Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Guest Post & Giveaway ~*~ A Cowboy’s Christmas Promise by Maggie McGinnis



A Cowboy’s Christmas Promise
By: Maggie McGinnis
Releasing November 18th, 2014
Loveswept

Faking It (in the Kitchen)

Thanks so much for hosting me today! I’m so excited to celebrate the release of A Cowboy’s Christmas Promise with you!

My mother is a fabulous cook. My father is quite skilled. My husband can whip up a four-course meal in an hour’s time. My daughter can bake cupcakes that have the neighborhood drooling.

I can’t cook. At all.

It’s not for lack of trying. My local fire department can attest to at least two attempts. And it’s not that I lack, you know, a kitchen. I have a very nice one, with working appliances and everything. I even (mostly) know how to use most of the stuff IN my kitchen, though my mother periodically taunts me by putting mystery-gadgets in my stocking.

Knowing these things, it strikes me as more than a little odd that I volunteered to host Thanksgiving at my house this year. I’m expecting 25 people, and they’re expecting food. So what’s a girl to do? Fake it. Here are my top five tips for making it through this holiday as a non-cook:

Tip #1: Wine. Lots and lots of wine. Some might end up in the food, but if I pour enough of it for my guests, maybe they won’t notice my dismal cooking skills.

Tip #2: A dummy-proof cookbook that tells me exactly when to do what. My favorite one starts with when to take the turkey out of the freezer. You cooks might laugh, because you KNOW when to thaw the bleeping bird. But ask a girl who once spent 12 hours spraying cold water over a solid ice turkey whether that’s actually a page that should come in EVERY cookbook. It should.

Tip #3: Candles. I figure I can mimic apple pie, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin torte with strategically-placed candles. Then I’ll hide the bakery boxes, spray the whipped cream into a bowl so it looks like I whipped it myself, and voila! Dessert!

Tip #4: Fire. If the previous ideas fail, I’m thinking I can arrange for my local fire guys to show up with a well-timed mysterious evacuation order, and then we’ll have to head to a nice restaurant for dinner instead. Not my fault, right? And it’s not like anyone will be surprised. After all, they haven’t been here before …

Tip #5: Just invite Mom. She’ll tell me what to do, praise me for the little things like remembering to turn on the oven (don’t ask—it totally happened once), and feel all maternal while she helps her daughter host a memorable holiday. Win-win, right?

Here’s hoping you have a fabulous holiday … and hoping someone else is doing the cooking. Unless you  like that sort of thing. In that case, can I come over? :-)
   
How about you? Are you hosting this year? Lucky enough to be the one doing the dishes instead of the cooking?
   
PS: Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter below to win a fabulous gift card and Loveswept swag! And psst! I’m giving away sparkly prizes on my website (www.maggiemcginnis.com) and on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-McGinnis-Author/498505866880467), so go check ’em out!
  
Blurb

In a captivating novel spiced with holiday magic—perfect for fans of Rachel Gibson, Susan Mallery, and Molly O’Keefe—a rugged Montana man mends a Northeast girl’s jaded heart.

Boston veterinarian Hayley Scampini tends the city’s pampered pets but dreams of the rural life of a country vet. She’s single and determined to stay that way, convinced that love isn’t permanent enough to trust. Then a vacation to the Whisper Creek dude ranch introduces her to Daniel McKee, a sexy single dad who runs the kind of veterinary practice she aspires to—and rattles her conviction to keep men at a distance.

Managing a thriving practice, coping with the loss of his wife, and fighting a custody battle with his in-laws over his twin daughters, Daniel couldn’t be more overwhelmed. Hayley is a godsend, accompanying him in the field and winning over his girls. It doesn’t take Daniel long to realize he’s falling for this woman, hard and fast. So before Hayley returns to Boston, he extracts a promise: that she will return to Whisper Creek for Christmas. It’s the perfect time and place to show Hayley that the promise of a beautiful life together is something she can believe in.


Praise for Maggie McGinnis

“Maggie McGinnis writes the kind of characters that keep you smiling long after you turn the page.”—USA Today bestselling author Katie Lane

“A writer with a talent for both humor and emotion.”—New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland, aka Lori Austin

“McGinnis comes out of the chute with force, grabs your emotions, and gets a death hold on your attention to the last page, where you sigh and wish there was one more chapter.”—New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown

“Heartwarming and sweet, Maggie McGinnis is definitely an author to watch!”—USA Today bestselling author Tina Leonard


Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22396054-a-cowboy-s-christmas-promise?from_search=true

Buy Links : 

Amazon Barnes | iBooks | Kobo


Author Info
Maggie McGinnis is the author of Accidental Cowgirl and Driving Without a License, which was a finalist for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart Award. A former high school English teacher, an accomplished musician, and a certified black belt, she lives in New England with her family.
 Author Links: 


Rafflecopter Giveaway ($25.00 eGift Card to choice Book Seller and Loveswept Mug and Tote )






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6 comments:

  1. While perfectly capable of cooking dinner, my kitchen at 9x6 is not big enough to cook a turkey so I have a built In excuse for not hosting :) I do like the idea of hot firefighters but have never seen one in my town.:(

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  2. Who needs to cook when you can write amazing, heartwarming romances, like you do! My husband does all the major cooking, I help with the peeling and turning on the over and other little things.

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    1. Aw, thanks, Jennifer!! You're too sweet!

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    2. I am going to a friend's house for Thanksgiving, so no cleaning - yahoo! I am bringing desserts - I am not a good last minute (everything-has-to-be timed-to-perfection) cook so I will be able to relax and enjoy tomorrow. Best of luck with Thanksgiving dinner - you are very brave to host - what size of turkey do you need to feed 25? (And - not to panic you at the 11th hour - but does it fit in the oven?!)

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  3. Thank you for hosting today! Happy Thanksgiving!

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