Release Celebration for STRANGER ON THE SHORE

I’ve been long awaiting the day that I could celebrate the release of STRANGER ON THE SHORE with you all!! You were the first group of readers to see scenes from this story, back when it was called “Gifts by the Shore,” and when my tale of two very different sisters found a home in the middle of the Mirabelle Harbor series, you were the first friends with whom I shared that news. 😀

So, THANK YOU, above all, for asking about my nod to Sense & Sensibility and this modern, Austen-inspired story, and especially for wanting to know what happened to Marianna and Ellen!

For anyone who is unfamiliar with the novel’s premise, here’s the back-cover blurb:small - Mirabelle 4 Square

On the verge of turning forty and having just lost her job, Marianna Gregory flees Mirabelle Harbor for the summer with little more than a suitcase, her beat-up car, and the blessings of her good friend Olivia Michaelsen. Her ex-husband is living a new life in California. Her college-aged daughter is spending her vacation with her boyfriend in Michigan. And the house Marianna once called her own finally sold, so she has nowhere to live in Illinois now anyway.

However, her wealthy sister Ellen owns an empty bungalow on the beach in Sarasota, Florida, so Marianna turns to the sea for a chance to go shelling, regroup, and figure out what to do with this new chapter in her life. She doesn’t bargain on having to face down several family crises while she’s away, nor does she count on meeting a handsome beachcomber who bears a striking resemblance to Elvis. Just as surprising is the craft project she gets roped into volunteering for and the new group of friends who might just change the way she views the world and her future.

The most unexpected gifts can be found where the land meets the sea. STRANGER ON THE SHORE, a Mirabelle Harbor story. 

AVAILABLE NOW on KindleNook, iBooks, and Kobo in ebook form, and in paperback on Amazon and B&N!!

A few lovely reviewers have already said:
“The summer on the beach and the stranger on the shore is more than a shallow summer read. Though light with characters who keep you in stitches, as only Marilyn knows how to write about, each one adds her piece of blessing to the recipe for a wonderful story with a magical ending.” ~Blogging Under the Shade Tree
“I have fallen in love with Ms. Brant’s Mirabelle Harbor series, and its characters. #4 in the series, Stranger On the Shore, is no exception. A FUN. Sexy. Perfect Summer read. For the beach. Or just a lazy Summer day.” ~Brandy
“This one just makes me crave the beach.” ~Austen Coffee & Music
“Have thoroughly enjoyed the Mirabelle Harbor series and this story is no exception. Marilyn’s descriptive language makes you feel like you are at the beach feeling the sand between your toes…I highly recommend this story.” ~
Deborah

“I have enjoyed every book so far, and I am looking forward to what’s to come next.” ~Gina Rose

***If you’d like to read an excerpt, I have one HERE and another one HERE. Enjoy!!***

 

Here’s one summertime recipe I absolutely love, and I wanted to share it with you:

“Fruit Pizza” 😀

Crust

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup shortening
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp vanillaFruit-Pizza
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup milk


Topping
:

  • 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese
  • 1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Also you’ll need to get assorted fruits to top the pizza – strawberries, grapes, kiwi, mandarin oranges, raspberries, blackberries, bananas, pineapple, peaches, apples, blueberries, or whatever your favorites might be.

Directions for the crust: Blend sugar, shortening, and vanilla. Add egg and mix until smooth.  Add dry ingredients and then add the milk until you have a dough.  Chill dough for 1 hour.  Spray an 14-inch pizza pan with cooking spray.  Press dough into pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.  Let crust cool. (Alternately, you can just use a packaged sugar cookie mix and make it according to directions for a large pan or you could make individual cookie-sized fruit pizzas. If you want to reduce sugar, you can use a light unsweetened dough for the crust, as if making thin-n-crispy style pizza.)

Directions for the topping: In a large bowl, blend ingredients with a mixer until smooth.

Assembly: Spread the topping onto the crust, leaving about an inch of the edge of the crust uncovered.  Arrange fruit over pizza into a pretty pattern. If desired, drizzle the fruit with melted chocolate!

Wishing you all a fabulous July… XOX

68 comments

Skip to comment form

    • Karylee Marin on July 6, 2016 at 12:16 am
    • Reply

    S&S AND ELVIS!!!! You are DOUBLY ringing my CHIMES, Marilyn!! How nice of you to provide a giveaway opportunity, and what fun choices. Think I must once again mention to you that fabulous hidden beach in Hawaii, where, at 19, I was idealistically romantic enough, abandoned enough, to walk into those tides and along those gorgeous sands halfway believing I was a native Hawaiian princess, and/or that my Prince was just about to join me on the sand. Again, I don’t know the actual name of the beach, just that parts of ‘South Pacific’ were filmed there. I feel its call, just conjuring it in my memory…
    Thanks, again, and GOOD LUCK with sales! You are so prolific!! K

    1. Ahhhh, Karylee, I can almost feel the waves as you described that gorgeous Hawaiian beach!!
      Thank you for sharing your memories of it and for your kind words and good wishes — I truly appreciate them!!
      xox

        • Karylee Marin on July 6, 2016 at 6:11 pm
        • Reply

        My pleasure, Marilyn! xxo

        1. 🙂 🙂
          *Hug!*

    • Sheila Majczan on July 6, 2016 at 12:23 am
    • Reply

    That pizza looks so yummy. I can’t keep up with you. I have loved the other books by you which I have read. I WILL read this and the other recent release…just give me time…ha, ha! Good luck with this release and I look forward to the time I have it in my hands with time to read it.

    1. Sheila,
      Thank you so very much! You already know how thrilled I am that you loved the other books in this series, and I hope you’ll feel the same way about Stranger on the Shore when you have a chance to read it 😉 . My to-be-read pile is towering, and there’s never enough time, is there?! I decided, as my gift to myself after the publication of this story, that I’d get to take a few weeks this summer JUST to read! XO

        • Sheila Majczan on July 6, 2016 at 12:02 pm
        • Reply

        Sounds like an excellent plan. Act like a man, put your feet up, grab a cool one and tune out the world. Enjoy. Sheila

        1. LOL, Sheila!!! I love that mental image… I’ll be thinking of you as I read on my Kindle, ice-cold lemonade in hand, this afternoon 😀 .

  1. Congratulations, Marilyn. Something to look forward to! Good luck!!

    1. Thank you so much, Monica!! I’m especially excited about finally getting to release this story… 😀 xox

    • Kristine Shore on July 6, 2016 at 7:48 am
    • Reply

    Congrats on the release! On of my really easy go-to desserts for company also features Cool Whip,

    1. Kristine,
      Thank you!! And what’s not to love about Cool Whip?!! I like it in recipes, and I’ve also been known to have a spoon or two just on its own…LOL! 😀

    • Kelly Irby on July 6, 2016 at 8:06 am
    • Reply

    Can’t wait to read!!

    1. Thanks so much, Kelly!!
      I really hope you’ll enjoy it 😉 .

    • Laura H on July 6, 2016 at 8:59 am
    • Reply

    Thanks for sharing your book with us while it was a work in progress. I have enjoyed reading the excerpts you’ve posted and am looking forward to reading the entire story. As for favorite summer fare, I’d have to say anything with fresh fruit. I live in Northeastern US and the fruit is best in the summer. The fruit pizza recipe will certainly find it’s way onto my talbe this summer. Thanks again!

    1. Laura,
      I’m so pleased that you enjoyed the excerpts — thank you!! — and I really hope you’ll like the completed novel! And I love fruit as well — hope you’ll find the fruit pizza as delicious as I do 😉 . Wishing you a wonderful summer!

    • Michele on July 6, 2016 at 9:06 am
    • Reply

    Congrats on the release. The book sounds great. I’ve never read a S&S inspired work before so I look forward to giving it a try. During warm weather, I enjoy eating fruit and in particular watermelon as it reminds me of all the picnics my family had during my childhood. Thanks for sharing your fruit pizza recipe and for offering this giveaway.

    1. Michele,
      Thanks so much for all of your kind comments! I’m so delighted that you’d like to give Stranger on the Shore a try — I really hope you’ll enjoy it! And watermelon is one of my favorite fruits, too!! My family used to bring them on picnics as well, and we ate many of them in summer, just outside our house on the patio… Happy memories 😀 .

    • Jennifer Redlarczyk on July 6, 2016 at 9:43 am
    • Reply

    The fruit Pizza is awesome and congrats on your release. I know it will do well. Jen Red ♫

    1. Jen, thank you, sweet lady!! I appreciate your congrats! xox 😉

    • Annie on July 6, 2016 at 11:33 am
    • Reply

    Congratulations on the release. During the summer I love eating bruschetta.

    1. Many thanks for the congrats, Annie!
      And YUM!! I haven’t had bruschetta yet this summer…and now my mouth is watering for it! *adding it to my grocery list* Thanks for the suggestion! 😀

    • ellie on July 6, 2016 at 12:10 pm
    • Reply

    The delectable fruit pizza is enticing. Congrats on the release. Summer beach is Wildwood.

    1. Thanks so much for the congrats, Ellie!!
      Hope you’ll try to fruit pizza and that you’ll love it as much as I do 😀 .

    • Brandy on July 6, 2016 at 1:12 pm
    • Reply

    Congratulations on the release Marilyn, as you know, I loved Stranger on the Shore. I absolutely love Mirabelle Harbor 🙂

    1. Brandy, thank you so much, my friend!!
      Your sweet words meant the world to me 😉 .xo

    • Jamie Martin on July 6, 2016 at 1:17 pm
    • Reply

    Watermelon!

    1. Jamie, yes!!!
      I love watermelon too! 😀 Happy summer!

    • Teresa Fordice on July 6, 2016 at 1:18 pm
    • Reply

    Congrats for your new release and love to see the recipe with a real homemade crust and not sugar cookie dough from a store!! Fav food is watermelon!!

    1. Teresa,
      Thanks so much for the congrats, and I’m thrilled you liked the recipe!! I prefer the homemade crust as well! 😀

    • Debbie Hoffman on July 6, 2016 at 1:33 pm
    • Reply

    fruit pizza and a great book by you!! Bliss for a summer day!

    1. *HUG!!*
      Debbie, thank you so, so much for stopping by and for always being your incredibly supportive self! Can’t wait to see you in a couple of weeks!! xoxo 🙂

    • Stephanie L on July 6, 2016 at 1:39 pm
    • Reply

    I love Mirabelle Harbor and this series! Really well done! The fights between the sisters, the beach, the food, the beach, the chocolate… 😉 Loved it!!

      • Stephanie L on July 6, 2016 at 1:41 pm
      • Reply

      Also…my favorite beach is in Cozumel. Each time I go, I love it a little bit more. Summertime memories are a bit sparse, I guess my favorite would be when we spent two weeks in very northern Minnesota with my in-laws. On the boat everyday in July and 80 degrees. It was amazing.

      1. p.s. I’m now daydreaming of visiting Cozumel! I’ve heard wonderful things about it for years but have never been…

    1. Stephanie, sending you my hugs and deepest gratitude for always being such a sweetie! So thrilled that you love Mirabelle Harbor! xoxox

    • Deborah on July 6, 2016 at 2:07 pm
    • Reply

    I have w favorite beaches, both in Florida. One is Sanibel Island, which also is in Stranger in the Shore, and is phenomenal for shelling. The Center for the Rehabilitation for Wildlife is there and they are a phenomenal group helping injured wildlife. My other favorite beach is St. Augustine Beach. I love biking along the beach and observing the birds in their sanctuary. I so enjoyed Marilyn’s story. Looking forward to the next.

    1. Deborah,
      Thank you for all of the kind things you wrote! I’m just delighted that you enjoyed the story and I love that you’ve been out to those beautiful Florida beaches! You’re right about the shelling on Sanibel Island being amazing… I fell in love with the area when we were there and could have walked that coastline for hours 😉 . xo

    • Carole in Canada on July 6, 2016 at 4:08 pm
    • Reply

    So looking forward to reading this Marilyn! I will also have to tell my sister to check it out. In 2014 my husband and I went to Prince Edward Island and Iles de Madelaine (Magdalen Islands). There were some spectacular beaches in both places and in September nearly deserted! There was one on PEI that is called the Singing Beach. We took some photos from that beach that we plan to blow up on to canvas and hang in our living room!

    1. Carole,
      I really hope you and your sister will both enjoy the story! I know how we talked about the area during the time I was writing the draft 😉 . And I’ve always wanted to go to PEI, especially having loved Anne of Green Gables so much!! I’ll bet Singing Beach was just gorgeous… Hope to get to see it someday 😀 . xox

        • Sheila Majczan on July 6, 2016 at 9:07 pm
        • Reply

        PBS was showing continuing episodes of Anne of Green Gables last night. I didn’t stay up to watch it all but did catch the first 2 episodes. I have not read that book.

        1. I read many of the books in L.M. Montgomery’s series, but not all of them. I so enjoyed the film adaptations, too, but I haven’t seen those productions in several years…must watch again soon! 😀

    • Daria on July 6, 2016 at 7:56 pm
    • Reply

    I like Long Beach Island, New Jersey.

    1. Daria,
      I’ve never had the opportunity to visit there! I’ll have to add it to my must-see travel list… 🙂

    • Michelle P. on July 6, 2016 at 8:10 pm
    • Reply

    I love St. Augustine Beach, probably because I have now been with my hubby and kids and the memories I have there with them. A favorite memory was just this past June when I went there with my hubby for our 20th anniversary. Our first full day the first thing we did after breakfast was go to the beach. We saw a manatee, which was awesome as neither one of us had seen one before, then we played and floated in the water for a couple of hours. The best part was at one point he pulled my feet next to his head and floated holding me to him and I was holding him to me. It was sweet, peaceful, and so needed.

    1. Michelle,
      First of all, a belated but heartfelt happy anniversary to you and your husband on 20 years together — congrats!! And I love the story you shared about your day together at the beach. Beautiful and romantic 😉 . xo

    • Natasha Harris on July 6, 2016 at 10:24 pm
    • Reply

    There are no beaches nearby here in Iowa, so I will share my favorite summertime food to eat. I love fresh fruit, of any kind. I pick berries and make wonderful jam to enjoy year round.

    1. Natasha,
      I envy your ability to make jam!! My mom and her sisters are wonderful at that, and I should have paid more attention to them growing up because I never learned how to do it myself! I’ll bet your berry jam is delicious 🙂 .

    • Shari on July 6, 2016 at 10:53 pm
    • Reply

    Can’t wait to read this book, will go one click now. Love the beach, especially being a Midwestern gal. Love walking the shores and listening to the waves.
    I made a fruit pizza this weekend but did it oblong and made an American flag.

    1. Shari, thank you!!
      I truly hope you’ll enjoy this novel… I loved writing it 😉 .
      And what a great idea to make a fruit pizza in the form of our flag! Perfect for the holiday *and* healthy, too!! xox

  2. Congratulations on publishing Mirabelle Harbor #4!! I’ve always had a weakness for S&S especially since I’m a cookie-cutter of Elinor with a younger sister who is all Marianne (but without the love of poetry–substitute Harlequin romances). We have little in common, and we get along much less cordially than Elinor and Marianne.

    Anyway, I spent the 4th of July on my favorite beach, Law Street Beach in San Diego, just south of Bird Rock/La Jolla. The beach has always been a precious place for me; we went twice a week all summer during our childhoods and once a week once school was in session through October,and starting up again in late April. It helped that my aunt lived right on the boardwalk in Mission Beach, plus my parents also moved to the beach as soon as we three kids were out of the house.

    Watermelon is our summer favorite–we eat it with dinner almost every night. 🙂

    Thanks again for all that you do and write, Marilyn; I just love your books and would *love* to get the first Mirabelle Harbor book on my Kindle! 😉

    Warmly,
    Susanne 🙂

    1. Susanne,
      Thank you so much!! I truly appreciate your kind words about my stories and your good wishes, too 🙂 . xox
      I think I need to go to the grocery store and get more watermelon… All this talk of one of my favorite fruits has my mouth watering, LOL. And I loved hearing about Law Street Beach! It sounds like such a wonderful place. Living in the freezing north and being surrounded by beautiful (but cold!) Great Lakes, I didn’t realize until I visited California as a teenager just how warm the water could be… Thanks for sharing your lovely memories!

    • Wendy on July 7, 2016 at 6:11 pm
    • Reply

    Congratulations on your newest book publication! I have fond memories of South Padre Island, TX, back before it had a bunch of hotels and became a college spring break destination. The whole extended family would go together at least once each summer for a long day, and we’d have a great time bodysurfing and building sand castles. Sometimes we’d stop at the lighthouse at Port Isabel, and we’d always get ice cream to eat before we fell asleep on the way home.

    1. Thank you for the congrats, Wendy!!
      I’ve been to Texas a few times, but I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting South Padre Island. I’ve heard it’s beautiful, and I loved getting to read your memories of it! And, ohhh, sandcastles, lighthouses, and ice cream…a perfect trio 😀 .

    • Robyn K on July 7, 2016 at 11:26 pm
    • Reply

    Congratulations! Thank you for this wonderful giveaway. I love The Jersey Shore, watermelon and ice cream.

    1. Many thanks for the congrats, Robyn!!
      And your list of summer loves makes me smile 😀 . What a wonderful combination!! xox

    • melati1021 on July 10, 2016 at 9:59 am
    • Reply

    Can’t wait to read the book. And the pizza looks yummy. I have to try it at home.

    1. Thank you!!!
      Hope you’ll enjoy both the pizza and the new novel! 😀

    • Lynn char on July 11, 2016 at 11:31 am
    • Reply

    I’ll definitely be reading this, I’ve so enjoyed this series!!

    1. XOXO!!!

    • Lynn char on July 12, 2016 at 9:26 am
    • Reply

    I love this series, can’t wait to read this one as well!! As for beaches, we spent a few years in Erie, PA when I was a kid so I have fond memories of Presque Isle. It’s full of wonderful beaches! And the best summer food is tomatoes, fresh from your own backyard garden!

    1. Lynn, thank you so much! I’m *thrilled* that you love the series and I hope you’ll enjoy Stranger on the Shore just as much as the earlier stories 🙂 .
      As for beaches, I’ve never had the pleasure of visiting Presque Isle, but I’m curious now!! Will look it up and hope to get to see it someday…

    • Tonya Butler on July 14, 2016 at 6:04 pm
    • Reply

    I love going to Oak Island in North Carolina. I love to visit the light house every year.
    My favorite pie is my aunt Tips Lemon Pie. It is the best thing in the world. My five year old son call it lemonade pie because it is sour so he says.
    Thanks for the chance.

    1. Oh, Tonya, I *love* lemon pie and the one you described sounds *amazing*!! YUM 😀 .
      I haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting Oak Island, but I’ve been to a few lighthouses and am always so charmed by the experience… So glad you stopped by — thank you!

  3. ***WINNERS!!***
    First and foremost, many thanks to *everyone* who took the time to comment on my post and celebrate the release of STRANGER ON THE SHORE with me! I can’t express how much I appreciate you all!! xoxox
    Random drawing for the ebook copies of TAKE A CHANCE ON ME go to: Wendy and Teresa Fordice! Please email me — MarilynBrant@gmail.com — with the format you prefer (epub, mobi, or pdf) and the best email address to send you the ebook.
    And the drawing winners of the golden heart lockets go to: Sheila Majczan and Brandy!! Please email me with your street addresses, so I can mail the necklaces out to you.
    Wishing everybody a wonderful weekend! 😀

    • Sheila Majczan on July 15, 2016 at 6:47 pm
    • Reply

    Thank you for my share of the booty. I sent an e-mail with my address.

    1. Just got it, Sheila!!!
      And congratulations 😉 .

        • Sheila Majczan on July 16, 2016 at 10:46 am
        • Reply

        Thank you.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.