Scattered Thoughts, Random Musings

Happy Friday! It's the day after Thanksgiving, and I want to say how thankful I am of the support I've received on this tour. Now that we're on the final stretch, I wanted to offer an excerpt of the story. But this one is different in that it has never been published.  The scene below was deleted during the editing process to keep the story going. It was a short scene of Mia and Mikey getting ready to surprise Nate with new photos in his home office. Though it was a cute scene, it added no real significance to the story. But then I thought this was the best to share. [Deleted Scene] They were in his office now, putting up a few pictures. She was having a hard time deciding where to put the large, black-and-white close-up shot of her and a one-year-old Mikey, where he was placing an innocent kiss on her lips. It was one of her favorite photos of them. Mia finally decided on a spot, which faced his desk. Except there was an elegant panor...

I'm excited to be participating and co-sponsoring in the Color of Love blog hop! In this hop, we are celebrating romance books featuring characters of color and the authors who write them. Though my romance stories feature interracial characters, my main goal is to write a love story that resonates with everyone, despite their color. My heroines tend to be black because I can closely relate and it's fun to write characters that I can imagine me being. But we all come in lovely shades and colors and I enjoy reading a good romance no matter what color the heroine is. Giveaway : There are some great prizes being offered (like gift cards and tons of books) so be sure to check the other blogs and join the fun! About Because This Is Forever : A call for help, a secret baby, and a compromise... What starts off as a temporary arrangement soon becomes a chance at rediscovery and becoming a family. a Rafflecopter giveaway

My latest release, Because This Is Forever , is going on tour! This is my first virtual book tour and I'm excited with the schedule and the stops we have planned. There will be a good mix of guest posts, where I talk IR romance and "happily ever afters", there will be interviews and excerpts, recipe posts, music playlist, and another Coffee Time Romance Thursday 13 where I give you my list of Top 13 multicultural/interracial books to read in 2013. Of course a tour isn't complete without a giveaway. There will be 5 secret prizes given away throughout the tour and a Scavenger Hunt for the grand prize: "Forever Care Package". The package will include a $25 Visa gift card, a tote, t-shirt, a mug, recipe cards, Mikey's favorite snack, and some fun author swag! For more on the tour schedule and giveaway, check out my website !

I've resurrected an old blog post from this past April as part of Mina's Blogfest II. ----- Like my stories, I like my chili sweet and spicy. Here's a recipe of my famous (at least famous with my family and friends :) Sweet & Spicy Chili . It's super easy and very delicious so give it try and let me know what you think! **Disclaimer: measurements are my best estimations since I don't usually use measurements when I make my chili so feel free to adjust depending on your tastes! Ingredients: 1 lb - lean ground beef (or turkey) 2.5 tbsp - chili powder (separated) 1/2 tsp - salt and pepper 1 tbsp - olive oil 1tbsp - chopped garlic 1 - 15oz can of red kidney beans 1 - medium can of diced tomatoes 1 - small can of tomato sauce 1 tbsp - brown sugar (I use Splenda blend) 1 - onion, diced 1 - green, red, or yellow bell pepper (I use a half of all three!), diced Preparation: Season the ground meat with 1/2 tbsp of chili powder and salt ...