Hi Delilah! Thank you for having me as your guest today!
July 27th is National Creme Brulee Day. To celebrate, I’d like to share my grandma’s recipe and then share with readers how to download my newly released paranormal novel for free.
Grandma’s Creme Brulee
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons white sugar
6 eggs
Prep time: 10 minutes.
Cook time: 30 minutes.
Total time: 2 hours and 40 minutes
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Separate eggs, discarding whites and retaining yolks.
- Combine egg yolks, four tablespoons white sugar, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and beat until thick.
- Heat cream in a saucepan over low heat until simmering. Before it comes to a boil, remove from heat.
- Stir cream into the egg yolk mixture and mix until combined.
- Pour mixture into the top pan of a double boiler. Stir over simmering water for three minutes. Remove from heat.
- Pour mixture into a shallow baking dish.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate for an hour or more.
- Preheat oven to broil.
- In a small bowl combine two tablespoons white sugar and brown sugar. Sift sugar evenly over custard. Place dish under broiler until sugar caramelizes (approximately two minutes). Keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
- Remove from heat and cool.
- Refrigerate until custard is set again.*
*Serve with blueberries, strawberries, or peaches.
Phoenix Contract
Author: Melissa Thomas
Genre: A New Adult paranormal fantasy
Published on: June 15, 2015
Centuries after the fallen angels left heaven to live among humans, their Nephilim descendants dwell in secret, hidden from the modern world. Once, a charismatic leader known as the Phoenix led their people, but he vanished centuries ago. The few surviving Great Houses are in decline, bickering over petty rivalries while a handful of faithful warriors battle to keep the forces of evil at bay.
Eighteen-year-old Aiden McLachlan devotes her life to her studies and pursues her lifelong goal to become a full-fledged Watcher. But everything she knows of her life is a lie and everyone a liar. Through a strange twist of fate, she finds herself caught up in an ancient prophecy.
The stars predict the rebirth of the Nephilim leader, but the mystery must be unraveled or the Phoenix cannot rise. With a soul-eating demon, a coven of ancient vampires, and a hardheaded Celtic warrior competing to subvert the Phoenix, Aiden doesn’t know where to turn or who she can trust.
All of the serial parts of Phoenix Contract (Parts 1-5) will be FREE on Amazon Kindle JULY 27TH:
Phoenix Contract Part One: http://goo.gl/6XkZ5P
Phoenix Contract Part Two: http://goo.gl/Xc0nQg
Phoenix Contract Part Three: http://goo.gl/0aJaOC
Phoenix Contract Part Four: http://goo.gl/S3CTf7
Phoenix Contract Part Five: http://goo.gl/cJSxsk
Links to Boxed Set (Parts 1-5):
$2.99 on Amazon Kindle: http://goo.gl/nEBP8o
Excerpt 1:
He’d always had the worst of luck, and the day he died was no different.
Thrash stared into the chasm of space between the building roof and city streets, contemplating the eighty-story drop. It was a long way down. The city’s lights glimmered against darkness, millions of fluorescent stars. Surrender did not come easily to him, and it tasted bitter in his mouth. He’d spent his life training to fight, but what could he do against an enemy that could shape shift at will?
Six-foot-six and muscular in the manner of body builders, Thorton David Aston III or Thrash to his friends, was an albino. He was born without skin or hair pigment, his skin perfectly pale, his hair white. He rivaled the city lightscape for its clean brightness. He disliked the attention his condition attracted, so he’d cropped his hair short and dyed it metallic blue.
Thrash’s athletic body thrummed with tension. Perspiration beaded on his pale forehead and made his palms clammy.
The Soul Eater was coming for him.
Excerpt 2:
“I won’t help you,” Matthew said, “no matter what you do to me.”
“Oh, but I think you will,” Daniel disagreed. “Once I turn you, then you’ll be more than happy to help.” Lightning swift, the vampire lashed out and seized Matthew’s wrist, forcing the priest’s arm down.
Matthew cried out in pain as Daniel squeezed his wrist until his hand opened and the crucifix dropped to the ground.
Aiden shouted and swung her crucifix around to protect Matthew, but she was too slow. Daniel dragged Matthew away and thrust the priest toward his minions.
“Hold him,” Daniel said.
Immediately, the carrot-topped boy and the policewoman caught hold of the priest.
Aiden expected Daniel’s attack, but that didn’t prepare her for the vampire’s speed. Daniel rushed her, progressing so fast his contorted face filled her vision. She kept the crucifix level and aimed for the vampire’s eyes, but Daniel caught hold of her wrist with disturbing ease. Then he twisted her arm, causing a wrenching pain in her shoulder. Against her will, Aiden bent over to avoid having her arm torn from the socket. She lost her grip on her crucifix.
“Let her go!” Matthew shouted. “She’s done nothing.”
Daniel immobilized Aiden, ignoring her struggles. He forced her head to the side and exposed her throat. “Oh, I don’t think so. I want you to suffer, Matt,” he said. “As a self-styled Lord of the Night, I’m rather pleased with the revenge I’ve concocted. So I’m going to eat your pretty daughter and make you watch.”
Excerpt 3:
Magnus loomed over her, attempting to inspect her injuries. His fingers were hot and alien against her skin, and she flinched from his touch.
“Stay put while I retrieve the crucifix,” Magnus ordered. He moved away from her. A moment later, he returned carrying the crucifix.
Aiden shook her head but stayed still. She automatically tried to place his accent and failed. There were too many layers. “Where are you from? I can’t quite place your nationality.”
“I’m Averni.” He sank to the ground beside her, and those six-fingered hands touched her again, causing her flesh to crawl.
“The Averni were a Celtic tribe,” Aiden said. Her foggy mind recalled little else other than the Averni had been from the region of Gaul before it became France.
“That’d be correct.” The Celt reached out with his strange, strong fingers and pushed Aiden’s head to the side to expose the wound. He removed her hand and examined the bite. His glittering gold eyes were intelligent and inhuman. Up close he smelled earthy and sensual, a suggestive scent which caused Aiden to flush and look away.
“Why is your name Latin?” she asked.
“My mother was Roman. Stay still,” he replied.
“How bad is it?” Matthew asked.
“Not too bad.” Magnus threaded the crucifix’s chain through his fingers so the holy symbol rested in his palm. He opened the silver flask and poured holy water over the crucifix.
Aiden felt excited and afraid and so tense she wanted to crawl out of her skin. “Are you really immortal?”
“Yes,” Magnus said. “This is going to hurt. I’m going to have to hold you down.”
Author Bio and Links:
Melissa Thomas breathes life into her dreams, bringing imaginary characters and fantasy worlds into our reality. She loves her characters so much they become her alter-egos, enacting the exciting adventures she envisions for them. She is a resident of San Francisco, California and adores the picturesque city by the bay. Her hobbies include surfing and scuba diving.
Phoenix Contract is her debut novel.
You can learn more about Melissa at http://thephoenixascending.blogspot.com/
Email: MelissaThomas214@gmail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MThomas_author
