***Sweetheart Smackdown*** - Elite Eight - Vote for Kathleen

The heroine of The Kathleen Turner Series by Tiffany Snow has made it through to the final "Elite" Eight in the Sweetheart Smackdown competition run my the book blog : For the Love of Books.

Kathleen needs you vote!

VOTING

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank-you

Rugelach aka Kade's Mom's Christmas Cookies

 I love baking/cooking, and one thing I like to do is try recipes/dishes that are connected or mentioned in the books that I read.
After reading the latest book in The Kathleen Turner series - Out of Turn, and nursing a major book hangover, it was a perfect time to do a bit of festive baking.
This particular recipe was mentioned as part of a blog hop promotion for Tiffany A.Snow about a year ago.  It was accompanied by this extra scene about Kade.

Extract :  “She used to make these cookies for me, every Christmas.”  Absently, Kade took another drink, lost in memories.  “We never had much money for presents, but she’d scrimp and somehow I’d have a full stocking.  Then we’d have Christmas dinner, and always these cookies afterword.  They were amazing.  Fruit and cranberries with nuts, rolled in cinnamon and sugar.  They used to just melt in your mouth.”

 RECIPE

8oz / 225g Cream Cheese, room temperature

2 stick / 225g Unsalted Butter, room temperature

¼ cup Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract

2 cups flour

¼ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed

2tsp Cinnamon

¼ cup Dried Cranberries

1 cup Walnuts, finely chopped*

1 jar Apricot Preserve

1 Egg, beaten for egg wash

Mix cream cheese and butter together. Add sugar, vanilla extract and flour. This makes the dough/pastry. Separate the dough into four equal parts, shape each into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour. When ready, roll each disk out on a floured surface to about 9″ /23cm circles.

Puree apricot preserve if chunky. Combine the dried cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. Spread a thin layer of preserve on the dough, then divide the filling equally and sprinkle over each circle, lightly pressing it into the dough. With a pizza cutter, cut each dough circle into 12 equal wedges. Starting from the outside, roll up each wedge into a crescent. Chill for 15 minutes, then brush each cookie with egg wash and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°F / 180°C / gas mark 4 until lightly browned.

* I used 1 Cup Ground Almonds

My son Oskar loves these and keeps sneaking into the storage box and taking one!  A tasty Christmas treat that is now part of my family's Christmas tradition.  God Jul and Merry Christmas.

The Kathleen Turner Series Book Blitz and Giveaway Day 7

The 3rd book in The Kathleen Turner Series - Turning Point

Synopsis : After her promotion from law firm Runner to Investigator, Kathleen Turner is learning the ropes of her new job from none other than assassin-for-hire Kade Dennon, a situation her boyfriend Blane Kirk is none too happy about. But the lessons with Kathleen take a back seat when Kade becomes a target. Previously untouchable, his enemies now know of the chink in his armor – his brother’s girlfriend.

And Kade’s not the only thing coming between Kathleen and Blane. From Blane’s inexplicable defense of a man guilty of a horrible crime, to a mysterious stranger from Kathleen’s past, to Kathleen’ risky investigation into human traffickers, the obstacles mount against a relationship that’s just begun to find trust again.

While Blane considers a job offer that would take him back to the front lines in the war on terror, Kathleen is determined to pursue her new career, with or without his approval. Unfortunately, her current case is far more dangerous than anyone knows. Someone close to Blane will go to extreme lengths to split them up, lengths that may prove worse than death for Kathleen.

Kathleen, Blane and Kade must atone for the sins of the past and the present. The fallout will force Kathleen to a turning point…in her career, and her life.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teasers

The Kathleen Turner Series Book Blitz & Giveaway Day 6

Book 2 in The Kathleen Turner Series - Turn to Me

SYNOPSIS
When Kathleen Turner, office runner for the prestigious Indianapolis law firm Kirk & Trent, started dating the boss she knew the risks.  Senior Partner Blane Kirk is known for being a notorious player - the Baskin Robbins of dating with a different flavour every month.  Kathleen is the happiest she's been in a long time, especially as Christmas approaches, but she's always known there was a termination date on her relationship with Blane.

She just didn't expect that termination date to be her funeral.

A festive afternoon of Christmas tree shopping turns life-threatening when Kathleen and Blane become targets for an unknown gunman.  They make it home alive but Kathleen realises her boyfriend has been keeping secrets.  The deadly kind.

Blane's current case is drawing heated debate and stirring a pot of public fury.  Kathleen is horrified by the threats -and worse been directed at him.  A former Navy SEAL stands accused of the wrongful death of an American citizen during a military operation overseas.  The case has far reaching political and military implications.  Someone with a lot of money, and even more clout,  wants Blane to lose.  

As dead bodies of people connected to the defense start piling up, it becomes painfully obvious that disappearing witnesses and altered testimony are no longer enough for whoever is intent on guaranteeing the SEAL gets convicted.  Kathleen and Kade, Blane's brother and ex-FBI-agent-turned-assasin-for-hire, are on the trail of the killer.  

Unfortunately for Kathleen, he's already moved for the end game - by painting a target on her....and pulling the trigger.
 

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Teasers

The Kathleen Turner Book Blitz and Giveaway Day 3

It is Kade's profile today:

Kade Dennon

Danger is the aura surrounding Kade Dennon, an ex-FBI agent turned assassin and cyber-hacker, despite having the looks of a fallen angel with piercing blue eyes, inky black hair, and a smirk that beckons too many to their doom.  Painful lessons from a harsh past have taught Kade to trust no one and care about no one – except his older brother, Blane Kirk.

Living life on the edge never bothered Kade, until he met Kathleen.  His brother’s girlfriend holds too much temptation for a man who’s never met a line he didn’t cross.  He owes Blane his life – he’d die first before betraying him.  But his love for Kathleen will prove to be the ultimate test of his loyalty to his brother.

Out of Turn, the 4th book in the series is published 17th December.  Turn on a Dime - Kade's Turn will be available in Spring '14

The Author - Tiffany A. Snow

I love to write and am thrilled to be part of the Amazon Montlake family.  My debut novel, NO TURNING BACK, is the first book in The Kathleen Turner Series.   I write about things I like to read myself - a heroine who could be a neighbour or best friend; Two men who each portray their own version of darkness and light, each vying for her affection; and a story that focuses as much on the characters as it does on the suspense.  NO TURNING BACK, TURN TO ME and TURNING POINTcurrently comprise The Kathleen Turner Series.
As for me, I've been reading romance novels since I was way too young to read such things, have an unhealthy obsession with Dr.Who, prefer Pepsi to Coke and Absolut to both, think men who drink girly cocktails are wusses, have never learned to stop loving my beloved St. Louis Cardinals and can recite the entire scripts of When Harry Met Sally and Apollo 13.  George Washington is cool, Bon Jovi still rocks the house and Bruce Willis is the ultimate alpha-male hero.  Most of all, romance never, ever gets old.

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just for Fun

These are just some of the names that other readers associate with Kade.  Ian Somerhalder, Adam Levine, Joe Manganiello and Brandon Beemer.

50 days to go...

....until Out of a Turn by Tiffany A. Snow is published (17th December).  This will be the fourth book in The Kathleen Turner series!

Can't wait!