My Favorite Things About Christmas & Holidays!

With the holiday season in full swing, Thought I’d mention a few of my favorite things. I love Halloween, it’s by far my favorite holiday and decorate for the All Hallows Eve almost as much as I do for Christmas, which comes in a close second. Did I mention, I LOVE to decorate! LOL At Thanksgiving the aroma of turkey, candied sweet potatoes, stuffing and pumpkin pie made the house smell so inviting. My mouth waters just thinking about it. But Christmas…well… Bright lights adorning neighborhoods, Christmas Carols playing in the malls, Christmas cards from near and far, and Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays on everyone’s lips makes the holiday season special. Here’s what makes my family’s holiday special.
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1. Decorations. First of all, we start decorating the Friday after Thanksgiving. First the outside decorations go up. Then the tree, it’s lights, especially the bubble lights they are mesmerizing to watch. Several years ago, I brought the cutest colorful lifesaver shaped garland that I wind up the stairway banister. The tiny Precious Moments nativity is one I found years ago, along with Sam’s town, the soft lights from their windows are my christmas treeparrots night light during the holidays. IMG_0768

2. Food. Christmas is turkey, homemade cranberry sauce, rolls, candied yams and pumpkin pie swirled in whipped cream. Yummmm! The leftovers are even better. Sometimes we freeze the turkey leftovers and weeks or even a month later, yummy turkey sandwiches are wonderful. I’ll be putting one of those sandwiches together for lunch today. Left overs from Thanksgiving. LOL

3. Music. While we decorate the tree, we play a wide variety of Christmas Carols from the traditional to Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. The carols are sung by rock and roll artists, county western or classical renditions. It has been a family traditional as long as I can remember. We reminisce where the beloved tree decorations passed down generation to generation originated and the funny stories each spark.

4. Movies. It’s officially the Christmas season when we watch Miracle on 31st Street and How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carey. He is such a hoot. Then its Scrooged with Bill Murray. Afterward most nights we enjoy watching the variety of Christmas movies collected. Yep, get my Christmas movie fix. Then of course there is always the Hallmark channel heart felt Christmas movie magic.
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5. Christmas Light Looking. It isn’t Christmas without getting in the SUV and driving through town admiring everyone’s decorations. Some lighting displays are synchronized with popular holiday music wafting through the crisp night air as you drive by.  It’s beautiful and we enjoy it every year with a mug of hot chocolate and Christmas cookies we pack with us for the drive.

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6. Family and Friends. The best part of the holidays is connecting with family and friends, whether it’s a long over-due phone call to catch up or a board game with friends. Years ago, I started writing a Christmas letter with our family’s actives for the year, complete with pictures. Since then it’s become a tradition. Friends and family look forward to that letter and make sure updated address are in my hands by Thanksgiving. There have been scary times, happy times, sad and in-between times, but keeping in touch seems to help everyone weather the preverbal storms.  It’s been a rough year for many.

 

 

One last favorite thing of mine is to curl up in front of a crackling fireplace with a good book and a mug of homemade hot chocolate. Speaking of good books, A Witch’s Holiday Wedding part of A Witch’s Journey Series is a heartwarming holiday tale, Only 99cents. Tales of redemption, magic, wildlife rescue, true love and paying it forward will leave you breathless. 

If you already have these, you are going to want to check out A Witch’s Quandary, new on audiobook. A Broken Engagement leads to the discovery of stolen magic and malice with a little blackmail mixed in. Can they weather the storm and find a future together?

 CHARM ME AGAIN audiobook.  Two families long divided brought together through love and understanding.  But there’s more, breaking the curse is only the first step to forever.

 

 HIDDEN GYPSY MAGIC on audiobook. The consequences of awakening hidden gypsy magic could forever alter life as they know it!  A trip to the past added a twist to the Salem Witch Trials. Be sure and take a listen. 

So there you have it, a few of my favorite things along with a few gift ideas. What are yours favorite things?

With that, I’ll wish you all Love and Laughter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Got any resolutions? Come on, you know you do. LOL What do you plan to change and what do you hope to see in 2022? I look forward to hearing from you! See you next year. I know it’s an old cliché, but couldn’t help myself!

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A Witch’s Holiday Wedding #99cents #MFRWHooks

Happy Holidays! #MFRWHooks presents a heartwarming Holiday tale. A Witch’s Holiday Wedding. AND THE E-BOOK IS ON SALE FOR 99 CENTS! WooHoo! You’re not going be believe what happens during the holidays in Lobster Cove in A Witch’s Holiday Wedding, my paranormal romance/mystery.  Also available on audiobook!

A small town paranormal romance/mystery. Torn in too many directions, with a covert military mission thrown in, will Pepper and Lathen make it to the alter?   Join the #fantasy#adventure, download a copy today! 

 

#MFRWHooks, wildlifePull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler. Take your choice of a Chocolate Chip or Pumpkin, or Peanut Butter cookies from the plate, and let’s find out a little about A Witch’s Holiday Wedding.  part of A Witch Journey and Lobster Cove Series. All books can be read as stand alone.  Go ahead you know you want to grab a copy and join the #magical #fantasy, #adventure today! You’ll be so glad you did.

What is A Witch’s Holiday Wedding all about?

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?

Sneak peek between the pages of A Witch’s Holiday Wedding:  New Hook!

Half an hour later, Lathen turned the truck onto the gravel drive to the cabin, slowed, and stared at the dark SUV parked in front of the cabin. Slowly he guided the truck behind the vehicle, noticing that the plates were government issue. What the hell is this?

Pepper leaned forward in her seat. “What’s a government SUV doing sitting in front of our home?”

“Maybe it’s the DIFW,” Lathen said hopefully. He turned off the headlights and cut the engine. The doors opened on the SUV, and four men in suits stepped out and waited.

Oh shit, this doesn’t bode well. He recognized one of the men, Lt. Commander Raymond Sale. Lathen jumped out of the truck as Pepper opened her door. “Pepper, why don’t you go on inside, let Tonk and Ember out, but keep them close. I’ll just be a minute.”

Pepper glanced from the men and back to Lathen. She opened her mouth to protest, but he shook his head and glanced toward the cabin where he could hear Tonk and Ember barking. For a beat he watched Pepper turn and walk the path to the cabin. He turned his attention to the men standing in the driveway.

 

Available from: Available atAmazonKobo, Barnes & Noble, audible, and other online retailers!

Pssst… While you’re here, don’t forget to check out my paranormal romance/mysteries click  here.

This is a blog hop! Visit all the Book Hooks from #MFRWHooks – Your next GREAT read is waiting!

Thanks for stopping in for #MFRWHooks.

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NaNoWriMo 2021-A Tale of 50,000 Words in 30 Days-WOW!

Along with millions of writers around the world, (okay maybe not millions, but close)  I’m participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWrimo).   Twenty-sixth day and I’m at 52,066 words.  Yippee!! Another successful year!  Thank you so much for your support! 

A challenge  to write fifty-thousand words in thirty days. For weeks, our minds have worked out the logistics of the story, our fingers are twitching to tap that keyboard and kick off the race to our latest novel. The National Novel Writing Month challenge is a great confidence builder and something we writers look forward to November 1st every year. 2021 is a bit different with COVID19, social distancing, and write-ins going virtual.

NaNoWriMo as it’s fondly referred to has become somewhat of a tradition for me starting in 2010. I’ve made my goal of at least 50,000 words every year since with the exception of 2013. That year I failed miserably at only 17000 words. My day job was a monster, the hours were long, and by the time I arrived home, I was the monster. Anyone know what I mean? But I digress, at 17,000 I still had a working story, plot and characters. Yeah! Finished it up in the months that followed, polished the manuscript and submitted it.  Since that time, I left the monster of a day job and writing is now my full-time job, and I love it. A Witch’s Quandary is my 15th novel since my debut novel, A Demon’s Witch release in September of 2015.

 

Fifteen novels that NaNoWriMo helped me to create have been published by The Wild Rose Press. Last year’s NaNo project, A Witch’s Quandary was released July 13, 2021. Yippee! Sixth book in A Demon’s Witch Series!

Check out the trailer:

Also another one of my NaNo Projects An Angel’s Wylder Assignment (part of the WYlder West Multi-author Series) will release in January 2022. Something a little different for me, its a historical, western, time travel, fantasy, mystery adventure. Whew! Watch for it!

Psssst….  to help you with your holiday shopping, my e-book of A Magic Redemption (5th book in A Demon’s Witch Series) is on sale beginning November 3th for 99 cents for a limited time at  AmazonBarnes & Noble  and itunes.  Download a copy today and join the magical, romantic fantasy adventure, you’ll never want to leave!

 

This year for NaNoWriMo I’ll be working on  Merringue Snofwflake Magic, for the Christmas Cookie Series a Paranormal Romance/Mystery. Also working on my first cozy mystery.

I’m excited to share Paul and Trinity’s story in Chocolate Raspberry Magic, 4th book in A Witch’s Journey Series. A return to the world of Pepper and Lathen and wildlife rescue, which are all available in audiobook!

Along with the Romance Writers of America and Pikes Peak Writers group, who gave me the tools, NaNoWriMo gave me the confidence needed to stick my toe in the murky waters of the publishing industry. The 50,000 words, approximately 1,667 per day, usually is three-quarters of a pretty darn good novel. Each year I build on what I’ve learned throughout the year and use it to complete the NaNoWriMo challenge. The camaraderie among participants is phenomenal making the challenge a fun way to kick off the holidays!

Wish me luck! Keep checking back for updates on my progress this year.  Will I make the 50,000 words? Only time will tell, but you can bet I’ll do my best! I know you’ll be cheering me on! If you have a chance, I’d love you to leave me comments of encouragement.

Have a fun and safe Thanksgiving! Eat lots of turkey and enjoy family and friends.  After all that’s what its all about!

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Search for the Spirit of Halloween-Twenty-Nine Days Left

Halloween only Twenty-nine days left!  Can you believe it? Toil and Trouble continue their search for the Halloween Spirit. This week, found a ghost, so I guest that’s progress. LOL! But Toil and Trouble’s quest for the Halloween Spirit continues.

No, it’s never to early for All Hallows Eve!  Halloween is my favorite time of year. Cooler weather, sight and sound of colorful leaves swirling toward the ground or crunching under foot. The smell of fall in the air, pumpkins and pumpkin flavored everything!! Love it! Also Halloween is the only day you can be anyone or anything  you want and no one will say a word.  Don’t forget it’s the day the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest! What will you be this Halloween?  Taco our parrot helped in the search this week put found only pumpkin goo and delicious seeds. Next week she’ll  show off her costume! Then it will be Mystic’s turn will the following week.Halloween Spirit Ghost  Check back in the coming weeks to see them in  costume!

Well, October is finally here with cooler days and chilly nights.  Yippee! As we continue the annual Halloween countdown, the aspens are beginning to turn gold and the Colorado high county received its first dusting of snow.    Toil (Unicorn) and Trouble (dragon)  are hard at work in search of the Halloween Spirit. This week they crept around the house and discovered Casper the ghost keeping company with Jackie the jack-0-lanturn While a nice visit was had, neither Casper nor Jackie had seen the Spirit of Halloween. Toil and Trouble were totally disgusted and called Dave told him about the ghost but no spirit. So the search continues.

Their friend, Dave (Skeleton), from Texas (thank you Jessica)  and his dog Buster were plum wore out from searching for the Spirit of Halloween. He searched every where and they came up empty.  Though he did talk with Jessica about getting him a corrected calendar. He claims it’s still her fault for the incorrect dates on his pictures. Twenty-nine days Dave and Jessica!

Each week, on Friday, there will be new pictures of where Toil and Trouble are searching and how Dave is helping.  In the month of October beside their search for the Halloween Spirit, Toil, Trouble and Dave will help me list the most haunted cities in America. Have you ever seen a ghost? A visit to haunted places in Colorado, my own stomping ground, Spooktacular tips to keep your pet safe this Halloween season. Do you suffer from Samhainopobia? I’ll tell you later. These are  just to name a few.  Please check back each week!

Only twenty-nine days days until Halloween! Bwwwaaaaaaaaaa!!!! 

Plus a Halloween themed book from my collection will be featured each week:  You do know I write paranormal romance/mystery. Right? This week, we are talking about Witches!  What’s Halloween without witches, spells and curses and things that go bump in the night? Hidden Gypsy Magic.  So hurry grab your copy and join the #fantasy #adventure! You won’t believe what happens at their Halloween bash.

A little about  Hidden Gypsy Magic: Gwen a wildlife rehabilitor, and Brock a veterinarian, discover the consequences of awakening hidden gypsy magic

The Salem Wildlife Sanctuary is Gwen Taylor’s life work. Her Irish Gypsy heritage provides a hidden talent she uses to help the creatures under her care. But even her magical skills can’t help new rescues in dire need of veterinary care.

The opportunity of signing on as the vet for Gwen’s sanctuary dropped into Brock Scutter’s lap after he expanded his practice to include wildlife. The personal attraction he and Gwen experience is undeniable the more their professional and personal lives collide.

Touring the only “non-haunted” house in Salem they both feel a spark of magic. A trip to his family’s cabin uncovers a heritage he didn’t know existed. If they want a future together, it means facing the consequences of awakening hidden Gypsy magic and a race against the clock to correct past wrongs.

A sneak peek between the pages of Hidden Gypsy Magic!

Seven minutes until midnight. Brock opened his mouth to speak, but Pepper beat him to it.

Isn’t there some way to banish him forever while he walks among the mortals? I don’t have my spell book with me. Guess I should travel with it after all the recent experiences with you gypsies.” A slight giggle slipped out between her lips.

The somber tone in the room eased for a minute. “I mean, in your painting don’t you…”

“You’re on the right path. That’s why I’m here.” Beth smiled wide. “You can’t battle him outside this house. But with the protections afforded us inside the abode, with our combined magic and grandmother’s grimoire we would be able to do exactly as you suggest. Do we have your full support?”

“Of course.” The group chorused with the exception of Jeremiah, still shell shocked leaning against the wall. But Morgan was all in pumping her fist in the air.

Lance stuck his head out of the upstairs room. “Need us to help?”

“No,” Dylan called up to him. “Protect the children. We got this.”

“Good enough.” Lance slammed the door shut.

A trail of mist floated out of the picture, around the room, and settled beside Beth taking the shape of an older woman holding a thick book spread open. “Granddaughter. Are we ready then? We’ve located the…um….” The elderly ghost switched her gaze from the pages of the book to outside the window. “…proper page.” Then the ghost jerked her chin toward the painting where previously all the Colson family had been but now they gathered in the center of the room inside the painting.

“Let’s do it.” Gwen shared a glance at the clock with him. “Only—”

Beth again put her finger to her ghostly lips and shook her head.

The elderly ghost began to read from the book.

“We are witches, this is our creed. We will help where there is need. Days of old, wrongs to right. Let the truth be known this night. Forever banish from all realms Judge John Hathorne’s spirit and soul are bound. So mote it be.”

Jeremiah rushed to the window, touching the glass with his fingers. The rest of the group followed in time to see the tendrils expand and circle a ghostly shape in top hat and suit, the ground beneath its feet glowed as if molten lava bubbled up from the earth’s core. With a snap, the tendrils and their prisoner sank into the ground leaving no trace except a stench of sulfur seeping into the old house.

See you back here next Friday! You won’t believe where Toil and Trouble wound up. Dave with his friends are always searching, will they come up with leads? Until then enjoy the warm weather, fall is coming bringing with it Halloween Spirit! I hope!! Now all we have to do is get Toil and Trouble to find it! While you’re here, check out my other paranormal romance mysteries

 

 

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