News and Happenings

Happy Friday, all!

Two things going on now:

1) I'm over at Lydia Kang's blog THE WORD IS MY OYSTER today! She's been doing some author spotlights on Fridays and I'm up! It's short and it's sweet. Stop by if you have the time.

2) In honor of my upcoming birthday (please don't ask how old I'll be), I'm doing a little book giveaway for my romantic comedy, THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME on Goodreads. So if you're on Goodreads, stop by and enter! Don't cost nothing. :-)

Goodreads Book Giveaway

The Role of a Lifetime

by Jennifer Shirk

Giveaway ends October 16, 2011.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Thanks!! Have a great weekend!
Any news and happenings with you?

A to Z Blogging Challenge: E is for...

Hey, all!

You may already know this if you happened to catch my twittering or facebooking announcements, but there's a fun and easy scavenger hunt going on right now.

So E is for: Easter Scavenger Hunt!

Where is it? I'm glad you asked! It's at my writing group blog: The Passionate Critters.

You will find a question (or two!) on that blog every day until the 24th April 2011. Find the answer(s) and email it (them) to us (Don't worry, there are clues), and there are prizes to be had.

We will do random drawings throughout, and you never know – you might get something you like. It could be a book, or a goody bag, or chocolate, or…something…else. All the entries will go into a daily/weekly pot, and the winner(s) drawn from that. Your name will also go into a Final Draw — to win an Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift voucher. The Final Draw winner will be announced after the 24th, to get the last day answers into the pot as well.

Who can play? Another good question! Anyone.

Where do I find the answers to the questions? There's a link right in the question. It's actually too simple when you think about it. :)

Where do I email the answers? contest@passionatecritters.org

My question was this past Monday (day 4), but it's not too late to answer. All emailed answers (right or wrong) will go into a drawing for my Ebook, The Role of a Lifetime.

Hope you stop by!

What's your favorite Easter candy? (I'm a complete sucker for those Cadbury Eggs. Calories for ONE are listed HERE :(

Be Happy-- Read a Romance

Hey, all!

I've been busy in my little writing hole these past few days so I'm happy to fnally come out and announce that I've crossed the halfway mark of my WIP with about a month and a half still to go to meet my Book In Three Month Challenge. Woo-hoo!

And you know what else? I was so distracted on Monday that I forgot to announce my book winner. Duh. SORRY. So without further ado...


The winner of The Role of a Lifetime is lucky number 15--er, I mean Courtney! Just let me know whether you'd like the book in print or ebook format and I'll send it out!

Thank you SO much to everyone who came over and entered. It was fun and I really appreciate it. :)

And now for MORE fun!!

One of my favorite authors, Kristan Higgins did a really cute trailer for her new romance coming out, My One and Only, so I have to share it here too. I just think it's brilliant and fun marketing. :)
It's called "English Teacher Busted"




So there. Be happy and read a romance.
(As long as you don't get fired or go to jail or anything)

Have a great weekend!

Blog Talk and a Giveaway

Hey, all!

I'm over at Ju Dimello's blog today (sick and all) talking about...well, myself-- as well as misconceptions I had when I first started writing.

Commenters will be entered to win either an ebook copy or print copy of my romantic comedy,The Role of a Lifetime.
Contest runs now through the weekend. So plenty of time to stop by if you have the chance. :)

I'm off to take Advil and have some more peppermint tea. :(

Superbowl Food, Bargains, and Blogs

MOOD STATUS: "Thankful". So appreciated all the support and congrats on my new book contract. Thank you ALL again!

Let's see. So much to tell you all...

We hosted a Superbowl party at our house yesterday. Over twenty some odd people. Very fun. Lots of food left over. Hubby made a ROCKIN' chili and I made a great Sloppy Buffalo Joe recipe (with ground chicken).
A lot of people mentioned they wanted the recipe on Twitter the other day, and because I aim to please, here goes:


Sloppy Buffalo Joes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast
1 carrot, peeled and chopped or grated
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 to 1/3 cup hot sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock NOTE: I would use half the mount, otherwise it's a little too runny
8 good quality burger rolls, split and toasted
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 large dill pickles, chopped
Directions
Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meat and break it up with wooden spoon, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, cook 7 to 8 minutes more. In a bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and stock. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more. Pile sloppy Buffalo filling onto buns and top with blue cheese and chopped pickles. (important) :)
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Oh! My first book THE ROLE OF A LIFETIME will be featured on the bargain book blog today. A $3.44 ebook is a real bargain! :)

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Also, Romance is in the air this week at the Coffee Time Romance Blog! Their theme is romance for Valentine's day and yours truly is one of the featured bloggers. I'll be doing some excerpts and an interview and probably a post too, etc...

**The fun will be going on from noon (EST) to 8PM (EST) TODAY. LOTS of prizes going on.

**Also, if you comment on any of my posts, I will be giving away a box of FUDGE from one of my favorite candy places!

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Anyhew, I have to do P90x today (week five starting today! Woo-hoo!) and then I have a doctor's appointment this morning. Nothing serious. I think...

And that's all for me. Whew!

Did you watch the Superbowl or have a Superbowl party? Any good Superbowl recipes you love or would like to share?

'Tis the Season for a Book Giveaway

MOOD STATUS: "Groovy" (Despite a bad night of sleep) Got the Christmas decorations up already and will decorating the tree tonight!

Hey, all! I'm not here today. I'm at Rula Sinara's blog A Writer's Rush.

She was kind of enough to want to interview me and since it's the holidays and all, I'll be doing a little book giveway to some lucky commenter. You have until Wed. Dec 8th to comment.
I'll be giving away a copy of Georgie on His Mind or The Role of a Lifetime (winner's choice)
Stop by and say hello!



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Oh, and fellow bloggie buddy, Shannon McMahon hosts an Anonymous Critique every week on her blog. If you want to participate, you can provide feedback in the comments section or you can submit a tidbit of your writing to shan.mcm @ gmail.com and she’ll post your work there for honest, constructive feedback.
Check it out! http://shannonmcm.com/