Fatal Memories ~ Review with Author Guest Post and Giveaway

WELCOME TO THE FATAL MEMORIES Blog Tour 
hosted by SLB Tours

Fatal Memories

By Tanya Stowe

Jocelyn (Joss) Walker can't remember anything. Her name is gone. Her friends, not a clue who they are. And her brother, she doesn't even know she had one. And worse she was found in a suspected drug-running tunnel with a large supply of drugs. Is she guilty? Or is she being set-up?

DEA Agent Dylan Murphy is determined to discover the truth. And Joss's behavior over the last few days has him convinced that she was hiding something. But is it relevant to the case that he was sent from Washington to handle? Could Joss be a traitor in their midsts? He'll find out and if that means using her vulnerability to trigger a memory he'll do it. He'll just have to tread carefully so as to protect himself and his heart after all he is one a mission to bring down those who caused his sister's death.

Fatal Memories is an action-packed read that you'll want to read more than once. Do you love mysteries, suspense, and romance that is clean reading? Well, Fatal Memories is all of that and a page-turner to keep you reading on the promise of  "Just one more chapter." So find a favorite cozy corner to snuggle into with a pot of tea nearby and get lost between the pages for a few hours of delightful reading. 

Before this book, I was unfamiliar with Tanya Stowe's work and I can say with all honesty she's an author I will be checking out in the future. This book is a standalone so if you don't want to be drawn into a series this is a great intro to an author you too may be unfamiliar with.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the author with no expectations or requirements - all thoughts expressed are my honest opinion and thoughts.

About the Book:

Series: Love Inspires Suspense
Genre: Christian, Inspirational, Romance, Suspense
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: September 1, 2019

 She was framed! Or was she? 

If only she could remember...

Border patrol agent Jocelyn Walker has no memory of how she turned up unconscious with a cache of drugs—or why a gang is dead set on killing her. With evidence stacking up against her, Joss takes refuge with driven DEA agent Dylan Murphy, who guards—and suspects— her. But will finally trusting each other lead them into a trap they’ll never escape?

GOODREADS | BN.com | AMAZON

About the Author

Tanya Stowe is an author of Christian Fiction with an unexpected edge. She fills her stories with the unusual…mysteries and exotic adventures, even a murder or two. No matter where Tanya takes you…on a trip to foreign lands or a suspenseful journey filled with danger…be prepared for the extraordinary.

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE

Author Guest Post

Race to the Finish

I love to travel and experience new things. My husband and I lived in the Middle East for two years and we traveled through Oman, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Italy. I loved every minute of our time abroad. I’m also a pretty competitive person. I played tennis and now that I’m older, I play pickleball so a “race to the finish” is a phrase I know well. Writing action and adventure comes easy to me. So, when I first began to write romantic suspense, I thought it would be a quick transition to “race to survive.” 

At first it was fairly simple…until I began to write for the Love Inspired Suspense line. Suspense at LIS means danger and action on every page…starting on page one! Even this “race to the finish” gal had to step up her game. 

I had to learn how to insert that sense of “danger lurking around the corner” in every scene, even the quiet romantic scenes of love’s first kiss or the heartbreaking moments of a faith-filled confession. Those tender touching parts are why we read romance, but in a romantic suspense, there must still be that sense of the “ticking clock,” that feeling that if they don’t work together, they will both lose the ultimate race and their lives.

In Fatal MemoriesI found a very unique tool to keep us, (yes, myself included) on the edge of our seats. My heroine, Joss Walker has amnesia. When she wakes for her coma, the hero, Dylan Murphy is right there, holding her hand and supporting her. When a drug gang attempts to kill Joss, Dylan becomes the anchor in her life. But right from the beginning, Dylan believes Joss has betrayed her duty and is guilty of a crime. The closer Joss and Dylan came to danger, the closer Joss comes to finding out that Dylan never trusted her. 

Talk about a ticking clock! Between the attempts on Joss’ life, her faith crisis and doubts about Dylan, I had more than enough suspense to carry me through to the end. I hope you think so too!

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway HERE.

Giveaway ends September 7 at 11:59pm MT.

 Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.
Enter the giveaway HERE.

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Tour Schedule

September 2 

Heidi Reads…
Pause for Tales

September 3 

Remembrancy
Jorie Loves A Story
Blooming with Books
Kat's Corner Books

September 4 

Tell Tale Book Reviews
By The Book
Edits and Reviews by Leslie

September 5 

Mindy Houng
Hallie Reads
Red Headed Book Lady

September 6 

Life Is What It’s Called
Reading Is My SuperPower

Check out the tour schedule and links HERE.

By Hook or By Rook ~ Review with Guest Post and Giveaway

By Hook or By Rook
London League #4
By Rebecca Connolly

Someone has managed to uncover the identity of the members of the London League and it has put their families in danger. When the Gent needs to send the favorite cousin of his wife to the home of her brother he enlists the aid of Rook.

Jeremy Pratt is less than thrilled to be escorting Miss Helen Dalton from London to York. It's not that he has any problems with Helen Dalton other than the fact that he enjoys the time he spends in her company too much. But with the increased presence of highwaymen on the road to York that seem to have ties to French traitors Gent wants Helen protected and he's convinced that Jeremy is the only man for the job.

Helen is just a tad put out with Margaret's husband - she's made the trip from London to York before and never needed the protection of a man before. She just wants to leave London behind and forget the flirtation she had been enjoying with Mr. Pratt. His easy and charming personality had charmed her but the bantering they had shared had touched her in a way she had never expected and she's determined to leave it behind before her heart is broken.

But nothing ever goes as planned and both Jeremy and Helen end up getting to know one another better. But Jeremy confuses Helen - he has secrets that he refuses to share and the different personas he presents. Just who is this man sent to protect her?

By Hook or by Rook is the fourth book in the London League series and this time the reader is more fully introduced to Rook one of the newest members of the League who was brought in after the death of Trace. In addition to his normal League assignments Rook also is working on a secret assignment for the Shopkeepers looking into the death of Trace and what exactly he was working on at the time they lost him.

Helen Dalton is the cousin of Margaret both of whom the reader first met in The Lady and the Gent (book 1 in the series). She is an interesting character - she has a wit and intelligence that many don't seem to notice. She thinks she has escaped the notice of Society and is well on her way to being a spinster - which she finds surprising. And the one man who has caught her attention is a fop whom she hasn't seen for several weeks now.

This book can be read on its own if you haven't yet read the previous books in the series but it is better if read in the series order. This is an enjoyable and easy read that at just 170 pages is perfect for a weekend escape. If you are a fan of Regency period pieces or just like a historical romance fiction give By Hook or by Rook and the London League a chance to be a new favorite read.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations - all thoughts expressed are my own honest opinions.


About the Book:

​The most dangerous journeys…

Jeremy Pratt is a spy for the Crown, and one of the best. He has been in more dangerous situations than he can admit, and has always come out unscathed. But escorting his colleague’s cousin home to her family, even in disguise, just might be beyond his skills, and the temptation beyond his ability to withstand.

…May be ones of the heart…

Helen Dalton is convinced there is more to this man escorting her than meets the eye, and something familiar about him, as well. There is only one man in the world who looks at her so intensely, banters with her so easily, and makes her blush so furiously. And when he manages a daring and heroic rescue, she wonders if she ever knew him at all.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

Series: The London League
Genre:  Adult, Historical, Regency, Romance
Publisher: Phase Publishing
Publication date: July 1, 2019

About the Author

Rebecca Connolly writes romances, both period and contemporary, because she absolutely loves a good love story. She has been creating stories since childhood, and there are home videos to prove it! She started writing them down in elementary school and has never looked back. She currently lives in the Midwest, spends every spare moment away from her day job absorbed in her writing, and is a hot cocoa addict.

Connect online with Rebecca at:

​GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | 

BOOKBUB | WEBSITE | NEWSLETTER | AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE 

Guest Post:

Researching Regency Spying

If there’s one thing I have learned to hate since my school days, it’s research. I didn’t like it when I was in school and I’m not a huge fan of it now.

So why did I decide to write in a time period that requires lots of research?

Glutton for punishment, I guess.

So when I decided to turn a mysterious character of mine into a spy, and start off a series with him, and create more spies to go with him, I found a whole new set of obstacles. Not only did I have to get the time period details right, as my usual books required, but now I had to figure out how spies worked back then, and how I could make them work for my story.

First up was a trip to every used bookstore around me. I looked in the time period I needed and crossed my fingers. I came home with 7 books, I think, not specifically about spies in the Regency era, but about spies during the revolutionary war, political intrigue at the time, and things like that. I could make those work for me. I got a British history book that actually gave me the best historical Easter egg ever for the series, and I’m still super proud of that.

Then I hit up one of my writing chapters that specifically deals with this time period. They are always a wealth of information, and boy did they deliver! I was wading through all kinds of information from them for ages.

After that, the research that I did was story specific, depending on whatever plot twists I had. Gypsies, codebreaking, ciphers, building layouts, docks, relations with France… I take a lot of care with the situations I put my spies in and do the best I can to make it accurate and believable.

Hopefully, I succeed.

And you know what? Sometimes I enjoy doing this research. Every time I find something perfect, it feels like a victory.

Maybe that’s worth it after all.

Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a By Hook or by Rook Prize Pack  (US mailing addresses only). 

Prize pack includes the following:

Winner’s choice of print or ebook copy of 

By Hook or by Rook

Chocolate

London League Bookmarks

Book Themed Luggage Tags

Enter the giveaway HERE.
​Giveaway ends July 17 at 11:59pm MT.
​
Giveaway is subject to policies HERE.

Blog Stops

Follow along at SLB Tours for a full list of stops!

Love at Lakewood Med ~ Book Blast with Guest Post and Giveaway

About the Book:

Love at Lakewood Med

By TJ Amberson

Genre: Adult, New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Cedar Fort
Publication date: March 13, 2018

Savannah Drake would be thrilled about starting her final year of medical school if it weren’t

for one thing: she has to spend a month working in the emergency room with cold, aloof Dr. Wesley Kent as her mentor. When her first day in the ER proves to be a humiliating disaster, Savannah is ready to swear off emergency medicine forever. Gradually, though, she finds that the unpredictable, emotional experience of caring for patients in the emergency room is affecting her far differently than she expected – and Dr. Kent turns out to be anything but the arrogant attending physician that she assumed him to be. But just when Savannah finally admits to herself that she is falling for Dr. Kent, she learns that things at the hospital are not all what they seem. Faced with a seemingly impossible choice, Savannah must decide between her future career and everything that she has come to care so much about.

Checkout my review of Love at Lakewood Med here

GOODREADS | AMAZON

About the Author:

TJ Amberson hails from the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her husband and nutty cocker spaniel. Her most recent novels include The Kingdom Of Nereth, Fusion, and Love at Lakewood Med. When she’s not writing, TJ can probably be found enjoying a hot chocolate, pretending to know how to garden, playing the piano, or surfing the Internet for cheap plane tickets.

GOODREADS | FACEBOOK | WEBSITE 

Guest Post: Love

Thank you for letting me join you on your blog today!

Question: why do we love stories about love?

There is no question that stories about love captivate us.

Perhaps there’s no better example of how much we love stories about love than the books of Jane Austen.  Her novels have been cherished, quoted, and adored by thousands – all over the globe – for over 200 years. Her books have been made into movies and stage productions, which have gathered their own unfailing fan clubs. Austen’s tales have been the inspiration behind spin-offs, modern-day retellings, and countless other novels.

And beyond Austen, we can cite equally influential and adored love stories as penned by other great authors, such as Shakespeare, Bronte, and Hugo.

Certainly, the love of love is not limited to literature. Music is driven by love, too – love has been the inspiration behind songs for as long as music has been sung. And let’s not forget artwork, which is also often dedicated beautifully to the subject of love.

It’s apparent that this love affair with love has been ongoing for centuries, and it continues in full force today. Romantic comedies abound (hooray!) in literature, television shows, and movies. Pop music fills the radio with matters of the heart. Social media posts about love are frequent. And even grocery store checkout aisles display those gossipy magazines that are filled with stories about – you guessed it – celebrities’ love lives.

Why do we love stories about love?

Frankly, I’m not sure. Perhaps it is because love is one of the basic emotional needs that we all strive to fulfill. Perhaps it is because love – with its ups and downs – is something universally understood. Perhaps it is because it is one of those ties that bind, and stories about love speak to our souls as much as they do to our minds.

We may never understand completely why, but I am immensely thankful for the love of love stories. I love reading them. I love writing them. And I am grateful for the unfailing support of those who have loved my stories. Thank you!!

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Checkout the rest of the tour here

Tour Schedule

July 26-
Cafinated Reads
CherylBBookBlog
Wishful Endings
Paulette’s Papers
July 27-
Singing Librarian Books
Heidi Reads...
Why Not Because I Said So
July 28-
Life Is What It's Called
Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic
​Blooming with Books

Ralphie, Always Loved ~ Spotlight, Author Guest Post, and Giveaway

Ralphie, Always Loved

Book Details:

Book Title: Ralphie, Always Loved by Andrea Yerramilli
Illustrated by: Samantha Van Riet
Category: Children's Fiction, 32 pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: About Something Good, LLC
Release date: October 28, 2017
Tour dates: April 9 to May 4, 2018
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

This is the story of the life, love, and adventures of a beloved family dog, and how he delighted and touched his family and everyone he met.

Ralphie was born with a heart on his belly.
He loves food, his family, his friends, his neighbors.
He loves pretty much everything and everyone.
And they love him back.
And that's how it is all through his life.
Read the book and fall in love with him too.

Rambunctious and hyperactive, Ralphie had already been returned to the animal shelter three times, but when Andrea and her husband adopted him and gave him a loving home where he was understood, accepted, and taught, he learned fast. As Ralphie's human family grew, so did his capacity for love and the ways he could express it. He remained a loving and beloved family member who touched the hearts of the whole neighborhood until he was ready to say goodbye at the grand-old age of sixteen. Ralphie, Always Loved will remind you of all that is good, and reaffirm your belief in love's power to uplift and transform.

Follow the tour by visiting Andrea Yerramilli's page on iRead Book Tours.

​

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Barnes and Noble ~ Indiebound

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Andrea has always been an avid reader and that jumpstarted her imagination at a very early age. In fact she escaped to the Land of Make Believe more often than her mother liked.

She is a former marketing professional who is a mom to kids both with and without fur. Andrea says that it helps to have one foot planted firmly in reality while the other is foot loose and fancy-free in Imagination Land. She enjoys the best of both worlds.

In 2013, Andrea and her husband started About Something Good (ASG) as a vehicle to curate, inspire and share goodness in the world. In a world where negative images flood the media, and words like “hate” get tossed around so easily, Andrea felt she needed a space that encouraged and focused on the words like “love” and the beauty that is life.

Andrea is committed to finding the good in everything and believes: that a sense of belonging to someone's heart is what makes us feel complete, that kindness goes a long way, and that keeping your mind and heart open can help when things happen that you don't understand.

Andrea lives in New Jersey with her husband and children.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram

Enter the Giveaway!

Ends May 12, 2018

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Author Guest Post:

A Legacy of Love

by Andrea Yerramilli

Ralphie, Always Loved is a picture book about my beloved dog Ralphie. I wrote it because I wanted to keep him alive, both in the hearts and memories of those who knew and loved him, and by sharing him with people who otherwise would never have had the chance to meet him.

During the last year of Ralphie’s life, I focused very clearly on this little dog who had been with me for fifteen years. Every gray hair on his face made him more special. There’s something about an old dog who’s been around for a while and has perfected the art of loving and being loved. And my Ralphie was a pro! He had a way of looking right into your eyes and seeing into your soul, and when you looked back into his eyes, you were lost forever.

In January 2016, I started an Instagram account for Ralphie. I don’t really know what I hoped to achieve from it, but I did it anyway. The Instagram dog community, I found out, is a very supportive and loving group of people. Before long, Ralphie was a member of a much larger pack, and I was a member of an IG family. As the year went on, Ralphie found a voice and a group of friends who listened to what he had to say. We started to make a difference. Ralphie was building a legacy, a very loving one. RalphieAlwaysLoved aka The DogFather on Instagram was an old dog, one that pups looked up to. He made friends all over the world.

For his sixteenth birthday, we ran an Instagram event where we made sixteen donations to charities around the world with the help of sixteen Instagram accounts. In some cases, we made direct donations to a charity to which the particular account felt a special connection. In other cases, we sent the account a bunch of goodies, and they kept a few, added a bunch more of their favorite things, and then donated it to a local shelter of their choice. It was #MissionPawsible from a bunch of ALWAYSLOVED friends who made a difference. And it was a celebration that paid the love forward. 

Shortly after his sixteenth birthday, Ralphie was diagnosed with a splenic hemangiosarcoma. The outpouring of love and support from his many friends was tremendous. After Ralphie passed, thirty-seven Instagram accounts from around the world pooled resources, and a star in the Auriga constellation at the approximate coordinates 5h 19m 40.1 degrees was named Ralphie Always Loved. He’s up there shining down on us all. 

Ralphie is still spreading the light on Instagram. His memory and spirit are strong in those who love him. He still lives not only in my heart but also in hearts around the world; hashtags like #RalphieAlwaysLoved, #RalphiesHeart, #RalphiesLegacy, and #AlwaysLovedIsland keep his legacy alive.

Guest Post by Marie Benedict author of The Other Einstein

Guest Post by Marie Benedict author of The Other Einstein

*The rarity of a woman pursuing this field of study at this time in history

The lure of writing about Mileva Maric, the first wife of Albert Einstein and a physicist herself, was not simply the notion of sharing a fresh perspective on the life of the famous scientist. The deeper I got into the research surrounding Mileva the more I realized I wanted to tell the astonishing story of a young Serbian woman who ascended from the remote regions of the Austro-Hungarian empire where it was illegal for her to attend high school to the physics classrooms of a competitive European university. Mileva’s narrative was all too rare in fin-de-siecle Europe, making Mileva’s climb all the more spectacular.

What were the odds that a young woman like Mileva could become a physics student at a European university? Disregarding the hurdle that girls in Mileva’s region could not even attend high school, prior to the middle of the nineteenth century, European universities were almost entirely closed to women, particularly in Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Switzerland, France, and Central Europe. The rare exceptions of women studying at a higher education institution in Europe during this time involved the receipt of special permission from the administration, and even then, women were typically allowed only to audit classes, not receive degrees. Mileva herself experienced this treatment when she spent a semester at Heidelberg University in Germany, and she attended physics classes but received no credit for them. In the late 1880s and early 1900s, certain European

universities began admitting more women — Switzerland began to admit female students in 1867, for example — and women’s colleges were formed. Still, access to coursework in the sciences was especially formidable, and, without a university degree, it was almost impossible for women to enter any profession, particularly the very specialized professions involving the sciences.

When placed in this context, the story of Mileva Maric’s climb — the foundation upon which THE OTHER EINSTEIN sits — is breathtaking. The odds against her sitting beside Albert Einstein in a physics class at the Swiss Federal Polytechnical University were staggeringly high. Consequently, the tale of her descent from this hard-won height makes THE OTHER EINSTEIN all the more tragic — and all the more important.

Check-out my review of The Other Einstein

The Other Einstein will be on sale on November 20, 2016 on Bookbub
and on Goodreads between November 20 - 26, 2016.

GREATER star Chris Severio shares character building tips & Giveaway

Sports, and especially football, is a favorite pastime for so many, either in watching or in participating.  With determination Brandon Burlsworth overcame obstacles through dedication and hard work to achieve his dream of playing for the Arkansas Razerbacks.  Take a moment to examine and even share the lessons that Chris Severio took away from his role as Brandon Burlsworth.

GREATER Offers Great Life Lessons

By Chris Severio

Actors wait their entire lives to play a role as meaty and meaningful as Brandon Burlsworth. I was blessed to get that opportunity in my first movie, bringing Brandon to the big screen in GREATER, in theaters everywhere Aug. 26.

Brandon was a true champion and role model for so many, and I hope this movie entertains and inspires you and your family. For all the young athletes, new athletes, struggling athletes and dreamers out there (and their parents), these three lessons from Brandon’s life hold the key to building character and finding your destiny.

•         Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t:
Brandon was not the most physically gifted athlete. He struggled with being overweight, wasn’t naturally graceful, was a pretty unlikely candidate to be a college football All-American and then drafted into the NFL. He was able to do it all because he refused to listen to those who doubted him or his abilities. He always believed in himself, knew that through hard work and dedication,
he could be anything he wanted to be. The only thing standing between you and your dreams is how passionately you’re willing to produce them.

•         Dedicate yourself to something greater:
It’s no coincidence the film of Brandon’s life is called GREATER. As a Christian, he believed he was called to be a man of integrity and honor off the field as well as on – he dedicated himself, first and foremost, to God. Your faith can strengthen you, and like Brandon you can choose to be a role
model on and off the field.

•         Help others:
Brandon Burlsworth was a giver. He didn’t just play football, or live his life, focused exclusively on his wants. He made others’ needs a top priority – family, teammates, friends and fans. As he dug in deep to reach his potential as an athlete and a man, he encouraged and supported those who were taking that same journey alongside him. Brandon didn’t just make himself better; he made others better, too, because he was intentional about finding ways to help them.

Below, I’m privileged to share a clip from the movie that shows how dedication, persistence and helping others can contribute to your character and destiny.

https://youtu.be/vyYFGBUESIk

I hope you enjoy GREATER – and are as inspired by Brandon’s story as much as I and so many others who knew him and know of him have been. He was a remarkable young man, and having the privilege of bringing his life to the big screen was a remarkable experience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to win a Razerback jersey?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please leave a comment below for a chance to win a 

Team Jersey for the Arkansas Razerbacks.

Open to US Mailing addresses only.

Comments must refer to this post and posted by 

August 31, 2016 11:59 pm CDT 

to be eligible for winning.

Special Guest Post from author Susan May Warren

What better way to start off the New Year than with a special guest post from author of the Christiansen Family series ~ a series which follows the Christiansen family as the they live life.  Lives filled with joys, struggles, sorrows, and triumphs.

~ Susan May Warren ~  

It’s January.

This is what my town looks like in January.

Do you see the cold pallor? The icy streets? Right now, I am currently sitting under a blankie,
with little half-gloves on to keep my fingers warm.

I know, I know. WHY do we live here?

Because it’s a gorgeous place to set a story. Located on the rocky shores of Lake Superior, It’s a
little touch of Lake Woebegone – all the men are good-looking, all the women heroic. And it has
the overtones of small town Cheers, where everyone knows your name. Which means that
when you get into trouble, the entire town knows about it. Ack!

Welcome to Deep Haven, the home of the Christiansen family!

Their resort...Evergreen Outfitters and Cabin Rentals is located on an inland lake in the woods,
nestled among the pines, serenaded by the call of the loons and the waves against the shore.

And If you haven’t met the Christiansens, they’re a crazy, love big and live life out loud family
who *might* be a little like my family. (and one that might feel like yours, too!) The 6 adult
children and two parents, run a resort and try to figure out faith while living life (that often goes
wrong). They make mistakes, but they love each other through them.

Not unlike our family. (That’s us, not the Christiansens. Just in case you might be confused.)

The Christiansen family series follows each one of the adult children through their trials and
triumphs of falling in love and finding their way in the world. The next book hits the shelves in
the next month – Always on My Mind, a story about Casper, brother #2, who just can’t get the
wrong girl off his mind...

Right now, I’m hunkered down writing book #6...The Day After Forever, the last story in the
series, a story that asks...can Prodigals come home? (Um, I sure hope so!)

I wanted to write a series about a family with adult children, learning what it meant to carry on
the legacy of faith into their lives. And I wanted to write a series that would really let readers
dig into the family, feel like they were a part of their journey. The first two books ignite the
series not only by introducing us to Darek and Eden, the two oldest children, but also set up the
series with the loss of the family resort to a forest fire. Book 3, When I Fall in Love brings us to
Hawaii and back home and sends our prodigal on his way, and scatters the family.

Book 4 picks up the pieces of the prodigal’s actions and brings home the family peace-maker,
Casper in Always on My Mind, and Book 5 adds in a new twist, when daughter Amelia has to
choose between a hometown boy and a rich European she met while overseas. (And hello –
have you see the hunk on THAT cover? The Wonder of You, baby!)

And then there’s Owen. Troublemaker Owen who just might surprise them all when he comes
home...just in time to save the day. Or not... (Cover still pending!)

As the Christiansens rebuild their resort, the kids need to decide whether they want to carry on
the family legacy...or if life and faith might bring them somewhere else.

And, did I mention romance. Oh yeah – we have to have something to keep us warm up here
during the chilly months.

It’s a series full of family drama, community and...some really great food.

And cookies. (Seriously – check out: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/blog/2014/11/11/tuesdays-tasty-treat-eden-graces-lucky-kiss-peanut-butter-cookies/)

That’s the news from Lake, um, Superior.

Have a great January...and try to keep warm – Susie May the Siberian

Guest Post from Author Cindy Thomson

Today we have a special treat - a guest post from Cindy Thomson.  Cindy is the author of the recently released Annie's Stories and its prequel Grace's Pictures.  Today Cindy shares a little about the special foods that play such an important part in a traditional Irish Christmas.  

With a month until Christmas Enjoy this gift from Cindy and be sure to check-out 

Cindy's live Facebook Christmas party on Monday December 1st 

5:00pm - 7:30pm EST  http://on.fb.me/1wTigIz!

Giveaways, chats, and guests are on the schedule!

Trim, County Meath Ireland from Flickr credited William Murphy

Why is it holidays seem to revolve around food? Possibly because sitting around a table to eat is the best way to bring families together for conversation and good times. I used food in my latest novel, Annie’s Stories, to evoke a sense of home for Annie who was searching for that place after her life was disrupted. (You can find some of the recipes from that novel here.)  http://cindyswriting.com/2014/07/06/early-20th-century-recipes-from-annies-stories/

Since my stories feature Irish characters, and much of what I’ve written centers on Ireland and Irish culture, I’d like to share some traditional Irish Christmas recipes with you.

Christmas dinners traditionally feature a roasted goose. Turkeys are a more recent substitution. Other dishes included three types of potato dishes: roasted, boiled, and mashed. You might also find roasted parsnips, cabbage, and brussels sprouts. For desert you’d have plum pudding. On St. Stephen’s Day (Dec. 26) you would serve Irish Spiced Beef.

If you’d like to learn about some Irish foods like mash, bread sauce, and celeriac, check out a post I did for the Irish Fireside. http://irishfireside.com/2013/12/16/christmas-dinner-irish-style/

Plum Pudding is no quick dish to make. Perhaps that’s why there are traditions about the family helping. Below is a recipe I copied. I’ve never made this myself. I’ll stick to cookies. But if you’re adventurous, go for it. I’d love to hear how yours came out. (You can contact me through my website www.cindyswriting.com)

Christmas Pudding from Flickr, credited: Peter Hilton 

Traditional Christmas plum pudding recipe

By CHEF MICHAEL GILLIGAN, Irish Central Staff Writer.

10 eggs
1 cup white flour 

4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons allspice


2 teaspoons nutmeg
4 ounces chopped almond pieces

1 grated apple
1 pound light brown sugar 

1 medium carrot, grated (this optional ingredient probably crept into the recipe 

    during WWII when fruits was in short supply) 

Rind and juice of an orange and a lemon

3 pounds raisins use some currants, some yellow, and some sultanas. The more 

    variety in fruits, the better the pudding. 

8 ounces candied cherries or natural dried cherries

24 ounces bread crumbs

12 ounces candied peel (candied pineapple chunks, citron, mixed peel)

1 pint of Guinness

5 tablespoons of hard liquor 

1 pound butter or finely minced suet if preferred

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Rub the raisins and other fruits with the flour and spices. The flour adheres to the stickiness of the fruits and gives the pud a nice even texture.

Cut the butter into fine pieces and mix well with the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl mix the liquid ingredients. When the liquids have been well stirred, add them to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix all together very well.

The batter should be a bit loose, a little thicker than a cake mix. If it’s dry like bread dough, add more Guinness.

My mother would grease a big square of unbleached muslin and pour the pudding into this, tying off the top with string. In these modern times, heat-proof bowls are an acceptable substitute for the cloth bag method...and much easier.

Line the bowl with parchment paper; fill to within an inch of the top of the bowl. Cover the batter with parchment paper and use a lid for steaming. Sealing the top of the bowl with foil will work if there is no self-lid for the bowl. Fill the pot in which you are steaming the pudding to just below the top of the pudding bowl and gently boil for at least 12 hours. I use the slow cooker for this and it works very well. Depending on the size of the bowls used, you may get about three puddings from this recipe. I triple it and get at least a dozen quart-sized puddings. (Big family!)

When the pudding has cooled, remove it from the bowl, dribble brandy (or any other whiskey-type stuff) over the top of it, letting as much sink in as possible. Seal the puddings in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. (Don’t let the aluminum touch the pudding as there is a reaction that dulls the foil and I suspect this is not good for the pud or the people eating it.)

Let it sit for as long as possible before serving. Three or four months is not too long. Occasionally dribble the pudding with a shot of the spirit of your choice: brandy, whiskey, bourbon, etc.

Traditionally, the pudding was steamed again for an hour before serving. There are two possible methods: Remove the wrapping, return the pudding to the original bowl, and steam again for an hour.

Turn it out on a heat-proof serving plate and proceed to the lighting process that follows the brandy butter recipe---or---unwrap the pudding, place it on the serving platter, and microwave for 10 minutes at 50 percent power. The microwave method, though obviously not traditional, works exceptionally well, and has become traditional in my family!

Brandy Butter (Hard Sauce)

1 cup butter

1 cup confectioner's sugar


1/2 cup brandy (or whiskey, Irish or otherwise)

Soften butter. Beat the butter with an electric mixer until it’s fluffy. Slowly add an equal amount or more of confectioner’s sugar. You will see that the mixture changes texture. 

Slowly add the brandy after this textural change in the sugar/butter blend. Beat further until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Spoon the brandy butter into serving dishes and chill until firm. When turning the mixture into the serving dish, finish off the top by swirling it into a circular pattern with the bottom of the spoon for a decorative effect.

Garnish everything with Holly in berry if you have it.

To light the plum pudding, pour a generous cup of Christian Brothers Brandy (none other!) on top. There’ll be a little puddle on the plate. That should light pretty easily and the blue flames will creep up the sides.

Douse the lights in the dining room to bring in the pudding to the acclaim of all at the table. Don’t be disappointed if the flame is out quickly. That’s how it goes.

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Cindy Thomson is a writer and an avid genealogy enthusiast. Her love of history and her Scots-Irish heritage have inspired much of her writing, including her new Ellis Island series with Tyndale House Publishers. Cindy is also the author of Brigid of Ireland and Celtic Wisdom: Treasures from Ireland, and is co-author of the baseball biography Three Finger: The Mordecai Brown Story. In addition to books, Cindy has written on a regular basis for numerous online and print publications and is a mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the Historical Novel Society. Cindy and her husband have three grown sons and live in central Ohio. 

Visit her online at www.cindyswriting.com or on Twitter: @cindyswriting.