Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with CYNTHIA WOOLF

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, CYNTHIA WOOLF, and her favorite recipe for MONSTER COOKIES!

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  About the author, Cynthia Woolf….

Cynthia Woolf was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in the mountains west of Golden. She spent her early years running wild around the mountain side with her friends.

Their closest neighbor was one quarter of a mile away, so her little brother was her playmate and her best friend. That fierce friendship lasted until his death in 2006.

Cynthia was and is an avid reader. Her mother was a librarian and brought new books home each week. This is where young Cynthia first got the storytelling bug. She wrote her first story at the age of ten. A romance about a little boy she liked at the time.

She worked her way through college and went to work full time straight after graduation and there was little time to write. Then in 1990 she and two friends started a round robin writing a story about pirates. She found that she missed the writing and kept on with other stories. In 1992 she joined Colorado Romance Writers and Romance Writers of America. Unfortunately, the loss of her job demanded she not renew her memberships and her writing stagnated for many years.

In 2001, she saw an ad in the paper for a writers conference being put on by CRW and decided she’d attend. One of her favorite authors, Catherine Coulter, was the keynote speaker. Cynthia was lucky enough to have a seat at Ms. Coulter’s table at the luncheon and after talking with her, decided she needed to get back to her writing. She rejoined both CRW and RWA that day and hasn’t looked back.

Cynthia credits her wonderfully supportive husband Jim and the great friends she’s made at CRW for saving her sanity and allowing her to explore her creativity.

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BOOK PEEK – THE SWORDS OF GREGARA – JENALA by Cynthia Woolf

Jenala Delasa is alone and in trouble. Someone wants her kalcion mine. They’ll stop at nothing, even murder. Jenala needs help.

Santro Baltin is just what the beautiful red-head needs. He’s huge, a master swordsman, and has a heart big enough to give her the room she needs to heal. When it comes to Jenala’s enemy however, he has his own agenda.

To defeat the notorious Zlaten Vandalar, they have to work together, mind to mind, shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart.

EXCERPT – THE SWORDS OF GREGARA – JENALA by Cynthia Woolf

Swords clashed.  Jenala Delasa fought savagely for her life against the man who would dare try to get her kalcion mine.  And claim her.  The bastard Zlaten Vandalar.  The man she believed murdered her father six months ago.  He attacked her with the intention of kidnapping and raping her, giving her no choice but to be claimed under the law.  She’d fall on her own sword before she’d allow him to claim her.  No, he attacked her in the narrow alleyway with every intention of kidnapping and raping her.

A passerby, having heard the gray metal swords clanging off of each other, sparks flying, and her shouts of rage, rushed to watch the spectacle.  Jenala dared him a quick glance when he yelled and ran toward them.  Momentarily startled, she missed her jab.  Zlaten sidestepped, turned and flayed open her back from the left shoulder to the bottom of her ribcage on the right side.  Jenala fell to the ground.  Zlaten looked up at the stranger approaching and visibly paled.  He sneered at her as he ran a finger through her blood that dripped from the tip of his sword.  “You’re not fit now.  I’ll come when you’re healed then you’ll be mine.”   He looked up at the stranger getting closer, turned and ran.

The stranger came to her, her sword still tightly gripped in her right hand.  She dropped to her knees, never releasing her sword.  The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth from where she’d bitten her tongue.  She looked up with pain bleary eyes, expecting to see reproach or perhaps opportunity.  If this man decided to claim her as Zlaten had, she could not fight him off.  Instead she saw compassion.  He removed his shirt and took great care to wrap her back to staunch the flow of blood.  Jenala hissed at the contact, white flashing light blurred her vision.  She knew he tried his best to cause her as little pain as possible, but it didn’t matter Jenala didn’t know if she could handle the searing pain another moment.  He picked her up and carried her toward town.  The only person who could help was the town nupenian, who cared for animals.  The quack they had for a doctor would surely kill her and she wasn’t taking the chance.  Brenton could sew her up as well as the doctor could.

“Take me to the nupenian,” she said, her voice little more than a croak.

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BOOK PEEK  ~ THE SWORDS OF GREGARA – RIZA by Cynthia Woolf

EXCERPT  ~ THE SWORDS OF GREGARA – RIZA by Cynthia Woolf

“Ow!  Are you trying to kill me, Doc?”

The man was understandably nervous, but he had to allow her to set his leg.  She knew he was in a lot of pain.  The bone stuck out through the skin and he had lost a lot of blood, but he needed to relax so she could set the leg.

“I haven’t even started yet.  Stop being a baby.  Here we go.  You’ll feel a little pinch in your neck, then count backwards from one hundred.”

“Ouch!  Little pinch!”

“Count, now!”

“One hundred, ninety-nine, ninety-eight, ninety-seven, ninety….”

“Finally.”  Riza worked quickly, not sure just how long he would stay out.  She opened his leg, surgically implanted two kalcion rods and several screws to secure them to the bones.  It would have been so much easier with a med-tech unit.  But there were none on Gregara.  They weren’t allowed.  There were many things on the other civilized planets that weren’t allowed here, like blasters, but for some reason blasters always seemed to make it through the customs process.  In Ruciem it seemed that as many people carried blasters as carried the traditional kalcion sword.

Most of the planet preferred to keep their customs, barbaric as they were.  They used swords, not blasters and preferred the body to heal itself without help from technology.  It made her work much more difficult.  A broken leg like this one could have been healed in a few hours in a med-tech unit.

She stitched everything closed.  Doing surgeries like this one allowed her to keep her skills sharp.  It may not be necessary, but this man would have the smallest stitches ever put on a leg repair.  Her skills as a plastic surgeon might not be usable here, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t keep her stitching up to par.

With her patient now awake and groggy, Riza went to talk to the next of kin.  There was only one man in the waiting room.  An extremely attractive man, if you liked handsome in a rugged sort of way.  He hadn’t shaved recently and his inky black hair was on the long side, tied back with a leather strap.  It suited him.

He stood as she approached.  Well over six feet tall, he towered over her own five feet, ten inch height.

“Mr. Remaul?” she said holding out her hand.

“Yes.”   His hand engulfed hers.

“I’m Riza Lamrona.”

“Doctor.  How is Tarin?”

“He’ll be fine, but he’s going to have to stay in bed for a week or so before he’s ready to travel.  I want to make sure the bones start to mend properly.  Can you arrange that?”

“Of course.  We have rooms at Wardson’s Bedstay.”

She nodded.  “I wish there was a hospital here.  A med-tech unit would be even better but….”

“I guess they don’t think they need one.”

“Well, he will heal fine, but it could be so much faster and better.  You’re not from around here, are you?”

“No.  I came from Alerkan a couple of years ago.  And you, where are you from?”

“I’m from many places.  Alerkan is one of them.”  Riza retreated to her work.  She didn’t want to make small talk.  Her secrets were too dangerous.  “Here are some pills to help with the pain.  Have Tarin take them.  Don’t let him try to ‘tough’ it out.  Sarina Wardson is used to my sending her patients to care for.  I’ll check on him in the morning.”

“What time do you want him here?”

“Oh, I’m staying with Sarina myself until I find a place of my own.  I’ll come by before I head to work.”

“Good.”

“Yes.  Um. Well.  It was nice to meet you.”  Riza wasn’t usually tongue-tied but she seemed to be with this man.

“You, too.  Perhaps, since you are staying at Wardson’s, I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”

“Unless I get an emergency call, you can count on it.”

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BOOK PEEK  ~ THE SWORDS OF GREGARA – HONORA by Cynthia Woolf

They stole her love, her life and want to steal the secrets secured in her mind. Secrets that could topple world governments and decimate quadrant security forever.  Now she’s on an epic quest to find out why and make those responsible pay.

Honora Reyestat gave up everything to become a member of the esteemed Gregarian Guard.  No family, no friends, no connections–nothing that can ever be used against her.  Captured and enslaved, she’s become a prized gladiator for her master.  Given the task of training a new slave, she recognizes a fellow Zolthor and the son of a tribal leader at that.  Her mission changes from discovery of the enemy’s tactics and secrets to returning Joridan to his people.

Drawn to this fierce woman as no other, Joridan Dolana tries to explain she is wrong.  He’s not Zolthor, he’s Centauri.  He was raised on Centauri with his sister.  Faced with proof of a father’s ultimate betrayal, he must choose between revenge and the protection of this woman who has sworn to never return his love.

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EXCERPT  ~ THE SWORDS OF GREGARA – HONORA by Cynthia Woolf

“Oww” a woman’s voice awash with pain reached his ears.

“You disappoint me, Honora.  You continue to try to escape me.  When will you learn?” asked a whiney voiced man.

The whip struck flesh.  Again the woman moaned but didn’t scream.  She didn’t scream.

When he woke again he was not alone but the man with the whip was gone.  Chained across the room from him, hung by her wrists, was a woman.  He could see the lash marks on her back. Lash upon lash, new over old.  They obstructed the beautiful tattoo of a dragon on her back.  The blood hard to see within the red of the dragon.

Crawling to her he released her hands from the chains holding her up.  She collapsed in a heap on the floor.  He crawled back to his side of the room as darkness overtook him once more.

*****

The dried blood on her back cracked with each movement, but she worked through the pain as she stretched.  Breathed deep and accepted the pain.  Her sword weighed heavier in her hand than usual.  More evidence of the lashing two nights ago.  She looked down at the unconscious man at her feet.  A new recruit.  A Zolthor,  like herself.  Another reason Perdor punished her for her attempted escape, her sixth try in as many months.

This last punishment was the worst.  Five lashes.  Not enough to incapacitate her but enough to make her remember.  Perdor wanted her to be able to train the new slave.  He wanted them to be a team, good enough to take on all contenders.  He’d be the only owner with two Zolthor fighting for him.  Not just one, but a team.  He was practically wetting himself in anticipation of the beras that he’ll win with a team of Zolthor fighters.

Again she looked down on the naked man.  Long brown lashes lay against his cheek.  A nice contrast to his golden blond hair.  What color eyes did they hide?  Blue?  Green?  Brown perhaps.  She’d find out soon enough.

He was a beautiful man.  Well formed.  Broad shoulders.  Trim waist.  Long muscular legs.  He looked like a warrior.  Would be a good fighter.  Maybe even a good lover as he appeared well endowed there as well.

He’d awakened from the drug induced sleep long enough to crawl over and release her from the chains.  For that she was grateful.  Her wrists didn’t hurt as much as usual because of him.  Using her blades was easier than it had been after her previous punishments.

Time to wake up the sleeping man and get him trained.  Time was short and she intended to make the most of it.  He would learn or he would die.

CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA AND HER SWORDS OF GREGARA SERIES:

Website:  www.cynthiawoolf.com

Blog:  www.cynthiawoolf.com/blog

I hope you enjoy the recipe Cynthia is sharing with us today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 72 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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MONSTER COOKIES

1 pound butter

1 dozen eggs

2 pounds brown sugar

4 cups white sugar

1 large package M&M

1 large package Reeses Pieces

1 large package chocolate chips

1 large package butterscotch chips

3 pounds peanut butter

8 teaspoons baking soda

1 tablespoon white Karo syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla

18 cups oatmeal

In extra large bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, vanilla and sugars.  Move to extra large soup pot.  Add dry ingredients then add candies.  Drop by tablespoon full.  Makes 22 dozen cookies.  Dough freezes well and the recipe can easily be cut in half or quarters.

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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Cynthia will give away a kindle  gift (or Nook or Smashwords coupon) of SWORDS OF GREGARA – HONORA to one lucky reader, as well as a $5 Starbucks gift to a second lucky reader!!  Comment on either her Monday Interview and/or Wednesday’s Karen’s Killer Book Bench blogs for a chance to win.  Winners will be randomly selected and announced Monday, January 21, 2013.  Thanks, Cynthia, for sharing your stories with us!

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**

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 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, ALEXA GRACE, and her favorite recipe for Alexa’s Pumpkin Bars!

BOOK PEEK ~ Deadly Offerings

Passion with a generous dose of suspense makes DEADLY OFFERINGS a must read at 99¢.

Anne Mason thinks she’ll be safe living in the Midwest building a wind farm. She may be dead wrong. Someone is dumping bodies in her corn field and telling Anne they are gifts—for her!

As the body count rises, Anne realizes a cold-blooded serial killer is patiently waiting and watching her every move. And he won’t stop until he ends her life. It is clear there are no limits to this killer’s thirst for revenge or how far he will go to get it.

Michael Brandt, the ruggedly handsome new County Prosecutor, is the last person Anne can trust, but may offer her only chance at survival from a psychopathic killer. But will she survive the passion that rages between them?

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Deadly Offerings by Alexa Grace

EXCERPT

Anne peered into her refrigerator.  Not a piece of junk food in sight. She opened the freezer.  How could she be out of ice cream at a time like this?

She had to get out of the house.  Tonight bad memories hung over her like a thundercloud.   She relived the humiliating divorce hearing over and over, becoming angrier each time.

She tried to sleep.  No success.  She got out of bed and pulled on a pair of jean shorts, a black glittery Lady Gaga tank top and her Reeboks.  She’d go for a drive to clear her head.  It was close to midnight but with any luck, she’d find someplace open to stock up on junk food.

She backed her SUV out of the garage, shoved the gear to drive and moved down the street, windows down, the breeze whipping her ponytail about her face.  She drove down Route 40 until she reached a section of fast food restaurants, bars and a mini-mart.  The mini-mart didn’t look busy so she parked in front.

She grabbed a shopping basket and strode down an aisle of the store picking up Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Butterfinger candy bars, tortilla chips, a jar of salsa, and a quart of soda as she went.  She moved to the refrigerator case and eyed the selection of ice cream.  She pulled out a couple of cartons of Ben & Jerry’s Red Velvet Cake then headed to the teenaged cashier whose eyes were plastered on her long legs.

She paid for the items, whirled around and slammed into the hard chest of a tall man entering the store.  Her items tumbled from the bag.  The salsa jar rolled across the store as did the bottle of soda.  The man uttered “sorry” as he bent to help her pick up the items.  He picked up the salsa and put it in her bag.  He moved down the aisle to get the soda that had rolled under a freezer then turned toward her. In a black leather jacket and snug faded jeans, he was one of those men that radiated testosterone.  And wasn’t it just her luck, or lack of, that Michael Brandt, her jerk ex-husband’s attorney was heading toward her holding her soda, sending her a dazzling smile that sent her stupid heart racing.  She yanked the soda bottle out of his hand, thanked him and resisted the childish urge to kick him in the shin. Instead, she rushed out of the store.

She opened the back of the car to place the groceries inside.  She pulled a Butterfinger bar out of one of the bags and got into the front seat.  As she opened the candy bar, she glanced at Michael Brandt, still inside the store, who was now staring at her with an odd expression on his face, hands on his hips.

She heard movement in the back seat then felt something hard slam against her face.  The candy bar flew out of her hand and landed on the floorboard.

“Drive.”

She looked in the rearview mirror and gasped; a sliver of panic cut through her.  A man in a black ski mask was slammed against her seat thrusting a gun in her face.

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About the author, Alexa Grace….

Even as a child, Alexa Grace knew she would write books. After an exciting career in Training & Development, her focus is on writing page-turning romantic suspense novels.

She currently lives in Florida with her daughter and is a member of Romance Writers of America as well as the Florida Chapter. Alexa is an avid reader of romantic suspense novels.  Her writing support team includes five miniature schnauzers, three of which are rescues. She has two degrees from Indiana State University.  As a writer, she is fueled by Starbucks lattes and chocolate.

Her first book Deadly Offerings is the first of her Deadly Trilogy.  Alexa’s next book Deadly Deception will be available in June 2012.

Connect with Alexa….

Deadly Offerings by Alexa Grace available at:

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 37 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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ALEXA’S PUMPKIN BARS

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs beaten
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)  (Raisins are also great.)

Mix all ingredients together and bake in 9 x13 pan for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Icing:

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 (8oz) cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing:  Beat cream cheese and margarine. Add vanilla. Blend in powdered sugar until smooth.

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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  Alexa will give away one ebook  copy of DEADLY OFFERINGS to the first five lucky visitors who send her a message on the “Contact Alexa” Page.  Include KAREN’S KILLER FIXIN’S in the message!

Thanks, Alexa, for sharing your story and recipe with us!

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**

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 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, SALLY BERNEATHY, and her favorite recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies!

BOOK PEEK ~ Death by Chocolate

Lindsay Powell’s only secret is the recipe for her chocolate chip cookies, but she is surrounded by neighbors with deadly secrets. Suddenly Lindsay finds herself battling poisoned chocolate, a dead man who doesn’t seem very dead and a psycho stalker.

Her best friend and co-worker, Paula, dyes her blond hair brown, hides from everybody and insists on always having an emergency exit from any room. Secrets from Paula’s past have come back to put lives in jeopardy.

Determined to help Paula and to save her own life, Lindsay enlists the reluctant aid of another neighbor, Fred, an OCD computer nerd. In spite of his mundane existence, Fred possesses tidbits of knowledge about such things as hidden microphones, guns and the inside of maximum security prisons.

Lindsay needs more than a chocolate fix to survive all this chaos.

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Death by Chocolate by Sally Berneathy

EXCERPT

“Are you in some kind of trouble?” I asked Paula. “Tell me, damn it! I’m your friend. Let me help you.”

She shook her head, chewed her thumbnail and looked across the room.

“Did your husband beat you?”

The crude question got her attention. Her head spun toward me so fast, I was afraid it would keep on going and we’d find ourselves in the middle of a scene from The Exorcist. Two pink spots stood out like clown makeup on her cheeks.

“Please don’t do this, Lindsay,” she said.

“Well, that answers that question! Since I already know he put that scar on your face and that you’re hiding from him, you might as well tell me the rest.”

Again she confirmed my speculation by failing to deny it. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am that you gave me a job and a place to live. You saved my life and Zach’s. You’ve always been there for me, and I’ll always be there for you. I’ll do anything you ask me to do, except tell you about my past.”

“Well, we’ve made some progress. This is the first time you’ve admitted you have a past and didn’t spring fully grown, from the front seat of that rolling wreck you used to drive.”

Paula bit her lip as if she regretted saying that much. Her blue-gray eyes clouded, and I realized the subject was closed.

I pushed myself up from the sofa. “I guess I’ll go see what I can do to get Rick out of the house with minimal damage to what’s left of my emotions.” I leaned over to Zach. “Give Aunt Lindsay a hug.” He reached up and hugged my neck then planted a kiss on my cheek. A bonus.

“I want you to know I’m not mad at you,” I told Paula, “just because you’re supposed to be my friend but you won’t even tell me the intimate details of your sex life.”

She relaxed enough to smile.

I ruffled Zach’s hair then crossed the room and unlocked the door. I turned back to say goodbye and wasn’t surprised that Paula had followed me. She’d have that door locked again before I was across the porch. “Time to touch up those blond roots,” I said, just to let her know I’d noticed. “And those blond brows and lashes are a dead giveaway.”

Paula blanched, losing what little color she’d regained. “Do you think they noticed?” The question came out in a desperate whisper, and I immediately regretted adding to her fear.

“I don’t know. Men can be pretty unobservant about stuff like that.” But I didn’t for one minute believe Trent had failed to notice. “Any time you need help, you know where I live,” I said.

Paula nodded, that jerky motion again, and twisted her lips in an imitation smile. “Thanks.”

I left her house feeling like a jerk for the blond roots remark and like I ought to do something to help her, but clueless what that something might be.

I wasn’t even sure I could help myself. I took my time going back toward my house. I wasn’t in any hurry to face the task of dealing with the man that one part of me wanted gone from my life and the other part wanted back. In a different way, I was every bit as terrified of him as Paula was of the abusive man, I was now positive, she’d known in her past.

I slapped the fender of Rick’s SUV as I went past, deliberately leaving fingerprints. He hated that.

I stepped up onto my porch and saw another problem. The cat was still there, lying on my door mat, draped over Taz, creating a perfect border for the Go Away! part. Obviously he couldn’t read.

But then, neither could Rick who had stood on that same mat last night and paid just as much attention to the message as the cat did.

“Go home,” I ordered.

He stood up and stretched, arching his back.

I picked up the newspaper, opened the door, and he darted inside.

Yes, it was pretty obvious this cat was a male. He ignored me just like Rick did.

“What’s that cat doing here?” Rick demanded as the feline leapt gracefully onto my faded rose-colored recliner. He was a big cat, completely filling the seat and draping his head and front paws over one arm of the chair. He looked up with those killer blue eyes and gave a contented meow before settling down, completely at home.

Rick sprawled on my sofa, making himself as much at home as the cat. I’d been gone long enough for him to shower, blow dry his hair with my dryer, shave with my razor, and slip back into his khaki Docker slacks, Italian loafers and white Polo shirt that enhanced his tan. To top it all off, he was drinking from my favorite mug, the one that said “Life is uncertain. Eat chocolate now.”

“Go home,” I repeated.

“Yeah, cat, go home.”

“I was talking to you. This is—” I looked at the regal creature in my chair— “this is King Henry, my new cat. He’s staying and you’re going.”

  About the author, Sally Berneathy….

I grew up in pre-television days in a small rural town in Oklahoma. Our favorite entertainment on summer evenings was to sit outside under the stars and tell stories. When I went to bed at night, instead of a lullaby, I got a story. That could be due to the fact that everybody in my family had the singing voice of a bullfrog with a cold, but they sure could tell stories—ghost stories, funny stories, happy stories, scary stories.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been a storyteller. Thank goodness for computers so I can write down my stories. It’s hard to make listeners sit still for the length of a book! Like my family’s tales, my stories are funny, scary, dramatic, romantic, paranormal, magic.

I have sold fifteen romance novels ranging from comedy to dark suspense. For these novels, I won several awards including National Readers’ Choice, Romantic Times Best Silhouette Romance and two Rita finalist slots.

“Death by Chocolate,” available as an e-book, is a cozy mystery with lots of humor and chocolate. My heroine, Lindsay, is a chocoholic who just wants to enjoy her brownies in peace and quiet, but her neighbor’s secrets put her life in danger. I’ve included some of Lindsay’s favorite recipes at the end of the book.

Connect with Sally….

Death by Chocolate by Sally Berneathy is available at:

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 35 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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CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 T. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
dash of salt (bigger dash if you use unsalted butter)
1-1/2 cups flour
(optional) 1/4 cup finely ground nuts or nut meal (I love hazelnut or walnut)
1/4 cup oat flour (can be purchased or made in blender using oats)
10 (or more) oz. chocolate chips (I like to combine semi-sweet, dark and white)
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans (or other nuts)

Cream butter with sugar. Add egg and vanilla and stir determinedly until well mixed. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Dough should be very stiff and just a tiny bit sticky. Add more flour (wheat, oat or nut) or butter if necessary to achieve this state.

Form dough into balls and lay on cookie sheet. Bake at 375º for 8-10 minutes (depending on the size of the spoon and how crisp a cookie is desired).

Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies, depending on how big that spoon was and how many samples were tested before baking.

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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: As an extra special treat, Sally will give away a copy of DEATH BY CHOCOLATE  to one lucky reader who comments on her Killer Fixin’s blog post!  Multiple comments only count as one entry. Winner will be randomly selected and announced on Monday, May 7th.  Good luck!  Thanks, Sally, for sharing your recipe and story with us!