Happy New Year!

Here are the 2014 goals/resolutions from some of the Sweet Romance Reads authors! 

In 2014 I'm going to organize my social media and promotion activities to best utilize my time so I can write more. I'm also going to read more for pleasure.

Margaret Daley

 My New Year's Resolution is to enjoy life's little moments and try not to worry so much.

 Kate Hewitt

Author of The Other Side of The Bridge

  

My main resolution for 2014 is to promote, advertise, chat, blog, and be visible, communicate with my fans through Twitter, Facebook, newsletters, events and direct mails.

Mona Risk
Author of Christmas Here and Now


In 2014, I will get back into running and swimming because when I'm feeling good and healthy the writing goes much better!

Melissa McClone
Author of Home For Christmas
  

My New Year's resolution for 2014 is to develop a much more disciplined schedule, where I unplug the Internet and turn off the phone for three hours each morning and do nothing but write.

Ginny Baird
Author of Baby, Be Mine (Holiday Brides Book 5)

In 2014 I will finish the half-written manuscripts sitting on my computer, and I will stop eating soooo many cookies while I do my writing and editing work. 

Alicia Street

Author of The Christmas Honeymoon

In the new year, I'd like to find more balance. I tend to push too hard toward goals and responsibilities.  I need to remember this life only comes around once.

Melinda Curtis
Author of Dandelion Wishes

During 2014, I'm determined to find calm and balance--calm and balance in my professional life, calm and balance in my personal life.

Donna Fasano

Author of Reclaim My Heart

Publish one cozy mystery and one fun, sweet romance in 2014!

Beate Boeker

Author of Mischief in Italy

My resolution: This year I'm going to be neat, tidy and the most organised person in the world. I really am.

Joanne Hill

Author of Blue Creek Bachelor

I resolve to begin and end each day with gratitude, and in between, to do the best I can with what I have.

Magdalena Scott

Author of MIDNIGHT IN LEGEND, TN

To love better, eat better and work smarter. 

Sierra Donovan

Author of Meg's Confession

I'm focusing on health in 2014, both so I can be around to watch my granddaughter grow up and because I know my productivity will improve.

Aileen Fish

Author of The Incorrigible Mr. Lumley

Jello-Pineapple Minis by Melinda Curtis

My mom is old school.  She likes to have a Jell-O salad as a first course at the holidays.  That used to mean Jell-O displayed on a leaf of lettuce and topped with mayonnaise.  The first time Mr. Curtis ate this, he thought the mayonnaise was whipped cream.  Oh, the face!

Several years ago, I picked up this recipe from Rachel Raye's magazine and, with some variations, made it my own - Jell-O-Pineapple Minis.  Much to my mother's chagrin, it isn't its own course.  And I don't serve it on a bed of lettuce.  I offer it as one of the many sides whenever we have a family get-together.  It's a crowd-pleaser.

1-20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1-6 oz. pkg. Jell-O Strawberry Gelatin (choose another flavor if you feel daring)
1-small container blueberries (if you love cranberries, try a 16oz can of whole berry cranberry sauce)
2/3 cup walnut pieces (or pecans if you have some leftover)
1-small apple, chopped into bite size pieces
1-package holiday themed cupcake wrappers/muffin cups and cupcake tins to help Jell-O set

"Mash" the pineapple in the can, squeezing out as much juice as you can (this adds to the sweetness).  Add water to the juice to measure 2-1/4 cups.  Heat liquid to boiling either in a saucepan or microwave.  Pour liquid into bowl (one with a spout is useful) and mix with Jell-O about 2 minutes until completely dissolved.

Place cupcake wrappers into cupcake tins.  Recipe should make somewhere between 18-24 servings, depending upon how much fruit you add.  Pour Jell-O mixture into cupcake wrappers (I admit that I've made this for Christmas with Halloween cupcake wrappers - go with what you have!).  Add bits of crushed pineapple, blueberries (or whole cranberries as in the picture above), apple, and walnut pieces.  Refrigerate for 2-1/2 hours or until firm. 

Now, Rachel suggests you remove the liners and when you use expensive liners, they come out beautifully like the picture.  Despite me getting out my grandmother's china at the holidays, I admit I serve them in their cupcake wrappers.  Because when you use everyday wrappers, they don't come out so cleanly. 

Melinda Curtis writes the Harmony Valley series of sweet romances for the Harlequin Heartwarming line. Brenda Novak says: “Season of Change has found a place on my keeper shelf”.  Melinda also writes independently published, hotter romances as Mel Curtis. Jayne Ann Krentz says of Blue Rules: “Sharp, sassy, modern version of a screwball comedy from Hollywood's Golden Age except a lot hotter.”  Melinda is married to her college sweetheart, and has three kids in college.  She follows the NFL because one young quarterback is from her hometown, and follows Duke basketball because Mr. Curtis has a man crush on Coach K.

 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Collections by Merrillee Whren

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the family get-togethers, the yummy food, and the beautiful decorations. Over the years I have collected a lot of Christmas decorations. I started a collection of international Santas when one of the local department stores starting selling a few each year. I collected them until I had one from most countries. There may be more, but I don't have more room, so, for me, the collection is complete. Here's a couple of photos of how I have them displayed this year.

I have also collected Christmas ornaments since we got married. I have a dated one from every year. Besides the dated ornaments, I collect them when we travel. Here is one of my favorite dated ornaments.

Here is one that was handmade in Russia.

Here is what I call our family tree versus the formal tree I have in the living room. The family tree is filled with these collected ornaments and ones my kids made when they were in school.

The best collection I have is the nativity scenes. After I started collecting them, people started giving them to me. Finally, I had to tell them to stop because I just didn't have room to display them all. This is my favorite and one of the first in the collection. My hubby snagged in an after Christmas sale.

If you'd like to see more of my collection you can visit my Facebook author page. Here is a link.

Do you have any favorite Christmas collections?

~ * ~

Merrillee Whren is an award-winning author who writes inspirational romance. She is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award for best inspirational romance manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. She has also been the recipient of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of thirty plus years, and has two grown daughters. She has lived in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Florida but now makes her home in the Arizona desert. When she’s not writing or working for her husband’s recruiting firm, she spends her free time playing tennis or walking while she does the plotting for her novels. Please visit her Web site at http://www.merrilleewhren.com or connect with her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MerrilleeWhren.Author

Check out her latest book. 

Christmas Blues? Bah! by Sierra Donovan

We're getting down to the wire on Christmas, and everyone I know is starting to sweat.

Yes, the season started late this year. Thanksgiving fell on November 28th, the latest day it's possible for it to fall. And it seems like we've all been trying to make up for lost time ever since.

I'm pretty far behind myself.

Lights up? Check. House decorated? Check. Is it cleaned up for that party we're having tomorrow night? Gulp....

And let's don't even talk about the packages, or mailing our annual Christmas newsletter.

The thing is, Christmas was never meant to be a checklist. It was meant to be the celebration of a miracle. Every year I remind myself of that, and every year I stress about the things I haven't gotten done and might not get done.

If you're feeling that way right now, take a deep breath with me ... and fast-forward a few days.

No matter what gets done or undone, Christmas Eve will come, right on schedule. Night will fall. The stores will close. The streets will get empty ... and a certain stillness will fall.

Things will be as done as they're ever going to get.

I already know how I'm going to spend my Christmas Eve: dozing in the living room with my husband, while some of our favorite instrumental Christmas discs play on our old CD player.

Once we're done being frantic, we'll remember what Christmas is all about. A time of peace on earth ... even if it has to be reinforced by malls closing. A time for gazing at the tree lights, remembering the Christmas miracle and anticipating the morning.

Take heart, everyone. We'll get there.

Merry Christmas to all!

~ * ~

Sierra Donovan is a wife, a mother of two and a writer, though not always in that order. Her job and greatest joy is helping people find true love on the printed page. She's a firm believer in old movies, Christmas, chocolate fudge and happy endings. To find out more, feel free to drop by her website.

~ * ~

Sierra is the author of Meg's Confession and Love on the Air, which was a Holt Medallion finalist. Her next novel, No Christmas Like the Present, is due out in October 2014 from Kensington Books. Her books are available at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

Last Minute Gift Ideas: Cocoa Mix by Aileen Fish

As we get closer to Christmas, many of us go into panic mode. We need a quick gift for teacher, or a neighbor pops by with a tin of cookies and we want to reciprocate. My daughter just made a batch of hot cocoa mix to package for stocking stuffers and employee gifts, so I thought I'd share the idea.

Hot Cocoa Mix

Yield: 5 1/2 cups dry mix
Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Optional Ingredients:

1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup powdered nondairy creamer
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Directions:

To make the mix

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until evenly incorporated.
2. Pour hot cocoa mix into an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

To make hot cocoa

1. Fill a mug half full with the hot cocoa mix and pour in hot water.
2.Stir to combine.

Gift Ideas

Package the mix with mini marshmallows in an airtight container and top with a bow.

Stick a baggie of mix in a pretty mug; add a cinnamon stick or peppermint stick

~*~

Aileen Fish, author of The Bridgethorpe Brides series, writes traditional Regency romance, young adult romance and has a few contemporary romance plans for 2014. She is also an avid quilter and auto racing fan who finds there aren't enough hours in a day/week/lifetime to stay up with her "to do" list. There is always another quilt or story begging to steal away attention from the others. When she has a spare moment she enjoys spending time with her two daughters and their families, and her fairy princess granddaughter.

Stay up to date with book releases at her website http://aileenfish.com or on Facebook

Streusel-Topped Pies – 2 recipes! by Donna Fasano

As Christmas draw nears, baking ramps up in many kitchens. Today USA Bestselling Author Donna Fasano shares with us two streusel-topped pie recipes!

Blueberry Pie

1 9-inch deep dish pie shell, unbaked

5 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup white sugar
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter

Streusel-Topping

3 teaspoons butter, softened
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup flour

To assemble:

Sprinkle blueberries with lemon juice. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Stir well to combine. Cut better into tiny bits. Combine sugar/flour mixture and butter with the berries. Pour into pie shell.

To make streusel:

Add softened butter to a bowl. Using a fork, stir in brown sugar and flour until it looks like crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over blueberries.

Place pie on an aluminum covered baking sheet (to avoid overflow mess in the oven) and bake in a 400 degree oven for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until the berries are bubbly and the topping is golden.

Apple Cranberry Pie

Apple Cranberry Pie

1 9-inch deep dish pie shell, unbaked

2 apples, peeled and sliced
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel Topping

4 tablespoons butter, softened
½ cup flour
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup pecan pieces
1 teaspoon cinnamon

To assemble:

In a bowl, stir to combine the sweetened condensed milk, eggs, water, and cinnamon. Add cranberries and stir. Pour into the pie shell. Arrange the apple slices on top.

Make the streusel:

Combine all ingredients with a fork until mixture resembles crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over apples. Place on an aluminum covered baking sheet (to avoid overflow mess in the oven) and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees and back for another 30 minutes.

~ * ~

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Donna Fasano has written of over 30 novels that have sold nearly 4 million copies worldwide. You can find her on the internet: at her blog, and on Facebook, and on Twitter. She loves to hear from her readers. Her books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, Sony, and Apple iBooks.