Hello, everyone, and thank you for having me as a guest on this blog. I considered the many topics I could write about, but spring is upon us, and while many are not able to gather with family and friends just yet, we may still be making and eating desserts. One of my favorite go-to desserts is super easy. It has to be because I am not a great cook, and it sometimes takes me more than one try to get a recipe right. This is why I make this chocolate pie…

Cara’s Chocolate Pie

Get:
One chocolate cookie crust (pre-made)
Box of chocolate instant pudding
Container of whipped topping
Chocolate sprinkles.

Make the pudding, pour onto the readymade crust, wait until it is set, then add the whipped topping, put on the sprinkles and BAM! You have a very quick and easy dessert.

Anyone else terrible in the kitchen? What is your go-to make and take item?

Johnson Family Ranch

One of the reasons I love writing characters that know how to cook is because I wish I enjoyed cooking.

Johnson Family Ranch Book #1: Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off
She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy (Johnson Family Ranch Book 2)
Johnson Family Ranch Book #3 One Hot Momma

My cowboys certainly enjoy cooking. Since they are from a pre-facetime, social media era, I have dropped the price on this well-loved contemporary, erotic series. They are available where e-books are sold.

You can find out more about me and my work at these links:
Website: https://www.creativewritingwithdrnagle.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaraNorthauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caranorthauthor/
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Get to know Cara North better by signing up for an email newsletter: Subscribe is at the bottom of the page https://www.creativewritingwithdrnagle.com/

We have another new SEALS in Paradise story! This year’s theme is centered around holidays. The latest release is by my friend, Becca Jameson! All buy links are below!

April’s Fool

Ten years ago, he left her with no explanation. Now he’s back, and the sparks burn just as hot as they did in high school.

April might have been young, but she knew what love was. She and Cole were inseparable, voted most likely to marry. And then he vanished on the night she expected him to propose.

Joining the Navy had always been Cole’s plan. He’d intended to carry on a long-distance romance with his high school sweetheart. Nothing could ever come between them…until it did.

In this second chance, small-town romance the past collides with the present as Cole fights to save his family’s business and earn back the trust of the only woman he’s ever loved. Losing her a second time—for good—is out of the question.

Hot SEAL, April’s Fool is part of the SEALs in Paradise series. Each book stands alone, and they can be read in any order.

More SEALS in Paradise Links

Hot SEAL, Heartbreaker by Cat Johnson
Available now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089S5S3JL
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-heartbreaker/id1517407932
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-heartbreaker-cat-johnson/1137147753
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-heartbreaker

Hot SEAL, Charmed by Parker Kincade
Available now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VWF7Q42
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-charmed/id1552125791
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-charmed-parker-kincade/1138748474
Kobo: 

Hot SEAL, April’s Fool by Becca Jameson
Available now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08SBPCT8S
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-aprils-fool/id1548771062
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-aprils-fool-becca-jameson/1138617937
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-april-s-fool

**Hot SEAL, In His Memory by Delilah Devlin**
Pre-order now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PVV1KGQ
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/au/book/hot-seal-in-his-memory/id1543653235
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-in-his-memory-delilah-devlin/1138430889
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-in-his-memory

Hot SEAL, A Forever Dad by MaryAnn Jordan
Pre-order now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08SC2FR3H
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-a-forever-dad/id1547818382
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-a-forever-dad-maryann-jordan/1138579877
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-a-forever-dad

Hot SEAL, Independence Day by Elle James
Pre-order now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PSSV2GQ
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-independence-day/id1543730914
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-independence-day-elle-james/1138431894
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-independence-day

Hot SEAL, Sweet & Spicy by Cynthia D’Alba
Pre-order now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VWJY1PV
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-sweet-and-spicy/id1552473846
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940162566328
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-sweet-and-spicy

Hot SEAL, Labor Day by Cynthia D’Alba
Pre-order now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VWXS6MQ
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-labor-day/id1552472938
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940162566311
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-labor-day

Hot SEAL, Midnight Magic by Teresa Reasor
Pre-order now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08TT4CQFR
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/ie/book/hot-seal-midnight-magic-seals-in-paradise/id1550611527
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-midnight-magic-teresa-j-reasor/1138684839
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-midnight-magic-seals-in-paradise

Hot SEAL, Sinful Harvest by Parker Kincade
Pre-order now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08VWG2QL4
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-sinful-harvest/id1552135783
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-sinful-harvest-parker-kincade/1138748630
Kobo: 

Hot SEAL, Silent Knight by Kris Michaels
Pre-order now!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hot-SEAL-Silent-Knight-Crossover-ebook/dp/B08WKMJ7DZ
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/hot-seal-silent-knight/id1553620361
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-seal-silent-knight-kris-michaels/1138824132
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/hot-seal-silent-knight

UPDATE: The winner is…Colleen C!
*~*~*

Easter Puzzle

Enjoy the puzzle! ~DD

UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

Thank you to Delilah for inviting me to be on her blog!

I’m Ella Quinn, and I write light-hearted Regencies. My latest release is The Most Eligible Viscount in London, book 2 of The Lords of London. I’m also an Army veteran stationed in Germany with my husband who’s trying to recover from his second retirement. He’s going to have to figure it out within the next 18 months. I’m ready to get back to my boat. We also have a Great Dane who has been on the boat and loves meeting people in marinas and a cat who has not yet been on the boat.

Contest

For a chance to win a FREE download tell me whether retiring on a boat is your idea of heaven too!

The Most Eligible Viscount in London

In bestselling author Ella Quinn’s intriguing new Regency trilogy, a dashing suitor must decide if love and marriage are mutually exclusive…

Viscount Gavin Turley is convinced that love matches cause nothing but trouble. Still, after months of courting, he’s fallen for Miss Georgie Featherton. He’s passionate about her, in fact. But words of love are not an indulgence he will allow himself. When he presents Georgie with his marriage proposal, he will lead with his head—not his heart. His qualifications as a husband are excellent, after all. What could go wrong?

No sooner does Gavin kneel on one knee than Georgie’s heart goes aflutter with joy. Finally, the proposal she longed for had arrived. Yet Gavin seemed to be listing his credentials for a business partnership, not a romantic union. Without a declaration of love, Georgie can only reject his offer—unless the ladies of the ton, and Georgie’s grandmama, have anything to do with it. For sometimes it takes a wiser eye to see the love behind a guarded heart—and a clever scheme to bring it out of hiding…

The Most Eligible Viscount in London Buy Links:
Amazon https://amzn.to/31RKPid
Amazon CA https://amzn.to/2O1Qkby
B&N https://bit.ly/31TpWTN
BAM https://bit.ly/38iarJh
Google https://bit.ly/31PIvsj
Kobo https://bit.ly/30SYQ00
The Bookshop https://bit.ly/2O1QYpu

UPDATE: The winner is…Mary Preston!
*~*~*

I know that during the pandemic and stay-at-home orders and such, most people have developed fantastic new hobbies, discovered talents they never knew they had, blah, blah, blah. (Me totally jealous) I’ve started working on a degree, so I have no time for anything new between that, work, and writing.

But Spring has come to shine down on me anyway.

Spring is here, and I am so excited. The first bloom of flowers is out. Honestly, I don’t know if they have sprung up or someone had planted them. I don’t have a green thumb at all. I have tried to grow plants, but they all die on me.

Now, you would think that a woman, whose mother had a menagerie of green plants and flowers all through the house when growing up, said woman (me) would know how to at least keep a succulent alive. Sadly, no. In 48-hours, I killed a succulent given to me for Mother’s Day two years ago. It should have been a hint when my daughter started laughing when the event greeter handed it to me with happy day wishes.

When the greeter offered with cheer, “It is almost impossible to kill this plant.”

My daughter answered, “Not for my mom.”

“Oh, ye of little faith.” I shook my head at my daughter as we walked out. Only to hold my head in shame two days later when it was withered, brown, and dead in its little mason jar.

Am I the only one who can’t grow flowers and lush green plants? Please, someone, tell me I am not alone. LOL.

Since I can’t seem to get my green thumb on, I do many clicks with my phone camera when I see flowers around me. It doesn’t matter if I’m at work, or walking in the park, or if they are the plants growing at my neighbor’s house. I wish I knew what the plants were, but I’m not generally concerned about the type only if it is pretty or interesting. Like the picture below that is a cabbage-like-looking plant or flower. I walked by them again a few days ago, and now they look completed different; there’s no pink, not so pretty after they finished blooming, so no new picture.

If you happen to be a ‘blooming beauty’ and know the name of any of these flowers/plants, let me drop me a line. 😊

Claiming Caroline by Yasmine Hyde

Grover Town Discipline Series
Book # 6

Destitute after her father’s death, Caroline Douglas finds herself in a bind when the sleazy, rich business owner wants her father’s debt in full. He won’t take ‘no’ or ‘I owe you’ for an answer. She finds herself dragged to the Harlot and the Hero, forced to work off her payment. When she thinks things can’t get worse, they do. To save her reputation, she finds herself saying ‘I do’ to a sexy, overbearing cowboy. Tired of following the rules of men, Caroline decides to push back. Especially against her sexy, all-consuming husband who’s too quick with his discipline techniques.

Garrett Rand, a dairy farm owner, and brother to the local sheriff, has spent the last six months requesting the hand of one ‘crofters’ daughter. Blocked at every turn, he starts to give up on ever having her, only to discover she’s in the brothel on the outskirts of Grover Town. Willing to stop at nothing to finally claim the beauty as his wife, in his bed, he makes a deal to get her out of the clutches of one of the richest men in town. However, marrying her is one thing; keeping Caroline out of trouble is another. He’ll just have to keep her over his knee until she learns. When danger strikes the area and threatens the safety of his wife, he will do what’s needed to protect her.

Where to buy Claiming Caroline
Publisher: https://www.blushingbooks.com/brand/yasmine-hyde/
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/29rpaapp
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/claiming-caroline-yasmine-hyde/1138831345?ean=2940162276791
iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/claiming-caroline/id1553769012
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/claiming-caroline

Yasmine Hyde Social Media
Website https://yvettehines.com/yasmine-hyde-erotica/
Twitter @sasseYvetteH
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yvette.hines.16/
Pinterest: yvettehines16
Instagram: _hinesyvette_
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8017749.Yasmine_Hyde
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/claiming-caroline-grover-town-discipline-book-6-by-yasmine-hyde
Amazon Author Page: https://smile.amazon.com/Yasmine-Hyde/e/B0157KNEXC?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_3&qid=1615143087&sr=1-3

Get to know Yasmine Hyde better by signing up for an email newsletter: https://yvettehines.com/newsletter-stay-connected/

CONTEST

Drawing ONE winner from those who comment on my Spring Is On Its Way post on Delilah’s blog between 1 April 2021 – 5 April 2021. The winner will get a signed book, candle, and $10 Amazon GC.

UPDATE: The winner is…Mechelle!
*~*~*

March

March was… It’s hard to describe. Crazy busy, super annoying. Big happy wins and crotchety pain-in-ass (literally) setbacks.

On the health front… I started the month still recovering from a busted tailbone, but by the third week, I sat comfortably (with a donut, still). My hand (last September’s fall) is still wonky and I met with the ortho guy who said the continued tightness and swelling are all normal, and if I keep doing my hand exercises, I should, someday, be able to curl my fist again and open a damn jar. Good news on the medical front? I had my second COVID shot and my dd had her first! Now, we have the 16 and 17-year-olds scheduled, too. We’re slowly getting there, but still masking and distancing, and will continue to do so until they have vaccines for the little ones.

On the work front… I finished writing Hardman and published it! Woot! Thanks to everyone who read it and left a review. Reviews are so appreciated! I also completed 5 editing projects, two of which were loooonnng. They kicked my ass, but they are out the door! I got the rights back to some old books I published through some traditional houses a while ago, so I added them to my work schedule because they need a refurb, and one set of stories needs a readthrough because I want to write more in the series. To say the least, I’m super stoked.

On the art front… I am still slogging through the #100daychallenge, although I’m about ten days behind. Here are some of my favorites so far…

April

I completed my April calendar yesterday, and it already needs some fixes. I think April is going to be that kind of month—one where I have to be fluid and roll to evade the bombs and sinkholes. The big thing in April is that I have to write a book and publish it. Yeah, I haven’t written page one, but I generally do best when I’m running on adrenaline, and a hard deadline gooses me into creativity.

That book is Hot SEAL, In His Memory, and it’s going to be a hard one for me to write because it deals with the loss of a friend and a husband. If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy…

Pre-order your copy here!

As for editing gigs, I presently have two scheduled, but I had that many scheduled for March as well, and look what happened! So, I’m hoping I’ll have the first couple of weeks pretty free to dive into my new story.

On the homefront, I’ve begun work to get the green scum out of the pool. That’s always a weeks-long thing. I can’t wait to swim!!!!! And my dd is putting in a garden. We’re hoping it does well and that we have a summer full of lettuce, cucumbers, strawberries, blueberries, peppers, and more! I love admiring the “fruits” of her labor, but diggin’ in dirt is not my thing. I’ll maintain the pool, thank you very much.

And I plan to catch up on the art challenge, too. I’m getting better at it, I think. But the purpose is to connect with my creative center. Writing has become a job in my mind. I need to find that spark again.

So, I’d love to hear whether you had big wins in March and plans for April! Chime in for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!