I love all the lights at this time of year. It really does light up the dark on these short, gloomy days. Now hop over to Jill Haymaker to see what she has to share!
0 Comments
For myself, books were always the highlight of any Christmas. For years I received the newest Dick Francis in hardcover. I am lucky that I love to re-read books, so I can provide a list of those I’ve borrowed from the library the year before and be assured I’ll love adding them to my own shelves. Now that I have an e-reader, a KOBO gift card is sure to get a good workout! Other great gifts for the writer and reader in your life include good pens (you can never have enough good pens) and blank journals (though I have to force myself to sully the pristine pages). It is also near impossible to go wrong with cozy reading accessories like blankets, mugs, and, of course, chocolate. What about you? What’s on your gift-giving list for the writers and readers in your life? Now hopover to PG Forte to see what's on her list!
I hope you've enjoyed our blog hops in 2022, and invite you to join us when we return in 2023! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Hop over to PG Forte for your next Christmas greeting. Complete your collection of my books during the Smashwords End of Year Sale! All my books are marked down until January 1, and Smashwords has them available in formats for all devices. Just search "Brenda Margriet" here. A holiday gift from PG Forte! The Winterlude Steampunk Christmas Collection includes new stories (a prequel and sequel to her story This Winter Heart) and a sneak peek at what’s next for the Winter Clan! Download it for free—only during the holiday season! We’re getting into the home stretch of 2022. Next week will be our last blog hop of the year, and then we’ll be taking a break for a couple weeks to enjoy some rest, relaxation, and family fun. To get into the holiday spirit, this week we’re sharing flash fiction with the keywords stockings, gingerbread, and lamppost. And go… *** Virginia leaned against the lamppost, the icy metal searing the skin of her unprotected palm. Lifting one leg, she struggled to straighten the seam of her uncomfortably tight red and white striped stockings. The bells on the toes of her pointed slippers jangled as she tugged. A particularly frustrated yank unbalanced her and the next thing she knew, she was sitting on her butt on the frozen pavement. The thin velvet of her red Mrs. Claus skirt did little to cushion her fall or keep out the chilly dampness. Tears burned behind her eyes and she pressed her lips together. Ignoring the cold seeping into her bones, she pulled her feet up and dropped her head onto her raised knees. It had been hard to admit she needed a second job to supplement her pay as a teacher-on-call if she wanted to give her kids the Christmas they deserved. It had been humiliating to apply to be a mall elf and be relegated to Ms. Claus because she was over forty. It had been downright devastating to be clad in her ridiculously unattractive curly grey wig and padded costume when her ex-husband and his new twenty-something wife had appeared in the line up with their two-month-old son. Somehow, she’d managed to pretend everything was fine. She’d smiled until her cheeks ached, cooed at the annoyingly beautiful baby, and played her part exactly as she was paid to do. But the moment it was time for a break she’d fled to the back entrance of the mall for some much-needed solitude. The heavy fire door behind her opened with clang. She curled tighter into herself. Maybe whoever it was wouldn’t see her in the dim afternoon light. “Are you okay?” So much for that. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a black, shiny, knee-high boot with a red velvet pant leg tucked into it. Great. It was Santa Claus. This was her first shift with this particular jolly old elf. She didn’t even know his real name. He’d already been dressed and ready to go when she arrived, so had no idea if his rounded belly was as real as the full white beard he sported. He’d dealt with teary children and weary parents with bonhomie and patience, giving every indication he actually enjoyed the role. It was almost enough to make her believe in Christmas miracles. Almost. “Virginia?” A large, warm hand pressed her shoulder and she caught a whiff of gingerbread. “I’m fine,” she lied, keeping her chin pressed to her knees. “It can be a tough time of year.” The comment was so unexpected—especially coming from him—she jerked her head up. He was smiling down at her, no trace of pity in his eyes, just warmth and understanding. “The expectations can be overwhelming,” he went on. “To do all the things, buy all the things, make all the things. Especially when you have children.” “Yes!” The word burst from her and she jumped to her feet. “I have such amazing kids. They’ve had a tough few years and they’ve been champs. I want to give them everything.” She didn’t mention how tight money was or that they’d be spending the holiday with their dad, stepmom, and new half-brother instead of her. None of that was their fault. “They’ll know you love them, even if there aren’t dozens of presents under the tree.” She waved a hand. “I know that. But it’s still hard, not being able to give them what they want. And it’s not like they’re asking for the moon.” She told him what her son and daughter had wished for on their own visit to Santa few days ago. He nodded, the lips behind the silver whiskers upturned in a small smile. “What about you? What do you want?” That brought her up short. What did she want? “Is a peaceful life too much to ask?” She laughed wearily. “I feel like I’ve been scrambling just to stay sane the last few years.” “That might be a little hard to put under the Christmas tree.” Santa’s eyes twinkled. “But I believe in you. You’re a strong, resilient woman. You’ll be okay. I promise.” She wanted to ask him why he thought so, since they’d only just met. How could he say such things with such confidence? But break was over and they were expected back at Santa’s workshop. She clung to his words through the rest of her shift. You are strong. Resilient. Maybe she could make it true if she pretended hard enough. At the end of the day, he waved goodbye and headed out of the mall, still dressed in his costume. She changed out of hers in the small room allocated for the purpose and dragged herself to her car. Snow had fallen while she’d been working, blanketing the windows. She opened the rear door, grabbed the brush, and shut the door. Then opened the door again and stared. On the backseat were two unwrapped items. The exact items that she’d mentioned to Santa just a few hours ago. She blinked. They were still there. If he was responsible for the gifts, how had he managed it? He hadn’t moved from his seat in the workshop all afternoon. And though he’d left the mall before her, she’d only been a few minutes behind. Not nearly long enough for him to search out the items and buy them let alone sneak them into her car. Besides, how would he know which car was hers? And it had been locked, she was sure of that. Also, the snow covering it had been undisturbed until she’d opened the door. She was still puzzling about it when she arrived for her shift the next day, determined to ask him if he was the person she should thank for taking some of the load off her shoulders. But she never saw that Santa again. *** I'd love to know what you think of this little Christmas story. Do you believe in the magic of the season? Then hop over to Jenna Da Sie and see what she's come up with! NOW AVAILABLE in Kindle Unlimited…the NEVER TOO BUSY Anthology! What's that saying? Never too busy for love? The characters in this limited-edition anthology have been—until they come across the Never Too Busy Dating app. It caters to professionals thirty-years of age and older and promises to match them with the person of their dreams. After all, workaholics deserve a happily ever after, too. Enjoy sultry, sexy stories featuring strong female leads and their determined partners in this brand-new collection! Includes my story, MARGIN OF RISK. His heart isn’t ready to heal. Her soul isn’t ready to trust. Neither is ready for a fake wedding date to restore their fractured spirits. (Heroine 42, Hero 41) This week on the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop… What is the one dish or treat you can't do without during the holiday season? If you make it yourself, share the recipe. This topic is right on schedule! Last year, my mother, two daughters, two grandchildren, and I gathered for a Christmas baking day. We each did one recipe and then we all took some of everything home. It was so much fun we decided to make it a tradition. This Saturday, it will be my mother, two daughters, my son’s girlfriend, three grandchildren, and I getting together. I love how our family is growing. I am not much of a baker, but Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without butter tarts and chocolate haystacks. Those treats are staples from my side of the family. But on my husband’s side, a Portuguese sweet bread called massa is the treat that must be made. Now, yeast and I have never got along very well, but I took over this task a few years ago. It requires patience (which I don’t have in much abundance) to wait long enough for the dough to rise properly. Now I go for a dog walk or do some other longish task to take my mind off it, LOL! Below is the recipe I’ve adapted. Since I only make this at Christmas and Easter, I’ve laid it out really clearly so I don’t forget anything! And be sure to hop over to PG Forte for another holiday recipe! Massa (Portuguese Sweet Bread) 1 c. milk Zest of 1 lemon 2 tbsp yeast ¼ c. warm water 1 c. sugar 1 tsp salt 3 eggs 3 c. flour* (total of 5 – 6 c. needed) ½ c. butter, softened 2-3 c. flour* 1 egg Warm milk and lemon zest, being careful not to bring to a boil. Set aside. In a LARGE bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. While milk is cooling, let yeast start to work. Once milk is cool, add to yeast mixture. Stir in sugar, eggs, salt, butter and 3 cups of flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes). Place in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until it is double in size (about 3 hours). Punch down dough and divide into 10 “bun” size pieces. Grease round pans and arrange in in a flower pattern (5 to a pan). Cover and let rise until double (another 2 to 3 hours). The longer you let rise at this stage, the lighter the bread will be. Beat remaining egg and brush over tops of loaves. Bake in 300F oven until golden brown, about 50 - 60 minutes. What readers are saying about Turn the Next Page... "I love reading about seasoned characters and this author writes real people. A cozy, second chance romance set in a friendly town." Tracey - 5 Stars "What I’m Starry-Eyed Over: Second-chance romance—but make it a double. Unique and interesting meet again. Fun & spunky older generation." Leigh-Ann - 4 Stars Get it now before the price goes up! Only One Week to go! Her love will light up his night. If they can both survive that long. Heather is having the worst Christmas ever! Or, at least, the worst Christmas since she was forced to become a vampire. Her sire's distracted, her nestmates have forgotten her, weirdos have taken over the lair. The only bright spot in her life right now is Drew--who didn't even used to like her! She knows he's fond of her now, but that's not good enough. She wants more. She wants everything. She wants him. And she's not giving up. Drew Geiger gave up on love a long time ago. Such tender emotions have no place in a vampire's heart. But, somehow, the girl he once described as a "feral kitten" has got her claws in him, and she's not letting go. That would be fine, if only someone didn't want her dead--and if her sire didn't recall that it was Drew who once suggested that maybe she'd be better off that way. Light Up the Night Releases December 13! Pre Order Now! It’s our last Romance Writers Weekly Hop of the year. We always take a break for the last half of December and will start up again January 4, 2022. A.S. Fenichel says: Post a picture of the best happening in 2021 and tell us a story about it. (Doesn’t have to be true.) LOL Well, I’m going for non-fiction this week. Because the best happening in 2021 was being a gramma! Our first grandchild (on the right) turns one this week, so while she was technically a 2020 gift, due to the pandemic we didn’t really get to know her until 2021. It has been such a joy to see our daughters become loving mommies, our son-in-laws become wonderful daddies, and to explore all the fun of being grandparents. Both babies are on the move which will make this Christmas extra exciting LOL! I hope you had a chance to make cherished memories in 2021 as well, and I look forward to connecting with everyone in 2022! Next on your hop…Clair Brett.
As I write this, I’m looking at the first snowfall of the season blanketing our lawn and trees. That certainly isn’t a surprise, since it is mid-November, but Clair Brett’s question on the Blog Hop got me thinking… Have you ever had one of your own characters surprise you as you were writing your book? How and did it change the story? My characters are constantly growing and changing as we work our way together through their story. I don’t know if I’ve ever been shocked by something they did, but I am constantly discovering new things about them. I think that’s a good thing. If I’m learning new things about my characters, then the reader must be, too. So it becomes an interactive, spontaneous experience for both of us. I think the biggest surprise a character ever gave me, though, was Red Cat from an upcoming release. He is a stray that pops unexpectedly into a scene. I thought he was just going to be a bit player, but he insisted on reappearing. Turns out, my heroine needed a cat in her life, and Red Cat decided he was it. By the end of the book he’s a sleek, satisfied house pet. I guess he’d just had enough of living on the streets! As a reader, do you like it when a character surprises you? Let me know in the comments, the hop over to A. S. Fenichel to see what her characters are up to.
I’ve been MIA for a couple of weeks, frantically getting ready for the launch of my Christmas novella, The Promise of Frost. But I am back this week with a topic that I will never get tired of talking about. A.S. Fenichel asks: I love romance books, movies, and fairy tales. If I can have an HEA I’m happy. Is romance your number one read, why and what else do you read? I’ll read the back of the cereal box if there’s nothing else available. That would never happen, of course, because I have shelves of books (I only buy print copies of those I will reread over and over) and a KOBO full of others. I love a great private eye story – Nero and Archie, Spenser – and police procedurals like Ian Rankin’s Rebus or Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse. Then there’s the action thrillers by Dick Francis, one of my all time favourite authors. Romance is always my go to read, though, and there’s an easy explanation for it. I can trust there will be a happily ever after. That holds true for all the books and authors I mention above, too. Even though they’re not romances, they promise that, at the end, good will prevail. At least for now. I know there are people who want a good cry when they read a romance. They want to feel the angst and anxiety while knowing it’s all going to end well. I’d rather read a comedy, where the main characters work their way to love while laughing at each other’s foibles and learning to work with each other’s faults. When I read, I need as story I can connect to, and I want the characters I grow to love as I read have enjoyable, satisfying lives. I tend to avoid books that are labelled “thought-provoking” and “a must read for those who want to see the world as it truly is.” I get enough of that by watching the news. I read to escape, and I want that escape to be uplifting and life-affirming. How about you? What is your go to read and why?
Here in Northern BC, September is a beautiful month. While the mornings can hover around freezing, the afternoons can match hot summer temperatures, with clear blue skies and gorgeous sunsets. But there is no escaping the fact autumn is here, as the leaves change colours and the scent of dying vegetation lingers in the garden. Which led me to suggest this week's topic on the RWW Blog Hop: Do you read differently in different seasons? Need lighter reads for summer sunshine and save the deep thoughts for dark winter nights? To be honest, until I thought up this question, I had never really considered I might choose my reading by what time of year it is. But as I pondered, I realized I do have certain trends. In the summer, when we spend a lot of time outdoors, I read shorter, fun fiction the most. It’s easier to fit into busy days, and who wants to read deep, depressing tomes when the sun is shining? Not that I read too many of those kinds of books, anyway. But I’m pretty sure that as the days get shorter and the dark comes sooner, I’m more willing to settle in with a story that challenges me to think deep thoughts. I also find I tend to read longer books in the colder season – ones that will keep me in the author’s world and out of the doldrums of winter. What about you? Do you have seasonal reading habits? What about non-fiction – do you read that all year long or only certain times of the year? I’d love to hear more! Then, hop over to Caro Kinkead and see what she reads when!
|