Wednesday, December 23, 2020

2020 Best Romantic Fiction/Thriller in N.N. Light Book Awards!

 

 
AWESOME NEWS: Tears of the Wolf won BEST BOOK for Romantic Fiction/Thriller in the 2020 N.N. Light Book Awards! Congratulations to all the winners! I'm in great company! https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/post/2020-nnlight-book-award-winners
 
Let me tell you a bit about Book 4 in the Hotel LaBelle Series... 
 
Jealousy and resentment...a diagram for murder.
 
Chief of Tribal Police Jacob Graywolf serves and protects his community on the reservation. When an epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women hits home, he's relieved the FBI gets involved. But something about the woman agent has him running scared. 

FBI Special Agent Zena Adalwolf is certain Jacob is her soul mate. Their connection at first sight is immediate and urgent—a bond that transcends their professional relationship. If only the clueless hunk would realize they belong together!

After more Native American women are killed, Zena and Jacob suspect they have a serial killer on their hands. To track down the unsub, they allow their inner wolves to come out and play. But with the ever-ticking clock going wild, will the killer find them first?

Link to Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/tw-noPqQBSI

Excerpt:

“He’s a murderer.” Zena took a deep breath. “Look, I know he’s your uncle and you probably have some good recollections with him. I’m sure he was like a father figure to you because your dad was gone. Don’t the facts outweigh the memories? The man is a sociopath. His whole life is a lie. You saw him murder your father, Jacob. What more do you need to convince you that this is justice—delayed—but still justice?”

“You had no right—”

“I not only had the right, but the duty to follow the leads. If I hadn’t followed protocol and done everything by the book, there would have been a federal investigation. Put yourself in my shoes. Would you have told me if the tables were turned?” She paused and lowered her voice. “You’re raw, I get it. I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to discuss this right after the  arrest. I’ve been tied up with paperwork—you know what that’s like. I’m sorry your uncle murdered your father. I could not have predicted that. The wound of your father’s death never healed—and this forced you to relive that night.”

“Family matters, but maybe it’s different with you. You’re so cold, so matter of fact about your sisters’ deaths. Maybe they didn’t mean as much to you as my father and uncle do—did.”

Angry tears sprang to her eyes.

BuyLinks

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HY2ZW9V

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/tears-of-the-wolf

Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tears-of-the-wolf-sharon-buchbinder/1137664313?ean=2940162702139

Google Pay https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sharon_Buchbinder_Tears_of_the_Wolf?id=vmkCEAAAQBAJ

Wednesday, December 2, 2020

A Recipe for Comfort: Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

 

As the daylight shortens and the temperatures drop, I find myself turning to comfort foods that warm my heart, as well as my body. This recipe for gluten free, dairy free, chocolate chip banana bread is a big hit with family and friends in my "bubble." It is a delicious treat morning, noon, evening and in-between!

I used 4 small loaf pans for a single recipe; mini-muffin pans were added when I doubled the recipe as pictured. My family has a lot food allergies, in addition to Diabetes, to work around. I modified this recipe to accommodate my family's needs from Layla’s on Gimme Delicious 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups gluten free baking mix*
  • 5 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup Splenda
  • ½ cup butter (1 stick), softened (not melted)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1.5 cups Enjoy mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Olive oil spray 4 small loaf pans, or mini-muffin pans.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and chocolate chips.
  3. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and Splenda. Beat eggs, milk, vanilla, and mashed bananas until well blended.
  4. Stir banana mixture and chocolate chips into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared pans.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes for mini-muffins; 40 to 45 minutes for loaf pans, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan and serve warm or cold.

*I prefer Pamela's Gluten Free Baking Mix HOWEVER, it is made from ALMOND Flour. If you have a NUT allergy, a good alternative is Bob's Red Mill Flour: 1 to 1 Baking.

Monday, November 23, 2020

An Attitude of Gratitude

The great Turkey Festival and Food Frenzy Season is upon us--albeit in a smaller portion. This year, in deference to a virus that loves a crowd, we'll be keeping it small with our "bubble" family. As I reflect on the meaning of this holiday in this lull before the storm, I thought it would be good to make a list of everything that I am grateful for this year not only as a wife and mother, but also as a romance writer.

As I sit down with a cup of coffee, fall is blowing into Maryland, stripping red, yellow, and orange leaves off the trees. I am so very grateful for all in my life today—even the trials and tribulations that forced me to leave my comfort zones and grow. We cannot know what life will bring us. We can only know our path upon looking back. And along that path, are many helpers to whom I give thanks. The following is a list of people who have enabled me to become an award-winning author and who never doubted my efforts—although I often did.

First and foremost, I’m grateful for my family and the support they provide for me in my professional and writing endeavors. When I was given the opportunity to direct the graduate program of my dreams, my husband and son cheered me on, knowing that I love teaching and mentoring young professionals. They also realized I would need to carve time out of my family life to continue my fiction writing. To this end, my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and even my grandson, have supported me with enthusiasm and without reservation.  

Second, I continue to be enormously obliged to my subject matter and sensitivity experts, and alpha, beta and gamma readers who have forced me to rethink characters and motivation, as well as smacked me with reality checks on factual and physical matters in my works. They reminded me at every turn that representation matters and that it is important to know about real people when I write my characters. Without careful readers, I know my writing would be less polished.

Third, I’m deeply indebted for the time and efforts from my editor and friend for the past ten years, Amanda Barnett. She has been my midwife, coaching me through the delivery of my book babies.

Fourth, I am beholden to the larger community of writers and bloggers who support me with social media, blog visits, and shout outs on every forum known to man. I can’t keep up with all the platforms and am learning new ones each day. Thanks for having my back!

Finally, my books and stories would be meaningless without my readers. Every time a reader tells me that a book has moved her or him, I am humbled and honored. My deepest thanks to those who not only read, but also take the time to give me feedback in comments and reviews. Writers live for those moments.

I wish you comfort food, loving families, and warm friendships. May your plates be full, your cups overflow, and your hearts be bursting with love and joy!

Sharon Buchbinder