Omega Sector Shakshuka

Harlequin authors are sharing their favorite recipes this week. Head on over to Twitter with the hashtag #sweetandspicyholiday to find some great ideas and maybe fine a new author to read! My contribution is Omega Sector Shakshuka! 

‬Shakshuka is a Northern African/Middle Eastern dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, and peppers, often spiced with cumin. It is a common breakfast food, but can be served as any meal.

Prep Time: 10 minutes


Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 5-6 (but it’s so easy to make more or less)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons olive oil

5-6 eggs

½ medium brown or white onion, peeled and diced

2 clove garlic, minced

1 medium green and/or red bell pepper, chopped

4 cups ripe diced tomatoes, or 2 cans (14 oz. each) diced tomatoes (undrained)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoon paprika

Chili flakes (sprinkled for spicy flavor)

Pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste)

Pinch of sugar (to taste)

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Chopped parsley (optional)

Besides being totally delish, another great thing about this recipe is its flexibility. Use whatever you want/have on hand in your base: mushrooms, eggplant, spinach, jalapenos, parsley, green chilies… (I once diced potatoes and put them in)

Directions:


1. Heat oil in deep, large pan on medium. Add onion and sauté until softened (3-5 minutes). Add garlic until fragrant (1-2 more minutes), then add peppers (5-7 more minutes).

2. Add tomatoes and tomato paste to pan, stir till blended. Add spices and sugar, stir well, and allow mixture to simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes till it starts to reduce. At this point, you can taste the mixture and spice it according to your preferences. Add salt and pepper to taste, more sugar for a sweeter sauce, or more cayenne pepper for a spicier shakshuka

3. Once sufficiently thick, crack in the eggs one by one on top of mixture (as if you were frying them), making sure to space them out evenly. Cover the pan and allow the mixture to simmer and condense for 10-15 minutes, depending on how cooked you prefer your eggs.

4. Once the eggs are cooked, garnish with chopped parsley, and the shakshuka is ready to be served with pita or challah bread!

 

Derek Waterman, the hero in my December Intrigue SPECIAL FORCES SAVIOR did multiple tours in the Middle East during his time in the Army. Shakshuka would undoubtedly been something he became acquainted with there. Quick, easy, made up of whatever is on hand -- the perfect recipe for a solider who wanted to fix his own meal.

Our family of six (including four teenagers!) loves it too. Introduced to us by an Israeli neighbor, this has become a weekly staple in our house, a breakfast food we love to have for dinner!




Be sure to order your copy of SPECIAL FORCES SAVIOR -- Book 1 in the critically acclaimed Omega Sector: Critical Response series. Available Dec 15th.

Book 2 - FULLY COMMITTED is available mid-January. 

Details/excerpts/buy links  HERE.

Excerpt from SPECIAL FORCES SAVIOR.

© 2016 - All rights reserved.

"Did I misread what I saw? Was it all in my imagination?”

Lie to her. That was all he needed to do. One tiny lie, let her down easy, and avert this crisis. Moments passed. It was his tactical advantage and he knew he should take it.

But looking into her precious brown eyes, her sweet face, he couldn’t. “No. You didn’t imagine it.”

She took a step closer. He took a step back.

“Why, Derek?” Her question barely more than a whisper. “Why have you stayed away from me all this time? You’ve had to know I wanted to be with you.”

“Molly, our worlds don’t mix. I’m not the right person for you.”

“Don’t you think I should be the judge of that?”

Crafting a Romantic Suspense Series: Omega: CoRD Book 1

I was able to announce last week that I signed a new 6-book contract with Harlequin Intrigue.

For those not overly familiar with Harlequin Intrigue, they release six romantic suspense books every month, of the shorter kind (about 210-225 pages). They're called category romances.  You can find them in bookstores like B&N and Books-A-Million, as well as other shops such Walmart, Target, and drug stores.

Writing for Harlequin is great, a lot of my author-heroes started with them, including Linda Howard, Elizabeth Lowell, and Nora Roberts. Because they publish so many books each month, it allows for many newbie romance authors (like me!) to get their start. But the books are only around on shelves for a month. After that they have to be ordered online.

My first book (PRIMAL INSTINCT) was published by Intrigue in April 2014. I then signed a 4-book contract with them for the Omega Sector (Covert Undercover) Series. Those books released in 2015.

 The new series I'm writing is a spin-off of the Omega Sector Series, called Omega Sector: Critical Response Division, or Omega: CoRD. CoRD is not a covert section of Omega (unlike the original Omega Sector books); everyone involved works out in the open. The six books are based on six different occupations within CoRD, and that is what is each book is tentatively titled right now.

Every couple of weeks I'll be talking about details for one of the books.

Book #1: THE TACTICAL TEAM SPECIALIST
Release date: January or February 2016
 
Hero:  DEREK WATERMAN

Derek was raised on a horse ranch in Wyoming, before spending time in the Army Special Forces, including tours in Afghanistan. He's a warrior at heart, and keeps to himself. His past is a dark place, and the thought of tainting sweet Molly Humphries with that darkness haunts him.

Heroine: MOLLY HUMPHRIES

Molly is a forensic pathologist and head of the lab at Omega: CoRD. She is brilliant, focused and logical, except for when it comes to Derek Waterman.

PLOT (back cover blurb):

I'm HUGELY excited about this book (I've already finished writing it, since it's due to my editor on April 1). Derek and Molly's story came very easily for me and watching them fall in love --despite some pretty hefty danger thrown their way-- was exciting and touching.

A lot of my inspiration for this story stemmed out of this video:

A brainy scientist in love with an alpha hero. She thinks she's irrelevant to him, but couldn't be more wrong. It was the perfect premise for a romantic suspense story. (And of course, if you haven't watched BBC's Sherlock, do so immediately.)

My love for Benedict Cumberbatch is well known, but he wasn't the muse for Derek in the book (I needed someone with guns and fighting skills), but Lousie Brealey's Molly definitely was the muse for my Molly.

And the rest of my inspiration? This picture, guys. This. Picture.:

I love everything about this picture so much. It captures a perfect moment I envisioned between Molly and Derek.

We've got some exciting settings too, in this book. Omega: CoRD headquarters found its home in Colorado Springs, CO and the story makes it way down to the thick rainforests of Columbia. Lots of action happening in both locations: explosions, kidnappings, gunfights in the jungle, fires, breaking and entering... There's definitely enough excitement to move the story along.

 There's an entire Pinterest  board dedicated to the book here. Hope you'll check it out. Looking at it makes me wish the book was coming out before early 2016!  But I think it's going to be a great start to the series. 2016 can't get here fast enough.

More details about Book 2 in the series (THE FORENSIC ARTIST) soon!

Cover Reveal - My Newest Intrigue Novel: INFILTRATION

There are a lot of things I like about writing for Harlequin Intrigue. The biggest are probably that: 1) They pay me and 2) They take care of all the things involved in writing a book beyond just the writing part.

They take care of: content editing (overall big edits: does the story make sense? do the characters

Seriously, my editors love me.

act/speak consistently through the entire book?), copy editing (flow, clarity, did you use the word “well-preserved” in this paragraph and two paragraphs ago?) and line editing (basic grammar, punctuation, peek vs. peak vs. pique…)

Beyond editing, Harlequin also takes care of cover design, titles (with some input from me), back cover copy, distribution, basic promotion and all things unicorns and rainbows.

There are lots of arguments about traditional vs. indie routes in the publishing world. I have no doubt I will do both before it’s all over. A writer can (theoretically) make a lot more money publishing independently, but then you’re in charge of all the unicorn and rainbow stuff yourself. That’s not something I’m wanting to take on yet.

But despite the fact that I am appreciative of what Harlequin does for me, some of it is nerve-wracking. Particularly when it comes to covers of the book. Generally, I am sent the cover art three months before the book is available at bookstores. The cover is a total surprise (I get no hints as to what it will look like) and set in stone by the time I get it.

I understand why Harlequin does that. Because these are series/category romances (meaning a new set comes out every month) they do not have time to discuss every detail about the cover with a committee (Although to quote Princess Leia: "I am not a committee!" -- but alas...) I complete what is called an Art Fact Sheet (basic features and characteristics about the hero, heroine and theme of the story) and can offer suggestions, but beyond that I just cross my fingers and hope for best.

I lucked out when I got the cover of PRIMAL INSTINCT:

Seriously, I love that cover. I couldn’t have designed it much better if I had worked with the designers myself. (And I love that Harlequin gave me a giant poster! --thanks to fellow Intrigue author Barb Han for mailing it to me after it was used at the Romantic Times convention)

So I was very nervous about getting the covers of my upcoming 4-book Omega Sector Series. Well, last week I got the cover for Book 1: INFILTRATION that will be available in stores mid-December. It’s the first story of the four Branson siblings, Cameron, and how he falls in love with Sophia Reardon while saving the world, of course:

Front only

Front & Back

I like it! It reflects what the book is about: He’s been undercover a long time and lines are getting blurred. She’s a little damaged and was having a bad day even before being kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend. 

So I would say I’m 2 for 2 when it comes to the covers of my books! And I have another cover coming this month for my book COUNTERMEASURES (out mid-January), so I’ve got my fingers crossed for that one. 

Be sure to support your favorite almost starving author and pre-order The Omega Series, Book 1: INFILTRATION at Amazon or Barnes & Noble or look for it in stores from mid-December to mid-January.

Why Is Getting Rid of Kids Easier than Getting Rid of Characters?

Yesterday I sent the kiddos off to school. 

I was terribly sad to watch them go. You see, I am one of those mothers who would spend all her time with her kids if I could. And having them home with me – all the time – just completes me in a way I never thought possible.

Is anybody but me rolling around on the floor laughing yet?

Holy cow. I love my kids, but THEY HAD TO GO!!! Here in Virginia we have a late school year start (the day after Labor Day) and I thought I would kill them the last couple of weeks.

But now they’re gone.

This was them, heading on off to school:

As soon as the last one was out the door, this was me:

(Or even better, see this dancing orangutan. That was really me: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10153151189783228&set=vb.135376688227&type=2&theater) 

Interestingly, the day I said goodbye to my kids was the day I also said goodbye to Omega Sector Series characters I was writing for my next Harlequin Intrigue books. Book 4 was due to my editor on September 2, the day after Labor Day. 

Kicking the Omega Series guys out the door was a little more difficult than kicking my kids out. Maybe because the characters in my books rarely ask me to make them a sandwich or demand an iPhone for their birthday. 

But these characters have consumed me for the last ten months. Together, we’ve been in plane crashes and on yachts and in dangerous situations we were both sure there was no way out. I’ve spent hours every day figuring out what drives them and scares them and makes them more than they thought they could be. I’ve gotten to know each character as if he or she was a real person. Because to me they were each a real person.

Deadline reminder that has sat on my desk for 10 months

And although pitching, writing and editing four novels in ten months was CRAZY, I was sad when I wrote The End on book 4. 

Because that meant these characters were gone.

I guess they’ll be back somewhat in the form of copyedits, cover reveals, and, of course, the books themselves. That makes me happy and I truly hope readers will fall in love with these characters like I did. But for all intents and purposes, they’re gone for me. I have to move on to the next project with its own set of characters that need my attention. But hopefully not any sandwiches.

So I send off my Omega characters – the Branson siblings and those special people who come to love them in their stories– but without a happy orangutan dance. Because I know these guys won’t be getting back off the bus at 3pm.

I’ll miss them. I really will. They've been my buddies. 

But now I’m ready for the next set of stories and whatever crazy adventures we’ll take together.

My New Harlequin Intrigue Series - Omega Sector

So, a ton of people have been asking me about my new four-book series for Harlequin Intrigue and what they're about. Okay, maybe not a ton of people have been asking me. Alright fine, my mom has been asking what my new four-book series is all about. But I know you all wanted to know, so I thought I would post here.

The books are based around the Branson siblings – three brothers and a sister – who find their lives and hearts in peril. They are all connected to the Omega Sector: a covert interagency task force, made up of the most elite agents our country has to offer.  All four books are set in Virginia or North Carolina.

I don't really have titles for any of them yet, so I'm just calling them the Omega Series: Books 1-4. 

Book 1– Cameron Branson’s story 

Release date: January 2015

Omega Sector agent Cameron Branson is on the most important case of his career – recovery of highly-classified code-breaking software that has fallen into the worst possible hands.  After months of undercover work, he’s on the verge of recovering the software and finally putting to rest the demons that haunt him.

Until graphic artist Sophia Reardon – a familiar face from his past – happens to show up in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Knowing that with a word she could expose him, Cameron is forced to hurl this innocent beauty into his world of deception and terror.

And as it all begins to unravel, Cameron must choose – finish the mission that could protect so many or save the one woman he’s never been able to forget.

 

Book 2  - Sawyer Branson’s story

Release date: February 2015

In reprimand for insubordination, Omega Sector agent Sawyer Branson has been given a choice: a temporary desk job or protection duty of Dr. Zane M. Daniels, a top-level computer scientist. Although the thought of babysitting some geriatric scientist guy imagining threats in the middle of Nowhere, North Carolina is not appealing to Sawyer, anything is better than a desk job.

But there’s nothing geriatric or guy about Dr. Zane Megan Daniels. This beautiful, young computer scientist is on the verge of completing an important decryption system that will allow Omega Sector to pinpoint terrorist communications. And somebody wants to make sure she doesn’t finish. Megan knows Sawyer will keep her research safe – but what about her heart?

Book 3  - Juliet Branson’s story 

Release date: May 2015

Juliet Branson’s new job as an analyst at Omega Sector is fulfilling and challenging. And, she suspects, her brothers’ way of keeping an eye on her after her tragedy-laced past as an operative. A desk job suits Juliet just fine, until she intercepts a communiqué that spells certain death for sexy operative Evan Karcz, Juliet’s ex-partner.

Evan knows he’s in trouble with the crime ring he’s infiltrated – that’s nothing new – but has no idea how he’s going to get out of it this time. Until Juliet walks in playing the role of his wife – the undercover persona that almost got her killed last time. They’ll have to work together, despite her fears, to complete their mission and get out alive. And will Evan be able to convince Juliet of what he’s known all along: that they make a great team – both on and off cases?

 

Book 4 – Dylan Branson’s story 

Release date: June 2015 

Computer game developer Shelby Keelan has a gift: a photographic memory of anything concerning numbers. When she inadvertently discovers a code linked to terrorist attacks within a popular Internet game, she’s called in by the government to help piece together what she knows.

Pilot Dylan Branson finally has his life the way he wants it: simple, quiet and alone – as far from his covert operation past as he can get. He knows when he’s asked by his previous boss to deliver one tiny package to Omega Sector headquarters that his answer should be no. Especially when that tiny package ends up being a cute and quirky blonde he’s instantly drawn to.

But what should’ve been a routine trip turns into a desperate fight for their lives when someone is determined to see that Shelby and Dylan don’t make it anywhere alive and that the codes in her head are destroyed along with her.