Sarah Jio bakes sweet looking scones and we have her latest book to give away!

**Giveaway is now closed**

There's no stopping Sarah Jio! She has three kids (including a baby born this past year), an amazing debut novel and another one out now that's sure to be another hit, as well as two more on the way (books, not babies). And she still has time to bake yummy scones for the holidays and share her recipe with all of us! She was here in May to share "The Violets of March," which has only received praise since its release. Her incredible storytelling talent is shown off once again in "The Bungalow," which was published today and reviewed right here at CLC! Even better, we have FIVE copies for some lucky readers in the US and Canada, courtesy of Penguin Books!

Visit Sarah on Facebook, Twitter and her website. You can also check out her health and fitness blog on Glamour.com.

Watch the book trailer for "The Bungalow," which has some great pictures and captures the essence of the story:


"The Bungalow," out on 12/27 from Penguin (Plume) is my second novel, and the story came to me so vividly it almost (quite literally) smacked me over the head. I remember the moment I had the idea to write it. I turned to my husband one night after the kids were in bed and said, “The Bungalow!” He looked at me and said, “what?” I nodded. “The title for my next novel,” I told him. (He’s used to me blabbering on about book titles, plots, and random ideas by now!) The story of Anne Calloway, a young woman from Seattle who joined the Army Nurse Corps and went on the adventure of her life to Bora Bora during World War II, captivated me as I wrote it, and I hope it will have the same effect on readers. I’m a true romantic at heart and was inspired to write this novel, in part, because of an old wartime journal kept by a great uncle who was stationed in the South Pacific islands during the war, and also in memory of my honeymoon in Tahiti. This book was a joy to write, and I hope readers will enjoy curling up with the book—and maybe a scone—this winter.

Easy Apricot Scones
I’m a health nut and usually bake things with “healthy” ingredients (flax seeds, whole wheat flour, you know). But these scones? They’re pure comfort. I make them every now and then—especially during the holidays when I can enjoy one for breakfast with a cup of coffee by the Christmas tree, or as a snack during a late-night gift-wrapping spree. They’re easy to make, and they hit the spot.

(Makes 8 scones)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 cup orange juice
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder (I know, it sounds like a lot, but you need it!)
1 stick butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk + 2 tablespoons + 3 tables spoons (the final three tablespoons are for brushing)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Soak the dried apricots in the orange juice (they should all be covered); set aside for about 5 minutes. Mix dry ingredients with a whisk. Mix egg, 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons milk. Drain the apricots and add to milk mixture. Cut the butter into the flour mixture, either using a food processor, or with a fork or pastry tool (I forgot what they’re called!), and mix until the dough looks like course meal. Create a well in the dry mixture and add the wet to the dry, mixing until just combined. If the dough looks too dry, add one or two more tablespoons of milk. Form the dough into a ball, then press down into a circle on a cutting board (dough should be about 2.5 inch thick). Take a sharp knife and cut into 8 wedges. Transfer each wedge to a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (watch them toward the end (as all oven temps vary…you don’t want the centers too get too dry or the tops too brown).

Special thanks to Sarah for coming back to CLC for the second time in less than a year (and sharing a yummy looking recipe, no less) and to Penguin Books for sharing Sarah's book with our readers.

How to win "The Bungalow":
Please comment below with your e-mail address. (Please note:Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page or blog if you can receive messages there.)

Bonus entries (can be listed all in one post):
1. Please tell us: What is your favorite period of history?
2. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
3. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
4. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. Edit settings if you don't want to receive a lot of messages at your e-mail account. Please read our posting guidelines, as well. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)
5. Add a friend to our Facebook group. (Tell us who you added.) Be sure to remind them to edit their settings.

US/Canada only. Giveaway ends January 2nd at midnight EST.