Giveaways, Hobbies, Birthday Celebration, and More!

So much happening in May here at the J.Q. Rose blog and at the Girls Succeed blog.

Children’s Book Week Giveaway Hop

May 13th – 19th

Hosted by 

KidLitFrenzy, Mymcbooks

& I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

~~Win over a 100 prizes by taking part in the Giveaway Hop. 

What a fantastic opportunity.

Click on over to the Girls Succeed blog to enter the drawing for my non-fiction book for girls, Girls Succeed: Stories Behind the Careers of Successful Women. 

Just enter a comment to be eligible to win!

~~Beginning next Thursday, May 23, and continuing every Thursday this summer, authors will be showcasing their creativity, but not just in writing. We'll explore the pastimes of authors when they share their hobbies with readers. Check out the right margin to discover my guests and the dates they will be visiting the J.Q. Rose blog.

Generous authors will award giveaways too.

~~Somehow Vern the Dragon from Karina Fabian's Dragon Eye PI series got word of our hobby event this summer and decided to share his hobby

during the Greater Treasures Book Tour. He'll kick off the Hobby Hoe-down on Wednesday, May 15. And you can win the e-book, Greater Treasures.

~~May is my birthday month, so beginning today, right now, leave a comment and you will win the opportunity to name the shadow person in my work-in-progress! Having that character's name will be a birthday gift I will truly appreciate!

After your name is drawn on Monday, May 27 at 9 pm, I'll give you the info about the character so you can conjure up a name for him. Your name will appear in the acknowledgement section of my new mystery. Put on your thinking caps!!

What a month of fun and prizes. Thanks for visiting the J.Q. Rose blog!

Exciting Events This Week

This week is full of wonderful, exciting events. My daughter's birthday is on 

Thursday March 7. 

Happy birthday, Lee Ann oxoxox

.

Release day is today for my writing buddy, Tess Grant! Book Three of the Kitty Irish Trilogy is out. Flying in the Dark is available at Amazon, Smashwords, and on sale at Turquoise Morning Press! It’s on the way at Barnes and Noble and in paperback. Congratulations, Tess.!

High school senior Kitty Irish knows exactly what Daniel Phinney expected of her—eradicate the werewolves haunting the Manistee National Forest—until her father comes home from Iraq and takes over.
Too bad Kitty’s plan unravels. 

I will be hopping around cyberspace. I look forward to visiting with readers at the following stops this week--

Today through Thursday at Rosemary Gemmell's blog talking about what inspired me to write a non-fiction book for girls, Girls Succeed: Stories Behind the Careers of Successful Women.

Tuesday, March 5 at Kim Creswell's blog. She asks lots of questions to make me think.

Thursday, March 7 at Tess Grant's blog about choosing a title for a book.  (yes, this is my friend who just released her book. I'm visiting her on Thursday. I hope she has come down from Cloud 9 by then.)

I hope you'll join me this week. And don't forget to leave a comment on the Coda to Murder book tour visits to win prizes!!

Thank you!!

Hubby's Birthday

Today is my hubby's birthday. No special plans except we will be packing for our trip to Alaska. We leave tomorrow, so I have no idea if I will have Internet access during this trip. Anybody know if there is wi-fi in the Alaskan bed and breakfasts in the middle of nowhere?? LOL...

I'm looking forward to being away from it all for a bit. But when I do get service, I will post some pics and let you know if a moose ran over me and other interesting tidbits.

I'll be joining you all again soon. Keep the light on for me!!

Recipe: My Birthday Treat for You--Texas Sheet Cake

Peach rose bush--a birthday gift from my hubby.

Roses on the table.

My birthday is this week and I am celebrating all week long it seems, almost a month long since my husband surprised me with this beautiful rose bush for my gift early in May. Last night a dinner out with friends at a restaurant on a small inland lake (gorgeous evening), tomorrow shopping trip, and Sunday the whole family comes over for a cookout.

Since the family is bringing the food, I volunteered to make my birthday cake, so of course, I get to make my favorite, Texas Sheet Cake. A delicious chocolate cake with chocolate icing (or do you say frosting?) poured over the top of the cake while it is still warm. Mmmmm....good. The cake is baked in a cookie sheet (with sides), so it is a Texas-sized cake for sure. 


Do you want a piece of this delicious cake? Okay, cyberly speaking, you can, but virtually you really can because I am including the recipe for you. My neighbor, Trude, made one of these for us about 38 years ago and gave me the recipe. It has become one of our family's favorites. Thanks, Trude!

Trude's Texas Sheet Cake

Heat oven  to 400 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet by spraying with cooking oil.

2 c. flour

2 c. sugar

1 cup margarine

1/2 c. cocoa

1/2 c. oil

1 c. water

1/2 c. buttermilk (I make my own buttermilk-- Put 1/2 T. vinegar or lemon juice in measuring cup and add milk to measure 1/2 cup.) You can also use sour cream or plain yogurt. 

2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda

 a pinch to 1 tsp. of salt

Mix flour and sugar in bowl.

In saucepan, heat the butter, cocoa, oil , and water till melted. Pour over the flour and sugar in the bowl, then  stir well. Add remaining ingredients and beat together. Pour into prepared cookie sheet. 

Bake 20 minutes.

Frosting: Begin making this five minutes before cake is done.

1 stick margarine

4 T. cocoa

6 T. milk

1 lb. box powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla 
1 c. nuts (optional)

Bring butter, cocoa, and milk to a boil in saucepan. Remove from heat and immediately stir in powdered sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat smooth, fold in nuts, and pour frosting over cake.

Mmmmm...making my mouth water now! Serve it warm with ice cream or let it cool and serve with ice cream. It's good just plain too!!! Enjoy....

And no I won't tell you how many candles there are on my birthday cake!! 

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