Website for author Vicki Stewart
The release date for book four in the Tori Cooper Novels is only a month away!
To make sure you’re caught up in the series by then, the Kindle versions of books one, two, and three are all 50% off on Amazon.com starting today through Tuesday, February 9th.
Click here to order your copies today! Amazon.com
Merry Christmas to all of my wonderful readers! I appreciate you all very much.
So as a special gift to you, mark your calendars and get ready. The release date for book four in the Tori Cooper Novels, Children from the Light, will be March 1, 2016!
I pray you and your families have a wonderful holiday and a very happy new year!
One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about Tori is the evolution of her character. When we first meet her, she’s so completely wrapped up in her little cocoon of familiarity she only allows a small number of people into her inner circle. And she likes it that way. In book two, she fully embraces her newly discovered spiritual gift and along with her training at the FBI Academy, ends up making friends with some unique individuals. When we next see her in book three, Agent Hunter’s influence and training are evident, and she’s becoming a strong agent and a very fierce interrogator. Even to a dead man.
Guardians of the Chosen, Chapter 31 “…Removing a stack of pictures from the folder, Tori carefully lined them all up in rows facing Talman until the surface of the table was covered. “What about all of these people that you murdered,” she demanded. She rose from her chair, now eye level with him and placed a final photo of Rogan’s face on top of the others. “Would that have made your parents proud?”
Talman’s eyes flicked down to the table and then back up at Tori, unwavering.
Changing her tactic, Tori broke eye contact with Talman and began casually walking around the room. When she reached the corner where his body lay draped on the gurney, she ran her hand along the fabric lightly and turned to face him.
“I understand we have a common acquaintance,” she provoked, watching his eyes carefully as they wandered from his body back to her face. “Did he happen to tell you who he was? Tell you his name?” Tori laughed lightly and added, “Well, he has many names, so that’s not really a fair question, is it?”
Very slowly, Tori began walking towards Talman, taunting him into breaking his silence. “Did you ever see him – face to face? Have a conversation with him like we are now?”
Talman’s eyes wandered away from hers, and she smiled inwardly as he began to react to what she was saying.
“You’re trying to remember, aren’t you?” she prodded quietly, still approaching him slowly. “All of those nights when you heard a voice speaking to you in the darkness, keeping you up at night? The times when the sound of his voice was like sandpaper grinding away in your head, and no matter what you did, he just wouldn’t stop talking?”
Now face to face with him, Tori waited until Talman regained eye contact with her. When he did, she tilted her head slightly, noticing the confused look on his face. “You’re wondering how I know all of this, aren’t you, Talman? How could I possibly know what the past several months have been like for you with that sound constantly buzzing around in your head?” Pausing for dramatic effect, she asked, “Tell me, does he still talk to you, Talman? Have you heard him speak with you since your spirit left your body?”
Again, Talman’s eyes flickered uncertainly as she seemed to read his mind.
“Do you know why he stopped talking to you, Talman?” she continued to provoke him. “I do. He doesn’t need you anymore. You’ve become expendable. What did you say about Rogan earlier? Oh yes, you said he was a means to an end and when you didn’t need him anymore, you ended him. Well, guess what, Talman? You were a means to an end to the devil himself, and he doesn’t need you anymore!”
Talman clenched his jaw and glared at Tori menacingly, “You don’t know anything about me so just shut your mouth!”
“Or you’ll do what to me, Talman? You can’t hurt me anymore; you’re dead. Besides, I know a lot more than you think I do,” Tori explained. “You see, at first, when he began talking to me, I’ll admit, I was a little scared of him. All of those stories I heard growing up about the fires of Hell and how Satan was this fallen angel with red skin and bad hair, walking around with a pitchfork. Stories you probably didn’t hear where you were growing up, right?”
Again, Talman just stared at her, seething.
Ignoring him, Tori continued, “Anyway, like I said, at first I was scared of him but then after a while, I realized, there really wasn’t anything scary about him, he was nothing more than a big bully. He was a big bully who loved to prey on the weak so he could look and feel stronger to everyone else. Once I realized that, I was no longer afraid of him, and when I started to hear that buzzing in my head, I simply ignored it. I showed him that I was stronger than he was and that he couldn’t control me.”
Tori paused again, giving Talman time to think about what she was saying before she threw the final punch. If she was right, this would be what she needed to break him.
Bracing herself, she very quietly said, “So do you know what that makes you, Talman? That makes you the little kid in the school yard getting his lunch money taken from him and pushed down in the mud by the school bully. That makes you the last one to get picked in gym class, the one that everyone laughs at and the one the devil zeroed in on when he was looking for a puppet to control. That makes you a means to an end, and it means you’re weak.”
The dam now broken, Talman cried out in outrage and lunged at Tori with his hands outstretched, attempting to grab her by the throat. Making a concerted effort not to flinch, Tori stood motionless as Talman’s spirit passed through her. She turned around slowly and regarded him calmly as he stared at his hands, realizing that he couldn’t touch her.
“Is that the first time you’ve tried to make contact with the living, Talman?” she asked him quietly.
He looked up at her with his eyes filled with an expression Tori could only interpret as total confusion. The pain, anger, and fear that she saw tormenting him, almost made her feel sorry for him. She hesitated, wondering how much further she should push him and decided he had enough for now.
“I can help you if you want all of that pain and anger to stop,” Tori offered. “But first, you’re going to have to talk to me about what you did to all those people and why.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” he snarled.
Exhaling a deep breath, she said, “Fine. You will eventually. Just remember, I’m the only one who can help you, and my offer won’t last forever.”
Leaving the file and the pictures lying on the table to remind him of his sins, she walked out of the room, down the hallway and never looked back….”
What is it about Agent Benjamin Vincent, aka Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome that makes him so alluring?
He seems like a pretty straight-forward, easy to figure out kind of guy at first glance. Then as you get to know him, you realize he’s pretty complex. He takes everything in stride no matter how extreme a situation can be and he has a very strong faith that helps keeps him centered and grounded. Plus his mischievous sense of humor along with a deep, unconditional love for Tori makes it difficult not to love him. Well, the crystal blue eyes, tousled dark hair, and crooked boyish smile don’t hurt either!
And let’s not forget his seemingly endless appetite. Have we come across a situation yet where Ben isn’t thinking about food?
Guardians of the Chosen, Chapter 25 “…Ben laughed as Goliath’s nose caught all the smells of food in the air and then he turned to Ben with a hopeful look on his face. “Here you go, buddy,” Ben replied, tossing Goliath a piece of raw carrot. “This is probably the safest thing you could eat in here right now.” He smiled as Tori approached him and asked, “So where have you two been?”
“We went into town so I could mail a package of our hot peppers to my mom. She’s itching to start cooking with them,” she replied as she wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck and kissed him. “Whatcha makin’?” she asked.
“What Jamaican?” Ben teased.
“Oh, I set that one up for you, didn’t I?” she admitted, groaning.
“Yeah, you did,” Ben laughed. “I’ve got a fresh bowl of scorpion salsa over there by the chips if you want to snack on some of that but be warned; it’s hot!”
“Oh, I skipped lunch, so that sounds great!” Tori exclaimed. “What else are you making? I hope you’re going to say your infamous sting of the scorpion tail chili?”
“I was!” Ben replied, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Sa-wheeet!” Tori praised, happily. “Let me wash my hands and then I’ll sit with you and eat all your salsa while you cook!”
“Deal,” Ben agreed. “Do you want a bottle of beer with your salsa? I would recommend it!”
“Do we have the dark Mexican beer?” she asked hopefully.
Ben smiled, nodded and said, “Yep. I bought it just for you! Well, I bought it for the chili but there’s enough for you too.”
“Gee thanks. You sure know how to make a girl feel special,” Tori laughed as she left the room.
“I know, right?” Ben chuckled, setting a bottle on the counter for her….”
Ben’s Sting of the Scorpion Tail Chili and Salsa
Ingredients
Spice Mix
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons dried Mexican or regular oregano, crumbled
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Scorpion Salsa
1 lb. whole tomatillos husked and washed
5 whole Roma tomatoes
3 white onions, peeled and quartered
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1 scorpion pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
¾ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup Liquid Smoke, mesquite flavor
Juice of one freshly squeezed lime
Base for Chili
1 lb. ground sirloin
1lb. ground turkey
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
One 12-ounce bottle dark Mexican beer (Negro Modelo)
1 can tomato paste
1 – 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1-ounce semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions
Spice Mix
1) Combine the ingredients in the spice mix and set the mixture aside.
Scorpion Salsa
1) Place the tomatillos, Roma tomatoes, quartered white onions and garlic cloves on a roasting pan and set them under the broiler in the oven until they begin to blacken – 8 to 10 minutes.
2) Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool.
3) When cool, transfer the vegetables and any liquid that has seeped out, along with the rest of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree.
Base for Chili
1) Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and turkey and cook until the meat is crumbly and no pink remains.
2) Add the fresh onions, and one tablespoon of the remaining salt to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
3) Add the spice mixture and cook for 1-minute longer. Stir in the beer, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes and simmer for 3 minutes.
4) Stir in the chocolate, cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, and add the salsa and bay leaves. Cover and cook the chili on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the sauce has reached a deep burgundy color.
5) Remove the bay leaves and stir in the cilantro and parsley.
Optional Garnish: Serve the chili hot in bowls, topped with grated cheddar, chopped green onion, and sour cream.
Have you ever heard someone say, “Sometimes it’s better to ask for forgiveness, than for permission”? I have many times, and each time I do, something inside me cringes at the thought of it. It has become the norm in today’s society rather than the exception, and it promotes dishonesty over honesty.
Fortunately, there is still one time when asking for permission still holds true, when a man asks a woman’s father for his daughters hand in marriage.
Guardians of the Chosen, Chapter 21 “…Tanner slid the cutting board and a head of garlic towards Ben and replied, “If you wouldn’t mind chopping up three or four good sized cloves of garlic and then start sautéing that and the onion in the pan on the stove that would be great. I’m going start browning these hot Italian sausage links and then we can work on chopping up the mushrooms, fennel and herbs I have over by the sink.”
“Fennel and sausage – that sounds great! What are we making?” Ben asked, already feeling his stomach beginning to growl.
“Penne with Sausage, Fennel and Mushrooms,” Tanner replied with a big grin. “With the evenings beginning to get cooler, I thought a nice hearty pasta dish with the spicy sausage, some fresh herbs and mushrooms sounded good.”
“Good? It sounds great!” Ben exclaimed as he started peeling the garlic.
“If you want to, you could also open that bottle of Syrah on the counter and pour out a couple glasses. We’ll use the rest of the bottle in the sauce,” Tanner suggested.
“I like how you think, Tanner!” Ben agreed, laughing. “I’ll get the garlic and onions going first.”
“Sounds good,” Tanner replied as he began turning the sausage links cooking in the pan. “So how’s everything going other than the work stuff? It sounds like a lot has been going on that we hadn’t heard about yet.”
Ben chuckled as he began chopping the garlic and said, “Yeah, it’s never a dull moment with your daughter, that’s for sure. Goliath was a bit of a curve ball for us, but he’s a great dog and, so far, it’s all working out.”
“Even though he was a gift to her from another man?” asked Tanner, curiously.
Ben shot a glance over at Tanner and laughed. “Yeah, that part has been a little tough, I’ll admit it. I totally get Tori’s part in the prophecy and get that she’s got a guardian angel watching over her…I just wish he was a withered old man that looked more like Father Time, not like some beefed up biker dude with long wavy hair.”
Tanner chuckled and said, “Well regardless, we both know where her heart lies and where it’s always been with you, Ben.”
Ben paused, the knife still in mid-air as Tanner’s words settled in. Taking a deep breath, he swallowed hard and placed the knife down on the cutting board. He turned to Tanner and said, “And where my heart has always been – with her. It’s always been her. Which is something I’ve wanted to talk to you about Tanner, but I didn’t want to do it over the phone.”
Tanner turned to Ben, concerned and asked, “What is it?”
Ben swallowed hard again and said, “There’s something very important I want to ask you…”
Tanner’s Penne with Sausage, Fennel and Mushrooms
Ingredients:
4 hot Italian Sausage links
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. Porcini mushrooms, sliced or 2 ounces *dried Porcini
1 lb. Baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 Fennell bulb, stalk chopped, fronds reserved for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups Syrah
1 can fire roasted petite diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 pound dried penne pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1) Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Carefully add penne and cook according to package directions or until it is al dente. Drain and return penne to the pot.
2) Sauté the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat, turning to brown on all sides. Remove with slotted spoon, place on paper towels, and slice into ½ inch slices, diagonally.
3) In the same pan, sauté onions, fennel and garlic for 4 to 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add the porcini, portobellos, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper and continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes.
4) Add the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer to reduce by half.
5) Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the reserved sausage.
6) Add sauce to pasta, mixing thoroughly and adjust seasoning, as needed.
7) Transfer pasta to a serving bowl and garnish with the Parmesan and fennel fronds.
*Note – If using dried Porcini mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 1-2 hours, then rinse and chop.