Recipe: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

January 21, 2019 By Leave a Comment

This is one of my family’s favorite desserts to serve on cold winter days. It’s easy to make, tastes delicious, and freezes well. Sometimes I’ll whip up a double batch of it and then slowly nibble my way through

One of the other things I love about it is how forgiving it is if you need to substitute certain ingredients. For example, I’m allergic to milk, and I have several relatives who need to avoid consuming it for health reasons as well.

We’ve all had beautiful results substituting soy or almond milk for the cow milk in this recipe. It’s always nice to find desserts like that!

Be sure to use plain pumpkin puree in these cupcakes, not pumpkin pie filling. You’ll be adding your own spices to it.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

This recipe will make 12 cupcakes or one 8×8 inch cake

Ingredients

1 can of plain pumpkin puree

1/3 cup oil

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup all-purpose white flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup of chocolate chips
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Cinnamon Icing Ingredients (optional)

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons melted margarine

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. If you’re making cupcakes, grease the tin or put muffin liners in it. If you’re making a cake, grease the cake pan.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the first 5 ingredients together.
  3. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a separate bowl.
  4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ones by hand. This dough can be a little finicky, so using a hand mixer will make the the batter gummy. Stop stirring as soon as all of the ingredients have been combined.
  5. Gently mix the chocolate chips into the batter.
  6. Fill liners 2/3 full (if making cupcakes) and bake for 22-24 minutes. If you’re making an 8×8 inch cake, bake it for 30-35 minutes, and if you choose to double the recipe I’d bake it for at least 45 minutes. Once a butter knife cleanly comes out of your cake or cupcakes, it’s finished!
  7. Cool completely before icing them.

I find this cake quite sweet and tasty without icing, but I thought I’d include that option for anyone who would like to try it the traditional way.

Here’s a bonus photo of this dessert in cake form. Enjoy!

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Recipe Tagged With: ,

TV Review: The Haunting of Hill House

January 17, 2019 By 4 Comments

Review of Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House.

Flashing between past and present, a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it.

Review by Astilbe.

The Haunting of Hill House was originally a book written by Shirley Jackson about a family who moved into a haunted house. I have not read that book yet, so this review will only talk about things that happened in the TV series.

In the TV series, the Crain family moved into Hill House in the summer of 1992. Mr. and Mrs. Crain earned a living by, among other things, flipping old houses, so their plan was to live in Hill House while they fixed it up before hopefully selling it for a nice profit.

The only problem with this plan was that their new house was haunted, and not necessarily by friendly spirits. Since the Crains had five children who were approximately between the ages of six and fourteen when they first moved it, they had a lot of opportunities to meet the spirits who already lived there.

The Crain Family. Photo source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6763664/mediaviewer/rm1972466432

Each episode contained two main storylines. One of them showed what happened to the family in 1992, and the other gave updates on what the characters were doing in the present day.

It becomes easy to pdxcommercial.com buy viagra from india believe the whole family is unraveling. Thus, it can be confidently stated that natural treatment for Erectile Dysfunction is the one which makes them stressful as well as unhappy is the sexual disorder named as erectile dysfunction or viagra online in india impotence. Buy Kamagra Jelly Online Just alike, pdxcommercial.com generic india viagra and kamagra, getting sildenafil jelly has become convenient with the online platforms. This will redistribute the wealth and create a more level playing cheapest cialis in canada field, rather than playing the dividend game for the wealthy. Every member of the Crain family reacted differently to their experiences living in a haunted house. Some of them denied that there was anything supernatural happening there at all, while others tried to escape those memories in a wide variety of healthy and unhealthy ways.

One of the things I loved the most about this series was how many ghosts were in it. There had been a lot of untimely deaths at Hill House over the decades, and not all of the spirits who had been trapped there were necessarily interested in interacting with their newest roommates. Sometimes they simply lurked in the background of a shot and watched what was going on.

At times, that was scarier to me than the ghosts who were more active and violent! There wasn’t a single room in this house that didn’t have someone haunting it, and that makes it this a series I’m planning to rewatch in order to find as many of these scenes as possible.

This isn’t to say that all of the spirits were passive or harmless. Some of them roamed the halls of the house at night, and others could be very dangerous for any living being who crossed their paths. One of my favourite ghosts was a man who floated through the air and opened doors in search of something. While I can’t say who or what he might have been looking for, I did shudder every time I heard the tap of his cane against the wood floors.

I have not heard yet if there is going to be a second season, but I hope it will happen. This was a deliciously frightening series that I deeply enjoyed watching, and I’d love to learn more about the Crain family and the spirits who live in Hill House in the future.

This show does include acts of violence and references to the deaths of children and animals, so consider yourself warned if those are topics you find difficult to watch.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings, Television Show Tagged With: , , , ,

Recipe: Banana Bread

January 14, 2019 By 4 Comments

As I promised in 5 Ways to Cope with Cabin Fever, here is my family’s banana bread recipe.

This is something my mother used to make for the sheer joy of it whenever we had bananas that has become too ripe for anyone’s liking. It’s a simple recipe that I’d almost call foolproof. Or at least I’ve always had a lot of luck with it!

Oh, and be sure to use bananas that are as brown and squishy as possible. This recipe works best with bananas that are very overripe.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
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2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (I usually need 2 medium-sized bananas for this)

Directions

Mix the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and sugar together in a bowl.

Mix the oil, eggs, and mashed bananas in a separate bowl.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl. Mix them all together until the batter looks a little fluffy.

Pour this dough into a greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350 F for 45-60 minutes. A toothpick stuck into the middle of it should come out clean when it’s done. My oven generally tends to need a full hour of baking in order for this to happen.

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: ,

Lifestyle Post: 5 Ways to Cope With Cabin Fever

January 11, 2019 By 6 Comments

Winter has arrived for those of us who live in the northern hemisphere. While we haven’t had much of it so far this year, I live in a country that is generally a pretty cold and snowy place during this season.

The snow is pretty at the beginning of the winter, but I will admit that this isn’t my favorite time of the year. I feel pretty restless and ready for spring long before the weather actually warms up again.

Last winter, I befriended someone who had never heard of the term cabin fever before. It wasn’t a term people used in her culture, but she immediately understood what it feels like to be dreadfully tired of the cold and snow.

Luckily, there are some things that I’ve found to be helpful when I’m feeling this way. Today, I wanted to share them with you.

1.  Bundle Up and Go Outside

If you’re anything like me, this might be the last thing you want to do on a cold day. It can be really effective, though, especially if it’s sunny. There’s something reassuring about spending a little time outdoors and reminding yourself that spring will be here eventually.

2. Cook or Bake Delicious Food

They can be as inexpensive or gourmet as your budget allows, but now is the perfect time to try new recipes or return to old favorites. For example, banana bread is something I love to make on gloomy winter days. The scent of it makes the whole house smell amazing. In a future post, I’ll share this recipe with all of you!
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3. Exercise Indoors

There are countless Youtube channels devoted to everything from lifting weights, to dancing, to yoga and so much more. I get a real mood boost from working out, especially if I don’t have to go outdoors to do it.

4. Learn Something New

This winter I’m hoping to improve my Spanish. It’s a beautiful language, and I’d love to be better at speaking and understanding it. I’m also thinking about taking a knitting class or learning how to code. Not only is there something to be said for learning new skills, putting all of that brainpower into figuring them out is a wonderful distraction from the endless cold.

5. Work On Your TBR List

Raise your hand if you have a list of books you’d like to read and TV shows or movies you want to watch! Now is the perfect time to make some real headway on those lists if there’s anything you’ve been wishing you had the time to catch up on.

How do you fight back against cabin fever? Is this a term that people use in the area where you live?

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With: , ,

Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Releases for the First Half of 2019

January 8, 2019 By 75 Comments

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

I love the feeling of anticipation, so I was just excited for this week’s topic as I was last month when I blogged about my Winter 2018 TBR.

There’s no such thing to me as having too many books to look forward to. The longer the list is, the better! All of the titles I’ll be talking about today will be published at some point between January and June.

1. Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen

Release Date: January 29

Two words: time travel. As soon as I see that phrase, I automatically want to add that story to my TBR. The fact that the main character is from the future and only visiting our timeline only makes it all more exciting.

2. The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

Release Date: February 12

Tor Books has published so many amazing tales over the years that my ears automatically perk up whenever I see them listed as the publisher for something new. The thought of living on a planet that was half covered in permanent daylight and half covered in permanent darkness tickles my imagination, too.

3. Dear George, Dear Mary: A Novel of George Washington’s First Love by Mary Calvi

Release Date: February 19

This is based on a real-life romance. Isn’t it fascinating to think that enough details about that relationship were preserved for someone to write a fictional account of it hundreds of years later?

4. Warrior of the Wild by Tricia Levenseller

Release Date: February 26

I love stories about girls and women saving the day. There can never be enough of them, especially in in medieval-like settings!

5. Internment by Samira Ahmed

Release Date: March 19

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6. Every Moment After by Joseph Moldover 

Release Date: April 9

When I was in high school, one of my classmates planned a school shooting that was discovered ahead of time and thwarted by some quick-thinking adults. Luckily, no one was injured, but it still took me a while to become comfortable reading about school shootings due to this. I’ll be curious to see how this character and his friends react to such a scary event.

7. I Know Who You Are by Alice Feeney

Release Date: April 23

Wow, this mystery sounds spellbinding. It’s hard to imagine anyone leaving the house without taking their wallet and cellphone with them in this day and age.

8. The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

Release Date: May 7

Arranged marriages weren’t part of the culture I grew up in, so I’m looking forward to seeing one example of how this process works. If anyone reading this is from a culture that does arranged marriages, I’d sure like to hear your thoughts on this tale.

9. Middlegame by Seanan MGuire

Release Date: May 7

The blurb mentioned something about the main characters being more than human but less than gods. I’m not quite sure what that means, but I’m quite interested in finding out.

10. Summer Hours by Amy Mason Doan

Release Date: June 4

I don’t read many romance novels, but this one grabbed my attention because of the main character’s regrets over how terribly an old relationship ended for her. It must be pretty difficult to walk into a room full of people who all know about your worst mistake in life. I already have sympathy for her.

What are you looking forward to reading in the first half of 2018?

Filed Under: Miscellaneous Musings Tagged With:

Winter Blogfest: Laura Strickland

January 1, 2019 By 6 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win one ebook copy of my newest Christmas book, The Toy Maker’s Secret. .

Winter Magic

When we were children, it was easy to believe in the magic of the holidays. It took root sometime soon after Thanksgiving and grew up gradually, as neighbors put lights up on their houses, stores began playing seasonal music, and those all-important holiday catalogues arrived in the mail. I was raised in the northern part of the U.S., so the finishing touch for me was always a dusting (or more) of snow. Then on the Big Night, I’d lie awake in bed, straining my ears for the sound of reindeer hooves on the roof. Because I believed.

These days, and in our world, it’s harder to buy into the magic. All too often, we groan at the thought of the holiday season coming on with all the extra tasks it adds to our busy lives. Most of us work outside the home, and the addition of shopping, baking, addressing greeting cards and above all coming up with the extra cash needed to purchase gifts can become overwhelming. 

And let’s face, it, recently our world often doesn’t seem too pretty—or too magical. Our country is split into political factions, and hatred runs rampant. Ugliness abounds, and madmen decide who will stay or go, who will live or die. In the face of all that, it’s difficult to summon up a holiday spirit.

But let me tell you this, my friends. Beneath all the shouting, all the red-faced rhetoric and the “you’re-wrong because I’m-right”, the magic of the holidays still exists. That’s because, when you get down to it, that magic doesn’t depend on gifts, greeting cards, or even snow.
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It depends on the look in a child’s eyes when he sits in a loved-one’s lap, listening to a story being read. It depends on the warm, contented feeling that comes when the family’s all together. It’s born when a song’s sung, or a smile’s given to a stranger, or a door’s held for a fellow shopper. It blossoms whenever we do something for someone else.

You see, I still believe, because the magic’s what unites us, and it’s called love. May you have a beautiful holiday however you celebrate!

When Santa asks his worker, Olja, to help make another elf’s Christmas wish come true, she believes the job calls for a love potion. Brewing it up will require her to travel all around the North Pole gathering unusual supplies, and to take a few dangerous risks. But she’s never failed Santa in the past and doesn’t intend to now.
Elf Runi’s in the business of guiding Santa’s sleigh and making other people’s wishes come true. This year he’s dared make a wish of his own, one from the heart. When he meets Olja, he hopes he’s found his forever. But it will take assistance from a reindeer, a generous helping of love and a whole lot of magic to make his wish come true. That is, if Olja and Runi can just outwit the three troublesome trolls who decide they’d make a fine winter’s snack.

About the Author: Multi-published and multi-award winning author, Laura Strickland writes stories that span several Romance genres. Her Scottish Romances have been compared to Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander and her American Historicals echo the work of authors such as Susan Wiggs and Kristin Hannah. Her award-winning Buffalo Steampunk series has broken new ground both for its setting and its portrayal of automaton characters pursuing their rights. Currently, she is at home in Western New York and at work on her next book.

Website

Buy the book at Amazon.

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Winter Blogfest: Christine Grabowski

December 28, 2018 By 36 Comments

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

The Tale of My Holiday Letter

This year marks 20 years since my first Annual Grabowski Holiday letter—one of my favorite traditions. 

While writing this article, I confirmed when I began sending one, thinking it was the year I got married. But the earliest I found was 1998. Then I realized, Oh yeah, we didn’t have a computer in 1995. In the 90s, holiday letters were the new fad. People were buying their first computers and printers. Soon Staples and Office Depot jumped on the bandwagon, selling specially designed holiday paper. 

Since we moved around a lot in the early years of our marriage, a holiday letter was a great way to keep in touch with friends. Over the years, my holiday letter and card combo increased to close to 250 recipients, and every time we did something special I would make a mental note to add it to the year’s letter. Then I perfected a process with the creation of a database for all those addresses (for holiday use only) and buying a fancy address stamper and special sealing sponge. I even learned to whip out a draft in under thirty minutes and began to bribe my kids to take part in the assembly line.   

But beginning probably a decade ago, the letters from friends began to dwindle even as our holiday cards skyrocketed. (We can cover four doors in our house with all the cards we receive.) Were people getting lazy? Was the cost prohibitive? (It does cost in the hundreds of dollars to mail do many cards and letters, and that special paper isn’t cheap.) It didn’t take long to determine social media was to blame. Why write a letter when most of your friends are updated on Facebook or Instagram throughout the year?

Two years ago, I finally decided it was my time to skip the letter—almost no one else was doing it. Besides, I was having a down year being in the midst of selling my first novel, (those rejections do get to you,) so I didn’t feel inspired to write about our year.

But do you know what happened? People came out of the woodwork asking me, what happened to the letter? Did you forget mine? Was it a mistake? Would I consider a New Year’s letter instead? I had no idea people looked forward to it so much.  

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I hope everyone reading this blog also has holiday traditions that bring you so much joy and connection.

Dickensen Academy isn’t a typical boarding school. The faculty is hiding an unbelievable secret within their fine arts program. When Autumn Mattison receives an invitation to attend the high school, she yearns to escape her overbearing father yet remains reluctant to leave her mother and brother. Her doubts fade away when a vivid dream convinces her she belongs there.

Away from home, Autumn discovers a unique school environment that awakens her creative potential, and her new friends become like a second family. However, as she uncovers more about the dark side of the school and struggles with its curriculum, she questions whether Dickensen Academy is truly where she belongs.

When tragedy strikes, Autumn must learn to believe in her own power and stand up to her greatest fear or risk having her memories destroyed to protect the school’s secrets. Caught between secrets and dreams, can she find her true self?

About the Author: Dickensen Academy is Christine’s debut YA novel. After graduating from the University of Washington, she earned her MBA at the University at Albany. She honed her technical writing skills in marketing and consulting but attributes the creative part of the process to her passion for reading.

When she isn’t reading or writing, Christine can often be found running, skiing, or hiking. She lives in Newcastle, Washington, with her supportive husband, two avid teen readers, and their energetic wheaten terriers.

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Buy the book at Amazon.

Filed Under: Guest Blogs, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , ,

Winter Blogfest: Amber Leigh Williams

December 28, 2018 By 27 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card.

Good Tidings, Red Plaid & Ham-Bone Soup

Hi readers! I’m writing my latest novel, the seventh book in my small town romance series, and there’s going to be a winter wedding. For those following the series, I won’t say who’s tying the knot. I will, however, offer a teaser: the bride will be wearing red instead of white… 

While the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. X have been planning their New Year’s nuptials, I’ve been thinking about the time of the season. The books take place on the Gulf Coast where there isn’t much snow. I know because I live here. Here, children don’t have snow days. They have hurricane days. And when sleet does arrive, the cities shut down everything. Locals don’t complain about the lack of snow. Having lived here all of my life like my characters, I’m not a fan of cold. However, I do love the holidays. I love fuzzy blankets and boot socks. I love putting on my long john’s and drinking hot cocoa. I love chunky knit sweaters, wooly jackets, and red plaids.

I love the warm hues people surround themselves with in wintertime. Once, I worked in a florist’s shop. When December rolled around, shipments of red and white poinsettias arrived. I would often leave my desk for a stroll in the greenhouse. It was like walking into a fairy dream. 

Wintertime is an excellent time to practice the art of the cuddle with the one you love. It’s the perfect time to curl up with a good book. I find that I read more in the winter than any other time of the year. It’s the ideal time to break out the crockpot, throw your favorite soup ingredients in and let them infuse your home with good smells. While Christmas may call for honey-baked ham, New Year’s simply cannot happen without black-eyed peas and ham-bone soup. I’ve been honing this recipe. It’s the reason my spouse found me standing over a soup pot at three o’clock in the morning on New Year’s last year. I invite you to it.

Amber Leigh’s Ham-Bone Soup Recipe

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Directions: Place ham in large pot with cold water. Bring to a boil. Add soup mix (with seasoning packet, if available). Return to boil then simmer for 2 hours. Remove ham bone to cool. Add remaining ingredients and continue cooking over medium heat until beans are tender. Remove meat from ham bone, dice and return to soup. Enjoy!

He believes he can’t be saved—she’ll prove him wrong!

Former SEAL Gavin Savitt always knew who he was—until his last deployment ended tragically. Now he’s home, his mind hijacked by trauma and the shadow of his once-perfect sight. Yet in this new hazy, unclear world, one person stands out—Mavis Bracken.

There are a million reasons why Gavin shouldn’t be with Mavis, including that she’s his best friend’s little sister. Yet he longs for her touch, her freckles and her special way with wild, skittish beasts like him. He just needs the courage to take his life back. And Mavis won’t let him give up without a fight.

About the Author: Amber Leigh Williams is a romance writer who lives on the US Gulf Coast. She lives for beach days, the smell of real books and spending time with her husband and their two young children. When she’s not keeping up with rambunctious little ones (and two large dogs), she can usually be found reading a good book or indulging her inner foodie. Amber is represented by the D4EO Literary Agency. Learn more at www.amberleighwilliams.com!

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Winter Blogfest: Daphne Dubois

December 27, 2018 By 7 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of ONLY THE BEGINNING..

Finding the Joy

This time of year my wallet is full of lists—those crumpled up, half crossed off reminders that I still have things to do. 

The best thing about lists is drawing a line through the last item. I feel entitled to celebrate by hanging out at the book store with a gingerbread latte, making fun of the titles by adding “in bed with no clothes on.”

Try it, it’s funny. 

Lately though, when I peek into the vortex of disorganization that is my purse, I continually find unfinished lists and that means no gingerbread latte for me. I begin to resent all the errands, which I now call ‘things that get in the way of stuff I really want to do‘.

I love the holidays…really I do, but sometimes the work involved in putting the Merry in Christmas leaves me exhausted and more bitter than Scrooge. 

With baking, mailing packages, and making sure everyone knows their line (yes singular) for the Christmas play, I roam the Shopping Malls—otherwise known as the black hole of commercialism—and my holiday mojo gets sucked away. 

 

I drag my parcels through the parking lot, getting my coat dirty from brushing up against the salt encrusted cars. Bah humbug is right, life would be so much more enjoyable without all the fuss. 

Then on Sunday, I listened while someone talked about feeling the joy. 

Feeling the joy? 
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How can I feel the joy when I have all of these things to do? If I don’t wrap the presents and make the cookies, who will? Like most profound moments of epiphany, their answer was simple—you feel the joy in everything you do. 

One of the coolest chicks out there, Gwen Stefani, said it best, “What You Waiting For?” 

And truly, why delay the happiness? I realized I have a choice. Instead of begrudging the baking and shopping, I can be thankful that I’m able to buy my groceries instead of having to depend on the food bank to feed my family. And that baking with my kids is a chance to make a memory, not another chore to be completed.

There is a tangible sense of freedom when you exercise the choice to be happy.

I’m putting off dusting/vacuuming to read Christmas books with my kids. Instead of madly decorating to make everything perfect for a family party, I’m laying out all my ornaments for my beautiful nieces to have a go at the tree. 

Today, I suggest you make the choice and feel the joy. Don’t wait until everything is crossed off, because guess what—there’s always something you forgot. So sit back, get a gingerbread latte, and read How the Grinch Stole Christmas In Bed With No Clothes On.

Cheers! *holds up latte*

After a heartbreaking betrayal, Melissa Legacy shuns romance. So when her best friend joins the Lovers Oasis website and fears her fiancé will find out, Melissa agrees to meet the anonymous Romeo, prepared to explain her friend’s change of heart—then she sees him.

Failing restaurant entrepreneur, Craig Wheaton hasn’t been home since his mother’s tragic death. Now he’s back to confront his demons and stand beside his brother as best man. Dreading the reunion, he agrees to meet his avatar lover, but at the last moment he reconsiders the arrangement—until he lays eyes on her.

When Craig assumes Melissa is his online consort, she impulsively plays along, resulting in an afternoon of unexpected intimacy. But with Melissa using her friend’s identity and Craig dealing with a family fallout, is a future together impossible, or will they discover that love at first sight is Only the Beginning?

About the Author: Daphne Dubois writes contemporary romance and believes the right book at the right time can make all the difference. When she’s not putting her characters in compromising positions (ahem), she works as a registered nurse. A member of the Writer’s Federation of Nova Scotia, she lives in Eastern Canada, the most romantic place in the world.

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Winter Blogfest: Anna Hague

December 27, 2018 By 10 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $15 Amazon gift card.

Busy

Busy, busy, busy. Anymore, the theme for Christmas is busy is better. We’ve become so into finding the perfect gifts and attending all invites that by the time the holidays are over we are relieved instead of revived.

I admit I get caught up too, but I also make a point to find blocks of time to be selfish. Selfish isn’t always a bad thing. For me, selfish is having lunch with a friend, playing with the dogs, and most of all, taking the time to sit down and read.

Reading novellas or anthologies during the holidays are the perfect for me. Novellas may take a day or two. Stories in anthologies can be read a story or two at a time, and you’re spending an hour, thirty minutes, or even fifteen minutes with yourself.

Of course, I read holiday stories during this time, but also I throw in few mysteries or feel-good nonfiction. When I finish a book or story, I have a glorious sense of feel-good calm and a better grasp on the dreaded to-do list.

But I’m too busy. I just can’t find the time.

Yes you can. How much time do you spend online every day? Cut your minutes by a third, and you can a short story. Delegate a few items on the to-do, and you can knock out a novella.

Don’t feel you have to be the sole person responsible for the success of Christmas.

Think about how joyful and relaxed reading makes you. And when you’re less stressed, things seem to work out.
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The definition of holiday is “a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done.”

So take your holiday, even if you have to do it fifteen minutes at a time.

 

I have it all…until he shows me more.

I didn’t intentionally spill wine all over the most beautiful guy in the room, and one look at those icy-blue eyes brings on a major lapse in coherent speech. Jordan Caldera tells me his secret and wants me to join him. This is where my journey into submission begins.

So much about BDSM freaks me out, but at the same time, I can’t help but be intrigued. When I imagine Jordan doing those things to me, I can’t resist the adventure. Mind-blowing sex aside, my life is changing at an alarming rate and getting very complicated. Between balancing my career and my best friend’s concerns, the secrets I’m keeping are killing me.

What am I willing to risk for the new lifestyle I’ve embraced…and the man I love?

About the Author: Anna Hague is an author of erotic and contemporary romance. She is also a sports reporter by day. She lives in central Indiana with her husband, three parrots, and two dogs.

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Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Guest Blogs Tagged With: , ,
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