Have you ever had that moment when you just won’t do it.?  It doesn’t matter what it is, you just aren’t going to do it.  In fact, it is probably more than one thing, and you’re not going to do any of them.  I’m in a refusal stage right now.  I’m just not going to go over my revisions again.  I’m just not going to clean the fracking house.  I’m just not not not going to do anything but play www.pogo.com.  So there.

So…my question to you…what time waster do you look to when you’re just not going to do anything? 

Currently, I’m playing computer monopoly.  I’m not even going to post this blog, I’m sending it to my assistant to post it.   I have also watched an entire weekend of Xena, Warrior Princess.  (And, I’m not going to look up the exact punctuation of that title either!) 

 

Note from Jade’s devoted assistant: Jade will be returning to her revisions shortly. Just as soon as I disable her pogo account. Again.

Good morning, Isabel Sharpe here, from Wi(ll-it-ever-be-spring?)sconsin. On the 15th of each month I’ll be providing a Blaze-appropriate recipe for your enjoyment, everything from mood-brightening cocktails to tantalizing appetizers to hot main dishes and happy-after sweet endings, because as a devoted foodie, I believe when it comes to pleasures of the body, eating and drinking are right up there with . . . you know.

Today’s recipe is about celebration: of our Blaze blog’s first month, of Harlequin’s 60th anniversary, and of course, of love and everything wonderful about it, especially the naughty bits. What better way to celebrate than with champagne, my very favorite indulgence? I’m one of those people who sees athletes spraying the stuff around the locker room and thinks, “God, I hope that’s cheap Asti.”

On my refrigerator I have a comic strip: Man comes up to the bar and says, “A bottle of your very best champagne!” The bartender asks, “What’s the occasion?” and the man says, “Thirst.” That’s my kind of thinking. When I grow up I want to be able to have a bottle of the “good stuff” in my refrigerator at all times for when the mood strikes. Until then I have to be content with a bottle of the “okay stuff” in my basement.

In this recipe, the champagne is mixed with pomegranate juice flavored with orange and ginger. Don’t bother buying expensive champagne when you’re mixing, but don’t buy garbage either. Domaine Ste. Michelle, made in Washington State, is my current favorite lower-priced sparkling wine (if it doesn’t come from the Champagne region in France, it can’t be called champagne.).

Epicurious.com will allow me to post the link, but not reproduce the recipe

Isabel’s tips: Mix the non-champagne ingredients together rather than measuring them individually in each glass, and try using only a tablespoon of the mixture first, unless you like your drinks sweet (I don’t) in which case use a couple.

Enjoy!

Isabel

P.S. I’m sending this for posting early because I’ll be on a road trip with my kids on the 15th. I will do everything possible to find wireless Internet so I can check in during the day, but can’t promise. So apologies ahead of time if I don’t respond to comments right away!

Wow! What a thrill to be the first person to christen this great new site!

As many of you know, the Blaze series is very special to me. I’ve been involved in the line since the beginning, (for those of you doing the quiz, I’m not going to give anything away – sorry), and have personally worked on a good number of the books we’ve published so far. In that time, the editors have discovered some incredible new voices, and have been routinely amazed at just how talented an author base we have. Many Blaze Babes are now considered Harlequin Stars! Personally, I’m always blown away by the ingenuity, the imagination and the determination our authors show. On more than one occasion, I’ve seen one of them pull off the near-impossible, then reach for another challenge. To say I’m proud to be working with such a fantastic group of women (and Tony, of course) would be an understatement.

So, what does this mean for Blaze readers? Simply that you’re reading the very best of series romance! Okay, I’m biased…but I’m also very sincere. In Blaze, you’ll find every kind of book – historical, adventure, suspense, forbidden fantasies, romantic comedies, paranormal, short stories, erotic bedtime stories, westerns and even time travel. The only elements tying the books together are the high level of sensuality and a lot of sizzling sexual tension. And really, what good is a romance novel without those?

So, now it’s your turn. Tell me what you love about Blaze (everything, I’m sure) and what you think we could improve on (don’t get carried away now…).

In the meantime, don’t forget to download Triple Threat by Jennifer LaBrecque, a free Blaze e-book that’s linked to the Uniformly Hot! miniseries. After all, we could all use a man in uniform to heat up those cool spring evenings. And, if you haven’t already, check out HarlequinCelebrates.com to download Leslie Kelly’s Blaze book, Slow Hands, absolutely free! There are other offerings there too…but I can vouch for Leslie’s. You’ll love it!

Finally, I’d like to thank our dedicated Blaze readers. Without you, we couldn’t do what we love best. And I think all the authors and editors will agree – we do love it!