. This is where I'm taking my agent for a fun catch-up/strategy session lunch; we'll chow down on updated bistro classics like steak frites and salade lyonnais, but with Daniel Boulud's signature touch. Can't wait for this one! And at 44th and 6th, it's super close by.
'wichcraft (46th & 5th): If I get a chance to leave the conference for another lunch, but need to be quick about it, I'm going to try to make my way to this sandwich joint. Yes, it's technically part of a chain, but when the head of the business is Tom Colicchio, I'm okay with it. ; ) I've never been to a 'Wichcraft, but my husband swears by them. And it's convenient, only two avenue blocks away, just a little closer than Tenpenny. Or if I don't have time to walk over, I could always place an order online and have a sandwich delivered right to the hotel. Good God, I miss New York!
And then there's St. Andrews Restaurant & Bar. Which used to be (maybe still is?) the only true Scottish pub in the city. The food is...not great, although there are some wonderfully wacky UK imports like buffalo calamari and curry fries, and the cocktails are just so-so--but the atmosphere! Pure gold. And on Fridays and Saturdays? Free, live celtic music that will make you feel totally transported to Edinburgh! So it makes the list, because my friends and I used to be regulars, it's a fun place to grab a drink, they have a great Scotch list if you're into that, and it's literally around the corner from the hotel.
That's my list so far! Please feel free to add anything you think of, only keep in mind that many of the ladies who will be using this list will most likely be wearing incredibly stupid high heels and aren't used to walking the city in them. And for my fellow conference attendees, I hope you'll let me know if you try any of these places! I'd love to compare notes...
As much as I'm enjoying spending all my days with hottie chef Beck, I'm looking forward to finishing his book so I can get back to reading for pleasure again! The minute I wrap up Hot Under Pressure, I'm diving into my TBR pile. Can't wait!
And just because I'm curious and I love to tease myself--tell me the last book you read and loved. Was it a new-to-you author or an old favorite? Something you'd been panting for, or something you stumbled across?
I've had a lot of readers writing in to ask how they can get their hands on my romance trading cards! (One lady even asked if she'd be able to buy them. Um...sure! LOL) It's so cool that y'all are into them, I'm really thrilled--so I'm going to give you a few different ways to grab up sets of the cards.
1.) Enter this month's contest on my website. You may or may not know this, but every month I do a fun giveaway on my site, and for June and July, it's a full set of Rising Star Chef romance trading cards, plus a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com! You know, in case you haven't pre-ordered Too Hot to Touch and Some Like it Hot yet... ; )
2.) Sign up for my newsletter. I don't send one out every single month, but when I do, I promise it will be chock full of fun news like signings, giveaways, extras like free reads and excerpts posted on my website, and recipes. For the next couple of months, I'll also be offering ways to win romance trading cards, so tune in! You won't regret it.
3.) Come see me! I'll be signing (along with five hundred of your favorite romance authors) at the Literacy Autographing in New York City on Tuesday, June 28th, from 5:30 to 7:30. You'll find the whole huge crowd of us at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, signing books and greeting readers and giving away cool stuff in the Broadway Ballroom. It's completely free (except for whatever books you buy--and the proceeds go to a great cause!) and open to the public, so stop by. Say 'hi'! And walk away with a full set of romance trading cards, for free. I'll even sign them for you!
Here's the very last of my romance trading cards! For now, at least. I've already gotten requests to go back and do some for the Market trilogy...and, of course, there's still Beck's mysterious heroine in Hot Under Pressure.
Right now, though, we've got the heroine of Some Like it Hot! Eva Jansen is the billionaire playgirl who's taken charge of the Rising Star Chef competition, which her father founded years ago. All she cares about is impressing her dad and proving she's got what it takes to run his huge restaurant empire--until she sees Danny Lunden.
The last two romance trading cards are actually for the second book in the Rising Star Chef series, Some Like it Hot--but the characters are introduced (to readers and each other) in Too Hot to Touch. Danny Lunden is Max's younger brother...the one who stayed home and took care of his parents and his responsibilities as pastry chef of their family restaurant when Max took off for parts unknown. So Danny's got some brother issues, for sure. In fact, he doesn't really have time to think about anything other than his family--until he meets Eva Jansen...
Since it's Saturday, I have a very special Romance Trading Card reveal for you! This is Winslow Jones, one of the most fun to write characters ever to steal every scene I try to write. There's just something about him--he's funny, sweet, with hints of a dark past that he somehow hasn't allowed to dim the brilliance of his smile and the zing of his personality. And did I mention he's a bit of a player? Yeah...
Here he is:
Yesterday we saw Claire Durand...and today, we've got her love interest and co-judge in the Rising Star Chef competition: Kane Slater!
Kane is a rock star, a famous foodie, and one of the hottest and most fun characters I've ever written. Maybe because he's secretly, in the movie in my head, played by Chris Pine? At any rate, he's someone I really can't wait for all of you to meet.
Here's your sneak preview:
Today's Romance Trading Card reveal will be a familiar face to those of you who've read my Market trilogy (Can't Stand the Heat, On the Steamy Side, and Just One Taste)!
Remember Claire Durand? The elegant, distinguished, acerbically French editor in chief of one of the world's premier food and lifestyle magazines is back--this time as the head judge of the Rising Star Chef competition! Of course. Who else could we trust to choose the best, most innovative, refined, and delicious of all the dishes put forth by the different teams of talented chefs?
Claire knows everything there is to know about food...but she's about to discover there are a few things she has yet to learn about love. Specifically, how hard it is to control who she falls for when she meets her co-judge, the extremely unsuitable and much younger Kane Slater...but that's a story for another day. ; )
For now, here are Claire's basic stats!
I've had several readers ask me if I ever planned to write a chef heroine. For all of you who wanted to see a tough, competent woman in the kitchen, Jules Cavanaugh is your girl!
As I said in this month's newsletter, she's a super talented chef in her own right--in fact, Executive Chef of Lunden's Tavern, and the leader of the Lunden's team for the Rising Star Chef competition. Which is a position she's not willing to give up...even for the guy she's had a red-hot crush on since high school.
Take a peek:
Home
|
|
|
|
