Winter Blogfest: Randy Overbeck

December 25, 2019 By 4 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a numbered and autographed copy of the award-winning novel, BLOOD ON THE CHESAPEAKE and a full color 2020 Wild Rose Press calendar with suggestions for almost 50 great reads for the year (continental US only). 

Our Very Own Ghosts of Christmas Past


It’s no surprise that The Christmas Carol is Charles Dickens’ most beloved work, far more popular than A Tale of Two Cities or Great Expectations. And not simply because of its holiday theme. In fact, Dickens wrote and published four other Christmas tales, but only The Christmas Carol is still remembered and treasured. Today, one hundred seventy-six years after the iconic story first hit bookstores in London, if you call someone a “Scrooge,” they know it’s hardly a compliment. Even Ebenezer’s favorite expression, “humbug,” has lodged its way into the Christmas lexicon. This novella—before we ever had a name for such a book—has left an indelible impression on Western culture. 

 But I believe the appeal of this little book goes far beyond its clever language—“Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that”—and its parade of memorable spectral characters. 

Dickens, through his miserly character of Ebenezer Scrooge— disenchanted, lonely, work-obsessed
—has hit on a dilemma we all struggle with. For most of us mere mortals, Christmas does not often live up to our expectations, the holiday seldom as shining and bright as promised. And there’s always more work to be done.

 More to the point, though, who isn’t haunted by their own version of Dicken’s ghosts? Who doesn’t have at least one personal horror story about the holidays? The truth is most of us are haunted—if you’ll excuse the pun—by one or more of our own ghosts of Christmas past, wearing us down like the chains the ghost of Marley dragged around in Dicken’s narrative.

So what’s to be done? Another holiday approaches with Godspeed and we must face it.

 “I wish…but it’s too late now.”

These words whispered by Ebenezer echo our own desperation. But, through his inventive story, Dickens proves that it is never too late—though it took four ghosts and a near death experience to convince old Scrooge. 

This Christmas, let’s not be so stubborn. As the sudden death of a close friend taught me recently, tomorrow is promised to no one. Though we may not be able to forget, we always have permission to forgive—both others and ourselves. 

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It’s not too late to say I’m sorry. 

It’s never too late to say I love you.

I hope this year your Christmas season is shiny and bright, restful and blessed.

My ghosts? I have my share like everyone else, but most times I enjoy their company. Of course, I prefer to encounter them in the pages of The Christmas Carol or maybe even, my own ghost
story/mystery, Blood on the Chesapeake.  

 Oh, and I almost forgot. Merry Christmas and, in the words of Tiny Tim, “God bless us, everyone.”

Wilshire, Maryland seems like the perfect shore town on the Chesapeake Bay—quiet, scenic, charming—and promises Darrell Henshaw a new start in life and a second chance at love. That is, until he learns the town hides an ugly secret. A thirty-year-old murder in the high school. And a frightening ghost stalking his new office. Burned by an earlier encounter with the spirit world—with the OCD scars to prove it—he does NOT want to get involved. But when the desperate ghost hounds him, Darrell concedes. Assisted by his new love, he follows a trail that leads to the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and even the Klu Klux Klan. Then, when two locals who try to help are murdered, Darrell is forced to decide if he’s willing to risk his life—and the life of the woman he loves—to expose the killers of a young man he never knew.

Dr. Randy Overbeck is a veteran educator who has served children for more than three decades as a teacher and school leader, winning national recognition for his work. Over that time, he has performed many of the roles depicted in his writing, with responsibilities ranging from coach and yearbook advisor to principal and superintendent. An accomplished writer, he has been published in academia, the popular press and, more recently, for his fiction. His first novel, Leave No Child Behind, won the 2011 Silver Award for Thriller of the Year from ReadersFavorite.com. His second novel, Blood on the Chesapeake, a ghost story/mystery released this year by the Wild Rose Press, has earned 5 STAR REVIEWS from RaeadersFavorite.com, Long and Short Reviews and Literary Titan. It also garnered a national Award, the GOLD AWARD from Literary Titan. Blood is the first in a new series called the “Haunted Shores Mysteries.” Dr. Overbeck is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and an active member of the literary community.

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Winter Blogfest: Sara Ohlin

December 24, 2019 By 24 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win one $20 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

My Bookish Christmas Traditions

One of my absolute favorite Christmas traditions has to do with books. Of course!! Over the years as I have moved so many times, I have spent a few Christmases alone. But I feel like, because I love books so much and the journeys they take us on I’ve always had a cozy place to visit between the pages of great novels. I think that’s why I love stories that include food & family and the communities we build around those, because even when I have been alone or lonely, I can sink into a fictional world of holiday tradition and togetherness. 

I remember one Christmas I spent alone in Seattle. On Christmas Eve I met my future husband at a bar, although I didn’t know it at the time. But I was smitten. He put a smile on my face that lasted…well, it’s still with me eighteen years later.

But that actual Christmas day, I made myself a favorite charred broccoli & feta pasta, dripping with olive oil and garlic, paired it with a buttery Chardonnay, cozied up on my couch alone and re-read Rosamunde Pilcher’s Winter Solstice. Pilcher had a way with setting and emotion that always drew me right into her stories. The bitter wind of the English winter landscape, hot tea served with scones and clotted cream, heartbreak from losing a precious loved one. And the beauty in finding love. 

The last words on her Winter Solstice book jacket perfectly sum this up. “Once again, Rosamunde Pilcher reminds us all that friendship, compassion, loyalty, and love can come together and renew us all—even when the days seem darkest.”

I love the power of books to comfort us! I’d love to know some of your favorite holiday book memories!

Salvaging Love

Animals aren’t the only thing that need rescuing when a sexy veterinarian encounters a hot-headed attorney…

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Intrigued by Ellie, hot-shot defense attorney Jackson gives her one month to convince him not to put his gentrification plans into progress. Attraction soon sizzles between them, but when Jackson makes his desires known, Ellie’s vulnerable heart doesn’t know what to think.

She wants to trust the sinfully handsome Jackson, just as he wants to gain her trust, but finding their way to love isn’t easy when her traumatic past and his criminal clients could sabotage their relationship for good.

Can the enchanting veterinarian and the brooding attorney fight the demons from the past…and build a new future?

Puget Sound based writer, Sara Ohlin is a mom, wannabe photographer, obsessive reader, ridiculous foodie, and the author of the contemporary romance novels, Handling the Rancher and Salvaging Love.
She has over fifteen years of creative non-fiction and memoir writing experience, and you can find her essays at Anderbo.com, Feminine Collective, Mothers Always Write, Her View from Home, and in anthologies such as Are We Feeling Better Yet? Women Speak about Healthcare in America, Take Care: Tales, Tips, & Love from Women Caregivers, and Chicken Soup for the Soul.
Although she’s the author of many essays about life, grief, motherhood and the connections we make through delicious food and shared meals, Sara loves creating imaginary worlds with tight-knit communities in her romance novels. She credits her mother, Mary, Nora Roberts and Rosamunde Pilcher for her love of romance.
If she’s not reading or writing, you will most likely find her in the kitchen creating scrumptious meals with her two kids and amazing husband, or perhaps cooking up her next love story.
She once met a person who both “didn’t read books” and wasn’t “that into food” and it nearly broke her heart. You can learn more on her website https://saraohlin.com.

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Winter Blogfest: Desiree Holt

December 24, 2019 By 7 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a choice of ebook from the author’s backlist plus a $5 GC for Amazon.

Christmas Wishes for the Military

In many ways the military has been a constant theme in my life. I write a lot of military themed books, most of them romantic suspense, and I am so privileged to have some former military as friends. The men and women who serve are always on my mind at this time of year more than any other. All across the United States, civilians will light up Christmas, stockings will be hung, and the front lawns of countless homes are brightened up by some truly impressive Christmas lights and displays.

As we approach the Christmas holidays, I began thinking as I usually do about all the men and women stationed hundreds even thousands away from home and families, fighting a war to preserve freedom and liberty. I wanted to know how the men and women if the military who are not at home celebrate this holiday. I worry that we take their dedication for granted, so I did some research.

Christmas has long been celebrated in the military, even in times of war. Perhaps the most famous celebration of Christmas in the military is the Christmas Truce of 1914. Not many people have heard the story of that Truce. Starting on that Christmas Eve, troops on both the British and German sides began singing Christmas Carols to one another. 

On Christmas Day, 1988, a story in the Boston Globe mentioned that a local FM radio host played “Christmas in the Trenches,” a ballad about the Christmas Truce, several times and was startled by the effect. The song became the most requested recording during the holidays in Boston on several FM stations.

I was glad to learn that despite being deployed and thousands of miles away from family at this very family-oriented holiday, people serving in the military are inventive. They find ways, for example, to put up a Christmas tree, like a huge one erected at a base in Afghanistan. They often find Christmas decorations, or make them, or are sent them by their families, and they decorate their land-based vehicles. Imagine, for example, an armored vehicle decorated with Christmas wreaths. Some servicemen even take their holiday spirit on missions. Some wear Santa hats. Some even decorate the military vehicles. Santa will make a regular appearance at bases all across the world. Prayer services are held on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day. 

But they are still away from home, still separated from their loved ones. I ask everyone to take a moment as we head toward the holidays to stop and think of these men and women who dedicate their lives for the safety of this country. Who celebrate Christmas so far away that we can celebrate with our loved ones.

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She thought her past was firmly behind her…

Amy Ressler was a vivacious, outgoing person, looking forward to her first job after graduating college. Until the night her stepbrother slaughtered her entire family, and thought she was dead, too. For ten years she’d been living under an assumed name in a house in Tampa with security guards and a security system. Her agoraphobia keeps her a prisoner in the house where she designs sought after video games.

Quinn Molloy couldn’t seem to find a place for himself when he left the SEALS…

Quinn Molloy has been part of the teams for eighteen years and suddenly an injury left him with no place to go, except to visit his friends Melody and Tex Keenan. Where they introduce him online to KitCat, Amy in her online disguise, a terrified woman who needs a bodyguard.

The killer is loose…

When Matthew Baker escapes from jail the hunt is on, led by the US Marshals. But with Amy helpless in her self-imposed prison, Quinn accepts the job as her personal bodyguard, and they discover that what starts online can explode n the bedroom. As long as he can keep her alive.

USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and paranormal to erotic. and has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications

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Winter Blogfest: Cassie O’Brien

December 24, 2019 By 8 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a paperback copy of her Christmas novella, “The Best Gifts Aren’t Wrapped”, a paperback copy of her book, “Ellie’s Rules” and box of Christmas chocolates. No restriction on where the prize will be shipped..

Christmas Memories

Memories of a 1950’s British child. 

The war has been over for nearly a dozen years, although rationing has only been finally declared as ‘over’ in 1956. The luxury of being able to purchase sugar, fresh fruit and meat along with other imported goods has been restored, although the supply of them is not plentiful. Mother provides three ‘square’ meals a day at eight am, noon and five o’clock—there is no snacking or treats in between times, unless of course, it’s Christmas Day…

  *****

The most wonderful day of the year is nearly here and our house smells of pine, spiced fruit, tangerines and rum. The aroma of roasting meat will soon join them when Mother slow cooks our turkey overnight on gas regulo two—the bird enormous enough to feed the extended family that have squashed into our house for the next three days. There won’t be enough beds, but none of the men mind sleeping on the floor in their overcoats, so long as we are all together.

Dressed in my nightie, my damp hair rag-rolled to be released into ringlets when dry, I gaze at the clock on the mantlepiece and will the hands to move faster. My brother, as impatient as I for bedtime to arrive, can barely keep still. At last, Grandma nods at the Christmas tree. We are lucky, he and I, and pick-up not a sock or a lady’s stocking from beneath it, but a clean, white pillowcase apiece—it will bulge with interesting shapes come the morning, but it will not be full.

We drape our pillowcases over the foot of the narrow bed we are sharing and try to settle down, but if the anticipation of hearing sleigh bells is not enough to keep me from sleep, the tightly tied worms of linen festooning my head certainly are. However much later, my favorite aunt joins us, and in a soft voice croons Christmas carols into my ear until my eyelids flutter closed.

A noise wakes me. I hear a metallic clunk. The chain connected to the overhead cistern is being tugged to release the flush of the toilet. I sit up and blink. My brother does the same and in the grey light of dawn, my aunt smiles and asks. “Have you been good children this year? Has he been?”

Catching sight of our pillowcases, I bounce up and down on the bed laughing. “We have! Look!” She grins. “Come along, then.”
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A half-filled pillowcase is not a magnificent thing unless you are five and dragging it behind you as you run toward Mother and Father’s bedroom. Rather than Papa, their bed contains Grandma, Mother and another aunt and they make room for us to squeeze in between them under the eiderdown. The rest of the family, in thick dressing gowns and coats range themselves around the room to watch us. My hands are shaking, mottled with cold, for there is no heating on the upper floor.

I close my eyes and reach in, our presents are not wrapped, gift paper is so expensive as to be out of the reach of most. My haul includes a coloring book, crayons, a miniature tea set, a jigsaw and a bundle of candy canes. My brother’s is similar although he has more grown-up lead pencils and a chocolate tool set.

Nobody tells us off when we tuck-in to our sweeties before breakfast and there is spicy gingerbread on the table when we sit to eat it. Afterward we stand in front of the Christmas tree with our eyes closed for our big present to be brought into the room. Mine is a baby’s cot made by Grandpa in his shed, dressed with satin edged blankets sewn by Grandma, and a beautiful dolly from my parents. My brother’s is a collection of die-cast cars and a homemade two-level garage with a working ramp, operated by way of a small handle wound with string.

*****

Wonderful times. Would I go back? Yes, in an instant! Would I transport my children and grandchildren back in time with me? No. The Christmas memories of your childhood belong to the time in which you were that child.

Who says Santa doesn’t bring even the saddest person a beautiful gift?
Lauren hates Christmas. It reminds her of the death of her husband, Brian, and brings back memories too painful to bear. To keep herself busy over the festive season, she decorates a room in her house and shuts the rest of the world out—the door locked as tightly as her heart and emotions.
Until Joe comes along, a neighbor who is divorced, has two sons, and enough compassion to see her through the dark times. Although Lauren’s not looking for love, it creeps up on her, stealing her breath and forcing her to see that although she’s angry at Brian for putting himself in a fatal situation, she can now remember him fondly with the affection he deserves. Joe has helped her to see life is precious, and when Santa arrives with an extra-special gift, her world is complete and she can once again go about the business of living—with her heart well and truly taken.

Author of erotic romance published by Totally Entwined Group. My books can be found at https://www.totallybound.com/

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Winter Blogfest: Annalisa Russo

December 24, 2019 By 12 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card.

Fa-La-La

Fa-la-la-La-la! It’s December 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 the present. 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. 
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Wishing you a stress-free Christmas full of joyful new memories! 

Merry Christmas!!  

Cyber security expert, Cord McQuada heads back to Green Earth, Minnesota with his twelve-year-old niece in tow. Not that he ever planned to return home after the community booted him out eight years ago, but his sister is in rehab, and he has inherited her problems. And since the only Christmas presents he ever received growing up came from the local gas station, he’d rather skip the town’s over-the-top annual festivities.
Heir to a famous French fashion line, Giselle Delacroix decides to jump ship and open a children’s clothing store in Green Earth where she and her college roommate enjoyed the town’s holiday merriments. But, busy and over-worked, the last thing Giselle wants, or needs, is a Christmas romance—even if the man involved is every woman’s pièce de résistance.
Melah, heaven’s unofficial matchmaker, plans to send in her new protégée to quell escalating problems, but can she help Cord and Giselle ignite some Christmas sparks?

Annalisa Russo, a Midwest girl who grew up in an overpopulated first-generation Italian family in the ‘burbs of Chicago, published her first historical romance in 2012. Her Christmas novels are sweet and contemporary romances, and her historical novels chronicle the lives of Italian immigrants in the 1920s and 30s.
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 now shares her home with a narcissistic tabby named Buster who really runs the show. She loves hearing from readers, so check out her website at: www.annalisarusso.com

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Winter Blogfest: Sadira Stone

December 23, 2019 By 6 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Through the Red Door..

Mini Fruitcakes for People Who Hate Fruitcake

These little gem-colored treats are chewy and sweet but contain no cake. I’ve found that people who dislike fruitcake will gobble these up! They’re also quick and easy to make, a welcome addition to your holiday cookie repertoire. You can easily adapt the recipe to include your favorite dried and candied fruits.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped nuts: I use walnuts and pecans.

1 pounds pitted dates, cut into quarters

2 8-ounce packages of mixed diced candied fruit for fruitcake. In my grocery store, it’s called Fruitcake Mix.

I love the flavor of orange, so I added ½ cup candied orange peel, diced. 

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a pinch of salt

1 can sweetened condensed milk

Combine all ingredients well, roll into small balls (Not gonna lie, it’s a sticky mess. Try oiling your hands first) and put into paper-lined mini-muffin tins. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for about 18 minutes until golden. Cool and serve. Makes three dozen.

Letting him inside could be her salvation…or her undoing.

Clara Martelli clings to Book Nirvana, the Oregon bookshop she and her late husband Jared built together. When rising rents and corporate competition threaten its survival, her best hope is their extensive erotica collection, locked behind a red door. In dreams and signs, her dead husband tells her it’s time to open that door and move on. When a dark and handsome stranger’s powerful magnetism jolts her back to life and he wants a look at the treasures of that secret room, she can’t help but want to show him more.

Professor Nick Papadopoulos is looking for historical erotica. Book Nirvana’s collection surpasses his wildest dreams, and so does its lovely owner. A widower, he understands Clara’s battle with guilt, but their searing chemistry is too strong to resist. Besides, he will only be in town for two weeks, not long enough for her to see beyond the scandal that haunts his past.

Ever since her first kiss, Sadira’s been spinning steamy tales in her head. After leaving her teaching career in Germany, she finally tried her hand at writing one. Now she’s a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance and cozy mysteries from her home in Washington State. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, plays guitar badly, and gobbles all the books.

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Winter Blogfest: Kathryn Knight

December 23, 2019 By 10 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win the winner’s choice of one of any of my titles, either in e-book or audio format (if available).

Holiday Rosemary Nut Mix Recipe

I am not a crafty person.  I’m creative, in terms of dreaming up plot twists and developing characters, but the closest I usually get to designing gorgeous gifts or beautiful centerpieces is adding pictures I love with instructions I probably can’t follow to my Pinterest boards.  I’m in awe of people who have that kind of talent.

But I can follow simple recipes—emphasis on simple—and a few years ago, my sister-in-law, who always hosts Christmas with a dazzling display of gourmet foods and stunning decorations, served a nut mix that I just couldn’t get enough of.  And hey, it’s nuts—a good-for-you food, packed with protein, omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.  Even with the seasonings, it’s a healthy choice compared to most baked treats.

So I asked her for the recipe, and now around the holidays, I make huge batches to share with friends and family.  It’s both spicy and sweet, and—warning—highly addictive.  I buy cute jars with chalkboard labels to package them in and add little tags with a personal note.  If you’d like to give it a try, please find the recipe below!

2 ½ cups of assorted unsalted nuts.  I use cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pecans.

2 T fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped

½ t cayenne pepper.  Use less or leave out if you’re averse to spicy.

2 t dark brown sugar
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2 t sea salt

1 T unsalted butter, melted

Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Mix the remaining ingredients.  Toss the nuts with the mixture in a large bowl.  Enjoy!

A jar of these would make a great gift, maybe even paired with a book!  Reading is a proven stress-reliever, and we can all use that during the busy holiday season.  It’s easy to gift an e-book to someone via email, and it often costs less than the price of a card!  As part of this Winter Blogfest, I’m offering a giveaway of one of my novels…I like to think they’re sweet, spicy, and addictive too!  My latest novel is The Haunting of Hillwood Farm, a ghost mystery/romantic suspense that recently won the RONE Award at InD’Tale Magazine for Best Paranormal 2019!  This title was also named Best Romantic Suspense of 2018 by N.N. Light’s Book Heaven Reviews and a Top 40 Pick of the Best Paranormal Romances at Reedsy.  If you enjoy some spooky suspense mixed with romance, please check out the blurb below!  And comment below to enter my giveaway:  WINNER’S CHOICE of any one of my six novels…one commenter will be chosen after the holidays, and in addition to choosing the preferred title, winner may also choose between ebook or audiobook formats (if available).  Thanks for coming by, and Happy Holidays!

After tragedy strikes, Callie Sinclair is left with a gift she never wanted–the ability to communicate with ghosts. But when a desperate widow begs for her help, she reluctantly agrees to investigate the strange occurrences at Hillwood Farm. She quickly realizes she’s dealing with a dangerous presence beyond anything she’s ever experienced, and something else becomes equally clear–the only other living person in the house, Mrs. Turner’s handsome grandson, thinks she’s a scam artist. While she’d prefer to just ignore him, her heart beats a little faster every time he’s nearby.

Luke Turner doesn’t believe in spirits. He’s moved back to restore the family farm, but living on the property serves a dual purpose–he can watch out for his grandmother. He’s not happy about the sudden appearance of a self-described psychic, or his inexplicable attraction to her. His initial suspicions crumble as evidence points to an actual haunting, but he’s still determined not to fall for Callie–the past has taught him it’s best to avoid relationships.

As Callie is drawn deeper into the mystery, she becomes the target of a vengeful spirit, and Luke can no longer fight his feelings for her. Unable to resist their desire, passion ignites…even as the paranormal activity escalates to a final deadly confrontation.

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Kathryn Knight writes books filled with steamy romance, dangerous secrets, and haunting mysteries. Her novels are award-winning #1 Amazon Bestsellers and RomCon Reader-Rated picks. When she’s not reading or writing, Kathryn spends her time exploring abandoned places and searching for ghosts. She lives on beautiful Cape Cod with her husband, their two sons, and a number of rescued pets.

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Winter Blogfest: Mary Morgan

December 23, 2019 By 16 Comments


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

A Midwinter Feast in 13th Century Scotland

Come journey with me as I whisk you away to 13th century Scotland for a Midwinter’s feast. We shall arrive at Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness. This is the home of the Clan MacKay—the Dragon Knights. Their bloodline is steeped in ancient Celtic mythology. Though they respect the new religion that has swept across their land, the Dragon Knights continue to honor the old ways. Midwinter is a celebration of light and warmth here within the walls. The doors have been left open for all to enter in peace. Once you step inside, you are drawn to the holly boughs with ivy, bay, crimson-berried yew and fragrant bunches of rosemary. 

The torches cast a welcoming light as you proceed onward. As we enter the Great Hall, you are met with boisterous laughter and gaiety. A bard is recanting the tale between the aging Holly King (representing the darkness of the old year), and the young Oak King (symbolizing the light of the New Year). Some of the older lasses have chosen to weave a sprig of holly onto their gowns and they nod at you in passing. 

Candles illuminate the hall in a soft glow as you make your way toward the feasting tables. The Dragon Knights and their wives are seated at a longer table near the hearth. Ale and mead are flowing, along with the tempting dishes you survey as you take your place. You are tempted by the trencher of wild boar stuffed with onions and cabbages to your right. Or maybe you would prefer the spiced apples and damson tarts.

In my story, To Weave A Highland Tapestry, I’ve incorporated the kissing bough for the Winter Solstice celebration. Holly, ivy, pine, and evergreen herbs (bay and rosemary) were most commonly used, along with twigs and fruit. Since the women in my story have journeyed back in time to medieval Scotland, I might have introduced these round balls a bit earlier in time. Regardless, I enjoyed weaving a tradition within the story. 

Kissing boughs for the Winter Solstice and Christmas hail from medieval times. Evergreen branches were placed throughout the halls of manor houses and castles. It was thought to bring good cheer and health to anyone passing under them. The kissing bough was the precursor to kissing under the mistletoe. In addition, this plant was also sacred to the Druids. It was believed to bring good fortune, fertility, protection, and healing. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy Winter Solstice! 

 

PLUM TARTS aka…DAMSON TARTS

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup finely chopped almonds 

3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into small pieces
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1 egg yolk

2 pounds firm, ripe plums, pitted and quartered lengthwise

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Combine the flour, almonds, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and the egg yolk. Mix by hand or with an electric mixer, until crumbly.

Press 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture in an even layer into the bottom of a 9 1/2-inch springform or tart pan. Arrange the plums in the pan, skin side down to form a flower pattern; begin at the outside and work your way in.

Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture evenly over the plums. Bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until it’s lightly browned and the plum juices are bubbling. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer tart to flat plate.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Patrick MacFhearguis, hardened by battles won and lost, desires what he can never have—peace within his heart and soul. Yet, the ever-meddling Fae weave a new journey for him to conquer—a task this highlander is determined to resist.

When skilled weaver, Gwen Hywel, is commissioned to create a tapestry for the MacFhearguis clan, she embraces the assignment. While seeking out ideas, she finds herself clutching the one thread that can alter the tapestry of her life and heart.

A man conflicted by past deeds. A woman with no family of her own. Is it possible for love to unravel an ancient past, in order to claim two badly scarred hearts? Or will the light of hope be doused forever?

Award-winning Celtic paranormal and fantasy romance author, Mary Morgan, resides in Northern California with her own knight in shining armor. However, during her travels to Scotland, England, and Ireland, she left a part of her soul in one of these countries and vows to return.

Mary’s passion for books started at an early age along with an overactive imagination. Inspired by her love for history and ancient Celtic mythology, her tales are filled with powerful warriors, brave women, magic, and romance. It wasn’t until the closure of Borders Books where Mary worked that she found her true calling by writing romance. Now, the worlds she created in her mind are coming to life within her stories.

If you enjoy history, tortured heroes, and a wee bit of magic, then time-travel within the pages of her books.

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Winter Blogfest: Bree Pierce

December 23, 2019 By 19 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win One $5 Amazon Gift Card (digital card sent through email).

Cooking is my second favorite thing to do, next to writing. When I was younger, I couldn’t cook a bit. My mother was afraid to let me in the kitchen for fear that I would either light the microwave on fire or cut my finger off. And by lighting the microwave on fire, I mean I have quite a bit of experience burning food. One time I put a smores in there thinking it would be quick and easy. I ended up with a blackened, smoking lump. It turned out that graham crackers should never go in the microwave. 

Many years have passed since then and now I’m not only a tolerable cook, but I am quite good at it. Each year I bake cookies and desserts with my children. They love to make cookies for Santa. And they love to take things to their teachers at school. People we normally think to give to. But a few years ago, I started a new tradition. I began giving a box to our mail man as well. He’s a very sweet guy, and the USPS mail carriers really are underappreciated. They work in all kinds of weather, bringing mail and packages. They rise early in the morning to accomplish their tasks. My grandmother was an employee of theirs for many years, but I didn’t truly appreciate their hard work until recently. 

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When those closest to me stabbed me in the back, I ran away from the city for a chance to heal. Then I met Will, my living, breathing, fantasy man. And the epitome of everything that could break my heart. He might walk away if I tell him the secret I hold so close—if I don’t push him away first. Can I trust a man with my heart one more time?

Book enthusiast is a good way to describe Bree. She’s loved to read and write since she was a young child. Her favorite Christmas gift was a set of abridged classics. It awoke a hunger for all things books. She published her first novella, Twisted Destinies Book 1: Balloons in the Yard, in January 2015. Since then, she has been honing her craft and writing as much as she can. She likes to write in multiple genres and gets much of her inspiration from dreams and conversations with her husband.

Bree was home schooled during high school and then attended a university. She graduated with honors with a degree in Mass Media. During her college years, she worked as a waitress. Bree resides in Arkansas. She is married and has four children.

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Winter Blogfest: Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy

December 23, 2019 By 4 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win one eBook copy of Coal Black Blues AND a special ornament so that the winner can start their own tradition and collection!

Decorating the Tree

Decorating the tree is not a simple event in my house. Before we can begin, I must unpack several boxes of special ornaments, some dating back to my childhood and earlier. My mother began the custom when I was a baby and it has continued to add my siblings and my children. Her inspiration was a hand-blown bird ornament that traveled with my great-grandfather from Germany that we always hung near the top of the tree. As I unwrap each ornament, I find a memory. These days, I also have ornaments for those who are no longer with us and for a few special friends.

Since  real life often inspires my fiction, I thought I would share an excerpt from my novel, Coal Black Blues

 Caroline unpacked the decorations her grandmother had packed away. Most were wrapped in bits of tissue paper or newspaper, but as each one emerged, she would exclaim with delight. The oldest ones were a set of stars and snowflakes that dated to her great-grandparents’ time. Only a few remained and so each was a treasure from the past. Dime-store garlands decked the evergreen with still bright colors. Fragile glass balls were hung beside straw-haired angels and homemade cookies, made with salt instead of sugar. Each one had been hand painted with a hole for a piece of yarn to thread into a loop to hang on a branch. There were a few hand-whittled ornaments Caroline’s grandfather and great-grandfather had made at leisure and several hand-crocheted bells in vivid dark green. Preserved pine cones had been kept, and paper chains Caroline had made in childhood were still intact. Rob, at Neil’s insistence, had bought two boxes of large, multi-colored lights and before he settled into the recliner, Neil twined them through the branches of the cedar.

Caroline crowned the tree with the homemade star that had graced the top of many Christmas trees in the Reaburn family. Her great-grandfather had carved it from a piece of walnut and hollowed out enough to fit on the top branch. Someone had painted it white, and although it could use a touch-up coat, it remained beautiful. Last, she opened the boxes of traditional red-and-white striped candy canes, another item on Neil’s shopping list, and hung them on various branches. When she finished, she stepped back to admire the tree.
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“It’s perfect.”

A death in the family and a divorce brought Caroline Reaburn back to the mountains of West Virginia, to her hillbilly heritage and Coaltown. Prepared to start over in a familiar place, Caroline never expected her first love, Neil McCullough, to come back into her life. Twenty years earlier, Caroline’s family moved away, breaking the relationship and both their hearts.

From the first time Caroline meets Neil again, it’s obvious that they still have a connection. But Neil has scars, inside and out, and carries a lot of emotional baggage. There’s no doubt about the love they share but they have many obstacles to overcome, everything from Neil’s PTSD to a community tragedy. It’s a long, rocky road but if anyone can manage to find happiness, it’s Neil and Caroline.

 

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy is the community editor and reporter for two newspapers in southwest Missouri. Her fiction is written from the heart and deals with everyday people often caught up in extraordinary circumstances. She writes from sweet to heat and is currently working on a new novel.

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