Clarissa Johal: July 2018

Friday, July 6, 2018

Whispers in the Wood by Clarissa Johal #paranormal #darkfantasy #newrelease

Book Details:

Title: Whispers in the Wood 
Genre: Paranormal Dark Fantasy 
Author: Clarissa Johal 
Editor: Frank Moore
Publisher: Faeriemoon Press

ISBN-13: 9781721036677
ISBN-10: 1721036679
ASIN: B07F9TBTNS









About Whispers in the Wood:

It all began with an acorn.

There are some places you shouldn’t disturb, places where history lingers. When Rowan travels to England, she finds a remote village, hidden in the shadow of an ancient forest. Vague warnings from the local people aren’t enough to stop her from venturing into the trees, or from picking up a single acorn. It seemed a simple action. But when a stranger emerges from the forest claiming the acorn belongs to him, Rowan finds herself pulled into something both centuries old and deadly.


Excerpt from Whispers in the Wood:

Stars dotted an inky sky and the moon cut a path across the pastures like water. It would have been a beautiful night in other circumstances, one where she would have been happy to go for a midnight walk. But tonight, her senses were on edge and she startled at every sound. Rowan’s feet made sloshing sounds in the wet grass as she hurried towards the church.

The standing stone reflected the moonlight like a beacon. The churchyard beyond it appeared empty, its gravestones pointing like accusing fingers towards the sky. The silence was oppressive and she resisted the urge to whistle. She stole up the steps to the church itself, hoping the teens would be inside.

Pressing her ear against the door, she breathed the pungent scent of burnt wood. Hesitant, Rowan tried the handle. The door gave way and opened with a long, drawn-out creak.

A giggle sounded behind her.

Whipping around, her gaze swept the darkness. The sound was coming from the graveyard itself. A shiver trailed down her spine like icy fingers. “Hello?”

A low whisper drifted with the breeze, followed by another giggle.

“Fiona? Will? Jennifer, Jonathan? C’mon, you guys. Not funny.” She waited for the teens to show themselves. “I’m not going with you to the forest, by the way. I don’t think you should go either.” She walked to where the sound came from and steeled herself for a ‘gotcha’ moment.

Expecting to see the teens hiding behind a gravestone, she was surprised instead by scattered flowers, left like offerings. She picked one up and twirled it in her fingers. The flower’s petals reflected alabaster in the moonlight like finger bones. Freshly picked, the scent of the plucked stem was still strong. Rowan began to toss it aside when she was hit with an icy gust of wind. Her vision clouded and she felt a jarring shift in her surroundings.

She kicked up debris as her feet pounded the forest floor. The trees were a wild blur, as were the smells. The strong scent of greenery mixed with the scent of blood. Her blood. Heart pounding, she saw a bright spot in the distance. Escape. The bright spot grew larger and larger as she tore through the overgrowth towards it. Suddenly, she was jerked off her feet and dragged backward. A scream ripped her throat and everything went black. A sharp pain cut through her spine. Unable to move her arms and legs, she tried to take a breath. Panic welled in her throat like bile.

* * * *
Buy Links:

Available via Kindle Unlimited


About the Author:



Clarissa Johal is the bestselling author of paranormal novels, Whispers in the Wood, Poppy, The Island, Voices, Struck and Between. When she’s not listening to the ghosts in her head, she’s dancing, taking pictures of gargoyles, or swinging from a trapeze. She shares her life with her husband, two daughters, and every stray animal that darkens their doorstep. 



Find Clarissa Online:




Sunday, July 1, 2018

Guest Author - Date Night Dinners by Sloane Taylor #recipe #recipebook @sloanetaylor2

Please welcome guest author Sloane Taylor with her newly-released recipe book.

Date Night Dinners
Meals to Make Together for a Romantic Evening

by Sloane Taylor

Ready to ignite that old flame? Or perhaps spark a new one? Take your partner by the hand and turn on your stove. A true romantic, award-winning author Sloane Taylor brings her creativity to the kitchen with easy-to-make meals sure to spark the intimacy and quality time you want with your special someone. Cooking together is only the start of the fun!

Create 45 complete dinners for two or flavor your evenings with a new dish. These 80 recipes use everyday foods already on most kitchen shelves. The recipes are easily increased for those fun times friends or family join your table.

Date Night Dinners is an ideal gift for engagements, bridal showers, anniversaries, or anyone who wants to spice things up.

BUY LINKS
Amazon Kindle | Smashwords | Kobo


My recipe review:
There are few vegetarian recipes in this recipe book, save for side-dishes, but most could be adjusted according to a vegetarian or vegan diet. I found this vegetarian recipe very easy to follow and required few ingredients. Perfect if you want to impress that special gal or guy but don't want to spend forever in the kitchen! (My family loved it, by the way) I used fresh basil and oregano from my garden which made the recipe pop. Add garlic bread and a salad and you have a summer meal.

Whore's Spaghetti 
Pasta Puttanesca

Sauce

¼ cup (60ml)
olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 – 14.5 oz. can (411g) Italian plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped 1 tbsp.
(15ml) capers, chopped
1 can pitted black olives, drained and chopped
½ tsp. (2.5ml) red pepper flakes
1 tsp. (5ml) dried basil
1 tsp. (5ml) dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, stir 2 – 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, capers, olives, pepper flakes, basil, and oregano. Turn heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes. Add pepper. Taste the sauce, adjust seasoning to suit you. Reduce heat to low, simmer another 15 minutes.

Pasta

1 lb. (454g) spaghetti
1 tsp. (5ml) fresh or dried parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Toss pasta with the sauce, sprinkle on parsley. Serve with plenty of Parmesan cheese on the side.

___________________________

Author

Award-Winning author Sloane Taylor is a sensual woman who believes humor, sex, and good food are healthy aspects of our everyday lives and carries that philosophy into her books. She writes spicy romance. Being a true romantic, all her stories have a happy ever after. Taylor is also an avid cook whose recipes are featured in Divine Magazine.

Taylor was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. She and her husband now live in a small home in Northwest Indiana and enjoy the change from city life.

Learn more about Taylor and read excerpts from her books on her website, blog, and all popular vendors. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter.