Blog Bash Day 6 with Eliza Gayle + Giveaway

Happy Blogoversary JoJo!

I can't believe we are only a few days away from the next fabulous Authors After Dark. It's going to be fun to see everyone again as well as meet all kinds of new people. I met JoJo last year and can't wait to catch up. *tackle hug*

Let's start our Monday off with an awesome hottie. I've recently become enamored with Michael Fassbender and when I was looking for a hot Irishman to inspire me for my latest WIP, I could resist him. Technically he's German Irish but having spent most of his growing up years in Ireland he sounds pretty darn Irish. And it is all about the accent isn't it? God, I love a man with a sexy accent. Let's not even get into my obsession with Gerard. ;)

Since we're celebrating I thought I'd share one of my new favorite things to make. Cake pops. I've always been a cupcake lover but these darn cake pops are the cutest things. I've made chocolate ones, red velvet ones and in honor of the final Harry Potter movie my daughter and I made golden snitch cake pops. They are really easy to make, especially with the cheat sheet method of using a cake mix instead of from scratch. ;) If you wanted to make them even easier you could use a can of cream cheese frosting instead of the homemade version I list below.

Chocolate Cake Pops

~A small chocolate cake mix, prepared per the box instructions. (I use one of those small box of chocolate cupcake mixes. If you use a full size cake mix you will have a TON of cake pops.)

~Wilton Candy Melts

~Lollipop Sticks

~Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

After you've prepared the cake mix and baked a small cake or cupcakes, let it cool, then crumble the cake into a bowl.

Mix in about a 1/2 or so of the cream cheese frosting to bind the cake together. (you can either cut down the recipe or save the left overs for your next batch. Trust me you will want to make these again.)

Form the mixture into quarter size balls ( a small scoop really does work the best.)

Add the lollipop sticks and then refrigerate for an hour.

Melt the Wilton candy (I do this in the microwave a little at a time) and dip the pops into the melted chocolate. This is the part that will take some practice. Don't expect perfectly smooth cake balls on your first batch.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

~8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

~1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

~1/4 tsp salt

~1 tsp vanilla

~3 cups powdered sugar, sifted

~3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

Cream the cream cheese and butter together thoroughly. Add the salt, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Finally, mix in the melted chocolate and blend thoroughly until smooth.

Keep in mind that if your family is anything like mine, these will disappear fast.

So far for Monday:

Hot guy - check

Chocolate - check

Now we need a book to go with it. I wandered over to my keeper shelf on the hunt for an oldie but goodie for you and this is what I chose. This is one of my all time favorite, laugh out loud, summertime books. And I can't think of a better book that makes me want to eat cake pops while I read it.

All Sophie Dempsey wants to do is help her sister make a video of a washed-up actress and get out of town before they get into trouble. The daughter of generations of con men, Sophie’s trying to walk the straight and narrow, but it’s, well, difficult.

All Mayor Phineas Tucker wants to do is run Temptation with as little fuss as possible and win his upcoming election without cutting into the time he needs for his real passion: playing pool. The son of generations of mayors, Phin’s trying to be an upstanding citizen, but it’s, well, boring.

It only takes one look before Sophie knows that Phin’s the kind of boy her mother used to warn her about– a fast-talking town boy– and Phin knows she’s the kind of woman his father told him to stay away from– the devil’s candy.

And in no time at all, boredom is the least of their difficulties. Gossip, adultery, and blackmail; pornography, politics, and murder; vehicular abuse of a corpse and slightly perverse but really excellent sex: all hell is breaking loose in Temptation, Ohio, while Sophie and Phin fall deeper and deeper in trouble… and in love.

As an extra nod to this Monday, I'd love to give away an eBook. I've recently re released the 3rd book in my magick series, Force of Magick. Hot men, non stop action and plenty of sexy time. That's what this series is made of. I'll give you the choice of which book in the series you'd like to receive but here is the blurb for the latest one, Force of Magick.

Dennison Scott is destined to succumb to his dark magick unless he finds and takes his empathic mate, a female born into the prophecy. But this earth witch has already forged a bond with his current lover, Jake that he has no intention of breaking. Curse or no curse.

When both Denn and Jake begin to fantasize about a dark-haired witch, the real trouble begins.

Raven is a witch and a bounty hunter willing to sell her power to the highest bidder, even the enemy. Until she tried to kill one of the Scott twins which left her on the brink of death. Now with her magick bound and captive to two men, she is more vulnerable than ever and she has to decide whether to trust in the impossible or fight for the life she thought she was destined for.

To win just tell me:

What is your favorite accent to hear from a hero?

Happy Monday!

Eliza Gayle

http://elizagayle.net/

*** Giveaway ends tomorrow night 8-10 at midnight, winner named here

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