The Ascension is up for Best Book - Help by voting

The gals over at Whipped Cream reviews sent me an email letting me know The Ascension is up for best book this weekend over on their website. If you aren't already out and about chasing down demons, vampires, werewolves and plying them with candy...

Hop on over to the Whipped Cream website and show your love by voting for The Ascension: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/recentrev.htm

Sam

Can I tempt you with a free read?

In celebration of Halloween AND the release of Forbidden: The Revolution. I've written a free read that's being distributed through my publishers blog. Next month it will also be available on my website and over at All Romance. But why wait? Hope over to http://samhellion.com/?p=245 today!

Here's the blub for the free read - Forbidden: The Union - Spicy!

Secret agent, sexy vampire and sorcerer Dell Renfield is asked to go undercover with his partner Alex Sanchez in order to stop an immortal serial killer. In order to catch their man Dell not only has to take Alex to his bed, he needs to mark her as his. But he won’t be able to do it alone. He’ll need the help of co-worker and guardian angel, Darius.

In the timeline this free read takes place after Forbidden: The Revolution. But you can read it first for a taste of the hero/heroine. And speaking of The Revolution. Here's the spectacular cover by Natalie Winters and the blurb.

Cursed by magic. Betrayed by lies. Bound together by love.

Forbidden, Book 3

Twenty-five years ago Dell Renfield’s father started a revolution, and Dell plans to finish it. Sorcerer, vampire, secret weapon, he’s spent a lifetime training for his fate. The one distraction he isn’t equipped for? Special Agent Alexandria Sanchez. A woman he desires above all others—and a woman he dare not get close to.

Alex’s love life is already cursed. She doesn’t need the added complication of a sexy new partner. Especially one who’s touch is literally magic. Posing as his lover for the sake of their investigation is pure hell—and pure heaven. Now if she can just get him to quit casting spells long enough to prove she’s capable. And keep her hands to herself in the process.
As they infiltrate a dangerous culture, temptation becomes too much to resist. And their torrid affair triggers an epic battle for power that could forever alter the future for them…and their kind.

Read an excerpt here: http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/forbidden-the-revolution

Praise for The Ascension!

This just in... 4.5 cherries from Whipped Cream Reviews for The Ascension! Thank you Fern and Whipped Cream Reviews!

WARNING: This book contains one fabulously feisty redheaded heroine, one hunky holy-man-turned-rebel vampire, a group of corrupt religious zealots, women in chains and plenty of scorching hot sex.

"When I read the blurb for The Ascension, I was incredibly excited. It sounded like an entirely new take on the vampire genre, and best of all, it was written in a first person a narrative using the hero’s voice. After settling in to read, I knew I’d found something special, and was hooked by the end of the first page...

This is a story that has so many facets, in both the world created and the characters that exist within it. I was fascinated by the concept of a vampire sacrificing his immortality. When Ren claims Violet, she’ll age slowly, but she will not be immortal. In fact, in claiming her, he will become susceptible to harm for the first time in his existence. When she dies, he will too. There are also religious elements that will lure you in. Everyone wants to get to heaven. But how do you do that when Cain, the very man god has cast aside, is the originator of your kind? Not to mention, mating a human as a Dominie is pretty much an instant death sentence?

This book was a thoroughly fascinating read and one I enjoyed very much. There are so many twists and turns, and when they come, you’ll hang on tight and look forward to where the journey takes you."

Buy at allromance [dot] com

Click on the graphic above for details

PRIZES*
Autographed book Dragons Prefer Blondes by Candace Havens

E-book Ambient Light by Mandy M Roth

Print book Red Light Specialists by Michelle M Pillow & Mandy M Roth (for Raven Happy Hour)

E-book from N.J. Walters’ backlist (winner's choice)

E-book from Bianca D’Arc’s backlist (winner's choice)

E-book from Candice Gilmer’s currently available backlist (winner's choice)

Belong to the Night by Cynthia Eden (print paranormal romance anthology)

Tea for Two by Shelley Munro (print)

November ebook from Cobblestone - THE DEMON NEXT DOOR: ALI by Kate Austin

Forbidden: The Sacrifice (eBook copy) by Samantha Sommersby

Autographed print book from Shiloh Walker’s Backlist

E-book Divinity Warriors 1: Lilith Enraptured by Michelle M. Pillow

Mayan Secrets by Ciar Cullen (print US or Canada), ebook otherwise

E-book of Obsession (romantic suspense) by Sharon Cullen

Selkie Island by Jorrie Spencer

Autographed copy of Tempting Turquoise (print) by Amy Ruttan

Autographed copy of Hard Candy by Amanda Young

Adrienne (print) by D. Renee Bagby

Heart of the Volcano, ebook by Imogen Howson

E-book copy of Private Property by Leah Braemel

Furry, Fluffy & Wild (ebook anthology) by Nina Pierce

Venus In Blue Jeans (print) by Meg Benjamin

E-book copy of Lay Me Down in pfd format by Taige Crenshaw

The Forbidden Chamber (ebook) by Ella Drake

The Ghost Exterminator: A Love Story (ebook) by Vivi Andrews

Angelic Avenger (ebook) by Kaye Chambers

New Release - Forbidden: The Ascension!

Forbidden: The Ascension
Now Available at All Romance eBooks!




There’s only one way to safeguard the future—fight free of the past.

Byron Renfield is a master of climbing the social ladder. He’s successful, handsome, independently wealthy…and a vampire. As a member of an elite group of immortals, the Dominie, Byron’s spent centuries isolating himself from humanity in order to pursue redemption. It’s a good plan…until Violet Deeds comes along.

Violet is beautiful, sexy, outspoken…and human, which makes her completely off limits. His society’s canon may forbid it, but Byron is rocked by a longing so intense that in one impulsive act of passion, he claims Violet as his mate.

Irrevocably bound together, Byron and Violet enter one another’s worlds, threatening the balance of society and nature. He takes steps to protect them both from the Dominie’s inevitable retribution, but it isn’t enough. Violet is hunted down and kidnapped. If Byron wants a life—any life—with Violet, he must defy the very core of the Dominie itself. And win.

This book has been previously published and has been revised and expanded from its original release.

WARNING: This book contains one fabulously feisty redheaded heroine, one hunky holy-man-turned-rebel vampire, a group of corrupt religious zealots, women in chains and plenty of scorching hot sex.

Paranormal Fiction 101: What does it mean?

Paranormal Fiction 101: What does it mean? Halloween is just around the corner and as I sit and ponder what costume I'm going to where to the Authors After Dark masquerade party and trying to organize my ever growing list of bookmarks in my browser, I came across this article by Acquanetta Ferguson, a columnist for Examiner.com which also mentions my forbidden series. I'll link to the full. If you like paranormal, and especially paranormal with erotic elements, follow the link and consider bookmarking Netta's reviews. She's straightforward, loves the genre, and won't steer you wrong. Paranormal by definition means something other than normal. Pretty simple explanation. But going further into the definition, it also means things that can not be explained by science. Paranormal by itself is such a big concept, that someone has already kindly explained it here. But when it comes to fiction, paranormal is big business. This particular genre is very popular. Especially in erotic/romance fiction. This category or genre ranges from vampires to were-animals to witches and to everything else not "normal". There are so many authors and books out there, that there is something for everyone. One of the main focuses of these stories is that the main character, whether male or female is either the paranormal person, or is a human in a paranormal world. But even this is not a simple enough explanation for the genre itself. Why? Because as a whole, the genre paranormal has other sub-genres within it that it makes defining it hard, yet as a reader of the paranormal, I enjoy the new concepts that continue to come out as a result. A good example would be Samantha Sommersby series Forbidden. It is erotica which is heavy on the paranormal, and all told from the point of view of a male. When it comes to paranormal in erotica or romantica, the two main goals are the sexual journey of the characters and the paranormal world created by the author. The stories are more action filled than a contemporary more like suspenseful romance (non-stop, edge of your seat action) but with a heavy dose of the paranormal. But the sub-genre called urban fantasy which normally takes place in urban, present settings, may or may not have sex, but the main focus is the creatures and the hero/heroine kicking major butt, such as Kim Harrison's series The Hollow's and Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse series. To read the rest of the article go here: http://www.examiner.com/x-5465-San-Diego-Erotica-Books-Examiner~y2009m7d19-Paranormal-Fiction-101-What-does-it-mean Sam

Whipped Cream Erotic Poll

My latest release, Forbidden: The Sacrifice, is up for the Best Book Award this weekend over at Whipped Cream Erotic Reviews. Please pop over, check out the poll, and vote.

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/recentrev.htm

longandshortreviews [dot] com/WC/recentrev [dot] htm
(jic the link doesn't work)

Forbidden: The Sacrifice

There’s a fine line between mysticism and madness…one they must cross to win.

London psychiatrist Wesley Atherton is a man of science. He doesn’t believe in love at first sight…until he finds himself inexplicably drawn to a green-eyed American beauty he bumps into on the Tube. Just his luck, Katherine, a fashion design intern, has an engagement ring on her finger.

Wes knows a thing or two about people, though. Instinct tells him there’s something more than irresistible temptation behind their attraction. She doesn’t love her fiancé, he’s sure of it—now if only he can convince her they’re meant to be together.

Surviving a deadly train wreck is the first sign his intuition is spot on. The second—a psychic who warns them the Reaper doesn’t like to be cheated out of its quarry. The situation defies all logic, but a string of strange and lethal events convinces Wes that he and Katherine are living on borrowed time. Pitted in a battle against death itself, Wes will do anything, make any sacrifice, to protect the woman he loves.

This book has been substantially revised and expanded from its original published version.

Warning: This book contains one bad-ass demon, spectacular shagging, a feisty American heroine, and one very hot, very British, knife-wielding shrink.

"Forbidden: The Sacrifice is a fantastic book." ~ Holly, Whipped Cream Reviews

October Contest

Want something to die for this Halloween?
Check out Sam’s October Contest!

Samantha Sommersby is giving away a copy of Forbidden: The Sacrifice, book 1 in her Forbidden Series along with a bendable replica of the stories villian, the Grim Reaper himself!

To enter you must (1) be on Sam’s newsletter mailing list and (2) send in your entry via the contact form on Sam’s website. Provide your snail mail address along with the phrase "October Contest".

The older I get, the longer that road to recovery takes
I went in for some planned abdominal surgery about a week ago. The doctor told me that it would probably be about three weeks until I'd be fully back on my feet. I figured I'd be back to writing in a couple days. Boy was I wrong. Thankfully there were no complications and things went well. But there is no denying that I'm not bouncing back as quickly as I would like to.

I have managed to catch up with my emails from the past week and I have managed to start on a short story that's due in to Samhain next Wednesday. But it's all slow-going. Reading, which is normally a favorite pass-time isn't even holding my interest.

On the bright side, I've discovered Dexter. I should probably say I made time for Dexter. I binged on the first season and I'm seriously considering ordering Showtime so that I can watch season 2 now On-Demand. I may have to check Netflix. Also in the good news arena - Forbidden: The Temptation has officially been released and is available on sale this week at My BookStore and More.



http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/shop/product.da/forbidden-the-sacrifice

Description

There’s a fine line between mysticism and madness…one they must cross to win.

Forbidden, Book 1

London psychiatrist Wesley Atherton is a man of science. He doesn’t believe in love at first sight…until he finds himself inexplicably drawn to a green-eyed American beauty he bumps into on the Tube. Just his luck, Katherine, a fashion design intern, has an engagement ring on her finger.

Wes knows a thing or two about people, though. Instinct tells him there’s something more than irresistible temptation behind their attraction. She doesn’t love her fiancé, he’s sure of it—now if only he can convince her they’re meant to be together.

Surviving a deadly train wreck is the first sign his intuition is spot on. The second—a psychic who warns them the Reaper doesn’t like to be cheated out of its quarry. The situation defies all logic, but a string of strange and lethal events convinces Wes that he and Katherine are living on borrowed time. Pitted in a battle against death itself, Wes will do anything, make any sacrifice, to protect the woman he loves.

This book has been substantially revised and expanded from its original published version.

Product Warnings
This book contains one bad-ass demon, spectacular shagging, a feisty American heroine, and one very hot, very British, knife-wielding shrink.

September Give-away!

Have a thing for boys that are bad?
Check out Sam's September Contest!


Samantha Sommersby is giving away a signed copy of Bad Moon Rising, book 14 in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter Series!

To enter you must (1) be on Sam's newsletter mailing list and (2) send in your entry via the contact form on Sam's website. Provide your snail mail address along with the phrase "September Contest".

The best part of Comic-Con...friends!

My Comic-Con report is coming late this year. And I have a really, really, good excuse. Although the event started with a bang, for me it ended in a big bust. I ended up with a horrible case of food poisoning Friday night. It was so bad that I not only had to miss my panel, I had to miss my signing. I still feel ill, just thinking about it.

As soon as I came up for air from that, I had an editorial deadline to face. I finished proofing The Sacrifice about an hour ago - so now it's time to catch up with my neglected blog. See how things snowball?

Now that the crummy part of this update is out of the way, on to the fun stuff. Since I'm a local to San Diego, for the past couple years I've tried to schedule an author get-together for friends that come into town. This year we did it at my house. Although it was a bit more work than meeting as a restaurant, it was so much more fun and relaxing. Comic-con is sensory overload to the max. Having an evening of quiet where we can let our hair down, laugh as loud as we want, and gab to our hearts content was a blast.

Jackie Kessler recently became a vegan. Those of you that know me, know how much I enjoy cooking. This gave me the perfect excuse to experiment with some different recipes. I served a great corn salad (recipe courtesy of Cat Johnson), lamb/chicken/and veggie kabobs, a rice pilaf, caesar salad, and then a variety of nuts, fruits, and cheeses for desert. And this gave us the perfect excuse to pull some really nice wines out of the cellar.

I'm including some pics from the evening below. You'll see my son Max showing off the chain mail tunic and steel guantlets that he'll be sporting at DragonCon next month. There are pics of Charlaine Harris, Jeanne C. Stein, Diana Rowland, Jackie Kessler, Caitlyn Kittredge, and moi! A great time was had by all!















Now...I'm off to answer all those emails.

Sam

Come and play with us...after dark. Bwa ha ha ha!

Save the date! October 23-25, 2009 - The Authors After Dark Paranormal Weekend is filling up fast! Sign up by August 1^st to get the lowest membership rate of $160 for the weekend. (After August 1^st, the membership goes to $175.)

The event is being held at the Suffern, NY Holiday Inn, located conveniently about 1 hour from New York City and most of the area’s major airports. Guest include:

Jacquelyn Frank

Sunny

Joey W. Hill

Stella and Audra Price

Bianca D'Arc

Rosemary Laurey

Jennifer Armintrout

Madeline Oh

Georgia Evans

Mechele Armstrong

Samantha Sommersby

Cat Johnson

Cathy Clamp

Eliza Gayle

Diana Castilleja

Leigh Ellwood

Tilly Greene

Selena Illyria

Adra Steia

Stephanie Julian

Judi Fennell

Kayleigh Jamison

Donna Grant

Robin T. Popp

Linda Mooney

Mima

Area attractions include the phenomenal shopping at Woodbury Common (http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=7) and the Forest of Fear (http://www.theforestoffear.com/home.php), held on the site of the New York State Renaissance Faire at Sterling Forest.

The convention is limited to 200 attendees so your “face time” with your favorite authors is maximized. We’re having loads of panel discussions, parties and a fantabulous dealer’s room. We’ll also be holding a massive charity raffle to benefit the CAN and Pets Alive – a local no kill animal shelter.

Sign up now for the best rates! The conference registration is only $160 until August 1^st ($175 after August 1^st) and the hotel is $99 per night, double occupancy. Lots to do in the area will make this a weekend you will never forget!

So what did Netta have to day?

Netta is a reviewer for Examiner.com here in San Diego, my home town. She read the first couple of my books, reviewed them, then came to one of my book signings a couple months ago. It was wonderful to meet her in person! I've been on pins and needles wondering what she thought of my latest. Well, the review is out! "This fourth book from one of my favorite authors, Samantha Sommersby, is a hot, action-filled new read!...This novella packs a punch from the fast loving to the eventual outcome of the crazed rogue wolf...Bottom line, this book gets a resounding 5!" This little boost came at a wonderful time. The past two days have been spent working like crazy on edits and adding some new scenes to The Ascension for which I have both a cover AND a release date. Release date - 10/16/09. I need to check to see if I can share the cover yet. This will be Byron and Violet's story combined into one novel with additional bonus material consisting of new/added scenes. As soon as I can, I'll post the cover! Sam

On writing Erotica and body piercings

On writing Erotica and body piercings Whipped Cream recently interviewed me on the topic of writing erotic romance. Are you curious about what I write it? How I know how much sex to include? Or what I imagine the difference between erotic romance, erotica or pornography to be? Or you can just skip to the part where they ask me what body part I want to have pierced. Hee hee! Happy 4th of July everyone! Sam Replace the [dot]'s with .'s http://whippedcream2archives [dot] blogspot [dot] com/2009/07/author-interview-samantha-sommersby [dot] html

My July Contest - A Signed Copy of Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris!

My July Contest - A Signed Copy of Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris!

How about a hot vampire romance to make this summer even hotter?
Check out my July Contest!

July is one of my favorite months, partially because that's when Comic-Con comes to San Diego every year. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I am a total geek. One reason I'm excited is that this gives me the opportunity to see some of my Buffy Buds - all of us are huge fans of Joss Whedon and Comic-Con gives an opportunity to geek-out together! Embarrassing, I know.

Charlaine Harris took some time off earlier this year due to her daughter's graduation. But she will be attending Comic-Con and promoting her newest release in the Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood Series: Dead and Gone, available now in hard cover. A signed copy could be yours!

To enter you must (1) be on Sam's newsletter mailing list and (2) send in your entry via the contact form on Sam's website. Provide your snail mail address along with the phrase "July Contest".

Website: http://www.samanthasommersby.com

Good luck all!

Sam

News about the future of the Forbidden Series!

News about the future of the Forbidden Series! First I want to thank those of you who have written to me about the fate of the Forbidden series lately. I promised that I would post as soon as I knew something solid. Most of those emails and messages were from folks who knew that my publisher, Linden Bay Romance, was purchased by Crissy Brashear, the owner of Samhain Publishing at the beginning of this year.  For the first few months, as Crissy committed, things continued pretty much "business as usual". Upon returning from RT in April we (the former LBR authors) were told that Samhain editors would be going through the current LBR catalog and that decisions would be made to either release authors from contracts OR to offer authors new contract so that titles could be migrated to Samhain. We were also given the option of requesting rights back outright. Fortunately, the series has been picked up. Yippee! Samhain has also picked up Shelter from the Storm.  What does this really mean? One thing it means is that I have my work cut out for me over the next few months. The entire series will be going through edits again and several of the books are going to be lengthened, which I'm excited about. They are also going to all get new covers. The editor who has been working with me on The Sacrifice, Tera, will be sticking with me. This is a big plus. She knows the story and we've worked well together thus far. I've always been blessed with wonderful editors and my luck seems to be holding. Upon reflection I've learned so much from Maria, Stephanie, Barb, Nikki...and now I'm learning new things from Tera (i.e. limiting my use of filter words).  I'm still waiting for new release dates and will keep you posted as to those. I know that The Sacrifice (Book 1) is scheduled for a 9/29 release. I finished my edits and those are with Tera. I may get another round before it goes to line edits. We'll see.  Under Fire, which I've been working on for Red Rose, is almost ready to go back to Lea, my editor there. I don't  have a firm release date for it. When I do, I'll post it. I need to let it sit for a bit before going through it one last time.  Meanwhile - it's back to The Summoning. I hope to read what I wrote prior to turning my attention to Under Fire today and tomorrow, then getting back on track with William and Elizabeth's story.  Wish me luck! Sam

Day 3 – Wine tasting trip report

Day 3 – Wine tasting trip report Wow – I can't believe that this is the last day of our trip. We just finished breakfast and I have a short window of opportunity to get this blog posted. So this is going to be an abbreviate report…   We started yesterday at Siduri winery where the winemaker talked to us about blending. They specialize in Pinot's and we spent about an hour playing there. Part chemistry, part art. This was a blast. I've never done any of my own blending before. We ended up leaving with a couple bottles of their Hirsch Vineyard label. Very yummy.   From there we went to Seghesio. We'd fallen in love with their Zin's about a year ago and meeting the family behind the label was a memorable experience. This winery dates back to pre-prohibition and it's a family affair. A bonus – they also make fantastic sausage. The winemaker shared his family sausage recipe, which we got to make. I love to cook, but I'd never made sausage before. After we were through Uncle Nick fried some up. Amazing. Then he threw together a spectacular risotto, which we had with more sausage, Caesar salad, and about 6 different Seghesio wines. We ended up bring home a case of their Barberra (which we hadn't tried before) and a case of their Old Vine (which is a zin). I'm sorry that I didn't get the recipe for the risotto. I may need to email them for it.   Next was Rockpile. I confess, I sat part of this one out. The winemaker was really young and enthusiastic. He wanted to take us out and have us walk the fields. It was 85 and very hilly. Hubby was more than game. I took a breather. He walked through the various blocks, sampling wines as he went.   Last, but not least, was dinner at the Hotel Healdsburg prepared by the Chefs at Dry Creek. This was another 6 course meal – paired with a little over 20 wines. There was absolutely no way that I could taste them all. Memorable ones were a 1986 Heitz Cellars Cabernet, a 1994 BV Latour, and a Syrah that the winemaker, Tyler, brought from Pax. The envelope containing the vintage is packed – but I think is was a 2007. Very, very, nice.   Dinner –   First course: Dry Creek Peach Carpaccio Second course: Spice Crusted Ahi Nicoise Third course: House Made Potato Cavatelli Pasta Fourth course: Butter Braised Alaskan Halibut Main Course: Pan Roaded New York Strip Steak Entrecote Dessert: Almond Financier (Roasted Peaches, Lemon Verbena Ice Cream).   Time to run and enjoy the last day!   Sam

Day 2 – Wine tasting trip report

Day 2 – Wine tasting trip report We started yesterday's travels at the Palmaz Vineyards. This place was fascinating. The vineyard itself dates back to pre-prohibition. During the prohibition era all of the fines were pulled and replaced by various fruits. Dr. Palmaz purchased the vineyard in the late 90's with the intention of turning it into a family run business. The former radiologist who invented the heart stent funded the venture with money earned during his illustrious medical career. Dr. and Mrs. Palmaz are very involved in the running of the vineyard and making of the wine – as are their children. The facility that they build was designed to support producing wine using a gravity-flow method. It's an 18 story underground building with tons of storage capacity. It's all very high-tech with computers monitoring the various tanks. We were treated to 2 wines, their 2005 Chardonnay and 2005 Cabernet. They were both delicious – but pricey. We left with 2 bottles of the Cab which we intend to cellar.   From there we drove to the Reynolds Family winery. Steve Reynolds assured us that we would have fun at his place, and he wasn't kidding. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The Reynolds winery was a start contract to Palmaz, kind of like the difference between walking into a sterile operating room vs a barn. Okay – maybe not quite that much of a difference. The Reynolds place is run by Steve, who used to be a dentist. He's passionate about wine and for years struggled to balance his career in dentistry with his desire to be a winemaker. This is an organic farm staffed by a handful of friendly and yes, fun, people. We tasted their 2006 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We were about to move on to the 2005 Estate Cab when Steve interrupted. I'm so glad he did. He led us to the back where the 2007 barrels were being stores and we spent about an hour tasting from the barrels and listening to Steve tell stories. He's an entertaining guy – I could have listened to him chat all afternoon. We sampled the 2007 cabernet, merlot, and zinfandel. I particular liked the zin and will be curious to see you it turns out.   We were then treated to a sorely needed lunch. Shrimp, chicken, and beef tacos served with rice, beans, and his 2005 Estate Cabernet. The food was terrific and we ate outside by the garden. We finished off with a taste of the 2005 Persistence with is a blend of a variety of grapes. Wow. This was something special. We left with a half-case.   I wasn't quite sure what to expect at the next stop – Soda Canyon Caves. This place is currently under construction. The project is approximately 85% completed. There's still a ton of cosmetic work to be done. If enthusiasm is an indicator of success, then theses guys are going to have something spectacular. The short story is that 3 winemakers have joined forces to create this storage and winemaking facility that will be underground-dug into the side of a mountain. They took us through the caves, showed us some beautiful mountain views, and had close to a dozen different wines for us to taste. I tasted about 4. My favorite by far with the Waugh Zinfandel, which we intend to order after we get home.   By the time I left Soda Canyon I was wishing for a hot bath, dinner, and bed. But we had one more stop to make and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. We were handed a glass of chardonnay as soon as we arrived. After brief introductions we were taken out to stroll amongst the wines. We meandered around back to the garden where a Pinot was waiting for us, along with some appetizers. I sampled a spicy tuna cerviche with paired nicely with the wine. The garden was a beautiful place and I would have liked to have stayed longer – but dinner was announced. We were let down into the Rudd caves for dinner. We didn't leave until midnight. What an experience.   Rudd Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Sardines layered with lemon, bread crumbs, pinenuts, and chilies   Rudd Crossroads Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Rabbit braised with fresh figs and ginger   Rudd Oakville Estate Proprietary Red 2005 Bourbon glazed pork belly, pickled peaches, fried green tomato, and wild arugula   Edge Hill Mixed Blacks 2006 Whole roasted baby spring lamb, porcini, guanciale, medjool date, baby swiss chard   Rudd Oakville Estate Proprietary red 2004 Red wine poached beef tenderloin seared foie gras, red onion and mustard chutney, truffle jus.   Edge Hill Vintage Port 2005 Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta, Shortbread, and Silverado Trail Strawberries.   Now you see why we were there until midnight. All of the wines were outstanding. Our favorite was the Edge Hill Mixed Blacks 2006, which we ordered.   This morning were going to start the day at Siduri. Time for breakfast!   Sam 9:04 AM  0 Comments (Add Comment) | 0 Kudos Translate  Edit  Remo

Day 1 – Wine tasting trip report

Day 1 – Wine tasting trip report I'm happy to report that or first day of this trip was amazing. I can't wait to see what's in store for us today! The flight into Oakland yesterday was fast and painless. It seemed like I just blinked my eyes and we were landing. That might have had something to do with the fact that I'd downloaded Cat Johnson's newest release, Unridden for the trip. That also explains why I wasn't able to take many pictures and post them from or last destination yesterday. My iPhone ran out of battery.   A chartered bus took us to our first stop. Enroute they serves bloody mary's and we had a light snack which was sorely needed despite the fact that we'd had a substantial breakfast before leaving San Diego. We arrived at Clos Pegase around 1:00. Although it appeared to be a lovely winery and the winemaker greeted us, the attraction there was Peter Thompson of Andrew Geoffrey Vineyards. We were treated to a vertical tasting of his Cabernet Sauvignon 2003-2005. As a bonus we also tried his Cabernet Franc. He spent quite a bit of time talking about the blending of the wines, which I found interesting. He was extremely engaging, inviting lots of questions. We're taking home 3 regular bottles of the 2004, plus a 1.5 liter bottle. They should continue to improve over the next 3-4 years, then hold for 15-18. Definitely something to put in the cellar and forget about for a while.   We then hit Lynmar in the Russian River Valley. This is mostly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir country. I'm not a big Pinot fan, but I do enjoy and drink quite a bit of Chardonnay. The selections there were a little disappointing. The grounds and gardens were lovely and I spend time meandering in them. That was really the highlight for me. I liked their Sereinite Chardonnay, but in wasn't remarkable enough for me to pay $70.00 per bottle. They also were pouring a Wente clone with was tasty. They had some light food pairings (VERY light).   The last stop of the day was Michel Schlumberger. This was an incredible experience. My only regret was that my iPhone battery died shortly after we arrived, so I was unable to take the photos that I wanted. Winemaker Mike Brunson, who was a fabulous host, greeted us. We began with a 2008 Pinot Blanc which we enjoyed in the garden as his Springer spaniel ran happily around. After a brief introduction, we set out to walk the field. This man knows every inch of the vineyard. Michel Schlumberger is completely organic and the love and dedication that Mike puts into his wine is apparent. This is a man who is passionate about his work. The end of our little hike culminated at the top of a hill overlooking the valley. The view was incredible and he opened a 2004 Merlot for us which we enjoyed before heading back to dinner.   Dinner was served right in the winery and Mike joined us, introducing each of the wines as they were poured. The food was spectacular:   2006 La Brume Chardonnay Heirloom Tomato Caprese * Cresenza Cheese * Grilled Watermelon * Garlic Croutons   2006 Le Fou Pinot Noir Paella   2000 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Deau Terres Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Coteaux Sauvages Red Wine Braised Waygu Beef Cheeks * Summer Bean Medley * Tomato Confit   2002 Semillon Dahman confections Assorted Truffles   We left with a split case – 6 bottles of the 2000 Reserve Cabernet and 6 bottles of the 2004 Deau Terres. The 2000 is drinkable now and will hold for another 6 years, perhaps more. The 2004 is going to continue to age for a few years, then will hold for perhaps 10. These are very big, very delicious reds. Fabulous finds.   We didn't leave until about 9:45. By the time we checked into our hotel we were exhausted. Not I'm up, I've had a good breakfast, and I'm ready to hit the road and enjoy about day. (P.s. I posted a variety of pictures to my twitter account yesterday and will continue to do so today. If I have time tonight I'll re-edit this post and add some.) Sam

June Contest-$25.00 Gift Certificate and Burning Alive, signed edition

June Contest! $25.00 Gift Certificate and Burning Alive signed edition! First I'd like to congratulate Sandie E. for winning the May contest. Your signed copy of Forbidden: The Temptation and that cute, cuddly werewolf plush is on the way to you. Enjoy! Now, onto the June Contest! Summer is right around the corner and school is almost out. Although I equate this time of year with long lazy days filled with scorching hot reads, this summer I'm going to be knee deep in edits and writing.  What am I going to do instead? I'm going to give one lucky reader a $25.00 shopping spree at All Romance eBooks (cause you know I love's my eBooks) AND a signed copy of this month's bookclub pick--Burning Alive by Shannon K. Butcher (see extraordinarily yummy cover below). To enter you must (1) be on Sam's newsletter mailing list (you can sign up on my website) and (2) send in your entry via the contact form on Sam's website. Provide your snail mail address along with the phrase "June Contest". What's the website? samanthasommersby [dot] com Good luck! Sam