Delighted About Culinary Delights!

Am I still in the midst of a mid-life crisis, as the 50th birthday approaches?

Yes.

Am I getting a bit better about things? More philosophical? More settled? More at peace with the world?

Yes.

Recovering from bilateral pneumonia--a relapse--and the cough-from-hell definitely helped out!

Am I SUPER excited about my bucket-list trip to Iceland coming up in August?

YES!

Mr. and Mrs. Puffin say hello!

Am I still searching for "my people"...aka, readers who like mature characters, a good story, real romance, and aren't turned on by dialogue like "I'm gonna bang you so hard, baby!"

Yes.

So, what to do? How to find new readers?

Well, I have news for old readers and new readers!

For old readers/fans/people-who-put-up-with-my-rants, folks-who-like-Tom-Hiddleston, etc...

New content is coming soon. I am working on two books, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF JOHN B. HAMILTON AND THE BLUEBERRY PIE. (Check out fun Pinterest board!)

And the other new project is SWEET DESTINY, the final Klaus Brothers book, which will be released next Christmas (2016). (Check out fun Pinterest board!)

Now, for the NEW readers...

I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR YOU, FAR AND WIDE! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?

Don't be afraid. I'm not as scary as I look...

My eyes aren't always this crazy, I swear!

I decided a fun way to find some new readers would be to offer a sampler collection of my work...and it would be REALLY fun to do this with Julia Barrett, who also writes award-winning foodie fiction stories.

So...Julia and I put together a collection of foodie romance, all previously published stories...

A TASTE OF HEAVEN (Watson) --full-length novel

BEAUTY AND THE FEAST (Barrett) --full-length novel

APPLES SHOULD BE RED (Watson) --novella

DINNER WITH A HIGHLAND GHOST (Barrett) --novella

We are offering this collection for an awesome introductory price...$2.99 (digital only). Here is our cover, blurb, and all purchase links.

If any of my loyal readers have friends who might enjoy Scottish chefs, cussing, delicious recipes, grumpy old men, gnomes, sexy ghosts, and a sensual feast in the Napa Valley, send them our way!

Here are purchase links, cover, and blurb! Carry on!

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

iBooks

Kobo

Inktera

Scribd

Blurb:

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Award-winning authors Julia Barrett and Penny Watson are thrilled to present a sampler collection of foodie fiction.

If you like Top Chef, Julia Child, the romance of the Napa Valley, and the mystery of the Scottish highlands, then you will love CULINARY DELIGHTS: Four Delectable Foodie Romances.

CULINARY DELIGHTS includes previously published content (two full-length novels and two romance novellas).

***Collection includes ten original recipes by Julia Barrett***

A TASTE OF HEAVEN by Penny Watson

Forty-seven-year-old widow Sophia Brown enters a cooking competition determined to reinvigorate her life, not expecting to find a giant Scottish obstacle blocking the path to victory. Elliott Adamson has one goal in mind...winning. But a smoldering attraction to his amateur partner may derail his plans.

“Lots of humor, romance, and a touching story of second chances.” (KIRKUS REVIEWS)

Best of 2015 Lists at Babbling About Books, Heroes and Heartbreakers, Smexy Books, and Fiction Vixen

BEAUTY AND THE FEAST by Julia Barrett

Eva Raines is an uncomplicated country girl about to embark on a new adventure as a personal chef in the Napa Valley. Wealthy entrepreneur Gabriel Abbott has no idea the sound of a woman's voice and the taste of her decadent food hold such seductive powers. When they finally meet in person, the chemistry between them is hot enough to ignite a barbecue.

“Spicy, sensual, and masterfully woven.” (MANHATTAN BOOK REVIEW)

Amazon #1 Bestseller, Annual Dixie Kane Memorial Contest 3^rd Place Winner

APPLES SHOULD BE RED by Penny Watson

What happens when prim-and-proper Beverly and cranky curmudgeon Tom are forced to spend Thanksgiving together? A beer-can turkey, a stolen gnome, and some unexpected chemistry...in and out of the kitchen.

“Sexy and heart-warming.” (NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS)

2015 CoRWA Award of Excellence Finalist, 2015 DABWAHA Finalist

DINNER WITH A HIGHLAND GHOST by Julia Barrett

Restaurant-owner Emma Steen leaves scorching Arizona behind and arrives in Scotland hoping for a much-needed breath of fresh air. She never expects to encounter another living person on her first hike to Loch Ness, let alone a kilt-wearing bare-chested Highland hottie.

Pity he's also dead.

"Get ready for a romance story that will give you goose bumps in the best possible way...within the pages of Dinner with a Highland Ghost is one of the most complete, heartfelt, romantic and beautiful stories I've read in a while." (LONG AND SHORT REVIEWS)

The Jewish Collection (Contemporary Romance) by Julia Barrett

My good friend Julia Barrett has a new book out this week! The Jewish Collection--Contemporary Romance Volume 1. I met Julia on-line after I saw a review for Beauty and the Feast. I read it, loved it, emailed her, we started a long-distance correspondence, and we became great friends. I talk to her every day on the phone, and we have visited each other in Napa and Boston. She is an incredibly talented writer, as well as a loyal friend and lovely person.

Her background and education are fascinating and impressive. At the age of 17, she went to Israel and lived on a kibbutz for a year. She became fluent in Hebrew. When she returned to the U.S., she attended and graduated from the University of Iowa, where she majored in creative writing and minored in Jewish Studies. Her Jewish identity is an important part of her life, and it's reflected in many of her stories. This collection is the first volume and it includes three of her books that I really enjoyed...

Beauty and the Feast...a sexy award-winning foodie romance set in the Napa Valley (See my full review here). This book manages to combine mouth-watering recipes, the romantic backdrop of Napa, and a super sexy romance.

A Matter of Taste...a sweet quickie novella about a woman who inherits a cookbook from her Jewish grandmother and finds a magical recipe for love.

Pushing Her Boundaries...an awesome survival-adventure romance based on a real life experience. (Full review here)

I highly recommend this book as a great introduction to Julia's talented writing and storytelling abilities.

Purchase links...

iBooks

B/N

Kobo

Amazon

For more information about Julia Barrett, check out her website.

Here's a photo from a few years ago when Julia visited me in Boston. Yep, that's Ming Tsai hanging out with us at Blue Ginger!

 

HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO JULIA!

Love, Penny