Forever His (56 page)

And as soon as Avril declared, “I will never love any man again,” I said, “That’s what you think, sweetie. You just got your own book.” Proving her wrong was an irresistible challenge. Meet the mysterious swordsman who (literally) sweeps her off her feet in Book 3 of the Stolen Brides series,
Timeless
.

And now that I’m an indie author, I don’t think you’ve seen the last of these characters. I’m free to make my books as long or as short as they need to be, so there might be some Stolen Brides novellas and short stories on the horizon. I already have a story outlined about Lady Christiane’s adventures in the 20
^thcentury. And I’d like to see how Brynna and Fiara fared in the modern world. It might also be fun to follow Etienne’s quest to woo the lovely Lady Rosalind. I can’t imagine her father would cheerfully let her choose a newly knighted teen over all her wealthy suitors.

Hmm, star-crossed love and impossible relationships. My kind of challenge.

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I hope you’ve enjoyed this little trip behind the scenes of
Forever His
. If you’d like to receive advance notice about my upcoming books, special discount sales, contests, and exclusive sneak previews, please visit my website and subscribe to my e-mail newsletter. You can also like or follow me on your favorite social-networking sites:

Website
www.shellythacker.com

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Until next time, best wishes & happy reading,

Shelly

Bonus Content:
A French Recipe

I couldn’t resist including this in the e-book edition of
Forever His:
here’s the recipe for the
crêpes sucrées
(sweet crêpes) Celine makes in chapter 12. It takes a little practice to learn the technique, but you can always eat your mistakes (provided they don’t end up on the ceiling) and the final results are delicious.

I learned to make these while living in the French Alps during a semester abroad at the University of Grenoble. The mom in my French host family was an incredible cook, and made crêpes for dessert at least once a week. She didn’t use a written recipe, but I followed her around the kitchen jotting notes so I would remember how to make them when I returned home.

Ingredients

1 C. flour

5 eggs

1 T. granulated sugar

2 T. powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. whole milk

1 stick of butter

Method

In a large mixing bowl, blend the flour, eggs, sugars and salt. Mix thoroughly with a wire whisk until no more lumps can be seen. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour in the milk
bit by bit
(not all at once), stirring until batter is completely smooth. In a small saucepan, melt the stick of butter. Pour the melted butter into the batter the same way: bit by bit, stirring constantly. Let the mixture stand for 15 to 30 minutes.

Using a little extra butter, grease a medium-sized frying pan (a crepe pan is ideal if you have one). Heat the pan over medium heat. Pour in about 1/3 C. of batter, then carefully pick up the pan and immediately tilt it side-to-side so that the batter covers the entire surface, leaving no holes. Cook the crepe over medium heat until the edges are golden brown, then loosen it with a spatula and flip it over. (Remember, the flipping motion is side-to-side, not up and down ... or up and gone.) When the other side is golden, slide the crepe onto a serving plate. Fold in half and serve hot with honey, fruit preserves, or the topping of your choice. My favorite way to serve them is with melted dark chocolate and a sprinkle of powdered sugar over the top.

Acknowledgments

I’d like to express my deepest thanks to my critique partners, Suzanne Brown, LaVerne Coan, Linda Pedder, and Angie Thayer, for their comments, insights, and suggestions as I wrote and revised the original manuscript of
Forever His
.

And to Joan Bellemare, R.N., for patiently answering my questions about all matters medical.

About the Author

Reviewers use words like “exquisite” and “stunning” to describe Shelly Thacker’s unique blend of powerful emotion, edge-of-your-seat adventure and steamy sensuality. Shelly’s historical and paranormal romances have earned her a place on national bestseller lists and lavish praise from such diverse media as
Publishers Weekly
,
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
,
Locus,
and
The Oakland Press
, who have called her books “innovative,” “addictive,” “memorable” and “powerful.”

A two-time RWA RITA Finalist, Shelly has won numerous other honors for her novels, including a National Readers’ Choice Award, several
Romantic Times
Certificates of Excellence, and five straight KISS Awards for her outstanding heroes. The
Detroit Free Press
has twice placed her books on their annual list of the year’s best romances.

When she’s not at the computer, you’ll find Shelly reading with her kids, knitting in local cafes, or kickboxing at the gym. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two daughters. For the latest news and sneak previews of upcoming books, visit
www.shellythacker.com

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Poem by Henry van Dyke