Summer for Love Blog Hop
Summer in the South means an abundance of steamy heat. When you’re trying to keep cool, its not so great, but when you’re ready to spice things up—oh, yeah! The question is, how do we add romance to those sultry summer nights? Here are a few ideas from those of us with experience.  :)   *Dancing and drinks at the local bar. *Skinny dippin’ at the beach or lake. *Long walks in the dark. *Lemonade on the front porch swing. *A private striptease with nothin’ but the crickets for music. *Settin’ up a radio on the tailgate of a truck and having a personal dance party. *Bonfires. *Playin’ in the pool (with or without swimsuits). *Long nighttime drives with the windows down. What’s your best idea for a hot summer date? One lucky commenter will win a $10 Amazon giftcard! Sign up for my newsletter here for an extra chance to win! Happy Reading! Dani Settling The Score, Dani Wade, Backstage Pass series, sexy contemporary romance, rock star heroes, cover reveal Out now: Settling the Score. One hot rocker. One determined woman. Many hot southern nights! Summer for Love blog hop, romance readers, prizes, dani wade For more Summer for Love blog fun, check out the list of participants on The Romance Troupe.

A SUMMER FOR LOVE BLOG HOP JUNE 4-8

Check out the GRAND PRIZES! (6) $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Cards

Comment with your name and email to be entered into the Grand Prize drawing. Comments without name and email will not be counted. Commenting on each and every stop will increase your chances of winning. Winners for the (6) Grand Prizes will be drawn and announced on THE ROMANCE TROUPE blog by June 10th using random.org to determine each winner.  
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RT Recap
Eye opening! Exciting! Overwhelming! All of these adjectives and more could be used to describe my first taste of the Romantic Times Readers Convention in New Orleans, LA, a few weeks ago. As I’m sure all first timers can attest. As an introvert, being thrown into the midst of overflowing crowds of people is overwhelming—the noise, the lack of personal space, the pressure to always be ‘on’, the noise (ask me about the hotel lobby sometime...) But the frenetic energy and enthusiasm of the readers attending both inspired and thrilled me. Every giddy smile and squee filled my writer’s happiness bubble that much more. Totally cool! I participated in several events, including the Series Soiree for Harlequin authors. Then the Masquerade Oddities Emporium, where we decorated masks with feathers, jewels, and all manner of glittery goodness.   [caption id="attachment_771" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Romantic Times Readers Convention, Masquerade Emporium Event, Dani Wade, romance readers Readers at the Masquerade Oddities Emporium Event[/caption] And my fellow Ruby Sisters Burlesque Revue, where the gorgeous Bella Blue from the New Orleans School of Burlesque  gave an incredible lesson in this sexy dance style (and a few on being comfortable in your body too). I’ll be posting a full blog on this next week.   [caption id="attachment_772" align="aligncenter" width="225"]burlesque, NOLA School of burlesque, ruby slippered sisterhood, Dani Wade, RT reader event Bella Blue of NOLA School of Burlesque[/caption] [caption id="attachment_773" align="aligncenter" width="300"]ruby slippered sisterhood, dani wade, RT reader event, burlesque, romance authors Ruby Sisters at RT Burlesque Revue Reader Event[/caption] This was also my first time to attend a print book signing! I actually sold a few copies and was asked to sign scrapbooks made by some visiting Australian readers who had included my book covers (I was told I had great eye candy!). I also got to meet my great neighbors on either side, romantic suspense author Julie Ann Walker and urban fantasy Carrie Vaughn . Both were very encouraging during those long, long hours.   [caption id="attachment_774" align="aligncenter" width="225"]dani wade, romantic times readers convention, romance readers My First Print Book Signing![/caption] [caption id="attachment_775" align="aligncenter" width="300"]romantic times readers convention, dani wade, kimberly lang, andrea laurence, romance authors, harlequin With authors Andrea Laurence (L) and Kimberly Lang (R)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_776" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Dani wade, rt readers convention, romance author Me with a reader's scrapbook that she asked me to sign.[/caption] As I expected, New Orleans was as beautiful as I remember from my last visit as a teenager.   [caption id="attachment_777" align="alignleft" width="112"]new orleans, romantic times booklovers convention, ghost tour, romance author On Ghost Tour in New Orleans.[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_778" align="aligncenter" width="112"]New Orleans, ghost tour, rt booklovers convention, romance author A Night Out for the Ghost Tour[/caption] [caption id="attachment_779" align="alignleft" width="150"]new orleans, bourbon street, red beans and rice, rt booklovers convention, dani wade, romance author Red Beans and Rice! New Orleans has good, good food![/caption]               [caption id="attachment_780" align="aligncenter" width="112"]french quarter, new orleans, jackson square, rt booklovers convention, dani wade Jackson Square in the French Quarter, New Orleans[/caption] [caption id="attachment_781" align="alignleft" width="112"]cafe du monde, french quarter, new orleans, dani wade, andrea laurence, kimberly lang, rt booklovers convention With Kimberly Lang (L) and Andrea Laurence (R) at Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter.[/caption]     [caption id="attachment_782" align="aligncenter" width="112"]mardi gras world, new orleans, rt booklovers convention, dani wade At Mardi Gras World![/caption]     [caption id="attachment_783" align="aligncenter" width="225"]jackson square, new orleans, french quarter, rt booklovers convention Jackson Square, New Orleans' French Quarter, at night.[/caption] Though my first trip to Bourbon Street was educational, I’m not sharing pictures or stories of those adventures... (too incriminating!) As to the rest, tons of fun! That’s why its taken me a full 2 weeks to recover. Have you ever been to a readers’ convention? What was your favorite part? What about New Orleans? I can’t wait to go back! Dani
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Settling The Score–Out Now!

 It’s finally here!

I know Daniel’s story has been a long time coming, but he’s bursting off the pages, I promise! As I shared with my newsletter subscribers, I’ve been living with Daniel’s story for a long time. When he first revealed he wasn’t the player he had shown himself to be in Michael’s book, I was shocked. Then enthralled. His and Becca’s history is complicated and makes their HEAs that much sweeter. Settling The Score, Dani Wade, Backstage Pass series, sexy contemporary romance, rock star heroes, cover reveal So click on your bookstore of choice, and download SETTLING THE SCORE today! An excerpt is available in the post below this one. Amazon Smashwords (which has all file types) I'd like to apologize to my Nook readers! I've repeatedly attempted to upload to Nook Press and it isn't cooperating. A link will be posted as soon as I can get that fixed!   Daniel Korvello isn’t your average Joe with a case of unrequited lust. He’s a hard rock front man who wonders if his publicist will ever see him as anything other than a job. Then they team up to hunt down a threat to Daniel’s family...and he seizes the chance to show her he’s up for more than just a one night stand. Becca Buchanan already lived through one rock-star scandal with her reputation barely intact. She’s determined never to put herself, or her family, through that again. Only she can’t deny the desire she feels for Daniel. When he exposes the molten heat beneath her Ice Maiden exterior, she may never be able to freeze him out again. Then their amateur investigation takes a dangerous turn that threatens the lives of those they both love. Can their newfound trust extend past the bedroom? Can Daniel let go of his guilt enough to embrace a future with Becca? NEXT WEEK: RT Recap! And don’t forget that my next Harlequin, A BRIDE’S TANGLED VOWS, the first in my Mill Town Millionaires series, is already up for preorder. Order today for Kindle or paperback!      
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My Sexy Saturday – Settling the Score

From SETTLING THE SCORE, Backstage Pass Book #2

“You’re far too concerned about things outside of yourself—you can’t turn your brain off and simply focus on the pleasure.” Pleasure he desperately wanted to give her. Tears welling into her eyes told him he was on track, even if her mouth wouldn’t admit it. He held up the blindfold once more. “Which is why I need to teach you to shut all that shit out. To concentrate on how good you feel, not what I want from you. Not how you look.” She started, obviously surprised by his insight. Oh yeah, he’d known about her obsession with her looks for years. He wasn’t going to let that get in his way either. He brushed the length of material along her jawline. “Let me do this, Becca. For you.” For me. Those oh too vulnerable eyes closed once more, her chin tilting up in surrender. This close he could see her hard swallow as she awaited his next move, the pulse at the base of her neck picking up speed. The beauty of her in that position took his breath away. If he could get his hands on Rockin’ Reno, he’d break every bone in his sleazy little body. Way past time for Becca to find out what it was like to be with a man who put her needs before his own.   SETTLING THE SCORE is Available from Amazon and Smashwords.   Settling The Score, Dani Wade, Backstage Pass series, sexy contemporary romance, rock star heroes, cover reveal Daniel Korvello isn’t your average Joe with a case of unrequited lust. He’s a hard rock front man who wonders if his publicist will ever see him as anything other than a job. Then they team up to hunt down a threat to Daniel’s family...and he seizes the chance to show her he’s up for more than just a one night stand. Becca Buchanan already lived through one rock-star scandal with her reputation barely intact. She’s determined never to put herself, or her family, through that again. Only she can’t deny the desire she feels for Daniel. When he exposes the molten heat beneath her Ice Maiden exterior, she may never be able to freeze him out again. Then their amateur investigation takes a dangerous turn that threatens the lives of those they both love. Can their newfound trust extend past the bedroom? Can Daniel let go of his guilt enough to embrace a future with Becca?   For more My Sexy Saturday goodness, click here.
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Not Fast. Good.
I’ve gotten in a big rush lately. It makes sense. My life is chaotic and my To Do List never ends. Sometimes you get in that mode of pushing through to the next task, desperate to simply have something completed. Checking things off a To Do List can be oddly addictive when the tasks seem neverending. But I recently realized quantity doesn’t equal quality. Or rather, I was reminded.  :)  I’d forgotten in the mad rush to “complete” things. That frustrates me. As much as I want Daniel’s book on the virtual shelves, rushing to complete his book won’t result in a good book—a book I can be proud of. My most recent Harlequin, Book 2 in the Mill Town Millionaires series, took longer than I anticipated to finish. To do it (and Daniel's book) justice, I have to put off releasing the next Backstage Pass book, Settling the Score, until later this Spring. I’m trying to remember that my current chaotic state won’t last forever. I’d rather please my readers with a good story, rather than a quick read. (Hopefully my readers will agree.) These are all decisions that have to be made as an Indie writer. Harlequin sets my deadlines for their books. And I know Awesome Editor would put me through another round of revisions if he wasn’t happy with the story. I can do no less for books of which I alone serve as author, publisher, and promoter. But to make up for the wait, I want to give you a peek at the cover! My newsletter subscribers have already seen it, but they’re the only ones. I’m so thrilled with it! My cover artist, Elizabeth Wallace, has done a fantastic job. The cover echoes the opening scene of the book, when Daniel finally let’s go of years of control and shows Becca exactly what she’s been missing. Settling The Score, Dani Wade, Backstage Pass series, sexy contemporary romance, rock star heroes, cover reveal Pretty sexy, huh? I’ll be releasing an excerpt in a few weeks, again first in my newsletter, so be sure to sign up to catch the first sneak peek! And watch here and my FB/Twitter pages for first news on the rescheduled release date. Dani Takeaway: What’s one thing where you prefer to have quality over quickness?
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December is Here!
December is one of my favorite times of the year. I love Christmas decorations and seeing friends and family. There’s this feeling in the air that something special is about to happen.  I hope you get to enjoy some of the magic of this season too! christmas trees In addition to all the fun, I'll also be hard at work. My next book for Harlequin has been accepted, and is ready for revisions! Yay! That book, the first in my Blackstone brothers trilogy, is set to release in August of 2014. And I've started the proposal for the second book. So much fun! I haven't forgotten my Backstage Pass books, and hope to be back to working on Daniel's book soon. Sean's rough draft is almost finished. More info about release dates coming in January! Speaking of magical things...Daniel Korvello, Michael’s brother in Finding Her Rhythm, will be making a special appearance in a new release this month. It’s not mine, but I’m as excited as if it were mine. Author Ella Sheridan’s Naughty Little Christmas, which releases on Christmas Eve from Loose Id, has Solar Uprising showing up for a performance. Daniel, of course, has to offer his advice on relationships, which if you remember from FHR, is always on the Naughty side.  :)  I’ll be sure to post the link once it’s live! Y’all may have noticed something a little different about my website. The blog is now my home page! To keep up with my news, I've started a newsletter, which is where I'll be sending out information about upcoming releases, cool news, and hopefully some interesting stuff.  :)  Check out the sign up in the side column! In the meantime, I hope to enjoy a couple of days of fun with my family. I hope you do too! Happy Holidays! Dani
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Home for the Holidays Blog Hop
I'm celebrating the commencement of the holidays today, with romance authors and bloggers during the Romance Troupe's Home for the Holidays blog hop. And what makes the holidays homey and memorable for all of us? The FOOD! Home for the Holidays blog hop, The Romance Troupe, holidays, prizes, romance I love cooking for the holidays, seeing my family and friends enjoy things that I've made. I give away goodies for gifts (men especially like this) and look forward to holiday parties that give me a reason to cook. Now the clean-up... that's something I never look forward to! So I thought I'd share this super easy, low mess, divine chocolate flourless cake recipe. A co-worker, who has to eat gluten free, made it for a department party. It tastes like chocolate melting on your tongue. Best of all? It can be made ahead of time and stored or frozen. I hope it makes your holiday season easy and enjoyable! Flourless Chocolate Cake 4 oz. fine quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened) 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup) 3/4 cup sugar 3 large eggs 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Powdered sugar for sprinkling Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Flour and butter an 8 inch round baking pan. Line the bottom of pan with a round of wax paper; butter paper. Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate with butter. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Add sugar and whisk. Add eggs and whisk again. Sift cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven for 25 minutes. The top should form a thin crust and cake will puff. Be careful not to overcook. Cool the cake on a rack for 5 minutes before removing. Cake will deflate as it cools. Serving options: Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a simple dressing. Serve with whipped cream and your favorite berries to dress it up. Serve with ice cream or sorbet for a cool treat. Note: Once cake cools, it will keep for a week in an airtight container. It will also freeze well for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in refrigerator and serve at room temperature.

In honor of the cooler weather, here's a wintery sneak peek:

Snow Bound by Dani Wade

Snow Bound, Dani Wade, sexy contemporary romance Feeling the situation had gotten way too serious, he paused beside the bed before launching her into the air. Her squeal echoed around the room as she landed and bounced, the fluffy blankets jumping under the impact. Now that made for some interesting shimmies. He couldn’t help but grin as she burst into laughter. Then his eyes narrowed on the now empty expanse around her. Empty except for one thing. “What’s this?” Her look was confused until she saw the direction of his gaze. With a cry she reached across for the nearest blanket and jerked it toward her, probably to cover it up, but— Too late. He’d already seen it. “Since when does a pretty princess like you need a vibrator?” Hand fishing under the blanket, he pulled out a soft gel vibrator. Pink, of course. “Give me that,” she said, grabbing for the toy, only to come up with empty air. Damon held it higher, the transparent soft gel allowing him to see the candle on the dresser through its pink surface. A silver, cylindrical motor provided a hard core. “Very nice, Princess.” “Please, please give it back.” He turned his gaze from the little toy to the woman who was giving him more surprises than a night out with his army buddies. “Why? I think you’ll have more fun if I’m at the wheel.” For once Miss Priss had nothing to say. No pithy comeback, no sarcastic put-down, no prim comments. Simply a gaping mouth and wide eyes, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard come out of his mouth. So he set out to prove himself right.

Snow Bound is only 99 cents at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

One lucky commenter will win a $10 gift card from Amazon or Barnes & Noble for some holiday shopping! Simply share your favorite holiday dessert with us (and recipe, if you want). Sign up for my newsletter and get a second chance at the prize! (Please include your email address to win!) Enjoy!

And There's More: each comment with email address will be entered in the Grand Prize Giveaway from The Romance Troupe. (First Prize = $450+ Gift Card) (Second Prize = 1 eBook from each participating Author) So comment for a chance to win big!!!

Check out more Home for the Holiday recipes at The Romance Troupe Home for the Holidays blog hop list!

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My Sexy Saturday: Snow Bound

For those who might like a little cool during the summer heat...

Snow Bound From Snow Bound: With a sudden snap, the room went dark. The transition from softly lit home office to the pitch-black that can only occur living in the back of beyond took a little adjustment for Damon, but before his eyes cleared of squiggles and colored lights, he had his oversized flashlight palmed and on. Like his eyes, he let the rest of his body adjust to the new circumstances, which he’d been anticipating since heavy snow started coming down a couple of hours ago. Now instead of the croon of Toby Keith, he was left with utter stillness and the sound of the wind rushing against the eaves outside. The kick of his heartbeat after the surprise had automatically slowed, just as he’d done all the years he’d served his country in combat situations that required steady hands and complete focus. Though a strong snowstorm in the middle of February might not be a big deal for most parts of the country, the southern Tennessee valley was looking at complete and total shutdown for the next few days if they received the five inches the weatherman had been predicting since the day before. People here simply weren’t equipped or experienced with this kind of weather, which led to scary driving scenarios and a mad rush on the local Piggly Wiggly. Luckily Damon had managed to grab enough beer and chips to get him through, despite the little white-haired lady that had stared him down over the last bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos. Like a true Texas gentleman, he’d conceded and settled for Cool Ranch instead. Snow Bound is only 99 cents for the Labor Day weekend! Find it on Amazon and B&N!!! Check out more My Sexy Saturday posts HERE!
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