We’ll also be having a breakfast dessert (I’m thinking baked French toast), a fruit salad, mimosas and coffee with Bailey's. But I am still looking suggestions. If you have any favourite breakfast recipes you'd like to share, drop them here! CHRISTMAS MORNING BREAKFAST CASSEROLE 16 slices of bread, crusts removed 3/4 to 1 pound ham, thickly sliced 3/4 to 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, thickly sliced 6 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 cup onion, chopped 1/4 cup green pepper, chopped (sometimes I add red pepper as well to make it look festive) 3 cups milk 1/4 cup butter 1 cup Special K or Cornflakes, crushed Day before serving Grease 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Place slices of bread on bottom, covering completely. Make one layer ham followed by one layer of cheese, then add rest of bread to make it look like a sandwich. In a small bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper. Add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, and milk. Pour over casserole. Cover. Refrigerate overnight. Morning of Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter. Pour over of casserole. Top with crushed cereal. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Now hop over to Leslie Hachtel to see what she is sharing!
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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!
Which scene has stuck with you the most? What did you think of the writing? Are there any standout sentences? Did reading the book impact your mood? If yes, how so? What surprised you most about the book? How did your opinion of the book change as you read it? Did this book remind you of any other books? Did the book strike you as original? Now, here are a few questions specific to Turn the Next Page. Don’t worry – none of them will spoil the story for you if you haven’t read it yet. Aubrey and Phillip marry straight out of high school but the marriage doesn’t last. What do you think of second chance romances? Would you ever consider reconnecting with an ex-boyfriend/husband? Aubrey discovers her father has been keeping a secret all her life. It rocks her to her core. What would you do if you discovered your father had hidden important information from you? Phillip has had a good life, yet he is feeling restless and unsettled. Have you ever regretted doing—or not doing—something? Have you ever felt like you were in a rut? If you have read Turn the Next Page, I'd love to read your answers to any of these questions. Comment below! Then hop over to Jenna Da Sie to see what questions she chose.
In the twenty-year-old photo attached, her sister Marcie in a princess costume and brother Jared in a Superman suit grinned excitedly at the camera. Eva, sandwiched between them with cat whiskers painted on her face, scowled ferociously. She remembered when this was taken. She’d been reading Harry Potter for the first time and just gotten to the wizard’s chess scene when her mother had dragged her away to go trick-or-treating. She didn’t look cute. She looked angry. Because she had been. “I’m guessing you were the grumpy cat.” Eva immediately flipped her phone over to hide the screen and glared at her seatmate. “Mind your own business.” The woman’s eyes twinkled. She was decked out in glittery makeup, shimmery wings, and a sparkly rainbow-coloured dress. What was a grown-ass woman doing dressed up like the tooth fairy, even if it was Halloween? Her get up made her hard to ignore, though Eva hadn't noticed her getting on the bus. Eva’s rudeness didn’t faze her. “I love Halloween, don’t you? It’s a chance to relive our childhoods. Forget the rules and routines of being an adult.” She’d never really looked at it that way. She’d thought it was just a candy-grab. And Eva didn’t like candy. Weird, she knew, but there it was. Sweets weren’t her thing. And don’t get her started on pumpkin spice. What was it that made people go crazy for nutmeg and cinnamon? “What was your favourite costume when you were a child?” the fairy asked. Eva had no intention of getting dragged into a conversation but found herself responding anyway. “I didn’t have one.” “Sure you did. Everyone does.” A memory from another Halloween floated into her consciousness. “I was a ghost, once.” And not just a sheet-over-the-head ghost. Her mother had looped glowsticks around Eva’s neck and arms and waist and then wrapped her in layers of tulle from her head to her toes. Eva had felt truly invisible, as if no one could see the real her. It had been magical. The fairy beamed, as if she knew exactly what Eva was feeling. “See? I knew you’d think of something. Halloween is the one day we can pretend to be someone or something else and no one blinks an eye.” Maybe it wasn’t the worst holiday ever. Now she'd thought of one good memory, others followed. Getting to stay up late on a school night. Watching neighbourhood fireworks. Eva looked out the window. Her stop was next. She turned to the fairy to ask her to move so she could get off. She wasn’t there. Eva craned her neck, searching the bus. Her skin rippled with goosebumps. The fairy was gone. *** What did you think of my spooky story? I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Then hop over to PG Forte to see what she came up with this week.
Facebook is full of writers’ groups, but it can be difficult to find one that matches your attitudes and goals. I was so lucky to stumble upon The Romance Writers Weekly Group more than ten years ago. Members have come and gone but it has been and continues to be a source of support and camaraderie. In the spring of 2020 I discovered The Creative Academy for Writers through a social media post that another author friend shared. Since them I’ve enjoyed monthly Zoom meetings with other romance writers, taken part in virtual book launch celebrations, and so much more. It is a wonderful community! This weekend, however, I am giving myself a treat. I am attending the Surrey International Writers Conference in person for the first time in ten years. I can’t wait to listen to keynote speakers, attend workshops and presentations, and generally soak in the atmosphere. I am so looking forward to it!! Next in the hop is PG Forte. Click through to find out how she stays connected.
I don’t know what else she wants me to say. She should know that I’m not much of a talker by now. After all, she spent months working with me on the book. I suppose I could mention it comes out on Thursday, two days from now. Too Good for Words, she called it. Which is ironic, given I don’t use many of them. Don’t tell her, but I’m a little nervous. Usually I don’t care about what other people think, but I hope readers like the story. Not because of me, because of Penta. She deserves for the world to know how great she is. I wonder why Brenda didn’t ask Penta to do this blog. Now there’s a woman who likes words. Not that I’m complaining. I love to listen to her talk. She’s sweet and kind. And funny without meaning to be. She tries to be all tough and cool, but that’s hard to do when you smell like vanilla and wear your kids high school hoodies. Anyway, I've done enough talking for today. If you want to know more about Penta and me, you’ll have to get the book. One more thing. Brenda says if you want to read another blog written from the point of view of a character, click here to go to PG Forte’s website.
Writers are often advised to “get the words in” before doing any other tasks like checking social media or email. While this is definitely excellent advice, I don’t tend to follow it. When I worked at the local radio and TV station, I needed to catch up on messages before I could start writing commercials in order to make sure I was up to speed on all my projects. I keep to that structure even now. I need a clean slate and know there are no fires to put out before I can focus on my writing. Getting little tasks like scheduling a social media post or replying to an email out of the way first thing help me clear my head. Usually by this time the coffee is ready and my husband is awake. We have a couple cups together, I have a small breakfast (he doesn’t eat until later), and then it’s time to get my keyboard again. When I have a manuscript on the go, this is when I get my words done. If (like now) I don’t have a current project, I spend this time planning, researching, and other tasks that will ultimate (I hope!) lead to the next book. On Sundays I take a break from manuscript/book work and focus on writing this blog, scheduling social media posts for the week, and other administrative type tasks. Usually by eleven o’clock the bulk of my work is done for the day, and I can enjoy the rest of it guilt free! How about you? Do you have a specific morning routine? Share below, then hop over to Leslie Hachtel!
First off, a nod to Jennifer Cruise and Bob Mayer. I preordered their Liz Danger books as I’ve been jonesing for a new Cruise for years now. The trilogy did not disappoint! While there were several copy-editing issues with Book One, those decreased dramatically in Books Two and Three, and they were mere pebbles on the road to my enjoyment of this witty, sarcastic, action-packed, thrilling, and sexy series. I was also delighted in a book that I took a complete chance on. “The Murder of Mr. Wickham” by Claudia Gray is a very clever cozy mystery. The author brings together all the couples from Jane Austen’s books and traps them (by a severe rainstorm) at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Knightley…with Mr. Wickham as an uninvited and very unwelcome guest. The author chose a chronology for Austen’s books and extrapolated the ages of the characters from that. For example, Darcy and Elizabeth have a twenty-year-old son, and yet other couples are newly married. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking for the next book in the series. What about you? What books have you read recently? Care to share your thoughts? Then be sure to hop over to Leslie Hachtel for her book review.
*** Penta protested as Cash pulled her to her feet. “I am not getting a tattoo.” She found his sexy and loved to trace them with her fingers—and her tongue—but was certain one would look ridiculous on her. What about the kids? Delilah had already been hinting she wanted one and she was only fourteen. What kind of example would it be? “It’s only temporary.” Cash cupped her elbow and licked a rivulet of ice cream that had escaped from her cone off her wrist. “Mmmm. That’s delicious. I want more.” She didn’t think he was talking about the icy treat. Her entire body shivered at the swipe of his warm tongue and goosebumps rippled on her flushed cheeks. She struggled to corral her straggling thoughts. “How long do they last?” Cash tickled the inside of her wrist with the tip of his tongue and then released her. “I don’t know. Probably a couple weeks, depending where you put it. Come on.” He strode down the hill and she followed reluctantly. “I don’t think we have time for this.” She ate the last of her ice cream and detoured to a garbage can to toss in her napkin. “It’s going to rain and I didn’t bring an umbrella. We should go back to my house.” Cash tilted his ruddy head to look at the sky and then raised a skeptical eyebrow. “There are four clouds and none of them look like rain. Nice try.” He stopped in front of a canvas tent. The inside walls were covered in images depicting all the designs available. Two middle-aged men hovered protectively over not-quite teenage girl as a woman with short blonde hair drew a rainbow on the girl’s forearm with a fine ink pen. A stir of interest replaced Penta’s concern. If these parents thought it was okay for their daughter... “You promise it will wash off?” “I promise.” Cash looked at her with a smile hidden in his eyes, the one she was sure only she could see. “Penta Unleashed, remember? Be a bad girl and get a tattoo.” She straightened her spine and made her decision. “What would I get?” “What do you want it to say about you?” He lifted his hand, the one with the phoenix tattoo across the back. “Make it meaningful, even if it only is temporary.” Just like us, Penta thought with a sudden stab of sorrow. The tattoo wouldn't last, just like her relationship with Cash. Just like us. *** Now hop to Leslie Hachtel and see what flash fiction she's come up with!
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