Christmas Archives - Page 8 of 11

Dec 4th Elves Christmas Celebration in the Red Barn

Welcome to the Highway Cafe Christmas Blog Tour. Come celebrate each day from December 4-8, visit new blogs along the tour for fun, prizes, recipes, and holiday tales.

It’s rumored that Santa has given the elves a night off before the big day to reward their hard work. To verify these speculations we scramble up the ladder outside the big red barn, climb into the hay loft to peer down. Sure enough the elves have gathered to party the night away beneath the white snowflake lights that cast a magical aura over the celebration.

We spy Twinkle Bright elf settled in a chair, her feet tucked in fuzzy red otter slippers propped on a large hay bale. She’s dressed in red jeans and green Christmas sweater with the words “Santa’s Team” emblazoned across the front. Her hands are wrapped around a large mug of steaming hot chocolate (her own secret recipe), overflowing with whipped cream and marshmallows as she sings Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer at the top of her lungs. Several elves are dancing around the huge Christmas tree which is decorated with strings of popcorn and cranberries. Bubble lights bubble merrily beside the twinkling lights and shiny baubles on the tree. Brightly colored packages, tied with ribbons and bows are stacked under the evergreen.

Just as Twinkle Bright set her mug on the floor, another elf rushes over and grabs her hand and tugs her to her feet.

“Lets dance.”

The plate with a piece of Fantasy Fudge flys off Twinkle Bright’s lap and crashes to the floor. “Look what you’ve done,” she squeals.

“Sorry.” The elf waves his hand in the direction of the mess, the dish repairs itself, the fudge returns to the plate and hovers in the air in front of Twinkle Bright’s face. “Okay the five second rule applies.” A wide grin spread across his face.

“Not even.” Twinkle Bright narrowed her eyes at him. “New piece of fudge (her famous recipe) on a clean plate.” She snapped her fingers.

“Yeah, yeah… after the dance.” He spun her onto the dance area the reflection from the white snowflake lights shimmer in her copper hair. Her red/green elf hat with twinkling multicolored lights sprinkled on it, bells on the tip flew across the room and smacked Goth Elf in the face. Strains of the Jingle Bell Rock shook the barn. After the dance, Twinkle Bright retrieved her hat as her elfin partner brought over two pieces of Fantasy Fudge on a festive holiday plate. She bit into a piece and closed her eyes. “Hmmmmm.”

“This is a great reward for a job well done.” Her elfin friend commented.

Twinkle Bright nodded in agreement. “Best job in the world.”

Recipe for Fantasy Fudge.

3 cups white sugar

3/4 cup margarine

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add all ingredients to list

Directions

Grease a 9×13-inch pan.
Mix sugar, margarine, and evaporated milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a full boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and thoroughly combined. Beat in marshmallow creme, add nuts if you like, and vanilla extract. Pour fudge mixture into the prepared pan and let cool before cutting into squares.

Leave a comment here, like my author facebook page and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a $10.00 Amazon gift card, to be awarded at the end of the tour., December 11th. If you’re a fan of paranormal romance, sign up for my quarterly newsletter.

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Click on the cover to read more or buy.

Just in time for Christmas: A VAMPIRE’S UNLIKELY ALLIANCE–Not what you’ve come to expect from a Vampire Tale! Exciting romantic fantasy where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries work together for the survival of man and magic kind alike. But will their intervention be too late? Just in time for Christmas.

A little more about A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance – Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…

Born in Ireland, Brandy now works as a park ranger and trail guide in the park. During a full moon, Stefan and Brandy’s paths cross in a near physical collision on a trail. Their attraction is immediate and undeniable, almost as if fate demanded it.

Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unravelling secrets and returning the magic? And even more importantly, will their love survive the trip?

Available at: Amazon Amazon UK , Amazon AU, itunes, The Wild Rose Press and Barnes & Noble.

For more fun Christmas tales, recipes and giveaways follow the rest of the tour listed below:

December 4
Holland Rae – https://hollandrae.com/
Susanne Matthews – https://mhsusannematthews.wordpress.com/
Sorchia DuBois – www.sorchiadubois.com
Mariah Lynne –

December 5
Tena Stetler – https://www.tenastetler.com/category/my-say-what-blog/
Maureen Bonatch – http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/
Peggy Jaeger – https://peggyjaeger.com/
Barbara Burke – https://barbaraburkeauthor.wordpress.com/

December 6
Kelly Kalmanson – http://kkweil.blogspot.com
M.S. Spencer – http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com
Hywela Lyn – www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com
Reggi Allder – https://reggiallder.blogspot.com/

December 7
Denyse Bridger – http://www.fantasypages.ca
Clair de Lune – https://clairdelunebooks.co.uk/
Karen Blake-Hall – https://kaydenclaremont.wordpress.com/
Casi McLean – http://casimclean.com/a-christmas-to-remember/

December 8
Darlene Fredette – http://findingthewritewords.blogspot.com
Daryl Devore – http://daryldevore.blogspot.ca
Gini Rifkin – http://ginirifkin.blogspot.com
Linda Carroll-Bradd – http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!

Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged A Vampire's Unlikely Alliance, Christmas, Elves, Highway Cafe Blog Hop, Highway Cafe Christmas Tour 2017, magic, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Twinkle Bright by Tena Stetler with 23 comments.

Oct 11th A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance – Cover Reveal

I’m so excited to reveal the cover for author Tena Stetler’s A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance, third book in the Demon’s Witch Series. Isn’t it just fantastic? Yes, I know Amazon beat me to it. Darn it!

A little about A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance:

Stefan is a Native American vampire, former assassin for the Vampire Council. In a twist of fate, he now DJ’s the midnight shift for a small radio station in Whitefish, Montana, on the edge of Glacier National Park where his secret is safe until…

Their union was foretold long ago in Irish folk tales where vampires and gryphons, warlocks and demons, witches and faeries must work together for the good of man and magic kind. Is a trip to Ireland the key to unraveling secrets and returning the magic? And even more importantly, will their love survive the trip?

Available for pre-order at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Release date November 29, 2017! Just in time for Christmas. Reserve your copy today!

. Yippee!

A sneak peek between the pages of A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance.

It was nearly midnight when he cut across the Sun Road to another trailhead, so intent on his goal that he nearly collided with an attractive young woman. He skidded to a stop, spraying gravel, rocks, and small twigs down the road in front of him. A pinecone dislodged and bounced along the road past her. Tall and slender, she had miles of fiery-red hair that hung down her back in a cascade of curls. Intense emerald eyes stared back at him as he attempted to regain his composure, not to mention balance. What the hell was she doing here at this time of night?

“Whoa.” She stepped lightly to the side to avoid the flying debris. “You really should watch where you’re going, especially at that speed.” Her voice scolded, but the smile on her lips teased. “Someone could get hurt.”

Thanks for stopping by to share my excitement for the cover to A Vampire’s Unlikely Alliance! Please make Authors’ Secrets a regular stop for award winning, best selling authors! Don’t forget there’s only 74 days left for Christmas shopping!

Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged A Vampire's Unlikely Alliance, Christmas, fantasy, Halloween, Holidays, Ireland, magic, Paranormal, Romance, Shapeshifters, Tena Stetler, Vampire, Witches by Tena Stetler with 4 comments.

Jul 27th You Didn’t Like the book – Why Broadcast It?

Okay, this space is usually used for my personal blog. I write full-time and have another blog entitled Authors’ Secrets for books and writing endeavors. But today, I’ve a tiny rant, okay maybe not so tiny, that I would love thoughts from readers, authors, and actually everyone.

I’ll start off by acknowledging that everyone tries a new book or author at times, that’s how we expand our literary horizons. Right? We all have our favorite genres and authors. What incites you to try a new genre or author? Are you looking for something different, bored with what you’ve been reading or did someone recommend a book that sounded good to you? Oh, one more thing. Do you like stand alone books or series?

Now, there are people that try something new, in this case a book, and didn’t like it. So — don’t buy or read that type of genre again. Right? Why leave a nasty comment/review to the author knowing that she/he has put her heart and soul into this book and been brave enough to share it with the world? I just can’t figure it out. Sure, I’ve bought and read books I didn’t particularly care for, a few I didn’t even finish. But I would never dream of leaving a review that would cut the author to the core of their being.

Writing is subjective. I know that. Not everyone will like what you write. I get that too. What I don’t get is the mean spirited actions of those few people that have to leave a troll review. Yes, this has happened to me on occasion, when it does, I yank up my big girl panties, read it once then ignore it forever. But recently there’s been a rash of this insensitive behavior to authors of all different genres and it bothered me. So I did what any author does, I wrote about it. LOL Yes, I feel much better now. Thank you for asking.

Okay, I’m putting my soap box back under the bed and promise never to use this as a forum for a… okay, almost never do this again. Next post, bright and cheery – oh, did you know there is only 21 weeks until Christmas? That’s 151 days, and finally only 3,616 hours until Christmas. Just thought you’d like to know. <grin> I heard that collective groan. Oh wait, maybe that was me. LOL

I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment. Thank you so much. Enjoy your summer!

Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged Authors, Book Reviews, Christmas, IMHO, Readers, Trolls by Tena Stetler with 31 comments.

Dec 14th Christmas & Holiday Traditions

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Fun things about Christmas is traditions. Take for instance, the Land Down Under, because, well, someday I want to visit there, just carols-by-candlelight-aus 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.

great-spirit-merry-christmas 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 725a0508-tiny 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.