Aaaand we've got Marie Hall joining us today. She writes some pretty crazy twists on fairy tales where the heroes are the original "villains". Gah, I love em! Marie sent in a sneak peek of a short story featuring Alice and the Hatter from book one. It's only going to be available for a few days but you get to read the entire thing before anyone else! Pretty neat! So, check it out and leave her some love! Oh and she left a recipe from Alice's bakery down at the bottom! Anyone brave enough to try it out?
Our review:
Her Mad Hatter
Alice is all grown up. Running the Mad Hatter's Cupcakery and Tea Shoppe is a delicious job, until fate--and a fairy godmother with a weakness for bad boys--throws her a curveball. Now, Alice is the newest resident of Wonderland, where the Mad Hatter fuels her fantasies and thrills her body with his dark touch.
The Mad Hatter may have a voice and a body made for sex, but he takes no lovers. Ever. But a determined fairy godmother has forced Alice into Wonderland--and his arms. Now, as desire and madness converge, the Hatter must decide if he will fight the fairy godmother's mating--or fight for Alice.
*currently free*
Amazon All Romance Goodreads
So, kinda neat... There's a short story coming out for Alice and Hatter!
Check out a bit of Hatter's Treasure before anyone else!
Hatter stared at his wall of clocks, all those tick-tocking clocks that helped ease the confusing noise in his head. One hand tucked behind his back, he ran his fingers along the smooth surface of one of his favorites with the other. It was a wooden cuckoo clock of German origin. The wood was a rich umber; the tiny bird poking its head out so well fashioned that one might imagine it would take flight any moment. He treasured his timepieces, each one holding significance in his long, long life.
Alice had stayed. She’d told him she loved him. She’d saved him from the madness of his mind. “My beautiful, beautiful Alice. Tick, tock, tick, tock…” he muttered, entranced as the miniature bird chimed the new hour, blinking only when it returned to its cubby hole.
Staring at the cavern full of memories he inhaled deeply, smelling her sunshiney scent of vanilla and caramel still clinging all over him. They’d made love this morning atop a bed of spongy, golden brain coral as sunlight dappled the water around them a speckled shade of glassy blue and sparkling silver. Her honeyed skin gleaming, the glossy black hair covering her breasts, reminding him of a seductive siren trying to lure him to his death.
But hers was a death he’d gladly fall into. He’d steal a kiss from her poisoned lips with a smile upon his face...
And a recipe too!
Here's a recipe from my book Her Mad Hatter. It's one of the cupcakes I mentioned in the book. Alice Hu's Red Queen's Revenge. I've made these cupcakes many times and they're absolutely delicious. They rarely last longer than half a day, and if I take them to any gathering they're devoured. Not only are they gorgeous, they're ridiculously easy to make. People will think you've slaved for hours. Anybody can do this and make them successfully. It's my go to desert, and at Christmas time it's really fun to get green and pink peppercorns, grind them together and then lightly scatter them on top of the cream cheese frosting. Not too much to overwhelm, but just enough to add a little pop of Christmas color!
Alice Hu’s Red Queen’s Revenge Cupcakes:
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
- A small palmful of pink and green peppercorns, roughly chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line mini cupcake or muffin pans with 48 mini cupcake liners or line regular-size cupcake or muffin pans with 24 regular cupcake liners.
In mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt. In another mixing bowl, stir together the eggs and oil. In a mixing cup, mix together the buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla extract and lightly whisk. Gradually add the dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture to the egg mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. We are trying to achieve a dark brown, red cupcake color, so add more cocoa powder, if the red is not deep enough. Then add the batter to the mini cupcake liners until they are 3/4-full and bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until done. Alternately, fill the regular-size cupcake liners and bake 22 minutes, or until done. Let the cupcakes cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Combine the sugar, cream cheese, butter, salt, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl and blend for 2 minutes.
And finally, the Queen’s Revenge, take a small dusting of pink and green peppercorn and carefully sprinkle the tops of each cupcake. Both sweet and spicy!
~Marie Hall
Find Marie Online!
We've got a HUGE month long giveaway going on ---->
Check out the awesome bonus short story from Marie and leave her some comment love!
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