Thursday, March 15, 2012

St. Patty's Day Blog Hop!!!

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

No, I'm not Irish and, yes, I googled that.

Last blog hop I gave away an e-copy of my book, Destiny United, that featured an Irish fae. This time I'll let you choose your own book (it'll be mine, right? RIGHT?) with an Amazon or B&N gift card for $10 (open US and Internationally).

Today I'm going to talk about pinching. Yes, pinching. Why, you ask? Because I'm weird.

When I asked the host of the hop, Carrie Ann Ryan, what the blog post should be about she gave me a list of suggestions: St. Patty's day, wearing green, beer, traditions, pinching...

I'm not Irish. I'm Swedish, my husband's Italian, and my kids are Puerto Rican (figure that one out). So I'm unfamiliar with the traditions. When she suggested pinching, well, I thought she was being weird.

I looked up St. Patrick's Day and pinching and found this explanation:


"Forgot to wear green on St. Patty’s Day? Don’t be surprised if you get pinched. No surprise, it’s an entirely American tradition that probably started in the early 1700s. St. Patrick’s revelers thought wearing green made one invisible to leprechauns, fairy creatures who would pinch anyone they could see (anyone not wearing green). People began pinching those who didn’t wear green as a reminder that leprechauns would sneak up and pinch green-abstainers." 


How did I not know this?

Well, I'll tell you one thing, I fully intend to take advantage of this new information today on my family, friends, random strangers on the street...I don't care if you're wearing green or not. No one is safe from my fingers. If someone looks at me funny (or threatens bodily harm), I'll just give them an innocent look and say "the leprechaun did it."

Now that we've gotten the mandatory blog post out of the way, here's an excerpt from my newest PNR release, Destiny Unchained.

Blurb:  They call her The Huntress. A vampire with lethal focus, Natalia hunts rogue werewolves and kills them without mercy. She buried her heart centuries ago. Now she lives only for revenge. But when she’s forced to team up with the alpha of the northwest werewolf pack to catch a werewolf serial killer, her carefully controlled world is shattered by the passionate Cristian. Will Natalia accept Cristian’s claim on her heart even if it means sacrificing a part of who she is?





“How can you stand it?” Natalia asked, her nose scrunched in disgust. “It doesn’t smell anything like Chinese food.” The offending odor was called General Tsao’s chicken. It was unlikely General Tso Tsung-tang of the Qing dynasty had favored – or even eaten – fried chicken soaked in sickeningly sweet-smelling syrup. Take-out Chinese food was one of the many atrocities that made her glad to be a vampire. It was right up there with tanning beds and sagging breasts.

“And how would you know what real Chinese food smells like?” Cristian asked, popping a piece of chicken in his mouth.

They sat at the small table in the motel room, the six o’clock news filling the background as they half paid attention for clues. Sleep that day had been oddly refreshing, especially considering she’d shared a bed with a werewolf. Not to mention he was a blanket hog. “I spent a few years in the Kunlan Mountains during the seventeenth century. I know what real Chinese food smells like.” She opened one of the cookie packages and sniffed it. “What do they make these out of? Cardboard?”

He grabbed the cookie from her hand. “Miniature life lessons.”

“They make them out of miniature life lessons?”

A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest. “No, you’re likely right about the cardboard. But it’s what’s inside that’s important.” After he broke the cookie apart, he regarded the fortune thoughtfully.

“Well? What’s it say?”

His brows furrowed. “A handsome blonde will enter your life bearing words of wisdom and a big –”

“Head?”

He looked at her. “Not what I was going to say.”

She tried, unsuccessfully, to smother a smile. “Give me that.” She snatched the paper from his hand and read it.

Love is for the lucky and the brave.

“So,” Cristian said, waggling his eyebrows, “feeling lucky?”

She chuckled, wadded up the piece of paper, and threw it at him. He beamed, likely proud he made her laugh. Gods only knew why he was obsessed with it.

“Luck I get,” she said when they’d sat in silence once more. “But why brave?”

He shifted in his seat then sat forward, his gaze piercing through her. “Because, Natalia, love is a risk. Love from the depths of your soul requires a certain amount of sacrifice. It bids you to give yourself wholly to another. To allow someone to view you like a prism, assessing you at every angle, examining every flaw. You must lay yourself before them, open and bare, and say, ‘here I am. I hold nothing back. I am yours, mind, body, and soul.’ And all you can do is hope they don’t crush you.” He leaned closer. “But the man who truly loves you will tend to your heart like he tends a garden, nurturing it until it grows and blooms under his hand.”
She was on the edge of her seat, her gaze locked on him. Finally, she tore away and fiddled with her hands. 

Clearing her throat, she forced herself to say, “Well said, Romeo.”

***

Now remember this book and all the rest of mine are only $2.99 on all e-readers!

Comment with your email address below and make sure you're following my blog and I'll announce the winner tomorrow! Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to check out the other blogs in the hop by clicking on the link to the left.

58 comments:

  1. I'd forgotten about the pinching thing. I used to get pinched on St. Patrick's Day when I was a kid in New Jersey, it's not so common in Illinois (or maybe between adults).

    Too funny, I'm wearing a green shirt today. It's the only one I own, so I guess it'll have to do double duty tomorrow to ward off potential pinchers.

    acm05atjuno.com

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  2. My kids have reminded me every day this week that if I didn't wear green they would be pinching me---I said to them "REALLY? you think you should pinch your mother?" My son proceeds to say "Well, we do it to everyone else and i am all about treating everyone equal'---HA1 Now where in the heck did my 8 yr old come up with that?
    kristinparmenter51@gmail.com

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  3. I'm Irish - well, part-Irish - and I'd never known how pinching became part of the day. Thanks for that bit of information.
    Have to say, I'm not a huge reader of romance, but your blurb and excerpt have won me as a fan of yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks! it's a true romance but also has a crime suspense storyline to it. hope you like it if you decide to read it.

      Delete
  4. Oh I see how it is...you want to talk about pinching and other goodies, so you blame me? LOL

    I actually knew the reason behind pinching my grandda told me about it.

    yes, I'm 50% Irish with 2 100% Irish grandparents, so I get all the tales.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What a fun post! I'm intrigued. Swedish, Italian and Puerto Rican? I have to say that I'd just love to come to your house for dinner to see what you serve! LOL.

    I'm an e-mail subscriber and Networked Blogs follower.

    sandy(dot)wolters(at)q(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. adoption. and dinner's are usually dinosaur shaped.

      Delete
  6. Love the name of your blog! Books sound great too!

    New follower!
    mmafsmith at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  7. New follower and very excited about that too!
    Sarabook7237@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I followed your blog!

    Happy St Patty's Day!

    tamariasoana@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for the giveaway! Your book sounds great.
    prettyhaydengurl@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is a great excerpt, thanks for sharing! I'm not Irish at all either, and I had not heard that pinching starting here in the US either, interesting for sure. Thanks for participating in such a great Hop :)

    Eva
    evitap67(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I didn't know about the pinching history. Very interesting! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

    GFC: Krista

    Krista
    theangrypollo{ AT }yahoo{DOT }com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love a man who's well-spoken. torymichaels@live.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm glad I'm not the only one who'd never heard of the pinching. I live in Canada, and I don't ever remember any pinching going on during St. Patrick's Day.

    All the best!
    ~Jessica
    jessicasubject.writer at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm 100% Polish and the only thing I know about the Irish is...well....their FINE tradition of Irish Whiskey!

    Thanks for the amazing giveaway!
    elizabeth @ bookattict . com
    GFC: BookAttict

    ReplyDelete
  15. I had never heard of the pinching tradition before today. Sounds silly but cute. Thanks for the giveaway.
    Lmackesy at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  16. What a great post. I honestly didn't know about the whole pinching thing either ... until now. :)
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Happy St. Patrick's Day.

    Pam
    vanillaorchids69(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  17. happy st. patrick's day!! :)
    while I was posting this comment, david beckham is staring at me.. *swoon*
    GFC: Arianne Cruz
    email: cruz042 at cougars.csusm.edu

    ReplyDelete
  18. Happy St' Patty's Day all!!
    Actually Leia it would be your book :)
    I entered the last contest and even crossed my fingers, but obviously :/

    lol- thank you for the contest!

    ~Ava~
    dragonlady029@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thanks for the great post.
    Will definitely be wearing green tomorrow.
    Happy St. Patrick's Day
    Follow via Networked Blogs
    Jean
    skpetal at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fabulous excerpt! And that cover, *sigh*, its what dreams are made of!

    I'm a new email follower, and glad to be!
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Liz
    liz@fictionalcandy.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wearing green pajamas and reading Irish themed books tomorrow...LOL
    Roarke and Eve here get ready... :)
    Follow GFC

    koonie2888 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thanks for the giveaway and the excerpt :)

    cigam9 at gmail dot com

    GFC=R.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Happy St Patty's Day!

    Krystalamaral92(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  24. hope you have great day i am going ot fair and then yard saleing

    happy st pat day

    ReplyDelete
  25. Awesome excerpt!! And the pics on your site are delicious!! Thanks for the fun blog hop!
    jennyrlowery@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank you for sharing an excerpt. Have a great weekend. I'm spending it with my family.

    Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  27. That was a great excerpt and he really knows how to describe the vulnerability of love. But, I didn't need convincing; I've had your books already on my wish list because I think they sound awesome.

    Thanks for participating in the hop and for the giveaway opportunity.
    GFC: Sophia Rose
    sophiarose1816@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. this bloh hop can be very informative^^

    Happy St patrick's day and thanks you a lot for this great international giveaway

    i follow via email

    isabelle(dot)frisch(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I also don't celebrate St. Patric Day. My knowledge comes from TV relations from other countries and is limited to drinking and singing people wearing funny hats. The 'wearing green or orange', 'corned beef and cabbage ', 'pinching' - today is first time I'm hearing about this. One thing that's universal I think is a clover (especially four-leaf one) as a symbol of luck. I loved looking for them as a child.

    +I'm a follower

    Joan

    0401romance[at]gmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Yep I am well aware of the pinching thing...and I hate it. LOL

    celjla212 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  31. GFC Hillary

    Thanks for the chance to win! Book 1 has been added to my amazon wishlist ;-)

    Hillary
    hillacurr@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. I always forget to wear green on St. Patty's Day (I get pinched a lot!)
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    lexie.bookbug at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  33. Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

    Follow on Twitter - @AnyaMillar

    I always hated the pinching so I'd carry something in my purse that was green that I could add quick because I always would foget... Be prepared so no pinches :):)

    Aine @ House Millar
    anya.millar @ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

    Thank you for your generosity, and for participating in this blog hop! :)

    Name: Hira Hasnain
    Email: Enamoredsoul(at)gmail(dot)com
    Twitter: @inluvwithbookz

    ReplyDelete
  35. There wolf is so cute on the cover!! I really want to read this!!!
    Thanks for the great giveaway!!!
    Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
    Network blogs: red_tigergirl2
    red_tigergirl2(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I HATE St. Patrick's day when I was younger. If you didn't wear green, kids would pinch you....and it HURT! I forgot ONCE and to this day I still wear green on St.Patrick's day!

    NB: wendy dee

    books4me67 at ymail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  37. Your book sounds great! Thanks for the giveaway. I am Irish and I always wear green on St. Patrick's Day, I don't want to get pinched! GFC follower/cheryllynne email subscriber: cheryllynne(at)rocketmail(dot)com)

    ReplyDelete
  38. I didn't know about the pinching thing until today either. Definitely something I'm going to take up tomorrow. As long as I remember to wear green.
    BTW, very appropriate excerpt. I'm feelin' lucky today. :D

    ashley.vanburen[at]gmail[dot]com
    GFC: Ashley Van Buren

    ReplyDelete
  39. Great post. Thanks for the chance . Destiny Unchained sounds cool.

    mythic021@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  40. i am Irish and i had never heard of the pinching tradition until this year! that is crazy to me since it says that it has been a tradition since the 1700s!

    i follow via GFC- catherine c

    thanks for the chance to win and Happy St Patrick's day

    catherine0807 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  41. I am not Irish so I never knew when the holiday was coming, I was the victim of pinches every year as a child! I follow as OceanAkers.
    OceanAkers(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  42. I follow by email.
    Thanks for the giveaway, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

    ReplyDelete
  43. GREAT post! I'm a little Irish from my Mom's side of the family and I know ALL about the pinching thing...believe me! LOL! Happy St. Pat's Day...thx for the giveaway op! :)

    barbbattaglia @ yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  44. I did not know about the pinching. Thanks for the giveaway. I follow by GFC susan white
    suz2@cox.net

    ReplyDelete
  45. I will wear green & my shamrock pin. But if I forgot to wear green and someone pinched me, they'd get a kick in the nuts.

    Erin Go Bragh!

    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com
    GFC Follower: Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  46. I remember pinching each other when we were younger. We still wear green for the day :) Don't do any celebrating other than that lol.
    Thanks for doing this,
    MaDonna Lemmen
    derna4u@yahoo.com
    oh I follow you :)

    ReplyDelete
  47. Thanks for posting and joining the hop. I follow by GFC (Shannon).

    Happy St. Patrick's Day!
    bas1chsemail at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  48. I'm part Irish and I didn't know about the pinching. I was never pinched as a kid. But now that I know what out! :)

    thanks for the giveaway
    GFC: beckerjo

    beckerjo at verizon dot net

    ReplyDelete
  49. Happy St Patrick's Day!
    I do remember pinching and being pinched as a kid, lol.
    GFC: June M.
    manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  50. Pinching is always open season at our house!!Awesome contest!! I hope you have a great Saint Patty's Day!!
    viajeradelmar@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  51. Happy St Patricks Day. Thank youfor this chance to win Im havein a great time on the hop.

    flanagan@mebtel.net

    ReplyDelete
  52. I always hated the pinching thing. I don't do it. but I wear green anyway.
    Mel
    bournmelissa AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  53. Thanks for the chance to win!
    GFC- Krysta Banco

    Morganlafey86(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  54. Thank you for sharing and for the giveaway! Happy St. Patrick's Day!
    gfc- shadow_kohler
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  55. Happy St Patricks Day!

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

    ReplyDelete