WISHING YOU A HAPPY & PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!
Happy New Year! After Christmas is done and all the decorations are put away, it’s time for reflection. What was accomplished in 2016? What will 2017 bring?
I learned a lot more about the promotion side of the publishing business and the importance of social media. My Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Amazon Author page and Goodreads Author accounts are brimming with activity. If you get a moment, check them out.
Author’s Secrets roared to life in 2016, it’s my second blog and welcomes a wide variety of authors, their new releases, character interviews and conversations about the craft of writing. Stop by discover some interesting tidbits and find your next great read.
Once again I challenged myself in National Novel Writing Month which happens in November (NaNoWriMo) I succeeded in completing 56,700 words in thirty days. I love the camaraderie with hundreds of other writers all over the world and it usually results in a good start on my next novel. This year was no exception. Woohoo!
In 2016, I finally got a handle on the process of creating fun, informative, and well formatted newsletters. It’s not as easy as it looks. My author newsletter goes out quarterly, with updates, contests and recipes. Feel free to sign up.
What’s up for 2017? I’m glad you asked. My fifth book, A Warlock’s Secrets will release early in the year. Hopefully, the third and fourth books in the series will follow in 2017. I hope we have no more softball size hail storms. That was an adventure I’d rather not repeat. A trip to Disneyland and Universal Studios is planned for our milestone wedding anniversary. Yep, Star Wars and Harry Potter fan here.
Believe it or not I’ve already made a few camping reservations for the spring and summer. In Colorado, if you don’t get reservations early (six months from arrival date) you’re out of luck in a lot of the state and national parks.
I continue to strive to reach my goal of 5000 – 7,000 words a week, which I did manage to meet (barely) in 2016. Spend quality time with my family and friends, take long walks with my dog and more play-time with my parrot. I am determined to find a way to reduce stress and take control of my life. (Yeah, right. Sounds good though.) And lastly, work at being more patient, that has never been my strong suit.
How was your 2016? Did it meet your expectations? What about 2017? Any resolutions, changes you want to make, plans or vacations you want to take or do? Please leave comments as to what you are looking forward to in 2017!
Wishing you a safe, heath, prosperous and Happy New Year!
Next we tackle Valentine’s Day, camping plans and Spring. See you then.
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Posted in Food for Thought, Holidays, My Say What Blog by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Christmas & Holiday Traditions
Fun things about Christmas is traditions. Take for instance, the Land Down Under, because, well, someday I want to visit there, just
probably not at Christmas. The English and Irish predominately settled Australia so it stands to reason their traditions reflect those countries. Aussie’s decorate their homes with ferns, palm leaves and evergreens along with blooming flowers of Christmas Bush and Christmas Bell Flower. It’s summer time in December down under, when most of the United States is looking forward to big flakes and blankets of snow for a white Christmas. Carols by Candlelight is one of the popular events in Australia. People come together under the stars at night to light candles and sing Christmas carols. Seems to me, it’s not far from our own tradition of Christmas carolers. I just can’t imagine Christmas without snow, that’s why I live in Colorado.
Because I am of Swedish descent, let’s take a peek at Christmas traditions in Sweden where in December the days are quite short, the nights 
long and the ground is usually snow-covered. The Christmas season begins at church on the first Sunday of Advent, which is the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Children use an Advent calendar to keep track of the first day of December until Christmas, just like some of ours do. Each morning, they open a flap in the calendar’s Christmas scene to see the charming picture behind it. This year, I have a modern Advent calendar on my computer and enjoy a surprise behind each door daily.
My husband is part Native American. The European settlers had a large influence on Native American culture. The Winter Solstice has always been a reverent time for Native people all over the world during the Christmas season. It’s a time to offer gratitude, honor family and ancestors, and follow a ritual observance of beliefs. A few days before Solstice, members of various tribes create prayer sticks to honor an ancestor or native deity. They plant the sticks during a ceremony on the Solstice.
For many Native Americans, continuing cultural and historical integrity is extremely importance. Without this focus, the “old ways” would become only a memory. Therefore, many tribal members choose to combine European Christmas traditions like holiday trees and mangers with native customs including dances to honor Indian heritage as well as Christian beliefs.
As for my family’s traditions: The weekend after Thanksgiving, we put up the Christmas tree and decorations inside and out. Weather permitting. Trust me, climbing around on a wet, icy roof is not a smart idea. Our tree is not real but it looks great complete with pine cones and needles. We have artificial because I’m allergic. <sigh>
We pack everyone, pets included, in the SUV and drive around enjoying the Christmas light displays with mugs of hot cocoa in hand. Watching Christmas 
movies throughout 
December is tradition but so is making candy such as Divinity, Fantasy Fudge and Beaver Dams. What are Beaver Dams, you ask. Well, take a package of butterscotch chips, melt them in a double boiler, stir in half-package of crispy Chow Mein Noodles and one-half can of cocktail peanuts. Spoon the concoction by tablespoon full onto foil and let set. They look like beaver dams hence the name. YUMMY.
What traditions does your family observe on Christmas Eve and Day? Or during the month of December? I look forward to hearing from you.
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Posted in Holidays, My Say What Blog and tagged Christmas, Christmas Lights, Holidays, homemade candy, Traditions by Tena Stetler with 4 comments.
Elusive Holiday Joy – Found!
Joy of the Season Blog Hop is in full swing with rafflecopter giveaway (below), games, prizes and holiday tales. Please stop by, leave a comment then pop on over to the next participating blog (pssst.. just click on the link at the bottom of the page).
As your remember, before the trip to the North Pole, my faith in people was restored by an entertaining sales clerk encounter. We went home and put up the LED lights around the outside tree and planter, hung
lights in the windows, and set timers. Who wants to run all over the house and yard turning on lights each night? Not me! Afterwards, we loaded the CD player with favorite Christmas carols by several well-known artists and decorated the tree. More holiday joy surfaced. As darkness fell, we sprinted outside to see our bright holiday lights shining in the otherwise dark neighborhood. Holiday cheer ratcheted up another notch or two.
Whistling Christmas carols, we scooted inside, flipped on the TV and turned to the channel that shows heartwarming holiday tales from Thanksgiving through Christmas. A mug of hot cocoa in hand, we cozy up on the sofa as the fire in the hearth crackles. The holiday cheer meter soared. I am looking forward to gathering and reading new holiday tales from favorite and new authors to add to the Christmas Spirit. I believe I will dive into the holiday cookie baking with sugar cookies, shortbread cookies, and gingerbread cookies from recipes I found on the holiday hops I’ve participated in. Did you check those out as you popped from blog to blog?
So tell me how is your holiday cheer meter going?
My offering, A Witch’s Holiday Wedding. It’s a feel good story about friends, family, and wildlife rescue with Christmas surprises and cheer!
Here’s a little sneak peek.
After she set her glass down, Lathen brushed a couple strands of hair out of her eyes and searched her face. “Are you all right?”
“I’m tired, my wedding is in a couple weeks, I have ghosts fighting over who is going to do what. Guests that have no idea the place is haunted and… Your family and pack, my parents, Gwen… To top it all off, the head of my clan, who is a ghost, is sitting in front of me wanting to know who is coming to the wedding and whether the ghosts will be outed. How could I possibly be all right?”
“When you put it that way.” Lathen chuckled. “It sounds just a bit… I don’t know…crazy?” His right eyebrow winged up. She saw mischief sparkle in his eyes. “We could still elope,” he offered.
“No sir. Not after all the trouble—Not on me watch.” Aidan shook his head so vehemently his ghostly upper torso blurred.
Available at: Amazon, Kobo, The Wild Rose Press, All Romance, and Barnes & Noble
Holiday joy found. My advice. This holiday season, take a step back from the craziness, put a smile on your face and Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays on your lips. Ignore the commercialism. Set out to make someone laugh each day, and celebrate the reason for the season. Merry Christmas! Oh, don’t forget to visit Joy of the Season Blog Hop, giveaways and free entertainment are good things!
We are giving away prizes to two randomly selected winners: 1) an ebook bundle, including books in various genres by various authors participating in the hop (see the list of books at the bottom of this page); or 2) a $50 Amazon gift card. Please visit the main hop page here to see a list of books included in the bundle.
Enter now for your chance to win!
Next week with my holiday joy found, we’ll take a look at holiday traditions. I’d love for you to share some of your family’s holiday traditions. Look forward to hearing from you. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
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Posted in Holidays, My Say What Blog and tagged books, Christmas, Hightway Cafe Blog Hop, Holiday, Joy, Joy of the Season Blog Hop, Tales by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Joy of the Season Blog Hop & Highway Cafe Christmas Blog Tour from the North Pole!
Direct from the North Pole, welcome to the Joy of the Season Blog Hop and Highway Cafe Christmas Blog Tour (links to participants and rafflecopter are at the bottom of the post)!
Here at the North Pole it’s extremely busy, but we still have time for a little holiday fun and shenanigans.
Let me introduce myself. I’m an elf and my name is Twinkle Bright because my elf hat has twinkle lights wound all around the scalloped edge and the pointy top.
I make yummy Hot Chocolate for Santa and the elves from a secret family recipe passed down from generation to generation. My hot chocolate keeps everyone warm and toasty inside at the North Pole. There is even an automatic dispenser in Santa’s Sleigh providing him with hot chocolate during his travels on Christmas Eve. It goes good with the cookies the children leave for him.
While I am mixing up large batches of hot chocolate, I listen to Christmas Carols from a variety of pop, country and rock artists. I always taste each batch to insure its up to elf standards.
. You would think I’d get tired of hot chocolate, but no — never. I love the steaming chocolaty drink. I usually keep mine in an insulated mug so it stays warm while sampling the cookies in the elves’ bakery. Frosted sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies are my absolute favorites.
Now, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. But you must promise not to tell…anyone. We do a secret Santa gift exchange around here and this year I got Bob, her job at the North Pole is name checker to make sure Santa has all the correct spellings of the girls and boys. One year she spelled Chrys’ name Chris and wow what an uproar. Luckily Santa caught it, but we had to rush to change all the tags on her packages. Whew! I’m getting Bob a package of 120 different color markers in a jewel encrusted case for marking off the correctly spelled names after she checks them. Do you think she’ll like that?
Do you like fudge? Great, I’ll share with you my favorite Fantasy Fudge Recipe.
3 CUPS OF SUGAR
3/4 CUP BUTTER OR MARGARINE
1 – SMALL CAN (5OZ) EVAPORATED MILE (ABOUT 2/3 CUP)
DON’T USE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK)
1 – 12 OZ PACKAGE OR NESTLES SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS
1 – 7 OZ JAR OF MARSHMALLOW CREME
1 TEASPOON OF VANILLA
YOU CAN ADD CHOPPED NUTS IF YOU WISH.
BRING SUGAR, BUTTER AND EVAPORATED MILK TO A FULL ROLLING BOIL IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT, STIRRING CONSTANTLY. (COOK 4 MINUTES OR UNTIL CANDY THERMOMETER REACHES 234 DEGREES. HIGH ALTITUDE IT TAKES ABOUT 5 MINUTES). REMOVE FROM HEAT AND ADD CHOCOLATE CHIPS AND MARSHMALLOW CREME, STIR UNTIL MELTED. ADD VANILLA AND NUTS, STIR UNTIL WELL BLENDED. POUR INTO A GREASED (I USE BUTTER) 9 X 13 INCH PAN, SPREAD EVENLY. COOL COMPLETELY. CUT INTO SQUARES AND ENJOY!
For leaving a comment on my blog, you will be entered into a drawing for a $5.00 amazon gift card.
Tales of redemption, magic, wildlife rescue, true love and paying it forward will leave you breathless. A Witch’s Holiday Wedding
Elemental witch, Pepper McKay and former Navy SEAL, Lathen Quartz have built Lobster Cove Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on enchanted McKay land. During a romantic interlude on Halloween night, Pepper happily agrees to become Lathen’s wife. What better day than Winter Solstice for their wedding in a town that loves celebrations and Christmas. However, planning a wedding and operating their wildlife center takes a toll on both Pepper and Lathen.
When the couple takes a much-needed break for Thanksgiving with family in Colorado, a Maine snowstorm fills the center with injured wildlife. Lathen finds himself drawn into a covert military mission, while trying to deal with issues concerning friends and family. Pepper wants to cancel the wedding. Is she having second thoughts? Will the nosy McKay ghosts, Lathen’s werewolf pack, Pepper’s parents, and her best friend help or hinder the wedding and holiday plans?
Available from Amazon, Kobo, The Wild Rose Press, All Romance, and Barnes & Noble,
I am participating in Joy of the Season Blog Hop and Highway Café Christmas Blog Tour with prizes, giveaways, fun
and games. Please click on the links to visit the other blogs on the hop and tour for more holiday tales . You don’t want to miss out!
We are giving away prizes to two randomly selected winners: 1) an ebook bundle, including books in various genres by various authors participating in the hop; or 2) a $50 Amazon gift card. Please visit the main hop page here to see a list of books included in the bundle.
Enter now for your chance to win!
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Posted in Holidays, My Say What Blog and tagged A Witch's Holiday Wedding, Christmas, Elves, Giveaway, Highway Cafe, Holiday, Holiday candies, Joys of the Season, North Pole, Paranormal, Romance, wildlife rescue by Tena Stetler with 36 comments.
