Katherine Garbera's Blog

It’s rainy here today which makes me want to curl up and read so I’m sharing a teaser blurb for TEXAS-SIZED SCANDAL, my September 2019 from Harlequin Desire! I loved these characters from the first moment I started to write them. This book was so much fun!Do you want to stay the night?”“I’d like nothing more,” Slade admitted. “But you have to know—”Melinda put her fingers over his lips to stop the words that would have warned her about him and his family.“No more talking,” she said. “We both know the facts, but tonight is for us. Just you and me...and our new child.”He wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her off her feet and carried her toward the stairs that led to her bedroom.After this day, which had felt like a lifetime, he needed this. Needed her in a way that he never would want to admit to another soul. But she did something to him that went beyond sex.He wanted to take her in the hallway up against the wall. Just take her hard and deep until there was no doubt that she was his.No matter what logic said, his instincts demanded he make Melinda his.I hope you will add it to your TBR pile!Amazon | AmazonUK | iBooks | Kobo | B&N

Did y'all notice that I included the instructions but not the ingredients for Texas Sheet Cake in my newsletter? Sorry about that. Here is the complete recipe.Texas Sheet cakeIngredients:2 cups all-purpose flour2 cups white sugar1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup sour cream2 eggs1 cup butter1 cup water5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder6 tablespoons milk5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder1/2 cup butter4 cups confectioners' sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)InstructionsPreheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or spray well with nonstick spray.In a medium or large saucepan, add 1 cup butter, 1 cup water, and 1/2 cup cocoa. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once it boils, take it off the heat.Let it cool for a minute or two, then stir in brown sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla.Meanwhile in a medium bowl combine 2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, salt, and baking soda.Add the dry ingredients to the saucepanStir well, then add 1/2 cup sour cream and eggs. Blend well until all the lumps are gone.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the sides.Bake at 350 for about 18-20 minutes* (check times below), until a toothpick comes out of the center with no wet batter on it. The sides of the cake should just be starting to pull away from the edge of the pan. Don't over bake!Meanwhile, make the frosting. Clean out the saucepan you used for the batter** and add 1 stick of butter and 1/4 cup cocoa. Stir together over medium heat until it comes to a boil, then remove from the heat.Add 6 tablespoons sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.Use a whisk to stir in the powdered sugar. If your cake is not done baking when you finish the glaze, stir it every now and then to break up the hardened shell on top.When the cake is done, take it out of the oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes. Spread the glaze over the cake.

One of the most exciting parts of being an author is when you get the email from the art department with the first glimpse of your cover. I'm always surprised at how they take my story and visually represent it. I have truly been blessed with some gorgeous covers over the years and this one from Harlequin's art department is no exception. I really love it. What do you think? will be out in September and is part of the Texas Cattleman's Club: Houston mini-series. I'm participating with 9 other authors in the series and really loved my story. It was so much fun to write. Preorder your copy today!

Have you seen my gorgeous new cover for HER TEXAS EX? I'm so excited for this book which is available for pre-order. It's the first book in a new series I'm working on called The Dangerous Delaneys. Here's a little teaser:She couldn't forget him, even if she tried... When Amelia Corbyn was a vulnerable teen, she found out she wasn’t a Corbyn by blood. Her biological father was a legendary country singer who wanted nothing to do with her. Hurt and confused, Amelia fled Last Stand Texas for a modeling career in New York. She left behind her high school boyfriend and family who had kept too many secrets. Years later Amelia’s back in Last Stand, retired from modeling and determined to care for her aging parents. She’s not expecting to see the one man she loved and couldn’t forget. Even worse, the spark is still there just waiting to burst into a flame. Former pro-football player Cal Delaney returns to Last Stand to raise his sister’s toddler after a car accident claims her life along with her husband. His feelings for Amelia seem stronger than ever, but he has secrets and responsibilities; and Amelia has already proved to him that when things get tough, she skips town. Can Cal forgive their past so that he and his first love can have a future?Pre - order your copy today!Amazon US |AppleBooks|Kobo|Amazon UK

One of the things that is so exciting about this new series is that I’m back in Las Vegas. I’ve brought my favorite kind of heroes bad boys who came up with nothing and have made a success of their lives, heroines who are feisty, smart and caring and plots that bring out the best and worst in these characters. I hope you will enjoy the ride!Cover RevealI love this cover! I think its eye catching and conveys the story in one glimpse! What do you think?ADD TO GOODREADSJokers WildI mentioned that One Night Gamble (Link to webpage) is the first in a new series that I’m launching this year with Entangled Publishing. There are plans for two more books featuring Casey’s partners in the Jokers Wild Casino. The second book will feature an illusionist—Nicholas Pine and the third book will feature Darien Mitchell an extreme motorcycle stuntman. I hope you will enjoy all the of the books in the series.Pre-Order?Here are the links to pre-order your copy today.Amazon | Barnes & Noble | KoboAmazon UKAre you excited? I hope so!Don't Forget Once Upon A Texas Christmas is free!Amazon | BN | Kobo | Apple BooksHappy Reading!Kathy

Hello, December! This year I’m trying to be more deliberate about how I spend my days and one thing I’ve made a priority is managing work and the holidays. I had a deadline in November and completely focused on that so I missed all the feels I love about autumn and Thanksgiving and I am determined not to let that happen with December. I hope you are enjoying this month too.Here are five things I’m really enjoying right now.1. Christmas ads that have all the feels. I am a huge fan of a ad that makes me cry...my son teases me about it, but I love it. Here’s one I saw this morning that is simply the sweetest. 2. Christmas cocktails. I’m sure this isn’t a surprise to any of you! So far I’ve made the Flat White Martini (the signature drink in ONCE UPON A TEXAS CHRISTMAS) and this weekend am going to try my hand at the snowball! It uses advocaat which I’d never heard of before but is a sort of egg nog. I’ll let you know how it tastes!3. Special breakfasts. It does seem the time of year in my house where food takes center stage. My husband made breakfast for me the other day and it really set the tone for my entire day. Also if you are doing WW this is only 5 smart points and it’s delicious!4. Christmas Movies! We have family favorites that we watch every year. There is something about watching them together and remembering Christmas past that is so heartwarming. Especially when we watch things like Rudolph and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. When my son was little he had the entire Rudolph play set and here is a picture he took one year.5. All the lights. I don’t know why but I’ve always been obsessed with seeing the Christmas lights. I point them out to everyone who is with me, sometimes I take pictures and send them to my family. Here is a video I snagged of the Christmas tree outside the movie theatre this week. It was freezing since winter is around the corner but I couldn’t resist stopping to take this little Boomerang video!Happy Holidays!Kathy

Here’s a little snippet from RANCHER UNTAMED, which goes on sale October 1! Have you pre-ordered your copy yet??Amazon |iBooks |B&N|Kobo |Google PlayTeaser:“I want to celebrate...” “What are we celebrating?” Diego asked. “My birthday,” Pippa said. “I’m twenty-five today.” “Happy birthday, Pippa.” The band was playing and he noticed that Pippa swayed to the music. “So, Pippa, what are we going to do?” She arched one eyebrow at him. “I’m not sure what you mean. What are we going to do about what?” “This night,” he said. He put his hand on her waist and drew her closer to him. “I’m not sure,” she said softly. Her breath smelled sweet, like the prosecco they’d drunk, and her face was so close that his lips tingled, remembering how soft and succulent they had been beneath his. “Well, I’m yours...for tonight,” he said out loud to remind himself that it was only for this night. “Tell me what it is you want me to do.” She tipped her head back and their eyes met. Her lips parted and he felt her hand come to rest on his shoulder. “Show me a good time, cowboy.”

Her Summer Cowboy is free today and I thought I’d share my thoughts on country fairs, country music and my inspiration for HER SUMMER COWBOY.Family is at the heart of my life. I grew up on a sprawling ranch in Central Florida where my parents raised three daughters alongside their Valencia orange crop. We listened to country music, especially John Denver, George Straight and Waylon Jennings. I’m not embarrassed to admit I cried the day I heard that Waylon died.When I think of country fairs to be they are associated with all those wonderful foods that aren’t good for me…funnel cakes, sausage and peppers and anything deep-fat fried, but also country music. We lived a modest life in Central Florida so the only time we really got to see an artist performing live was at the fair.My parents would get up there early, not a burden since we were used to getting up at the crack of dawn, and we’d wait to make sure we got good seats for the shows. The concerts when they started fed my imaginations with the songs of real emotions and the difficulties that I could hear in their voices.From this place came the first inkling of an idea for HER SUMMER COWBOY. I wanted my heroine to be born of country royalty but rooted also in the heartache and problems that come from having been born dirt poor and gaining fame too rapidly. Emma Jean Wells shows up to say goodbye to her grandfather for the summer as he goes on his annual tour of summer fairs. Only this year she’s met by a sexy cowboy who says he’s her Gramps’ bodyguard and she’s like say, what? From that moment nothing goes to Emma’s plan. She ends up agreeing to perform with her grandfather (she used to be one of his back-up singers on tour) and finds herself writing music. The one thing she thought she’d never do again. She also finds herself fallen for Hudson Scott.They’ve agreed on a summer affair once it becomes clear the attraction between them won’t be denied. It makes the most sense because their lives are in different parts of the country and they are both searching and not ready to settle down. But their hearts have a different agenda.HER SUMMER COWBOY is part of my Scotts of Montana series that features hard-head, hard working men and feisty women.I hope you will check out HER SUMMER COWBOY!Happy reading,Kathy

Craving His Best Friend’s Ex book 3 (technically book 4) in my WildCaruthers series, is available today! In case you have missed any of the other titles in the series they are His Seduction Game Plan (Hunter's Book), Tycoon Cowboy's Baby Surprise (Nate's Book), and The Tycoon's Fiancee Deal (Derek's Book).If you have pre-ordered my book, thank you! If you haven’t let me tempt you with an excerpt. It’s available in paperback and e-book.If you are on Facebook I hope you will stop by my author page. I’m hosting a bunch of giveaways this week and I’d love to give you the chance to win.Happy Wednesday!Kathy

A playlist is one of the first things I put together when I dive into a story. I look for key words in the titles and then for artists I know who write songs that resonate with me. My son said to me one time, “Mom, do you have any songs that aren’t angsty?”. Uh, probably not. I mean I have love songs of course but I really love a song that makes me laugh or cry or turns me on!I hope you enjoy this list. 1 Bad At Love – Halsey HOPELESS FOUNTAIN KINGDOM 2 Perfect – Ed Sheeran DIVIDE3 For What It’s Worth – Liam Gallagher AS YOU WERE4 No Freedom – Dido GIRL WHO GOT AWAY5 Malibu – Miley Cyrus YOUNGER NOW6 Wicked Game – Chris Isaak BEST OF CHRIS ISAAK7 Remains – Bastille, Rag’n’Bone Man & Skunk Anansie VS. (Other People’s Heartache, Pt. 111)8 This Town – Harry Styles HARRY STYLES9 The Fighter – Keith Urban RIPCORD10 Hey Ma (feat. Camila Cabello) – J Balvin & Pitbull THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS: THE ALBUM 11. Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield WORKING CLASS DOG12. My Best Friend's Girl - The Cars THE CARS