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.
***********************************************************

Friday, May 30, 2014

A Hot Roast With Our Very Own Melissa Stark

~A Hot Roast With Our Very Own Melissa Stark~


Mary rubs her hands together and squeals. "Oh, this is going to be so hot!"

Melissa arches her brows. "Pun intended, Mary?"

"Of Course! We're celebrating your hot new release with a hot hero in a firehouse filled with hot firemen. What's not hot about that?"













"Not that I don't absolutely adore the idea of celebrating Melissa's new release in a firehouse, but isn't A Cat's Tale an erotic, paranormal romance about an alpha werewolf and a shape-shifting feline heroine?"

AJ taps on her phone's keypad and eagerly brings up the details of Melissa's latest erotic romance. "Ah, but our hero Jared is a fireman--a really hot, sexy fireman!"

Lilly takes a step closer to the fire station chosen for today's roast. Her eyes grow round and her tongue lolls. "Oh. My. God. Would you look at all those shirtless hunks. They look like cover models for a firemen's calendar."
Mac nudges Lilly out of the way. "Then I call dibs on Mr. July!"

AJ looks up from her phone, her eyes nearly bulging from their sockets."Um, how do you know which one is Mr. July?"

Mac shrugs. "Who cares!" She points to a shirtless hunk. "But that guy is the hottest fireman I've ever seen so he must be Mr. July."

Mary whistles. "They're all hot."


"Then what are we waiting for ladies?" Lyn strolls forward. "Our guests are waiting and I'm ready to party! Just look at all that food."

Lilly fans herself. "I need a drink!"
"So do I," Mac Agrees. "And would you look at that beer selection! Awesome." 

Melissa raises a glass to the hostesses and guests. "Welcome to my roast. And please welcome my very special guests,  Jared and Josephine."

Lyn smiles. "Ladies, it's getting hot in here!"





A Cat's Tale
Melissa Snark

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Date of Publication: March 7, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-9842095-3-8
ASIN: B00IVPYACA

Number of pages: 78
Word Count: Approx. 24,000 words

Cover Artist: Farah Evers

Purchase at Amazon or B&N or ARe


Book Description:

"With a starting phrase 'somewhere between Virginia and California'; you know you are in for a treat with A Cat's Tale. Jared is so much fun, a true Alpha male who knows when to keep his Alpha tendencies down and hidden." 
~ Just Erotic Romance Reviews

Alpha werewolf, Jared Kohl, wakes up in a vampire’s dungeon, swearing revenge upon the wily Siamese werecat who lured him there with her sultry lips and the sweetest tail. To escape his undead captor, all he has to do is seduce the skittish puss and show her that trust is often a hot and hard lesson to learn.

Enslaved feline shifter, Josephine Young, has learned the hard way not to believe in anything or anyone—not men, not love, and certainly not the blood-sucking mistress who tossed her into the cage with the hungry beast she’d betrayed. But Josephine does what she must to survive, including tempting the dominant werewolf to give her more than promises.

Imprisoned for their blood, Jared and Josephine fight for survival and discover a passion that neither can walk away from. Can these two predators survive long enough to prove that cats and dogs can be more than enemies?

Excerpt:


“Ooph.” Jared’s breath expelled from his lungs with the sudden addition of Josephine atop his chest. The cot creaked under the strain of their combined weight.
The curious blue-eyed cat shoved her head between the werewolf and his book. He had been ignoring her for hours to read. It was unacceptable. “Whatcha doing?”
“Plotting to take over the world. What the hell does it look like I’m doing?” He closed his book.
“Don’t be surly.” She stuck the pad of her palm against his chin and brushed his lips with her knuckles. “No one likes a grumpy werewolf.”
“Funny, I don’t recall ever worrying about my popularity.”
“You should.” Josephine watched as he set the book aside. “Does Shakespeare say anything about cats?”
Beneath her, Jared contemplated in silence, his chest rising and falling with comfortable regularity. “In Othello, he says, ‘Drown thyself? Drown cats and blind puppies.’”
“Ouch! Hey, no claws!” Jared jumped as Josephine’s claws dug into his bare chest; he grabbed her and lifted her. His laughter echoed through the small cell.
“Something more flattering.”
“Henry IV: ‘I am as vigilant as a cat to steal cream.’” He lowered her to rest upon his chest again.
As an added bonus,  Melissa is running a giveaway:  
Jewels of the Moon Pendant for Clairvoyance and Psychic Ability by Nordic Lights Collection by Maelstrom Odssonn 
 **Shipping restricted to the continental United States.**
***GIVEAWAY***



a Rafflecopter giveaway




Thursday, May 22, 2014

The hostesses take a break...

After the long, miserable winter, the hostesses have gone somewhere warm and sunny. 
They're surfing and generally living it up!

Where are Lyn and Oliver you ask?

Well, who do you think has to stay on the beach and prepare the barbeque!

Happy days!

See you next week when Melissa will reverse her role and become
the victim-er-we-mean - guest for the day!



Friday, May 16, 2014

The Ten Dollar Haircut

My husband, Mr. Snark, has a mustache and beard. For a few weeks a year following his annual shave and haircut, the man is stylin'. We're talking Tom Selleck with fuzzier eyebrows--very sexy.

The rest of the time, Mr. Snark works as an extra for the Geico Cavemen...


 
So that special Sunday rolled around and it was time for the big event--Mr. Snark's Annual Haircut. After breakfast, we strapped Miss Bear into the back seat of the minivan and headed out.

Now, our town has any number of hair-cutting places, but there's also an old-fashioned barber shop that still has the red and white pole out front to let people know that they double as a dentist. For the low price of just $24.99 one can have their hair cut and a tooth extracted. 

Let's call this barber shop "Connors" for the sake of discussion.*

At Connors, a normal haircut for men runs about ten bucks. And they only accept cash. It's the cheapest haircut around for miles in every direction. 

I say it's cheap with authority. How do I know?  A few years ago, my parents moved to Arkansas because California was too expensive. However, Grandpa Snark still comes back to California to get his hair cut at Connors. 

"You can't get a haircut this cheap in Arkansas," says Grandpa Snark. "Especially when you need dental work too."

Back to our story--

Mr. Snark forgot to stop at an ATM on the way over, so he parked in a spot and turned to Mrs. Snark. "Do you have any cash?"

Mrs. Snark thought about it a second and said. "There's the emergency ten in my glove box."

After she forked over the moola, Mr. Snark frowned. "I still need a tip."

Riiight. Mrs. Snark upended her purse and examined the contents. "I have three dollars, three cents plus this breath mint."

Mrs. Snark brightened. "Oh, and a coupon for two dollars off!"

Mr. Snark accepted the coupon as if it bore cooties. "I don't know if I feel right about using a coupon for a ten dollar haircut."

"Grandpa Snark would."  

Mr. Snark went inside. Mrs. Snark and Miss Bear waited inside the vehicle with the windows up and the doors locked, because Connors is not the sort of environment where one takes an impressionable two-year-old.

Fifteen minutes later, Mr. Snark returned, hair buzzed, looking very dapper once again. He also looked rather worried.

"What's wrong?" Mrs. Snark asked.

"Have they opened a rub-n-tug in the back? Because the girl cutting my hair had on a slutty red top and I could easily imagine the words 'Me love you long time' coming from her mouth."

Mrs. Snark's eyes widened. "My goodness, it's a good thing I didn't give you an extra dollar!"

Mr. Snark forked over a crumpled bit of paper. "She also laughed at my coupon."


*Name has been changed to protect me from a libel lawsuit.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Debby Grahl parties in an old Victorian - there's a Giveaway but will there be ghosts?



“I love old houses. Don’t you just love these old houses?” Mary sighs as she studies the large Victorian at the end of the walkway.

Arm linked with Mary’s, Lyn nods. “It’s called character. They sure don’t build them like this anymore.”

Wide-eyed, Lilly’s gaze roams over the intricate trim. “Can you imagine painting it? What a nightmare!” 

Melissa pushes through the group to head up the walk. “Speaking of nightmares, from what I understand, it’s haunted.” 

“It’s pink.” Mac smirks and hurries behind her. “No self-respecting ghost is going to haunt a pink house.” 

The other hostesses scramble to follow. AJ snaps pictures with her trusty phone. “They would if they’re nice ghosts.” 

“Nice ghosts.” Mac’s steps slow to a stop and she blinks up at the stately building. “I think that’s an oxymoron.” 

Lilly, Mary, Lyn and AJ grab her arms and drag her forward. AJ bumps hips with Mac and grins. “Don’t be a weenie. We’ll eat lots of food and I’m sure there’ll be cake. Oliver will get you a nice glass of wine. It’ll be fine.” 

Lyn bends forward to waggle her brows at Lilly and Mary. “Where have we heard that before?” 

Melissa tosses a grin over one shoulder as she climbs the stairs to the door. “The ghosts are exactly why Debbie Grahl chose this place to celebrate the release of her book, THE SILVER CRESCENT. An old
Victorian, ghosts and a lost treasure. It’s the perfect spot.”

Grabbing hold of the doorknob, she swings open the door. “Come on, ladies. It’s time for another adventure.”

Please welcome this week's Guest of Honour, Debbie Grahl




THE SILVER CRESCENT 

BLURB:

Max Holt impulsively buys a crumbling Victorian mansion in Cedar Bend, Michigan, intent on restoring it as a
Purchase at AMAZON
restaurant and inn. Aware of its reputation for being haunted, he adds to the mystique by building a garden path of old tombstones, one of which belongs to a former owner of the house, Cyrus Mosby.


A visit by the spirit of her great-great-grandmother convinces Elise Baxter that the family legend of a fortune in silver, stolen from a murdered ancestor more than a century ago, must be true. Clues gleaned from old diaries and letters lead her to Cedar Bend and Max, whose inn may hold the key to her treasure.
An instant attraction between Max and Elise leads him to believe she may just be the girl of his dreams. But when he discovers her true interest in him and his inn, memories of a past betrayal threaten their tense, turbulent relationship. Elise, finding herself falling in love with Max, fears her deception may cost her more than she is willing to lose.
Persuaded the stolen silver is hidden somewhere in the
inn, and captivated by the idea of a real treasure hunt, Max and Elise put their differences aside and begin the search following clues left by the resident ghosts, Cyrus


and Virginia, as they try to solve the mystery of the Silver Crescent…But unknown to them there are others, driven by greed, who will stop at nothing to find the treasure for themselves.

AUTHOR BIO

Debby Grahl lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with her husband, David, and their cat, Tigger.


Besides writing, she enjoys biking, walking on the beach and a glass of wine at sunset.
Her favorite places to visit are New Orleans, Boston, Captiva Island in Florida, the Cotswolds of England and her home state of Michigan.
She is a history buff who also enjoys reading murder mysteries, time travel, and, of course, romance.
Visually impaired from childhood by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), she uses screen-reading software to research and write her books.
Debby belongs to RWA, Florida Romance Writers, Hearts Across History and Lowcountry Romance Writers.


***GIVEAWAY***
To win a copy of Debby'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.
(We reserve the right to waive the prize in any week when there are not enough contestants for a draw to be deemed fair and unbiased)

Friday, May 2, 2014

Diane Escalera's Giveaway and celebration of the 2nd Book in her Latin Heat Trilogy


Disclaimer:The hostesses of the Author Roast and Toast are in bikinis!

Now in some cases this could be a nightmare, but for the purposes of the roast we are all hot and young.

 "I must say there's nothing like a Pina Colada on the beach. Cabana boys should be standard in every state." Mary's eyes rove the masses, looking for movie stars, or even beach boy eye candy.

"Palm Beach has such a terrific jetty to snorkel along." Mary hands snorkels and masks to her cohorts.

"These must be for Lyn, "AJ snickers, looking at the outsize flippers, and clutching her precious phone in its waterproof cover. "At least Mary is wearing the right size top to hold those babies."

Melissa grins and struts to the water, swim fins flopping the whole way. "Lilly, it's warm and those tiny waves will not hurt you." Mac splashes Lilly as she cringes.

With a heave ho, Mary shoves Lilly into the water. "The best way to go in is all at once." Mary grins. Lilly spits water and growls, "Just you wait." She threatens Mary.


Lyn, always the diplomat flops her huge feet into the water. "I'll help you. Last one in is a rotten egg." She runs into the aqua waters, narrowly avoiding a sting ray.


"Isn't that our author, Diane Escalera out there on that fancy cabin cruiser?" Melissa wonders. "She's diving in to meet us halfway!  Wonder what the party food is going to be?"










"Baked ham with pineapple, shrimp cocktail, grilled chicken on skewers,
conch fritters, tropical fruit kababs, a fruit bowl with pineapple, kiwi, mango, melon, just to name a few of the foods. Pina Colada, rum & coke, cold beer, iced tea, and rum punch to drink. Flan, coconut cream pie, cookies with macadamia nuts, and the all popular key lime pie. I'm drooling." Mary grins.

Mary swims so fast the others can't keep up with her.


 "First one there gets a copy of The Right  Temptation, Diane's latest release." Melissa yells as she speeds like a tornado through the water.


"Ha, first one there gets to flirt with the best guys on that huge cruiser." Lyn whips to the finish well ahead of the others.

"Someone is gonna have to get Lilly." AJ chuckles. "

"A dingy would do, she ain't gonna want to swim that far." Mac sighs.

And heard from the beach Lilly screams and yells, luckily no one can make out what she's saying. Ah, yes, just another Author Roast and Toast!


Please welcome Diane Escalera and 'The Right Temptation'

The Right Temptation

Can a childhood crush mature into the real thing?

Kayla Martinez has recently landed an RN position at a prestigious hospital in her hometown. The new job is everything she’s hoped for, especially when one hot specimen shows up in the ER. She hasn’t seen her childhood crush in years, and considering how much hotter he’s gotten over time, she almost ends up needing resuscitation.

The last thing Nico LaCosta needs is a broken arm. Now his pal’s kid sister wants to soothe his pain, but he’d rather keep his distance so her big brother doesn’t break his other arm. Kayla’s no child anymore, though. She’s one hot-blooded woman, determined to remind him of a mind-blowing kiss back when they were teenagers. Leave it to Kayla to drop by his house unannounced and play Nurse Seductive. A guy has to follow the buddy code, or face the consequences. Still, sometimes giving in to temptation is worth it…


The Right Temptation
Latin Heat Trilogy, Story Two

Excerpt

Kayla ambled to the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and perused it. Not bad. He had a few things she could work with. “What do you normally eat?”

“Grilled chicken, brown rice and broccoli,” he said without missing a beat.

Kayla laughed at his bland regimen. “I had a feeling.”

“Well, I try to take care of my body.”

“So I see.” Her gaze skittered over his physique. Whatever he did worked magically delicious.

“Although lately, I’ve been pigging out like a fat kid,” he said, with a disgusted look. “That’s what happens when you’re bored to death.”

She had a cure for his restlessness. The thought made her thighs go up in flames. Kayla shoved her head inside the cool refrigerator and peered into several plastic containers. “Some of this looks good.” She could’ve taken the easy way out, but she preferred to make something fresh, show off a little bit.
“It is. But I had so much of it already.” He puffed out his cheeks.

How adorable. She found everything he did entertaining. Kayla shut the fridge and, without asking, opened the cupboards. She found one with canned goods and food staples. “Hmm,” she mumbled, scanning the contents. She’d have to improvise. “You like omelets?”

Nico’s face lit up. “I love me some eggs.”

“Cool. I’ll whip up some veggie omelets.”

“You don’t have to cook for me, you know.”

She had a weakness for nursing people back to health. She had a weakness for one man named Nico. The combination of the two pulled on her heartstrings. “I want to,” she said, setting aside her personal agenda.
“Don’t you have something better to do than hang out with an invalid? I’m not a barrel of laughs right now.”
Good time to gauge his interest. She locked eyes on him. “Why? You want me to leave?”
“It’s not that,” he said. Nico strode to the kitchen. He took one of her long curls and tugged on it. “I just don’t want you to waste your free time.”

She wanted to close her eyes, bottle his woodsy scent. Kayla palmed his solid chest. The touch sent a shocking bolt through her already-charged system. She kept her hand there, reveling in the feel of his potent masculinity. “Who says I’m wasting my time?”

Nico closed the space between them. Too bad his bulky cast kept their bodies from totally connecting. Several inches taller, he stared down at her with pure intensity. The heat level shot up so fast she thought they’d set off the smoke alarm in the kitchen. Kayla titled her head back and shook her wild curls off her face. He helped by sliding a few fingers into her hair. Her heart practically jumped out of her chest. Kiss me. She’d waited years for this.

His body trapped her against the counter. Kayla shifted her position so she could feel the full force of his strength without the barrier of his injured arm. Oh God. He had an erection. Her hip acted alone and pressed up against it. She swore she heard him moan. Wait. That was her.

“Kayla,” he muttered, in a voice huskier than before.

Kiss me. She tried to send a telepathic message.


Author Bio
Diane Escalera

Born and raised in the Bronx, NY, Diane Escalera makes her home in coastal North Carolina.  The sultry surroundings are a steady source of inspiration for her hot love stories.  Diane is married, has two children and a super cute dachshund she can’t get enough of.  She writes contemporary romance and is published with Kensington Publishing and Lyrical Press.


CONTENT WARNING: Racy Language, Hot Sex, Lusty Latin Lovers


***GIVEAWAY***
To win a download of Diane'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.
(We reserve the right to waive the prize in any week when there are not enough contestants for a draw to be deemed fair and unbiased)

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.)