Winter Blogfest: Helen C. Johannes

January 3, 2020 By 4 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a Lord Of Druemarwin, Kindle copy, US only.

Frosted Holiday Bread (aka Stollen) for the Bread Maker

My family has strong German roots, and a traditional holiday treat for us incorporates the candied, mixed fruit associated with dark, heavy fruit cake into a sweet, light, frosted yeast bread. What my family calls “Stollen” has many European variations, some much heavier than ours. We enjoy our version of this bread at breakfast, sliced and eaten plain, although some extended family members prefer to spread it with butter. We also enjoy slices as a midday snack. After years of making “Stollen” the traditional way, kneading by hand, I converted the recipe to work with my ever-so-helpful bread maker. If you are looking for something different to accompany your holiday breakfasts, and you have a bread maker, this recipe makes something traditional easy to provide.

Dough:

¾ cup milk, warmed

2 large eggs, beaten

¼ cup sugar

¼ lb. butter (1 stick) shredded

3 cups flour, sifted

Pinch of salt

1 ½ teaspoon yeast

1 cup candied, mixed chopped fruit for fruit cake

½ cup golden raisins

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Put bread ingredients into the breadmaker in the order listed. Set on Dough and press start. When Dough cycle is finished, remove dough from breadmaker. If dough is too sticky to handle, add up to 1 cup flour and knead lightly by hand. Divide dough in half. Shape into oblong loaves and place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with oil. Place in a warm, draft –free place and let rise for an hour. Bake one at a time at 350 F for 25 min. Move to cooling rack, brush with butter, and frost immediately.

Vanilla Glaze Frosting: 

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 teaspoons milk

Colorful sprinkles

Blend with a spoon. Frosting will be thick. Spread over hot bread. Immediately dust with sprinkles before frosting sets. Optional: Add any other topping decorations desired using frosting to set in place. Cool completely.

Slice and enjoy.

Lady Raell can fight, ride, and argue politics as well as her brothers. Only being mistress of her father’s household keeps her in skirts. In Naed, the new Lord of Druemarwin, she has found devotion, a kindred spirit, and a marriage promise. But when a forgotten and unwanted betrothal comes to light, she has no choice but to run.
Amidst sweeping revolution, Naed must rally his people, fend off assassination attempts, and fight against claims he’s a traitor. Then he discovers everything about his lineage and family is a lie. And his beloved belongs to another.
With lives and a kingdom at stake, Raell and Naed must find a way to protect the innocent and save their love.

Helen C. Johannes writes award-winning fantasy romance inspired by the fairy tales she grew up reading and the amazing historical places she’s visited in England, Ireland, Scotland and Germany. She writes tales of adventure and romance in fully realized worlds sprung from pure imagination and a lifelong interest in history, culture, and literature. Warriors on horseback, women who refuse to sit idly at home, and passion that cannot be denied or outrun—that’s what readers will find in her books.

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Winter Blogfest: Jaime Samms

January 2, 2020 By 7 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a  copy of Still Life, and of my more recent Christmas title, Eugene and the Box of Nails to a commenter at the end of the Holiday Tour. Just comment on my post what you remember most about the winter/not hot and dry season growing up.

Snow Days

This year we have had serious snow exactly twice.

The kids have had two snow days.

I’m not even talking a foot of snow and blizzard conditions. I’m just talking about a snowfall that left more than an inch of fluff on the ground. Lots of people will say a few inches is enough to shut their city down, but we live in Canada. I mean. Come on.

I remember wading in snow up to my waist to get to the bus stop, and the bus still came. I remember laughing our heads off as we dove off the side of the road as the snowplough went by. There were snow forts during the March break, because there had been enough snow over the season, we still had enough to BUILD FORTS. In MARCH.

I remember moving back up to my home town after a few years living farther south, and it snowed on November 9, my eldest child’s first snowfall, and I thought—oh yes. I remember this.

And now our schools don’t bother with school because it snowed last night.

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There are so many things we used to do as kids that parents these days only imagine with horror, and I don’t know how I feel about that, really. I just know that sometimes, living only happens when you DO things. Take chances, push past easy.

Which idea happens to dovetail quite nicely with an oldie but goodie holiday story I wrote in the way back, Still Life.

Mac has been living on the edge a long time, out in the world on his own, but the real risk is when he comes back and asks Allan for a second chance.

When Allan Song’s ex, Mac, shows up to model for the life drawing class Allan teaches, he turns everything upside-down. Mac is still as infuriatingly attractive as when Allan first met him—and still trying to figure out where he fits on the gender spectrum. He’s more than a little out of control, and he’s taken some stupid risks that have come back to haunt him. If they’re going to get back together, Allan wants a real relationship—but for that, he and Mac will need to look below the surface.

Jaime Samms is a plaid-hearted Canadian who spends the too-long winters writing stories about love between men and the too-short summers digging in the garden. There are dust bunnies in the corners of her house—which she blames on a husky named Kai. There are dishes on the counter—which is clearly because teenagers! There is hot coffee in the pot and the occasional meal to keep her from starving—because her husband is remarkable and patient.

A multipublished author whose work has been translated into French, Italian, and German, Jaime delights in the intricate dance of words that leads her through tales of the lost and brokenhearted men she writes about to the love stories that find and mend them.

And when the muse is being stubborn, she also makes pretty things with yarn and fabric scraps because in her world, no heart is too broken to love, and nothing is too worn or tired it can’t be upcycled into something beautiful. All it takes is determination and the ability to see life a little bit left of center.

Website

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Winter Blogfest: Megan Slayer

January 2, 2020 By 4 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a necklace made by the author along with an autographed swag pack.

My Christmas Playlist

I thought I’d pull together a list of my favorite Christmas songs. I’m kind of picky about what I like at Christmas. I’m not wild about much of the newest versions of the old songs. Here are some of my favorites (in no particular order)

“Jingle Bell Rock” ~ Bobby Helms – It’s just classic. 

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” ~ Bing Crosby – this one makes me sad and think about the people in my life that aren’t there any longer. But it also makes me glad I knew them. 

“Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” ~ Burl Ives – now that I know he was blacklisted, I love it even more. 

“Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” ~ Gene Autry – we sang this song at school. It reminds me of being in the first grade. 

“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” ~ Brenda Lee – doesn’t she have the best Christmas songs? Besides, how can you not love it and not think of Home Alone?

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” ~ Judy Garland – makes me sad, yet Christmassy, too. 

“White Christmas” ~ Bing Crosby – it’s just a classic

“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” ~ Bruce Springsteen – okay, I love how he asks how many have behaved and when he gets a poor response, he says, ah…not many, not many. Cracks me up.  

“Santa Baby” ~ Eartha Kitt – she makes Christmas sexy ? 
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“The Chipmunk Song” ~ How can you not like the Chipmunks at Christmas?

“Little Saint Nick” ~ The Beach Boys – I learned the Muppets version of this song and love both versions. 

“When the River Meets the Sea” ~ Paul Williams, but sung by Robin the Frog and Denver with the Muppets

And…. 

“The Peace Carol” ~ Traditional ~ John Denver and Scooter with the Muppets

I know I left off the Drifters, Otis Redding and Darlene Love among others. They’re on the longer list. What are your favorite Christmas songs? Do you lean classic or contemporary? I’d love to know.

Taylor Fyre never thought he’d find love at the dog park, but when he spots Nicky Campbell and his dog, Nagy, he begins to think the impossible is possible.
Taylor Fyre isn’t wild about dogs. He’s got serious reservations about the animals and the last thing he wants to do is cover a story about the dog park. When he arrives at the park, he realizes facing his fears won’t be easy, but if Nicky Campbell is part of the healing process, he’s ready to start. The handsome, tattooed mechanic makes him want to bare his soul. But Nicky’s got a dog and things could get sticky.
Nicky Campbell would rather keep to himself than talk to new people. He’s tired of being labeled dangerous because of his tattoos. His dog, Nagy, a pit bull mix, faces the same discrimination. When Nicky runs into Taylor at the dog park, he expects a fight. But the more they talk, the more he’s drawn to the polished reporter. If he and Taylor can overcome their differences and be themselves, they might find they have plenty in common and can have the forever they both deserve.
Reader advisory: This book contains expressions of homophobia, references to male prostitution and reference to past abuse at the hands of an uncle.

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and white hot themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been nominated at the LRC for Best Author, Best Contemporary, Best Ménage, Best BDSM and Best Anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com.
When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice. She’s an active member of the Friends of the Keystone-LaGrange Public library. Find out more about Megan and Wendi at: http://wendizwaduk.com/indexMegan.htm

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter

Buy the book at Pride Publishing.

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Winter Blogfest: Aliyah Burke

January 1, 2020 By 4 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win any ebook from my backlist.

Buying a Live Christmas Tree

Happy Holidays!

I hope you’re having an amazing holiday season. We are here in our household, lots of things already planned for 2020 (scary that’s just around the corner).

Unfortunately, I won’t be with lots of family and friends this year, but DH (Darling Hubby for those of you who don’t know how I refer to him as) will be here with me and we’re going to have a quiet holiday. As quiet as it can be with us and the three dogs.

Our thing for the holiday was we would buy a live tree the first year we were in the house we were at, whichever duty station it happened to be. Decorate it and once the holiday was over, we would plant it in the yard. Front or back, whichever would be the best place. It was almost as if we were “home” once we had planted our Christmas tree. We never took them with us when the time came to move to the next place, wanting to leave part of ourselves there for the next family.

We’re both looking forward to the time we can plant the final tree on our property. I do love this season for baking as well and look forward to the house being filled with incredible smells.

Do you have anything that you have to have over the holiday season? Like fruitcake? (Okay, so I’m not a fan of that but I know some people are) Eggnog? A certain type of cookie?

For me it’s divinity. I love divinity and the only time I get to eat it is around the holidays. And I don’t even have to make it, I have it given to me so that is even more of a plus in my eyes.

Whatever your traditions, whatever you do, I hope it is a fantastic and safe one. We can’t wait to see you in 2020. Stay warm (or cool depending on where you are ?) and please be safe.
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Thank you for allowing me to stop in quickly.

From my home to yours,

Happy Holidays!

Sometimes past demons need to be faced before one can embrace what the future offers, and who better to slay them than a Marine?

Gunnery Sergeant Sam Hoch travels to the Pac Norwest upon receiving word his mentor and the closest thing to a father he’s had, has taken a turn for the worse and is in the hospital. Once there he meets a woman who is unlike any he’s ever met before. A former Marine herself, she opens up her home to him so he can be near his family.

Roxi Mammon isn’t positive it’s smart to allow Sam to stay with her, not with her immediate physical reaction to him. She’s heard tales of him from her best friend, his sister, and now having met him she is even more impressed by the man the Corps has turned him into—a silent, strong type. Passion grows between them and soon she finds herself falling for the Recon Marine. And falling hard.

As things escalate between them, Sam has to accept his past doesn’t control him if he plans on keeping Roxi in his future. Can he understand that this is the one woman who can give him something more? Will he silence the fear within him and tell Roxi she’s the one for him? Will he realise that he deserves more than just a temporary home?

Aliyah Burke is a USA Today Bestselling Author who’s an avid reader and never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She is happily married to a career military man. They are owned by three Borzoi. She spends her days at the day job, writing, and working with her dogs. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached here.

If you would like to be kept abreast of what’s going on in the world of Aliyah, please join her newsletter: http://aliyah-burke.com/newsletter.htm and/or cozy newsletter: http://aliyah-burke.com/abnewsm.htm

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Winter Blogfest: Jodi Payne

January 1, 2020 By 4 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of my new book Soft Limits in either ebook or audio, as the winner would prefer.

Hanukkah Holiday Wisdom

Hello! 

I’m Jodi Payne, and I write contemporary mm and gay romance, sometime a little on the kinky side, sometimes with a western bent, and sometimes with more than two M’s. 

In honor of Hanukkah, which gets slightly less love than Christmas this time of year, I thought I would share a little holiday wisdom for those of you that don’t happen to be Jewish. I am not actually Jewish myself, but my wife is, and I have essentially been a member of her family since I was fifteen, so, I have earned a little cred in this department.

A little cred, a little Yiddish, but sadly, I can’t cook like my mother in law. Especially not at the holidays. You can’t have everything. 

What’s the difference between the seven-branch menorah and the nine-branch menorah?

Something most people who are not Jewish don’t know is that a “menorah” only has seven branches. It is meant to be symbolic of the seven-branched candelabra that Moses set up on the Temple at Jerusalem, which he constructed according to God’s instructions as detailed in the book of Exodus. 

The correct term for the nine-branched candelabra used to light the eight days of Hanukkah is “hanukkiah”. It’s a special lamp used only during the celebration of Hanukkah. 
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It’s not technically incorrect to call a hanukkiah a menorah. All hanukkiah are menorahs. But not all menorahs are hanukkiah. 

Now you have some trivia for your next holiday party!

Chag Sameach! 

(Happy Holiday!)

Have you ever been to an office holiday party? Well, Matthew Kaplan has been to plenty, and he’s not impressed. In fact, he hates attending the annual gathering at his office. This year, though, he’s trying to make partner in his small law firm and does his best to look like he’s enjoying himself, even though he knows the event is really a Christmas party with just the barest hint of a nod toward his own winter holiday, Hanukkah.

Ethan Becker works for a busy caterer, and although all the Christmas music at these holiday office parties used to make his head ache, he’s learned to tolerate it so he doesn’t lose his mind. Sometimes he even sings along. There aren’t enough toe-tapping Hanukkah songs for a party anyway, right?

Matthew is pleased to find latkes on the buffet and escapes the crowd to eat them peacefully in the kitchen, where Ethan recognizes his hunky one-night-stand immediately. Matthew remembers their night together fondly, but certainly hadn’t expected to run into the hottie with the sweet blue eyes again. When Ethan offers to make more latkes for Matthew another day, Matthew jumps to accept the invitation. But Ethan didn’t make them for the party—he hasn’t ever made them at all, in fact—so will their date be delicious or disastrous?

JODI takes herself way too seriously and has been known to randomly break out in song. Her men are imperfect but genuine, stubborn but likable, often kinky, and frequently their own worst enemies. They are characters you can’t help but fall in love with while they stumble along the path to their happily ever after. For those looking to get on her good side, Jodi’s addictions include nonfat lattes, Malbec and tequila any way you pour it.

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Winter Blogfest: Christine Potter

January 1, 2020 By 18 Comments


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

Oh, Christmas Tree!

I never understood families who put up their Christmas trees early. I have to say that lately, there has been a whole lot of Christmas Tree Creep.  Right after Halloween is TOO SOON, people—I don’t care what is going on on The Hallmark Channel.  I can sort of kind of get the folks who unspool the lights for Thanksgiving—you’re going to do a fancy dinner, may as well get festive—but in my world, that’s robbing a late-autumn oasis of calm and gravy of its simplicity and loveliness.  Eat the meal and take a nap!

I don’t like to admit it, but I’m slightly old.  So I came up in the sixties, and my parents were the weird, arty family on the block.  We always had live trees, and they never went up before the week of The Day.  One year, my parents actually pulled off the whole Tree and Presents Magically Overnight. I don’t know how they did it, but my sister remembers it, too, so it must have happened.

I found my true love late in life, after a whole lot of romantic chaos best not discussed in a blog about Christmas trees.  And here’s the thing: he’s part elf.  (He’s also a church music director.  Dirty job.  Somebody’s gotta do it.) Ken loves and lives for Christmas trees.  They need to be enormous, live, dripping with a zillion lights and ornaments.  He has a collection of antique Christmas ornaments like you wouldn’t believe.  We don’t even have room for all of them most years, even though we put up three trees: one for the living room, one for the bedroom, and a mid-century modern one in the TV room.  The TV tree’s the only faux one of the bunch: aluminum with blue lights.  It’s very Jetsons, you know?  

Trees in our house go up on Ken’s birthday, December 14.  Raised as I was by almost-Christmas-Eve-is-plenty-of-time parents, that seemed awfully early, but I soon lost my Grinchy ways.  We drive to the Christmas Tree lot that morning, often after a breakfast of pancakes, and pick out two.   Our living room tree is enormous, a ceiling-scraper, and often very wide.  It’s very vintage. Even the lights on it used to be antiques, but we got tired of worrying about burning our house down a couple of years ago and have been rocking the LED’s since the technology got better.  The smaller bedroom tree sits on a table in front of a floor-to-ceiling mirror.  That one has lights that get left on 24/7 because Ken likes falling asleep in a room with Christmas lights (another good reason for the LED’s).   It actually is a sweet thing to do.

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It’s all a little exhausting, but it’s a good kind of exhaustion.  And on January 6th, it all goes away.  We’re strict about that.  Keeps it special.  We set aside a day called The De-Christmas-ification and box things up, vacuum, and enjoy having our house simple again.  There isn’t a lot of magic left in our sorry world—but I think Christmas trees are the strongest spell for happiness that we have.  

October, 1962
It’s almost Halloween, but something a lot scarier than ghosts is on everyone’s mind: nuclear war. After President Kennedy’s speech to the nation about the Cuban Missile Crisis, Grace Ingraham overhears her parents’ plans to keep her safe. She’ll be sent off to live with a wealthy uncle—in the nineteenth century.

Gracie’s from a family of Travelers, people who can escape into time. Too bad her mom and dad haven’t Traveled since their honeymoon trip to the Lincoln Inauguration. So Grace will have to go alone—even though taking a wrong turn can have serious consequences: like heading for 1890, and ending up …in 2018.

Christine Potter is a writer and poet from the lower Hudson River Valley. She’s the author of the time-traveling young adult series The Bean Books. She’s also a widely published poet with three collections of verse in print. Christine lives in a very old, slightly haunted house with her husband and two spoiled cats.

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Winter Blogfest: Elle Rush

December 31, 2019 By 17 Comments


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

20 in 2020

New Years Eve celebration background. Toast with fireworks and champagne at midnight

I saw something great for the coming year. It was a resolution for “20 in 2020”. It was setting a goal to do something twenty times over the next twelve months. Not per month. It averages to once every two to three weeks. That should be manageable for most people.

I love making resolutions for New Year’s Day. I love making resolutions at any time and saying, “My new goals start now”, but the beginning of the year is an especially good time to do it.  I also like to win. Putting those facts together means I know from experience that I can’t pick more than three serious resolutions for the year. Last year I concentrated on my health and am now exercising regularly. This year, I’m moving on to other goals.

While I’d love to make twenty resolutions for the new year, I think I’ll stick with doing something a multiple of 20 times. 

I might pick a couple of the following things:

  1. Purge 20 books I don’t read from my library.
  2. Purge 20 DVDs from my collection.
  3. Purge 20 pieces of clothing from my wardrobe that are worn out or don’t fit.
  4. Knit 20 hats for charity (I did 14 last year, so this is a reasonable goal.)
  5. Try 20 new recipes.

Some other ideas might be:

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  1. Read 20 books.
  2. Write 20 reviews or blog posts.
  3. Exercise for 20 minutes a day. From experience, I can say taking two 10-minute walks a day is a great break and loosens up your body when you’re sitting all day.

I may even be super-ambitious and try to do all of those. (I did look at walking 20 kilometers a week, but that ended up being about 12.5 miles, and there’s no way that’s going to happens so I’m not going to waste my time.)

Would you be up for 20 in 2020? What would your twenty be?

Twelve friends.
Ten-year reunion.
One $50,000,000 lottery ticket.

The only reason Dr. Doug Little returned to work in his dying hometown was to keep a promise. Two years and he’s gone. The only things getting him through his first couple months are his ten-year reunion and working with his old high-school crush.

Although Jackie Dunn loves her quiet world, her small-town life gets even harder when her part-time hospital job is in peril. If not for her friends’ encouragement, she’d head to the city for better opportunities for herself.

At the reunion, all the returning graduates chip in for a lottery ticket, but nobody expects to win the fifty-million-dollar jackpot. Doug’s share should be more than enough to buy his freedom, but the town doesn’t want to let their new doctor go. Jackie is the only thing that makes Hopewell bearable; the problem is the more time he spends with her, the more he forgets how much he wants to leave.

When he finally finds a way to escape, Doug realizes he’ll be doing it alone. Jackie doesn’t have much time to show him the life he accidentally created for himself in Hopewell is far better than anything his millions could buy him anywhere else.

Elle Rush is a contemporary romance author from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. When she’s not travelling, she’s hard at work writing books which are set all over the world. From Hollywood to the house next door, her heroes will make you sigh and her heroines will make you laugh out loud.

Elle has a degree in Spanish and French, barely passed German, and has flunked poetry in every language she ever studied, including English. She also has mild addictions to tea, her garden, bad sci-fi movies, and HGTV.

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Winter Blogfest: Jennifer Wilck

December 31, 2019 By 9 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Addicted to Love.

Hanukkah Memories

In our house, we celebrate Hanukkah. Through the years, many things about our celebration have changed. When the kids were young, we of course made a big deal about the holiday. We’d play music, serve latkes (potato pancakes), play dreidel and on a few of the eight nights, give presents. As the kids have gotten older, our traditions have changed.

The entire family gets together one night to exchange gifts with the grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. We all bring our menorahs—candelabras with room for nine candles—and we take big group photos of everyone lighting the candles. 

We get together with friends one night and our photos over the years show how much the kids have grown (and how willing or unwilling they are now to smile).

One of the eight nights is dedicated to giving back. Instead of presents for ourselves, we donate to a charity. Some years we’ve made blankets and quilts for our local animal shelter. Other years we’ve sent money to a charity we all agree on—a small miracle in and of itself, since we rarely all can agree on anything. Once when the kids were little, we went to the toy store, bought toys and games for kids who didn’t have any, and brought them to a local preschool.

My specialty for Hanukkah is making fried Oreos. The holiday celebrates the miracle of the oil lasting for eight nights, so our traditional foods are those made with lots of oil, like donuts. Several years ago, my husband and I went to a county fair in the summer and had fried Oreos. We loved them, and since they are deep fried, they fit the holiday perfectly. I found a recipe online to make them and ever since then, family and friends have demanded them every year. 

Now that my daughters are away at college, I mail their gifts early, trying to figure out the exact right time so that everything arrives on time and we can celebrate with them over FaceTime. Technology is terrific for that, but I confess to missing having them home and celebrating in person. 
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So whatever you celebrate, and however you do so, I wish you and your family happy and healthy times together!

Benjamin Cohen, widowed father of six-year-old Jessie, is doing his best to hold it together through order and routine. The last thing he needs is his matchmaker mother to set him up with her next door neighbor, no matter how attractive she is.

Rachel Schaecter’s dream of becoming a foster mother is right within her grasp, until her meddlesome neighbor tries to set her up with her handsome son. What’s worse? He’s the father of her favorite kindergarten student! She can’t afford to let anything come between her and her dream, no matter how gorgeous he may be.

Can these two determined people trust in the miracle of Hanukkah to let love and light into their lives?

Jennifer started telling herself stories as a little girl when she couldn’t fall asleep at night. Pretty soon, her head was filled with these stories and the characters that populated them. Even as an adult, she thinks about the characters and stories at night before she falls asleep or walking the dog. Eventually, she started writing them down. Her favorite stories to write are those with smart, sassy, independent heroines; handsome, strong and slightly vulnerable heroes; and her stories always end with happily ever after.

In the real world, she’s the mother of two amazing daughters and wife of one of the smartest men she knows. She believes humor is the only way to get through the day and does not believe in sharing her chocolate.

She writes contemporary romance, some of which are mainstream and some of which involve Jewish characters. She’s published with The Wild Rose Press and all her books are available through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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Winter Blogfest: Tena Stetler

December 31, 2019 By 17 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win One $10.00 amazon gift card.

New Year’s Resolutions

When my hubby and I left the fifth wheel all snug in a storage space under its cover until next spring, I said the holidays will be here before you know it. He chuckled and said, “Don’t I know it.”

In the blink of an eye, Christmas is knocking at the door, filled with family, friends and a great time to be had by all. Another year passed, but what was accomplished? Surprisingly, I met all of my 2019 New Year’s resolutions of 5,000 words written each week, won NaNoWriMo, 50,000 words in 30 days (but it was close),a new book contracted, I managed two, and spend quality time with family and friends. My list was short but attainable.  I try to keep it that way each year. 

This year in front of the Christmas tree decorated with bright multi-colored lights and ornaments that evoke wonderful memories, I ponder what the New Year will bring. I hope to have more quiet walks with the dog, more playtime with our parrot, take time to appreciate  and enjoy each day,  and  while working towards my professional goals, gonna up my word count goal to 6,000 words written in a week this year, take more time for family and friends.  

What are your New Year’s Resolutions? 
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For several months a Scottish Highland Ghost has haunted Daylan, in his personal life, his professional life and at his forge. Yet, being a talented warlock, he is no closer to discovering what the ghost wants or why he chose Daylan. A trip to his estranged sister’s home in Colorado may have unforeseen consequences especially when family history leads him to a shocking discovery.
As his attraction blooms for Josie, a yoga instructor in his sister’s studio, he realizes there may be more to Josie than he can imagine. When an ancient rogue Fae Warrior set on revenge kidnaps her in an attempt to claim her as his own, a devastating curse comes to light.
Daylan’s world spirals out of control as he searches for Josie. Can he break the age old curse to save her and their future, or will she be lost to him forever?

Tena Stetler is a best-selling author of award winning paranormal romance novels. She has an over-active imagination, which led to writing her first vampire romance as a tween to the chagrin of her mother and delight of her friends.
With the Rocky Mountains outside her window, she sits at her computer surrounded by a wide array of paranormal creatures, with a Navy SEAL or two mixed in telling their tales. Her books tell stories of magical kick-ass women and strong mystical males that dare to love them. Travel, adventure and a bit of mystery flourish in her books along with a few companion animals to round out the tales.
Colorado is her home; shared with her husband of many moons, a brilliant Chow Chow, a spoiled parrot and a forty-five-year-old box turtle. Any winter evening, you can find her curled up in front of a crackling fire with a good book, a mug of hot chocolate and a big bowl of popcorn.

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Winter Blogfest: Karen Michelle Nutt

December 30, 2019 By 28 Comments


This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Card (eCard).

Hark! Ye Merry Readers

Christmas music on an old wooden table with Christmas lights romantic scene with selective focus

In my short story, Fake Marriage with a Dash of Desire, featured in Hot Western Nights, my heroine of the tale loves to sing, and at Christmastime, would surely partake in good cheer by playing Christmas carols. Believe it or not, some of our most popular Holiday songs were written in the18th and 19th centuries.

 

Charles Wesley wrote Hark! the Herald Angels Sing in 1739 and appeared in John Welsey’s collection of Hymns and Sacred Poems. The original hymn began with “Hark how all the Welkin rings”; however, in 1782, the lyrics became “Hark! the Herald Angels sing/ Glory to the newborn king”, which is how we sing it today.

 

O Tannenbaum (Oh Christmas Tree), written in 1824, was a German Christmas song based on a folk song. Tannenbaum is a fir tree, and though the lyrics speak of faithfulness and the symbol of constancy, this song became a favorite at Christmastime.

 

Joseph Mohr composed Silent Night in 1818. Sometime before Christmas Eve, Mohr brought his ‘Silent Night’ Lyrics to Franz Xaver Gruber and asked him to compose a melody and guitar accompaniment for the Christmas Eve mass. (A river flooding had damaged the church organ.) It is unknown what inspired Mohr to write the lyrics, or what prompted him to create a new carol. An interesting tidbit: It wasn’t until 1995 that researchers uncovered that Mohr had written the words in 1816, and Gruber composed the music in 1818. Until then, they thought Haydn or Mozart had been the composer.

 

What’s more, everyday issues can be overwhelming to a parent who usually expects the thrill of breaking the last board on the last try and advancing to the next belt level and we have experienced the utter agony of no-change. levitra 20mg australia There is always some kind of medication that can beat impotency efficiently and can help you to make your sexual intercourse last longer and satisfied. deeprootsmag.org cialis online without prescription The former governor general has expressed his desire to tadalafil pills http://deeprootsmag.org/2017/09/18/over-there-when-americana-doesnt-mean-american/ take the correct dose. The reason is that this is a medicine that is available in different forms for example tablets, pill, get etc. female viagra online God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen was published in 1833 and appeared in the Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern, a collection of seasonal carols gathered by William B. Sandys. The lyrics are olde English and thought to date back to the 15th century. Unfortunately, the author is unknown. It is reputed to be one of the oldest carols. This haunting and mysterious carol is one of my all-time favorites.

 

Enjoy the rendition of the song on YouTube performed by Annie Lennox. The imagery is unique with its Victorian Christmas-card-feel but with a twist of medieval and pagan qualities.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlsJD8RlhbI]

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Jewel ran away from home, not wanting to marry a man twice her age. Nash stands to lose his inheritance if he does not find a bride in three months when he turns thirty. Both are at the mercy of their families, but the two concoct a plan that just might work.

A fake marriage. Later, a quick annulment. What could go wrong? Blame it on the hot summer nights, or toe-curling kisses, but pretending to be married isn’t as easy as it sounds.

 

Karen Michelle Nutt resides in California with her husband. Though her three children are grown and starting their own adventures, she still has a houseful of demanding pets. Jack, her Chorkie, is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.

When she’s not time traveling, fighting outlaws, or otherworldly creatures, she creates pre-made book covers to order at Gillian’s Book Covers, “Judge Your Book By Its Cover”.

Whether your reading fancy is paranormal, historical or time travel, all her stories capture the rich array of emotions that accompany the most fabulous human phenomena—falling in love.

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Buy the book at Amazon.

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