Enchanting Yuletide Anthology
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Jena Baxter, Raven Williams, Ellie Lieberman, Barb Lieberman, Guy Donovan, CK Brewer authors of Enchanting Yuletide Anthology . Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets see what Enchanting Yuletide Anthology is all about. Thanks for joining us!
are on the top of my list. There are all kinds. Some require special attention,
and others are downright easy. I don’t recommend the traditional oil and sugar,
unless you want to slip and slide, then spend the day cleaning your tub. I
think this one is much better, and the ingredients are easy to find. They make
great gifts too.
Glycerin Soap Sugar Scrub Cubes
to work fast.
soap base. Most craft stores carry it. Michael’s now carries some great
detergent-free bases
coconut oil is a great choice and can be found in your supermarket. Sweet
almond oil, avocado or olive oil will work well too. Macadamia is wonderful,
but not as easy to find.
They will be available in the area you find the glycerin soap. Read the label,
they MUST be skin safe. Don’t use candle colorant. Choose a nice fragrance for
the season. Peppermint, pumpkin, cookies, or gingerbread.
this recipe, I use regular white granulated sugar. For a face soap, I would
probably use brown sugar. For a foot soap, I’d use demerara sugar, because the
granules are larger.
buy one for this recipe however. You can use a silicon mold or ice tray, or a
sanitized milk carton cut to size; the box quarts are pretty perfect. Line it
with saran wrap. You want the mold to give, so you can push the scrub out once
it’s set. If you use the milk carton, you can carefully rip the paper off.
make your Sugar Scrub
Cup Oil
Cup Melt and Pour base
Cups plus Sugar
drops or a half teaspoon to get the fragrance you want. Be cautious not to use
more than necessary because even skin safe fragrance can be harsh on your skin.
1 teaspoon per pound of soap base is the limit.
Have your mold ready before you start and remember to work fast.
boiler is good, or you can microwave it in 30 second pulses. I use 30 seconds to
start and stir. If I need more time, I do 15 second pulses. You don’t want it
to get too hot, because soap can burn.
large bowl, add your oil. Mix well.
the shade you want but use as little as possible; too much colorant can stain
washcloths. Mix well
harden on you. You want to pour it as
soon as possible. When it’s incorporated pour it into your mold. If it’s too
thick, spoon it in and press it down.
of hours. I leave mine overnight). Carefully remove it from the mold, placing
it onto a plate, or anything oil can’t seep through, because there is always
some oil that seeps out of the soap. Work gently because the scrub will be
crumbly.
it, so it can soak some of that up. There will usually be seeping oil.
package. You can use cellophane wraps or jars, label it, and add trinkets or
bows to the top. Be creative. Just remember to use something the oil can’t seep
through. I also place a note on the label telling people to be careful in the
shower or tub, because oils can make it slippery.
an area until the sugar is gone. Rinse well, and pat dry. It usually takes one
or two cubes per shower.
you’ll be addicted.
If someone is allergic to a food product, (Like nuts, avocados, etc.) they will
be allergic to the oils produced by that item as well.
Jena Baxter, Raven Williams, Ellie Lieberman, Barb Lieberman, Guy Donovan, CK Brewer
Genre: Holiday / Fantasy
Publisher: Pipe and Thimble
Views: 9
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Barb Lieberman, Christmas, CK Brewer, Ellie Lieberman, Enchanting Yuletide Anthology, Glycerin Soap Sugar Scrub Cubes, Guy Donovan, Jena Baxter, Raven Williams by Tena Stetler with 2 comments.
Holiday Thoughts Linda Nightingale Author of Her General in Gray
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Linda Nightingale, author of Her General in Gray. Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-
doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Find out a little about Linda’s holidays and what Her General in Gray is all about. Thanks for joining us! Take 
it away Linda!
I love the holidays, especially the Christmas season from the turkey to the hustle and bustle of shopping. Since my oldest son, his wife and 3 children live in Yorkshire, England, I have to do, at least, that part of my gift buying early. I usually use Amazon since international shipping is so expensive.
In fact, I do most of my shopping for the season on-line. I don’t like crowds, and I can avoid that hustle and bustle mentioned above by browsing my computer. My gift to myself will usually be a formal dress (that I rarely get the opportunity to wear—still I have lots of them!) It’s about time to start my Christmas and birthday gifts for the English branch of my family.
What are your holiday traditions? Was there a special gift you prayed Santa would bring?
As a child with an immediate family of three, we didn’t have many traditions, but the holidays were warm and loving. I’d wrap all the presents with holiday gifts while Christmas carols played. Some of my favorite childhood memories are of Christmas. Like all kids, I was excited to see what Santa had left for me. With high hopes, this only child and devoted horse lover would rush to the door and peer out to see if there was a pony tied to one of the many trees surrounding our hose. Alas, until I was 13 and no longer galloped to the window in search of Santa’s ultimate gift, there was never a pony tied to the tree. At 13, but not at Christmas, my parents bought me my first horse—a black-and-white pony I named First Fling.
I’ve loved horses all my life. It’s a wonderful sickness from which you never recover. I don’t own horses now. I live in a cottage in the city in my hometown, but I love them no less. At one time, I lived on our horse farm, breeding, training and showing the magnificent Andalusian horse.
It’s time for me to start shopping. I’ve made my list; checked it twice. Ready, set, go! How about you? When will you begin your search for the perfect presents?
I dedicated my sweet romance, Her General in Gray, to my parents, and named the hero after my maternal grandfather, John Sibley Allen.
Click on the cover to read more or purchase
Linda, tell us a little about Her General in Gray.
Autumn Hartley purchases Allen Hall at a steal, but the northern lass gets far more than a beautiful plantation in the South Carolina Low Country. The house comes complete with its own ghost, a handsome and charming Civil War General—for the Confederacy. The stage is set for another civil conflict.
John Sibley Allen died in battle from a wound in the back, the bullet fired by the turncoat, Beauregard Dudley. The traitor’s reincarnation is Autumn the Interloper’s first dinner guest. Sib bedevils her date and annoys her with fleeting, phantom touches, certain he can frighten her away as he did previous purchasers. As time marches on, her resident ghost becomes more appealing while her suitor, Beau, pales in comparison. Autumn finds her ability to love didn’t perish in the divorce that sent her south seeking a fresh start.
After over a century in the hereafter, Sib discovers he is falling for none other than the feisty Yankee girl, but what future could a modern woman and an old-fashioned ghost possibly hope for?
How about a peek between the pages of Her General in Gray.
“You are not there.” Autumn dropped her book and leapt to her feet, shaking her fist at the apparition standing beside the fireplace.
The frolicking blaze shone through the whatever-he-was lounging by the hearth, his arm stretched along the mantel. A ceramic clock beside his hand chimed the hour—seven golden notes. Tall candles in brass candlesticks flickered in an eerie fire dance. He appeared to be a Civil War soldier of the South, his opaque uniform gray with a nasty red-stained hole near the heart. Double rows of gold buttons decorated the coat. Three gold stars and a wreath on the collar glittered in the firelight. No blood spilled from the apparition. Except for his wound, he looked perfectly healthy—for a dead man! He nodded and bowed elegantly…as much so as his lost society had been, regardless of the strong backs supporting that way of life.
“Oh, but I am, Miss Hartley.” He straightened, longish hair gently curling over his face.
A chill raced over her, but she suppressed the tremor of apprehension. Autumn swallowed hard and adjusted her white cotton blouse. “I don’t believe in ghosts. You’re not welcome here. I bought this house and am struggling to pay for it. Get your Halloween self out of my living room.”
He smiled. “It’s not 0048alloween, and we share this house. It was mine, you know, and still is. I’m willing to share it with you—even if you are a Yankee. After all, the conflict is over, and I’ll hold no grudge against the Northern aggressors. Even though the South will never surrender.”
“Northern aggressors?” She inhaled sharply, the vanilla scent of the candles on the dining room table drifting into the living room. Everything about Allen Hall was beautiful. She loved the house. But this conversation with an arrogant spirit solidified defiance. “And, for your information, the South did surrender.”
“A point of history.” He shrugged and gave her a condescending glance. “No more.”
Buy link: http://a.co/9smNAEW
Also available in Audio on Audible.com
Book Video: https://youtu.be/y3y46-i9xjE
About Linda:
Born in South Carolina, Linda has seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.
Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award and the SARA Merritt. She is now a finalist in the 2016 SARA Merritt. She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, and member of the Houston BMW Club. In a former life, she must have had to walk everywhere because today she is into transportation: loving horses and hot cars! She likes to dress up and host formal dinner parties.
You can find line on social media at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LNightingale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaNightingaleAuthor
Web Site: http://www.lindanightingale.com – Visit and look around. There’s a free continuing vampire story.
Blog: https://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/ – Lots of interesting guests & prizes
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4839311.Linda_Nightingale
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lbnightingale1/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Linda-Nightingale/e/B005OSOJ0U
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Her General in Gray! Enjoy your holidays.
Views: 12
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Christmas, Her General in Gray, Holiday, Linda Nightingale, Sweet Romance by Tena Stetler with 12 comments.
Interview with Colleen Driscoll Author of Piper the Elf Series.
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Colleen Driscoll, author Piper the Elf, a children’s series. Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of
a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets see what Piper the Elf series is all about. Thanks for joining us!
What inspired this particular story?
In 2010, I woke up with a stomach virus on Christmas Day. As I lay in bed all day, I heard my children and husband having fun, celebrating in the living room, opening gifts, and playing. Two days later, after I felt better, I thought to myself, “What do the elves do the rest of the year?” The first thought was—to play. The idea of Piper the Elf came to me. Each story is about a different adventure with Piper, her elf friends, and Santa.
What does Christmas mean to you?
Christmas is a joyful time for me because it symbolizes hope. Out of His love for us, God sent us His son Jesus and that inspires and fills me with hope. The love we show each other at Christmas is the goodwill we always need to have in our lives.
Favorite holiday memory?
My favorite holiday memory is coming home from Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and opening gifts Santa left under the tree while snacking on fudge, Christmas cookies, and gobs (a western PA cake-like dessert). My parents, eight siblings, and I would stay up until around 4am. What fun!
Do you keep the Christmas Spirit all year?
I like to think I do. LOL. With my Piper the Elf books, I enjoy the Christmas Spirit at least from October through December when I do author school visits and events. I never tire of talking about Christmas with children, helping others like Piper the Elf, encouraging friends to try their best, and including each other in activities.
Why should we read this book/series and what sets you apart from the rest and makes your book/series unique?
Piper the Elf book series are great books because Piper models kindness and friendship to young children. The illustrations are colorful and eye catching and there is a penguin on every page in the series for very small children to find as they listen.
Colleen, tell us a little about Piper the Elf Series.
Adventures of Piper – Santa’s biggest little helper at the North Pole
Book Trailer for Piper the Elf Trains Santa
– Award: Mom’s Choice Award
Book Trailer for Piper the Elf and Santa’s Rockin’ Band – Award: Mom’s Choice Award
Book Trailer for Piper the Elf’s Big Surprise – Award: Mom’s Choice Award
Book Trailer for Piper the Elf Rides a Reindeer – Awards: Preferred Choice Award Creative Child Magazine & Mom’s Choice Award
About the Author:
It was wonderful having you with us today. Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Piper the Elf Series!
Views: 8
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Children's Books, Christmas, Colleem Driscoll, Piper the Elf series, Santa by Tena Stetler with 15 comments.
Interview D.K. Deters Author of Christmas Once Again
Happy holidays to all! Give a big welcome to D.K. Deters, author of Christmas Once Again. Have a seat and grab an insulated mug. I’ve got hot chocolate, hot cider and coffee. Choose your pot, they’re labeled. Pick your choice of a Snicker-doodle, Chocolate Chip or Peanut butter cookie from the plate. Yep, I baked them myself. Lets find out a little about D.K. and see what Christmas Once Again is all about. Thanks for joining us!
Hi Tena. Thanks for having me.
What inspired this particular story?
I was watching a news broadcast about ordinary people pitching together to save a stranger’s life. It got me to thinking about how one selfless act could be life-changing. Since I always get sentimental around the holidays, a Christmas romance felt right.
What makes you laugh out loud?
By far, those hilarious everyday events that we couldn’t have orchestrated even if we tried. Check out my favorite holiday memory below.
What is your favorite Christmas tradition?
It’s hard to pick just one, but we love it when our children and their families can make it home for Christmas.
Why did you choose the cover concept you did?
The cover artist asked me to pick two significant elements from the story. I chose a missing painting, which may or may not have special powers and a cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
Favorite holiday memory?
When my son was in kindergarten, he played Santa in a grade school holiday program. Classmates took on the roles of the reindeer, all decked out with cute little pipe cleaner antlers and connected with holiday garland.
At the back of the auditorium, they waited for their cue. My son held on to the reins (the garland) while standing inside Santa’s sleigh (a big box with a shoulder harness.) The eight tiny reindeer took off at a run with their sites on the stage. As Santa hustled along at top speed, his beard and pointy hat bouncing, the sleigh slid forward and tilted up as if could fly. Now Santa couldn’t see ahead, and he had to rely on his reindeer to get him past the audience. In a flurry, the children arrived center stage to laughter and applause.
I still chuckle when I think about it. (And thank goodness, no one was injured.)
SPEED ROUND FOR A LITTLE ADDED FUN:
Speed Round (one word only answer): Yep, I know torture for a writer!<evil laugh>
Favorite Christmas movie: Serendipity
Favorite Christmas book: Elf
Last Christmas or holiday book read: Elf
Favorite color: Red
Stilettos or flipflops or elf shoes: Flipflops
Coffee or tea or hot chocolate: Coffee
Ebook or audiobook or paperback: Ebook
Pencil or pen or candy cane: Pen
Favorite Christmas Carole or song: Mistletoe
All-time favorite Christmas present: Ring
Favorite dessert: Pie
Christmas Candy or Cake: Candy
Favorite thing to do to relax during the holidays Read
Champagne or gin or eggnog: Champagne
Paranormal or Historical: Historical
Wonder Woman or Top Model or Tinkerbell: Wonder Woman
Favorite Christmas or holiday TV show: Disney
Hot or cold: Hot
POV: Third
I’d die if I don’t have: Coffee
Review or Not: Review
Click on the cover to read more or purchase!
Tell us a little about Christmas Once Again.
She’s dead broke. And eviction looms. On Christmas Eve antique consultant Madison Knight takes a phone call from local rancher Zach Murdock. Through a mix-up at an estate sale, Madison’s company purchased his grandmother’s beloved painting. He offers double the money for its return.
Madison risks her job to track down the artwork, but success falls short when she’s stuck in a blizzard. Stranded, she seeks help from a frontier family. Are they living off the grid, or did she somehow travel through time?
Zach’s the only person who knows her plan. He also knows a secret about his gran’s painting. It’s up to him to rescue Madison, but maybe he’s not cut out to be a hero.
How about a sneak peek between the pages of Christmas Once Again?
“My grandmother had an estate sale last week, and she didn’t want it sold, unfortu—”
“Oh?” She should’ve kept quiet. Run-ins with greedy family members happened in the antique business, and a judging attitude didn’t increase revenues.
“It wasn’t on purpose,” he said. “The day was chaotic, and someone had shuffled around the artwork. We didn’t realize it was missing until a couple of days ago, and it took this long to sort out the mix-up and discover your shop bought it.”
She felt guilty for jumping to the wrong conclusion. “I see how that could happen. It’s obvious the piece is treasured by your grandmother. If it becomes necessary, we have the resources to find a similar style. Is there a specific artist or significance?”
Held hostage by the slow computer response and trying not to rush him, she picked up one of the hand weights, intending to fit in a few curls.
“Keep in mind Gran’s ninety-two, and she thinks…”
“Uh-huh.” With her free hand, she grabbed the latte and took a sip.
“Gran thinks it holds a special power.”
Madison chose that moment to swallow, and the creamy espresso went down the wrong pipe. A dry, hacking cough followed, and she dropped her hand weight, which thudded on the carpet. For heaven’s sake, he didn’t hear her, did he?
You can purchase Christmas Once Again at: Amazon The Wild Rose Press Barnes & Noble
About the Author:
D.K. Deters credits her parents, who grew up in southeastern Kansas, for inspiration to write about the Old West. From an early age, the likes of Jesse James and the Dalton Gang were often included in family lore. To this day, she’s not sure how much is true.
After earning a Bachelor of Science in Business, D. K. followed a profession in the telecommunications industry before turning to a writing career. When she’s not writing, she enjoys spending time with her adult children and their families.
D.K. loves to hear from readers and other authors!
Email: dkdetersauthor@hotmail.com
Social Media:
Website: www.dkdeters.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dk_deters
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/dkdeterscom
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/d-k-deters
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18486948.D_K_Deters
Thank you for having me on your blog. Happy Holidays!
It was wonderful having you with us today. Enjoy your holidays and don’t drink too much egg nog. LOL Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with Christmas Once Again!
Views: 9
Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged Christmas, Christmas Once Again, Contemporary, D.K. Deters, fantasy, Holiday, Paranormal, Time travel, Western by Tena Stetler with 20 comments.
