Winter Blogfest: Lori L. Robinett

December 26, 2022 By 5 Comments

 

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift card.

Ways to Celebrate The Holidays: No Expectations by Lori L. Robinett

The holidays . . . a time filled with a home bursting at the seams with family, with festive decorations throughout the house, a table laden with turkey and all the trimmings, and happy music floating through the air.

But that perfect image we see on television, the movies, and social media isn’t the reality for everyone and sometimes we get caught up in comparing ourselves to unfair expectations.

In my own case, my stepdaughter is pulled in many directions at the holidays, trying to make time for us, her mom and her husband, her significant other’s mom, and her significant other’s dad and his significant other. Additionally, our daughter estranged herself two years ago, leaving us to nurture a relationship with her now-ex-husband and our granddaughter. Our situation isn’t unusual – blended families are pretty common these days. That means the holidays aren’t the picture-perfect vision of family and togetherness we’re led to believe is normal. My mantra is “No expectations!” – and that mantra has allowed me to accept what is and live in the moment, enjoying the journey.

Besides blended families, many people find themselves either alone at the holidays or with a smaller family than in the past.

So, what does that mean? How do we deal with these not-so-perfect holidays?

Simple – we find joy in the little things. Here are a few things to try if you find yourself dealing with a blended family or a smaller-than-in-the-past family:

Create a new tradition. My husband and I started taking my parents out on Christmas Eve several years ago. We usually have pizza together, then drive around and look at the holiday lights. It’s always fun to find those little gems – like the house waaaaayout in the country that has gone all out (and I do mean ALL out) to create a festive display. (see the pic – that house is in the middle of nowhere!)

Buy or make an Advent Calendar. This year, I bought myself a puzzle advent calendar, with holiday-themed puzzles that I hope to put together throughout the month of December. I’m also making myself an alcoholic Advent Calendar (I’m really excited about this one, but it took some planning throughout the year). I saved 25 Pringles cans, then wrapped them in holiday paper and glued them into a pyramid shape. Throughout the year, I occasionally bought single beers, wines, or champagne and socked them away. I’m going to put the singles in the Pringles cans and each night, I’m going to surprise myself with a drink. I’m thinking about making my 3-year-old granddaughter a book Advent calendar for bedtime.

Listen to music. Listen to holiday music. It never fails to brighten my mood.

Watch holiday movies. Go all-in and watch all the sappy Hallmark movies. Stream your favorite movies and buy them if you can’t find them streaming. My two faves are Christmas Vacation and Love, Actually. Oh, and by the way, Die Hard is totally a Christmas movie!

Splurge on good coffee (or tea). Bonus points if you make it at home.

Read. Allow yourself at least half an hour before bed to curl up in your favorite chair in front of a roaring fire (or a favorite candle) while reading a holiday-themed book throughout the holiday season. I like to mix mine up – a romance, then a mystery. This is a great way to remind yourself to slow down and enjoy life.

Read to others. Take one of those holiday-themed books to a local nursing home and offer to read to residents. This is even better than audiobooks, because having a real, live person sitting next to a resident is a gift in and of itself.

The most important thing to remember is that the holidays are about celebration and gratitude. Open yourself to the simple joys that are sometimes missed in the pursuit of the ‘gram-worthy holiday images. You may well find a new tradition that means the world to you!

This fun cozy mystery features a “colorful display of Christmas suspense and intrigue” perfect for lovers of true crime and mysteries.

Jessica Barker blogs about true crime for an online magazine. But blogging for others is far from her dream job. Someday, she wants her own true crime podcast.

While working one night, Jess witnesses her next-door neighbor in distress and Jess is the only one who seems to care. When the cops dismiss her as a bothersome true crime reporter with an overactive imagination, Jess must delve into the life of her mysterious neighbors, Rory and John Regan – with hints at embezzlement and gambling – before Rory ends up dead.

Lori L. Robinett introduces a new series about the adventures of an aspiring podcaster that will appeal to fans of true crime and cozy mysteries.

Lori L. Robinett writes mysteries and contemporary western romance. She also mentors aspiring writers in her online school, WriteScouts. She lives in central Missouri with her husband on a small hobby farm, maintained for the comfort and enjoyment of their Beagle and Snorkie, and two rescue cats.

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Winter Blogfest: Dawn Turzio

December 26, 2022 By 4 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of F.D.N. Wives. 

The Mango Crème Brûlée That Blew Her Away ​​By Dawn Turzio

Gail looked on as Leonard sipped his drink. “A nice, retired fireman who likes restoring things and has a proclivity for preparing fancy meals? It definitely won’t get any better than this.”

Leonard gazed in her direction, their eyes connecting. “We are two very lucky people.”

The fever she was experiencing caused her to turn away.

“Hey, do you like mangoes?” Leonard asked, whisking away the bare dinner plates.

“I’ve only tried mango sorbet. Does that count?”

Leonard pulled a small porcelain bowl from the refrigerator and put it where Gail’s supper had been. He took a dessert spoon and sat again. “It’s crème brûlée,” he said, cracking the hardened sugary shell with a careful jerk of the utensil. “Under the vanilla custard are bits of fresh mango sprinkled with rum.” He scooped up the white and orange mixture and held it out to Gail.

The silverware glistened as it moved. Gail parted both lips, allowing it to enter. The creamy filling was an explosion of flavor. Leonard slowly pulled his hand away. She kept her jaw loose, chewing the soft fruit, sights fixed on his, and swallowed. She readied her mouth for more. Leonard grinned and carefully dipped his serving tool into the dessert, seemingly eager to please. As the spoon came close, she licked at it and took it in a little faster this time then swallowed, eye contact strong.

By the fourth bite, Leonard dropped the tableware and rushed to her. His kiss was firm, filled with pent-up tension, urgent for release. Gail pulled away, breath heavy, and then pulled him closer.

​​​Leonard’s Mango Crème Brûlée

Ingredients

• ¾ cup mango, diced
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ Tbsp sugar (for topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Place 4—3 oz. ramekins in a baking dish (9×13 works best). Fill the baking dish with water so it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
3. Distribute diced mango evenly among the ramekins.
4. In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup (the spout here makes later steps easier), whisk together egg yolks and sugar.
5. In a small saucepan, mix vanilla and cream. Heat over medium heat until the cream just begins to smoke and a film appears over the top. Note: You do not want the cream to boil.
6. Very slowly, pour the cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
7. Pour the egg mixture into the mango-filled ramekins, covering the mango chunks.
8. Bake until the custards have set, about 35 minutes.
9. Transfer custards to a wire rack to cool completely. Then, refrigerate, uncovered, until well cooled (3-4 hours or overnight works well).
10. Just before serving, sprinkle the top of each ramekin with roughly 1 tsp of sugar.
11. Caramelize the sugar with a blow torch, or preheat your broiler to high and broil for 2-3 minutes.

Bon appétit!

 

The New York City Fire Department is the most prestigious and well-respected in the world. F.D.N. Wives is the sisterhood behind the brotherhood of that infamous department. The camaraderie among four profoundly different women, Megan, Erin, Gail, and Deirdre, coupled with men who run into burning buildings to save lives, illustrates their support during moments of elation and in times of despair. Battling blazes to fighting breast cancer, this fierce group of ladies exemplifies the very essence of what makes the fire department so unique.

 

Dawn Turzio, award-winning writer and former Howard Stern intern, is armed with interesting insider background to all things FDNY, NYPD, USMC, the Navy, and the Army. Dawn’s essay, “A Year After Hurricane Sandy, A First Responder’s Wife Reflects,” was selected as the feature story for national firefighter magazine New York Firefighters Now, where her family was photographed for the issue’s cover. Her work has also gained exposure from the television show Inside Edition, which contacted her for an episode about women’s dating preferences based on an article she’d written titled, “Why Are Women Attracted to Men in Uniform?” published by YourTango.com.

Dawn’s work has been featured in Chicken Soup for the Soul, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, New York Magazine, Salon, MSN Lifestyle, Yahoo!News, Parents Magazine, Brain, Child Magazine, TheGood Men Project, Entropy Magazine, Hello Giggles, New York Press, New York Firefighters Now, WittyBitches.com, Skinny Dip City, Cupid’s Pulse, The Write Life, and The Staten Island Advance. She spearheaded a feature column, Fire Wives, which detailed the implications of “uniformed living” in Jersey Firefighters Now Magazine.

The first woman to graduate from the television and film studies program at St. John’s University, Staten Island campus, Dawn has worked in production for E! Network on The Howard Stern Show, AJ Afterhours, and E! News Daily, which has been recognized by The New York Times.

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Winter Blogfest: Kristian Parker

December 23, 2022 By 2 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Christmas at Queens Crescent as well as a prepublication copy of Pole Position.

My Real-Life Best Christmas Present by Kristian Parker

Hi everyone. I’m Kristian Parker, a writer from the north of England. Okay, I confess, I love Christmas too. So much that I’ve just released my first ever holiday story, Christmas at Queens Crescent.

The story features Jeremy Brookes, who has arrived in London to rebuild his life after losing his mother. He immediately meets handsome florist, Stuart Monroe who is also having a crisis of where his life is heading. Jeremy is instantly attracted so does the sensible thing of assuming a secret identity to get to know this man better.

Christmas at Queens Crescent is the opening book of my brand-new series, Queens Crescent. Set in one of London’s most exclusive postcodes, each house has a handsome billionaire with his own story to tell. As it happens, I’ve jammed more of them than you can shake a stick at in this book to give you a preview.

During the story, Stuart and Jeremy are talking about their favourite Christmas presents. For Stuart’s answer, I chose my real-life best Christmas present.

When I was a small child, we didn’t have loads of money, but Dad worked with electronics. So, he built me my own record deck with cassette and lights that changed in time to the music. I had headphones and a mic and would spend ages doing my own radio shows.

Sadly, these masterpieces have been lost to the passage of time. I bet I would absolutely cringe if I heard them back!

Of course, being of a certain age, presents like that gave way to Millennium Falcon’s and AT-AT Walkers but nothing gave me as much joy as my DJ set up.

To win a copy of Christmas at Queens Crescent and a pre-publication copy of the next book, Pole Position (Out in February 2023), just let me know in the comments what has been the best present you ever received and why.

Jeremy Brookes is having a mid-twenties crisis. After losing his mother, he’ taken up his father’s offer to move from Canada to London to start a new life. The problem is, he has no idea how to do it. His billionaire father as some ideas…

Once Jeremy is installed in the exclusive neighbourhood of Queens Crescent, he will have to sort his life out pretty damned quick if he’s to avoid a lifetime at the pharma company where his father is CEO and his stepmother rules HR.

Jeremy isn’t cut out for that life or that of a spoiled rich kid, worrying where his next designer label is coming from. Then he happens upon Stuart Monroe, the handsome Scottish florist with a shop around the corner. As the only socialist in Kensington, Stuart’s lowly background makes it a challenge to be surrounded by such wealth. Instantly drawn to this rebel in their midst, Jeremy decides to do the sensible thing: go undercover as Stuart’s new shop assistant to get to know the enigmatic stranger better.

What could possibly go wrong?

 

I have written for as long as I could write. In fact, before, when I would dictate to my auntie. I love to read, and I love to create worlds and characters.

I live in the English countryside. When I’m not writing, I like to get out there and think through the next scenario I’m going to throw my characters into.

Inspiration can be found anywhere, on a train, in a restaurant or in an office. I am always in search of the next character to find love in one of my stories. In a world of apps and online dating, it is important to remember love can be found when you least expect it.

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Winter Blogfest: Jana Richards

December 23, 2022 By 21 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card.

New Christmas Traditions by Jana Richards

All my childhood Christmas memories center around food and family. My parents both came from large families, most of whom lived on farms or small towns close to us. Between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, we feasted at a different relative’s house every day. On Christmas Eve, after the children’s Christmas concert at the church, we ate at my maternal grandparents’ house. My grandmother wasn’t happy until you’d stuffed yourself so full you could barely walk. On Christmas day, we had another huge meal with my paternal grandmother and my dad’s family. On the days leading up to New Year’s, we hosted a dinner of our own and ate at a different aunt and uncle’s house every night. Once dinner was over, the dishes were cleared away and card games were played. How we didn’t immediately fall asleep after all the turkey we’d consumed, I have no idea.

When I got older and had kids of my own, we lived some distance away from our parents, so every Christmas we bundled up the kids, packed presents and baked goods into the car, and drove to visit my husband’s parents on Christmas day, and then my parents on boxing day (December 26). I remember some very cold, and sometimes some very dicey winter driving conditions, but we always made the trip. Once we got there, we had lots of fun and plenty to eat. My kids and our nieces and nephews were young so there was always a lot of excitement about Santa’s visit and the gifts he’d bring. I was mostly excited about the food, like my mother-in-law’s perogies and my mother’s cabbage rolls. I used to grumble about those long, cold drives, but now that our parents are gone, I dearly miss those holidays.

My husband and I are now the oldest members of the family. This year, with a new grandchild about to arrive before Christmas, we have new traditions to look forward to. We’ll have a baby spoil and buy presents for and make Christmas goodies for. As much as I cherish my old Christmas memories, I can’t wait for the new traditions to begin!

 

Charlotte Saunders has a full life—a rewarding career as a nurse, meaningful volunteer work at a dog shelter, and family, friends and pets she adores. But no matter how hard she tries, she can’t forget the horrible event that’s haunted her for ten years.

A survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Damon Greyson now helps others who have suffered trauma. His experience and intuition alert him to trouble in Charlotte’s past, and he wants to help her, if only she’d let him.

Jana Richards has tried her hand at many writing projects over the years, from magazine articles and short stories to full-length contemporary romance, paranormal suspense and romantic comedy. She loves to create characters with a sense of humor, but also a serious side. She believes there’s nothing more interesting then peeling back the layers of a character to see what makes them tick.

When not writing up a storm or dealing with dust bunnies, Jana can be found pursuing hobbies such as golf (which she plays very badly) or reading (which she does much better).

Jana lives in Western Canada with her husband Warren and two senior cats named Layla and Leelou. You can reach her through her website at http://www.janarichards.com

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Winter Blogpost: Rachelle Paige Campbell

December 23, 2022 By 5 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a kindle copy of Her Homegrown Christmas Wish and a $10 Amazon e-gift card. US only.

Picture Imperfect by Rachelle Paige Campbell

Family photograph Christmas cards are one my favorite holiday traditions. I’m the early bird who orders the cards before Halloween. I love picking the snapshot of our year and flipping through the years past. When I had my first child, I was told the “days are long, but the years are short.” Looking through the past decade plus of photos, I’m instantly transported back to that time. It’s nostalgic but not bittersweet. My kids are becoming their own people, and I’m so grateful to experience life with them.

Thanks to modern technology, I have an abundance of photos to choose from for my annual card. I’ve made more of an effort to take photos of the four of us, but I’ll admit I shy away from posing as a family. Not because I don’t love the results.

Growing up in the late eighties/early nineties, my mom had no way to tell whether any of her carefully staged family pictures would turn out until she developed the film. My mom was always on the hunt for the perfect picture for our family Christmas card. Throughout the year, especially on vacations, my brother and I were posed and told to smile “for the card.” We’d take “one more for the card” and proceed to grimace for another ten flashes. With a two-year age gap between my brother and I, there was a fair amount of bickering and teasing during the process.

Most of the photos didn’t turn out. In fact, I’m more amazed she found any images she could use. Our faces run the gamut from petulant to goofy. Mom looks annoyed in many. Typically, we were paused in the middle of something fun, thus the annoyed responses. Flipping through the old photo albums now, however, I chuckle.

We don’t get to choose our children’s memories. I remember how blessed we were to be together. During those days of no distractions as soon as we left the house, we explored and discovered and learned. I cherish those days and those photos.

 

All five-year-old Olivia Beacon wants for Christmas is a dad…

How on earth is single mom Hannah Beacon supposed to make that happen? To make matters worse, her holiday season is off to a rocky start. Between transferring ownership of the family bakery amid her mom’s decline, raising her young daughter, and the onslaught of Christmas orders, she can’t handle much more. And then her estranged husband shows up on her doorstep.

In the New Year, Daniel Ford is set to begin production on a TV show for the Hope and Family network. After years in the industry, the role is his biggest break yet. But when he sees his wife on screen with a mini version of herself, he realizes his shot at fame is on the line.

Together, Daniel and Hannah agree to start legal divorce proceedings—until Daniel comes face to face with the child that spurred his return. He can’t walk out of his daughter’s life, nor can he continue to deny his feelings for his wife. Will the career Daniel’s always wanted take center stage? Or can the two forgive past hurts to make their daughter’s Christmas wish a reality?

Rachelle Paige Campbell writes contemporary romance novels filled with heart and hope. She believes love and laughter can change lives, and every story needs a happily ever after.

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Winter Blogfest: Wendy Kendall

December 22, 2022 By 4 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of the winner’s choice of either of my holiday books – Snow Kiss Cookies To Die For OR Heart of Christmas Cookies and Dreams. 

The Origins of Secret Santa by Wendy Kendall

 

How wonderfully cozy to surprise someone with a gift for the holidays, and how jolly when you’re playing secret Santa. Have you ever played?

Often it’s a game for a group of people. Everyone draws a name to secretly determine who they will give a gift to. Sometimes each Santa’s identity is revealed after gifts are opened, or often the giver remains anonymous.

How did this tradition ever get started?

It’s a game played in many different countries. In the United Kingdom a similar game is called Kris Kringle, in Ireland it’s Kris Kindle. In Germany it’s called Wichteln and the delightful giver isn’t a Santa but a goblin or elf. In Scandinavia it’s called Julklapp. In this game the gifts are left at people’s houses. With a knock at the door, the giver leaves a package and gleefully runs off to watch from afar the delighted receiver’s surprise.

In America, the beginnings of this modern, sweet tradition are often attributed to a man whose identity was not revealed until 2006. For more than 25 years, philanthropist Larry Dean Stewart gave anonymous gifts of $100 bills to people in Kansas. He did the same for New Yorkers after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The idea spread like Christmas lights through communities. Secret Santa became another wonderful way to light up someone’s winter season.

And here’s another heartwarming gift of this holiday tradition, the giver is as delighted as the receiver. You don’t have to pull someone’s name out of a drawing to become a secret Santa. Your anonymous gifts over the holidays spread great cheer, and the real Santa is happy for the help. The more the merrier.

For my In Purse-Suit mystery series, first in the series – Kat Out of the Bag, Katherine Watson purse designer and amateur sleuth likes to gift purses year ’round. Some wonderful things can be gifted inside a woman’s handbag too. Sometimes what’s inside a purse can lead to a mystery, a very cozy mystery indeed.

This holiday season Desiree, teacher at Bayside’s elementary school and one of Katherine Watson’s friends, starts a fun secret Santa game for her first grade class. Danger hits for Desiree when someone leaves her creepy secret Santa gifts and threatens to reveal themselves soon. Time is ticking before class is out for the holidays and Desiree’s threatening stalker may strike with deadly force. Desiree has several suspects, including her romantic new love Leo who is on the school’s maintenance staff. While the children learn the wonderful lesson of kindness in giving, Desiree is on the edge of her seat. Who is threatening her? And is Leo The One, or The Stalker.

Holidays are a great time for surprises, and what’s more surprising than a cozy mystery? Follow the clues for enjoying a beautiful holiday season. Wishing you and yours the brightest of holidays, and holiday reads.

 

First grade teacher Desiree Tucker is on the brink of winter holidays with her new, romantic boyfriend when danger encroaches on her joy. Ominous, untraceable texts buzz on her cell phone. Terrifying secret Santa gifts show up for her in the classroom. As the stalker moves closer to the prey, Desiree doesn’t know who she can trust. Her charming new man is a prime suspect. Is he a deadly stalker? If not him, who? What can she learn from the legend of the snow kiss cookie? Just when she’s starting to believe in magic again, she finds herself fighting for her life.

 

The result of Wendy Kendall’s passion for purses, mystery and romance is the intriguing In Purse-Suit Mysteries. Kat Out of the Bag introduces Katherine Watson purse designer/sleuth. As Kat moves from designer bags to body bags, she’s uncovering clues to a murder. The prequel, Purse-Stachio Makes A Splash delves into a chilling cold case. Finalist for Best Romantic Suspense at Killer Nashville, Snow Kiss Cookies To Die For creates a tangle of mystery and love and raises suspicions about Desiree’s romantic new sweetheart, Leo. A summer read that will keep you on the edge of your beach towel, Cherry Shakes In The Park blends danger, divas, and frothy delights. And ribbons of love run through Wendy’s newest book, Heart of Christmas Cookies and Dreams. Wendy enjoys investigating the Pacific Northwest life, and she leaves a trail of her own clues as a blogger, YouTube podcaster, speaker, project manager, and syndicated columnist.

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Winter Blogfest: Darlene Deluca

December 22, 2022 By 4 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win your choice of a digital copy of one of my novels. 

Snow Is a Four-Letter Word by Darlene Deluca

Snow. Snow is a four-letter word. To me, it’s a terrible word and a terrible thing! To me, it means cold and gray days. It means the hassle of wearing hats and gloves and coats and scarves. It means difficult driving conditions, car accidents and shoveling injuries that can wreak havoc in lives.

Okay, I grant you that it can be pretty. A frosty winter wonderland of snow-dusted trees can be a pretty sight when I’m curled up inside with a book and a warm beverage. Here in the Midwest, there’s no avoiding it, so of course, I’ve made snowmen (and other assorted snow-figures) with my kids. I’ve done sledding and snow angels. I’ve gone snow skiing. And I know a lot of people love those things.

But they wear me out. I just wasn’t made for freezing temps! When people get excited about cooler temps in fall, I start to dread what comes next. I would enjoy fall a lot more if it didn’t lead to winter. If only we could go into “second summer!”

Summer is my season. Give me sunshine over snow any day. I enjoy the freedom of summer–longer days and pretty sundresses and sandals that don’t confine my feet. Pair those things with cold beverage and a pool or ocean breeze, and I’m in my happy place.

Believe it or not, a mountain ski resort is the setting for my new holiday romance, Christmas at Tall Pines. And Melanie, the leading lady, pretty much sums up my feelings about skiing:

—“So, what brings you to Tall Pines? Is your family coming for Christmas?”

Tyler hitched his shoulders. “Nah. I’m gonna ski for a couple of days then meet everyone for Christmas.” Grinning, he rubbed his hands together and cocked his head toward the doors. “I do love me some fresh powder.”

Melanie glanced out the windows where snow fell, as it had all day. Good for skiing, which she wouldn’t be doing. She was born bookish and un-athletic, and she accepted those things at an early age. For her, fresh powder meant a visit to the cosmetic counter—or a reason to stay inside by the fireplace with a good book.—

For me, the highlight of winter—in fact, the only redeeming feature of winter—is Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday. I enjoy decorating, making cookies, gatherings with friends and family, holiday carols and movies, and gift-giving. (Of course, shopping is much more pleasant done without snow…just saying!)

I suppose that’s why I juxtaposed a cold, snowy setting with the warm feels of Christmas for my newest book. Cozy up by the fire with a warm beverage and a book, and bring on the Christmas cheer!

Melanie Beck is searching for an idyllic Christmas like the ones her small family used to have. Traveling solo and still grieving the loss of her parents, she’s counting on cozy Tall Pines Lodge tucked into the mountains of Utah to provide the elusive holiday feels with merry music, stunning decorations and traditional Christmas feast in a beautiful frosty setting.

But a blizzard turns the winter wonderland into a hazard, and a chance encounter with a now-famous high school crush has her reeling with emotions she’s never quite gotten over.

Tyler Shaw, a Hollywood heartthrob and silver screen star, is so over a grueling film schedule and persistent paparazzi. In disguise and using a fake name, he comes to Tall Pines to escape the spotlight and get some much-needed rest. He’s hoping the adrenaline rush of downhill skiing at the nearby slopes will give him the reboot he’s looking for.

Instead, he’s stuck at the lodge and is shocked to run into an old high school friend that he left behind more than a decade ago. He’s even more surprised to discover how much he’s missed her.

As their past and present collide, can an old flame ignite some Christmas magic?

Darlene Deluca writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction that explores relationships – what brings people together or keeps them apart.

Her intent is to bring to life interesting characters that readers can relate to in real-life situations that combine a little fun, plenty of drama (with perhaps a tear or two), and big helpings of friendship, love and self-discovery, and will leave readers either cheering or sighing with a satisfied smile as they turn the final page.

The Kansas City author enjoys getting lost in a good story with a glass of tea, a bit of dark chocolate and a warm, sunny beach.

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Winter Blogfest: Annalise Russo

December 22, 2022 By 5 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a paperback copy of Two Hearts for Christmas

Fa-La-La by Annalise Russo

Fa-la-la-La-la! It’s December 2014 as I write this and the day I set aside to decorate for Christmas. Last year, since I wasn’t expecting any company, I made do with a couple of wreaths and called it a day. I realized too late that I would miss the smell of pine, the festive lights, the old manger set, and the all-around good cheer that accompanies a home decorated for the holidays. So, this year, I turn on Christmas music and pull out the multitude of boxes from the basement to the tune of Bing Crosby’s, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”

I start with the all-white lights for the tree in my bedroom. Soon, I realize I’m unpacking memories along with the ornaments wrapped lovingly in thin, raggedy tissue paper. The box is a mini time capsule: a fragile glass ornament announces Buon Natali, bought for our first tree together in 1966; counted cross-stitched ornaments made and exchanged with friends, some forty years old now; teacher ornaments from former students; ornaments purchased on vacation to remember the occasion. I place them just so—in my favorite spot around the tree.

I think about how children’s memories last longer than most presents and of the memories I made with my own children. I wonder if I succeeded in sharing what was in my heart. Some Christmas rituals stay, some just fade away, and some new are introduced over the years—the past blended with today. Traditions passed down to sons and daughters, nieces and nephews. And so hosting the celebration evolves.

Then I turn to my favorite task: setting up the manger—the reason for the season. I nestle the wooden manger among three small lit trees, unwrap the paper mache figures, and carefully place them, one by one, in the setting, always placing the Babe in last. I hang the golden angel from one of the branches, high above and all is right with the world.

Holidays don’t always go as planned, but it’s not about being perfect. They may not end as expected or desired, but if they end with shared stories of time spent together and the Child, you have the heart of it.

So, I finish my tasks, make a cup of hot chocolate, and sit in front of the fire to read the mail. I see an old friend’s name on a Christmas card. What a nice end to a lovely day! So I take some time to share my thoughts with you.

Wishing you a stress-free Christmas full of joyful new memories!

When baker Maisie Quinn returns home to open Blissful Bites, she realizes her dream—a business she loves, life in a lovely small town with her two kids, and a chance to win the county’s Christmas Bake-off. With no support from her deadbeat ex, the generous prize money would be a godsend for her tiny family.

After Wade Bennett becomes the new sheriff in town, he figures his four-year contract will give him time to see to his widowed mother and put enough money away to travel the world. Romance isn’t on his mind until Maisie opens her bakery and brings back memories when he thought Maisie might be the one—until she graduated, married, and moved away.

But then dreams confront reality, the Christmas holiday turns serious for the unwary couple. Heavenly power might be needed to help two determined people get what they want for Christmas.

Annalisa Russo is a Midwest girl who grew up in an overpopulated first-generation Italian family in the burbs of Chicago. Twice winner of the International Digital Award for historical romance, her series chronicles the lives of Italian immigrants in the 1920s and 1930s. Annalisa also loves writing sweet contemporary holiday stories with a touch of whimsy: The Green Earth Christmas Series. On a personal note, along with a passion for reading and writing, Annalisa enjoys gardening, cooking for company, and frequently invents reasons for traveling. The mother of two grown children, she inherited a narcissistic tabby named Buster who really runs the show.

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Winter Blogfest: Dixie Jackson

December 21, 2022 By 31 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $50.00 gift card for winner’s choice of: Amazon (US only, please) OR Starbucks.

The Rule of Four by Dixie Jackson

One Thing They Want, One Thing They Need, One Thing They Wear, One Thing They Read

For the past few weeks, I’ve heard people all around me asking the proverbial age-old question: where did this year go?! I know where my year went; I’m just having trouble wrapping my head around where it went and how. My year was spent caring for my parents, whom we lost in October. Yes, both Mom and Dad passed on…less than 48 hours apart. There’s more on that journey over on my blog, but here I wanted to touch on how that’s affected my outlook on the holidays. While one might think the holidays are intolerable at my house, something I want to ignore this year, one would be surprised. Don’t get me wrong. The holidays are harder this year. There have been tears, but I find myself waxing nostalgic and remember some pretty great times and trying to focus on those to honor the losses my family has suffered.

One thing they want, one thing they need, one thing they wear, one thing they read. I always see this sage advice on a meme or two around social media this time of year. And I always am reminded that this sage advice isn’t as new as some might imagine. My family seemed to be in tune with this way of thinking with the holiday gift giving long before it was chic to think this way. When we were kids, this catchy line summed up our Christmas haul perfectly.

We always got something we needed, always. The thing needed varied widely from year to year from gloves to coats to boots to watches. We always got a brand-new outfit which we put on immediately to wear to Christmas dinner at my grandma’s house. We always, always, got books. Those were some of my favorite things. As for the something we wanted, my sister reminded me of how that thing was chosen while we were talking on the phone a few days ago. Each year a few weeks prior to the big day we were handed the Sears catalog and a pen. We were to go through the Christmas edition catalog chock full of toys and circle a few things we’d like to have. Then Santa would have some ideas. I remember we always got a baby doll, always. Along with the baby doll would come a handmade receiving blanket for our new baby and a handmade gown for her. I also remember we always got something we wanted that we had to learn to share. For instance, one year we got the kids’ kitchen from Sears. Anyone else remember those? They were made of metal, not like today’s playsets made of hard plastic, and they were this hideous yellow color. Learn to share it we did, and we loved every minute of our time together with it.

The memories of those Christmases gone by, and the rule of four: a want, a need, something to wear, something to read, are what is sustaining me and buoying me up this year as our family navigates a new normal. I’m also consulting the sage advice in my gift buying for my grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and “our kids” who belong to our friends. If you’ve also had a rough year, I hope nostalgic memories might buoy you up this year, too, and remind you of what’s really important, and the rule of four might be a guide in helping you find your center.

What are some of your fondest holiday memories and gifts? Did your family also adhere to the rule of four? Did you ever have to learn to share a gift with your siblings? Leave me some comments! I’d love to chat and I’d love to see your name get put into the hat for my prize.

Cord McAllister was born of a long line of dissidents, spies, and dark ops fighters. The roots of his family tree took him clear back to the War of 1812 where his aunt several times removed busied herself with stealing enemy secrets rather than knitting socks. But nothing in the entirety of his family pedigree could have prepared him for his current assignment: Lucy Wayland, kindergartner. With his house in shambles and overrun with toys, his mind a murky blur, and his heart in his throat from constant worry about the kid, Cord knows one thing. He needs backup. Never in his wildest imagination did he expect that help to come in the form of a ghost from his past.

Chloe Hamilton was born of a long line of dissidents, spies, and dark ops fighters. How deep she’s in and how far back those roots take her is a secret to everyone including her ex, who just happens to be in charge of protecting her current assignment: Lucy Wayland, kindergartner. After four years of radio silence, Chloe finds herself on Cord’s doorstep with her au pair persona on and dragging way more baggage than the suitcase holding her clothes. Never in her wildest imagination did she ever expect to see Cord again, yet here she was in living color.

It doesn’t take long to discover while confined to quarters together that the fire still burns bright between them, but the secrets that kept them apart before have only grown exponentially. Chloe’s determined to fulfill not only her mission, but her destiny, which she knows without a doubt was etched on her heel long before she was conceived of. Even if it means leaving what she wants behind, again. Cord’s determined he’s not taking no for an answer, again. Their determinations will take them from the Carolina coast to the mountains of the Pacific Northwest where all the secrets that kept them apart will come unraveled, and will either make them or break them.

 


Born and raised in the heart of the Ozarks, Dixie Jackson learned a love of the written word at a young age. She remembers reading voraciously and spinning her own tales before she could even write them down. It was the encouragement of her sixth-grade creative writing teacher which would plant the idea that just never seemed to go away. She wanted to someday see her works in print.

After experiencing a good bit of the world due to her husband’s thirty-year stint with the USMC and living a few years in the Great Smoky Mountains, Dixie has returned to her roots. She makes her home in the heart of the Ozark Mountains with her now retired Marine husband, two rescue dogs, and her beloved chickens. When she’s not writing, you can find her digging in the dirt and nurturing her plants while plotting the next step in one of her story lines or another. She also loves experimenting in her kitchen, embroidering, quilting, crocheting, climbing her family’s twisted tree through genealogy research, and of course reading.

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Winter Blogfest: C.H. Lyn

December 21, 2022 By 19 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $50 gift card to Barnes and Noble or Amazon, reader’s choice!

Preparing for Christmas by C.H. Lyn

For the past five years or so, my husband has struggled to hold Christmas at bay. He enjoys Thanksgiving and believes the decorations should stay away until after that fateful turkey day. As for me, while I’m not one for having reindeer up for sale before Halloween ends, I definitely prefer putting up Christmas decorations to baking pumpkin pie.

We’ve settled on something of a truce. I’m ready. Prepared for a bombardment of garland, lights, and tinsel. Black Friday doesn’t mean shopping in my house. It means decorations galore. It means hauling the tree out of the garage and carefully handing the kids ornaments they won’t easily destroy. It means candy canes everywhere, peppermint hot chocolate for the kids (peppermint mochas for me), and the beginning of the true holiday baking season.

My Gran used to make tins full of homemade candy every year. Caramels, fudge, butterscotch, cookies, brownies, blondies… you name it, she’d have it in a tin. We would go together, handing them out to her friends a few weeks before Christmas. It’s one of my most cherished memories.

That being said, I’m not about to spend seventy hours baking homemade candy. She was retired and didn’t have toddlers running around the house. I stick to a simple set of recipes, a few favorites that I enjoy sharing with the neighbors (and eating).

My eldest child is 4 this year. She fully understands the concept of this winter holiday, and is anxious to wrap the presents we’ve already picked out, bake with mommy, and have family visit. Both kids are also pretty psyched about the possibility of snow and a sledding filled Christmas Day.

It’s early November as I write this. The sky is blue, no snow clouds visible on the horizon. I’ve left out the gourds, and other fall themed decorations that aren’t specifically Halloweeny. I’ll wait, somewhat patiently, until Thanksgiving night to pull from the boxes in my garage. It is the truce, after all. And yet, I can’t help the grin as I think of the tiny colorful Christmas tree my youngest asked me to buy at the store the other day. It’s on the top shelf in their bedroom, out of sight unless you’re looking for it. A small decoration only the girls and I know about… promising a lovely holiday season.

 

International travel means international danger.

Lacey Devaine is a four-year veteran of a spy ring which fronts as an exclusive escort service, Miss Belle’s Travel Guides. Maintaining her cover is Lacey’s number one priority to protect the integrity of the operation she works for.

While on assignment in Tokyo, a nosy newspaper reporter threatens to blow the lid off a scandal that will put dozens of innocent lives at risk. To protect her cover, Miss Belle is called in to act on intelligence Lacey has uncovered.

Can these beautiful, intelligent, and deadly women complete this assignment in time and emerge unscathed? Or will this mission be their last?

C.H. Lyn live in Colorado with her husband, two little girls, and a massive German Shepherd. She enjoys the mountains and trails Colorado has to offer, especially the easier ones she doesn’t have to carry the kids on. She loves to write, and finds time for it while the kids play and after they’ve gone to bed. She is working on more Miss Belle’s Travel Guides books, as well as several projects for Kindle Vella. She can be found on almost all social media platforms @chlyn.author

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Buy the book at Tirgearr Publishing — note: this book is 99c during the blogfest!

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