#SaturdaySpotlight is on Diana Rubino and her Cookbook!

Good Morning Friends,

You may recognize today's guest. Diana Rubino has visited before with an EggCerpt Exchange and Tuesday Treasures. You may also recognize her book from one of her previous visits. The good news is, Around the World in 80 Meals has been picked up and re-issued by a new publisher! Here's Diana to tell you the story....

I went on my first cruise at age 40, which many people used to consider young for cruising. Not so much any more. Cruises come in many varieties, to fit budgets, tastes, and age groups. After that first cruise of the Eastern Mediterranean, “Cradles of Civilization” on the Norwegian Cruise Line’s Dream, my husband and I were hooked.

If you ask fifty people what they consider the best thing about a cruise, you’ll get at least fifty answers…unpacking only once in the cabin of your floating hotel, waking up in a new exotic port each day, the leisure, the pampering, the shows, the shore excursions…and of course the cuisine.

Cruise lines employ top-notch chefs who create exotic gourmet meals, from fresh ingredients, catering to every palate and need: vegan, diabetic, low sodium, gluten free…and the sky’s the limit if you want to indulge to your heart’s desire and gain that average two-pounds-a-day on your cruise. But why should anyone only be able to indulge in these delectable delights if cruising the seas? Those of us who love to cook and enjoy gourmet cuisine should be able to create meals from cruises of the past in our own kitchens.

I searched for seven menus of a diversity of cruise lines, from the luxurious Cunard Line, famed for its opulent ocean liners, to a small but highly exclusive line of yachts that offer the most personalized cruise experience. I found recipes for each item on the seven menus, from appetizers to entrées to desserts, cocktails and pre-dinner aperitifs. I devoted a chapter to each day of the ‘fantasy cruise’ introducing each ship and explaining where it is located, with information about each cruise line and its chefs. The main focus is on the dinner menu followed by recipes for recreating every delectable morsel. The result is AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 MEALS, THE BEST OF CRUISE SHIP CUISINE.

Wanting to appeal to the casual cruise passenger as well as gourmet cooks, I included a chapter about the history of cruising, and wrapped it up with extras, helpful hints, and cruise contact info. I’ve tried many of the recipes and am happy to say they turned out very well. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 MEALS is available from Amazon.

Diana Rubino's passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance, FAKIN' IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times.

She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, plays her piano, cooks, and devours books of any genre. Visit Diana at www.dianarubino.com, https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com, and on Twitter @DianaLRubino.

Hope you enjoyed today's guest and that you'll drop by each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight!

Until next time, take care and God Bless.
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: #SpringFlingRomance with Diana Rubino!

Good Morning Friends!

Today we welcome back to our blog, Diana Rubino with Thursday Thoughts & Why She Loves Spring so you're getting double entertainment in one post! Therefore, without further ado, please welcome Diana....

Why I Like Spring by Diana Rubino

I live in New England—need I say more? 

It takes longer for spring to arrive here than to most places. Right now, April 1, already over a week into spring, the ground is still half covered with snow and it’s barely in the 40s. But I heard a mourning dove the other day, which is a sure sign that spring is on the way.

In this area, we get a lot of spring days that are downright dreary, with overcast leaden skies, a fine mist falling, and that raw chill that goes right through you. But a day like that brings promise. It’s no longer the bitter cold with the arctic blasts. The wind carries a promising fragrance, and you can almost smell the grass struggling to peek through the patches of snow. Hearty New Englanders are out wearing shorts and T-shirts, even though it’s still in the high 40s or low 50s. We wear our Red Sox caps. All those signs point to that magical day when we can wear those T-shirts without shivering, sit in the ballpark munching peanuts, and inhale a lungful of lilac-scented breeze on a jog.

It takes a while to get here, but when it does, we appreciate it all the more.

Contact Diana at the following places.... 

Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, LinkedIn, GooglePlus

The End of Camelot by Diana Rubino

November 22, 1963, a day that changed America forever. Who killed President Kennedy?

I've been a HUGE JFK assassination buff since that very day. Everyone who was alive on November 22, 1963 knew exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news. I was in my first grade classroom. The teacher got a call on the classroom phone and told us ‘the president was shot.’ A collective gasp went around the room. I was 6 years old and in first grade. It was ten years before I saw the footage of Ruby shooting Oswald, on an anniversary documentary.
          But it was my grandmother who got me interested in the biggest mystery since 'who killed the princes in the Tower?' (I'm a Ricardian; that's for another post).  She got me embroiled right along with her.
          She listened to all the radio talk shows (those who lived in the New York area might remember Long John Nebel, on WOR, WNBC, and WMCA, all on AM radio (FM was really 'out there' at that time).
          She recorded all the radio talk shows. She bought whatever books came out over the years, along with the Warren Commission Report, which I couldn't lift at the time, it was so heavy. But my interest never waned in the 51 years that followed.
          In 2000, I began the third book of my New York Saga, set in 1963. The heroine is Vikki McGlory Ward, daughter of Billy McGlory, hero of the second book, BOOTLEG BROADWAY, set during Prohibition. This was my opportunity to write a novel showcasing all my current theories, and continue the saga. It took a minimum of research, since I remember all the 60's brands, (Bosco, Yum Berry, Mr. Bubble...), the fashions, the songs, and I even included a scene set on that unforgettable night when the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, February 9, 1964.

About THE END OF CAMELOT   

The third in the New York Saga, The End of Camelot centers on Billy McGlory’s daughter Vikki, whose husband is murdered trying to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Vikki uses her detective skills to trace the conspiracy, from New York to New Orleans to Dallas, and at the same time, tricks her husband’s murderer into a confession. A romance with her bodyguard makes her life complete.

November 22, 1963: The assassination of a president devastates America. But a phone call brings even more tragic news to Vikki Ward—her TV reporter husband was found dead in his Dallas hotel room that morning.

Finding his notes, Vikki realizes her husband was embroiled in the plot to kill JFK—but his mission was to prevent it. When the Dallas police rule his death accidental, Vikki vows to find out who was behind the murders of JFK and her husband. With the help of her father and godfather, she sets out to uncover the truth.

Aldobrandi Po , the bodyguard hired to protect Vikki, falls in love with her almost as soon as he sets eyes on her. But he's engaged to be married, and she’s still mourning her husband. Can they ever hope to find happiness in the wake of all this tragedy?

Purchase THE END OF CAMELOT on Amazon

Excerpt

It was New Year’s Eve, they were alone, and he was harmless. So far. So she took the necessary two paces over to him and placed the honey ball between his custom-made choppers.

He closed his eyes, and she watched him savoring the sweetness. She didn’t dare say another word as she ran her index finger over a glob of cream on the cannoli plate, raised it to her lips and licked. “Mmmm,” she voiced, wishing she hadn’t.

Their eyes met and locked. Faster than lightning, they came together like magnets. Their lips met, sweet and sticky and hot. She didn’t want him to stop, but her inner voice screamed how wrong it was—It’s forbidden!—echoing the nuns in Saint Gustina’s. She shooed it away like an annoying fly. Leave me alone, I’m not a kid anymore. Her arms circled his neck, and his hands slid down to the curve of her back. Dare she move in closer, pelvis to pelvis, an unthinkable act three seconds ago? Her body was betraying her, betraying Jack, taking on a will of its own as she crushed herself to him. The kiss intensified. She tasted cannoli, and her fogged mind told her he’d been sampling them all day. She breathed in his cologne, so foreign it repelled her, so new it aroused her even further. Her tiara slipped off her head. She caught it just as he pulled away.

He held her at arm’s length as in a tango. “Oh, cara mia,” he growled—and if he said another word in Italian, she knew she’d explode. A passion long dormant stirred inside her.

Diana's favorite passage from the book:

Billy came down the stairs for a nightcap and glanced into the living room. He noticed the glow in the fireplace, Vikki’s eyeglasses and the anisette bottle on the table. The couch faced the other way, but nobody was sitting on it. “Where’d they go?” Then he realized they hadn’t gone anywhere—and they were on the couch, but not sitting. Before he got out of their way, he placed a long-playing record on the phonograph. Jackie Gleason’s “For Lovers Only.”

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed this double shot of entertainment on Thursday Thoughts! Until next time...take care & God Bless!

PamT

#ThursdayThoughts: Guest Post by Diana Rubino

Good Morning Friends,

Well we're blessed to have guests this week, which is a good thing since I am not only attending my mother in law's funeral, but taking my turn at the hospital with my mom. 

Alas, God is good All the Time!!

Without much fan fare, please allow my friend Diana Rubino the floor....

Hi all published and aspiring authors. I’m Diana Rubino, author of 18 historical and paranormal novels. My publishers are The Wild Rose Press and Solstice Publishing.

My story will inspire you to push on, if nothing else will. It’s unique, because I'm probably the longest aspiring author to be

published—18 years. I wrote my first novel in 1982, after a dose of reality in the brokerage business. In those days, executive-level women were virtually nonexistent in the finance industry. My first novel was largely autobiographical, as most first novels are. Although my third and fourth novels came close to getting published with Harlequin, they didn't quite make it.

Because I’m a huge history buff, I decided to write a historical, which became The Jewels of Warwick, set around Henry VIII and a fictional mistress. Jewels took 2 years to research and write, with no internet. This was 1990. It came very close to publication with several romance houses, but missed the mark for containing too little romance. When I finished Jewels, I scoured the history books for another legendary figure to write about. While I browsed the Cambridge Library stacks, a book snagged my eye. Lying, not standing, on the wrong shelf was Crown of Roses by Valerie Anand. It drew me like a magnet. Richard III is a central character in the story, and the author thanks’ the Richard III Society’ for helping her. Who’s this Richard III Society? I wondered.

Already hooked on Richard, his tragic death at 32 and his reputation as a usurper and a murderer of his little nephews, I joined this Richard III Society. So I joined up (again through snail mail, no internet.)

As everyone else who has a story about how they ‘met’ Richard, he fascinated me. I’d found the subject of my next novel! And it tied in perfectly as a prequel to The Jewels of Warwick. Titled Thy Name is Love, it made the same rounds of publishers, remaining homeless after several rewrites and seven years.

But the miracle of the internet came to all of us. My first online experience was CompuServe’s Romance Forum in 1993. This led to meeting many authors who shared leads and their own writing journeys. In 1999, Lisa Hamilton, an author I'd met on the CompuServe Romance Forum, sent me a list of E-publishers, since E-publishing was new and quickly catching on. One of those publishers was Domhan Books, a British publisher who also did print.

When I heard back from them, I figured it was just another rejection, but it was an offer to publish my historicals, since Siobhan McNally, the owner of Domhan Books, was a huge Richard sympathizer. They also published print books, so I lived the moment I’d dreamed about—seeing my first book in print. This was 18 years after that first novel went out into the world.

What surprised me most about the publishing business is that it's very hard to be recognized. You really have to work on promotion as well as writing. I've read many differing opinions on this, but I do believe you should promote as much as time allows, without taking away writing time. I have a website, a mailing list, and attend as many signings and conferences as possible.

But you have to be realistic; it's not easy to shoot up to #1; I'd had delusions of being on talk shows and seeing my name on the NYT bestseller lists after my first novel.

I never felt I had enough information to convey at a workshop, but I can tell aspiring authors to make sure the opening is enough of a grabber, make sure the characters are compelling, make sure they're interesting enough and the reader cares enough about them to keep reading, make sure the novel is structured well, so that it doesn't have a sagging middle or any pacing problems, make sure the stakes are high enough so they're in life or death situations that it seems they can't possibly get out of, make sure the secondary characters aren't mere cardboard, and a humor always helps.

I don’t have any one favorite author, but there are authors whose books I’ll buy if their name is on them. That includes Doug Preston & Lincoln Child (they write great thrillers together), Barbara Erskine (very eerie paranormals set in Essex, England), and Bertrice Small. She never disappoints.

I’ve never had a deadline from a publisher, but I’d once sent an agent the first 3 chapters of my vampire romance. He said he’d like to see the entire ms., so I wrote 5,000 words a day til it was finished. He later rejected it. Oh, well. But at least I know I’m capable of turning out 5,000 words a day. My usual output is 2,500 words a day.

In my ‘other’ life, I own an engineering business with my husband, based in Cambridge.

I’d like to tell any aspiring authors who are frustrated that it’s taken them 3, 4, 5 or more years to get that first contract, remember, I wrote for 18 years before getting ‘the call’ so never give up! Keep believing, and keep the faith! And of course, keep writing, because you’ll only get better. And NEVER give up on your dream!

Please visit my website at www.dianarubino.com, www.dianarubinoauthor.blogspot.com, DianaRubinoAuthor on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter @DianaLRubino.

A Necessary End is available at Amazon in print and for Kindle!

Wow, if this isn't a lesson in perseverance, nothing is! So glad Diana decided to hang in there.

You do the same.

PamT

#TuesdayTreasure: #HolidayRomanceandRecipes

Good Morning!

It is my pleasure to bring to you the author and book that started this Holiday Romance and Recipe blog exchange!

Diana Rubino has written a lovely cookbook titled, Around the World in 80 Meals and although it is not a romance, there are a lot of sexy meals to be treasured, like this one for Tiramisu....

Ingredients

3 large eggs, separated

¾ cup sugar

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

½ cup heavy cream

2 cups espresso at room temperature

2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine

6 ounces savoiardi (crisp Italian ladyfingers)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder 

Instructions

Beat egg yolks and ½  cup sugar in a large bowl until thickened and pale.

Beat in mascarpone until barely combined.

Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a separate bowl until they barely hold soft peaks.

Gradually add remaining ¼ cup sugar continuing to beat whites until they barely hold stiff peaks. Beat heavy cream in a separate bowl until it barely holds soft peaks.

Gently fold cream into mascarpone mixture until thoroughly mixed.

Fold in egg whites.

Stir espresso and Marsala wine together in a shallow bowl.

Dip 1 savoiardi into espresso mix and for a few seconds each side.

Place dipped savoiardi in a 2-quart glass baking dish.

Dip 8 more savoiardi  and arrange in a snug layer in bottom of dish.

Spread half the mascarpone mixture evenly over dipped savoiardi.

Repeat process to make a second layer of dipped savoiardi and mascarpone.

Cover and chill 6 hours.

Sprinkle with cocoa powder and serve.

mmmmm....who says desserts aren't romantic? Doesn't this just look like something you'd want to share with your significant other?

Imagine it....one serving...two spoons...feeding each other by candlelight....

Diana's book, Around the World in 80 Meals can be found at Amazon.

Around the World in 80 Meals: The Best of Cruise Ship Cuisine weaves gastronomic delights around an exotic seven-day dream fantasy cruise. Imagine waking up on a different ship in a new port of call every day, and treating your taste buds to a gourmet meal every evening, each carefully prepared by one of the best chefs afloat. This book highlights the most interesting menus and recipes of a diversity of cruise lines, from the luxurious Cunard Line, famed for its opulent ocean liners, to a small but highly exclusive line of yachts that offer the most personalized cruise experience. The reader can see daily snapshots of a week of luxury cruising. A chapter for each day briefly introduces each ship, explains where it is located, and gives information about each cruise line and its chefs. The main focus is on the dinner menu followed by recipes for recreating every delectable morsel in your own kitchen. Diana Rubino's passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance, FAKIN' IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, plays her piano, cooks, and devours books of any genre. Visit Diana at www.dianarubino.com, https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com, and on Twitter @DianaLRubino.

Well Friends, hope you enjoyed today's treasure. Stay tuned weekly for more Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlights!

PamT

#SaturdaySpotlight is on Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne: Our Destined Bond by Diana Rubino!

Good Morning from New York!

My friend Nona and I flew up on Tuesday and we have a fun-filled day with Penny & Keuka Roots™ so I'm going to turn the blog over to Diana - who has visited numerous times before. Take it away, Diana and tell us all about your new release, Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne: Our Destined Bond...

Thanks, Pam, I'm happy to share my new book with your viewers!

Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne called themselves Adam and Eve as he suffered the shame of his family’s connection to the Salem Witch Trials.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s courtship of Sophia Peabody lasted for three years, because he insisted on keeping it secret. He had his reasons, none of which Sophia agreed with.

After Nathaniel met Sophia Peabody, an artist in her own right, she changed his life forever. Sparks flew. Knowing the shame and guilt of the past that haunted him, she made it her quest to save him.

Even though they faced many complications from both sides of their families, Sophia and Nathaniel triumphed - and triumphed well.

Diana Rubino's NATHANIEL AND SOPHIA HAWTHORNE: OUR DESTINED BOND is an intimate look into Sophia and Nathaniel Hawthorne's love story.

Why I wrote Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne: Our Destined Bond...

I live near Salem and have been to all the Hawthorne landmarks there, and in Concord. The House of the Seven Gables has been my favorite house in the world since I'm a kid. I've always felt a strong spiritual connection to Salem, and always wanted to write one of my books set there, including the witch trials. I read several of his books and stories, to get a better background on him. Nathaniel wrote from the heart, about his true beliefs, and his loathing of how the witch victims were treated. He did consider it disgraceful, and it certainly was. He added the 'w' to his last name to distance himself from the judge. That tormented him and his family all his life. It must have been cathartic to him to have his writing as his outlet.

I was fortunate to get a private tour of the House of the Seven Gables when I was writing the book; two of the guides, Ryan Conary and David Moffat, showed me around, and it was fabulous.

An excerpt from NATHANIEL AND SOPHIA HAWTHORNE (their visit to his cousin Susan Ingersoll at The House of the Seven Gables):

I went over to a curio cabinet and swept my eyes over the items on the shelves—a china doll wearing a calico dress, a stack of gold cups and saucers, a red and blue glass checkerboard propped up to display its surface…and a wooden hammer on the top shelf. Upon closer inspection, I saw it was a gavel that judges use in trials. Out of curiosity I picked it up and a shock ran through me as if electrified. Dear God, was it that gavel?

I dropped it to the rug. It landed with a thump. I bent to retrieve it. Somehow I knew it wouldn’t shock me this time—that was only an initial warning. “Something about it made me want to touch it, to pick it up and hold it.”

Nathaniel approached me. He stared at the gavel in my hand, horror darkening his eyes. His lips parted but no words emerged. I knew what he was thinking—the curse. He turned to his cousin, pointing at the gavel, his arm trembling.

Susan hurried over to us, took it from me and placed it back on the shelf. “Yes, it’s Judge Hathorne’s. What happened, Sophie? Are you all right?”

I looked down at my open hands, palms up. They burned as if I’d touched a hot poker. “That gavel—it carries something evil. Has anything happened to you with this, Susie?”

Nathaniel backed away and before Susan could answer me, he grasped her arm. “I begged you to get rid of that accursed thing! You know it shouldn’t be here!”

She looked from him to me, heaving a deep sigh. “I’m not inclined to dispose of it, Natty. It’s a family heirloom, notwithstanding its past.”

He gripped the chair, his face drained of color. “It’s downright evil. You know what he used that thing for.”

She held her hands up in surrender. “Very well, I’ll conceal it.” She took it off the shelf and slid it behind the checkerboard.

“That should not be in this house!” He stood his ground, his eyes fixed on the checkerboard as if it would melt in such close proximity to that horrid object.

“It’s fine there, Natty. It’s concealed from sight now.” She looked at me and gestured for me to sit again. I sat and gulped my sherry.

“Nathaniel’s always overcome with distress at the witch trials.” Susan explained what I already knew.

“And so should you be,” he cut in.

“If I must speak for Judge Hathorne, I heard stories of him from my grandfather.” Susan looked from Nathaniel to me. “The whole hysteria that caught up the judge was started by unscrupulous men to further their own riches. But spectral evidence was still admissible. No sane person could believe that blithery.”

My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my books and short stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Paris, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, Washington D.C., Tombstone, Arizona, San Diego, California and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. My husband Chris and I own CostPro, an engineering firm based in Boston. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano, devour books of any genre, and spend as much time as possible living the dream on my beloved Cape Cod.

Connect with me through my Website and/or Blog, Facebook and X. 

Read more about Nathaniel and Sophia's story HERE and HERE.

Check out my previous visits to Pam's blog HERE.

Get your copy of Nathaniel and Sophia Hawthorne at Amazon and Other Online Retailers.

THANKS, Diana! We wish you the best of luck and God's blessings with this and your other books.

Hope you enjoyed Diana's post today, Friends and that you'll check back every week for another episode of Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT

#TuesdayTreasure: #HolidayRecipeandRomance with Diana Rubino

Good Morning and Welcome to the last Tuesday Treasure of 2015!

This is the time of year most of us reflect on the months past and plan to do better/different in the future. That's all good and well, but this year, why not make a list of small changes instead of huge goals that you've made over and over and not accomplished?

For instance...instead of losing XX # of pounds, how about exercising 15 minutes a day. This can be anything....jumping jacks, marching in place, stretching...anything to get moving. Another idea I heard about was to take an empty jar and every day or week, write a short note of the good thing(s) that happened, then at this time next year, reflect on those. This is a wonderful way to remember to be grateful and to acknowledge the good things God does for you.

I'm thinking I might do this!

Another wonderful idea would be to try something new every week or month.... take an art class or sewing class or try out a new recipe.

With that in mind, I bring to you, Diana Rubino with another recipe from her book, Around the World in 80 Meals; The Best of Cruise Ship Cusine which can be purchased at Amazon.

Puff Pastry

Ingredients

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup plain bleached cake flour

6½ sticks unsalted butter, chilled

1½ teaspoons salt

1 cup ice water

Instructions

Dice butter sticks into ½ -inch cubes.

Put flour in mixing bowl.

Add butter and salt.

Blend flour and butter together until butter broken into small lumps.

Blend in water and mix until dough clumps roughly together but butter pieces remain the same.

On a lightly floured work surface, quickly push, pat and roll dough to form a 12-inch by 18-inch

rectangle.

Lightly flour top of dough.

Using a pastry sheet, flip the bottom of the rectangle up over the middle.

Flip the top of the rectangle down to cover it.

Lift the dough away from the work surface using a pastry sheet.

Clean the work surface and lightly.

Return the dough to the work surface. Set it with the top flap to your right.

Lightly flour top of the dough, and push, pat and roll again into a rectangle.

Repeat folding as above. (Each "roll-and-fold" operation is called a "turn".

Repeat process 2 more times. (4 "turns" in total).

After the last "turn" you will see flakes of butter scattered below the surface on the dough.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in a plastic bag.

Refrigerate 40 minutes.

Repeat “turn” process 2 more times.

Let dough rest 30 minutes.

Dough is ready for baking when rubbery and difficult to roll.

Sounds yummy!

While you're trying out her recipes, check out Diana's latest release, From Here to Fourteenth Street which can be purchased from The Wild Rose Press  Amazon Kindle  Amazon Paperback

It's 1894 on New York's Lower East Side. Irish cop Tom McGlory and Italian immigrant Vita Caputo fall in love despite their different upbringings. Vita goes from sweatshop laborer to respected bank clerk to reformer, helping elect a mayor to beat the Tammany machine. While Tom works undercover to help Ted Roosevelt purge police corruption, Vita's father arranges a marriage between her and a man she despises. As Vita and Tom work together against time and prejudice to clear her brother and father of a murder they didn't commit, they know their love can survive poverty, hatred, and corruption. Vita is based on my great grandmother, who left grade school to become a self-made businesswoman and politician, wife and mother. 

About Diana....

My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. I live on Cape Cod with my husband Chris. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano and devour books of any genre. Visit me at www.dianarubino.com, www.DianaRubinoAuthor.blogspot.com, https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor, and on Twitter @DianaLRubino.

Photo by belchonock from depositphotos.com

Well friends, hope you enjoyed this latest (and last) Holiday Recipe and Romance post and hope to see you again for Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until later...take care and God Bless!
PamT

#ThursdayThoughts #EggcerptExchange with Diana Rubino!

Good Morning Friends,

Today's guest is no stranger to our blog but always a pleasure to bring back so please give Diana Rubino along with her co-author Piper Huguley, a great big welcome and settle in to find out about her novel, Oney My Escape from Slavery part of this year's Eggcerpt Exchange!

Serendipity at Work

In May 2014, popular romance author Brenda Novak had her annual auction for diabetes—authors donate books, critiques, etc., and people bid on them, similar to Ebay. I donated one of my other books, and I also donated a free manuscript critique. An author named Piper Huguley won the critique auction, but the auction ended and I never heard from her. I thought oh, well, she doesn't want it after all. About 3 months later, she wrote me and sent me her story, A CHAMPION’S HEART, to critique. It's a romance about an African American girl, set in rural Georgia in the 1910s. Very moving and powerful story. I loved it. It was published in 2016 by Liliaceae Publishers.
getBook.at/AChampionsHeart

I'd been wanting to find an African American author to go over my Oney novel, but never looked for anyone. I thought of asking one of my grade school classmates, but just didn't get to it...well, one day I decided to ask Piper.

Right after I asked her, she wrote back and said she'd be happy to help. Then I went on Facebook and saw that Piper just posted that her mother passed away that morning. So I sent her a message of condolence. Then she wrote this back to me:

And I appreciate your kind comments about my mother. You see, I see your request as "heaven sent" for I think I told you about how my mother told me about Oney. I know that she would want me to work on anything, do anything to forward that story. So, even in the midst of a difficult time, I look forward to helping you--something I really didn't expect after you had helped me so much. Thank you for that.

I don't remember her telling me that her mother told her about Oney. I've heard so many stories about people who pass away, and send 'signs' etc. to their loved ones, this was just too strange to be coincidence. Piper helped me a great deal with Oney’s story and became my co-author. We dedicated the book to her mother.

Oney’s Story…

Teenaged Oney Judge was Martha Washington’s ‘favorite servant.’ Oney and Martha both longed for freedom, but in very different ways. Martha hated being confined to the president’s house, forced to entertain politicians and foreign diplomats. Oney hated being someone else’s property, forced to do labor and wait on her owners day and night.

After President Washington served one term as president, he wrote his farewell speech. He and Martha started packing for their retirement at Mount Vernon, but it was not meant to be. He was elected again—unanimously. He did not want to serve another term, but gave in under pressure.

Martha had no say in it whatsoever. But as she hosted her tea parties and levees, she became close friends with several forward-thinking women, such as Abigail Adams and Judith Murray, feminists of the time. Their radical ideas rubbed off on Martha—education and job training for women to be self-supporting instead of depending on husbands. By the end of George’s term, she experienced a steep character arc. She even changed her attitude toward slavery. When Oney escaped at age 20, at the end of George’s final term, Martha was very resentful: “She was more like a child to me than a servant.” The Washingtons knew that she’d escaped to Portsmouth, New Hampshire and made several attempts to recapture her. But in a sudden act of lenience, Martha gave up on Oney and let her remain free. During her husband’s presidency, Martha complained, “I am more like a state prisoner”, so perhaps she put herself in Oney’s place and realized she deserved liberty, too.

As our first First Lady, Martha Washington evolved from a  grandmotherly wife and homebody to an outspoken champion of women’s rights. She provided freedom for her slaves at her death.

While living in Portsmouth, Oney married a sailor, Jack Staines, and had three children. She outlived her husband and children, and lived her remaining free life in Greenland, New Hampshire. Somewhat of a local celebrity, she lived in poverty, but the locals supported her and she took in sewing to supplement her meager income. She declared in an 1847 interview, “I am free now and choose to remain so.”

An Excerpt from ONEY, MY ESCAPE FROM SLAVERY

The hour finally came—while they ate dinner.

Nothing heavied my heart—not remorse, not guilt, not sadness upon fleeing my master and mistress. Raw thirst for freedom overcame all that. I walked straight past the Washingtons and out that door. When I shut it, I left them—and my forced bondage— behind me.

I tore through the muddy streets in pouring rain. Gasping for breath, soaked to the skin, my heart slamming in terror, I glanced behind me, again and again. No one pursued me—yet. I dreaded and expected pounding footsteps, a clap on my shoulder. But, I asked myself, who would chase me through the driving rain? No, it is not possible, I affirmed—they didn’t even know I’d left the kitchen.

At the Jones house I slowed and caught my breath. When Absalom opened the door, I staggered inside, laughing, sobbing, gulping for dear life.

I spent the night pacing the attic room, hands clasped. “I beg of you, dear God, walk beside me on this journey. See me through this safe. Don’t let them capture me. I only want to be your servant, no one else’s.”

As daybreak nudged away the darkness, I fell to my knees, weary with fatigue. “Thank you, dear God, for ending my final night of bondage.”

About Diana and Piper:

Diana writes about folks who shook things up. Her passion for history and travel has taken her to every locale of her stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. Her urban fantasy romance FAKIN’ IT won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. When not writing, she runs CostPro, Inc., an engineering business, with her husband Chris. In her spare time, Diana bicycles, golfs, plays her piano and devours books of any genre. She spends as much time as possible just livin' the dream on her beloved Cape Cod.

Piper Huguley is a two-time Golden Heart ®finalist and is the author of the “Home to Milford College” series. The series follows the building of a college from its founding in 1866. Book #1 in the series, The Preacher’s Promise was named a top ten Historical Romance in Publisher’s Weekly by the esteemed historical romance author, Beverly Jenkins and received Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest Contest of Self-Published e-books in 2015.

Her new series “Born to Win Men” starts with A Champion’s Heart as Book #1. A Champion’s Heart was named by Sarah MacLean of The Washington Post as a best romance novel selection for December 2016.

She blogs about the history behind her novels at http://piperhuguley.com. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son.

Connect with Diana and Piper:

www.dianarubino.com

https://www.facebook.com/DianaRubinoAuthor/

Twitter: @DianaLRubino

www.piperhuguley.com

https://www.facebook.com/piper.huguley

Twitter: @PiperHuguley

 Purchase ONEY:

http://getBook.at/ONEY 

Hope you enjoyed today's post and that you'll check back often for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time take care and God Bless.
PamT

Tuesday Treasures: Egg-Cerpt Exchange with Diana Rubino!

Week 4 of  Tina Gayle‘s Eggcerpt Exchange from March 5th to April 20th, where several of us authors post excerpts and fun tidbits about our books. I'm hosting some authors right here, and I'll be guesting on their blogs. Looking for something new and exciting to read? Look no further than the Eggscerpt Exchange!

Today's Guest is Diana Rubino with er book, A Bloody Good Cruise!

My Italian vampire romance, A BLOODY GOOD CRUISE, is now on sale for Kindle and in paperback. Take a bite out of it below:

A BLOODY GOOD CRUISE is a fun-filled blend of the vampire world and luxury cruises.

          Romance writer Mona Rossi's book sales are slipping. She needs new ideas and fast! Her vampire love, Fausto Silvius is a doctor aboard the Romanza, a luxury cruise ship. Holding a "Motion on the Ocean" writer's cruise sounds like a great idea. What better way to combine a career boost with romance? But they soon discover hunters on board who give chase to Fausto and his fellow vampires. While he longs to bring Mona into his world, how can he convince her to join him with fringe lunatics on the hunt? In the prime of her life she's not sticking her neck out for a shot at eternity.

Excerpt:

Mona forced a dose of cheer through her jangly nerves. Vampire hunters wouldn’=t have the balls to attack Fausto and his friends on this ship. Security was tight. “Well, you’re here, so does that mean you’ve been going out, and aren’t confined to your house any more?”

Fausto shrugged. “Almost. I couldn’t wallow in self-pity forever. And I knew seeing you would make it worthwhile.”

She smiled and gave him a genuine Italian cheek pinch. “I’ll cheer you up, faccia bella, you can count on that. You must feel safe.” She gestured at the tacky duds. “I mean, relatively speaking.”    

“Don’t let this scare you, but –” He glanced around over the rims of his shades. Uh-oh. Whenever he said “don’t let this scare you,” it scared her. “I got an ominous message at the doctor=s office earlier.”

“What B” She swallowed a lump. “What kind of ominous message?”

He looked away, shaking his head. “Nothing to get alarmed about. The hunters just want me to know they’re here. After the initial jolt wore off, I said, ‘okay, I’m being stalked again.’ But I’m used to it. It doesn’t make me constantly look over my shoulder like in the old days. My family’s murder gave me a reality check. If they want me, they’ll get me. I can’t let it interfere with my work, or what little leisure time I have here. And you shouldn’t either.” He gazed at her adoringly and cupped her cheek. His hand was surprisingly warm. “But you’re still scared. All the blood’s drained out of your face, and not in a good way.”

Buy Links:

Kindle on Amazon

Paperback

Goodreads Link

Visit me at www.dianarubino.com

Tweet me @DianaLRubino

My Blog

 Hope you enjoyed this Egg-cerpt Exchange!

Friday I'll be Roasted & Toasted on Author Roast and Toast and I'm giving away a copy of Lori's Redemption. Hope to see you there!

IMW....Take care & Be Blessed!
PamT

#TuesdayTreasures Guest Post by Diana Rubino

Good Morning Friends!

Well we are exactly 12 days away from Christmas...yeah, I know. I'm not ready either. Not a big shopper so as usual, I'll get it all done in the next few days. Anyway, today we welcome Diana Rubino back to our blog to share something she treasures with us.

My “Treasure”

To celebrate the publication of THE JEWELS OF WARWICK, which was my first historical novel, and my husband Chris's and my 15th anniversary, I had this ring made for me by John Reynolds of Goldsmiths 3 in Concord, Massachusetts. The center stone is a purple sapphire, the two surrounding stones are pink topaz, and next to them are diamonds. It's set in 18K rose gold.

The significance of the purple and the sapphires is that JEWELS has two heroines who are sisters, Amethyst and Topaz, in Henry VIII’s court. Also, sapphire is my birthstone, and I was happy to see that sapphires also come in purple!

Wow, Diana, something this unique and beautiful is definitely something to treasure!

Henry VIII had six wives and many more mistresses, but Amethyst of Warwick was the love of his life. So why didn’t he ever marry her? He was either married, or she was married—to a despicable old wretch he foisted upon her as a punishment.

The other Jewel of Warwick is Amethyst’s sister Topaz, a spitfire who makes his live a living hell, only because she’s trying to seize his throne. She has a credible reason—Henry’s father killed her father, a rightful heir to the throne, to get him out of the way. As the Jewels grew up without their father, Topaz mourned his wasted life. Now she wants what’s rightfully hers. 

Amethyst remains a faithful supporter, confidante, lover, and friend, through Henry's tragic marriages and England's break with Rome. 

Until the night Henry dies in her arms, she is torn between her love for him and for her sister. Amethyst’s devotion to Henry creates a painful rift between the sisters that remains unresolved until the story’s end. While Amethyst lives a comfortable but troublesome life at court as the king's mistress, Topaz raises an army and goes into battle with the king. Forced to defend his crown, he imprisons Topaz for treason. Amethyst begs the king to release her, but he dies while she's still imprisoned. 

  

Henry's heir, young King Edward, sets Topaz free, but banishes her to the New World. She embarks on a voyage with explorer Sebastian Cabot, hoping to colonize her own monarch free realm, in what will someday be New England.

Excerpt

"I must marry Anne.” He spoke so low she could barely hear him. “She believes she is with child." 

“Oh, no.” Amethyst shook her head. King Henry’s gemstones flew from side to side in a dazzling blur. “No...no, it can't be...Anne Boleyn is a liar!” She grabbed his arms and shook him, abandoning all protocol, all etiquette, all manners. “Why must you marry her? You bedded her and after making me wait all this time, now you are going to turn round and marry her?”

Henry jerked out of her grasp. “You ran away, you silly wench. What was I to do, live like a monk, the way Catherine wants?” He took a few paces to the table and picked up a goblet. “The only reason I turned to her was because you'd left, without so much as a word.” He took a long pull of the ale and replaced the goblet with a thunk. “I do not love Anne. She is merely a breeding mare, more than willing to give me an heir, which you did not have the patience to stay around and do.” His eyes narrowed at her. “My divorce is finally in sight, you know how badly I need an heir, and you couldn't wait another few months.” He swept his hand through the air. “No, you had to come running back to home and hearth, back to the castle, expecting me to come back to you, begging on bended knee. A king does not beg.” His eyes narrowed to beady slits. “I have come to tell you I want you to return to court. I am admitting what you so desperately want me to admit. I want you back there with me. That is why I journeyed here. To bring you back.” 

Her wish, her prayer, now answered after all this time…but now it hit her like an insult. “To play second fiddle to the night crow? After you asked me to be your queen? What kind of fool do you take me for? You no longer love me.” She placed a fist on her hip. You want me under your thumb so you can keep me as a spare for when Anne gets too swollen and ugly for you to bed.” She turned away, unable to look at him. 

“Holy Jesu, Amethyst, would I have left court and the future mother of my heir if I did not love you?” 

“At this point I don’t know what to believe.” Her fists now clenched before her, she wished she could strangle that harlot he’d bedded.  

“How dare you refuse me.” Henry strode to the door and flung it open. “I shall give you until tomorrow, when my retinue and I leave. If you have not agreed to come back with me, do not ever return to court again.” 

At the door he dismissed her with the same wave of his arm befitting his servants. She left, not in obedience to him, but because she no longer wanted to see his face. The thought of him bedding Anne Boleyn sickened her.  

Purchase THE JEWELS OF WARWICK

Amazon Kindle 

Amazon Paperback

CreateSpace

Solstice Publishing

About Diana: My passion for history and travel has taken me to every locale of my stories, set in Medieval and Renaissance England, Egypt, the Mediterranean, colonial Virginia, New England, and New York. My urban fantasy romance, FAKIN’ IT, won a Top Pick award from Romantic Times. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, the Richard III Society and the Aaron Burr Association. I live on Cape Cod with my husband Chris. In my spare time, I bicycle, golf, play my piano and devour books of any genre. 

Let’s Connect:

My Website

My Blog

Facebook

Twitter

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LinkedIn

Amazon Author Page

Authors Den

GooglePlus

Hope you enjoyed today's treasure and that you'll stop by each week for Tuesday Treasures, Thursday Thoughts and Saturday Spotlight.

Until next time, take care and God bless.

PamT