Who remembers this song? Click to hear it.

Jessi Gage here. Hello romance readers!

I loved the "Hole in My Bucket" song as a kid. Now, as an adult, I am beginning to associate holey buckets with conflict, and not the romantic, page-turning kind.

After viewing a on building an AC-in-a-bucket, I decided to give the DIY project a try. Surely, just like the video suggested, the project would be quick, easy, and cheap.

Sounds like your typical DIY project, no? No.

You'd think I would have learned by now, what with the emergency pool-patch project and the fix-the-lawn-chair-with-a-jump-rope project. I guess I'm one of those people who never learns :).

For "The $20 5-Gallon Bucket Saga" Part I and Part II, click the links. Warning: frustration driven humor and cursing. There's also an update on my blog homepage right now that is nothing but cuteness. But here, I will simply say...

I DID IT! I'm queen of the WORLD! I totally ROCK!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen (are there any gentlemen here?), I have completed the AC-in-a-bucket project and am now sitting cool on my couch.

I began the project two weeks ago and just finished tonight thanks to the bucket liners coming by UPS yesterday. The project itself was not difficult or time consuming, but gathering all the necessary materials took a bit of doing.

The bucket liners were the sticking point. I could only order them online in a package of 3, and shipping was an arm and a leg. I felt like a cryptozoologist seeking footage of some weird monster (I've got cryptozoology on the brain after reading Mae Claire's Solstice Island, but that's completely beside the point).

Furthermore, the $20 budget does not include purchasing two hole-saw extensions for your drill, which ran me $18 a piece.

The point is, SHE IS FINALLY DONE!

Without further ado, here she is. I call her: Chilli Baby:



Whoopeeeee!

While you're psyching yourself up to make your own AC-in-a-bucket, pick up a copy of my latest release PASSIONATE KISSES BOXED SET for just $0.99.

It's a perfect way to while away the sticky summer days. There is something in this set of ten contemporary novels for every romance reader. And you can't beat this bargain.

Leave a comment below, and I'll enter you in a drawing to receive an advance copy of my August release, Jade's Spirit. I'd like to know if you're idea of a fun summer day is a DIY project or reading a book...or both!

Thanks for stopping by The Romance Troupe! Here's to romance, entertainment, and staying cool!

Back to school is just around the corner.  I thought summer may be relaxing, but instead we've been running most of the season.    We did miss our Vegas trip in July since training got rescheduled for my husband.   That didn't slow us down too much, though.

Hi there!  My name is C.A. Szarek and I write just about everything, but I am published in romantic suspense and epic fantasy romance.

This is my VERY FIRST post since the lovely asked me to be a part of the group!

Last month I attended my first RomCon, which is a reader focused conference that always takes place in June in Denver.

It was so exciting, and different from other conferences I've attended, because it was so reader focused!

I got to participate in things like Scrapbooking with readers as an author host, as well as the Paranormal Carnival! As a reader, I got to do Building a Better Villain with Cherry Adair, and preparing for the Zombie Apocalypse with Heather Graham!

Me and Cherry! I ADORE HER!

Meeting Heather was GREAT!

 



















I also got to do the signing and meet friends, and make new fans!






















I had so much fun at RomCon, and it's definitely a conference I will visit again! I learned alot, and made long, lasting contacts with readers and other writers!

It's always in June, and next year, I'd love to see y'all!


Here's where to find me around the web, and a little more about me, since I'm new here.


  (@caszarek)
Website

Goodreads




 

I can't believe it. I've denied and denied this eventuality, but I cannot any longer. My eldest is going to college at the end of August! Pardon me, but I think I just threw up a little in my mouth. *Swishes and gargles Listerine* 

Myself and TEN other authors have a boxed set coming out August 19th. Gonna be so hot!! So I'm here today to give you a tiny taste of each of them and whet your appetite for more!
Tag Lines listed below for each story. Seriously mark your calendars!!!



SO AWESOME!!!!

And one more from me coming out in less than a week!!! Woo Hoo!!

Pre-Order Links

B&N
Ellora’s Cave
http://www.jenniferkacey.com/books/accidental-voyeur.html



Jennifer Kacey is a wife, mother, and business owner living with her family in Texas. She sings in the shower, plays piano in her dreams, and has to have a different color of nail polish every week. The best advice she’s ever been given? Find the real you and never settle for anything less.

Website - http://www.jenniferkacey.com/
Blog – The Decadent Divas - http://www.thedecadentdivas.blogspot.com/
Facebook –
Facebook Author Page -
Twitter -
Amazon Page -
Goodreads – http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6941549.Jennifer_Kacey

Pinterest -

What do you like to do to celebrate July 4th?

My family usually BBQs and eats lots of food! Then we find a good place to park and watch the fireworks. 

I thought I'd be a little different this month and share a couple of my favorite recipes to get your appetite whet for this weekend!

CREAM CHEESE CORN
6 cups of freshly cut off the cob corn kernels
1 (8 oz package) cream cheese
1/2 cup butter

Combine the corn, butter or margarine and the cream cheese in a medium sized saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.
Garnish with chopped chives.

PULLED PORK
Ingredients
Dry Rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 (5 to 7 pound) pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

Mix the paprika, garlic power, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and roast it for about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it's falling apart.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

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