Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL** with KARA GRIFFIN!
Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!! Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her favorite recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors. Introducing author, KARA GRIFFIN, and her favorite recipe for PEANUT BUTTER PIE!
THE WARRIOR AND THE WAIF
Lairds of the North Book 4
BY KARA GRIFFIN
Blurb
Highland warrior Kieran Mackenzie will stop at nothing to foil Clan MacDonald’s plans to take over the north and that includes stealing MacDonald’s bride. From their first meeting, Trulee Macleod is unexpected―a waif who needs a laird’s protection. On his deathbed, Kieran’s father confesses his sins and gains Kieran’s vow to settle down and beget children. He wants him to find love, happiness, and all the things Kieran had been deprived of all his life. But Kieran knows there’s one more battle to finish before he can do as his father requests—to unite the northern clans and thwart the MacDonald’s plan to overtake their clans and lands.
Kieran saves Trulee Macleod from a horrible fate. She’s an enchanting woman who stirs more than desire for the hardened warrior. Although she is blunt toward him, she’s all sweetness to everyone else. Kieran is fascinated by Trulee’s mystical aura and tempting allure. When Kieran finds out who she is, he realizes she is the perfect pawn he needs to gain the peace he seeks. He must make her his to prevent the MacDonalds from using her to enact war. But getting Trulee to agree to marry him comes with danger for them both.
Kieran finds out more about his past, events that changed his life. Now he has an opportunity to find brotherhood, and solace. Can the waif secure his heart and help him defeat his past torment?
THE WARRIOR AND THE WAIF
Lairds of the North Book 4
BY KARA GRIFFIN
Excerpt
Excerpt copyright@ 2023 Kara Griffin – All Rights Reserved.
Prolog
Dunvegan Castle, Clan Macleod’s fief
Isle of Skye, West Coast of Scotland
Early Autumn, September 1376
“You can’t throw it farther than me,” the stable lad yelled.
“Oh, yes I can.” Trulee Macleod, only five summers in age, stuck her tongue out at the lad named Tom, and chucked the stone with as much force as she could, past his head. The stone bounced a few times over the cobbles of the garden lane and landed a good two feet ahead of Tom’s. He scrunched his dirty face at her and growled. She jumped as high as her small body could in celebration, only a few inches off the ground, and shouted her victory. Tom, defeated, marched off with angry steps.
She skipped on the pebbled pathway that made a square around a shallow pool, bordered by a low wall. Outlining the wall were plants and flowers of all sizes and colors. Soon the beauty of summer would die off and be replaced with the resplendence of autumn. Trulee loved the outdoors and amongst the grounds at Dunvegan was her favorite place to be. Even though her mother often sent her there to reflect whenever she needed punishment, Trulee usually forgot why and enjoyed being in the beautiful garden. That day, she’d stayed in the garden for two long hours before her mother came to fetch her.
“Trulee,” her mother called. “Oh, there you are.”
She hurried to the bench where she was supposed to be contemplating her wrongdoing (whatever that was), climbed back on, and sat swinging her legs. Trulee had forgotten what she’d done to be punished and tried to think hard so she could account for her sin as her mama told her.
“Oh there, you are, Sweetness. I must speak to you.” Her mama, Lady Loreen Macleod, was the bonniest woman on the isle. Papa said so. Her long brown hair was worn in one single braid that flowed over her shoulder and her bright blue eyes looked solemnly at her.
“I tried to think long and hard like ye said, Mama, but I forgot—”
“Never mind about that. There’s something important we need to discuss.” Her mama sat on the bench beside her and looked far off.
Her mama seemed sad. Usually, she smiled and hugged her, but this day she wore a frown and sat on the bench without so much of a touch. Trulee didn’t know what to make of that and decided she must’ve done something really bad to warrant her mama’s displeasure. But she would listen to her mama’s important discussion and hoped she wouldn’t be further punished. The worst punishments were when she was sent to her bedchamber without supper or when Papa swatted her bottom. Mama always said Papa was sorry for it, but Trulee knew he wasn’t. He rarely spoke to her and more often only when she needed punishment.
“I’m going to be going away soon.”
“To where, Mama?”
“Heaven.”
“When are you coming back?”
Her mama shook her head and took hold of her hand. “Now, I don’t want you to be sad, but I cannot come back. Once you go to heaven, you stay there. I’ll have lots of company and one day, a long, long time from now, you’ll join me there too. But since I’m going away, there are things we need to talk about, important things. I had hoped to wait until you were older so you might understand, but we cannot wait. You must remember what I speak.”
Trulee wasn’t sure why Mama had to go away, but she would miss her. The thought of not seeing her made her bottom lip curl and she wanted to weep.
“Shhh, Sweetness, I don’t want you to weep. Promise me, you will not cry. Not now or when I leave. Say you promise to be brave.”
She nodded with shimmering eyes. “I promise to be brave.” But Trulee couldn’t hold back the tears that fell from her eyes. Fat tears dripped over her somewhat dirty cheeks and left streaks in their wake.
Her mama patted her hand gently. “Last night in my sleep the Gods and Goddesses showed me what’s to be.” She pressed a hand over her swollen belly and sighed. “This night I shall go, and even though I am saddened by this, the Gods and Goddesses also showed me your future. Now I have several gifts for you. My family is descendants of the Picts. Do you know who they were?”
She shook her head. “Nay, Mama. Were they good?”
“Oh, aye, they were good people. They were a fierce group of people though who lived here long before the Vikings came but eventually became the Scots. My very old great-grandfather far removed was Domnall, the last Pict king. After the powerful MacAlpin warrior united all of us, we became the kingdom of Alba, the Scots. We come from a long line of Scáthachs.”
Trulee got on her knees and stared at her mama in wide-eyed wonder. “What is that?”
Her mama smiled and pressed a hand over her soft dark curls by her cheek. “It means the shadowy ones, female warriors who teach. But we were so much more than that.” She held up a thick volume, so heavy, Trulee certainly wouldn’t be able to lift it. “This is our legacy and history, but it also bespeaks many of our beliefs. I need you to promise to protect this book. Let it guide you through your life, and one day, you shall pass it on to your daughter.”
Trulee snickered. “What if I don’t have a daughter?”
“You shall, Sweetness. Worry not for you shall marry one of the fiercest warlords in Scotland.”
Trulee’s eyes widened. “What if I don’t want to marry him?”
“You shall for you will have a great love. He will need your love. Together you and your husband will be enriched. You shall please him and he will love you in return.” Her mother pulled gold chains from her overdress pocket. “These were my mothers.”
“What is it, Mama? A gift?”
“Aye, Sweetness. You must wear these bracelets from this day forward. They will protect you. Never, ever, take them off. They shall remind you of the Gods and Goddesses that look down upon you and who send their blessings and gifts.” She put a gold chain around her wrist and secured it with the tiny clasp then did the same on her ankle. “Eventually, you shall find someone to make gold chains for your daughter and for yourself. There are occasions for which you’ll add chains.”
Trulee admired the shiny silver jewelry. She hugged her mama. “They are beautiful.”
“Aye they are, but they are special so take care not to lose them. Now, there is one more thing that I need to tell you. Do you remember Johnsy?”
“Oh aye, he was the silly man with the long beard that came to visit us.”
“Aye, the silly man,” her mama said and hugged her close. “He is very important too. Johnsy will teach you to speak our language. Be sure to study hard because it is important that we never forget who we are. Johnsy will also begin drawing etchings on you. He’ll mark your skin with important etchings that have been handed down from generations past. You will sometimes get to select what you want, but Johnsy knows what images to etch.”
Trulee smiled. “Akin to your etchings, Mama?” She remembered seeing the markings on her mama’s skin. There were pictures of scrolls, animals, and objects which were unknown to her. She thought they were beautiful.
“Aye, just like mine.”
As Trulee sat with her mama, they quieted. A black crow fluttered down from a tree and sat on Trulee’s shoulder. Animals, birds, and creatures often came to her. Trulee spoke to them and sometimes she thought they understood her, but then she’d end up giggling because that was silly. She stayed still and looked at it, its black feathers puffed out and its wings spread wide. The crow tilted its head and squawked.
“One crow to signify death,” her mama said and lowered her chin. “I know it is time. The crow tells me that is so. Sweetness, you have so many wonderful gifts. Don’t ever question the auras you receive and always listen to your heart. Come inside with me and you shall have your supper.”
“Mama?”
“Aye?”
“When do you gots to go to heaven?”
“Soon, baby, soon.”
About Author Kara Griffin…
Read a Scottish or Medieval Historical Romance book by Kara Griffin and transport yourself to the mystical enchanting realms of the Scottish Highlands and Medieval Britain. Stories of noble swoon-worthy warriors and strong but sweet heroines will have you rooting for them as they encounter dastardly villains, political upheaval, and family dysfunction. Be romanced with sweeping tales of love and honor.
Kara Griffin has always had a vivid imagination and has been an avid romance reader since her early years. Inspired by her grandfather’s heritage, she loves all things Scottish. From the captivating land to the ancient mysticism, all inspire her to write tales that make you sigh. With heroes, heroines, villains, and romance, there’s always a Happily-Ever-After in her stories.
When Kara is not writing, she enjoys family life with her husband of 34 years, daughters, and five grandchildren. Living in the Pinelands of New Jersey, she spends a lot of time at a nearby lake, the Jersey Shore, and wooded areas of the Pine Barrons. She and her family are huge sports fans and cheer on the teams of the city of Philadelphia.
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Links to Kara’s website, blog, books, #ad, etc.:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/48oJrnV
Purchase links:
https://books2read.com/ap/nE2eEv/Kara-Griffin
eMail: karagrifin@gmail.com
Website:
https://karagrif66.wixsite.com/authorkaragriffin
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I hope you enjoy the recipe Kara is sharing today on Karen’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy Eating!
Karen
P.S. We’re at 669 recipes and counting with this posting. Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right-hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: If an author’s favorite recipe isn’t their own creation and came from an online site, you will now find the entire recipe through the link to that site as a personal recommendation. Thank you.
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PEANUT BUTTER PIE
NOTE FROM KARA: With the holidays coming up, I thought I would share our family’s favorite dessert. These pies don’t last long in our house. I usually make about 10 or so of them and take them when visiting friends and family. If you haven’t made/tried it, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s super easy.
You can find Kara’s favorite recipe online here:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/9174/peanut-butter-pie/
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Special Giveaway: Kara will give away a free download of The Warrior and the Waif, Book four in the Lairds of the North series to one lucky reader who comments on her Karen’s Killer Fixin’s blog.
Happy Reading!
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Thanks, Kara, for sharing your book with us!
Don’t miss the chance to read this book!
