D

D
As many of you may know, our beloved sister hostess SHARON DONOVAN, tragically passed away on 11th April 2012. We who knew her, loved her, and were inspired by her courage and determination to face head on whatever life threw at her. When she could no longer see to paint she turned to writing and showed her amazing talent in the Inspirational Romance and Romantic Suspense genres, and her story 'Charade Of Hearts' was awarded the coveted Predators and Editors Award in January 2011.

This Blog was a source of great delight to her, she was one of the founder hostesses and she contributed to the fun and silliness in her own original way, and was kind enough to let her unique creation, the hunky butler 'Oliver' join us for our Friday romp and prepare 'virtual breakfast' for the guests on the following morning. It's beyond hard to have to go on without her, but we know that she would have been the first to insist that 'the show must go on.' She is, and will always be with us in spirit.
Sharon, dear friend, we will never forget you.
The Author Roast and Toast is part of the legacy you left us. Let's raise a Toast to you as well as all our guests.
***********************************************************

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Patsy's winner is...


...SUE B!

Congratulations Sue, we know you're in for a great read.

Thanks to Patsy for being such a great victim - er we mean -  guest of honour, and to everyone who commented and made this Roast such fun.

The hostesses appear on-stage, holding hands, to take a bow. They hug each other and wave before leaving the stage.

"Just another Roast and Toast!"

Join us again on Friday, 3rd May when our Guest will be TRACI HALL.


Sunday, April 28, 2013

Stephanie's winner is...


...CHERYL!

Sorry to be late with this announcement (It's difficult to get the right staff these days, you know!)

Congratulations Cheryl, you should have received your prize by now.

Thanks to Stephanie Keyes  for being such a fantastic  guest of honour, and to everyone who commented and made this Roast such fun.

The hostesses appear on-stage, holding hands, to take a bow. They hug each other and wave before leaving the stage.

"Just another Roast and Toast!"

Join us again on Friday, 3rd May when our Guest will be TRACI HALL.


Friday, April 26, 2013

The Author Roast and Toast travel back in time with P L Parker

 

We're delighted to roast our own sister hostess - Patsy Parker- today. Welcome to your party, Patsy, and congratulations on the release of 'Beyond Tomorrow'!
Belated Happy Release Day for Wednesday just gone, 
Oliver baked you a cake!


“Oh come on, Mary,” Patsy wheedles. “Just step through and enjoy the ride.”

Mary pokes a finger in the gelatin-like substance, gaping as ripples spread through the thick mass.  “Step through this crap! Who are you kidding?” She scratches  her neck. “And these animal skins itch like crazy.”


“I’m with Mary on this one,” Mac gazes at the massive half-circle.  “Time travel isn’t supposed to be possible and this whole adventure makes me nervous.”


“What’s to be nervous about? I’ve always dreamed of time travelling ” Unusually calm, Lyn rotates her shoulders and steps through – and vanishes!

“Now you,” Patsy gives Mary a push. Mary howls, grabbing hold of the archway.

Determination mounting, Patsy braces a shoulder against Mary’s back and gives a hearty shove.

“Omygawd!” Mary screeches as she too vanishes into the void.

“I’m not too thrilled about this…” Mac’s brows draw together in a frown. “How can we be sure what’s on the other side.”

“That’s part of the fun,” Patsy grabs her hand and leaps after Mary.

A kaleidoscope of color greets them as they roll and tumble in a vast circular slide, spinning and whirling before they fall through to the other side.

Mary is face down in the tall reeds moaning.

Lyn is brushing mud from her deerskin pants. “Well, that was certainly exciting.”

Mac is buried beneath Patsy, having landed first.

Patsy stands up, laughing. “At least my landing was better than Mac’s or even Mary’s.”  She glances around looking concerned. “Hawk was supposed to meet us at the entrance to the portal.”

“Who or what is Hawk?” Mary struggles to her feet, grimacing as she pulls a prickly plant from her hair. She pivots in a slow circle, eyes wide as she studies the primitive landscape.

A world at the beginning of time untouched by the careless hands of modern man. Giant fir trees, mountain peaks topped with caps of white snow, and nearby a glacial lake pristine and clear. Breathtaking and…

An animal squeals.  A heart-stopping roar echoes through the forest.

“Wha…?” Mac gasps as another roar reverberates through the woods.  “What was that?”

“Sounds like a cat,” Lyn murmurs. “A really big cat.” She turns to Patsy. “That sounded like a really really big cat.”

“Probably a saber tooth.” Patsy stares in the direction of the noise. “Better a saber tooth than a cave bear.”

“A cave what?” Mary edges behind Patsy. “Correct me if I’m wrong but I thought you said cave bear.”

“I did,” Patsy starts down a well worn trail. “I think the encampment is this way. Why else would there be a trail.”

“Well,” Mac huffs. “I think we should just turn around and go back where we came from.”

“Can’t,” Patsy says. “My information says the portal can only be accessed from this side by Hawk. He controls the device from here.”

An animal crashes through the underbrush, a massive one from the sound of it, escaping from some unseen terror. The reeds part and a dark feline head pokes through. Saliva drips from the massive canines.

“AAAAACKKKK,” Mac screams and falls, back-peddling with amazing speed.

“I bet that’s a saber tooth.” Patsy murmurs, eyes wide with astonishment.

Mary’s teeth chatter so loud they can hear them pop together. “Where’s Nibby when I need her.”

“You wouldn’t want to bring her here,” Patsy exclaims. “She'd end up as dinner for that creature.”

The cat hisses, barring its teeth in a sinister smile.

“What about us?” Terrified now, Lyn stumbles on an exposed root. “Seems like we could end up as dinner.”

A lone figure drops from a tree and lands in the pathway. Arrows fly faster than the eye can follow.  The cat screeches with rage and then melts into the brush.

The figure turns. He is savage-appearing. Long dark hair surrounds a face covered with war paint. Corded arms, well developed abs and muscular legs draw their attention. His only clothing appears to be a beaded and fringed loin cloth.

“You ladies lost?” White teeth flash in a grin.

“Hawk!” Patsy exhales loudly. “Finally.”

“I’ve been watching since you ladies landed.”  He turns and motions them to follow. “Thought you might enjoy a few minutes alone before we head to camp but I didn’t expect the cat to show up.”

“I’m so not sorry you showed up,” Mac gasps as she scurries to Hawk’s side. “I’m happy for the company.” Her eyes light with appreciation as they skim his almost bare form.

“Well, then,” he chuckles. “Let’s meet the others.”

A short walk later and the encampment comes into view. Hide tents and willow bark lodges line the edges of the clearing. A deer carcass simmers over a massive fire pit. Wild yams and onions bake in the coals while a luscious smelling stew bubbles in a clay pot. Whole grain flat bread bakes on the hot rocks.


“You ladies hungry?” Hawk arches a brow. “We only have organic here.”


Lyn sniffs, savoring the scent. “Smells wonderful!”

“Grab a plate,” Hawk motions to a side bench.
“Get it while it’s hot.” The community groups around them. Warriors pound on primitive hide drums. Reed flutes pipe a trilling tune. The crowd begins to circle the fire, stomping and strutting, dancing to the ancient song.

“Now this is what we came for,” Patsy claps her hands. “Back to the beginning.”



        



       EXCERPT
Women! They were another matter. Raids were a common occurrence amongst the tribes and even the flesh eaters habitually invaded the surrounding territories in hopes of replenishing their meager supply of healthy females. His mind drifted back to better times. His own woman had been the result of such a raid. She was from the hunter gatherers to the north, small of stature but strong and a hard worker. Grief wrenched his heart! His son! He would have made the boy a proud warrior among his people.
The savage reached down and grabbed a fistful of the female’s dark hair and wrenched her head up. Even in the murky light of late dusk, the contours of the woman’s features were unmistakable. The foolish woman from the others’ encampment! Mottled bruises and trickles of dark blood dotted her face and the bare areas on her neck and arms. His teeth gnashed together! She’d been fiercely abused!

Why was she here? And why did this scrawny underling hold sway over her? She was young, strong and comely and only a savage of some standing in the hierarchy of the flesh eaters would warrant such a prize. He had no such standing or he would be by the great fire arguing with the rest! The solitary campsite only served to emphasize the flesh eater’s tenuous hold on the female. If those in command cast covetous eyes on the woman, the insolent underling’s punishment would be severe—even to death. He should be afraid.

Once again he considered leaving her. A careless woman would not be a fitting mate for any self-respecting warrior. His brows drew together. She was proving to be more trouble than she was worth!

Her presence here was proof enough that the flesh eaters had attacked. How many others were taken or perished beneath the weapons of the brutal savages? Those that survived would face a pathetic existence burdened by the cruelty of the flesh eaters and the endless grueling labor. The thought saddened him greatly. They deserved a better fate!




P.L. Parker is a multi published author of paranormal fantasy romance novels with a twist. Her modern day heroines find themselves transported back in time to live in ancient lands where they encounter peril, romance, treachery, and ultimately, love. She enjoys creating fantasy romance stories in both the light and dark paranormal. You will be captivated by the engaging and unique stories found in P.L. Parker's novels.
PATSY'S BLOG
PATSY'S WEBSITE



***GIVEAWAY***






To win a copy of  Patsy's book, all you have to do is just leave a comment and your e-mail address.
Contest ends on Sunday and everyone who comments is eligible.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Stephanie Keyes gets Roasted and Toasted on Sandy Beach

On an Indian Summer afternoon the Hostesses find themselves on a Beach in Maine. The sun slowly sinks into the distance on the horizon as the girls dress for a Beach Party on Sandy Beach. Tents line the shore line and around one large tent in the middle of the event; people are laughing and talking while delectable  food smells fill the air.




Inside the tent the scent of lobster rolls, clam chowder, roast venison, and Biscuits, among the delicious foods. And to top it off there are the, known for their melt in your mouth, Jordon Pond House Popovers, which are impossible to ignore.











More than one nose twitches at the sight of Homemade Blueberry Ice Cream.




People are building fires close to the shore. Glasses clink as guest sip fizzy Champagne from cups. There is singing as a bunch of people surround a lone guitar player under a large awning. Children rest beside their parent, tired and ready to eat.

A few brave souls swim and play by the Ocean Frisbee with their dogs.

“Now where are they?” Exasperated, Lyn looks at the row of tents and stands stiff in her new jeans and flannel shirt and yells. “What’s taking so long ladies?” Then she mumbles, “Darn I wish I’d had a broken in pair of jeans, I wasn’t expecting a fall gathering.”


Mary pokes her head out from her tent and walks to Lyn. “I was lucky I found these, they were in my luggage and I don’t know how they got there. But, I love this top. It’s sooo, sooo, flannel like.

“It is flannel. That might be why.” Lyn chuckles and they both turn to see a bewildered Mac wave to them.

“I haven’t worn flannel pajamas in years. Why are we doing this?” Mac walks out of her tent on the beach.

Lyn and Mary both look at each other and crack up laughing.


Patsy strides up behind Mac and grins as she looks at Mac’s apparel. “I had to wear flannel pants and this shirt. My comfy, well worn in, jeans, are missing. I could swear I threw them in my suitcase.

Mary hides in back of Lyn. “You sure you threw them in your suitcase?” She mumbles.

Patsy looks at Mary closely. “Glad you couldn’t wear my shirt. You’d pop all the buttons with those massive lungs of yours.”

“Yeah, well, if you wore my shirt, you’d pop the sleeves with those Popeye muscles.” Mary shoots back.

“Lungs?” Mac questions.

“Never mind.” Lyn pats Mac on her back, then trips over her large bare feet as she turns to head toward the gathering on the beach by the huge food and drink tent.

“I need a drink! What are they serving?” Patsy asks.


“Champagne!” Mac squeals. “Better keep Mary away, you know she likes the bubbly and I heard Oliver is serving Hot Maine Mudslides for desert. You should see how he looks in flannel.



“Ah, look, here comes Stephanie Keyes, our roastee!” Lyn yells. “Come on let’s introduce her to the crowd. There are some famous people here today. They are here to get a signed copy and to celebrate to Stephanie’s success. And look, she is carrying a bag of copies of her new book, The Fallen Stars.  

“No you are not eligible for the free ebook copy Lyn. You have to let a commenter win. So don’t get any ideas.”

“I already bought mine.” Mac smiles.

Patsy grabs her by the arm and they all head to party central.

“I’m getting in line to buy one right my copy right now.” Mary tells them. 
“So let’s all welcome Stephanie to her celebration party and well, let’s, party on!!!”

The Fallen Stars
Blurb
When all is lost, he will have to make the ultimate decision.

Kellen St. James was just your average seventeen-year-old prodigy, until he eighty-sixed the Lord of Faerie and 
proposed to the Celtic Goddess, Calienta. But then everything in Kellen’s life gets turned upside-down when he and Cali end up on the run from a seriously irritated group of faeries. The worst part? They have zero idea why they’re being hunted.

Suddenly, Kellen is stuck in the middle of another prophecy that foresees him turning away from Calienta and embracing the dark. He’ll be forced to take sides in a struggle to claim his birthright, while discovering secrets about his father’s past. Meanwhile, his passion for Cali grows stronger, even as the prophecy threatens to tear them apart.

In the end, will Kellen and Cali survive the fates? When the ultimate power is within reach, which side will he choose?

Bio
Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible journeys in her head. Today, she's still doing the same thing, except now she gets to share those ideas with readers!

When she's not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she's best friend to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Mrs. Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Business and Management Information Systems from Robert Morris University and a M.Ed. from Duquesne University. She is a member of the Society For Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), as well as a featured author in the global group of writers, Love a Happy Ending.com.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child (September 2012) and The Fallen Stars (April 2013), both released by Inkspell Publishing. She is currently hard at work on the third book in the trilogy, The Star Catcher.


***GIVEAWAY***
To win a copy of Stephanie's book, all you have to do is just leave a comment and your e-mail address.
Contest ends on Sunday and everyone who comments is eligible.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Author Roast & Toast: Tribute to Sharon


A year and a day ago, on the 11th March 2012, we lost our dear friend and sister hostess, the talented  Sharon Donovan. If you would like to see the tribute we made for her, here is the link


Author Roast & Toast: Tribute to Sharon


She lives on in our hearts and in her books - and in the wonderful character she created, the hunky 'Oliver' who was her virtual butler by day -  and by night a private detective -starring  in 'Charade of Hearts' and 'Kiss Of Death', and who she kindly allowed to 'moonlight' at the Roast.


We love you Sharon











Friday, April 5, 2013

Sandra Sookoo's small town garden party at the Author Roast and Toast


“Wow! How beautiful is this?”

Mary rushes through the elaborate, wrought iron gate, pausing beneath a natural arch of towering wisteria. The hostesses follow, stopping beside her to admire the spring garden spread out before them like a post card. Blooms of various shapes and sizes line the brick walkway and beyond. The busy chirp of birds competes with the conversation of the many gathered near the white lattice gazebo across a freshly mowed lawn. A group of young children struggle to keep a kite aloft, skipping past the old men at their game of Bocce Ball. Happy daffodils and tulips sway in the gentle breeze, their faces lifted up to bask in the early spring sunshine.

“Geez, who lives here? Martha Stewart?” Mac smirks when the hostesses all turn her way.

“You’re just jealous because you have a brown thumb, Mac.”

Mac snorts. “Hey, I had a garden once.”

Lyn sniffs at the sweetly scented breeze. “How’d that work out for you?

Mac shrugs. “Better than I thought it would, actually. I harvested one tiny strawberry and two tomatoes.”

The hostesses snicker and Mac arches a dismissive brow.

“Laugh if you want, but you try gardening in one hundred and ten degree heat. I may as well have planted those seeds on the surface of the sun!”

Patsy grins. “Well, this isn’t Arizona, Mac. We’re in Indiana. Sandy said she wanted to have a spring picnic for her party. What better place than a community garden?

“Oh, look!” Patsy points at a pair of robin red breasts hopping on the lawn in search of worms. “I always love seeing my first robin of the season. It means spring has sprung.”

Mac jams a sun bonnet on her head. Mary gives her a questioning look.


“I’m not taking any chances. Remember what happened last time we threw a party in
a garden? It took three washings to get the bird poop out of my hair.”

The girls laugh, but one by one, they all slip on their own hats.
 A small town feast meets them when they arrive at the gazebo. Surrounding it, table after table groans under the weight of the many dishes contributed by the party goers. Included in the pot luck dishes are platters of sandwiches, fried chicken, hot dogs for the kids, potato and pasta salads, and a huge bucket of spring corn on the cob. Not an inch of space is left on the pastry table. Various plates of brownies and cookies  share the space with a large watermelon.
At the center sits a sweetly decorated angel food cake.

“Oh, my.” Patsy rubs a hand over one hip. “I think I gained five pounds just looking at all of that stuff.”

Mary hums low in her throat. “I know what I’m having for dessert.”

The hostesses follow her gaze. A dozen shirtless, corn-fed specimens tussle on

the lawn. Laughter and grunts of exertion fill the air as the men line up in two teams. Muscles bulge and glisten with healthy sweat, courtesy of the touch football game in progress.


“Oh, goody.” Lyn bumps Mary with her shoulder. “There’s enough for everyone.” They share a greedy grin.

“Ladies!” Sandy rushes up to give hugs all around. “Isn’t this garden wonderful? Alice, my heroine in Coming Up Daffy, would just love it. And the food!” She heaves a sigh. “Make yourselves some plates. There’s plenty.”

Mac drags her gaze from the testosterone feast, to eye the brownies, but Patsy flexes her arms and grins. “If you don’t mind, Sandy, I think I’ll play a little football first.” She winks. “I have five new pounds to work off before I gain them back.”


Welcome to Sandra Sookoo, let's hear all about your book 'Coming Up Duffy'.





Blurb for FROM COMING UP DAFFY
He loves me, he loves me not, he… wait, am I like a platypus?


Alice Attler has a green thumb in everything except cultivating relationships. Though she’s more comfortable encouraging green things to grow, she’s mystified that every relationship she’s had has withered. When a client’s daffodils won’t grow, she heads to the bait shop for earthworms where she meets Mark.


Mark Kincaide doesn’t know what to do with himself. His brother is on his honeymoon and he’s stuck with Grandma for company. Plus, he’s not a fan of the evil llamas. Just once he wants to do something heroic and be known as someone other than the bait guy. When the local plant specialist/florist comes calling, he can’t take his eyes off her…and it’s for more than catching a glimpse of bird poop in her hair.


An innocent trip to a river bank to dig up bulbs puts Alice in danger and Mark finally has his chance to play the hero. After things settle down, he hopes he and Alice will have more in common than just worms and a penchant for taking tumbles into embarrassing moments.


EXCERPT:
“Any luck in the dating department?” Mel brushed at a spot of dirt near the hem of her robe.

“Not really.” Alice glanced at one of the daffodils that had come up but never produced a bud. That’s what my love life is like. A dud. A fizzle.

“Oh, too bad. What about that one guy you were dating a while back?” Genuine sympathy wove through Mel’s voice. “You seemed really into him.”



“Frank? Yeah, I liked him.” Alice shrugged. Their relationship had ended six months ago, and not even with a big break-up fight. It was more of a “so, this really isn’t working for me…” and by a text message no less. She heaved a sigh. “He decided the commute back and forth from Indy on the weekends was too much. I guess I wasn’t worth the mileage or the gas.”



“I’m so sorry.”



“It’s okay. I just can’t seem to make a relationship go the distance.” She continued to dig up bulbs and then savagely pulled up the greenery, chucking them all out of the flowerbed. Of course, being too eager to please a guy in the physical department could have been the cause of that relationship’s early demise. Maybe next time I won’t let things rush into the bedroom, and I’ll actually get to know what a guy is really about first. “I need a new tactic.”



“Maybe you just need to spruce yourself up, you know, like you’re doing with my flowerbed.” Melissa’s smile held nothing except warmth and encouragement. “Put some highlights in your hair, get a manicure, and wear something that’s not streaked with dirt.” Alice snickered. It seemed like her fingernails were perpetually stained as well as her clothes. “All of that is expensive, but I’ll think about it. I guess I always thought if a guy liked me, he’d like me no matter what I look like.”

“True, and that would work if we lived in a perfect world. Too bad dirt’s not attractive, huh?” She wiggled a bunny slipper. “It’s such a bummer, though.”

“What is?”

“You’ve got the magic touch when it comes to plants and flowers. I mean, goodness, you sold every single one of your orchids at the Winter Carnival, and to folks who don’t have a hoity toity bone in their bodies. Can you focus your talent on growing yourself a relationship?”

 From somewhere inside the house, the electronic shrill of the phone sounded. Melissa bounced up from her perch. “I’ve got to take that, plus if I don’t hurry, I’ll be late to the store. Will you be okay here?”

“Yup. Don’t worry about me.” Alice heaved another sigh, more than a little glad when Mel disappeared inside the house with the door firmly closed behind her. “As long as it’s plants, I’m real good .”  Still, Mel’s words echoed in her head. Grow myself a relationship. She snorted as she searched for any straggler bulbs. Yeah, I’ll get right on that. Putting in the time, effort, and money to alter her appearance just to catch a guy’s notice made her stomach clench. Not to mention, it wasn’t as if Francesville was a hotbed of the single, attractive man scene. For heaven’s sake, she’d met Frank at a gardener’s convention in Indianapolis. Well, not at the convention but at a bar next to her hotel while she was there.

PURCHASE LINK

BIO

Sandra is a writer of romantic fiction. Her portfolio includes historical, contemporary, sci-fi, and paranormal romances in full-length books as well as shorts and novellas. No matter if the heat level is spicy or sweet, she loves to blend genres and oftentimes will add humor to the mix.
When not immersed in creating new worlds and engaging characters, Sandra likes to read, bake, taste new teas, watch The Big Bang Theory, and Psych as well as Finding Bigfoot and travel. Her favorite place to spend vacation hours is Walt Disney World: it's where dreams come true and the soul can play. When she's not writing, she's keeping things interesting at her Believing is Seeing blog or spending time with her husband, who patiently answers questions she has about men, sci-fi-related subjects, and the odd "what if".
Sandra loves to hear from her readers. You can write to her at sandrasookoo@yahoo.com.
  Website, Facebook page, Twitter, or Believing is Seeing blog




***GIVEAWAY***
To win a copy of Sandra's book, all you have to do is just leave a comment and your e-mail address.
Contest ends on Sunday and everyone who comments is eligible.

AUTHOR ROAST AND TOAST

AUTHOR ROAST AND TOAST
authorroast@btinternet.com
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE OUR GUEST? DO YOU WANT TO PROMOTE YOUR NEW RELEASE OR EVEN AN OLDER ONE?IF YOU FANCY BEING GUEST OF HONOUR AT ONE OF OUR PARTIES JUST EMAIL US AT THE ADDRESS in 'OLIVER'S RULES'!(PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A 'G' RATED BLOG SO NOTHING HIGHER THAN THIS RATING, PLEASE.)