Lisa Tawn Bergren https://lisatawnbergren.com Official website for Lisa Tawn Bergren Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:43:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 66422936 Stop #31 Grand Prize Entry https://lisatawnbergren.com/2026/03/stop-31-grand-prize-entry/ Tue, 17 Mar 2026 18:32:47 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=42774

FIRST PRIZE: All 30 novels and $150 Amazon Gift Card
SECOND PRIZE: All 30 novels and $125 Amazon Gift Card
THIRD PRIZE: All 30 novels and $75 Amazon Gift Card
FOURTH PRIZE: $50 Amazon Gift Card
FIFTH PRIZE: $50 Amazon Gift Card

 

Contest is open to international entrants. (If someone outside the USA wins one of the top three prizes, they will be sent an ebook. Amazon gift credit will be in the equivalent to USD.)

TO ENTER:
1) Log-in below with your email (this is how we contact you if you win so use one you check; if we do not hear back from you in 24 hours we will move on to another contestant.) Add name, email, and click on “enter”
2) Click on “Enter the clue stream in the box below,” type in the clue stream and then click “complete”
Do (1) and (2) and you’re in!!

If you have trouble with entering the contest via the entry form below, send an email to Lisa@BergrenCreativeGroup.com BEFORE 3/22/26 MIDNIGHT MOUNTAIN with the complete clue phrase and your name and phone #, and I’ll make sure you are entered before the prizes are randomly drawn on 3/23/26. You may enter one time. Please do not enter more than once with various emails. Winners will be posted on the prize entry widget here, once complete, as well as be notified via the email you used to enter the form.

Individual author prizes will be drawn and winners notified by those authors by 3/24/26.

]]> 42774 Spring Scavenger Hunt Stop #1 https://lisatawnbergren.com/2026/03/spring-scavenger-hunt-stop-1/ Tue, 17 Mar 2026 18:32:21 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=42778

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt!

If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to collect the clues through all the stops, in order (beginning here at Stop #1), so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

  • The hunt BEGINS on THURSDAY 3/19 at noon Mountain right here on this page! 
  • Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
  • There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 3/22 at midnight Mountain)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
  • Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the entry form at the final stop, back here on my site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

Hi! My name’s Lisa Bergren and I’m a writer of many things—children’s books, gift books, nonfiction, and fiction in many genres. And I’m talkin’ MANY. YA time travel, spiritual suspense, women’s fiction, dystopian…you get the gist. You can learn more about me and all my books here on my site and on Facebook. But I always adore an epic story. My upcoming release is the second book in my dystopian series, Remnants: Season of Fire. It was previously released, but I’ve given it a fresh edit and a new cover! Here’s what the series is about:

Our Coming was foretold by the elders…

Andriana is a Remnant, one of the gifted born on the seventh day during the seventy-seventh Harvest after the Great War, and destined to act as humanity’s last shield against the horrors that now plague those who remain.

After years of training in stealth and warfare, Andriana and her Knight protector, Ronan, are finally ready to answer the Call and begin the life they were designed for. But as they embark with the other Remnants on the first of their assignments, they quickly discover that the world beyond the protected Valley is more dangerous than they imagined.

The Sons of Sheol will stop at nothing to prevent Dri and Ronan from rescuing anyone sympathetic to the Remnants’ cause. And as the Remnants battle the demonic forces, other enemies close in. Dangers intensify, but so do Dri’s feelings for Ronan — the one emotion she is not meant to feel. In the midst of their mission, Andriana must find a way to master her feelings. Or risk compromising everything.

 

 

Why Write dystopian?

I’ve always been drawn to dystopian novels (“dystopian” = “an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice”). After all, we are all well aware how far we are from Eden and how bleak the future might seem. But that is where Christian dystopian books have a special place. . .I wanted to depict that no matter how dark the world seems, there is ALWAYS HOPE in Christ. My Remnants are characters that were given special spiritual gifts to fight back against the darkness, but I maintain every one of us today has their own special spiritual gifts to do the same.

So that is why I wrote in this genre…to provide hope for all, both now and in the future. The Remnants Trilogy also includes some epic good vs evil showdowns, making it a page-turning series because of both the pressure they face in surviving in a post-WWIII world, but also internally, when under spiritual attack.

 

 

Here are the Stop #1 Basics:

If you’re interested, you can order Seasons of Wonder (Book 1) on Amazon! (It’s great for teens 13 and up who like fast-paced reads and spiritual warfare themes.) It is available in ebook, audio and paperback. Book 2, Season of Fire, will be available everywhere in early April.

Clue to Write Down: In many

Link to Stop #2, the Next Stop on the Loop: Melanie Dobson’s site!

BUT WAIT!

Before you go, I’m offering three additional prizes—a complete trilogy of your choice (for 3 winners)! All you have to do is subscribe to my e-newsletter, consider following me as an author on Facebook and/or Instagram (by visiting those pages for extra entries), and then fill in the entry form below. (USA only for paperbacks; international winners will receive ebooks)

]]> 42778 Spring Scavenger Hunt Overview https://lisatawnbergren.com/2026/03/spring-scavenger-hunt-overview/ Sun, 15 Mar 2026 17:44:46 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=42785
Our Spring Scavenger Hunt is scheduled for March 19 noon Mountain – March 22 midnight Mountain! 30 authors are coming together to offer over $1800 in books and prizes to intrepid hunters. Come check out a bunch of new releases, learn something new about the authors (or their new release), and throw your hat in the ring to try and win some prizes (or just add to your TBR list).
GRAND PRIZE WINNER: All 30 books and $150 Amazon gift card
2nd PLACE WINNER: All 30 books and $125 Amazon gift card
3rd PLACE WINNER: All 30 books and $75 Amazon gift card
4th PLACE WINNER: $50 Amazon gift card
5th PLACE WINNER: $50 Amazon gift card
Stops on the Scavenger Hunt Train Route:
Stop 3: Sarah Sundin
Stop 5: Angela Hunt
Stop 9: Lori Benton
Stop 11: Lynette Eason
Stop 12: Susan Sleeman
Stop 13: Hannah Currie
Stop 15: Laura Frantz
Stop 16: Creston Mapes
Stop 17: Ann Gabhart
Stop 18: Nancy Farrier
Stop 22: Toni Shiloh
Stop 24: Gabrielle Meyer
Stop 25: Ronie Kendig — Ronie’s site is down; we’ve added the clue on Gabrielle’s site and linked Stop 24 to 26, so just keep going!
Stop 26: Carolyn Miller
Stop 27: Jenelle Hovde
Stop 28: Elizabeth Goddard
Stop 29: Cara Putman
Stop 30: Melanie Dickerson
Stop 31: Grand Prize Entry

TO ENTER: Simply go to Stop #1, right here on my site, then collect/write down the clues at each stop along the way. Enter the complete clue stream on Stop #31 in the Grand Prize entry form by 3/22 (midnight, Mountain time). International entries accepted; if you win and are outside the USA, you will receive e-books rather than physical copies and the Amazon equivalent to USD prizes. If you have trouble with the entry form, send me your name, phone #, and complete clue stream by 3/22/26 to my email (Lisa @ bergrencreativegroup dot com) and I’ll get you entered before we draw on Monday.

]]> 42785 Waterfall Wednesday Giveaway https://lisatawnbergren.com/2025/10/waterfall-wednesday-giveaway/ Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:47:12 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=42578 .rafflepress-giveaway-iframe-wrapper iframe { width: 1px; min-width: 100%; *width: 100%; height: 600px; } .rafflepress_iframe_loading { background-image: url('data:image/gif;base64,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') !important; background-repeat: no-repeat !important; background-position: center 100px !important; height: 100%; }
]]> 42578 Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Grand Prize Entry https://lisatawnbergren.com/2025/10/christian-fiction-scavenger-hunt-grand-prize-entry-2/ Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:25:56 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=42478

FIRST PRIZE: All 22 novels and $125 Amazon Gift Card
SECOND PRIZE: All 22 novels and $100 Amazon Gift Card
THIRD PRIZE: All 22 novels and $75 Amazon Gift Card
FOURTH PRIZE: $50 Amazon Gift Card
FIFTH PRIZE: $30 Amazon Gift Card

 

Contest is open to international entrants. (If someone outside the USA wins one of the top three prizes, they will be sent an ebook. Amazon gift credit will be in the equivalent to USD.) If you have trouble with entering the contest via the entry form below, send an email to Lisa@BergrenCreativeGroup.com BEFORE 10/26/25 MIDNIGHT MOUNTAIN with the complete clue phrase and your name and phone #, and I’ll make sure you are entered before the prizes are randomly drawn on 10/27/25. You may enter one time. Winners will be posted on the prize entry widget here, once complete, as well as be notified via the email you used to enter the form.

Individual author prizes will be drawn and winners notified by those authors by 10/28/25.

]]> 42478 Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Stop #1 https://lisatawnbergren.com/2025/10/christian-fiction-scavenger-hunt-stop-1-13/ Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:25:08 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=42471

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt!

If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to collect the clues through all the stops, in order (beginning here at Stop #1), so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

  • The hunt BEGINS on 10/23 at noon MDT right here on this page! 
  • Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
  • There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 10/26 at midnight Mountain)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
  • Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the entry form at the final stop, back here on my site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

Hi! My name’s Lisa Bergren and I’m a writer of many things—children’s books, gift books, nonfiction, and fiction in many genres. And I’m talkin’ MANY. YA time travel, spiritual suspense, women’s fiction, dystopian…you get the gist. You can learn more about me and all my books here on my site and on Facebook. But I always adore an epic story. My newest release is the first book in my dystopian series, Remnants: Season of Wonder. It was previously released, but I’ve given it a fresh edit and a new cover! Here’s what it’s about:

Our Coming was foretold by the elders…

Andriana is a Remnant, one of the gifted born on the seventh day during the seventy-seventh Harvest after the Great War, and destined to act as humanity’s last shield against the horrors that now plague those who remain.

After years of training in stealth and warfare, Andriana and her Knight protector, Ronan, are finally ready to answer the Call and begin the life they were designed for. But as they embark with the other Remnants on the first of their assignments, they quickly discover that the world beyond the protected Valley is more dangerous than they imagined.

The Sons of Sheol will stop at nothing to prevent Dri and Ronan from rescuing anyone sympathetic to the Remnants’ cause. And as the Remnants battle the demonic forces, other enemies close in. Dangers intensify, but so do Dri’s feelings for Ronan — the one emotion she is not meant to feel. In the midst of their mission, Andriana must find a way to master her feelings. Or risk compromising everything.

 

MY POST-APOCALYPTIC BACKPACK

If I was living in post-apocalyptic times, there would definitely be some items I wished I had on my person. I mean, if you had no access to modern medicine or the Internet or all the things that keep us entertained, life would be far different, right? Here are ten things I’d want packed.

—A Bible (a dose of hope and light in a dismal world)
—Broad-spectrum antibiotics
—First Aid kit
—Water purification tube
—Emergency blanket
—Book on herbal remedies
—Hatchet
—Knife
—Solar lamp

—Hunting rifle

As a family, we have an “emergency cupboard,” stocked with basic supplies that would keep us afloat for a month or more, so I’ve been giving “survival” some serious thought for a while. Maybe it’s all because I’ve been writing/editing these dystopian novels! My intent with Remnants is to show that God is alive, well and moving, regardless of how the world makes it seem. In the end, it’s ultimately uplifting, but not without a lot of struggle in following where the Maker calls…and battling the enemy to do so.

Here are the Stop #1 Basics:

If you’re interested, you can order Seasons of Wonder on Amazon! (It’s great for teens 13 and up who like fast-paced reads and spiritual warfare themes.) It’s available in ebook, audio and paperback.

Clue to Write Down: Cozy

Link to Stop #2, the Next Stop on the Loop: Angela Hunt’s site!

BUT WAIT!

Before you go, I’m offering three additional prizes—a copy of one of my River of Time novels…or the entire Gifted Trilogy (Begotten, Betrayed, Blessed). Your choice! All you have to do is fill out the entry form below and follow me as an author on BookBub and/or Instagram! (USA only)

]]> 42471 Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt Overview https://lisatawnbergren.com/2025/10/christian-fiction-scavenger-hunt-overview-3/ Sun, 19 Oct 2025 20:18:44 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=42483
Our Fall Scavenger Hunt is scheduled for October 23 noon Mountain – October 26 midnight Mountain! 22 authors are coming together to offer over $1400 in books and prizes to intrepid hunters. Come check out a bunch of new releases, learn something new about the authors (or their new release), and throw your hat in the ring to try and win some prizes (or just add to your TBR list).
GRAND PRIZE WINNER: All 22 books and $125 Amazon gift card
2nd PLACE WINNER: All 22 books and $100 Amazon gift card
3rd PLACE WINNER: All 22 books and $75 Amazon gift card
4th PLACE WINNER: $50 Amazon gift card
5th PLACE WINNER: $30 Amazon gift card
Stops on the Scavenger Hunt Train Route:
Stop 2: Angela Hunt
Stop 4: Ann Swindell
Stop 8: Mesu Andrews
Stop 12: Sarah Monzon
Stop 14: Jayna Breigh
Stop 16: Erica Vetsch
Stop 17: Pepper Basham
Stop 18: Susan Sleeman
Stop 20: J.J. Fischer

TO ENTER: Simply go to Stop #1, right here on my site, then collect/write down the clues at each stop along the way. Enter the complete clue stream on Stop #23 in the Grand Prize entry form by 10/26 (midnight, Mountain time). International entries accepted; if you win and are outside the USA, you will receive e-books rather than physical copies and the Amazon equivalent to USD prizes. If you have trouble with the entry form, send me your name, phone #, and complete clue stream by 10/26/25 to my email (Lisa @ bergrencreativegroup dot com) and I’ll get you entered before we draw on Monday.

]]> 42483 River of Time Series Re-Launch https://lisatawnbergren.com/2025/06/river-of-time-series-re-launch/ Fri, 06 Jun 2025 15:14:25 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=42224

Are you in the mood for a constant-action, romantasy, time-travel, YA series? OR are you one of my original River Tribe members who has long been a fan and needs new copies or goodies? See below!

The History of My River of Time Series

Once upon a time, I published the first three books in this series (Waterfall, Cascade, Torrent) with David C. Cook and the series took off! After book 3 released, DCC decided to focus more on nonfiction and gave me clearance to self-publish the follow-up books, Bourne & Tributary and Deluge. Those self-published books did really, really well and I began to beg for my rights back for the first three novels. They said no. A few years later, they sold all their fiction to Bethany/Baker and I hoped to get a new start. It didn’t prove to be the right fit, and I began to again beg for my rights back. Finally they said YES!! So now I’ve edited all 5 books and plan to release them this summer with new covers!

What is the Series About?

Gabriella and Evangelia Betarrini are two American teens stuck every summer in Tuscany, Italy with their archeologist parents. But when the two of them wander into an ancient Etruscan tomb and find handprints that match their own—they soon find themselves catapulted into medieval Italy…and a summer that has suddenly become much, much more interesting. In their new surroundings, they discover a new sense of purpose and identity, the strong ties of family, winsome knights that steal their hearts, and a God who has a hand in everything.

Intended Audience

I originally wrote these books for my own reluctant-reader teens (and their friends), but I was delighted to discover that they appealed to many readers from 13-83. Lots of moms and daughters have read them together and some grandmas joined the fun. I call them PG-13 because there is quite a bit of violence (given that it’s medieval Italy and people are fighting for their lives) and there is passionate romance depicted, with characters that are clearly physically drawn to one another, but know how to draw the line before things get carried away. In books 4 and 5, there are weddings and fade-to-black love scenes.

What is Unique to This Printing?

I’m super excited to share that this USA-only printing will feature color interior cover images and a hand-autographed page in Waterfall! The rest of the series will have printed autograph pages (unless you purchase the limited-edition Collector’s Pack below—then I’ll autograph the rest of your series too on the title page).

The New-and-Improved Series, Shipping JULY 2025

 

This is the same beloved series, with a fresh edit, new covers and some fun swag for those who choose to preorder. 

Limited Edition Collector’s Pack Preorder by 6/15 for the EARLY-BIRD PRICE OF $85 plus $18 shipping (limited to 225 sets—only available in the USA):

  • All 5 printed books HAND-AUTOGRAPHED ($84.95 value)
  • All 5 ebooks FREE ($40 value; delivered via BookFunnel to your e-reader)
  • A custom sword bookmark FREE ($7 value)
  • 5 character cards FREE ($10 value)
  • Custom collector’s book box FREE ($12 value)

 

PREORDER THE COLLECTOR'S PACK NOW

5 Printed Books Preorder by 6/15 for the EARLY-BIRD PRICE OF $75 plus $9 media mail shipping (USA only): All 5 printed books (only Waterfall is hand-autographed; the others will have printed autographs) ($84.95 value)

PREORDER 5 PRINTED BOOKS NOW

Just the First Book, Please.

Never dipped your toes in the River of Time? Want to just check out book 1 and see what you think? PREORDER a copy of Waterfall by June 15 and save $4.00!

 

 

PREORDER WATERFALL NOW

5 E-books Preorder by 6/15 for the EARLY-BIRD PRICE OF $30 (preorder, early-bird price, delivered straight to your e-reader via BookFunnel mid-June); later this summer, this price will go up to $40+ for all 5 books. The e-books feature a character’s image (which we used for the character cards) in each one!

 

PREORDER 5 EBOOKS NOW

Character Card Pack for $10 (quantities limited; USA only)

 

 

PREORDER THE CARD PACK NOW


Digital Character Card Pack for $5 (jpg files delivered via email for you to print out)

 

PREORDER THE DIGITAL CARD PACK NOW

 International Friends:

I know this is hard—all the goodies, just out of your reach! I wish I could ship abroad (or even to Canada or Mexico) without giving up my firstborn child to do so—or making you pay the crazy charges! I WILL be making the print books available via online retailers/print-on-demand this summer (they just won’t have the hand-written autograph or pretty inside-cover images). And you can, of course, order the ebooks once they’re available via online retailers in July. Interested in the character cards? Consider the digital card pack and receiving them via email.

]]> 42224 Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt, Stop #29 https://lisatawnbergren.com/2025/04/christian-fiction-scavenger-hunt-stop-29/ Wed, 09 Apr 2025 18:41:22 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=41892

FIRST PRIZE: All 30 novels and $150 Amazon Gift Card
SECOND PRIZE: All 30 novels and $125 Amazon Gift Card
THIRD PRIZE: All 30 novels and $75 Amazon Gift Card
FOURTH PRIZE: $50 Amazon Gift Card
FIFTH PRIZE: $50 Amazon Gift Card

 

Contest is open to international entrants. (If someone outside the USA wins one of the top three prizes, they will be sent an ebook. Amazon gift credit will be in the equivalent to USD.) If you have trouble with entering the contest via the Rafflecopter form below, send an email to Lisa@BergrenCreativeGroup.com BEFORE 4/13/25 MIDNIGHT MOUNTAIN with the complete clue phrase and your name and phone #, and I’ll make sure you are entered before the prizes are randomly drawn on 4/14/25. You may enter one time. Winners will be posted on the Rafflecopter widget here, once complete, as well as be notified via the email you used to enter the form (or the email you used for Facebook).

Individual author prizes will be drawn and winners notified by those authors by 4/15/25.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

]]> 41892 Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt, Stop #1 https://lisatawnbergren.com/2025/04/christian-fiction-scavenger-hunt-stop-1-12/ Tue, 08 Apr 2025 20:18:40 +0000 https://lisatawnbergren.com/?p=41885

Welcome to the Christian Fiction Scavenger Hunt!

If you’ve just discovered the hunt, be sure to collect the clues through all the stops, in order (beginning here at Stop #1), so you can enter to win one of our top 5 grand prizes!

  • The hunt BEGINS on 4/10 at noon MDT right here on this page!
  • Hunt through our loop using Chrome or Firefox as your browser (not Explorer).
  • There is NO RUSH to complete the hunt—you have all weekend (until Sunday, 4/13 at midnight Mountain)! So take your time, reading the unique posts along the way; our hope is that you discover new authors/new books and learn new things about them.
  • Submit your entry for the grand prizes by collecting the CLUE on each author’s scavenger hunt post and submitting your answer in the Rafflecopter form at the final stop, back here on my site. Many authors are offering additional prizes along the way!

Hi! My name’s Lisa Bergren and I’m a writer of many things—children’s books, gift books, nonfiction, and fiction in many genres. And I’m talkin’ MANY. YA time travel, spiritual suspense, women’s fiction, dystopian…you get the gist. You can learn more about me and all my books here on my site and on Facebook. But I always adore an epic story. My newest release is the third in my Oceans of Time Series—Fathoms. Here’s what it’s about:

Can the She-Wolves of Siena Survive the Lion’s Den?

Luciana Betarrini is living a nightmare. Blinded in battle she is unsure what her future holds.

When Lady Tiliani Forelli volunteers to serve as the young Lady Romano’s governess–in order to protect the child–Luciana quickly follows suit, volunteering as a tutor. But as they navigage life in the treacherous neighboring castle they find Lord Ercole a chameleon of adversaries, intent on mastering the She-Wolves of Siena any way he can.

Together, Luciana and Tiliani must find a way to bring Ercole down and buy time for Domenico and Marcello to establish new allies. But Luciana continues to find herself at a crossroads. Is she willing to risk leaving Sir Giulio Greco forever in order to chase healing through the time tunnel? Or is she called to accept her plight–in light of the myriad blessings of her new medieval life–and make her through the best she can?

MY FAVORITE ITALIAN MEAL

Maybe it’s because it brings back happy memories, because my husband Tim has made it every time we’ve gone to Italy. First, 18 years ago, when we traveled abroad as a couple for the first time with our dear friends. In a cozy VRBO-villa up high on a hill overlooking Tuscany, he made this fine meal. The second time was for the whole family, when we returned with my parents and children to the same villa on a cold autumn night (there was snow higher up!). The third time was just for me, when we went one October and renting a cozy cottage outside of Montepulciano. And the fourth time was when we went with our grown children—and some of their in-laws—a few years ago in the summer! What’s the recipe? CHICKEN PICCATA!

CHICKEN PICCATA INGREDIENTS:

—2 lbs. chicken breast; boneless, skinless, butterflied and pounded to create thinner pieces
—1/2 tsp. black pepper
—1.75 tsp. salt
—1 cup flour
—10 T butter
—4 T extra-virgin olive oil
—1 shallot, finely chopped
—1 T minced garlic (4-6 cloves)
—1 C chicken stock
—1 tsp lemon zest, plus more to taste
—3 T fresh lemon juice
—1/2 C dry white wine (you can skip if you prefer)
—3 T capers, drained
Optional freshly chopped parsley for the top.
DIRECTIONS:
(1) Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Pour flour into a shallow bowl. Dip each pieces of the chicken in the flour, turning to coat and shake off excess.
(2) Heat 3T butter and 2T oil in a large skillet set at medium-high until butter melts. Add half the chicken and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side Repeat with remaining chicken, adding more butter and oil as necessary. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter.
(3) Add the shallot to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute longer. Stir in the stock and wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, then stir in 4T butter, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a little more salt.
(4) Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Buon appetito!!

Here are the Stop #1 Basics:

If you’re interested, you can order Fathoms on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or at your local bookstore!

Clue to Write Down: The sun

Link to Stop #2, the Next Stop on the Loop: Gabrielle Meyer’s site!

BUT WAIT!

Before you go, I’m offering three additional prizes—a copy of either Estuary, Rip Tide, or Fathoms…or the entire Gifted Trilogy (Begotten, Betrayed, Blessed). Your choice! All you have to do is sign up to get my e-newsletter (blue box below, “Stay in the Loop!) or mark it off if you’re already a subscriber. Then fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Additional points for those who follow me as an author on BookBub, Facebook or on Instagram! (USA only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
]]> 41885