Independence Day Traditions with Elizabeth Michels of The Wicked Heir + #Giveaway

Independence Day Traditions

Light your sparklers, it’s time to celebrate Independence Day!

I love 4th of July celebrations! Any occasion that involves burgers on the grill and fireworks glittering across the night sky is sure to be a great time with friends and family.  It’s one of my favorite holidays.  And this year the 4th of July is extra special at my house!

Have you ever had a time in your life when everything seems to happen all at once?  This 4th of July my latest book, THE WICKED HEIR, releases, (Whoo Hoo!) *And* the construction at my house that has been ongoing for years will finally be complete! (Double Whoo Hoo!)  And all of this happens on America’s Birthday! So why not throw one big party to cover all the happiness in one event?  Why not, indeed!

This July I’m combining the fun of Independence Day with a book release celebration and a housewarming party.  I’m calling it a Sparklebration!

I’ve invited all of my local writer friends, reader friends, mom friends, book club friends, and my hubby’s work friends over for some sparkly fun at my house.  The preparations have been ongoing for months as my husband and I work every weekend to touch up paint, attempt to grow grass in the yard, and clean all the construction dust from the house.  And as the date grows closer, we’re getting more and more excited about finally having all of our friends over for a big day of fun.

I think the fun of planning a party is thinking of details that help convey the theme of the event.  So this Sparklebration is going to shine to be sure.  I even found an artist to do face painting and glitter tattoos!  In addition to a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to suit each guest, I always offer two types of mixed drink in large clear dispensers that are labeled in keeping with the party theme.  This Sparklebration calls for Love Potion #9 (Rum Punch) and Liquid Glitter (White Wine Sangria) as official party drinks, don’t you agree?

And then there’s the food.  The main characters of THE WICKED HEIR, Fallon and Isabelle, first meet at a ball over a falling display of cakes.  They try to save the stacked platters of sweets from hitting the floor and become fast friends in the process, so a cupcake tower is definitely in order along with platters of various yummy snacks.  Just maybe not stacked so high that they fall. ;)

But the most important question for any 4th of July celebration is this one: Will there be sparklers? …At my party? Of course! It is a Sparklebration, after all.

No matter the size of your gathering for the 4th this year, make your holiday special by incorporating small details.  Here is one of my favorite recipes from my great grandmother.  It’s a simple dish to make and it’s always a hit with my family in the summer when peaches are in season.  Enjoy!


Elizabeth Michels’ Southern Peach Cobbler

Combine in a Medium Saucepan:
2 ¼ Cups Fresh Sliced Peaches
1 Cup Sugar

On low heat, stir together the peaches and the sugar until all the sugar has melted into a syrup for the peaches.

Combine in a Mixing Bowl:
1 Cup Sugar
¾ Cup Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
Dash of Salt
¾ Cup Milk (Add this once the above ingredients are mixed together.)

In a 9 inch x 13 inch Casserole Dish:

7 Tablespoons Melted Butter - Pour into bottom of dish.

Pour Flour Mixture evenly over Butter
Drop peaches and syrup by the spoonful on the top.

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until the top is a perfect golden brown.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.


I hope you have a wonderful 4th of July! If you don’t have any plans, come on over to my house.  What’s your favorite summer holiday tradition?

The Wicked Heir 

(Spare Heirs #3)

by Elizabeth Michels 

Paperback, 448 pages

Expected publication: July 4th 2017 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

ISBN 1492621390

The Spare Heirs Society Cordially Invites You to Meet Fallon St. James: The Mastermind

When the love of Lady Isabelle Fairlyn's life is betrothed to her twin sister, Isabelle vows to find a suitable replacement before the end of the season. He must be a talented dancer, have a keen fashion sense, and be perfectly dashing in every way.

Fallon St. James is the farthest thing from perfectly anything. As head of the secretive Spare Heirs Society, he must stick to the shadows...even as Isabelle's friendship pulls him reluctantly into the light. But when Isabelle gets involved with the one man who could destroy Spares, Fallon must decide between protecting his life's work―or risking everything to save the woman whose warm smile leaves him breathless.

AMAZON | B&N

Spare Heirs Series

About the Author:

Elizabeth Michels is the award-winning author of the Tricks of the Ton series and the Spare Heirs series. This Regency Romance author grew up on a Christmas tree farm in rural South Carolina. After tip-toeing her way through school with her focus on ballet steps and her nose in a book, she met a boy and followed him a thousand miles away to Kansas City, Missouri where she lived for many years. Together, they spent their summers with his family in England, soaking up culture and history. Elizabeth attended Park University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Interior Design.

​Elizabeth now spends her days creating plots and concocting characters in a lake-side town in North Carolina. When she is not typing as fast as human movement will allow, she is caring for her husband and little boy. Elizabeth Michels is a lover of happily-ever-afters. Whether in her writing life or in her home life, she spends her days with one word on her lips: love. She invites you to read her stories, get lost and enjoy. www.elizabethmichels.com

GIVEAWAY:
 Sourcebooks is giving away a copy of The Rebel Heir  to one reader today, (US only, please). To enter, please leave a comment on this post answering the author's question; What’s your favorite summer holiday tradition? and then fill out the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!

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