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Taste of Summer: Chocolate Heath Bar Trifle @stacyjuba #RLFblog #MFRWorg
Chocolate Pie Taste of Summer By Stacy Juba
If you’re a writer, then you won’t want to miss MFRW Summer Camp.
This free event is sponsored by Marketing for Romance Writers, which began as a
Yahoo group of a dozen authors who wanted to know how to market their books. Today
the group has nearly 1800 members. One reason I love this group so much is because
of its frequent free workshops, including the 2nd Annual Summer Camp slated for
July 12-14.What will you find if you join the Yahoo group? A supportive
environment to focus on learning marketing and publicity. We seek ways to advance
our careers, brainstorm new ventures and ideas, get feedback, and find others interested
in working together. You can take a class or teach one.While promotions are not allowed on the Yahoo group, news about
pitch sessions and calls for submission are. MFRW coordinates pitch events with
publishers for our members. On Facebook, we promote and share news. We link our
blogs in blog hops, pin books by members on Pinterest, show off our cover models,
and share tweets on Twitter. Those are just a few of the activities of this dynamic
group. We’re open to the entire literary community and we would love for you to
join us.What will you find during summer camp? Free classes, lots of
them, in all areas of marketing and promotion. You can ask questions, pick up some
new tools, and make new friends.You can find more about the group and summer camp here. We hope
you’ll join us!http://marketingforromancewriters.org/camp.htmTo help spread the word about MFRW and Summer Camp, a bunch of
us are taking turns blogging about the group and sharing a recipe. Today I’m sharing
my special dessert, Chocolate Heath Bar Trifle, which is sure to impress guests
at summer barbecues. My husband loves this dessert so much that he recently asked
me to make it for 50 co-workers!Chocolate Heath Bar Trifle
Ingredients:Shortening1 box chocolate cake mix2 boxes chocolate instant puddingPackage of crushed Heath Bar2 small Cool Whip containers (8 oz)Spread shortening over cake pan. Bake cake following directions
on box. Then make chocolate pudding following the directions on box. Keep pudding
at room temperature. Crumble up cake into chunks and set aside. In a large glass
trifle serving bowl, layer half of the crumbled cake, half the pudding, 1 Cool Whip
container, and half of the Heath bar candy. Repeat layers again. Refrigerate.Note: Although this looks especially impressive in a glass trifle
bowl, I’ve also used a disposable aluminum pan with a lid. It doesn’t look as magnificent,
but it will still disappear quickly!About the Author
Young Ladies of Mystery Stacy Juba has made numerous bestseller lists including GalleyCat’s
Barnes & Noble Bestsellers, GalleyCat’s Mystery and Thriller Bestsellers, and
multiple Amazon Top 100 lists, and she has also been ranked as one of the Most Popular
Authors in Mysteries on Amazon. She has had a book ranked as #5 in the Nook Store
and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. Stacy has written about reality TV contestants
targeted by a killer, an obit writer investigating a cold case, teen psychics who
control minds, twin high school hockey stars battling on the ice, and teddy bears
learning to raise the U.S.
flag: she pursues whatever story ideas won’t leave her alone. She is a former journalist
with more than a dozen writing awards to her credit.Find Me Here
Website: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacyjubaPinterest: http://pinterest.com/stacyjuba/Permalink to Stacy’s recipe post on her own blog: -
Character Interview: Cassidy Novak @stacyjuba #RLFblog #Suspense
Young Ladies of Mystery Stacy Juba, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. We’re excited to
interview your character, Cassidy Novak from the book, Sink or Swim.Genre: Mystery/Romantic SuspensePublisher: Thunder Horse PressCover artist: Karen A. Phillips (through Mainly Murder Press
as originally published in paperback)Length: 241 pagesHeat rating: PG13 (Sweet romance subplot)Tagline: For reality show runner-up Cassidy Novak, it’s hard
enough being famous and not rich. When a stalker shows up, reality TV has never
been so real.Blurb: A fun beach read endorsed by contestants from Survivor,
Big Brother, and The Amazing Race. Ambitious personal trainer Cassidy Novak has
gained fame for starring on Sink or Swim, a hit reality show. Not only does she
lose and have to walk the plank, but after the game show ends, the terror begins.
Upon returning home, Cassidy discovers she has attracted a stalker masterminding
his own twisted game. She struggles to focus on her health club job and celebrity
endorsement opportunities, but her stalker has other plans. As her former competitors
get knocked off one-by-one, Cassidy refuses to play by the stalker’s bizarre rules.
She’s also being shadowed by hunky photographer Zach Gallagher, who has been assigned
to capture her personal moments for a spread in the local newspaper. She wants to
trust Zach, but fears he may not be what he seems. When the stalker forces a showdown,
Cassidy must once again walk the plank…this time for her life.Buy links:Amazon http://ow.ly/kEygvBarnes and Noble http://ow.ly/kEywiKobo http://ow.ly/kEz7KiBookstore http://ow.ly/kEzdSAlso available as part of the Young Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set:
http://stacyjuba.com/blog/young-ladies-of-mystery-boxed-set/What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?Cassidy Novak: 25, personal trainer and fitness director for
a health clubInterview with Cassidy Novak
Tell us about yourself.I’m a personal trainer and fitness director for Spike’s Muscle
Madness. (I’m trying not to cringe as I answer.) I LOVE helping people to lead a
healthier lifestyle and educating them about fitness and wellness, however, Spike
is interested in his bottom line and not in advocating health. I have a hard time
working anywhere that offers tanning beds, which can cause skin cancer. My goal
is to establish my own chain of fitness centers, but I’m in debt due with my college
loans. That’s why I went on the new reality TV show Sink or Swim, because I was
hoping to win enough money to start following my dream.Tell us about (insert lover name here).Zach Gallagher. He is a photographer for the local newspaper
that’s doing a series on my return home after my months competing on Sink or Swim.
He’s gorgeous and has this sexy Texas
drawl. He looks cute in a cowboy hat, though who knew I was attracted to cowboys?
He’s so easygoing though, that it drives me crazy. We’re complete opposites because
I’m so driven. He’s hiding something though, and I’m starting to wonder what’s going
on with him.What do you think is your strongest point?My determination and my vision. When I have a goal, I see it
clearly in my mind and I do whatever it takes to pursue it.What would Zach say is your strongest point?He’d probably say that he admires how I want to help people have
healthy lifestyles. He’s always teasing me about how I nag my family to watch what
they eat, but I think he admires how I want to take care of people.What would Zach say is your biggest weakness?He thinks I’m afraid of failure. Zach thinks I ought to start
with opening one small fitness center and to forget about launching a chain of them,
at least for now. He thinks I’m focusing on this unattainable goal that could take
years to accomplish because I’m afraid to open my own business. Zach thinks I’m
procrastinating. That’s ridiculous. Did I mention that he thinks I’m stubborn, too?
Sink or Swim What was it like where you grew up?I grew up in a small suburban town in New
England called Garrett. My dad took off when I was four and I never
saw him again. My mom, Pepper, is flaky but I love her. I was psyched when she married
my stepfather Glenn, but they’re divorced now. He’s still an important part of my
life, though. So is Bo, my younger brother.What do you wish was different about your life?I wish I had enough money to open that chain of fitness centers!
I don’t like working for other people. I really want to be self-sufficient and not
have to depend on anyone else for my income.If you were given your fondest wish, what would it be?It would be for my dad to have stayed in my life instead of running
away from his family.Describe a place of perfect refuge.Jogging around the track or lifting weights. Exercise helps me
to escape from my thoughts and to be fully present in my body. It clears my head.As a child, who was your best friend? Tell us about him/her.I don’t know if I ever really had a special best friend. I wasn’t
anti-social by any means – I did have friends. But a best friend? I guess it’s sad
that I can’t answer it. I wish I knew Zach when we were kids. I wonder if he still
wore a cowboy hat?What do you wish I had asked you? Please ask and answer it
now.I wish you had asked me how I am dealing with the stalker who
is terrorizing Sink or Swim contestants. I don’t know who this psycho is, but he’s
messing with the wrong girl.About the Author
Stacy Juba has made numerous bestseller lists including GalleyCat’s
Barnes & Noble Bestsellers, GalleyCat’s Mystery and Thriller Bestsellers, and
multiple Amazon Top 100 lists, and she has also been ranked as one of the Most Popular
Authors in Mysteries on Amazon. She has had a book ranked as #5 in the Nook Store
and #30 on the Amazon Kindle Paid List. Stacy has written about reality TV contestants
targeted by a killer, an obit writer investigating a cold case, teen psychics who
control minds, twin high school hockey stars battling on the ice, and teddy bears
learning to raise the U.S.
flag: she pursues whatever story ideas won’t leave her alone. She is a former journalist
with more than a dozen writing awards to her credit.Previous Books
Twenty-Five Years Ago Today (adult mystery/romantic suspense)25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look Back (essay
anthology)Dark Before Dawn (YA paranormal)Face-Off (YA sports novel)The Flag Keeper and the Teddy Bear Town Children’s Bundle (children’s
picture books)Books Coming Soon
A brand new romantic comedy/sweet romance inspired by the Cinderella
theme.Find Me Here
Website: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacyjubaPinterest: http://pinterest.com/stacyjuba/You May Also Like
Mark Virtue from Virtue’s Lady by @JessicaCale #RLFblog #historicalromance
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Interview with Henry Webb from Becoming His Master @MQBarber #RLFBlog #EroticRomance
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Suspense: Young Ladies of Mystery @stacyjuba #rlfblog
Young Ladies of Mystery. Stacy Juba, welcome to Romance Lives Forever. Let’s talk
about your new release, the Young Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set.Genre: Mystery/Romantic SuspenseBuy links:Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/young-ladies-of-mystery-boxed-set-stacy-juba/1112510487?ean=2940014880077&cm_mmc=AFFILIATES-_-Linkshare-_-UdkW8xQ2SN0-_-2%3a2940014880077&iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/young-ladies-mystery-boxed/id556216498?mt=11Kobo: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Young-Ladies-Mystery-Boxed-Set/book-LYpEix78KkeRcjLUgHwX2g/page1.html?s=lpSITyn9zE6mxAiVcLNAqw&r=8Publisher: Thunder Horse PressCover artist: Mark Juba (for the boxed set cover)Length: 595 pagesHeat rating: Clean romanceTagline: Solve a cold case with aspiring reporter Kris Langley;
discover the downside of fame with former reality show contestant Cassidy Novak;
and meet teenage psychic Dawn Christian, who discovers that ESP spells D-A-N-G-E-R.
3 books in one download.Blurb:The Young Ladies of Mystery Boxed Set features Stacy’s
adult mystery/romantic suspense novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim,
and her young adult psychic thriller Dark Before Dawn, in one bargain-priced download.
Solve a cold case with aspiring reporter Kris Langley; discover the downside of
fame with former reality show contestant Cassidy Novak; and meet teenage psychic
Dawn Christian, who discovers that ESP spells D-A-N-G-E-R. More on the three books
included in the download:Twenty-Five Years Ago Today – For twenty-five years, Diana
Ferguson’s killer has gotten away with murder. When rookie obit writer and newsroom
editorial assistant Kris Langley investigates the cold case of the artistic young
cocktail waitress who was obsessed with Greek and Roman mythology, not only does
she fall in love with Diana’s sexy nephew, but she must also fight to stay off the
obituary page herself.Sink or Swim – How do you change the channel when reality
TV turns to murder? After starring on a hit game show set aboard a Tall Ship, personal
trainer Cassidy Novak discovers that she has attracted a stalker. Can she trust
Zach Gallagher, the gorgeous newspaper photographer assigned to follow her for a
local series? As things heat up with the stalker and with Zach, soon Cassidy will
need to call SOS for real.Dark Before Dawn – When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets
involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents,
she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends
may be tied to freak “accidents” in town, Dawn has an important choice
to make – continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the
only people who have ever accepted her.What are your main characters’ names, ages, and occupations?In Twenty-Five Years Ago Today, Kris Langley is in her mid-twenties
and is a newspaper editorial assistant, obit writer and aspiring reporter. One of
her duties is compiling the 25 Years Ago Today column from the microfilm.In Sink or Swim, Cassidy Novak is in her mid-twenties and works
as a personal trainer for a health club. She is also a recent reality show contestant
hoping to gain some income through endorsements.Dawn Christian, the heroine of Dark Before Dawn, is a teenage
psychic who gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor.Interview
How did you get your start in the industry?I wrote my first novel, a young adult book called Face-Off, during
high school study halls when I was 16 years old. I entered it in a competition for
teen writers and it won a publishing contract with a major New York publisher. This was an exciting experience
for me, and it gave me the confidence to keep writing and submitting to publishers
and agents.What is the most important thing you do for your career now,
as compared to when you first started writing?The publishing industry has changed so much since the early 1990s,
when I was originally published. Now I have a web site and a blog, and am very active
on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as with many author groups.
The opportunity to network with readers and have access to all of this insider information
about the publishing industry has given a big boost to my career. Also, the rise
of e-books has had a tremendous impact on my career. Years ago, I remember thinking
that it wouldn’t even be worth being published if they had electronic books someday,
as I was tied to the concept of holding a printed book in my hand. Boy, was I wrong!
The growth of e-books has allowed me to make a living as an author and I find e-books
very enjoyable to read on an e-book device. It’s like a toy for book lovers. As
a result of this e-book trend, I spend a great deal of my time targeting my marketing
toward e-book consumers via social networking.If you could change something about your first book, what
would it be?Luckily, I had the opportunity to change something about my first
published book, my young adult hockey novel Face-Off. It was originally published
in the early 1990s, and I recently brought it back into print and released digital
editions. I deleted the names of some retired hockey players, as well as the names
of music groups and TV shows and movies that today’s kids wouldn’t identify with.
I’m now more careful about what real life details I add into a book, as I’m more
aware that someday it will be out of date.If you could give the younger version of yourself advice what
would it be?It would definitely be to lighten up, go with the flow, laugh
more, and take more time to relax!What does “balance” mean to you as a writer?It means balancing family, fiction-writing, marketing my books,
and my freelance clients, while not overextending myself. This is challenging, but
I am learning to take more time to exercise, read, and just “be.”What are some jobs you’ve done before (or while) you were
a writer?Since high school, I’ve worked in a drugstore, as a trainer and
lifeguard at a health club, as a college writing tutor, as a newspaper editorial
assistant, newspaper reporter, and as an administrative assistant, publicist and
event organizer. I currently write and edit newsletters for a few freelance clients,
in addition to being a full-time author.Which of your books would you recommend to someone who doesn’t
normally read your genre, and why?I’d recommend Twenty-Five Years Ago Today as a starting point
for someone who doesn’t normally read mystery or romance novels. I’ve visited a
few book clubs that read literary fiction, and not genre fiction, and they really
enjoyed Twenty-Five Years Ago Today as it has a lot of discussion points for a book
club. However, some of the members said they normally wouldn’t have stumbled across
it as it was in the mystery section and they don’t usually read mystery novels.What kind of books do you read when taking a break from your
own writing?I enjoy reading mystery novels, romantic suspense, sweet romance,
romantic comedy, and occasional young adult novels.What is your favorite holiday and why?I love Christmas, and the excitement of exchanging presents on
Christmas morning. I also love the carols on the radio and driving by houses with
Christmas lights. It’s a nice time of year.Where were you at midnight, on December 31st when the new
century started?I was kissing my husband in the living room of our then-apartment
as the ball went down on the television.What do you like to do when you’re bored?I love to read, play Just Dance games on Wii, and take walks.If you were a color, what color would you be?Yellow. I feel like yellow is a happy color, and I have it on
several walls in my house. I also wear bracelets with yellow in it, to give me a
lift.Which statement is more like you:“I am a vacation spa because I am laid back and relaxed.”“I am a ten-countries in ten-days tour vacation, because
I do things as fast as possible.”Definitely ten-countries in ten days as I like to be on-the-go
when I’m on vacation, though my goal is to become more laid back and less of a Type
A personality!Please Fill in the Blanks
I love pizza with green peppers and onions.I’m always ready for a good book.When I’m alone, I like to blast music very loud.You’d never be able to tell, but I’m very introverted.If I had a halo it would be yellow
and sparkly.If I could win a million dollars I’d go for a massage
every week.I can never read enough books because it’s one of my
favorite things to do.Previous Books
Adult: Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or SwimYoung adult: Dark Before Dawn; Face-OffAnthology: 25 Years in the Rearview Mirror: 52 Authors Look BackChildren’s: The Flag Keeper; Teddy Bear Town Children’s E-book
Bundle
Stacy Juba Books Coming Soon
Watch for a new romantic comedy in 2013, followed by some fun
short story spin-offs for my books!Find Me Here
Website: http://stacyjuba.com/blog/Twitter: https://twitter.com/stacyjubaYou May Also Like
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