Wishing You Joy and Serenity for This Holiday Season

2024 has been a tough one for me. We've had to make some tough and a little heart-rendering family decisions. As a result, joy and serenity have been somewhat elusive for me. My granddaughter and her husband's announcement that they are expecting in February did a lot to boost my joy. New life for the new year. But I couldn't seem to escape that "waiting for the next shoe to drop" feeling.

Finding Serenity

Then, in October, I noticed how calm my daughter looked knitting, and I saw a request from an organization looking for premie and newborn hats. I pulled out my long-dormant crocheting stuff and found the serenity I needed, starting with a few hats.

Next up was a hat and booties to give our first great-grandchild this Christmas and a blanket as a gift for an upcoming baby shower. (The expectant parents have chosen not to know the baby's sex before birth.)

I also made our son a hat for Christmas.

Coming Up

Along with more baby hats, I plan to make this stuffed toy. The grandfather-to-be raises pastured pigs. 

This supposedly easy-to-make sweater also caught my eye.

Do you have an activity (in addition to prayer) that helps take the edge off life?

Just for Fun

I love these.

SEE ALL MY HOLIDAY BOOKS HERE

Merry Christmas...and a wonderful recipe! Roxanne Rustand

         

Happy holidays!

Though it seems like Halloween was just last week, here we are on December 5th.

I'm not nearly close enough to being ready for Christmas!   How about you?

Here is a link for CHRISTMAS DANGER in case you'd like a Clean Romantic Suspense novel to enjoy during the holidays.  💕  It's free on Kindle Unlimited, or just $3.99 to buy.

December brings the celebration of Christmas and FOUR family birthdays. With the days of preparation for Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, I'm starting to reconsider my Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals.

There are so many things I love to make in the Scandinavian tradition of my Swedish mom. It doesn't seem like Christmas without all of them. 

But do I want to be exhausted, or do I want more time to simply enjoy this most special holiday this year? 

Do you have a Christmas family gathering at your own home, or do you enjoy the day elsewhere with family or friends? 

What are your most favorite foods to make for the holiday? I would love to hear about what you make and enjoy! 

Leave a comment and you can be in a drawing for a free copy of Dangerous Holiday!
It's usually $3.99 to buy, or free on Kindle Unlimited.

Here's a recipe  I want to share because it is so easy and sooo good!   😍😍  If you don't have a bread machine, you can make them per usual.

BUTTER  ROLLS

Add to your bread machine in order listed:

1 cup milk (I use whole, but you can use any type)

1/2 cup butter 

1/3 cup sugar

2 lightly beaten eggs

1 1/2 tsp salt

3 cups bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp vital wheat gluten

2 1/4 tsp  yeast

Extra butter for buttering a 9x13 pan and for brushing on the tops of the rolls before rising.

💗💗💗💗

Prepare dough with the dough setting on your machine. 
Then turn out the dough (no extra kneading) and divide into 12 dough balls for large, fluffy rolls  or 24 dough balls for smaller rolls. It's also good for bread sticks or haburger buns.

Brush the tops with melted butter, cover, and let it rise for around 40 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for until lightly golden on top. Brush tops with butter. I know, lots of butter overall--but they are just so good! And it's a holiday or for a special meal, right?  😉

They freeze beautifully--just pop them in a 425 degree oven for six or seven minutes. Watch closely so they don't get too dark and dry.

You can use all bread flour instead, and then skip the vital wheat gluten.

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas to you all,
Roxanne Rustand 

www.roxannerustand.com

Lyn Cote announces 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!

 Lyn Cote here~Here’s a great holiday giveaway—The “12 Days of Christmas 12 Author Promo!” Each author will offer an ebook free on their assigned day as a gift to readers. Now that’s a Christmas Extravaganza! Most of the books will be “Christmasy!” Mine—Mistletoe and Sage, Season of Malice—will be Free on Dec 9^th! (Mine will continue free till Dec 13^th, but most others will be free just on that day.) SO HOW CAN YOU ACCESS THIS 12 DAYS OF FREE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE BOOKS BY 12 AUTHORS, such as Robin Patchen, Lisa Phillips, etc? Just click here to see them all. And if you’re like me, a reminder would be good. Click this link and sign up for a daily reminder, starting the 4^th so you don’t forget! We may be too busy with the holiday to read them all right away, but tuck them onto your ereader for those after-holidays cozy reading times!

Christmas Blessings??? Christmas Romance?

 Lyn  Cote here~I'l like to share one of my Christmas blessings.

My husband and I moved to the northwoods of WI in the early 2000’s. On the first Christmas morning I witnessed something called sublimation. Not psychologically but in chemistry. Here’s what I mean. 

I was standing at the kitchen window and looked out and I saw what looked like snow but special snow I’d never seen before. And the sun was shining brightly--not a cloud in the clear blue sky. Where could snow come from without clouds?  And it was the most beautiful snow I’d ever seen--like cascades of crushed diamonds--veils of them coming down in shimmering waves. I was transfixed. And when the blessing finally ended, the snowy ground glittered like a field of diamonds. I was uplifted, filled with joy. And this happened again on another Christmas morning. Twice--I was amazed.

My husband explained sublimation. Here’s the dictionary definition.

Chemistry.--to convert (a solid substance) by heat into a vapor, which on cooling condenses again to solid form, without apparent liquefaction.

He explained to me that the vapor was being translated into solid form--snow--without becoming liquid first.

Since it happened twice and both times on Christmas morning, I took both as a special gifts from God--for all of us who witnessed it. Have you ever experienced a special blessing like this at Christmas? It doesn’t have to be from nature but from another person. BTW, I received two other Christmas blessings, both my children were born in December. :-) 

Here’s a short-short story I wrote about another Christmas blessing, Love.

Christmas Eve at Old Ft. Bowie  

by Lyn Cote

Gazing out at the scrubbed-covered mountains, Emmeline dabbed her eyes.  In spite of her efforts, her husband had sensed her unhappiness earlier at breakfast.

“What’s wrong, dearest?” he’d asked, gently touching her hand.

She’d forced a smile. “Homesickness. I doubt we’ll have a Christmas tree.”

Yes, Fort Bowie, Arizona, was nothing like pine-forested Wisconsin. But six months ago, she’d chosen to trust God to lead her to a good man. He had through a letter sent to the Milwaukee newspaper, asking if any brave woman would take a chance on marrying a lonely soldier in the West. After many letters and an arduous railroad journey, she’d married Captain Gardner Winslow, becoming an army wife with all its worries. 

Their fort guarded a natural spring, life itself here in the desert. With Geronimo on the loose, her husband was again out keeping the stage route safe. And that’s why I’m foolish to be sniffling over a Christmas tree. Gardner is risking his life protecting others.

Emmeline hurried to her kitchen. She’d have a smile on her face and atasty meal waiting whenever her captain returned tonight!

***

Much later dozing in the chair, she awoke in near darkness.

Gardner stood before her with---

“I know it’s the sorriest excuse for a Christmas tree ever.”

The tree was a scraggly scrub all right. Rising, she hugged Gardner with the fragrant pine between them, pressing against his firm chest. “I’m sorry I even brought it up.” 

“Emmeline, you gave up a fine life for me.” 

“I gave up a fine life for a finer man.”

***

Hope you enjoyed this little peek into a long ago Christmas and Merry Christmas to You!

BTW, want to read a sweet Christmas novella? How about my Mavis's Forever Christmas?

A later in life hero and heroine join forces to help an expectant mom and a stray mama dog and her pups~

Never married, Mavis, a retired college librarian, has made a new life for herself near her “adopted” niece Ellie. Over a year ago, John lost his wife, who was Mavis's best friend for nearly forty years. He has spent the past months traveling with his trailer, trying to figure out this new life. But when his only daughter Ellie faces complications with a difficult pregnancy, he’s pulled back to her hometown. 

Helping Ellie brings Mavis and John close once again, and new feelings and attractions spark. Maybe falling in love isn’t just for the young, but is it right? And it feels like a betrayal of his wife and/or her best friend, but is it? By a Carol Award-winning author, this emotional, small town, family drama will touch your heart. And an adventurous little puppy will make you smile.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9K9Z2TK/

 

Christmas Comes Early by Laura Scott

 

Merry Christmas!

Okay, I know it's technically the last day of November, but I'm thrilled to be releasing Cassidy, the last book in my Oath of Honor series on December 3rd. That's only three days away! Treat yourself to an early Christmas gift and get Cassidy before the holiday. You'll love Cassidy and Gabe's story.

If you'd like to get this book for 15% off you can buy directly from my website:laurascottbooks.com. Just enter the code Laurascott15 for your discount!

I have heard from several readers who wanted Gabe's story, so I decided he and Cassidy should have their happily ever after. Their relationship becomes complicated when Gabe is attacked and suffers from amnesia. Will he remember what happened and save his younger half brother before it's too late?

Cassidy by Laura Scott $3.99

Amazon B&N Apple GooglePlay Kobo Laura's Website

I've had so much fun writing this series and I will miss these wonderful characters. But you know me, I always have another series cooking away in the back of my brain. Next year I'll kick off my Sullivan K9 Search and Rescue Series. This is a family that dedicates their time by offering Search and Rescue services. Much like the Finnegan family, these siblings are close and help each other out when getting in trouble. Dog lovers will adore this series. And just like Cassidy, if you'd like to buy directly from my website you can get Scent of Danger for 15% off by using the code Laurascott15. 

Scent of Danger By Laura Scott $3.99

Kidnapped in Wyoming!

DEA Agent Doug Bridges is angry to realize his stepsister has been kidnapped after her night shift at the hospital. He goes into full agent mode to investigate, but soon runs into dead ends. Winter in northern Wyoming is no joke and he needs help, fast. When he’s referred to the Sullivan K-9 Search and Rescue team, he convinces Maya Sullivan and her Siberian Husky Zion to help him find Emily.

The oldest of nine siblings, Maya knows Emily through her youngest sister Kendra and doesn’t hesitate to offer her K-9’s tracking skills. But two episodes of gunfire, followed by a personal attack against Maya leads to more questions. Was the attack against Maya connected to Emily’s kidnapping? As a blizzard threatens to blanket the city with a foot of snow, Maya and Doug are in a race against time. Will they find Emily and a chance at love before it’s too late?

Amazon B&N Apple GooglePlay Kobo Laura's Website

Kazuri: Women Helping Women, by Susan Aylworth

Kazuri is a Swahili word meaning "It's good." The Kazuri bead factory and shop in Nairobi, Kenya is good. Founded by a single mom who learned she could make and sell pretty beads, the facility now hires only single moms, and what they accomplish is amazing. Good people who help others are among the many gifts for which I am grateful this season.

When our group pulled in beside the factory, we were greeted by Stella who introduced herself as our guide. She toured us through the factory and the shop, showing us the work in progress along the way.

Everything we saw, even the lights in the factory, was decked in ceramic beads. We watched talented creators form beads from the clay of Mt. Kenya mixed with silica and other substances. Other women shaped tiny ceramic elephants or other creatures intended as keepsakes. 

An accomplished team put formed ceramic products into a kiln while others painted the finished beads. Each of the women has developed a signature style for her work. Some of the beads simulate natural stones or gems; others are shapes and colors not found in nature. 

The beads they produce come in varied styles, some elegant and some whimsical, and are eventually put together in different earrings, bracelets, and necklaces in many sizes. 

While I very much admire the work these talented women produce, I am equally impressed with their purpose. One single mother found a way to support her family, and she is now paying it forward, bringing teams of other women into her work. It's women helping women, and our world can always use that.

You can see the work these ladies produce, and possibly even indulge yourself or a loved one with a lovely gift at the Kazuri Beads online store. As the Swahili name says, "It's good."

When you're thinking of a small indulgence, check out All Roads Lead to Christmas Town, available now for preorder and releasing November 29. It's a collection of the first three Christmas Town novels, three full books in one for only $1.99. 

May you enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, my friends. Know I am grateful for you all. 

Susan Aylworth is the author of 26 published novels including two small-town sweet romance series set in and near the Navajo Nation and in the Sierra Nevada foothills, as well as five books in the Christmas Town series. Susan lives near Utah's Rocky Mountains. CHASING RAINBOWS, Book 10 in her Rainbow Rock Romances, was released in September, the anthology ALL ROADS LEAD TO CHRISTMAS TOWN releases this week,  and Book 6 in the Christmas Town series, A VALENTINE IN CHRISTMAS TOWN, is coming in January. Susan loves travel, music, her large and scattered family, perfect raspberry jam, and hearing from readers. Contact her at her website: susanaylworthauthor.com,  or via susan.aylworth.author@gmail.com, also @SusanAylworth. 

Camille Elliot Behind the Scenes: Original Cover

Prelude for a Lord (the extended version) releases on Amazon on December 2! You can buy it early at a discount from my website.

(Want to join my Launch Team?)

The current cover is actually the second version of the cover for this book. Here’s what the original cover from my publisher, Zondervan, looked like.

The original stock photo was of a blonde woman, and when I pointed out the error, the graphic designer at Zondervan did a nice job coloring her hair brown.

For the new cover, I kept the orange and blue colors but chose a model in profile rather than with her entire face hidden.

This new re-release is an extended version of the original book. Zondervan had a strict word count of 100,000 words, but my original manuscript was 120,000 words, so I had to cut 20,000 words.

But when I got my rights back and started planning to re-release it, I realized I could release the original manuscript before it was cut. So the version coming out is the uncut, extended version.

Here’s the back cover description:

Book One in the Gentlemen Quartet series

An awkward young woman. A haunted young man. A forbidden instrument. Can the love of music bring them together . . . or will it tear them apart?

Bath, England—1811

At twenty-eight, Alethea Sutherton is past her prime for courtship; but social mores have never been her forté. She might be a lady, but she is first and foremost a musician.

In Regency England, however, the violin is considered an inappropriate instrument for a lady. Ostracized by society for her passion, Alethea practices in secret and waits for her chance to flee to the Continent, where she can play without scandal.

But when a thief’s interest in her violin endangers her and her family, Alethea is determined to discover the enigmatic origins of her instrument . . . with the help of the dark, brooding Lord Dommick.

Scarred by war, Dommick finds solace only in playing his violin. He is persuaded to help Alethea, and discovers an entirely new yearning in his soul.

Alethea finds her reluctant heart drawn to Dommick in the sweetest of duets . . . just as the thief’s desperation builds to a tragic crescendo . . .

Buy Prelude for a Lord

Wrapped Up in Christmas Love by Janice Lynn

Okay, so Wrapped Up in Christmas Love is the title of my latest book and I love talking about Zach & Isabelle's story. But, for once, I'm actually talking about a different type of being Wrapped Up in Christmas Love. :) 

So, I haven't started decorating for Christmas yet. I usually do this the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We have a family gathering at my house on "Black Friday" and I like having the house look fallish for that dinner. However, my son & his wife will be home for Christmas the week of December 8th so we are doing Christmas early so as many of us as can be together at once can celebrate together. 

When I start thinking about decorating, then I have to think about presents. I've got some work to do there as I've only bought gifts for the Grands. :) For those sweeties, I'm ahead of the game. :) Not that I've wrapped any of those adorable gifts, but I'll share one from last year. We've had a lot of fun with this blue bear & book. :) 

Which leads me to what my blog is actually about--wrapping presents! Are you an expert wrapper to where every gift is in matching paper and ribbon? Do you just wrap them up with whatever paper has caught your eye? Do you buy bags and put the presents inside? Or the gift boxes where you just place the present into them? Or more like me and have a smorgasbord of all of the above? 

I have started doing a wrapping trick to make my life a little simpler. I try to use the same paper for an event. That means if I'm going to my parents, I try to wrap all the presents that go to their house for various family members in the same or similar paper. I also try to put them all together. For Michael's family, I use different paper and try to put those presents together. And, so forth. When I do this, it makes my life much less stressful. I don't want to forget anyone's gift and feel this helps cut down on the risk of my doing that. It also helps keep me from having to dig around under the tree. I tend to knock ornaments off when I do that, so my not having to do that is a good thing. 

How about you? Do you have any great wrapping tricks/tips that simplify your life?

With all that time you'll save on wrapping and searching, maybe you'll have extra reading time to check out Wrapped Up in Christmas Love, the fourth book of my Wrapped Up in Christmas series from Tule Publishing. The first three books were originally published with Hallmark. This fourth book features a Quilts of Valor, the Butterflies, and is Isabelle Davis's love story. It's a special one!WRAPPED UP IN CHRISTMAS LOVE November 12, 2024 from Tule Publishing. Order your copy today. Amazon Barnes & Noble

Wrapped Up in Christmas Hope https://amzn.to/3Twuyec
Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy https://amzn.to/47wB8qW
Wrapped Up in Christmas https://amzn.to/4gvI1wP

USA Today, Wall Street Journal, & Publishers Weekly Bestselling author JANICE LYNN lives in Tennessee with her Prince Charming and their princes and princesses, her vivid imagination, an adorable Maltese named Halo who's the true royalty of the house, and bunches of unnamed dust bunnies that moved in after Janice started her writing career. In addition to writing romance, Janice is a nurse practitioner, a quilter, a military mama, and an avid supporter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. www.janicelynn.com  

From Real Life to Romance: The Story Behind Frosted Mistletoe Kisses

Real-life moments often hold the spark of a great story—those little encounters, quiet places, or chance connections that inspire something bigger. Sometimes, life’s most ordinary experiences plant the seeds for extraordinary tales.

What happens when the walls of a historic building whisper secrets of love, hope, and second chances? In Frosted Mistletoe Kisses, those whispers turned into a story worth telling.The inspiration for Frosted Mistletoe Kisses stems from a real-life experience: renting a room in a historic building in Great Falls, Montana.

This grand old building, with its wooden staircases and creaky floorboards, provided the perfect backdrop for a heartwarming love story.

Amelia and Lucas are neighbors in this historic building. A mutual friend’s wedding, taking place on the bottom floor of the building, will open the doors to their happily ever after.  This historic setting not only inspired the backdrop

for Frosted Mistletoe Kisses but also shaped the tone of the story—a blend of warmth, nostalgia, and a hint of mystery. The building, much like the characters, has layers of history that hide secrets and stories waiting to be uncovered. In the excerpt below, you’ll see how Amelia’s surroundings mirror her journey of transformation and connection, and how a chance meeting with Lucas at the staircase adds a spark of anticipation to her day.

Here’s a glimpse of the story where love shines, a hidden identity will be revealed, and mystery and second chances intertwine in the historic Granville building.  

 ❤️ 🎄 📖 ❤️ 🎄 📖 ❤️ 🎄 📖

Amelia felt a gentle connection with the apartment building, remodeled to meet contemporary demands. It symbolized her life. She’d seen some things, but she had emerged from the problems better suited to friendships and the world in general. 

Caught in the pleasantness of her thoughts, Amelia didn’t hear the door down the hall open, but her ears had caught the sounds from the quiet meeting of wood against the frame and the jingling of keys turned in a lock. The carpet muffled the neighbor’s footsteps on his or her way to an errand—or a job. 

It could have been anyone. A couple of the apartments were rented to her former housemates—or one of the owners of the businesses who rented the storefronts on the first floor. —it could have been Amelia’s favorite person. 

She glanced up. It was him. Lucas. Neither former housemate nor business owner, Lucas also lived on the second floor of the historic Granville building.  Whoever owned the building was gracious enough to offer him an apartment that was priced according to his income as well. He’d been the handyman of the Second Chances Center.

The absence of a coat hinted that he was headed to the same place as Amelia. Rex’s coffee house. Amelia admired his rugged look, jeans, and a buttoned denim shirt. His hair was slightly mussed, and his closely shaved salt-and-pepper beard gave his chin a gravelly texture. 

Their paths converged at the top of the stairs that would take them from the second floor of the older building to the first. The third floor was an apartment all unto itself. Amelia glanced up, chancing a peek hoping for the answer to the question she hadn’t voiced. Who lived up there? She’d heard movement late at night but had never met the person behind the doors. Nobody knew.

Occasionally, from the outside, they’d seen a figure in the window, but they’d never seen a face.  Everyone speculated that it was a grumpy older man who hated people but liked the prestige of living in central Hope Springs. 

From what she saw from her perspective, at the bottom of the stairwell leading to the front doorway, the entryway to the third-floor clearing was dull. No Christmas lights were lining the top of the wall. Nothing about that area could be interpreted as festive. It sent a chill down her spine. She wrapped her plaid scarf around her neck to fend off the cold. Then she tugged her ponytail free of the temporary tangle. 

“Ready for all the excitement?”

❤️ 🎄 📖 ❤️ 🎄 📖  ❤️ 🎄 📖 

Mark your calendars! Frosted Mistletoe Kisses launches on November 28th as part of the heartwarming Mistletoe Kisses romance series. Starting now through mid-December, a new short and sweet holiday read will debut every day in the Kindle Unlimited Library. Don’t miss this festive celebration of love and happily ever afters! Check out the Weekly releases here:

❤️  https://www.cleanromancebookgirlies.com/mistletoe-kisses-week-4-releases/ ❤️

❤️ 🎄 📖 ❤️ 🎄 📖  ❤️ 🎄 📖 

One last thing......My husband and I share a love for exploring old buildings, and this story was inspired by one of our favorite visits. If you know of any historic spots we should check out, drop a comment below! We’re always looking for new places to explore—and who knows, they might just inspire my next romance.

Fall Colors by Merrillee Whren

 Last month I talked about going on cruises. This month I'm going to share photos from our most recent cruise to New England and Canada. The cruise sailed from Boston. The weather was lovely the day we sailed, and thus, I forgot the coat I had dragged all the way from hot Arizona. So I got a new coat in Bar Harbor, Maine, our first stop on the cruise. Here I am in my new coat, while I stood at the entrance to the public gardens in Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

 Here is a photo that I took in the public gardens. The flowers were gorgeous.

 

 

On our next stop, Sydney, we rented a car and drove into the countryside and stopped in the little town of Baddeck. On the way we saw beautiful fall colors. We had lunch there. I had the most amazing grilled cheese sandwich. Here is a photo of the colorful foliage.

 

 

 

Our next stop was Prince Edward Island, which is famous for the Anne of Green Gables books. Here's a photo of the house that inspired the house in the books.

 

After our visit to Prince Edward Island, we sailed down the St. Lawrence River toward Quebec City. The leaves along the shore were spectacular, as was the foliage in and around Quebec City. The title photo was taken just outside the city near the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Deaupre. Here is a photo of the foliage along the river. 

We stayed a couple of days in Quebec before renting a car and driving to Montreal. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy and cold in Montreal so other than taking a bus tour we didn't get to do much sight seeing. Here is a photo I took from our hotel room.

In keeping with the fall colors theme, I have a couple of books that start in the fall, and both of them end around Christmas time. You can find information about Second Chance Love by clicking or tapping on the title.

The other book is A Family to Call Ours. Again you can find information about the book by clicking or tapping on the title. 

What is your favorite thing about fall?

Merrillee Whren is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award presented by Romance Writers of American. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of forty-plus years, and has two grown daughters. Connect with her on her Facebook page and sign up for her newsletter.