Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews: Guest post from action-romance novelist Emma Calin

This is a special guest post today, but first I want to mention that our guest, Emma, will be awarding a $30 Amazon voucher to one (1) randomly drawn commenter; a print copy of Shannon's Law will be awarded to two (2) randomly drawn commenters; and a digital copy of Shannon's Law will be awarded to three (3) randomly drawn commenters during the tour. And ALL ENTRANTS get emailed a digital cookery book of recipes (including photos!) for meals/food eaten in Shannon's Law. The book is called 'Cops Cuisine'.

To be entered for a chance to win any of the gifts and/or get a copy of Cops Cuisine, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit other tour stops and enter there, too.

Thank you so much for letting me showcase my forthcoming steamy action-romance novel SHANNON’S LAW. It’s the second in my PASSION PATROL series - stories where sassy female cops lock up the criminals and always get their man.

February marks the start of my “Pinterest Reveal Virtual Book Tour” in the run-up to the launch on the 28^th February 2014.

Every day there are feature posts on topics relating to SHANNON’S LAW on blogs all around the world. They’re all linked together on one big Pinterest Board. Each post replaces a ‘mystery’ silhouette that was posted in January. I saved all my notes and photos as I was writing, on a private Pinterest Board and now I can share them with you.

Today’s subject is: Food of Love – companion recipe book to Shannon’s Law

All-action all-loving cops need fuel. In the course of Shannon's Law she and others chomp their way through a fair bit of food. As I was writing it occurred to me that readers might like to experience some of the dishes for themselves. So it was that Cop’s Kitchen came into being. Where a dish is mentioned I have created a recipe. All the food has been tried out at home. Now you can too. The color photos are all my own work as well. As a special treat during the run-up to launch of Shannon’s Law – every reader who enters the Rafflecopter Draw below gets a FREE digital copy of Cop’s Kitchen!

Shannon is a working girl. Between love and crime action she often has little time to consider her diet let alone slave at the stove or go shopping for herbs and spices. As a true English girl she is well acquainted with take out fish and chips. She has a favorite Curry house to beat anything she could make. Although she buys some dishes ready made, I have recreated the real thing in my own way, using traditional methods. Very often it is the police canteen that keeps her fueled up for drama and passion. My ex cop partner appears to have spent a lot of his career sustained by a famous police dish – Sausage Toad with chips. In the book, Shannon has an important meeting with her boss over such a feast.

Excerpt:

“Now, that’s what I call true Force feeding!” he said.

Shannon laughed and treated the delicacy with brown HP sauce. She missed stuff like this in her new life. Her hips were cheering. They sat down by the window looking out onto the urban swirl of cars and Croydon concrete.

A recipe from Cop’s Kitchen to whet your appetite:

TOAD IN THE HOLE also known as SAUSAGE TOAD

( as seen on the front cover of Cop’s Kitchen)

Ingredients to serve 4 people:

8 best-quality meaty sausages.

150g (6 oz) plain flour.

4 medium eggs.

150ml (6fl oz) milk, whole or semi skimmed.

100ml (4floz) water.

salt and pepper

Method:

Put the oven on to heat up: gas mark 7, 425F 220C.
Beat the eggs together in a bowl.
Sieve the flour if you wish (I never bother.)
Make a dip in the center of the flour and add the eggs to the flour
Gradually mix the dry flour into the eggs from the edges
Before all the flour is mixed into the egg it will become a dry and solid mass, add a third of the milk. Mix well, try and keep it smooth lump-free. It will start to become a thick solid paste.
Add half the remaining milk and continue to work into the paste.
Add the rest of the milk and whisk until a smooth batter.
Add the water. Whisk.
Add a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper. Leave the finished batter to one side.
Put the sausages in a deep rectangular roasting tin, around 30cm x 20cm x 5cm(12''x8''x2''). Arrange in two rows, evenly spaced.
Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place on the hob – if there is not much oil from the sausages, add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil to the pan. Gently release the sausages, but leave them in their positions.
Turn on the hob and heat the tray directly until the fat is smoking hot. Do not leave unattended!
Turn off the heat and pour the batter over the sausages.
Put the tray back in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Do not open the oven whilst cooking.

Suggestion: Serve with gravy and mashed potato (Shannon eats hers with chips from the police canteen).

Book Blurb

Wild child inner-city cop Shannon Aguerri walks a dangerous line between her methods and justice. When the bosses lose their nerve, after yet another maverick mission, she is transferred to green pastures to play out the role of a routine village cop. When she encounters signs of slave and drug trafficking she homes in on serious millionaire criminals.

As a loner she has attracted men but nothing has stuck. When she meets Spencer, the hunky and widowed Earl of Bloxington, there is an immediate rapport between them. Their social differences mean nothing to their passion and need.

Already in the mix is an upper class female rival – who has long plotted her way into the Earl's bed. The jealousy is an evil shade of green and the anger is a violent scarlet.

Often inhibited by a sense of duty and honour, Spencer is slow to reveal his feelings. When Shannon confronts him with the need to choose between her word and that of her rival, he does not immediately support her.

All issues are set aside, when they are forced together to carry out a desperate rescue mission. Their love is stronger than everything ranged against them.

SHANNON’S LAW comes out on February 28^th 2014 in print and digital formats for all e-readers.

Amazon are offering some great discounts for pre-orders of the paperback version

(29% off in USA, 12% off in the UK).

You can pre-order the digital version at a pre-launch special price from Nook, Kobo, and iTunes. It will also be available in all digital formats on Smashwords

See this post and others from my tour as they go live on Pinterest or click the Goddess Fish panel below to visit the other blogs in the tour.

Follow Shannon’s Law on Facebook

Visit the Shannon’s Law Website for book details and pre-order information.

To celebrate the launch of SHANNON’S LAW, there is a special FREE gift for you in my RAFFLECOPTER draw. As well as great, unique prizes to win, EVERY ENTRANT will get their own digital copy of – COP’S KITCHEN. There are many ways to get bonus chances – by commenting on this post, liking Facebook Pages etc.

ENTER DRAWING HERE: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28591019

Main Prizes in the Draw:

$30/£20/€25 Amazon Gift Voucher, 2 paperback copies of Shannon’s Law, 3 digital copies of Shannon’s Law.

The draw will take place randomly on Rafflecopter on the 7^th March 2014.

Shannon’s Law comes out in paperback and digital formats for all e-readers

on February 28^th 2014.