BORACAY VOWS Recipe – Adobo

I am so happy that several of the reviews for Boracay Vows have mentioned the food.

An Amazon customer titled her review, “Made me sooo hungry,” and proceeded to say, “I also loved the setting and learning a little about the Philippines and the amazing food that I HAVE to try!”

An iBook reader enthused, “Congratulations and now I want Filipino foooooooood!!!!!”

A photographer friend endorsed Boracay Vows on her page and inspired the quote I used here, “… it’s got plenty of steam and mouth-watering descriptions of food.”

In the Author’s Note, I promised I will post recipes here and I’m starting with adobo, the unofficial national dish of the Philippines.

On Chapter Four, Blake and Krista had their first meal together. Blake ordered chicken and pork adobo, one of his favorite Filipino dishes and raved about it.

““Hmm, sarap!” The garlic saltiness of the adobo sauce and the perfect tenderness of the meat hit his taste buds and made him groan in satisfaction.”

With 100 Million Filipinos scattered over 7,100+ islands, it is not surprising that adobo is cooked in a variety of ways. Pork and chicken are most commonly used, but other meats, seafood, and vegetables can substitute as well. This recipe is the way I’ve cooked it for more than 20 years. It serves four and can be prepared in as short as 2 hours to as long as 10.

CHICKEN AND PORK ADOBO

Ingredients:

1 lb. pork belly (loin for leaner option), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lb. chicken (boneless/skinless for lower-fat), cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoons garlic, minced or crushed
4 pieces dried bay leaves
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce (low-sodium, if available)
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
1 cup water
salt to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil for frying
2 cloves of garlic, crushed

Instructions:

Combine first seven ingredients and marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Best if left in a closed container overnight.
Heat pot, put in meat, marinating liquid, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for one hour, or until meat is tender. If necessary, add more water.
Strain the meat from liquid, then set aside. In a skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the crushed garlic. Stir in the meat and cook until all sides are browned. Pour the liquid over the meat and continue simmering until sauce thickens.
Serve hot over rice or with your favorite pancit.

Boracay Vows is available in ebook from your favorite etailers and in paperback from Amazon and The Ripped Bodice.

Credits:

Feature image – Mouthwatering by Render Compose.
Similar recipes can be found on allrecipes.com and Panlasang Pinoy.

#Thankful – Boracay Vows

On November 21, I celebrated my birthday and the book birthday of Boracay Vows and it was awesome!

This has been an incredible year and I wouldn’t get here without the love, encouragement, generosity, and support of my family, friends, and even strangers.

My husband is a Rock Star. His belief in me is unwavering. I am not exaggerating when I say I couldn’t have accomplished this without him. He gave me the means to put this book together and have it published. Our son is my inspiration, my heart. I am grateful that at eight years old he can already prepare his own meals, otherwise he’d starve. Expert of things Stevie. Bad mommy.

I am thankful for my book club OSRBC. They were there for me from the very beginning of this journey. Their encouragement propelled me to turn my two-pager opener into a full-length novel. OSRBC members informed me about the National Novel Writing Month and cheered me on as I pantsed my way into winning in 2016 with Boracay. They’re the first ones to pre-order my book and help me spread the word around. Best book club in the world!

My editor Linda Hill is from OSRBC. She saw me through dozens of drafts from December in 2016 all the way to proofreading in November. If there are mistakes in the book, they’re most likely things I changed after she gave the final manuscript back to me. Thanks, Linda. Sorry, Linda. To my writer friends who are planning to publish independently, you are going to need an editor. I recommend you contact Linda ASAP.

Many of my Beta readers are also from OSRBC – Eva Moore, Rizalee, and Cecille. They’re the ones who pointed out what’s missing as well as what’s there that they loved. Thanks, ladies.

My cover designer also belongs to OSRBC. Lucy Rhodes of Render Compose was recommended to me by a common friend Leni Browne and I just marvel at how in sync we were while doing the covers. She’s in Australia, I’m in the US, but there were no barriers to our communication. Another note to my indie friends – ask me for Lucy’s contact information. You won’t regret it.

There are so many people to thank: my sister Myrtle and future brother-in-law R.G. Gallardo; one of my forever friends Chiqui; my first boss and fellow book-addict N; my Belarusian sestra Yulia; design consultant Celeste Odono; fellow Indie writer Rainne Mendoza; reenactors of my cover concept Renee, Tiara, Chippy, Lia, and Jonathan; my ARC readers, and my barkadas UNYLACE, CPP, and Burlesque. Thank you very much. Maraming salamat.

Special thanks to Tessa Dare for her wonderfully motivating words at the beginning of the year. She told me, “Doubt not.” Sometimes I did, but I persevered and now I’m a published author.

And now, I’m thankful.

Cherish Hard By Nalini Singh Book Tour

CHERISH_HARD_LIVE

Cherish Hard is NOW LIVE
Meet Sailor & Isa TODAY!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2yaHnQG
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2i1LhHC
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2yXwnFB
iBooks: http://apple.co/2xw0U0O
Nook: http://bit.ly/2yf01bI
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2i2wvR1

CherishHard_m

CHERISH HARD
A Hard Play Novel by Nalini Singh

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh kicks off her new Hard Play contemporary romance series with a sizzling story that’ll leave you smiling…

Sailor Bishop has only one goal for his future – to create a successful landscaping business. No distractions allowed. Then he comes face-to-face and lips-to-lips with a woman who blushes like an innocent… and kisses like pure sin.

Ísa Rain craves a man who will cherish her, aches to create a loving family of her own. Trading steamy kisses with a hot gardener in a parking lot? Not the way to true love. Then a deal with the devil (aka her CEO-mother) makes Ísa a corporate VP for the summer. Her main task? Working closely with a certain hot gardener.

And Sailor Bishop has wickedness on his mind.

As Ísa starts to fall for a man who makes her want to throttle and pounce on him at the same time, she knows she has to choose – play it safe and steady, or risk all her dreams and hope Sailor doesn’t destroy her heart.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

Cherish Hard Quote 2

EXCERPT FROM CHERISH HARD BY
NALINI SINGH

ÍSA WONDERED WHAT THE HELL she was doing.
Being a devil woman, she reminded herself. Having fun for a change. Not being a grandma at twenty-eight years of age.
Still, she couldn’t stop second-guessing herself as Sailor led her out of the house through a side entrance that opened out into a small, manicured garden. “I’ll have to take off my heels,” she whispered when she saw the pebbled path snaking through the garden.
“Want a piggyback ride?” A playful grin. “I promise not to molest your thighs.”
Goose bumps broke out over Ísa’s skin, her nipples tight. Reckless as she was feeling tonight, she might just have taken him up on his offer if she hadn’t been worried her damn dress would split in two. “Maybe when we’re naked,” she said instead, Devil Ísa in full flower.
Groaning, he doubled over as if she’d punched him.
Her lips twitching despite the melting sexual heat liquefying her bones, she leaned down to slip off her heels.
Sailor waited, his hand firm around hers, until she was done. Taking the heels from her, he carried them in his other hand as Ísa padded beside him on the grass that lay on this side of the pebbled path. The path ended at a weathered wooden gate, which, when opened, put them at the top of a narrow walkway that led down onto a beach Ísa couldn’t yet see but could hear.
Her heart crashed in time with the waves as they made their way down to the beach while the mansion behind them pulsed with light and music. But she didn’t turn and run away, she didn’t stop and talk herself out of it, she didn’t attempt to be a sensible adult. She followed a gorgeous, blue-eyed man down a dirt pathway to an effectively private beach.
The sand that had been tracked onto the path was gritty under her feet, the air coming off the sea cool but not cold.
“The water’s going to be icy, isn’t it?” she whispered to his broad back.
“Don’t worry, spitfire. I’ll keep you warm,” was the deep-voiced response. “Stop here.” Jumping down to the beach, he reached up to grab her by the waist, swinging her down as if she were a featherweight.
Something fluffy and mushy came to life inside Ísa. “Here?”
Shaking his head, he said, “Raj told me there’s like a little cove area—not a proper cove, but caused by— There.”
Ísa saw it at once. A huge tree had fallen into the water at some point and smashed up against some rocks where it appeared to be stuck. Between the jutting rocks on either side and the fallen trunk was a naturally created pool. The water within it was pretty calm, and it looked as if they could get to it by clambering over some rocks that didn’t appear too sharp or slippery.
Of course, she’d be walking over those rocks naked.
Ísa looked up at the moon. Imagined it shining on the stark white of her body. Gulped. “Will you close your eyes while I go in the water?” Even Devil Ísa wasn’t up for blinding him with her glow-in-the-dark form.
A glance back. “What’re you going to bribe me with?”
Ísa scowled. “Not pushing you into the water right now.” It was a toothless threat given his muscles and her lack of them.
Rubbing his jaw, he said, “Three tongue kisses. That’s my price, and I’m not budging.”
Ísa wanted to pounce on him all over again. “Two,” she countered.
“Nuh-uh. Three. Or I’m keeping both eyes wide open.” Leaning in, he pressed his nose to hers. “I really want to keep my eyes wide open.”
And Ísa really wanted to kiss him and run her hands all over that sculpted chest. “Three,” she whispered.

Cherish Hard Quote 3

Haven’t read this series yet? Start the Rock Kiss Series NOW!

Rock Addiction (Book One) Rock Kiss Series
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Rock Courtship (Book 1.5) A Rock Kiss Novel:
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Rock Hard (Book Two) Rock Kiss Series
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Rock Redemption (Book Three) Rock Kiss Series
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Rock Wedding (Book Four) Rock Kiss Series
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Author Information

nalini singh

Nalini Singh is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter, and Rock Kiss series. She lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing.

If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts and free short stories on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, while Angels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. The Rock Kiss books are all stand alone and can be read in any order.

STALK HER: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

MY REVIEW

Five stars. I love it hard. I took time out of preparing for the launch of my debut novel Boracay Vows and writing my second novel Singapore Fling during naNoWriMo to read Cherish Hard and I consider it time well spent. As usual, Nalini Singh tells a great love story not just between Isa and Sailor, but also between them and their friends and family. It’s a story that anyone can relate to, even though the characters might not look like them. I love that this book is multicultural and it reflects the reality of the world we’re living in right now. I adore that Isa is older than Sailor and she’s a full-figured woman with the normal insecurities, but with innate confidence as well. I love that Sailor is oh-so-sexy with a big heart. Like Rock Hard before it, Cherish Hard is a keeper for me. I can’t wait for the rest of the Hard Play books. Nalini, write quick!

Cover Story – Boracay Vows

Last week, I revealed the cover of my debut novel Boracay Vows and I’m so happy with the response I got from everyone who’s seen it. Some kept asking if that was me in the photo. I wish! I may have looked like the model twenty years ago when I first went to Boracay, but not now.

This has always been my vision of it from the beginning. A girl sitting on the white sand of Boracay facing the sea. When I was writing it during NaNoWriMo2016, this was my working cover.

Renee, my friend from high school, took it in Palawan and although it’s beautiful, it is not Boracay. So I pressed on.

In the past year, every time one of my friends would check in from Boracay, I’d send a message asking them to take a photo and explaining my concept. They were always accommodating. Here are a few samples from the ones I received.

Stunning, right? Whenever I get a photo, I was always envious that I wasn’t there myself.

Although great on their own, I wanted more of the recognizable Boracay icons on the cover. However, I’m not too proficient with photo enhancement softwares, so I consulted with an expert. Lucy Rhodes of Render Compose came to the rescue. After a few email and Facebook Messenger exchanges, we got it done. And it’s done very well indeed.

I really love it. I can’t wait for the readers to meet Krista and go to Boracay through my book. Coming very soon.

Photo credit: Renee, Tiara, Jonathan, and Chippy.

Cover Reveal: Boracay Vows

Friends, meet the luscious, vavavoom Krista Lopez, heroine of my first book Boracay Vows. Krista is spending this week in the island paradise of Boracay, Philippines to fulfill her Turning-Thirty Vow — the promise she made with her barkada to do something extraordinary in celebration of this milestone birthday. Today, November 2, is her thirtieth birthday. Happy birthday, Krista!

Many thanks to Lucy Rhodes for her patience while I hemmed and hawed over every image, color, shade, and font before deciding on the final combination. I really appreciate you.

Thanks also to my sister Myrtle Ruaza, photographer-extraordinaire Celeste Odono, and my token male-point-of-view opinionator husband for bearing with my constant demands for observations and agreement with my concerns. Thank you, salamuch, mwah!

I love it, y’all! Release news coming soon.

Happy Book Birthday!

Several of the ARCs I received are released today. Thanks to NetGalley, Goodreads, publishers, and authors for giving me the privilege. Today is turning out to be the busiest release day in Romance.

Wilde in Love (The Wildes of Lindow Castle #1) by Eloisa James

Lord Alaric Wilde, son of the Duke of Lindow, is the most celebrated man in England, revered for his dangerous adventures and rakish good looks. Arriving home from years abroad, he has no idea of his own celebrity until his boat is met by mobs of screaming ladies. Alaric escapes to his father’s castle, but just as he grasps that he’s not only famous but notorious, he encounters the very private, very witty, Miss Willa Ffynche.

My Review:

Wilde in Love is a sexy and funny Shakespearean comedy. The characters, both human and animal, are well described and distinctive. The situations are on the right side of farcical. Alaric and Willa are evenly matched in looks and intellect. Their interactions are sweet and steamy. I always like it when the hero realizes his feelings first and gives his all in wooing his beloved. Their attraction was natural and inevitable. As expected of an Eloisa James novel, Wilde in Love entertains and satisfies. That’s why she is an auto-buy for me.

A Daring Arrangement (The Four Hundred #1) by Joanna Shupe

Set in New York City’s Gilded Age, Joanna Shupe’s Avon debut introduces an English beauty with a wicked scheme to win the man she loves—and the American scoundrel who ruins her best laid plans…

Lady Honora Parker must get engaged as soon as possible, and only a particular type of man will do. Nora seeks a mate so abhorrent, so completely unacceptable, that her father will reject the match—leaving her free to marry the artist she desires. Who then is the most appalling man in Manhattan? The wealthy, devilishly handsome financier, Julius Hatcher, of course….

My Review:

This is probably my favorite of Joanna Shupe’s books so far. The story is familiar but she gives it a fresh twist which I enjoyed very much. A romance novel about an English heroine faking a relationship with an American hero set in New York during the Gilded Age is all kinds of fun. I liked both Nora and Julius. They’re strong characters and this book is really about how they fell in love in spite of the less than ideal beginning. I truly admire all of Ms. Shupe’s research on the era as there’s a sense of place to this book that makes the reader feel as if they’re there with the characters. I love New York and I loved being transported there when I read A Daring Arrangement. Another thing I appreciate with this book is the comparisons between English and American societies. There really is history in this historical romance.

The Bride Who Got Lucky (The Cavensham Heiresses #2) by Janna MacGregor

He would do anything to protect her. Even marry her…

The son of a cold-hearted duke, Nicholas St. Mauer isn’t one to involve himself in society…or open his own heart to anyone. But driven by honor, the reclusive Earl of Somerton feels obliged to keep a watchful eye on Lady Emma Cavensham. She possesses a penchant for passions unbecoming a woman that finds Nick in constant peril of losing his well-structured solitude. She even dared kiss Nick once―an utterly unladylike, and delightful, lapse…

My review:

I liked that the heroine Lady Emma is very passionate about her causes – her fight to get justice for the death of her friend Lena and her desire to help women in need by setting up a bank. I liked that she’s brave and that she loves to read.

I liked that Nick is a self-made man, that he amassed his own fortune. I liked that he is so protective of Emma even though he kept fighting his feelings for her. It is admirable that he stands firm on his principles and is not wishy-washy.

I appreciate that Ms. MacGregor has them waiting until they got married to consummate their relationship. I also liked that the whole family gets involved and although I haven’t read the first book, I appreciate that the story of Alex and Claire gets an update.

There were things I questioned in my advanced copy which I’m sure have been addressed before today’s publication date. Overall, a good book.

Giving, the final two days

My friend Linda is donating proceeds from her book sales to the Red Cross for Puerto Rico relief. Kindly support her in her charitable efforts.

On September 23rd, just over a month ago, I announced that until October 31st I would give all the proceeds from my books as donations to those in need after the hurricanes. I was hoping to raise loads of money; unfortunately I only managed about $18.00.

I’ve decided, therefore, to give all of the money to the Red Cross, to help the people of Puerto Rico. It’s not much–yet. But there are still two days to go. So in a last-ditch attempt to give aid where it’s needed, I pledge to match all the proceeds from my books sold until October 31st, 2017, at 11:59pm, with my own money.* That means if you buy All Good Stories, $o.70 will go to charity. For the e-book version of The Magician’s Curse, $4.20 will be donated, and for the paperback of the same title, you’ll be donating $12.50 between you and…

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Texas Is Romance Land

The coming weeks will be busy for romance writers and readers here in the great state of Texas.

On Sunday, October 22, my friends and I will head over to Dallas for the 12th Annual Buns and Roses Romance Tea for Literacy which benefits the Richardson Adult Literacy Center. I will sit at the table of the RITA Award-winning author Cheryl Etchison. I’m so excited to meet some of my favorite authors like Lorraine Heath, Lenora Bell, Sabrina Jeffries, Ilona Andrews, and Mary Jo Putney.

Not even a week later, I will see Cheryl again, along with Kerrelyn Sparks and Sherry Thomas, on Friday, October 27 at the Heart of ATX, a Romance Reading Salon event in Buda. One of my good friends Cathy Maxwell is hosting this event.

Sunday, October 29 is the monthly meeting of the Old School Romance Book Club San Antonio Chapter. Our Book of the Month is Maya Banks’s The Darkest Hour, book 1 of her KGI series.

Another event I’m super pumped to attend is the Romance Panel Discussion at the Texas Book Festival on Sunday, November 5 in Austin. The topic is very dear to my heart – Diversity in Romance. Alisha Rai, Sherry Thomas, Cat Sebastian, and Mia Sosa are confirmed to attend.

Here’s to Texas, one of the most Romantic states in the US.

Cover Reveal – Cherish Hard by Nalini Singh

I’m so excited about this book. I loved Rock Hard and I’m so looking forward to reading about Asa and Sailor. Thank you, Nalini, for allowing me to share this great news.

CHERISH HARD
A Hard Play Novel by Nalini Singh

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh kicks off her new Hard Play contemporary romance series with a sizzling story that’ll leave you smiling…

And Sailor Bishop has wickedness on his mind.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

EXCERPT

Fuming, Ísa made sure to set the alarm system and lock up. Everyone else was already well into their summer vacation—the sole reason Ísa was here was because she hadn’t been able to work on her lesson plans at home.

Her upstairs neighbor was having repairs done to her bathroom that required banging and hammering.

Not all of it involved nails and wood.

Hopefully the repairs would be finished by now. There was only so much ecstatic orgasmic screaming that a single woman in online-dating purgatory could stand without being driven to violence.

She spotted the tan-colored gardening truck the instant she came down the front steps of the school’s imposing redbrick main building and turned left to head toward her car. The hot gardener had parked it right next to her zippy blue compact. The front of the truck had four doors with tinted windows while the large bed was piled with shovels and other manly tools as well as a huge sack of clippings.

His light brown T-shirt was hanging over the top of the tailgate.

Which meant he was still walking around topless somewhere around here.

“Get in your car, Ísa,” she muttered to herself, well aware what would happen if she came face-to-face with that delicious hunk of manhood. Because while she might’ve conquered her shyness, she knew her limits.

Confronted by a bare-chested man who made her ovaries explode, she’d turn bright pink, lose her ability to form speech, and end of story. “Oh—”

She would’ve bounced off that sculpted chest if he hadn’t grabbed her by the hips.

“Hey, sorry,” he said with a startled smile that lit up the dazzling blue of his eyes. “I didn’t see you.”

“No, um, my fault.” It looked as if he’d crouched down to check one of his tires or something else but had risen to his feet right when she swung around to get into her car.

And God, his skin was so hot and smooth and he was so tall and his shoulders were so broad and her mouth was drying up. The stuttering would begin at any moment.

The same stuttering Suzanne had mocked relentlessly when they were fourteen. Until Ísa had gone silent around everyone except the few friends she trusted. And now that horrible, ugly-hearted girl was getting married, having a baby, getting a happily-ever-after. Added to which, Ísa’s mother was jerking her on a string like she was a marionette, and her last “date” had asked her to call him Woofy and reward him with doggy biscuits.

The blue of the gardener’s eyes flickered with a hot flame.

And she thought… I know him. But before she could follow that faint thread, all the fury and hurt and frustration and sheer aggravation in Ísa ignited into an incandescent inferno.

She went mad.

Grabbing the hot gardener’s beautiful face in her hands, she said, “I want to kiss you.”

A wicked grin. “Go on ahead.”

And Ísa pressed her lips to his.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

Meet Sailor & Isa on November 14th!
Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2yaHnQG
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2i1LhHC
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2yXwnFB
iBooks: http://apple.co/2xw0U0O
Nook: http://bit.ly/2yf01bI
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2i2wvR1

☆☆☆☆☆☆

Meet the Author

STALK HER: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Goodreads

Diversity, Thy Name Is Not Romance Novel

As a writer-of-color, I do appreciate the study recently conducted by The Ripped Bodice. It puts a spotlight on the sad state of racial diversity in romance publishing. Whether it changes anything is the challenge moving forward.

Nielsen did a similar study in the past and presented the report at the Romance Writers of America’s Annual Conference in 2016. The statistics then, as shared by Publishing Perspectives, were even more dismal.

I guess we can rejoice that the 2% non-white writers previously reported has ballooned to 7.8% in 2016. But, different research bodies, different samples, different methodologies make comparisons statistically invalid.

I am happy someone is pursuing the issue. I have long complained about the dearth of representation for Asians in the novels I read. That’s why I’m writing my own. But, I’m not going to sit around waiting for some publishing house to suddenly email after six months telling me that they’ve finally unearthed my manuscript from the depths of query hell and they now need me to increase their diversity numbers.

The truth is I want to control the setting of my novels, the design of my covers, the date of my publication, and the amount of my share of the sales, no matter how minuscule. As I can’t do those things with traditional publishing, I’m going indie. I’m sure many writers of color like me have the same mindset.

That doesn’t help improve future data for The Ripped Bodice’s study, but maybe they could expand it by investigating racial diversity in self-published romance in the future. It is almost a sure thing that it would yield more positive results. Perhaps instead of harping on traditional publishers to improve their inclusion, they should embrace independents more. Just my two cents.

Here’s the full report:

RippedBodiceReportFINAL