The Good In You by Donna Fasano

What are your character strengths? Are you funny? Adventurous? Kind? Do you feel a deep need to be fair to everyone?

Character strengths are the positive traits that make you YOU. These traits allow you to demonstrate human goodness, and they act as avenues to creating a life of excellence, of virtue, of goodness.

Many people want to focus on the negative with the idea of correcting those things that are lacking. Author James Allen says in his book As A Man Thinketh, “As he thinketh, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.” Of course, this applies to men and woman alike. So while deliberating your weaknesses might bring some good, don’t spend all your time with those thoughts.  

Reflecting on the good in you will not only help you to feel more hopeful, doing so will also reveal the best of you, the person you want to be, rather than the person you do not want to be. Deciding which strengths you possess will help you continue to grow into the very best you and is crucial in living a more authentic life. Developing your character strengths is a lifelong project.

Here is a list of good character traits to get you started: appreciation, bravery, creativity, curiosity, fairness, forgiveness, gratitude, honesty, hope, humility, humor, judgment (yes, if used correctly, this is a strength), kindness, leadership, love of others, love of learning, perseverance, perspective, prudence, self-discipline, social awareness, spirituality, teamwork, zest for living.  

Learn about yourself. Focus on your strengths, and your quality of life is bound to improve. What is YOUR best character trait? In the comment section below, tell me what character strength you've spent your life developing. 

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Alert! The Sweet Romance Reads authors will be hosting the Santa’s Sweet Romance Reads Bash on December 17^th from Noon to 8 PM (Eastern Time). Join this event now! There will be lots of Christmas fun, games, and prizes.

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USA Today Bestselling Author Donna Fasano has written over 30 romance and women’s fiction novels. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Sign up for her newsletter. Feel free to contact her; she loves to hear from readers. Donna’s books are available in paperback and as ebooks for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and iBook.  

Experimenting at the Holidays...or not by Melinda Curtis

I know the holidays are a time of joy and togetherness. In our family, we had 4 of 7 grandchildren

come to Grandma's for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful seeing them all and fantastic seeing Grandma light up and talk to each one.

One thing that Grandma has always loved is experimenting with recipes, especially at the holidays. What she didn't learn (after having 3 kids go off to college) is that those kids return home and want the recipes they're used to. Here were some of the regular dishes they requested:

Turkey breast, cut for sandwiches (they didn't really eat much of it during the actual feast)

Honey baked ham (put a dent in my brother's wallet)

Mashed potatoes made by Mr. Curtis (he has the secret to creamy taters) and his southern gravy

Jello fruit and nut cups (made with less liquid to have the consistency of a cupcake - portable snack!)

StoveTop Stuffing (as opposed to the stuffing sometimes made by Grandma with olives and rice)

Banana Cream Pie (instead of pumpkin)

In the tradition of my mom, I ignored my own advice and experimented with the sweet potatoes and added blueberries, which although looked at with a jaundiced eye by the college returnees, were a hit.

What dishes are a must have at the holidays, even if they aren't exactly traditional?

Melinda Curtis is an award winning, USA Today bestseller.  She writes  sweet and emotional romances, the latest of which is Christmas, Actually from Harlequin Heartwarming. Brenda Novak says: “Season of Change has found a place on my keeper shelf”.  

Join Sweet Romance Reads in December for our annual holiday party on Facebook!

Do You Enjoy a Party? Short Romance stories?

 Then have I got a deal for you! 2 deals actually.

FIRST

The Sweet Romance Reads group is going to host a FACEBOOK party--Santa's Sweet Romance Reads Bash--on Wednesday December 17th at noon to 8 p.m. ET for any and all! See below for the link.  I'm already looking forward to it.

Several of our authors will be taking turns offering fun games, quizzes and giving out prizes! I'll be hosting a half hour around supper time. I'm going to try to find a fun Christmas trivia quiz. And many fun facts about Christmas. And maybe even a recipe!

SECOND

Shaleen Kapill will be posting a piece of flash fiction on Sunday December 7th. What is flash fiction, you ask? I'm going to let Shaleen explain it. But it's all part of the launch our group's enewsletter. If you love sweet romance reads (THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT!), this is for you! Now how to make sure you get  this--

We will be sending out a Christmas enewsletter with a collection of Christmas stories you won't want to miss! To sign up, please scroll down on the right and enter your email address under Mailing List. And don't miss our Santa's Sweet Romance Reads Bash on Facebook on Weds Dec17th-noon to 8 p.m. Eastern. Sign up to join in the fun here: http://on.fb.me/1yqvdOe

So we hope Sweet Romance Reads can add to your enjoyment of this wonderful holiday season. May I be the first to wish you A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!  

BTW,  I've just released "Where Honor Began," a novelette prequel to my novel, HONOR, the first in my "Quaker Brides" series.

BLURB:

How can unexpected visitors turn one’s world upside down?

Honor Penworthy, a young Maryland lady, tries to keep faith with a friend amidst family turmoil.

But the stakes rise higher when the war that seemed so faraway comes dangerously close to her and those she loves.

What a difference three days can make in one life--leaving a legacy of conflict but with honor.

To purchase, click cover.

Bell Ringing - It's all in the Family

My brother started bell ringing for the Salvation Army about ten years ago. Dave is a friendly guy and has no problem talking to strangers, so it was an easy fit for him. Once he realized how much he liked it, he decided to have some fun and asked his wife to make him a Santa suit. He usually starts growing a beard in July so by the time the Christmas season rolls around he looks like the real thing—even the belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly is real.

But he didn’t stop there. He bought an elf costume for each of his two adult daughters, Becky and Katie, and at least one accompanies him on every shift.

Not only does Dave have a lot of fun, but by the time his shift is over, his kettle is full, too.

Katie, Dave and me at Cub Foods in Forest Lake, Minnesota

A couple years ago, he started asking me to help out and I promised that I would do it once I retired.  I am retired now and this is my second year of bell ringing. Our usual spot is in front of a busy grocery store. Our favorite shift is the day before Thanksgiving. Dave rings the bells (one in each hand) and I hand out candy canes to everyone who donates. I am amazed at how generous people are—many people stuff $5, $10 and $20 into the kettle. Some people hand us cups of hot coffee and others simply thank us for volunteering.

I can see why Dave likes it so much. On the upside, you meet a lot of interesting people while working for a good cause. On the downside, you’re on your feet for several hours, it takes perseverance when the temp drops, but all-in-all, it really is a rewarding experience.

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USA Today bestselling author, Denise Devine has had a passion for books since she discovered Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder in second grade. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at age thirteen and has been writing ever since.

 

You can visit Denise at her website at www.deniseannettedevine.com or her Amazon author page at https://amazon.com/author/denisedevine

 

Merry Christmas, Darling at Amazon.com 

Thanksgiving Take Two- by Karen Rock

There are so many traditions surrounding Thanksgiving. Strangely, my favorite always happens after Gobble-Day. Nope. I’m not talking about a gluttony of shopping on Black Friday, although I never miss that either! I’m talking our family’s “friendly” competition on how to most creatively use Thanksgiving leftovers. Whenever one of us makes a new dish, we’re sure to tout it, looking for the praise, respect and the envy our cooking ingenuity surely deserves. lol. Since I was raised to believe that waste is a crime right up there with Murder One, my relatives and I go to extreme lengths to squeeze out every possible usage of what’s left of the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, rolls, gravy and so on. The more ingredients you can incorporate, the more impressive your recipe. Over the years, my sisters and I have swapped a lot of them, and here are a few of my favorites:

1. Thanksgiving pot pie. Between two readymade pie crusts, mix the gravy, veggies, turkey and stuffing together. Add chicken broth if needed. This gets rid of a lot of the leftovers and it’s delish.

2. Turkey soup. Even the turkey bones don’t go to waste! Boil them to get a rich broth and the scraps of meat that are impossible to pluck will fall right off. Win- win! Add the leftover vegetables and turkey along with pasta spirals at the end of cooking. Very filling and bonus points for using the carcass ;)

3. Potato Pancakes. Cold mashed potatoes make the best potato pancakes when mixed with egg and cheese and shaped into ovals before frying.

4. Turkey Stuffing Casserole. This will use up your stuffing, turkey, veggies, and turkey broth. Layer the turkey on the bottom with gravy, add veggies then spoon stuffing over it and top with grated cheese. Yum.

5. Pumpkin Pie Casserole. To use up your excess slices of pumpkin pie, mix in rolled oats, maple syrup and other ingredients with chopped-up pumpkin pie and bake for thirty minutes.

6. Turkey Tacos. Yes. My Mexican-food obsessed sister thought of these and they are really good. Shred the turkey meat and toss in frying pan with taco seasoning. This also works, though I haven’t tried it, with burritos or enchiladas… no plain turkey sandwiches for this bird!

7. Cranberry sauce. Yes. Even this gelatinous goop has another role beyond bringing color to the holiday table. It’s actually really good on a peanut butter sandwich, the tartness giving the traditional dish something special. Also, if you mix the cranberry sauce with cream cheese and leftover roasted nuts it makes an amazing cracker or pretzel dip.

8. Pumpkin Pie Milkshake. Okay. This is out there, but my brother-in-law, Kevin swears it’s amazing. You mix pumpkin pie with ice cream and a little sugar in a blender and top with whipped cream sprinkled with cinnamon or nutmeg.

9. Vegetable Frittata. Everyone in the family will clean up the veggies if you bake them in a frittata. I am a witness!

10. Stuffing. It’s my favorite part of Thanksgiving and I can waste a spoonful. Use it to stuff mushrooms and top with cheese for a great appetizer.

Who says Thanksgiving gets to be the best meal of the year?! I hope you enjoyed the leftover ideas. Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday season ahead ☺

Thanksgiving Traditionless - by Magdalena Scott

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

Okay, it's my second favorite after my birthday, but as far as national holidays, I love Thanksgiving best. That's because the day is not about stuff, but about gratitude, and I am a huge fan of gratitude.

Maybe my love of this holiday is what caused my freakishly high distress level when I found myself again this year, officially Thanksgiving Traditionless.

My life has changed so much in the last several years, and somehow Thanksgiving never got its own plan. Easter has a tradition. Christmas Eve has one, and Christmas Day.

But wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving was going to arrive without appropriate planning by me.

It does, you know. It arrives whether we're ready or not. Suddenly on the fourth Thursday of November, everybody is giving thanks, and--hey! That's it, isn't it? All I really have to accomplish is that. I've already eaten two big turkey dinners, one with family and one with church family. I've shared hugs and good wishes and listened to a fabulous choir song, and watched children play. I've touched base with people I had lost track of, and been blessed by those relationships.

On the official day this year, I will have dinner with another group of family. One morning this weekend I may go walking with a dear friend. Saturday I get to attend a baby shower, and my kids are coming over afterward for board games and biscuit pizzas.

Turns out my Thanksgiving tradition this year is Giving Thanks. Maybe by 2015 I'll come up with something more "set in stone," but then again, maybe not. Being flexible can add to the joy of the journey, when I realize it's a blessing.

Magdalena

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USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott is the author of several books in the Ladies of Legend, Tennessee series, and recently published Small Town Christmas, the first story in her new Serendipity, Indiana series. She loves to connect with readers, and invites everyone to visit her website, www.magdalenascott.com.

We Give Thanks

As those of us in the United States pause to celebrate with our families and reflect on what we are grateful for, high on our list are the readers who allow us to pursue our passion for writing sweet love stories. While many of us would write even if the books never saw the light of day, having them enjoyed by so many readers gives us such joy. We are thankful for each and every one of you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Sweet Romance Reads Authors