Karen’s Killer Fixin’s
**AUTHOR SPECIAL**
with KAT MARTIN!

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, KAT MARTIN, and her favorite recipe for BLACKBERRY PORT WINE SAUCE!!

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THE CONSPIRACY
Maximum Security Book 1
BY KAT MARTIN

Blurb

Harper Winston’s brother has disappeared. Pursuing his dream of sailing the Caribbean, Michael hasn’t responded to texts or emails in days. When even the Coast Guard can’t find him, Harper is forced to take desperate measures. Which means going to Chase Garrett, once her brother’s best friend, now the only man she can trust…or so she hopes.

As the successful owner of Maximum Security, Chase has learned to trust his gut. He knows Harper’s father is mixed up in a deadly business, and suspects there’s more to Michael’s disappearance than meets the eye. Getting involved again with the Winstons goes against everything he stands for, yet old loyalties die hard. As the case draws him closer to Harper and deeper into the Winstons’ snarled crime family, he is forced to put everything on the line to keep Harper safe…and both of them alive.

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STORY IDEAS
By Kat Martin

Interview

I’ve always been a plot-oriented writer. People ask me how I come up with ideas for my novels and the truth is, I don’t really know.

Recently I wrote a very short digital story–AFTER THE SUNRISE, just published on Amazon–mostly because I woke up on a Saturday morning with the story fully developed in my head. Kurt Layton seemed like a great hero and I thought it would be a good way to introduce my first hardcover novel, THE CONSPIRACY, which will be out January 22^nd.

Kurt works as a private detective for Chase Garrett, the wealthy owner of Maximum Security, an extremely successful private security firm.

Chase is the oldest of the three Garrett brothers. He and Brandon, the youngest, a former soldier, are true Texas men, comfortable in cowboy boots no matter where they are. Reese, the middle brother, is CEO of Garrett Resources, the family-owned, billion-dollar oil and gas company.

The brothers, though each is his distinctly his own person, have a very strong bond. They’re the kind of men who are there for each other, no matter what happens.

In THE CONSPIRACY, Harper Winston’s brother has disappeared. Pursuing his dream of sailing the Caribbean, Michael hasn’t responded to texts or emails in days. When even the Coast Guard can’t find him, Harper is forced to take desperate measures. Which means going to Chase Garrett, once her brother’s best friend, now the only man she can trust…or so she hopes.

But the last thing Chase wants is to get involved in the Winstons’ snarled crime family. No way should he take the case, but old loyalties die hard.

As danger draws him closer to Harper and deeper into trouble, Chase is forced to put everything on the line to keep Harper safe–and both of them alive.

I hope you’ll watch for THE CONSPIRACY and that you enjoy it. I’ll have three more high-action, sexy romantic thrillers coming your way in the future. Till then, all best and happy reading. ~ Kat

THE CONSPIRACY
Maximum Security Book 1
BY KAT MARTIN

Excerpt

In the throes of wild monkey sex with Harper Winston, Chase awoke covered in a film of perspiration, an unwelcome throbbing beneath the sheet. Cursing, he sat up in bed and ran a hand over his face. Only a dream. Or in this case, a nightmare.

He shoved his fingers through his sweat-damp hair. Jesus God, he couldn’t remember a dream that had felt more real. Or ever being more aroused.

Swearing foully, he rolled out of bed. His brother Bran would get an I-told-you-so laugh out of his misery, but Chase didn’t find his unwanted attraction to a Winston the least bit funny.

Not when Harper’s father ran his world much like a Mafia don, a highly successful criminal enterprise that allowed him to get away with murder–literally. Everyone in the Dallas underworld knew that to cross Knox Winston might get you dead. The DA’s office turned a blind eye, along with the dirty cops on Knox’s payroll.

Aside from the legitimate businesses Knox now ran–from motels, restaurants, and laundries, to larger enterprises like hotel chains, no one really seemed to know how Knox had actually amassed his fortune. Since his son had once been Chase’s best friend, Chase didn’t want to know, either.

He wondered how much Harper knew about her father’s activities. Not much, he would guess, since Knox had gone to great lengths to keep his children under the illusion he was just a mega-successful businessman. And Harper had been gone from Dallas for years.

Chase had a hunch Michael had suspected, that it was part of the reason he had turned to alcohol and drugs, but they had never talked about it.

Padding naked into the bathroom, he reached into the shower and turned on the water, setting the temperature a little colder than he liked. He wanted to wash Harper’s beautiful face out of his head, the memory of her small, perfect breasts that–thank God–he had never actually seen.

Pulling on his jeans and a short-sleeved yellow Oxford shirt, he was ready to meet with Dutch, who had arranged a boat to Curacao. They could have gone by plane, but he wanted the flexibility to check, if necessary, other spots around the island once they got there.

He wished he was going by himself instead of dragging a woman into what might turn out to be a bad situation. But as he walked into the living room, Harper came out of the other bedroom, straw hat in hand, dressed and ready to go. His mind flashed back to the hot, erotic dream, and a shot of lust hit him like a fist.

Chase dragged in a lungful of air and forced himself to think of something else. Palm trees might have worked if she hadn’t walked close enough for him to catch a whiff of her soft perfume.

“Good morning,” she said. “Sleep okay?”

Jesus God, help him. He didn’t want to think of the dream, refused to allow his mind to slide back into the gutter. Chase had never been more grateful to hear his iPhone ring.

Pulling his cell out of his pocket, he recognized Tabby’s number and pressed the phone against his ear. “What have you got for me, Tab?”

“Pia’s phone pinged at the Zee Winden Marina in Curacao, same as Michael’s. Both phones are now inactive.”

Not good. He could contact the authorities in Curacao, but he could probably be there before the investigation–such as it would likely be–actually got underway. And once he got the police involved it would limit what he would be able to do.

“Anything else?”

“Not at the moment. If I get something I’ll call.”

“Thanks, Tab. You’re the best.” Chase hung up the phone, his mind back on the case. In his business, the job had to come first. People’s lives depended on it.

“What did she say?” Harper asked.

“Zee Winden Marina in Curacao, same as your brother. Call Christy and tell her, then pack an overnight bag. We might not get back tonight.”

So saying, he grabbed the duffle, now packed, he had brought empty in his carryon, something smaller, a little easier to manage. Just a dupe kit, clean underwear, a dress shirt and slacks, high-topped boots and cargo pants, things that might be useful as they moved into uncharted territory, where his search for Michael might lead.

A few minutes later, Harper walked back into the living room carrying the colorful oversized canvas bag she had carried onto the plane. It was stuffed full and zipped shut ready to go. She had pulled her hair into a pony tail, but flyaway pale blond strands floated around her face, gleaming like pale spun gold.

The heat returned to his groin. Dammit, what was there about her?

Meet Author Kat Martin…

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Links to Kat’s website, blog, books, etc.

AMAZON
https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Maximum-Security-Book-ebook/dp/B07C14Q9M2

BN
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/conspiracy-duane-l-martin/1120825832?ean=9781488098901#/

KOBO
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-conspiracy-16

GOOGLE
https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kat_Martin_The_Conspiracy?id=Xx1VDwAAQBAJ

ITUNES
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-conspiracy/id1369525583?mt=11

INDIEBOUND
https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=The+Conspiracy

Publishers Weekly Review
https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781335541895

https://bit.ly/2PVYzoZ

KAT’S WEBSITE https://www.katmartin.com/

Twitter https://twitter.com/katmartinauthor

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KatMartinAuthor

Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39929060-the-conspiracy?

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/KatMartinAuthor

I hope you enjoy the recipe Kat is sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 409 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right-hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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BLACKBERRY PORT WINE SAUCE
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 large shallot, finely diced
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blackberries
• 2 cups port wine (buy the cheap kind)
• 1 teaspoons sugar
• 2 cups beef stock (you can substitute chicken stock)
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 4 filet mignon steaks (it would be good on any steak!)

Directions:

• Start the sauce 1 hour before you plan to cook the steaks – reducing the wine and broth can take awhile
• In a saucepan, bring diced shallot, blackberries, port wine and sugar to a boil.
• Boil to reduce wine to 1/2 cup.
• Strain and set liquid aside.
• Grill steaks or pan broil in a skillet 3 to 4 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.
• Whisk blackberry and port wine reduction into reduced beef stock. (To thicken sauce, dissolve 2 teaspoons cornstarch in water, then stir into sauce and bring to a boil.) Whisk in 1 tablespoon softened butter.
• Serve steaks with sauce and garnish with fresh blackberries.

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SPECIAL CONTEST: https://www.katmartin.com/the-conspiracy-giveaway/

To CELEBRATE the release of THE CONSPIRACY, enter my new contest for a chance to win a KINDLE FIRE 7″ Display, Wi-Fi, 8 GB and a Kindle copy of INTO THE FURY, INTO THE WHIRLWIND and INTO THE FIRESTORM. Contest runs from Jan 1, 2019 through Feb 28, 2019.

Thanks, Kat, for sharing your book with us!

Don’t miss the chance to read this book!