Hump Day Hunk: A Hunk of Burnin' Love

I couldn't resist the title and also going a bit retro for my usual Hump Day Hunk posting. Today is the King of Rock n Roll's birthday, so to honor that I thought Elvis was the perfect choice. What's not to love? His sultry voice, his amazing hair, his eyes, and that brooding, pouty, pensive look like in the picture below:

 

 

Elvis was way before my time, but my Mom is a huge fan. I can recall going through her record collection and playing all of his music. I became enchanted with him and my parents took us on a family vacation to Memphis so we could tour Graceland.

 

 

And although he was known for his films and his fun music, his tender side gets me every time. Below is one of my favorites, Always on My Mind.

 

 



Monday Mouthful: My Number One Resolution for 2014

Recently, a friend of mine mentioned how I might not ever be able to survive two weeks in a secluded location without the Internet. Well, he might be right. However, writing steamy, tempting novels would  seriously be hampered by a lack of connection.

So, since I cannot completely eliminate the Internet from my life, I firmly resolve to do what I can to have more quality time while I am on the computer. I think this exercise will be beneficial to my productivity. What do you think?

Monday Mouthful: Sexy Santa of the Day

I don't think I would mind him leaving presents under my tree. What about you?

Book Review: The Dragon Legacy by Jane Hunt

The Dragon Legacy by Jane Hunt is an atmospheric work of art. Each descriptive turn of phrase leaves the read feeling as though they are part of the unfolding story and also leaves them breathless for more. The story is fashioned as a masque, a tale that reveals an inner truth.

The paranormal cast of characters is well developed by Ms. Hunt. Each detail is striking from her description of Fleur’s initial attraction to Lukas to things like the way Lukas’ hair looked, “its remarkable black color, reminiscent of an exotic bird or reptile with highlights of metallic turquoise and blue woven through it.” The attraction between Fleur and Lukas is so intense, so palpable it makes it difficult to put this book done. Ms. Hunt also does a wonderful job with the characterization of Xavier, the story’s villain. His two-sided nature is testament to Ms. Hunt’s writing skills as she showcases something we see in real life, the two natures people can have and how easy it is for them to hide certain aspects of themselves.

The story moves along at a fast past, keeping the reader guessing at each turn. This page turner of a paranormal romance with its twist, beautiful imagery, hot scenes, and a great ending makes for a terrific read. I can’t wait to read more of Ms. Hunt’s books.


I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

 

More about the author:

 

Author Bio: As a child I had a complete stable of make believe horses and my imagination remains as vivid. Now it creates characters and scenarios which provide the inspiration for my stories.

I am so excited to finally have career as a writer. My love affair with the written word started as a teenager. I secretly dreamed of writing the romantic novels I loved to read. Life had other plans for me. Marriage at twenty-one whilst still at university launched me into a career in health service management. I often thought about writing in my spare time but my career and two wonderful children kept me occupied 24/7.  Illness forced an abrupt end to my career. Always the optimist I seized the opportunity to write full time in 2012.

 

The Dragon Legacy is my first published novel and I am excited to be sharing it with a wider audience.

When I'm not writing I enjoy reading, book reviewing, social media and walking in the countryside. Passionate about animal welfare.

The Dragon Legacy -- 20 December 2013

You can connect with Jane Hunt on:

 

 

  Jane Hunt Writer Website

 

Jane Hunt Facebook

Jane Hunt Writer Facebook Page

The Dragon Legacy Facebook Page

 

Twitter

 

Goodreads

 

 Jane Hunt Pinterest

 

Jane Hunt Google+

My Books Google+ Page

Jane Hunt Writer Book Reviews Google+ Page 

 

 

Hump Day Hunk - Blue Collar Heroes

Wow. Its been a long time since I've posted. I want to first thank everyone for continuing to make Heartbreak Ranch a success. I am so glad you have fallen head over heels for Colt McCord :) and although I've featured him in my Hump Day Hunk posts from time to time, today I would like to focus on a different kind of romance novel hero.

While the world is abuzz with the scenes being filmed for Fifty Shades of Grey's big screen adaptation and women everywhere are fantasizing about self-made billionaire Christian Grey, some of us are looking for a man more grounded in reality. While I love stories where a rich man whisks away some beautiful diamond in the rough girl, I also like a story that has a bit more realism. It pushes me as the writer to be more creative. The grand gestures of love don't fall into the same category. Its easy to write a story where the hero gifts his love interest with a whirlwind trip to Paris or expensive jewelry or a new luxury car. But, I think there is a lot of wonderful emotional moments that get missed in all the extravagance.

For one of my next manuscripts I plan on making the male hero someone more down to earth. A man who is strong and works with his hands and knows the value of a promise. He lives to make his love happy and knows that she prefers something he's fashioned for her out of steel instead of store bought because it holds special meaning. My next male hero will be a welder who has an artistic bent and creates beautiful pieces of art from metal. Have you seen the things a welder can do when he unleashes his creative side? Take a look at some of the work on Etsy by artisan welders, like this amazing North Star. Could you imagine falling for a man who could craft something so amazing?

What do you think about creating a male character who is more grounded in reality? Could you fall for a fisherman, or a construction worker, or a welder?

Cover Reveal: Natalie S. Taylor's Changed By You

Last year, I entered Harlequin Romance's So You Think You Can Write contest with Heartbreak Ranch.  I was thrilled to find not only someone to publish my manuscript but also two great author friends, Susan Arden and Natalie S. Taylor.

I couldn't be more happy to present the cover for Natalie's New Adult Novella, Changed by You.

Look at this gorgeous cover:

 

Available December 2013 on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Secret Cravings Publishing

 

Grace Addington imprisoned herself between a place where reality never played a role and where she had control over her happily-ever-after. When her dreams spiral out of control and turn darker she’s left fighting to escape her past once again and runs right into the arms of charming Trevor Stone. He's everything she needs to give her the push to move on, but letting go of her first love won’t be easy.　

 

Links

Website-  http://nataliestaylor.com/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/Natalie_STaylor

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/ntaylor1212romances

Blog- http://nataliestaylor.blogspot.com/

Giveaway- http://natalietaylor1212.blogspot.com/

Rafflecopter Code- http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZDExMmMwOTQ0YmY2YzQwZmQ1ZmQ5ZWFmN2ZiYmRlOjA=/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Bio: Natalie Taylor’s first story was typed out on pink paper while she listened to Jim Croce at age ten. Since then she has found a love for using plain white paper and stopped hiding her work in shoe boxes. She believes music is the cure for most everything—reading and writing will cure everything else. When Natalie isn’t writing, playing the piano or riding shotgun with her husband in their drag car, you’ll find her　pulling flip-flops from a puppy’s mouth.　It’s a vicious cycle. Marathons of The Big Bang Theory and coffee help her juggle a nine-to-five data entry job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving at Heartbreak Ranch - Brandied Cranberry Sauce

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, its time to start menu planning at Heartbreak Ranch. What to feed all those hungry folks looking for an authentic Western ranch Thanksgiving meal? Well besides a big ole turkey, we need to have some spectacular sides to showcase our flair for good family style eats.

You can't go wrong with this recipe for Brandied Cranberry Sauce. Its sweet, tart, and has a bit of kick much like Ms. Graysen Beaufort.

Ingredients

• 1 package (12 oz.) fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded orange peel

Preparation

1. Sort cranberries and discard any soft or spoiled ones. Rinse and drain berries.
2. Mix cranberries, sugar, brandy, and orange peel in an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 325° oven until berries are tender when pierced and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve warm or cool.