Treat yourself to a little something for all your hard work over the holidays. Get a FREE $10 Darden gift card after cash back or a big discount on a gift card big enough to treat the family!
Step 3: Add a Gift Card from Darden to your cart for $10.00 or more and head to checkout. You must spend at least $10.00 to get this deal.
TIP: Make a second transaction instead of adding more to an existing cart to maximize additional cash back.
Do not close the window, open any new tabs, or use non-TopCashback approved coupons while checking out.
Step 4: Pay $10.00 or more.That’s it! The $10.00 will post to your TopCashback account within 14 days, and the amount will become payable. Cash back can be credited straight to your checking or PayPal account.
Note: Transactions must contain at least $10.00 worth of purchases to ensure the $10.00 cash back is credited to TopCashback accounts. Transactions may initially track lower, but within the 14 days after purchase it will be uplifted and turn payable at the amount of $10.00. Transactions may take up to 7 days to appear in your TopCashback account. The deal is open until 11:59pm PST on 12/28/2018 or until supplies run out; whichever happens first; applicable for purchases made directly after clicking through TopCashback. Only one TopCashback account is permitted per member. Cannot be combined with other TopCashback freebie offers.
Ruby Schmidt has the talent, the drive, even the guts to enroll in art
school, leaving behind her childhood home and the beau she always
expected to marry. Her life at the Academy seems heavenly at first,
but she soon learns that societal norms in the East are as
restrictive as those back home in West Texas. Rebelling against the
insipid imagery woman are expected to produce, Ruby embraces bohemian
life. Her burgeoning sexuality drives her into a life-long love
affair with another woman and into the arms of an Italian baron. With
the Panic of 1893, the nation spirals into a depression, and Ruby’s
career takes a similar downward trajectory. After thinking she could
have it all, Ruby now wonders how she can salvage the remnants of her
life. Pregnant and broke, she returns to Texas rather than join the
queues at the neighborhood soup kitchen.
Set against the Gilded Age of America, a time when suffragettes fight for
reproductive rights and the right to vote, A Different Kind of Fire
depicts one woman’s battle to balance husband, family, career, and
ambition. Torn between her childhood sweetheart, her forbidden
passion for another woman, the nobleman she had to marry, and
becoming a renowned painter, Ruby’s choices mold her in ways she
could never have foreseen.
Suanne Schafer, born in West Texas at the height of the Cold War, finds it
ironic that grade school drills for tornadoes and nuclear war were
the same: hide beneath your desk and kiss your rear-end goodbye. Now
a retired family-practice physician whose only child has fledged the
nest, her pioneer ancestors and world travels fuel her imagination.
She originally planned to write romances, but either as a consequence of
a series of
failed relationships or a genetic distrust of happily-ever-after, her
heroines are strong women who battle tough environments and intersect
with men who might—or might not—love them.
Suanne
completed the Stanford University Creative Writing Certificate program.
Her short works have been featured in print and on-line magazines
(Bête Noire; Brain, Child; Empty Sink Publishing; and Three
Line Poetry) and anthologies: (Night Lights; Graveyard; 166 Palms;
and Licked). Her debut women’s fiction novel, A Different
Kind of Fire, explores the life of Ruby Schmidt, a nineteenth century
artist who escapes—and returns—to West Texas. Suanne’s next
book explores the heartbreak and healing of an American physician
caught up in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Truly, Texas, March 1891 Ruby latched the chicken-yard gate behind her and waited for the hens’ cackling to settle. If anyone tried to sneak up on her, the birds would squawk an alarm. Certain she was alone, she pulled a scrap of paper from her pocket and read it again. Molly, her best friend, had sent the note by way of a passing cowhand five days ago. Since then Ruby had read the two words—It’s here—so many times the edges of the paper had feathered and Molly’s red wax seal had fallen off. It was the reply to clandestine correspondence Ruby had sent months before. It could change her life. Ruby had been to town with her father just the week before, so her turn would not roll around again for three long weeks. Trusting one of her siblings, especially that sly Beryl, to pick it up without tattling to their folks, was unthinkable. When Ruby asked to take her sister’s place in the wagon, the little snot had flat refused. Bartering continued for days with the deal consummated only this morning while doing breakfast dishes together. Beryl whined a hard bargain. “I want the brooch Granny gave you for Christmas—” Ruby couldn’t believe that she, a grown woman of eighteen, was reduced to negotiating with a nine-year-old. She rolled her eyes but gave a reluctant nod. “—and a month’s worth of dinner dishes.” “Fine.” Ruby blew out a breath hot with exasperation. From the triumphant expression on Beryl’s face, Ruby had been played for a sucker. Under her breath she muttered her father’s term for his daughters when they didn’t live up to his expectations, “Hellion child.” Now, beside her father in the buckboard, half-listening to his mumblings about what he needed in town, Ruby envisioned the changes it could make in her life. “Sixteen penny nails, two-by-fours, poultry wire. You got your mother’s shopping list, girl?” “Yes, sir.” Ruby’s heavy gloves didn’t prevent her fingers from worrying the bottom button on her winter coat until it dangled by a thread. One more twirl snapped the fiber, spiraling the bit of bone to the floorboard. She grabbed for it, but it tumbled into the rutted road, buried forever beneath red West Texas dust. To keep from losing another, she sat on her hands. The closer they got to town, the more her heart felt like a kernel of popcorn ready to explode. Groceries—Ranch Supplies—Dry Goods—Clothing. From its perch above Statler’s Mercantile, the hand-painted sign knocked a wind-blown greeting against the eaves. Pa pulled the buckboard adjacent to the storefront. Before he could set the brake, Ruby kicked off the buffalo robe protecting her from the cold blue norther that had blown in. Without waiting to be helped down, she jumped from the seat, her skirt flaring so high frigid air lassoed her knees. She ignored his “Are you ever going to behave like a proper young—” and dashed into the store. Inside, her gaze darted into every corner of the store, making sure Molly was alone. “Where is it?” “Don’t I even get a hello?” From her station behind the dark oak counter, the middle Statler girl grinned and waggled her feather duster in greeting. “Hello, Molly,” Ruby sassed, wondering how her friend could be so calm on such a momentous occasion. “Happy now? Where is it?” Molly put aside the duster and carefully wiped her hands before pulling several items from a cubbyhole. Ruby jiggled on her feet at her friend’s deliberate pace. Most items Molly returned to their place, but one—a fat ivory envelope—she waved high in the air, tormenting her friend. With one hand Ruby pushed off the counter, stretching for the letter with the other. As her fingers closed on the paper, Molly jerked it away. “You wretch.” Movement out the front window caught Ruby’s eye. She tugged Molly’s arm down. “Here comes my pa.” The smile snapped off Molly’s face as quickly as a mousetrap closing. She thrust the envelope toward Ruby who stashed it in her coat pocket and extracted her mother’s shopping list.
The store door creaked open to admit her father. “Any mail, Ruby?”
“No, sir.” She tucked her hand back into her pocket, pressing the letter against her thigh.
Mr. Statler, his arms filled with boxes, stepped out of the stock room. “Howdy, Hermann.
Anything I can help you with?”
“Put whatever the girl needs on my account, Jack. I’ll pick her up when I’m done at the lumber
yard.”
Ruby ran a finger down her mother’s checklist but was too excited to focus. The spidery
handwriting became a tangled, illegible web as ten pounds of flourmoseyed into five pounds of
cornmeal and blackstrap molasses poured onto one card of small white buttons.
Unable to calm herself enough to fill the order, while Ruby waited for her pa to leave, she
studied her friend. Despite performing her usual duties of stocking shelves and cleaning the
store, Molly’s white cuffs remained pristine and not a strand of hair escaped the flaxen braids
crowning her head. With a sigh, Ruby removed her bonnet, tried in vain to pat her hair into place
then brushed off her clothing. Windblown and gritty, Ruby looked like she’d rolled into town on a
tumbleweed.
After an interminable conversation about the upcoming town hall meeting and the quarter-inch
of rain the town had gotten the week before—things that weren’t nearly as important as Ruby’s
letter—Ruby’s pa drove off and Mr. Statler returned to the back room.
Molly whirled around the counter to join Ruby. “Open it.”
After a final survey ensured they were truly alone, Ruby pulled the envelope from her pocket,
slid a finger beneath its seal, and removed the letter. Her hands trembled too much for her to
decipher the words, she thrust the page at her friend. “I can’t bear the suspense. Read it to me,
please.”
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
When natural-born witch Edra is approached by others who share her
gifts,
she jumps at the chance to join a Coven. Until she discovers that
they’re not what they seem. They’re hell-bent on destruction, and
in order to save herself and those she loves, Edra must leave her
home, and the only man she’s ever loved.
Squire-turned-knight
Radnar has never been the same since the love of his life disappeared
in the middle of the night seven years ago. Despite his broken heart,
he doesn’t give up hope of finding her again. Only when he does, he
gets more than he bargained for, and his world is turned upside down.
Being brought back together in the midst of magic and danger, Radnar
and Edra rekindle their once in a lifetime love and set about making
the world a safer place. But can they do it alone, or will it require
a much grander plan?
New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant “skillfully melds history
and legend” (RT Book Reviews) in a brand new series – The Kindred.
To live in the light, they hunt in the dark…
Unparalleled in beauty and daring, Leoma has been raised with a
single-minded focus—to wipe out corrupt witches. But when her new
target
leads her to a discovery that unveils a graver plan from the Coven, she
doesn’t hesitate to follow. Yet, she’s not the only one on the
hunt. And the sexy, infuriating man who crosses her path could prove
to be a distraction—something she’s never encountered before.
Honor and family mean everything to Braith. When his life is turned
upside
down by the murder of his ward and heir without cause or reason, he
has no choice but to turn to vengeance. Until a stunning, dangerous
woman continues to thwart his efforts at every turn. Now, he must
battle not only his need for revenge but his desire for the female,
as well.
Re-
enter the world of New York Times bestselling author Donna
Grant’s spellbinding Kindred series.
To live in the light, they hunt in the dark…
Strong-willed and cunning, Ravyn was taken in as a child by witch
Hunters
and raised her to be the best of the best. When she receives word that
the witch who murdered her family and ripped apart her world is
nearby, Ravyn begins her hunt. In her quest to locate the witch, she
finds her pursuit impeded again and again by a gorgeous and powerful
man. But she won’t be denied and intends to do whatever is
necessary to complete her mission. But the Coven is more dangerous
than ever, and Ravyn may not be enough to thwart their latest
endeavor.
Carac has spent years building his army and winning wars to become
known as
one of the greatest knights of his time. But he holds a big secret.
Everything he’s worked for comes into question when he’s faced with
a threat he hadn’t known existed. He suddenly finds his mission
changed after he’s approached by the most spirited and beautiful
woman he’s ever seen. It’s soon apparent that priceless
antiquities are only the beginning of what they’re fighting for—and
what they stand to lose.
The power of Helena’s magic has made her a target for the Coven. She
wanted no part in the war of the witches, but it’s out of her hands
now. She has to make a stand – and she does that by helping the
Hunters and their allies against their common enemy. And now, the
witch who ripped Helena’s future apart is coming. Sybbyl’s
vengeance is swift and terrible, pitting the two against each other.
But Helena doesn’t have to fight the Coven alone. A seductive
warlock offers his aid. Helena is hesitant to give her trust to him –
because it’s more than her life on the line. It’s her heart as well.
As the most feared and respected warrior of the Varroki, Jarin is used
to being on his own. But with the Coven’s quest to locate the bones
of the First Witch escalating, he finds it increasingly difficult to
retain his solitary existence. When Jarin encounters Helena, he is
helpless to resist her. She’s everything he didn’t know he
wanted, and with her help, he’s convinced that maybe his people can
finally defeat their foe. But there’s so much more at play than
they know―ties in blood and sacrifice―and the loss that’s sure
to follow may be greater than any of them can bear.
New York Times and USA
Today bestselling author Donna Grant has been praised for her
“totally addictive” and “unique and sensual”
stories. Her latest acclaimed series, Dark Kings, features a
thrilling combination of dragons, Fae, and immortal Highlanders who
are dark, dangerous, and irresistible. She lives with her two
children and an assortment of animals in Texas.
They had taken out many Coven witches. But not enough. Not nearly enough.
The Coven sought out witches, giving them the option to join their ranks or die. Helena had
chosen death when the Hunter appeared in the Witch’s Grove and freed her.
Many, many other witches had also preferred death over joining the Coven. But the vast
majority joined the Coven because they didn’t want to die.
While Helena wanted to fight the Coven, she knew she couldn’t do it by herself. And no witch
would join her, for they mistrusted as deeply as she did, fearing that it was a ploy by the Coven
to get them out of hiding.
That left Helena only two options. Continue on her own.
Or find the Hunters.
She dropped her forehead to her knees. Her eyes closed as she let her memories take her back
to happier times. Of a time when life had been simpler, a time when she hadn’t feared anything
or anyone.
The jingle of a bridle snapped her head up. She blinked, only vaguely realizing that while she
had been deep in her memories, she had fallen asleep. She had no idea how long she slept. It
was still light out, but the heavy clouds and thick trees made it difficult to tell where the sun
was in the sky.
She leaned back against the trunk of the tree and listened for another sound. For endless
moments, there was nothing. Just the silence of a winter wood. She was beginning to think
she’d imagined the jangle when she heard a horse blow out a breath.
Cautiously, Helena peered around the tree and saw two men setting up camp about a hundred
yards from her. She sighed in frustration and turned away. Now, she’d have to hear them
talking all night.
She closed her eyes again and tried to sleep, but despite her eyes hurting from lack of rest, she
couldn’t. It wasn’t long before the crackle of a fire reached her. Helena was able to ignore the
thought of the warmth right until she smelled something cooking.
Her mouth watered, and her stomach grumbled just thinking about food. The last thing she had
eaten was a piece of stale bread she’d stolen the night before. The fact that she could solve her
problems with magic but didn’t dare for fear of alerting the Coven made it even more difficult
to bear.
The hours stretched by as the sun set and darkness fell over the land like a thick blanket. And
the snow continued to fall. The men laughed and talked and ate as if they didn’t have a care in
the world.
Helena dozed, but every little sound the men made woke her. She was attempting to find a
more comfortable position when a woman’s voice reached her. She stilled, trying to hear the
conversation.
When she couldn’t stand it any longer, Helena leaned around the tree to take a look. Her blood
went cold when she saw the yellow-orange magic moving from the witch’s palm towards the
men.
One lay unmoving, but the other was handing over all his possessions while gazing at the witch
as if she were an angel come down from Heaven.
There was no way Helena could sit there and allow the witch to get away with such behavior. It
didn’t matter if the woman was part of the Coven or not. Just because she had magic did not
mean she could use it in such a fashion.
Helena rose and walked around the tree. As she did, she felt the rush of her magic run through
her body. Her strides were long, her gaze locked on the witch.
As soon as Helena was close enough, she let the purple coils of her magic fly from one palm.
Before they could strike, the witch leaned out of the way. The woman forgot the men as she
shifted her attention to Helena.
“Do you have any idea who I am?” the witch demanded.
Helena lowered the hood of her cloak. “Not a whit.”
“I’m part of the Coven. You will bow before me. Now.”
There was a smile on Helena’s face as she said, “Make me.”
The witch peeled back her lips. The yellow-orange magic flew straight at Helena. With a wave of
her hand, Helena blocked one blast, but the other slashed her across her upper left arm.
Helena ignored the pain as she lunged over one of the men and sent more coils of power
toward the witch. And, once more, they were evaded.
When Helena was struck once again with the magic, she clenched her teeth and focused
everything she had on the witch. This time, when her blast went for the woman, it sank into the
witch’s skin. She began to thrash and scream as she was burned from the inside out.
The witch turned to ash before she hit the ground. Helena then faced the men to find both of
them watching her with fear in their eyes. She grabbed what remained of their meal and
stalked off.
Follow the tour HERE
for exclusive content and a giveaway!
His Girl Next Door
by Khardine Gray
Genre: Contemporary Romance
No strings attached fun… What could possibly go wrong?
Nothing.
It was fun.
Fun…
Hot, sexual, steamy fun with the uber gorgeous single dad next door?
Yes, please.
Look at him. Who would say no to him with his perfect body, perfect
everything, and those piercing green eyes?
Not me.
Fun
What else could it be? I was only going to be in town for eight months and
I was here for business.
Business, business, definitely not pleasure.
But all work and no play has never been a good thing in anyone’s book.
Fun would be easy. No strings attached.
It would be goodbye at the end. I would go back to L.A and he
would stay here.
No problem, no drama, no stress.
It felt easy when Ryan came to me with the idea. It felt easy as I
played the game and went through the motions.
It felt easy because I had a line I always drew under relationships. A
line I never crossed.
But…
then he unlocked something inside me. Something I hid away from the
world.
No strings attached fun… what could possibly go wrong?
I thought nothing then everything became a complicated, sexy mess…
Goodreads * Amazon
Khardine Gray is a contemporary romance author who lives in England with her
husband, two kids, and three crazy ferrets.
She is well traveled, cultured, and a woman with a passion for dancing
and ice skating.
When not writing you can catch her shopping, indulging on pizza and hot
chocolate, or hanging out with her family and friends.
No need to spend money on an airline ticket. Simply pick up one of
Khardine’s books to become immersed in the fascinating stories and
characters she creates.
Website * Newsletter * Facebook * Facebook Group * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads
Is your family equipped for an emergency? Do you have at least a month of food that can be prepared without gas or electricity? Or a full kit of supplies and first-aid materials? If you must pause for a moment to take inventory – then the answer is probably no.
This post is brought to you by SSA Public Relations in partnership with Wise Co. Any opinions expressed are my own.
Because a disaster – natural or otherwise – can hit just like that. When you’re watching TV…changing your baby’s diaper…taking a shower…or even reading this blog. And you need to be ready.
Luckily there are companies like the Wise Co. that specialize in taking the stress out of emergency preparedness. Their unique and varied disaster kits are outfitted with everything your family needs. – from long-term food packets designed by nutrition experts to survival gear and first-aid equipment.
Wise further offers survival gear and first-aid equipment sourced from the country’s most trusted manufacturers. Many of their items, such as fuel sources and water filtration systems, go beyond anything you can find at department stores. Portable solar generators, 50-gallon water containers, water filter systems, survival seed kits, and first-aid kits are just a sampling of the impressive equipment you will find.
Wise Co kits make amazing Christmas gifts, especially those that live in areas prone to disaster, for the elderly, and the survivalist! I live in Pennsylvania. One of the biggest things we have to be prepared for is the bad winter storms. At times the roads are restricted, Pipes can freeze, power can go out, and it can be hard to get to a store to get even essentials.
Still other parts of Pennsylvania are prone to flooding and occasionally mudslides. As a family of 6 I think a month supply kit would definitely help if we had to go a few days without electricity or running water.
Emergency preparedness is one of the most important investments your family can make – and the Wise Co.’s reasonably-priced kits is a testament to their honesty. However, one lucky reader will have the chance to win a FREE Wise Co. kit right here through an exclusive contest generously offered by the company.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
