Happy New Year!

May New Year bring opportunities 

for happiness and prosperity

to everyone all the year through!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas

Baking and Making Goodies for the Holidays

I surely come by it naturally, this passion for baking goodies around the holidays. I'm making two pineapple upside down cakes, Yule time holiday fudge, peanut butter cookies, mulled apple cider, peppermint bark candy, star lollies, and plum pudding! Oh yes, I will be waddling down the hall once the holidays are over. No way to avoid it, because as you probably know, the best treats are taste tested during cooking to make sure they are just right. lol

Give the recipe below a try over the holidays and let me know if it was a hit with your family and friends. :)

Yule Time Fudge
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 cup butter, divided
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cup milk
12 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until combined. Bring to a boil; boil for 5 minutes without stirring. Reduce heat to low; stir in white chocolate. Cook and stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in extract. Fold in the almonds, cherries, and cranberries. Immediately spread into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in the refrigerator.

I want to thank all my readers and fans for their support this year, and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Season's Greetings, and an especially awesome New Year 2013!

May you enjoy good health, prosperity, love, and peace this coming new year.
Brightest blessings, Cass

Winner of Yule Tides Contest is...

The winner of my Yule Tides contest is...

N.J!

Congrats, N.J!

Thanks to my pal Ali for picking a number between 1 and 4 for me.

Also thanks to everyone who left a comment and entered.

Yule Tides Release Day!

My ebook Yule Tides is coming out later today for the Nook and for the Kindle! Weeee! Mermaid nookie rulz! lol

In honor of this very special day, I'm having a contest! 

Leave a comment on my blog and let me know which of my characters from my backlist of ebooks is your favorite,
(and if you've never read my books, let me know which book sounds the most interesting), and you're entered to win this prize pack of goodies:   

• a lovely blue and white dolphin cameo pin

• a jeweled writing pen

• a $10 Amazon eGift card

• kewl bookmarks

• A neat blue feather hair clip and...

• a lovely plated sterling silver 
genuine oyster pearl and white topaz necklace 

Contest ends December 18, 2012 at midnight! So leave your comment now and enter to win!

Must be 18+ to enter. Winner selected at random. The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Contest void where prohibited by law.  I strive to make my prize winners happy! However, as with all my contests, it is the participant’s responsibility to check the blog to see if their name is announced as a winner, and/or to respond to winning notification emails in order to claim your prize. Not responsible for lost/stolen mail.  

*Winner must reply to email message within 30 days of contest's winner announcement to receive prizes. Failure to reply within the given time will result in a forfeit and cause a second chance drawing and a new winner picked from pool of correct entries.
 

Yule Tides Sneak Preview Reading!

I'll be back at the Dunes of Romany Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 7:00PM SLT (10pm Eastern) and will be reading from my upcoming ebook release, Yule Tides!

Fun lovin' mermaids shake their tails and strut their stuff in land lubber nightclubs as they celebrating the season with comedic results...and seriously hawt passion.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Romany/161/45/22

It should be fun!

I sure hope to see you there. *waves a fin*

Now, wet your appetite with a short excerpt from Yule Tides!

YULE TIDES

by Cassandra Curtis ©2012

 

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Something tugged at Merilee’s back fin, spinning her round. Shark knife in her right hand, she prepared to defend herself as she’d been taught. But instead of a fearsome predator, she saw her cousin Nótt seated upon her black sea pony, Hrímfaxi.

“Did I startle you cousin? Were you lost in thoughts of home?”

Merilee shook her head, unwilling to admit she’d been distracted by a pair of humans she’d spotted near the cove; the couple’s hurried movements fueled by need and desire. Unable to look away, Merilee had held her breath, a silent voyeur in the water. Their passion sparked a desire in her unlike anything she’d ever known. What would it be like, wrapping legs around a man’s waist? To experience the undeniable attraction she had for humans, and succumb to the raw power of the mating instinct?

Nótt pointed toward the distant city lights. “See how they glow, cousin? The land welcomes us, Merilee. Come with us tonight.”

Temptation warred with caution. Her cousins were adventurous, often challenging each other, pushing the limits of courage and endurance. Her aunt called it folly, this lust for humans and their vices.

The last time she’d walked on land, Merilee’s parents had still been alive. Her older sister had stopped by for a visit and talked her into a day of shoe shopping at the mall near Copenhagen’s harbor. A bit of frivolous fun that harmed none...gods she missed the carefree life she’d had. Her beloved home waters seemed so far away.

“Are you coming with us tonight or not?” Her cousin asked again.

Merilee patted the sea pony’s forehead and debated whether it was worth the risk. If Aunt Helga found out, there would be trouble. Uncle’s wife disapproved of anything resembling human pleasures.

“I’ll even loan you my shiny azure dress with the black see through lace and my fuck me blue pumps,” Nótt promised. Merilee’s weakness for shoes was common knowledge among her cousins.

“Nótt! Aunt Helga would be so mad, hearing you use human curse words!”

“Should I care what that old sea witch thinks? Say you’ll come with us and play?”

The offer enticed Merilee. She did love dressing up and it had been so long. Her favorite silver high heels made her sea legs look curved and her body long and sexy. Aunt Helga had confiscated the shoes, saying human contraband had no place in her home.

 “Hose too?” Merilee dared to add.

“I have an extra pair still sealed in the package that you can have. But I need an answer now, before Aunt Helga notices we’re gone and sends someone to search for us,” Nótt warned in a breathy whisper.

“Yes. I’ll go with you.” As the words left her lips, the wind kicked up, and a cold shiver raced beneath her skin. Merilee hoped it wasn’t an omen of things to come.

“Meet us at the old fisherman’s shack when the moon is high over the cove, and don’t be late.”

“I’ll be there.” Merilee promised, and then bunched her muscles, somersaulted above the water. With a final wave of her blue and green tail, she disappeared beneath the lapping waves.

*  *  *

Merilee peered into the dark shack, wondering if she was early or if her cousins had already left. She’d had to sneak past her aunt, who had fallen asleep in a cozy, padded clamshell on the terrace of their underwater home. Forced to move one snore at a time, she’d clutched her waterproof pouch to her chest and swum fast as she could.

“Psst! Nótt, where are you?” She bumped her knee and run her hands over a wooden table.

A light sputtered to life. Startled, she jumped in fright, only to look into eyes as black as the deepest depths of the ocean.

 Soren stood in the doorway holding an oil lamp. He’d already dressed and combed back his dark, wet hair.

When Nótt had mentioned others going with them, she’d pictured her fun-loving, plump cousin Gertie, and maybe Aunt Helga’s niece, Sonja. Not the family bodyguard.

“Your cousins sent me to fetch you.” He set the lamp on a shelf and handed her a diver’s bag. She removed the package of panty hose and the shoes, and then bent to open the pouch she’d brought with her.

Soren turned to stare out a broken window while she hurried, toweling herself dry and sliding the hose over her feet. It wasn’t that she or her people were modest about something so natural as their unclothed bodies, but more about his training as a sentry.

 “We have to drive a different way into the city since the Flagler Memorial Bridge is closed for renovation.”

Merilee nodded, pulling the dress over her head and smoothing the shimmering fabric over her curves. She angled her feet into the high heel pumps and let out a squeal of delight, strutting across the shack and back again.

“My legs are great in these shoes!” The click of her stiletto heels on the wooden floor caused Soren to turn away from the window. “Look at my feet! Aren’t they cute?”

“You can admire yourself later.” He must have realized how harsh he’d sounded, adding, “I don’t like staying here longer than we have to, Merilee. There will be better opportunities to dance once we reach the city. Bring your bags, I’ll throw them in the trunk.”

Did Soren ever relax? Merilee noted the way he took in everything around them with a single glance, on constant alert.

“I’m surprised you agreed to come with us. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you have fun.” She shoved the wet towel into her zip pouch and blew out the lamp.

“Chaperoning three giggly mermaids nightclubbing with humans isn’t my idea of fun. I’m only here to keep you and your cousins out of trouble.” The rumbled growl of Soren’s tone reinforced his irritation with the task as they walked toward a nearby car.

“Then why didn’t you tell Aunt Helga?”

“Just get in the car.” He opened the rear passenger door, his expression closed.

Merilee greeted her cousins and got into the back seat with Nótt. Using the least bit of sea magic, she opened her senses, concentrating on the mental communication her people all shared, and narrowed her focus so only her cousin Nótt could ‘hear’.

Why did you invite Soren?

Soren is the only one of us who has a car, duh. Or did you want to walk several miles in heels? We couldn’t cross the bridge, there are humans working on it day and night. Trust me, your feet would hurt after the first few blocks.

Merilee knew her cousin was right, but that didn’t stop her from expressing her opinion. He’s a total downer and you know it.

Nótt’s lack of a reply spoke volumes. Gertie took the opportunity to half turn in her seat and squeeze Merilee’s hand.

“Oh, I’m so glad you came with us! This will be such fun, you’ll see. The nightclub is sea themed and they have rainbow sparkling lights in a fake grotto.” She leaned closer and whispered, “for cuddling and kissing.”

“Let’s not forget about the stripper pole,” Nótt grinned, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Merilee noticed Soren’s face in the car’s mirror and watched with curiosity as his muscles tensed. She shook off the odd sensation his reaction caused in her stomach and smiled at Gertie, asking, “What’s a stripper pole?”

“Wait. You’ll see.” Gertie wiggled her eyebrows.

Yule Tides • Coming Soon! 12/12/12

Drop by for a Cool Smutketeer Celebration!

Drop by December 5th 
and watch for my very special
holiday mermaid ornament giveaway 

plus fun stuff from:

T.J. Michaels, Mandy Roth, Michelle Pillow, 
and Shiloh Walker!

http://www.smutketeers.com/