A Cowboy Christmas by Shanna Hatfield

Happy Holidays to all! Give a big welcome to Shanna Hatfield, author of A Cowboy Christmas!

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  Shanna’s A Cowboy Christmas is all about.  Thanks for joining us!
Today, I thought it would be fun to share one of the DIY projects included in my newly released A Cowboy Christmas book.
This wreath is not only perfect for the season, but it smells divine! Prepare to have guests sniffing the air in pleasure when they walk into your home. You can also use it as a garland instead of a wreath, if you choose.
 
 
Supplies:
5 oranges or apples
300 dried bay leaves
cinnamon sticks
44 inch length jute string
Cookie sheet
Parchment
Tapestry Needle with large eye
Sharp knife
Instructions:
Step 1: Slice apples or oranges into thin slices, about 1/8th-inch thick.
Step 2: Place parchment on large cookie sheet then arrange fruit slices on parchment. Place in 200 degree F oven for about two hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Step 3: Thread needle with jute and knot one end. Gently push needle through bay leaf and slide to the end of the string. Keep adding leaves until you have about two inches of space filled.
Step 4: Add a cinnamon stick (you may need to use a nail to poke a hole through the stick.)
Step 5: Add three fruit slices.
Step 6: Repeat bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and fruit slices pattern.
Step 7: When you reach about 36 inches on the string, tie a knot. If you want a garland, leave both ends free. For a wreath, tie knotted ends together and add a ribbon for hanging
For more holiday DIY projects, recipes, and heartwarming stories, be sure to get your copy of A Cowboy Christmas today!

 

 


A little about A Cowboy Christmas  by Shanna Hatfield


The jangle of spurs mingles with the jingle of sleigh bells in this celebration of Christmas—cowboy style!
Welcome home to an amazing western holiday with A Cowboy Christmas. A collection of unique holiday décor, traditions, recipes, and guides for entertaining with ease make this your go-to resource for an amazing western Christmas.
Filled with stories of real-life ranch families and rodeo cowboys, get a glimpse into their traditions, try their family recipes, and experience their lifestyles. From preserving memories of the past to tips for wrapping presents, discover the special touches incorporated throughout this book that make it a holiday keepsake you’ll cherish for years to come.
Brimming with holiday cheer, recipes with full-color photographs, and one-of-a-kind ideas, this book is a wonderful celebration of the holidays that will help make your Christmas unforgettable.

Amazon     BN     BaM     Apple      Kobo     IndieBound

About the Author:

 

 
USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes. When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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It was wonderful having you with us today.  Please feel free to stop by anytime. Good Luck with A Cowboy Christmas! 

 

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Welcome Author Casi McLean

Casi Head Shot (1)Give a warm welcome to Casi McLean, author of  Wingless Butterfly! 

Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Casi and Wingless Butterfly.

Casi is an award winning author, who pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots and sensual romantic suspense.

Wingless Butterfly is different from what you usually write. What inspired this particular story? Wingless Butterfly shares a lifetime of secrets like whispers from a best friend and unveils the metamorphosis of a broken child, her struggle to escape a silken chrysalis cocooning her heart, and her desperation to find love, validation and self-worth. When the mist of a new dawn settled, the fragmented little girl emerged confident and secure with wings to fly in a whole new world––that broken child was me.

Wow. What do you normally write, and what inspired you?

My fiction writing gravitates toward romantic suspense and mystery, stories with a dusting of magic and twists you’ll never see coming. I love mystical “what ifs” that take your breath away, turn a romance genre on its head throwing a perfectly aimed, delightful curveball at a surprising and satisfying happily ever after. Real life isn’t always that accommodating. Sometimes you get that curveball aimed straight at your head.

How long have you been writing? My mother said I dictated stories to her before I could read, so in a sense, I’ve written all my life.

Do you see yourself in your characters? Absolutely! I write what I know and throw in what I believe.

What do you want your readers to take away from your books? A WOW… a smile, hope, that magical feeling of what if––and a “I can’t wait for her next book!

Where do your story ideas come from?  Stories emerge from everywhere I go, what I see and hear.

You’ve got a time machine, a cloak of invisibility, and one hour. Where would you go, and what eavesdropping would you do?

This is a trick question, right? My latest novel is a time slip romantic suspense, Beneath the Lake, the first in a three-book series: A ghost town submerged beneath Atlanta’s famous man-made Lake Lanier reportedly lures victims to a watery grave. But when Lacey Montgomery’s car spins out of control and hurtles into the depths of the icy water, she awakens in the arms of a stranger, in a town she’s never heard of–34 years before she was born.

When the 2012 lawyer tangles with a 1949 hunk, fire and ice swirl into a stream of sweltering desire. Bobby Reynolds is smitten the moment the storm-ravaged woman opens her eyes and, despite adamant protest, Lacey falls in love with a town destined for extinction, and the man who vows to save his legacy.

Threatened by a nefarious stalker, the wrath of bootleggers, and twists of fate, Lacey must find the key to a mysterious portal before time rips the lovers apart, leaving their star-crossed spirits to wander forever through a ghost town buried beneath the lake.

Well, it wasn’t meant as a trick question.  But it evokes a peek into the author, at least I hope so.  By the way, I am reading Beneath the Lake and loving it.

Now, tell us a Little about Wingless Butterfly.Wingless Butterfly New Cover

As a child and young adult my mother’s warning about my biological father haunted me:

“YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW HIM; HE’S THE KIND OF MAN WHO PULLS WINGS OFF OF BUTTERFLIES.”

My childhood, steeped in mystery, sparked a domino effect reflecting what I perceived was true, until I uncovered secrets and lies in my past that changed everything. Like my books, my life took twists and turns. My memoir addresses the notion: can we change and, if so, is it possible to erase a lifetime of beliefs? Perspective is reality. When I shattered the broken reflection in the mirror of my past, I finally healed and followed my dreams. Wingless Butterfly is my story.

Now, I live my dreams penning novels to stir the soul with passion, romance, suspense and always a hidden touch of inspiration, and writing self-help and how-to tips for authors.

Editorial Reviews:

Critically acclaimed author Jedwin Smith, recipient of 59 major writing awards including two PULITZER PRIZE nominations, 29 years as a sports writer, columnist, feature writer, and war correspondent commented:

“A very compelling read. I continually found myself rereading passages, not for clarification, but to ensure that the author’s words stayed seared into my mind. An example: ‘ . . . but dark shadows lurked in my soul and held it captive.’ Wow, powerful stuff. Truly a wonderful writer.”

Acosta Productions CEO, Jon Acosta had this to say after reading Wingless Butterfly,

“. . packed with quick cuts, tears, blood, sensuality . . . The story in Wingless Butterfly is rather intricate and absolutely emotional. Lies, deception, broken family secrets, and insecurities flood the pages of this book in a “Lifetime” movie style format . . . almost every chapter is packed with another deceitful secret or emotional bomb that gets dropped by a passing character.”

 Casi, what would you like the readers to take away from this book?

The human spirit needs to be reminded that it’s not what has happened to you, who you are, or what you have that is important. It’s how you live and touch the lives of those around you that truly makes a difference. I hope my story helps you discover something about yourself. You may not have experienced a past that has limited you, but someone you know has–and sometimes we all need to be reminded of the power we have within.

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.to/2bVz4fW

New Release Promo Page: https://spark.adobe.com/page/Tg6FZdDasXxDe/

Original Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiApc7HXQ-c

Trailer Bloopers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz36mdM9wjQ

To learn more about Casi, visit:

Website     Twitter     Facebook     Goodreads

Amazon Author Page   Blog

Check out her mystical trailers:

Beneath The Lake Trailer A Time-Slip Romantic Suspense

Destiny Trailer ~ Shorts With A Sprinkle Of Magic 

Wingless Butterfly Trailer ~ An Inspiring Memoir

 It was wonderful having you with us today, Casi.  Please feel free to stop by anytime!

 

 

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