I can’t help it if I’m a fan of alliteration. Don’t judge. 😉 But seriously, Ally Shields is here to share a little about her new book Cross Keys, an urban fantasy/paranormal romance, and a yummy recipe. Here she is!

 

Thank you so much for hosting me and my new urban fantasy release today! I’m thrilled for the opportunity to tell you a little about my book and to share a Cajun recipe, one of several I brought back from New Orleans while researching the book. (If you look around the blogs listed at the end, you’ll find eight more recipes!)

 

Happy reading…and sampling of the Cajun cuisine. 🙂

 

 

Cross Keys (An Elvenrude Novel) by Ally Shields

 

Genre: Urban fantasy/Paranormal romance

Rating: PG-13
Book Blurb:
Conspiracy, murder, and magic…and the death of all they hold dear.

When the first wanderer—a common elf who isn’t authorized to use the portal—is spotted on the streets of New Orleans, the king assigns Kameo Ryndel to assist in the elf’s capture. But before she can intervene, humans with guns shoot the wanderer and steal his body. When Seth Lormarc, an Elite elf from a rival guild, appears at the scene, Kam suspects he is involved.

Seth Lormarc is in New Orleans to find out who was behind the portal breach, and his best lead is the intriguing Kam Ryndel. When he stakes out her apartment and finds her sneaking out in the middle of the night, dressed in black and leaping to the top of the nearest building, he knows there’s something unique about the beautiful elf. That kind of feat requires magic. Ancient magic.

As their paths cross during their investigations, they develop an irresistible attraction, although there’s little time for romance. The portal breach is tied to an illegal smuggling operation that has come to the attention of the human CIA. But the stakes are raised when Kam and Seth discover a band of conspirators and a rebellion deep in Elvenrude that promises nothing except destruction of their world.
Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Pre-release Book Trailer on Youtube:   http://youtu.be/2GgI4-50QfA

 

Recipe:

 

One of my favorites was –

 

Louisiana Gumbo

 

12 oz boneless chicken cubed

Salt and pepper

1/4 C cooking oil

1 lb sausage

1/2 C all-purpose flour

5 T margarine

1 large onion, chopped

8 cloves minced garlic

1 chopped green pepper

1 C copped celery

1/4 C Worcestershire

1/4 C chopped fresh parsley

4 cups hot water

5 beef bouillon cubes

1 can stewed tomatoes

2 C okra

1/2 pound small cooked shrimp (optional)

 

Heat oil in heavy skillet or dutch oven. Add chicken, brown over medium heat, and season with salt and pepper.  Remove chicken to separate container. Add sausage to oil and cook until browned. Remove and add to chicken mixture. To remaining oil in pan, add flour and 2 T margarine. Stir until brown, abut 10 minutes. Pour roux over meat and let cool.

 

Turn heat to low, melt 3 T margarine. Add the onion, celergy, green pepper, and garlic. Simmer 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste and half the parsley. Stir frequently another 10 minutes. Add 4 C hot water and bouillon cubes, whisk. Add the chicken and sausage mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add shrimp and the rest of the parsley 5 minutes before serving.

 

Enjoy! Great over rice.

 

 

About the Author:

 

Ally Shields was born and raised in the Midwest, along the Mississippi River, and considers herself a “river rat.” The setting and folklore of the river regions are often incorporated into her urban fantasy books. After  a career in law and juvenile justice, she turned to full-time writing in 2009, and Awakening the Fire, the debut novel in her Guardian Witch series, was released by Etopia Press in September 2012. There are now six published books in that series. Cross Keys is the first novel with all new characters.

When not writing, reading or spending time with family, she loves to travel in the US and abroad. Way too often she can be found on Twitter.

 

Contact the Author:

 

Website:  http://allyshields.com

Blog:     http://allyshields.com/blog.html

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/ShieldsAlly

Facebook: http://facebook.com/AllyShieldsAuthor

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6527209.Ally_Shields

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Ally-Shields/e/B009AKNDZU

 

 

Special thanks to the following bloggers who are spotlighting this release during the next few days (eight more Cajun recipes on their blogs!)(dates of post may vary due to time periods, etc.):

Oct. 3:  AJ Locke, Kirstin Pulioff, Linda McLaughlin, Margay Roberge, Marie Carhart, Shannon McRoberts, Stephanie Stamm, EE Carter, Susan Taylor, Anne Lange, Kath Boyd Marsh, Dan Levinson, Michelle Browne, Sue Roebuck, Chris Redding

Oct. 4:  Carmen Stefanescu, Stacy Juba, Lindsey Loucks

Oct. 6:  Rebekah Ganiere

Oct. 7:  Antonia van Zandt

Oct. 8:  Dani-Lyn Alexander

Oct. ?:  Theresa McClinton

 

 

 

Thanks so much for being here, Ally! I’m off to go find someone who will make Louisiana Gumbo for me since I have the attention span of a sugared-up gnat!