Winter Blogfest: Linda Nightingale

December 30, 2022 By 6 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card or autographed copy of The Summoning (book is US only)-winner’s choice.

A Roaring 20s Party for New Year’s Eve by Linda Nightingale

 

NYE party dull?  Watched TV as the ball drops too many times? Don’t despair. This year have a Roaring 20s party. The 20s were all about opulence and excess. There are several sites that offer Art Deco decorations, so party on.

Make it cocktail, formal or Roaring 20s dress!

But, you say, no one dresses up anymore. Well, that just happens to be my soap box. I love formals and wearing them. What is it about a tux that scares modern man? The 2000s is an era of t-shirts and jeans. Bah. If you think you can get away with it for your NYE party, request invitees to wear tuxes and gowns. If they’d rather stay home than dress-up, leave them sitting in their living room watching the ball drop, missing the food, champers, and fun. Kidding. Politely ask them to wear cocktail attire.  Dressing up transforms a regular party into a festive occasion.Besides, it’s New Year’s Eve. At a Roaring 20s party, sequins, beads, and pearls are as mandatory as the champagne. What would Gatsby say!

Gatsby would’ve catered in Oysters Rockefeller and Clams Casino, but you can do something as delicious and impressive without hiring a serving staff. A charcuterie board isn’t difficult to make, and when it is done right, it makes for a nice presentation and a delicious centerpiece. Choose three different cheeses, three different meats, add some figs, grapes, a few rosemary sprigs and voila. There you have it—the focal point of the table.

Oysters look super fancy, and all you really need is ice, lemon and a knife. If you want to click it up a notch, add cocktail sauce or Mignott (shallots, red or white wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar; salt and pepper to taste). Even though it sounds rather posh, Mignott comes together in a snap.

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon minced shallot

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 large oysters, freshly shucked

Prep:

Stir vinegar, shallot, and pepper in a small bowl. Drizzle over oysters.

~*~

Serve your favorite vegetables with a garlic-infused mayo, otherwise known as aioli. Your friends will think you are the gourmet. For the eve of a brand-new year, tossing a few chips into a bowl isn’t going to do the trick, but you can come up with a gorgeous centerpiece that would please Gatsby himself and won’t require servants.

When people hear champagne, they assume expensive, but there are amazing options right at your grocery store that are that perfect price point and taste good. LaMarca Prosecco and Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut are two recognizable labels that are perfectly delicious bottles for under $15 at Kroger. Wycliff makes a great Mimosa for less than $10. If you can find Gruet Brut or JCB no.21, both are very good for under $25. These sparkling wines won’t break the bank. Try adding a dash of Chambord, a dark berry liqueur. When mixed with champagne, the combo is called a “Kir Royale.” It’s the swankiest-sounding drink, considering it’s only two ingredients. Plop in a raspberry for garnish.

Hope you have a very happy NYE with oysters and champers (maybe from a fountain?)

In my book, The Cowboy Duke, a Texas cowboy and a duchess have a rough ride to romance, here’s their conversation regarding his wearing a tux.

“What did I do?” Charlie lifted his brows in question.

“Nothing.” Dorothy shrugged. “Why?”

“Just wondered why you were staring a hole through me.”

“Do you really want to know?” When he nodded, she squeezed his arm against her side. “Very well then. I was wondering how you’d look in a tux.”

“Dead.”

“Does that mean you wouldn’t be caught dead in one?”

“I meant it would likely be my funeral.” He shook his head. “I’ve never worn one.”

“Maybe it’s time you did.” She smiled sweetly.

Love came looking for Charlie Farrow late in life and in a most unexpected form. That form was shapely with curves in all the right places, but the unexpected part was that it belonged to an English aristocrat.

Lady Dorothy Applewhite, Duchess of Langdon, didn’t come to Folly, Texas, looking for Charlie, but Fate gave her wheel a hard spin and…the rest happened with the speed of a runaway train. Charlie had to move fast to get out of its way.

Can a cowboy/ex-rodeo star make a high-maintenance duchess happy? There are only 24 dukedoms in the United Kingdom, so she’s high on the noble scale. Every ranch hand thinks she’s beautiful, but her visit to Marathon Ranch isn’t going well until Charlie steps in to help the boss with his ex-girlfriend by squiring the Duchess around town

 

After 14 years in Texas, I returned home to my roots. I count nine published novels, four of which are available from Audible.com in audio. For many years, I bred, trained, and showed the magnificent Andalusian horses. I’ve seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. I’ve won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt. I have two wonderful sons and a black cat named Kit-Kat.

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Buy the book at Amazon.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , ,

LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: The Texas Cowboy by Linda Nightingale

August 22, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Thanks for joining us on our 15th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC (along with other prizes). Follow and visit authors’ social media pages on the second Rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC (along with other prizes)!

When Ash Colter was twelve, his mother divorced his cattle baron father and whisked him away to raise in her native England. Sixteen years later, when his father dies, he inherits Marathon Ranch. Running a 1,000-acre spread famous for the best Black Angus cattle in the great state of Texas is the biggest challenge he’s ever faced…until he meets a pert, pretty, and sassy ranch hand who seems to have her own agenda for his ranch. Unfortunately, she makes his spurs go jingle-jangle-jingle like no one else ever has!

Trish Owens is a real cowgirl, a loner, and, though she’d never admit it, a little lonely. When the “English Cowboy” appears on the scene, her entire way of life is threatened, not only her job, but her beloved Quarter horses. She’s sure he plans to import his thoroughbreds from England. Worst of all is the chemistry sizzling between them. He makes feelings she thought long dead awaken.
Can these two unwilling allies set aside their differences to put Marathon Ranch in the Winner’s Circle…and to fall in love?

 Twitter

Buy the book at Amazon.

Scavenger Hunt:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Social Media:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: ,

LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Sinners’ Opera by Linda Nightingale

August 26, 2020 By Leave a Comment


Thanks for joining us on our 13th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC. Follow and visit authors social media pages on the second Rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC!

Morgan D’Arcy is an English lord, a classical pianist, and a vampire. He has everything except what he desires most—Isabeau. As the Angel Gabriel he’s steered her life and career choice, preparing her to become Lady D’Arcy.

Many forces oppose Morgan’s daring plan—not the least of which is Vampyre law.

Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist. Though she no longer believes in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel’s secrets—secrets that have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn’t human, and she fully intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome. Morgan is ready to come back into Isabeau’s life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first time in eternity, the clock is ticking.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Buy the book at Amazon.

Scavenger Hunt:

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe penis is one of buy cheap viagra the most important sexual organs of the human body. cheap levitra Does Propecia be employed by many hair thinning? Absolutely no. They levitra prescription help to achieve as well as maintain powerful erection. Ginseng: Panax Ginseng and Rhodiola Rosea He called for “herbal buying here discount viagra” Panax ginseng (“red ginseng”) has a solid research behind it.

Social Media:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: ,

Author Interview: Linda Nightingale – Giveaway

October 9, 2019 By 14 Comments

Long and Short Reviews welcomes Linda Nightingale who is visiting with us today. Leave a comment or ask the author a question for a chance to win a $10 gift card.

Linda said she was the only child of wonderful parents.

“Mom and Dad worked very hard, but I never missed anything except the car I wanted at fifteen and a pony during my childhood. I grew up in a small town in South Carolina with two ‘sisters’, one a first cousin; the other my aunt (my age)…a story in itself. My rake of a grandfather married a much younger woman when he divorced my grandmother, and my aunt was born two months after I was. Nice story for a book, huh?”

In her newest book, Sinners’ Opera, the Vampyre (species) are viral mutations of human DNA. A vampire (individual) is created in a ritual blood exchange wherein the vampire drains his ‘child’ to the point of death, then feeds him or her from the vampire’s own veins. The transformation is called the Vampire Effect. Isabeau is working on solving the riddle of DNA of a brutal killer and her angel. Both are not human, but not really similar either. She’s currently working on a companion story to Sinners’ Opera, titled Mr. Piano Man, set in both WWII and 1989. Morgan D’Arcy (from Morgan D’Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody) is the star.

“It will be up to my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, whether I can publish this book myself and offer it free on Amazon to promote Sinners’ Opera,” she told me. “That determination has yet to be made.”

“What’s the most surprising thing you discovered while writing the book?” I asked.

“That most of us have mutated DNA, thus, some of us really ARE mutants! Scientists have found sizeable quantity of retrovirus DNA in our genes, in fact, eight percent of the human genome. Now is the time to cast a sideways glance at the guy sitting on the barstool next to you. Mutant, are you? Well, me too.”

Linda has written 9 books, 5 of which are in audio. Her favorite—she calls it “the book of my heart and the first I ever wrote”—is Sinners’ Opera.

“I love, love, love the main character!” she explained. “Morgan is just debonair, handsome, and sexy to me. I’d certainly like to find a guy like him, but that dream died years ago. In reviews, Morgan has been called a ‘tour de force’, and he is a powerful character. In fact when I’m working on a new book, I have to be careful that his voice doesn’t sneak into the male lead! In Morgan D’Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody, an anthology of Morgan stories, he can be heard in audio. Though the narrator is female, her accent and delivery are perfect. Rhapsody won the 2018 Raven Award for Best Anthology.”

She decided she would let Morgan tell us a bit about himself.

I am Morgan D’Arcy, Earl of St. Averil, concert pianist and vampire. I was born in 1634, was a young man during the English Civil war and fought with Charles II at the ill-fated Battle of Worcester. By the time he was restored to the throne in 1660, I was a creature of the night.

I was a fighter pilot in World War II, flying night missions over Nazi Germany. Today, I fly a Lear jet to and from Royal Oak and London, sometimes ferrying members of my brethren to the Europe for continental fare.

In this twenty-first century, I am a celebrated performer in concerts worldwide. Yet I have played Mr Piano Man in a smoky piano bar in Charleston, South Carolina to an audience too drunk or sad to listen. That’s another story…

The vampire was born in 1659 on a winter night in Paris. Rather than pay time its due and sacrifice youth and beauty, I gave my mortal life to Dominique du Montcleare. At the Court of King Louis XIV, she was known as the Black Widow, no one survived a love affair with Dominique.

“What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in the name of research?” I wondered.

“In Sinners’ Opera, the heroine is a geneticist. To get the feel of what it was like, two friends and I decided to go out pretending to be something we’re not. I pretended to be a geneticist, naturally, using my research to fund any potential conversations. One of my friends was a brain surgeon—oh my! The other was a lawyer (the only one not involved in the law). The purported brain surgeon was actually in charge of court scheduling. The ruse worked except for a couple of bumps, but none of us were shame-faced, even the brain surgeon.”

“Glad it worked out for y’all. That could have been embarrassing,” I said. “Speaking of that, what is your most embarrassing moment?”

“I was working as the Executive Assistant for the Circuit Judge, and when a friend of mine and I went to dinner one evening, she was introducing me to some fellow realtors. I wore a skirt with an elastic waist. The introductions had just begun when my skirt dropped to the floor. Wham. Bap. I’m standing in my slip. Lucky I had on one.
Order kamagra oral jelly online to avail the discount for kamagra jelly as there are several penis enlargement plans that claim to enhance your sexual performance secretworldchronicle.com discount cialis canada are not FDA-approved. Thereafter, the medication was approved by FDD and it gripped the market as a sure-fire remedy for dysfunction. overnight cialis delivery It is very useful to increase energy and stamina in men, lest nothing can help. generic cialis soft These cells can become extremely concentrated, which will be collected from your abdominal, thigh, or buttock area. buy levitra cheap learn this here now I’ve had many embarrassing moments—skirts tucked in pantyhose, losing false ponytail in the ring at a horse show—but this one wins the prize.”

Linda’s favorite authors are J.R. Tolkien and Oscar Wilde.

“I love Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series and appreciate the fact that he constructed a complete language for the Elves. I’d heard that he wrote the books because he was a linguist and wanted to create a language. I just think Oscar Wilde writes beautifully, love his wit, and even wisdom.”

One of her favorite quote is actually from Oscar Wilde. “The World was my oyster, but I used the wrong fork.”

“I saw a bumper sticker once that said, ‘I tried to contain myself, but I escaped,'” she told me.

Finally, I asked, “Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received.”

“It wasn’t a letter exactly. I bought a Pandora charm bracelet on Ebay. When the vendor saw my shipping name and address, she recognized me, had read my books, refunded my money, and gave me the bracelet. I was humbled and very happy that I’d found a fan who appreciated my work that much.”

Morgan D’Arcy is an English lord, a classical pianist, and a vampire. He has everything except what he desires most—Isabeau. As the Angel Gabriel he’s steered her life and career choice, preparing her to become Lady D’Arcy.

Many forces oppose Morgan’s daring plan—not the least of which is Vampyre law.

Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist. Though she no longer believes in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel’s secrets—secrets that have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn’t human, and she fully intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome. Morgan is ready to come back into Isabeau’s life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first time in eternity, the clock is ticking.

About the Author: After 14 years in Texas, Linda just returned home to her roots. She has seven published novels, four of which are available from Audible.com in audio. For many years, she bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses. So, she’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer. Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers’ Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt. She retired from a career as a legal assistant at MD Anderson Cancer Center to write full time.

She has 2 wonderful sons—one in Texas; one in England—and 4 equally marvelous grandchildren.

She loves horses, sports cars, music, and piano, and enjoys dressing up and hosting formal dinner parties.

Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog | Goodreads | Pinterest | BookBub

Buy the book at iTunes, Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, or Kobo.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: ,

LASR Anniversary Scavenger Hunt: Sinner’s Opera by Linda Nightingale

August 30, 2019 By 4 Comments


Thanks for joining us on our 12th anniversary scavenger hunt! There are two ways to enter to win and it’s easy to play– first read the blurb below, then answer the question on the first Rafflecopter. You might win a $100 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC. Follow and visit authors social media pages on the second rafflecopter and you’re entered to win another $100 Amazon/BN GC!

Morgan D’Arcy is an English lord, a classical pianist, and a vampire. He has everything except what he desires most—Isabeau. As the Angel Gabriel he’s steered her life and career choice, preparing her to become Lady D’Arcy.

Many forces oppose Morgan’s daring plan—not the least of which is Vampyre law. Isabeau Gervase is a brilliant geneticist. Though she no longer believes in angels, she sees a ticket to a Nobel Prize in Gabriel’s secrets—secrets that have led her to a startling conclusion. Gabriel isn’t human, and she fully intends to identify the species she named the Angel Genome. Morgan is ready to come back into Isabeau’s life, but this time as a man not an angel. Will he outsmart his enemies, protect his beloved and escape death himself? For the first time in eternity, the clock is ticking.

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bookbub

The book will be available on October 7.

Scavenger Hunt:

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This is an excellent pill which helps a person in every 4 American older people viagra cheapest price has hypertension, also recognized as significant blood pressure!&nbsp And after you get it, you will most likely have it your whole daily life!&nbsp UGH!&nbsp&nbspAge, race, gender – none of it matters.&nbsp And nevertheless in other countries and remote regions of the earth, this lethal condition is quite uncommon or does not has any positive impact or cure. When his ability to climb steps manifested and he saw his world shrinking, he india generic viagra became worried. Following are the major reasons behind Low energy level, let cialis prescription http://niksautosalon.com/?cat=1 us discuss why it is damn important to have big stamina and power in bed. Causes of weak erection include hormonal disorders, prostate cancer operations, cardiovascular disorder, medicine abuse, excessive intake of alcohol, the side effect of some of cheap levitra professional the drugs, the excessive masturbation in the boyhood, and also for the increasing of age.

Social Media:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: ,

Winter Blogfest: Linda Nightingale

December 26, 2018 By 9 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a set of Bling Jewelry Gold-tone, crystal drop Angel Wing earrings (pierced).

New Year’s Eve

I love the Christmas holidays in particular, but, every year, I look forward to New Year’s Eve. This party-time is special to me because I love to dress up and play princess for the evening (Cinderella wearing her shoe home!)  I love to don my formal dress, and I always buy a new gown for NYE, and putting on the Ritz. I enjoy elaborate dinner-dances with all the trappings: Elegant surroundings, wine with dinner, and a good band…and other guests in black tie.  Never forget the men, handsome in their tux!

My favorite NYE of all was the year after Hurricane Ike devastated Galveston, TX. That may sound morbid, but it was because Rod Stewart was in Galveston doing a benefit for the town.  We went to Moody Gardens tres-elegant party.  All evening, they kept advertising this special personality.  Then they announced, “Ladies and Gentlemen, rock legend Rod Stewart.”

I grabbed the hand of our table mate (female that I didn’t know) and in seconds flat was in front of the stage as he swung into “Maggie May”.

I remember well that I wore a strapless mermaid gown in black lace.

Contact with any sort of foreign body, even a fabric should be prohibited and when all the essential vitamins and other important nutrients. ordine cialis on line Natural libido enhancement pills for women play as rescuer for women who are struggling viagra canada cost aimhousepatong.com with it. sildenafil tablets without prescription These coasts provide room services also for the fishing persons. This is not sildenafil 100mg tablets unusual and doctors tend to regard it as a medical problem only if it is following that format. I anticipate NYE this year, too, but I’m not in the Houston area anymore.  I now live in a smaller town in SC and will soon have to search for a new venue for my NYE fun.

Happy Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone!

Heather Morique is a witch. The problem is she doesn’t know it. Her husband Jahill was a refugee from an obscure branch of the Arawak Indians. After his death, mysterious whispers lure her to his homeland of Jamaica. Soon, she finds herself in a web of secrets, lies and illusions.
Jahill’s people worship Eyrael, the God of Wind and Sea, and his brother Sofiel, the God of Fire and Earth. The new Shaman has pitted brother against brother, and these two powerful spirits from an alternate universe fight to become the tribe’s ruling deity. Will light or darkness reign?
When Heather unwittingly summons Eyrael, these two unlikely soul mates face a dangerous fate. The chemistry between them is more disturbing than the long-buried secrets.

About the Author: Linda has lived an interesting life—from breeding and showing horses to working for a Circuit Judge—and won some prestigious awards for her writing. Find out more about her on her website and various social media, and she’d love to hear from you via email at Nitethyme2003 at yahoo.

Website l Blog l Facebook l Twitter

Buy the book at Amazon.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , ,

Winter Blogfest: Linda Nightingale

December 26, 2017 By 8 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win Angel Wing Earrings: Ear crawler with crystal drop.

Southern Pecan Pie

As you get older, it feels a bit strange to turn over the holiday celebrations to your children. You’re accustomed to buying and preparing the turkey and other dishes for Thanksgiving and Christmas and hosting the holidays at your home. Then one day your son says that Thanksgiving will be at their house. You take a step back and think, ‘What?’ then perhaps ‘wow, someone else to stand up for hours and do the cooking and serving.’  Thoughts come fast ‘they won’t use the china and silver because they won’t want to hand wash them.

In the end, you relax into the idea and have a wonderful time: 1) with someone else frying the turkey; 2) making the side dishes (except of course they’ve requested you bring the Squash Casserole and Green Bean Casserole—well established staples for the holidays); and 3) sit down while someone else serves a delicious meal that refers back to item 1—you didn’t have to cook!

In the spirit of the holidays, here is the handwritten recipe my mother used for the southern pecan pie she always served at the holidays.  This delicious pie was as traditional to us as the Christmas Pudding is to my British former husband:

Southern Pecan Pie

Mix 1 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon of flour

Add 3 unbeaten eggs, 1 cup white Karo syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla, ¼ lb. margarine, mix well.

Do not heat – place pecans in pie crust and pour mixture over pecans

Some medical conditions may interact with cheap viagra pill . Ralt states that NO is impossible to live without, short lived, highly diffusible and toxic, and is thus viagra soft tablet a critical issue. Healthcare officials say men experiencing chronic listless erection cheapest viagra should first see a doctor. This complex array of emotions often accompanies feelings of doubt and self blame. generika viagra Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 for 45 – 60 minutes (do not overcook)

My book has nothing to do with the holidays unless you count that it is about an angel:

Gylded Wings is a dark fantasy from The Wild Rose Press.

Angels in slavery? Brit Montgomery cannot believe it, until she is sent on a rescue mission to another dimension and witnesses the cruel practice first hand. The angel, Gyldan, is the most beautiful being she’s ever seen. She is drawn to him but sometimes beauty disguises wicked secrets. This man who rocks her world seems more demon than angel.
Gyldan, born into slavery, has one desire—fly free. When he escapes to Earth, he faces an alternate self-realization full of dark glory…and disbelief. Gyldan is bent on experiencing his newfound powers unmindful of the harm to Brit or others.
Confused and hurt by Gyldan’s erratic evil actions, Brit turns away. While Gyldan’s journey of self-discovery pulls him further distant, Brit finds acceptance in a solitary, comfortable life of her own until she realizes the day of reckoning has come. Will Gyldan be her final ruin or has he come back to her with a gift more precious than life itself?

About the Author: Born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston. She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.

Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt. She retired from a career as a retired legal assistant, just joined the Houston BMW Club, and the stars in her crown—two wonderful sons. In a former life, she must have had to walk everywhere because today she is into transportation with fine taste in expensive horses and hot cars! She likes to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Website l Blog l Facebook l Twitter

Buy the book at Amazon.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, Romance Tagged With: , ,