Meet the Authors of Sweet Christmas Kisses 4 - Raine English and Denise Devine

Christmas in Walnut Creek

Raine English

 

 

 

“I absolutely love second-chance stories and when that story is as sweet as Christmas in Walnut Creek the love was instantaneous. I was born, raised, and still live in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont which serves as the setting for this story. Trust me when I say that snow, power-outages, and impassable roads are a part of life during a Vermont winter!

Christmas in Walnut Creek is the story of Jillian and Dane. They are a married couple that own and operate a beautiful inn until Dane takes on a great job offer that moves him to New York. Jillian is left to run the inn and as the months wear on (and loneliness sets in), Jillian decides that a divorce is the best option. It isn’t what she truly wants but she steals her heart against the hurt of his absence all while keeping a secret.

A holiday blizzard ensures that Dane (who was on his way to visit his parents while trying to figure out how to win Jillian back) is stranded at the inn. There are a few uncomfortable moments, a bit of heat, and a wonderful ending that prove that love can conquer all.”

~Heather G., Amazon Reviewer

 

Website: www.RaineEnglish.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RaineEnglish

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RaineEnglish

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/RaineEnglishNews

 

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/raine-english

 

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Once Upon a Christmas

Denise Devine

 

 

 

 

Like the reviewer above who said she loved second-chance stories, I too, am in love with the idea of two people reuniting and reconciling their past. I also love the idea of setting my story in a small town. I spent 5 years of my youth living in several small towns and I learned a lot about the unique characteristics of small town life that makes it so interesting. Here are ten true facts about small-town living in Minnesota:

The gossip mill is very active.

Everyone knows everyone else’s business.
Everyone has an opinion about everyone else’s business.
Many people are related to each other in some way. Distant relatives are referred to as “shirttail” relatives.
“Main Street” is usually only 1-2 blocks long.
There are usually more churches than beer joints.
People are very conservative and opinionated.
Most people drive pickups.
Hunting and fishing is a way of life.
Most little towns are principally one or two nationalities (Scandinavian, German, etc.).

In Once Upon a Christmas, the town is called West Loon Bay and it’s on Lake Tremolo. Though we have over 10,000 lakes in Minnesota, there is no such lake called Lake Tremolo. (Do you have any idea how hard it was to come up with a unique name?? Yikes!) I thought long and hard about what to name my lake and I eventually came up with the word tremolo. What makes that weird word so great? The dictionary describes it as “a wavering effect in a musical tone” and the word tremolo is used to describe the call of a loon—which is the Minnesota state bird.

There are many more stories to come set in this town. This year, the story is about Ashton. Next year it will be about Allyson and the year after that, Grace.

 

Website:  http://www.deniseannettedevine.com

Amazon Author Page:  http://www.amazon.com/author/denisedevine

Newsletter URL:  http://eepurl.com/csOJZL

 

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/denise-devine



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Sweet Christmas Kisses 4

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Brighten Your Home for Spring by Raine English

Here are five easy ways to brighten up your home and welcome in spring.

1. Fill vases with daffodils and tulips.

2. Freshen up your rooms. Change bedding, pillows, towels, and table linens for ones with lighter fabrics and colors.

3. Reorganize bookshelves. Sort books by size and subject, removing any ripped dust jackets. Arrange books vertically and horizontally, and then place knickknacks on some of the shelves to add visual interest.

4. Organize your closet. Get rid of clothes and accessories that you don’t wear, then categorize the rest by tops, pants, jeans, skirts, and dresses, then arrange by color. Your closet will look neat, and you’ll find things a lot easier.

5. Start an herb garden on your kitchen windowsill.

What are some of the ways you brighten up your home for spring?

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Too Good to Believe, book three in her sweet series, Love Always, is available now. It features three childhood friends who encounter a lot more than anticipated while searching for love. To receive information on all her new releases, you can sign up for her newsletter, visit her website, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Scroll down the right side of our blog and enter your email address under Newsletter Signup. Remember to join the Sweet Romance Reads Cafe too.

A Quick and Easy Chicken Soup Recipe! By Raine English

When it’s cold outside and I’m feeling under the weather, chicken soup always helps. However, I don’t enjoy spending a lot of time making it.

Here’s a quick and easy recipe that’s one of my favorites:

Chicken Soup

9 cups water

2 cans (14 1/2 oz.) chicken broth

6 carrots, chopped

3 medium onions, chopped

3 medium turnips, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped (can use flaked parsley instead)

3 tbsp. ketchup

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional:

1 cup cooked pasta (I use Tubettini)

2 eggs, whisked

Place vegetables in large pot, add water and seasonings. Bring to boil, then simmer until vegetables are cooked. Add broth and ketchup to pot. Simmer 10 minutes. Stir in whisked eggs and cooked pasta. Makes 4 – 6 servings.

What are some of your favorite quick and easy recipes?

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, along with steamier paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Too Good to Believe, book three in her sweet series, Love Always, is available now. It features three childhood friends who encounter a lot more than anticipated while searching for love. To receive information on all her new releases, you can sign up for her newsletter, visit her website, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Scroll down the right side of our blog and enter your email address under Newsletter Signup. Remember to join the Sweet Romance Reads Cafe too.

A Special Christmas by Raine English

Seventeen years ago, I rescued a dog on Christmas day. Chance was a young, unruly pit bull, but with lots of patience and training, she became a wonderful dog. When she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge two years ago, my family and I were heartbroken, and our other dog, Bailey, a French bulldog, was left without a playmate.

Whenever my friends would hear of a dog that needed a home, they’d contact me, but none of those animals seemed like the right fit for our family. Or maybe it was just that I wasn’t yet ready to open my heart to another dog.

This year, though, something special happened. Dolly came into my life, and it was love at first sight. This beautiful, sweet French bulldog became a member of the family two weeks before Christmas, and I couldn’t have asked for a better gift.

Did you receive something special this Christmas?

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, along with steamier paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Her latest sweet release, SAVING LAUREL, is about a tortured actress who finds love at Christmas with the help of a ghost from the past. To receive information on all her new releases, you can sign up for her newsletter, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter. Be sure to visit her website too.

And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Scroll down the right side of our blog and enter your email address under Newsletter Signup.

Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Centerpieces by Raine English

With all the work that goes into planning and preparing your Thanksgiving meal, you want your table to look festive and pretty, but who wants to spend a lot of time on a centerpiece? I sure don’t, and I bet you don’t either, so I’ve come up with a few quick and easy ideas to spruce up your holiday table.

Idea #1: Begin with a fall wreath. Place a large candle in the center—I used one with a sugar cookie scent—then fill in around it with colorful items you have on hand. I used gourds, but you could use apples, oranges, or pears.

Idea #2: Begin with the same fall wreath, but instead of the candle, use a small pumpkin and surround it with squash.

Idea #3: Fill a basket with gourds and squash.

Do you have any quick and easy centerpiece ideas?

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, along with steamier paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Her latest sweet release, SAVING LAUREL, is about a tortured actress who finds love at Christmas with the help of a ghost from the past. To receive information on all her new releases, you can sign up for her newsletter, go to her website, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

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Good-bye Summer by Raine English

As much as I hate to say good-bye to summer, I have to admit I don’t mind welcoming in fall. After all, September is one of my favorite months. Here in New England, the days are gorgeous. You don’t need a jacket yet, and some days are even still downright hot. However, the nights are cool. Perfect for sleeping. There’s no need for air-conditioning. Just open the windows.

Another thing I love about September is that the coffee shops have their pumpkin items back on the menu. My favorite: pumpkin spice lattes. I wish they were offered year round, but maybe the reason I’m so crazy about them is because they’re not.

Something else I like about this time of year is all the fairs. Strolling through row after row of arts and crafts while sipping on cider and enjoying a freshly made apple fritter, is a great way to spend the weekend.

The only thing I don’t like about September is when the leaves begin to fall because it’s a reminder that soon the trees will be bare and then not long after that, we’ll be heading into winter. One of my least favorite seasons.

What do you love about fall?

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, along with steamier paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Her latest sweet release, SECOND CHANCE BRIDE, features a reluctant bride, a telepathic rescue dog, and a widower who believes he’ll never find happiness again. To receive information on all her new releases, you can sign up for her newsletter, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Scroll down the right side of our blog and enter your email address under Newsletter Signup. Remember to join the Sweet Romance Reads Cafe too.

An Easy Summertime Recipe! By Raine English

It’s been hot! I mean really hot outside. I’m not a fan of cooking big meals in the summer anyway, but when temperatures reach one hundred degrees, I’m not turning on the oven.

Salads are something I can throw together quickly and easily. Here’s one of my favorites:

Pasta-Salmon Salad

2 cups boiled and cooled pasta

2 large tomatoes cut in wedges

1 can (8 oz.) salmon, flaked

3 scallions, chopped

1/3 cup green olives

1 cup olive oil

3 tbsp. red wine vinegar

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients; toss together until blended. Serve on lettuce. Garnish with parsley. Makes 4 – 6 servings.

NOTE: Grilled salmon, or any cooked meat or poultry you have on hand, may be substituted for the canned salmon.

What are some of your favorite summertime meals?

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, along with steamier paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. CHASING HAPPINESS, book one in the new sweet series, Love Always, is available now. It features three childhood friends who encounter a lot more than anticipated while searching for love. To receive information on all her new releases, you can sign up for her newsletter, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Scroll down the right side of our blog and enter your email address under Newsletter Signup. Remember to join the Sweet Romance Reads Cafe too.

Celebrating Father’s Day by Raine English

Sunday is Father’s Day, and like every Father’s Day for the last twenty-four years, it’s a tough day for my family. My dad was way too young when he passed—only in his fifties. His illness seemed to hit him suddenly and without warning, and then it proceeded to ravage his body. Six months later, he was gone, and my mom and I were left wondering how we were going to survive—two women alone in the world. No uncles, brothers, cousins. No men at all. To say we were unprepared would be an understatement, yet somehow, we survived.

My life went on, and I started my own family, but my mom never remarried. Through the years, I’ve tried to keep Father’s Day low-key for her sake. However, this year I feel like having a full-blown celebration. Maybe it’s because I thought I caught a whiff of my dad’s cologne the other day when I was in his favorite room, and I took that as a sign that it was time to convince my mom to celebrate his life on Sunday, instead of remembering the tragedy of his death. So I made reservations at a nice restaurant, and I’m happy to say that she’s agreed to come. We’ll have a chance to celebrate the love and laughter my father gave us while he was alive, which is what the day is all about.

Everyone honors the special men in their lives differently on Father’s Day. What do you do for yours?

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes sweet small-town contemporary romance, along with steamier paranormal and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. CHASING HAPPINESS, book one in the new sweet series, Love Always, will be available at the end of June. It features three childhood friends who encounter a lot more than anticipated while searching for love. To receive information on it and all her new releases, you can sign up for her newsletter, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter.

And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Scroll down the right side of our blog and enter your email address under Newsletter Signup. Remember to join the Sweet Romance Reads Cafe too.

May Flowers by Raine English

After a long dreary winter and a rainy April, I could hardly wait for some nice weather. Since I live in New England, there aren’t many months that I consider ideal. However, May comes pretty close. Days are generally warm, not hot and humid like July and August, and nights are cool—perfect for sleeping.

I love going out on my deck in the morning with my laptop and a cup of coffee. I seem to get more writing done when I work outside. The leaves are back on the trees. Everywhere you look is lush and green, and the flowers are in bloom. Some of my favorites are the azaleas, flax, hyacinth, and tulips. The splashes of red, pink, and purple are gorgeous.

What are some of your favorite May flowers?

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author, Raine English writes sweet small-town romance, paranormal, and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne du Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Her new lighthearted contemporary romance series, Love Always, will be available in June. It features three childhood friends who encounter a lot more than anticipated while searching for love. To learn more about Raine and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Have you signed up for the Sweet Romance Reads newsletter yet? Each issue features sweet romance flash fiction and delightful stories that will warm your heart. It also includes giveaways from our authors and news about their latest releases. Don’t miss another issue. Scroll down the right side of our blog and enter your email address under Newsletter Signup.

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Meeting Deadlines by Raine English

As an author, I’m used to working with deadlines. However, meeting them can still be a challenge. No matter how well I plan, something always comes up that threatens to throw me off course. It could be a family issue or a health matter.

One time it was a tree falling on the house. Not only did it knock out our power, but it came down across the driveway, crushing one of the cars and blocking the rest of them in. That issue presented a huge challenge. Somehow, I managed to get my work done on time, though. It was after that I realized it’s how we deal with our problems that’s most important. Over the years, I’ve learned to stay calm and focused. That’s what works best for me.

I had the opportunity to reiterate that philosophy to my daughter when she called me from college a few days ago in a panic because she hadn’t yet started the paper she had due the next day. After I convinced her that she could do it, she turned her paper in on time. Granted, she had to stay up all night, but she’s done that many times in the past. What college student hasn’t? However, she later found out her professor had granted her class an extension that had been posted on line. She’d missed it because she was so focused on her paper. But the important thing was that she got the job done when she didn’t think she would.

We all have deadlines of one form or another that can stress us out. How do you meet your deadlines?

~*~

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Raine English writes sweet small-town romance, paranormal, and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne de Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have made the Top 100 Bestseller lists at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To learn more about Raine, visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Why I Love Spring by Raine English

Two more days until the official start of spring, and I can’t wait. Not just because winter in New England has been one of the snowiest and coldest in years, or because I’m sick and tired of being cooped up in the house, but because two red-tailed hawks who made my yard their home five years ago will be back. Not that they ever leave for long, but they begin breeding in March, so they’re around full-time now.

Their nest is in a tree about fifty feet above the ground in the wooded area at the side of my house. Their eggs will be laid later this month, then a little over thirty days after that, the chicks will hatch. They’ll begin to fly about a month and a half later.

I love to watch the parents teach the baby hawks some skills, like learning to swoop. There was one time, though, that I held my breath while one of the babies dove down so fast, it almost hit the ground.

The female likes to perch on a branch on the tree just outside my kitchen window, giving me a great view. Last year I bought binoculars to get an even closer look at the gorgeous bird.

I’d be sad if they left, but since hawks mate for life, like to use the same nest year after year, and have a life span of about twenty years, I don’t think I have anything to worry about for a long time.

What do you love about spring?

~*~

USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Raine English writes sweet small-town romance, paranormal, and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne de Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have made the Top 100 Bestseller lists at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To learn more about Raine, visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Homemade Dog Biscuits by Raine English

I began cooking for my dogs years ago when one of them developed stomach issues. That also happened to be around the time all those pet food recalls began. And believe it or not, they’re still an issue. Just last week there was one, and the week before that too. I’ve spent hours in the kitchen baking chickens, boiling sweet potatoes, and making rice. Most people aren’t willing to go to that extreme, but there is something you can do to help keep your pet safe. A lot of the recalls involve dog treats. Instead of buying them, try making them yourself. A favorite of mine is peanut butter dog biscuits. They’re quick and easy. Just follow the recipe below for a healthy treat your dog will love.

                                                     

 

Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits  

Makes about 3 dozen biscuits

2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl and mix well. In another bowl, microwave the peanut butter for a few seconds to soften it, whisk in the milk, then slowly stir in the flour and baking powder. Flatten the dough to about ½-inch thickness and cut into 1 ½-inch squares.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then turn over biscuits and bake an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Store in a covered container.

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USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Raine English writes sweet small-town romance, paranormal, and Gothic romantic suspense. She’s a Daphne de Maurier Award winner and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have made the Top 100 Bestseller lists at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To learn more about Raine, visit her website. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

Beating the Winter Blahs by Raine English

Now that the holidays are over and all the decorations are put away, the thought of the long winter ahead can be pretty depressing. Especially living in New England, where in addition to the freezing cold, many days are just gray and dreary. It makes me long for summer. So what to do?

Brighten up the house. I start with my office, since that’s where I spend most of my time. I like to fill it with candles and fresh flowers. You can purchase bouquets inexpensively from your local grocery store.

Enjoy a cup of herbal tea.

Instead of a shower, take a long, hot bath and fill the tub with great-smelling salts or bubble bath, and you’ll feel the stress fade away.

Simmer a pot of water filled with cinnamon sticks. The scent will fill the house and lift your spirits.

Listen to your favorite upbeat music.

Think spring and have a light dessert of sherbet or sorbet.

On a sunny day, take a walk and really soak up those rays.

These are just a few ways to beat the winter blahs. There are many more. What are some that work for you?

~*~

USA Today bestselling author Raine English writes sweet small-town romances. She lives in New England with her family and her French bulldog, Bailey. For information on her books, visit her website at www.RaineEnglish.com.