Today we have an extremely awesome author visiting us: Jan DeLima. I'm a huge fan of her Celtic Wolves series and I'm waiting with bated breath for the next book in the series, AUTUMN MOON, coming out in September. There's a lovely giveaway as part of the tour so make sure you read all the way down.
Welcome, Jan!
My hobbies outside of writing are very homey and comforting, and may give the impression that I write inspirational or cozy novels—which I do not. My series is paranormal with graphic elements, but at home I’m just a wife and mom. Family is the biggest part of my life outside of writing. If I had to choose one hobby, gardening is at the top of my list. Cooking is a close second. I’m an artist as well, but that muse is finicky and doesn’t come to me often.
In the spring in summer months, if I’m not in my office writing, or spending time with my family, I’m either cooking, or in the garden. After a long day at the computer, I’ll pour a glass of wine, turn on some soulful music, and walk around the flower and herb beds and let the characters in my head calm for the night. This is my wind-down time. I have an outdoor stereo system, and my family and neighbors have heard my playlist more than they probably care to. (My kids hid the Matchbox Twenty and Joss Stone CD’s on me, but then I subscribed to a popular music service and have an endless supply of all my favorite songs.)
I do love to share, so I’ve included the playlist below, along with a tour of my garden, and a family recipe for blueberry muffins.
Enjoy,
Jan
WELCOME TO MY GARDEN
This is me standing next to Brynmor Cottage, home of Ms. Hafwen.
Ms. Hafwen is a character in my books, introduced at the very end of Summer Moon. If you haven’t guessed, she’s a pixie, and I couldn’t resist building her cottage in my garden.
Brynmor Cottage Photo Tour {Link to Tour: http://jandelima.com/extras/brynmor-cottage-tour/ }
July is my favorite month in the garden. It’s when most of my climbers bloom along the fence.
The gatekeeper guarding her post. This is Willow, my youngest English bulldog, standing under the Nesting Arbor. Every year a robin makes a nest in the tangled vines around the arbor, even though it’s our most traveled gateway into the vegetable garden beyond. It’s beautiful when the wisteria is in bloom.
Lobelia baskets add color to the shady parts of my garden, plus it’s a great place to hang the hummingbird feeders.
Boil some sugar and water to fill the feeders for the hummingbirds. Four parts water and one part pure cane sugar is a safe portion. It’s tempting to add a bit more sugar to the mix, but it only forces the birds to look for water.
The last days of summer are approaching in this photo, but the morning glory vines are still blooming.
The last bouquet of autumn.
For more pictures of my garden, you are welcome to view my
Photo Gallery.
BUTTERMILK BLUEBERRY MUFFIN RECIPEThis is an old recipe that has been handed down in my family. The secret to these muffins is to make sure all the ingredients are room temperature, as if the eggs were just gathered from under the hen, and the blueberries were just picked from warm summer fields. Also, and just as important, the wet and dry ingredients are barely stirred. There should be lumps in the mix.
Ingredients:- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup of buttermilk
- 1/3 cup of sugar
- 1/3 cup of packed light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons of melted butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- A pinch of cinnamon (1/8 of a teaspoon if you need to measure, no more or the spice will overwhelm. You can dip the tip of your 1/4th teaspoon if you don’t have a 1/8th.)
- a pinch of nutmeg
- 1 ½ to 2 cups of blueberries
Heat oven to 400 degrees and prep a muffin tin with wrappers. You can grease the tin but the papers are pretty and, more important, the tin is easier to wash afterward. Whisk together all dry ingredients in a bowl except for the sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients along with the sugar. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet items into the well. Mix only until the dry ingredients are barely moistened. Ten turns of the spoon, if that. There should be lumps in the mix. Gently fold in the blueberries. Bake for fifteen minutes, but start checking around ten by inserting a toothpick in the center. They’re ready when the sides are golden brown and the toothpick comes out clean.
Makes 12 muffins
WINE TIME PLAY LIST
I PUT A SPELL ON YOU by Jeff Beck, featuring Joss Stone
RIGHT TO BE WRONG by Joss Stone
SET FIRE TO THE RAIN by Adele
COME ALONG by Vicci Marines and CeeLo Green
HOLD ME DARLIN’ by Vicci Martinez
ALL OF ME by John Legend
ORDINARY PEOPLE by John Legend
WICKED GAME by Phillip Phillips
WANTED IS LOVE by Phillip Phillips
365 DAYS by ZZ Ward
CRYIN’ WOLF by ZZ Ward
I CHOOSE YOU by Sara Bareilles
MY OH MY by Tristan Prettyman
THAT GIRL by Jennifer Nettles
BROTHER by NEEDTOBREATHE, featuring Gavin DeGraw
FIRE by Gavin DeGraw
COLLIDE by Howie Day
READY FOR LOVE by India.Arie
BRIGHT LIGHTS by Matchbox Twenty
TELL HER YOU BELONG TO ME by Beth Hart
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Thanks so much for visiting us, Jan! For more about Jan and her amazing books, check out the following links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter
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Here's the scoop on the series:
Like father, like son...
Sophie Thibodeau has been on the run from the father of her son for more than fifteen years. Now her son, Joshua, is changing, and her greatest fears are about to be realized. He's going to end up being just like his father----a man who can change into a wolf.
Dylan Black has been hunting for Sophie since the night she ran from him----an obsession he cannot afford in the midst of an impending war. Dylan controls Rhuddin Village, an isolated town in Maine where he lives with an ancient Celtic tribe. One of the few of his clan who can still shift into a wolf, he must protect his people from the Guardians, vicious warriors who seek to destroy them.
When Sophie and Dylan come together for the sake of their son, their reunion reignites the fierce passion they once shared. For the first time in years, Dylan's lost family is within his grasp. But will he lose them all over again? Are Joshua and Sophie strong enough to fight alongside Dylan in battle? Nothing less than the fate of his tribe depends on it...
Jenn's thoughts
Read an excerpt
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
She won’t be ruled again…
Rosa Alban has been obedient her entire life. But when her alpha husband dies, she seizes the opportunity to flee the oppressive Guardians—the rulers of the secret shapeshifter world. Her flight instantly brands her as a pack traitor, and she has no choice but to seek protection from a neighboring tribe by marrying one of their sons.
Known as the Beast of Merin, Luc Black loyally plays the part of unwanted son and devoted brother. He realizes marrying Rosa will strengthen his tribe’s territory, but he has no intention of loving ever again. Still, he’s unprepared for the intense physical need the wild she-wolf awakens in him.
When the Guardians hone in on Rosa, Luc must fight to protect his new bride. And as war descends, the unlikely allies discover their destinies are irrevocably entwined…
Jenn's thoughts
Read an excerpt
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository
The heart of a warrior, the soul of a wolf, and the desires of a man…
For centuries, Cormack has lived between worlds—a man trapped in the body of a wolf, shunned by humans and shifters alike. Only one person has ever welcomed his company: Elen, a kindred outcast who is feared by others of her ancient Celtic race for her strange healing abilities.
Cormack has always valued Elen’s kindness and understanding, but after a desperate act of friendship causes Elen to free him from his curse, he realizes he wants more. He wants all of her—completely and forever.Except before Cormack can win Elen’s heart, Pendaran, the evil leader of the Guardians, captures her, determined to manipulate her incredible power to aid him in his twisted war against the shapeshifting tribes.
Now Cormack must use all of his skills as a warrior and a wolf to save the woman he loves—before Pendaran’s vile schemes destroy them all…
Read an excerpt
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There's a tour-wide giveaway. Check out the Rafflecopter for details!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Do you guys have suggestions for who you’d like to see featured on the blog? If so, you can make your suggestions on this page. No guarantees that your favourite authors will be able to participate but we’ll try!
Authors, would you like to visit us? Please email me at jenn (at) tyngasreviews (dot) com and we’ll set it up!
Today we have a guest post from Dianne Duvall, as part of her tour for her new book, A SORCERESS OF HIS OWN. I love her Immortal Guardians series but now she's out with something new, a self-published novel. I think you'll really enjoy discovering exactly what she does when she's not crafting her next novel!
