Did you ask Santa for a new eReader this year? Are you hoping to see a Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or Sony eReader under the tree? Many of us on the digital team are long-time eBook enthusiasts. So as an early holiday gift to e-newbies, we thought we’d share our favorite eReading tips and tricks.  Enjoy!

You can read eBooks by the pool!

I’m a confirmed eBook convert. There’s just one area of my life where paper seems more attractive than eBooks: near water. In the summer, I love reading by the pool; in the winter I indulge in long hot baths with a good book. If a paperback gets dropped in the tub or splashed by a kid playing Marco Polo, no biggie – it’ll dry out, or if the damage is extensive, you spend $5-10 on another copy; but if my beloved Kindle gets wet… The horror! I don’t want to think about the cost of replacing it, but it’s definitely more than the cost of a paperback. So I employ a tried-and-true waterproofing device: the humble Ziploc bag. Cheap and durable, but it really works!
Jenny Bullough, Manager, Digital Content

Protect your eReader

Buy a cover to prevent scratches on the eReader screen or casing! I use simple sleeve-style covers for my Kobo and Kindle because they’re pretty inexpensive, light and I can still use my devices one-handed, unlike the “book” style ones you have to hold open like a print book.
Amy Wilkins, Assistant Manager, Digital Content and Social Media

Try new things!

Being new to eReading definitely has its advantages. There’s a whole world of books just waiting to be discovered, full of fascinating genres and niches that aren’t as popular in print. If you’re feeling adventurous and in the mood for something different, check out some steampunk, space opera or science fiction romance books. Personally, I know trying out male/male on my Kindle made me feel more comfortable when I first started reading it… Now I can’t get enough of it and don’t care who knows about my latest reading addiction!
Tara Stevens, Assistant Manager, eBook Marketing

Read Everywhere

Get an eReader, grab an application from any or all of the eBook retailers for your tablet, or even your smartphone or home computer. I love having multiple applications on my Android phone, so I can take advantage of the best deals on each platform. It’s never been easier to access, purchase and transport all of your favorites. Don’t like a book, find and try something new in seconds. The risk is low, and the rewards are limitless.
Brendan Flattery, Production Coordinator

Stay Warm

If you live in a cold climate and own a touchscreen eReader like I do, invest in a pair of fingerless mittens. I like to read when I’m waiting for the bus, but in the winter it’s too cold for bare hands and regular mittens don’t work on touchscreens. Fingerless mittens keep my hands warm and the proverbial page turning on my trusty Sony eReader.
Carly Chow, Coordinator, Digital Commerce

Save your marriage!

I love to read at night—late into the night—but my husband used to threaten to banish me to the couch. One of my best investments has been a good clip-on reading light for my Kobo. There are lots of great, inexpensive options that are perfect for E-ink devices. Perfect to keep you reading to your heart’s content—and keep you from getting kicked out of bed.
Julie Forrest, Manager, eBook Marketing

Looking for suggestions to load up your eReader? Check out our Ebooks for eReaders today! And visit some of our favorite book bloggers for their recommendations:

Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
Dear Author
Beyond Her Book

We hope you find our tips useful. Now it’s your turn—you tell us yours in the comments.

1. Robyn Carr’s Bring Me Home for Christmas contest

Yesterday Robyn Carr stopped by the blog to talk about her latest Virgin River novel, Bring Me Home for Christmas, and mentioned her new homecoming themed contest. Countless military families experience reunion stories on a daily basis—sometimes joyous, sometimes painful, and sometimes bittersweet. From November 1 – December 15, 2011 we want to hear your story. One family of four has the chance to win a grand prize featuring the following:

• A family vacation (up to 4 people) to anywhere within North America or the Caribbean
• $500 Gift Card to Walmart to grant your Christmas wishlist
• A family photo session and portraits
• A signed copy of Robyn Carr’s Bring Me Home for Christmas

Five secondary prizes of signed copies of Bring Me Home for Christmas will be awarded as well. Share your stories today! Visit HoldOutForAHero.com

2. The Iron Knight photo contest

Are you a big Julie Kagawa fan? Have you ever been to New York City? Why not kill two birds with one stone and meet Julie Kagawa in NYC! Here’s how you do it: Between Oct. 24 and Nov. 18 grab one of the 4 Iron Fey novels (print or ebook), cover your entire face with it and create a FEY-TASTIC scene then take a photo and submit it to the contest. Then you can vote and vote and vote–get your friends to vote too! Still not sure what we mean? The Harlequin digital team has been getting into the spirit of the contest.

Visit the Harlequin TEEN facebook page to submit your entry, vote and view entries. Good luck, Fey fans!

3. So You Think You Can Write starts on Monday!

Last year’s So You Think You Can Write conference was such a big success we’re doing it all over again this year! Visit soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com between Monday, Nov. 7 to Friday, Nov. 11 for advice, tips and tricks from Harlequin authors and editors on how to get your own story published. We’ll also be running daily challenges for opportunities to have your work read by our editors! Follow @HarlequinSYTYCW on Twitter for the latest news as well.

4. Angela Henry’s The Paris Secret from Carina Press now in print!

I mentioned Angela Henry’s The Paris Secret in my last covers I love blog post, but I have to mention it again: each time a Carina Press title makes it’s debut in print, it feels like an angel just got their wings (Christmas on the brain much? Maybe!) Click here to purchase a copy today!

And if you’re looking for other Carina Press titles in print, Marie Force’s Fatal Affair is still available!

5. Harlequin app available for Android now!

Good news, Android users–the Harlequin App is now available for you as well! You can find it in the Android Market for FREE. You can browse our new releases, keep track of what’s coming up in the next month, create a wishlist, and even read free online reads! There’s loads more to do on the app, so pick it up in the market today and join in on the fun! Here: http://bit.ly/uJAd3S

6. Kristan Higgins’ Until There Was You book trailer

Yesterday we debuted the trailer for New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Kristan Higgins’ new novel Until There Was You.

Posey Osterhagen can’t complain. She owns a successful architectural salvaging company, she’s surrounded by her loveable, if off-center, family and she has a boyfriend—sort of. Still, something’s missing. Something tall, brooding and criminally good-looking…something like Liam Murphy.

Have a look below!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Last week we had the pleasure of attending NY Comic Con to represent “The Other Worlds of Harlequin,” including titles from our Luna and Teen imprints as well as our digital-first imprint Carina Press.

In homage to Sophie Littlefield’s stunning post-apocalyptic Aftertime series, Friday was zombie day in the Harlequin booth.  Here’s me in the chair getting made up by artist Edward O’Rourke:

Here’s the scary “after” shot. I sent it home and frightened my children!

Here’s my creepy colleague, Carly:

This guy really got in the spirit. He grabbed our scissors and slashed his shirt!

The adults weren’t the only ones having a great time—the kids of Con really loved having their faces done. Check out these mini monsters, Jack, Max and Hailey:

The day was a blast, and worth the occupational hazards. What hazards, you ask? Just minor ones, like Leonore getting bitten…

And the occasional chainsaw attack….

All in a day’s work!

Gena Showalter’s Facebook Livestream Event
It’s a’coming! Last week we announced that Gena Showalter will be our next Livestream author on Oct. 13. Waitaminnit…that’s TODAY! That’s right! Today at 3 p.m. ET catch Gena Showalter on Facebook answering your questions, releasing new info about her Lords of the Underworld series and talking about dating…the undead. Yes, the undead.

Carina Press at NY Comic Con
Along with sister Harlequin, Carina Press will be at the NY Comic Con Oct. 14-16. Come visit us in booth #2021 and enter to win a Kobo eReader Touch Edition and a library of 50 free eBooks from Carina Press! To celebrate our growing Steampunk collection, come by the booth on Sunday to check out our tickle trunk and “steampunk yourself.” Be sure to introduce yourself to @Carly_Chow. She’ll be the one wearing this outfit likely!

Celebrating Steampunk!
And if you like steampunk, then you should probably grab yourself a copy of Kady Cross’s free ebook novella The Strange Case of Finley Jayne. It’s the prequel to The Girl in the Steel Corset, which was recently honored with a 2011 Moonbeam Childrens Book Award from Independent Publisher Online Magazine.

If you have a Net Galley account, you can now download and review A Clockwork Christmas, the brand new Carina Press steampunk anthology. With stories from Stacy Gail, PG Forte, Jenny Schwartz and JK Coi, there’s enough in this anthology to get you all steamy!

And here’s one more look at the new trailer for Crave by debut author Melissa Darnell!

Happy Thursday everyone! It’s almost the weekend again.

A special Iron Fey treat on Julie Kagawa’s new Facebook page

Like Julie Kagawa’s new Facebook author page to preview four still from the upcoming gorgeous Iron Knight trailer. It’s only a taste of what’s to come. The full trailer comes out on Wednesday, Sept. 28 on the Harlequin Teen Facebook fan page. Be sure to check it out! You won’t want to miss it.

Book trailer for Rachel Vincent’s If I Die

Speaking of the Harlequin Teen Facebook fan page, like it now to see an exclusive trailer for Rachel Vincent’s next Soul Screamers, If I Die. It’s a win-win! You’ll get to see the trailer for Rachel’s next Soul Screamers now and you’ll be ready for Julie’s trailer release in two weeks!

Debbie Macomber’s Cookbook Trailer Release

In even more book trailer news, the new Debbie Macomber Christmas Cookbook has received the cinematic treatment as well and you’ll be able to see the trailer for that this today on the Harlequin Facebook fan page at 2 p.m. EST.

You’ll be able to pick up a copy of the cookbook on Sept. 27!

Get email updates on exclusive offers and gifts with our Holiday Highlights emails!

Sign up to receive exclusive monthly offers in October and November. Plus in December, you’ll be the first to know about our amazing 12 Deals, 12 Gifts promotion with daily updates about sales, FREE gifts and more! These savings are only available to subscribers of the Holiday Highlights email.

Tried-and-True Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients
1 teaspoon active dry yeast (approximately 1⁄2 a yeast packet)
1⁄2 teaspoon organic brown sugar
3⁄4 cup warm water
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup whole wheat pastry or white whole wheat flour
3⁄4 cup organic all-purpose flour, divided

Directions
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and brown sugar in water and let sit for 10 minutes, until yeast is foamy.
Stir in salt and oil. Mix in whole wheat pastry flour and 1⁄2 cup of the all-purpose flour. Turn dough out onto a clean, well-floured surface and knead in more flour until dough is no longer sticky.
Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with a cloth and put in a warm place. Let rise for an hour. Punch down dough and form into a tight ball.
Allow to rest before rolling out and topping.Preheat oven and a pizza stone, if using, to 425 degrees. Bake topped pizza on pizza stone or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper for 15 to 20 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: (for 8 slices): 110 calories, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 146 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein

Tip from Mama Pea, Sarah Matheny
Don’t be afraid of the yeast! Make sure your water is lukewarm and that your yeast is fresh. Always check the expiration dates on your packages.

***

We live in the ‘burbs and my husband Chris is a stay-at-home-Dad. Our son Henry just turned 3 and keeps us both on our toes. We love to cook and share the kitchen duties pretty equally (although Chris does most of the baking!). We believe strongly in eating wholesome, natural food.

When I volunteered to ‘test-run’ a Peas And Thank You recipe for the blog, I didn’t realize I’d have to cook pizza crust in last week’s heat wave! But I soldiered on, because really, who doesn’t love pizza?

We’re big fans of homemade pizza and do make dough from scratch, but we cheat a little by making it in our breadmaker – so this was a new experience from us.

Henry likes to help in the kitchen, and making pizza is perfect for kids like him, there’s so much they can do! He helped by pouring, stirring, and putting the toppings on the pizza – but I thought it best for me to knead the dough myself…a 3 year old and sticky dough don’t mix in my house!

I’d typically do a ‘traditional’ pizza with some turkey pepperoni, but in the spirit of Peas And Thank You, we went vegetarian and topped the pizza with pizza sauce, mozzarella, spinach and a little feta. Mmmmmmmmmm!

I do have a pizza stone, but I didn’t pre-heat it like the recipe said (I never pre-heat my stone), and the crust came out just fine…crispy and a little chewy.

We added a salad on the side (lettuce with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette – blueberries, honey, vegetable oil and balsamic vinegar), and it was one of those meals you feel proud serving because it looked beautiful, tasted delicious, and was full of healthy ingredients.

For more information about Sarah Matheny, you can visit her blog, Peas and Thank You, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. Peas and Thank You the book is now in bookstores.

Discussion Question of the Day:

What pizza toppings make your kids happy?

Commenters who answer the discussion question are eligible to win our Peas and Thank You prize pack. Only U.S. and Canada residents can win, unfortunately. For full contest details, click here. Good luck everyone!

Fabulous French Toast

INGREDIENTS
4 to 6 slices bread
1⁄3 cup non-dairy or organic milk
1⁄3 cup non-dairy or organic creamer
2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry or white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional Toppings: vegan margarine (i.e., Earth Balance), maple syrup, fresh sliced berries or bananas, powdered sugar or any combination thereof.

DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients except bread in a shallow dish. Whisk well to get rid of any lumps.
Dip bread on each side and carefully place in a preheated skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cooking for several minutes on each side. Serve with optional toppings.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING: (for 6 slices): 99 calories, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 145 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein

Tip from Mama Pea, Sarah Matheny

Even if you’ve never used it before, don’t leave out the nutritional yeast!

It gives a great flavor and color to the French toast and adds a little extra nutrition in the form of vitamin B12 and protein.  Go ahead and call it by its nickname, “nooch.”  It’s fun to say, now isn’t it?

***

Testers:
Zoe: 6 years old, budding vegetarian who “won’t eat anything that has babies”.
Fiona: 2 years old, eats anything – IF she’s in the right mood.
Brent: Proud father, daily chef, lives to grill, loves to cook, especially if it means trying something new.

Before we got started Fiona really enjoyed flipping through the book, admiring the pictures of the Pea family!

When we chose to make the Fabulous French Toast, I was a little nervous.  Would we be able to find the all-important Nutritional Yeast? And we did, in the organic section of our local big-box grocery store, nestled in with the quinoa and bulgur. We even had our choice of brands! Apparently this ingredient isn’t as exotic as I thought.

The recipe is dead simple and fast as well as easy to prep. Both girls enthusiastically assisted, taking turns pouring in the liquid ingredients and whisking the mixture.

For the sake of testing, we tried a variation on the recipe: we left out the “nooch” in one batch and substituted ground flaxseed. The result was still good, but lost the nutty flavour.

After a few minutes on the griddle, the French Toast was ready to serve! We sprinkled on some powdered sugar to further entice the girls to try it, but it wasn’t really necessary – they couldn’t wait to customize their own with homemade maple syrup and sliced fruit!

Zoe pronounced it “awesome”. Fiona was a little harder to please but did eat half a slice, piled high with strawberries! The adults liked it too, and agreed that this could easily become part of our regular brunch rotation. Fast, easy, delicious — what more could you want in a breakfast?

For more information about Sarah Matheny, you can visit her blog, Peas and Thank You, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. Peas and Thank You the book is now in bookstores.

Discussion Question of the Day:

What dishes are part of your weekend family brunch rotation?

Commenters who answer the discussion question are eligible to win our Peas and Thank You prize pack. Only U.S. and Canada residents can win, unfortunately. For full contest details, click here. Good luck everyone!

Picnic Tortilla Pinwheels

Ingredients
6 slices tempeh bacon (i.e., Lightlife Fakinʼ Bacon)
4 La Hacienda de Peas Tortillas (p. 102) or store-bought whole wheat variety
1⁄3 cup non-dairy (i.e., Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese) or organic cream cheese
1 thinly sliced organic apple, any variety
1 cup fresh organic spinach leaves

Directions
Cook bacon according to package directions. Lay out tortillas and spread each with 1 to 2 tablespoons of cream cheese.
Layer 1 1⁄2 bacon slices, apple and spinach in each tortilla and roll tightly.
Cut into thirds and serve, securing with toothpicks, if necessary.

Nutrition Information per Serving
115 calories, 6 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein

Tip from Mama Pea, Sarah Matheny
Slice your apple thinly to help with the rolling process, and feel free to soften your tortillas in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.

Don’t be afraid to hold the pinwheels together with toothpicks. Just don’t forget to remove them before giving them to the kiddos or the very hungry, not highly observant husbands.

***

My husband, Matthew, and I are both Vegetarians. So when PEAS AND THANK YOU became a part of our Nonfiction program, to say the least, I was a little excited! Living in a condo in the city, we love to get outside, be active & be healthy. So whether it’s running marathons or eating a whole foods diet to keep us fuelled, we’re always looking to try something new. In this case, PEAS AND THANK YOU gives us quick, easy & healthy recipes – with the added perk of being all veggie, of course!

Introducing my husband (& best friend), Matthew! Between long work hours, training for his next marathon and cycling, sometimes he’s a hard guy to track down. But when it comes to eating, he always ready and willing!

One of the perks of working on the Nonfiction program is that I get advance access to the book content – needless to say, I have been working my way through PEAS AND THANK YOU for the past little while (love, LOVE the enchiladas!). When the opportunity came to make a recipe from the book that I hadn’t yet, I was completely onboard!

In fact, I tested the Pinwheels on two occasions. The first time was for a typical weeknight…which means us having quick dinner around 8:30pm after a long day at work and a trip to the gym. And the second time, I packed a lunch to take on a long Sunday bike ride. Both times were complete successes!

The recipe ingredients were easy to find and the process was quick & simple. Less than 20 minutes to make a meal – plus I didn’t dirty every pan in the kitchen! Matt patiently waited while I took the photo of the end result…before we dug in. We both loved them – the apple & spinach combo is so refreshing during the summer (just to note, I may have been a little heavy-handed with the spinach).

This is definitely becoming a ‘regular’ in our weekly food repertoire!

For more information about Sarah Matheny, you can visit her blog, Peas and Thank You, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. Peas and Thank You the book is now in bookstores.

Discussion Question of the Day:

What items are on your summer picnic menu?

Commenters who answer the discussion question are eligible to win our Peas and Thank You prize pack. Only U.S. and Canada residents can win, unfortunately. For full contest details, click here. Good luck everyone!

Banana Chocolate Chip Millet Muffins

Ingredients
2/3 cup millet
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry or white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 bananas, mashed plus 1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup non-dairy or organic milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a tin with muffin papers and set aside.

Place millet into a food processor, spice mill or high-speed blender and pulse into a fine texture. Pour into a large bowl and add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a smaller bowl, combine mashed bananas, brown sugar, oil, milk and
vanilla.Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.Spoon the batter into muffin cups and top with banana slices.

Bake for 17 to 19 minutes.

Nutrition Information per Serving
115 calories, 6 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein

Tip from Mama Pea, Sarah Matheny
Make sure to grind the millet in a food processor or blender before adding it to the batter. Whole millet grains won’t soften in the muffin like the homemade “millet flour” does.

***

Our household consists of two urban city-goers from Dubai, myself and my husband. We are used to eating lots of meat, from chicken shwarmas to lamb kebabs to Arabic meat pies. Having lived the busy urban city lifestyle for most of our lives in Dubai, we chose to take a break from the city when we made our home in Canada. Our country living home outside of Toronto, in Halton Hills, consists of 5 acres, 3 dogs, 1 bird, and a personalized 300 high heeled stiletto closet–that describes our home perfectly (in my head anyway.) We both love to cook so, between Brenton’s busy realtor schedule and my two hour daily commute, we make sure we do so together every night. Our two happy tummies = our happy home!

Handsome Hungry Hungry Hippo, I mean Husband (aka HHHH or Brenton Soares )

HHHH is up to eating anything I make- and complimenting it! He helps with all the chopping and cutting–I’ve never seen someone handle a Slap Chop better than he can. The Three Musketeers Jigga, George and Little Henry (aka our puppies), are always around somewhere and Hungry Hungry Jackie is the bird of the house.

HHHH didn’t have any chopping to do for this recipe, so he patiently worked on his Mac Sunday morning, while I whipped up the muffins for breakfast! The muffins were quick and easy to bake–with the longest time being the baking! HHHH and the Three Musketeers milled around the kitchen enjoying the fresh-baked smell of the muffins for a very long time. HHHH even said that I should smell like a muffin all the time–not really sure how I’m supposed to react to that one! Jigga put on a dance sniffing the air trying to eat it! Participation of the family members provided entertainment to the chef!

Best Part of the Experience?
Licking the oooeey gooeey melted chocolate chips from the fresh-out-of-the-oven muffins. Banana and chocolate complement each other so perfectly. The not-so-best part was HHHH sneaking Hungry Hungry Jackie some banana–that bird gets too much attention!

I have been requested to make these muffins every Sunday morning for breakfast! The texture of the millet makes the muffins feel healthy and hearty. We used whole wheat flour as well, which we felt tasted better. I made a second batch for work using almond milk (we are trying to cut down on dairy) and we found that we liked the added nut flavour to the chocolate and the banana. We finished off the second batch for dessert after dinner with some ice wine!

For more information about Sarah Matheny, you can visit her blog, Peas and Thank You, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. Peas and Thank You the book will be available in bookstores July 26, 2011.

Discussion Question of the Day:

What kind of muffins are the best additions to a healthy breakfast?

Commenters who answer the discussion question are eligible to win our Peas and Thank You prize pack. Only U.S. and Canada residents can win, unfortunately. For full contest details, click here. Good luck everyone!