Win the Books Behind the Books, Part III

Here are the winners of last weeks prizes–and all the info about this week's new giveaways.

The winner of Prize #1, Cajun and Creole Folktales: The French Oral Tradition of South Louisiana, is: 

Sylvia Follis

The winner of Prize #2, Louisiana Swamp Tour, New Orleans Holiday, and Michelin New Orleans (Like a Local), is:  

Theresa Norris

Congrats to you both! I hope you enjoy the books!

TWO MORE FUN PRIZES

This week you can win books that I used for reference when researching Beauty to Die For. 

Prize #1:

Time Hurricane Katrina: The Storm That Changed America

City Adrift: New Orleans Before and After Katrina

Drawing to be held on April 5th. Enter to win by April 4th.* For more information or to enter, 

click on the blue ENTER TO WIN button at the bottom of this page.

Prize #2: 

Win this fun and helpful set of books, which I used when writing The House that Cleans Itself:

Lord, Please Meet Me in the Laundry Room: Heavenly Help for Earthly Moms 

  Emilie's Creative Home Organizer (Sandy's Tea Society)

When You Live with a Messie

Drawing to be held on April 5th. Enter to win by April 4th.* For more information or to enter, 

click on the blue ENTER TO WIN button below.

Be sure to come back next week to see if you won!

Sweepstakes runs March 29, 2017, to April 4, 2017. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm on April 4, 2017. Drawing will be held and the winner announced on April 5, 2017. Contest open to US residents only (sorry!).  Winner chosen by a random number generator.  Must be 18 to enter. One entry per person.  Duplicate entries will be deleted prior to the drawing.

Serenity Sunday

Win the Books Behind the Books, Part II

Time to announce the winners of last weeks prizes–and to kick off the new giveaways.

The winner of Prize #1, which includes three books I used for reference when writing The House That Cleans Itself, is: 

Christina Jay

The winner of Prize #2, which includes one book I used for reference when writing Under the Cajun Moon, is:  

Sharla Collier

Congrats to you both! I hope you enjoy the books!

TWO MORE FUN PRIZES

This week you can win books that I used for reference when researching Whispers of the Bayou and Under the Cajun Moon. 

Prize #1: 

Cajun and Creole Folktales: The French Oral Tradition of South Louisiana

Drawing to be held on March 29th.* Enter to win by March 28th. For more information or to enter, 

click on the green ENTER TO WIN button at the bottom of this page.

Prize #2: 

Louisiana Swamp Tours

New Orleans Holiday

Michelin New Orleans (Like a Local)

Drawing to be held on March 29th.* Enter to win by March 28th. For more information or to enter, 

click on the green ENTER TO WIN button below.

Be sure to come back next week to see if you won–and to sign up for the final two prizes in my three-week research books giveaway.

Sweepstakes runs March 22, 2017, to March 28, 2017. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm on March 28, 2017. Drawing will be held and the winner announced on March 29, 2017. Contest open to US residents only (sorry!).  Winner chosen by a random number generator.  Must be 18 to enter. One entry per person.  Duplicate entries will be deleted prior to the drawing.

SaveSave

Serenity Sunday

             

Win the Books Behind the Books, Part I

It's time to clear off some shelf space in my office, but rather than toss everything into the donation pile, I have decided to pull some of my favorite "slightly used" research books and give them away here instead. Sounds good?

The prizes will be broken down into six different drawings over the course of three weeks, starting with...

Prize #1: 

Win these three books, which I used for reference when researching The House That Cleans Itself:

One Thing At a Time 

Organizing from the Inside Out for Teenagers

Grab a Broom, Lord. . . There's Dust Everywhere!

Drawing to be held on March 22nd. Deadline to enter is March 21st. For more information or to enter, 

click on the red ENTER TO WIN button at the bottom of this page.

Prize #2: 

Win this deluxe hardcover book, which I used for reference when researching Under the Cajun Moon:

The World That Made New Orleans: From Spanish Silver to Congo Square

Drawing to be held on March 22nd. Deadline to enter is March 21st. For more information or to enter, 

click on the red ENTER TO WIN button below.

Be sure to come back next week to see if you won–and to sign up for the next two prizes in my three-week research books giveaway.

Sweepstakes runs March 15, 2017, to March 21, 2017. Deadline for entry is 11:59 pm on March 21, 2017. Drawing will be held and the winner announced on March 22, 2017. Contest open to US residents only (sorry!).  Winner chosen by a random number generator.  Must be 18 to enter. One entry per person.  Duplicate entries will be deleted prior to the drawing.

Serenity Sunday

March 2017 New Releases

More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website.

Contemporary Romance: Reunion at Crane Lake by Robin Bayne -- Colt's memory is returning after the accident that ended his career. Now he wants to take over his family's inn, but he'll have to partner with his former fiancée to be able to afford it. He'll need forgiveness to make that happen. Tia's goal is clear: to return the inn to its former grandeur. And she'll even work with Colt to do so. But like the inn, their relationship needs a lot of work. He broke her heart...can she ever trust him again? (Contemporary Romance from White Rose Publishing [Pelican])


Hope by Fay Lamb -- She's a starving artist facing a serious illness; he's the doctor who's her only hope of survival. If only she hadn't caused his sister to die. (Contemporary Romance from Write Integrity Press)

Muffins & Moonbeams by Elizabeth Maddrey -- Malachi Baxter is happy to hide in the background and manage the business-end of the family bakery. He'd much rather live in the online world of computer games where he can explore the galaxy and no one has to know he's deaf. Ursula Franks designs websites during the day and spends her evenings battling alien races online where relationships are easy and uncomplicated. When she agrees to design a website for the local Community Supported Bakery, she has no idea that Malachi is the real man behind her online persona's best friend and her own secret crush.As the two work together on the website, they uncover an attraction, but will they be able to put aside past hurt and insecurity to find love? (Contemporary Romance, Independently Published)

Then Came You: A Bradford Sisters Novella by Becky Wade -- Garner Bradford, heir to the troubled Bradford Shipping empire, doesn't know much about babies. But he's going to have to learn fast because he's just become a single father to his newborn daughter. Career girl Kathleen Burke is wholly uninterested in settling down. She has big dreams, and none of them include Garner and his small hometown in Washington State. Yet she can't seem to get her handsome boss out of her head or her heart.... (Romance Novella, Independently Published)


General: When the Bough Breaks by Ane Mulligan -- Her dream job has a Catch 22—and time's running out. Rookie lobbyist Sienna O'Shea is determined to make a name for herself in New York's capitol city and use that influence to gain easier access to her birth records. For years she's searched for her birth mother, but when she's handed her first assignment—to lobby support for the permanent sealing of all adoption records—her worlds collide. Swept up into the intrigue of backroom politics, falling in love was not on Sienna's agenda, but the candidate for Lt. Governor runs a formidable campaign to make her his first lady. When an investigative reporter discovers foreign money infiltrating political campaigns, the trail leads to Sienna's inner circle. (General, Independently Published)

The Memory of You by Catherine West -- Thirteen years ago, Natalie lost a part of herself when her twin sister died. Will traveling back to the family winery finally put the memory to rest, or will it completely destroy her? (General from HarperCollins Christian Publishing [Thomas Nelson and Zondervan])

Cozy Mystery: Murder Is No Accident by A. H. Gabhart -- When murder comes to call at a stately Victorian house, the town of Hidden Springs looks to Deputy Sheriff Michael Keane to solve the crime before anyone else dies. (Cozy Mystery from Revell [Baker])

Historical Romance: A Rocky Mountain Romance by Misty M. Beller -- When Zeche takes shelter from a blizzard in a remote cabin, he doesn't expect to find a beautiful woman and her father, a disturbed Civil War veteran. Zeche's instincts tell him Greta is endangered and he should stay and protect her, but his own presence aggravates her father's condition. With a dangerous snowstorm outside and growing hostilities inside, can he find a way to keep them all safe from harm? Or will it be to the detriment of his heart? (Historical Romance, Independently Published)

A Stolen Heart by Amanda Cabot -- From afar, Cimarron Creek seems like an idyllic town tucked in the Texas Hill Country. But when former schoolteacher Lydia Crawford steps onto its dusty streets in 1880, she finds a town with a deep-seated resentment of Northerners--like her. Lydia won't let that get her down, though. All will be well when she's reunited with her fiancé. But when she discovers he has disappeared--and that he left behind a pregnant wife--Lydia is at a loss about what to do next. The handsome sheriff urges her to trust him, but can she trust anyone in this town where secrets are as prevalent as bluebonnets in spring? (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker])

My Heart Belongs in the Superstition Mountains: Carmela's Quandary by Susan Page Davis -- Experience the Wild West as Carmela seeks freedom of body and soul. Forced for years by her uncle to pose as a survivor of an Indian kidnapping so he can profit on the speaker circuit, she longs to end the lies. On a stagecoach in Arizona Territory, Carmela and her uncle are fellow passengers with a deputy US marshal and his handcuffed prisoner. When the stage is attacked, will Carmela's wish come true, or will she forever be branded by her past? (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Desert Moon & Honor Bound by Susan Page Davis and Colleen L. Reece -- Enjoy an Old West romance adventure from author Susan Page Davis. Julia Newman looked forward to moving home to Arizona, then she got word that her mother has died and Julie's stagecoach is robbed. If that wasn't enough, the first person she sees in town is Adam Scott—the man she always loved but could never have—and now he is accusing her brother of criminal activity. Also includes a bonus historical romance, Honor Bound by Colleen L. Reece. (Historical Romance from Barbour Publishing)

Her Motherhood Wish by Keli Gwyn -- En route to the Double T Orphanage to work on its expansion, carpenter Chip Evans and Caroline Hunt discover two orphaned children—and become their caregivers. But Chip's determined not to let himself get too attached to the children who just lost their widowed father…or to the lovely woman helping him care for them. Especially since Callie and the little ones just don't fit into his detailed plans for the future. Callie can't help but fall in love with the orphans, and despite her better judgment, she's falling for Chip, too. Her dreams of being a wife and mother were not quite like this. But Callie believes a plan bigger than Chip's brought them all together…and now she just has to help him see it, too. (Historical Romance from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

The Planter's Daughter by Michelle Shocklee -- When her father's Texas cotton plantation faces bankruptcy, Adella must choose between the man who can her family's land and the man who can save her! (Historical Romance from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas) 

When Tides Turn by Sarah Sundin -- When Quintessa Beaumont learns the US Navy has established the WAVES program for women, she enlists, eager to throw off her frivolous ways and contribute to the war effort. Lt. Dan Avery employs his skills in antisubmarine warfare to fight U-boats at the peak of the Battle of the Atlantic, but the last thing he wants to see on his radar is fun-loving Tess. As Dan and Tess work together in Boston, the changes in Tess challenge his notions--and his heart. (Historical Romance from Revell [Baker])

Medical Suspense: Doctor's Dilemma by Richard L. Mabry M.D. -- Young surgeon Tyler Gentry thought the offer to join the Hall Group of surgeons offered the answer to his problems, but things changed when he received a 3 AM phone call that told him such a move would be hazardous to his health. (Medical Suspense, Independently Published)

Romantic Suspense: Her Baby's Protector by Margaret Daley and Susan Sleeman -- Saved by the Lawman by Margaret Daley: As an unknown assailant attempts to kidnap family-court judge Kate Forster's infant son, police officer Chase Walker thwarts the attack—and vows to keep the pair safe. But who will protect the ex-marine's heart when the widowed mother and her little boy make him long for a permanent spot in their family? Saved by the SEAL by Susan Sleeman: The tragedy that killed Bree Hatfield's best friends--and left her with custody of their young daughter--has been ruled an accident. But Bree knows it was murder. Scared and alone, she turns to her ex-boyfriend, navy SEAL Clint Reed, who'll risk everything to protect baby Ella and the woman he never stopped loving. (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Agent-in-Training by Terri Reed -- FBI intern Zara Fielding and her K-9 partner, Radar, stumble across a robbery gone wrong and put themselves in the criminals' crosshairs. Her childhood friend FBI computer guru Dylan O'Leary works for the secretive FBI unit she longs to join, and he vows not to let anything happen to her. As they work to stay one step ahead of the bad guys, new feelings ignite. When she goes missing, it's only Dylan--and Radar--who can track her down. Will they arrive in time to save her and the future she and Dylan have started dreaming about? (Romantic Suspense from Love Inspired [Harlequin])

Speculative Romance/Fantasy: Ingrid's Engagement by Kristen Reed -- When King Viggo marches through the kingdom of Schlagefilde in a relentless quest for retribution against its wicked king, the Count of Anselm attempts to make peace with him. As the two strike a deal that will protect the people of Anselm, the King of Villriket becomes enthralled with a portrait of the Count's oldest daughter, Ingrid. The vengeful king vows that he will leave Edmund's county in peace if he will allow him to marry Ingrid. To prevent her father from incurring the sovereign's wrath, the young lady hastily agrees and enters into an unforeseen engagement with the grim ruler. Ingrid's Engagement tells the enchanting tale of a beautiful young woman who softens the hardened heart of a beastly king with nothing more than her quiet wisdom and gentle spirit. (Speculative Romance/Fantasy, Independently Published)

Serenity Sunday

HTCI Life Hack: Cleaning the K-Cup Chamber

Here’s a handy tip for all of you House That Cleans Itselfers who also happen to be coffee lovers. 

If you’re a Keurig fan like me, chances are you’ve faced the dreaded “4 hole clog” issue before. Maybe it’s the type of K-cup I use most often (Grove Square Cappuccino French Vanilla—yum!) but after almost every cup I find that there’s gunk clogging the 4 bottom holes of the primary chamber.

By “primary chamber,” I’m talking about the black removable piece into which you place the disposable K-Cup, as shown in this photo:

At the bottom of this chamber are four holes through which your coffee is supposed to pour when you run the machine. But when you take your chamber out, hold it up to the light, and try to look through it, if you don’t see four open holes at the other end, then you’re clogged.

A quick rinse or soap-and-water wash doesn’t always clear the problem, but you shouldn’t stick anything down inside the chamber such as a washcloth because there are dangerous and specifically-positioned needles in there.

Fortunately,  I figured out one simple trick that always works:  Turn the chamber upside down and poke the holes clear with a corn holder!  The prongs of the corn holder are an exact fit for the holes in the chamber and they don’t go anywhere near the needles. Simply slide the prongs through the holes from the bottom, wash and rinse the chamber, and you’re good to go.

Seems like an extremely minute issue in the big picture of things, but to my mind any cleaning method that saves time and trouble is one worth mentioning for a House That Cleans Itself.  Hope it helps!