Fruitcakes and Fatalities :

Time for our virtual cookie swap:

‘Tis the season for last minute shopping, twinkling trees and holiday baking . . . all these add to the joy of the season, right? But, as baking contestants from six states descend on Sweetwater Springs, peace and joy are in short supply. The town has been selected to host the south’s biggest fruitcake baking competition and Momma and Glory have everything under control until two feuding bakers turn up the heat and someone decides one of them would be “batter” off dead. Can Glory solve the crime and save Momma’s moment in the spotlight? Celebrate Christmas with all the folks in Sweetwater Springs and find out!

My Book review

Free to borrow with Kindle unlimited :  time spent with Glory, Momma, Macy, and of course Hunt! can never go wrong. And Christmas time is a great time for a mystery. The mystery was interesting and kept me guessing and I love Glory’s compassion even if it ends with her in tense situations. A fun clean cozy mystery I highly recommend you check out…. Lisa

Need a cookie recipe : Check out today’s post at Lisa Everyday Life

A Mother For Christmas by Jackie Weger

New Release!

Grab “A Mother for Christmas” by Jackie Weger now at the $0.99 Introductory Price,

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A Mother For Christmas

by Jackie Weger

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Christmas Romance

Decker Davenport is on a deadline. He has thirty days — Christmas Eve, to be exact — to remodel a St. Augustine Victorian house, or the owner will put it back on the market. Not a good time for Decker’s decorator to take off on a honeymoon, leaving him with Annalise Owens, a stand-in with a malaise he isn’t privy to.

But as he watches Annalise work miracles on the house and his daughter, he realizes the two of them have bonded in some ethereal way, as if they’ve always known each other.

As Christmas Eve approaches, Decker still sees the curious malaise in Annalise’s eyes. A haunting that even his kiss can’t take away. What secret does the new woman in his house possess? And will learning Annalise’s secret bring him and his daughter joy, or tear their world apart?

What readers are saying about Jackie’s books:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Ms. Weger’s writing style is honest and down-to-earth. Her characters are well developed, realistic, and draw you in quickly.” — Big Al’s Books and Pals Reviewer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Jackie Weger writes fluently, understandably, makes it flow with pitch and power.” — Read Along with Sue

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Jackie Weger is a gem. I found her writing very unique and comfortable and so annoyingly beautiful.” — Coffeeholic Bookworm

**Only .99 cents!**

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Romance novelist Jackie Weger, is a traveler of the good earth by foot, bus, canoe, sloop, mule, train, plane and pickup. But usually she only gets as far as Walmart. After family, and writing, destination travel is tops on her wish list. Says, Weger: “I like to get to a place, unpack once and spend time meeting natives, sampling the food, and learning about their lives and habits–whether in Appalachia or a tiny jungle village. I enjoy sitting in grand cathedrals and on park benches. I’m awed by magnificent architecture, frescoes and stone reliefs. I’m just as awed walking on a beach at dusk, picking up sea glass washed by a thousand seas or spying a fallen star. I hoard my friends and fans and am often humbled by their kindness.” Asked what she wants most in life, Weger says: “A cave, a candle, and a good book.”

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Write Before Christmas

Today we have the release day blitz of Julie Hammerle’s Write Before Christmas! Check out this gorgeous new romance and be sure to get your copy today!

Title: Write Before Christmas

Author: Julie Hammerle

Genre: Holiday Romance

About Write Before Christmas:

You’ve probably heard of me. Reclusive fantasy author turned famous when his series got developed into a mega TV hit. Except now I’m way behind deadline, and the whole world is waiting to see what I’ll write next. The pressure is getting to me, and I. Can’t. Write. Cue: small town where people don’t recognize me. Cue: my assistant insisting on a personal chef to keep me fed and nothing more. Cue: finding the first bit of inspiration I’ve felt in months whenever she’s around… Am I a walking cliche now, or what? Dani Cooper seems to have her own hurdles to jump this holiday season. Newly divorced, looking for her next move. She’s the first person who’s seen me for me in way too long. And I see her, too–as way more than just an employee, a divorcee, a cook. She’s becoming my muse… But when my Christmas deadline hits, will it spell the end of us, too?

Get Your Copy:

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Exclusive Excerpt:

“You said your house is full….” I was trying to get a read on her. She wore no wedding ring, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t seeing someone. “My parents are there, obviously, and the dog and my daughter. And my niece and nephew and my sister-in-law…” She chuckled. “Kind of a full house, and my brother’s not even here yet.” No mention of a boyfriend or girlfriend or partner or anything like that. “You said your daughter is there. Are you married?” Way to be blunt, Matt. Eh, sometimes it was best not to beat around the bush. “Divorced,” she said. “You?” “Single. Very single.” Something in her eyes shifted. Heavy lids darkened her irises to charcoal as she studied me. “I was hoping that was what you’d say.” I laughed nervously. “I was about to say the same thing to you.” “I’ve been thinking about you since we ran into each other.” She pushed her hair over one shoulder. “Which is…not something I’d normally say to a complete stranger.” “We’re not complete strangers now, though, are we? I’m Matt. You’re Dani—” My stomach bubbled with excitement, as she stepped closer. “I want to kiss you,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “Please do,” I told her. “I want you to kiss me.” She snatched the tumbler of moonshine back from me and drained it as a soft, chilly breeze ruffled her hair. With a lick of her lips, she dropped the cup. I barely had time to register the clank of the aluminum against the asphalt before her mouth was on mine. I stumbled backward, still holding on to her, trying to keep us upright as our shoes skidded on the gravel next to the street and we tripped into the grass on the side of the road. Her soft, silky lips tasted like mangoes and cinnamon with a hint of alcohol. I held on tight to her, breathing her in, this stranger on the road in the middle of nowhere. After a few moments, she pulled away, and I stifled a laugh. “What?” Her eyes flashed. “Nothing,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s just that, a few minutes ago, I’d been thinking about how we barely knew each other and were sharing a drink.” She laughed, too. “I supposed all of this escalated quickly.” “I’m not complaining.” I glanced down the road, toward the house where I was staying. I could invite her to join me, which was the kind of thing I never shied away from, at least it used to be. Random hookups had become more complicated in the past year. If I let Dani into my house, I’d be opening a can of worms. For the next several weeks, she’d be my neighbor. We’d run into each other constantly. Things would get awkward, and the stress of dealing with a romantic entanglement would distract me from my writing. Better to cut this short and leave ourselves with the sweet, perfect memory of making out with a total stranger in the moonlight on a deserted road. “I should probably…” I nodded back toward Linda’s house, making it look like I lived up that way. “Me, too.” As she walked backwards, heading the way she came, she said, “But Matt, if you ever want to do that again…” “I’ll keep an eye out for you.” I waved goodbye and headed back toward Linda’s house, ready to walk and walk and walk until I got that kiss out of my mind.    

About Julie Hammerle:

USA Today bestselling author Julie Hammerle writes young adult novels that focus on nerds, geeks, and basket cases falling in love. On the YA side, she is the author of The Sound of Us (Entangled TEEN, 2016) and the North Pole romance series (Entangled Crush, 2017). For adult romances, look for Knocked-Up Cinderella in the fall of 2018. A graduate of Butler University with degrees in secondary education and Latin with a minor in music, Julie lives in Chicago with her family and enjoys reading, cooking, and watching all the television.

Connect with Julie:

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Christmas Chances

Christmas is in the air at Mia Loughry’s Yellow Butterfly Café, the heartbeat of Azalea Valley serving up Mia’s legendary matchmaking and renowned home-cooking. For years, local track coach Buck Chance has flirted but failed to leave the starting gate in pursuit of Mia. Could love have passed her by?

Temperatures rise when a mouth-watering stranger, Chance Stengle, enters the café and steals her attention from Buck. A singer/songwriter and owner of a construction company, Chance believes Mia is exactly what he’s been looking for. Faced with fresh competition, Buck is not ready to yield the field to the new guy and lose Mia for good.

With two handsome men vying for her attention, Mia is determined to give each a chance to win her heart for life. Her destiny becomes uncertain when a confrontation reaches a boiling point after a fateful trip. Will Buck make it to the finish line or will Chance reconstruct her future?

Torn between two loves, indecision could cost her both Christmas Chances.

Net galley book:

This is a wonderful story with wonderful people, a community that cares, unexpected surprises, and the journey they each take to decide what is right for themselves and their town.A great book about Chances made in life…. I highly recommend this series and its part of kindle unlimited if you are new to series… Lisa

At the Library : Christmas Movies

It’s Thursday and that means I am working at the Library -so let’s Check In and see what’s going on:

Current Loans : 263 For Month : 13208

Library top Loan:

The Publishers Weekly and USA TODAY Best Seller!
The official Hallmark Channel Christmas keepsake takes you behind-the-scenes of your favorite feel-good holiday films with the casts’ memories, photos, recipes and more.

This stunning book invites readers to an exclusive inside look at the making of everyone’s favorite holiday classics with secrets from the stars, screenwriters, set designers, costume designers, and directors who create the movie magic. Featuring the network’s top leading ladies and gentlemen–Candace Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert, Kristin Chenoweth, Debbie Matenopoulos, Cameron Mathison, Chris McNally, Danica McKellar, Christina Milian, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Jodie Sweetin, Holly Robinson Peete, Alexa and Carlos PenaVega, and many others–this ultimate deck-the-halls guide shares their personal holiday recipes, favorite ideas for Christmas decorating and gift giving, as well as ways to savor and share the true meaning of the holidays.

Book Chat :

Today’s Book Chat is all about Holiday movies ? Do you watch them? When do you start watching before Thanksgiving or after? Favorite movie? Favorite movie to Book?

Love You Like Christmas: Based on a Hallmark Channel original movie 

Sometimes getting lost leads you back to what matters most…

Maddie, a marketing executive in New York, is on her way to attend the December wedding of one of her best clients. She’s afraid of flying, and taking her late aunt’s classic Mustang on a road trip seems like fun—until the car breaks down and leaves her stranded in the small town of Christmas Valley.

Book thoughts

. I loved the movie and the book. The movie didn’t stray too far away from the book. I absolutely loved both.Needing a sweet holiday read pick this up at the Library…. Lisa

Thursday Library Update :

Today we are back at the Library stacking shelves with new books and having a fun Book discussion- Come join us and Chat….

My November Shelf :

Some Thanksgiving favorites

Book Club Chat : traveling for the holidays?

Planning a holiday Road Trip. Do you Read in the Car on road trips ? Or listen to audio books?

Why is it hard to read in the car? Motion sickness in general is caused when your inner ear and your eyes disagree about whether you’re moving. When you read in a car, your visual field stays still but your inner ear detects the twists and turns.

From the Library Collection: (audio book)

rom the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a new historical novel: the dramatic story of three young women searching for family amid the destruction of the post–Civil War South, and of a modern-day teacher who learns of their story and its vital connection to her students’ lives.

Stacking the Shelves :

Holiday Books are here!

For fans of Little Women, The Chronicles of Narnia, A Christmas Carol, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and more, a literature-inspired cookbook for voracious readers during the festive holiday season.

A regimented ex-Army man drives an irresistible wedding planner  from Cupid to Twilight in the next Twilight, Texas, novel from New York Times bestselling author Lori Wilde.

You are cordially invited to a Twilight, Texas, Christmas Wedding! The town is decorated, the cookies are made, and the stage is set . . . for love.

In the town of Silver Bells, there’s always a feeling of Christmas in the air… Let love—and RaeAnne Thayne—melt your heart this holiday season!

This New Year will bring widowed nurse Abigail Powell a fresh start in a different city. Excited about the chance to create an unforgettable Christmas for her young son in picturesque Silver Bells, Colorado,

Santa: An Interview

 

Holiday, Children’s, Family

Date Published: October 1st, 2020

Santa: An Interview covers the tales of questions asked to and answered by Santa Claus one winter evening. In a remote northern village close to the North Pole, in a rare occasion during the holiday season Santa decided to take a break from Operation Christmas! He invited local kids and adults from all ages and backgrounds to the Fairbanks Public Library.

Santa had lovingly provided hot cocoa, snacks, blankets, pillows and a warm magical glowing fire for all in attendance. Tonight was for Santa and the families that came to share stories and ask him their questions. We’re lucky that one of the parents was a journalist for the local Fairbanks Gazette Newspaper, and by trade, always had a notebook in his back pocket. Thanks to this writer, Raymond “Ray” James, we can relive the stories and tales told that rare winter night for countless families to enjoy this holiday season.

You’ll read along as the pages of Ray’s notebook recount the stories and answers witnessed that one magical evening!

 

 

About the Author

In my previous aspirations, I’ve been a Luxury Celebrity Chef, Designer, Division 1 Swimmer, Musician, Artist, Event Planner, Philosopher, Author and CEO of Hurn Publications

I love loose leaf teas, I collect teacups and coffee cups, and strangely I love big soup spoons. In contrast to the big beautiful weddings I’ve designed and coordinated, my tastes run fairly simple. I watch tons of documentaries, generally anything to do with oceanography, marine biology or military history. I’m also a sucker for terrible jokes and puns. Typically, I’m reading, writing or playing music if I’m not working.

I’m also not a fan of small talk. I like to jump into the middle of a conversation and get the heart of a topic. So, feel free to reach out and start a conversation.

 

Contact Links

Website

Publisher Book Site

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Pinterest

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Purchase Link

Amazon

 

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Have a Deadly New Year (A Farm-to-Fork Mystery

Chef Angie Turner of The County Seat—Idaho’s finest farm-to-table restaurant—is preparing a private dinner in the mountains during ski season, but the trip’s about to go downhill . . .
 
It’s a rockin’ New Year for Angie and her crew as they cater a bash for a famous band—and as a bonus, they’ll get to stay at the singer’s Sun Valley house for a whole week once the party’s over. But there are hints of discord, and the event hits a sour note when one of the musicians is found with a drumstick in his chest.
 
Is this a case of creative differences turned lethal or is there another motive at play? Angie’s jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire as she and her fellow foodies try to solve the case before the killer comes out for an encore . . .

Cozy Mystery Book Review :

A fun edition to the series in novella form. It has a good mystery and the writing as always great . Definitely recommended for fans of the series. Looking forward to the next book.

In Mistletoe by Tammy L. Bailey

In Mistletoe

by Tammy L. Bailey

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc

Publication Date: December 2, 2016

At twenty-five, Grace Evans is steadily picking up the pieces of everyone else’s life. So, when her younger sister decides to turn into a runaway bride just four weeks before the wedding, Grace, drops everything to chase after her and bring her back home. Only, when the trail leads to Mistletoe, Washington, she finds herself at the mercy of the town’s most handsome and emotionally unavailable bachelor.

Ex-Army officer, Ayden McCabe, has three creeds in life: never make the first move, never fall in love, and never take anyone to Mistletoe’s Christmas Dance. Wanting nothing more than to keep his matchmaking sister from meddling in his personal life, he agrees to help Grace if she agrees to play his girlfriend. Too brunette and meek for his taste, Ayden believes Grace can’t tempt him enough to break any of his creeds. He could not be more wrong.

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A LEO wife, mother, and military veteran, Tammy began writing when the shows and movies she watched didn’t end the way she wanted them to end. Whether it’s historical or contemporary, for her, there must always be a happy ending.

When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her husband and two boys near Cleveland, Ohio. Without their sacrifice and understanding, she believes she would have never been able to pursue her passion of writing or her accomplishment of becoming a published author.

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The Christmas Walk Capier

This is my stop during the book blitz for The Christmas Walk Caper by JB Michaels. This book blitz is organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. The book blitz runs from 6 till 12 December. See the tour schedule here. The Christmas Walk Caper (Mac and Millie Mysteries #1) By JB Michaels Genre: Cozy Mystery Age category: Adult

Blurb: Add ‘Catch a killer’ to your Christmas to-do list! Meet Mac, a retired hero cop with writer’s block and a penchant for trouble. What holiday hijinks will he get himself into? Probably a murder investigation. Meet Millie, a local banker and former college athlete who may have a trick or two up her sleeve. What Christmas conundrum will she be brought in to solve? Again, a murder mystery. In this delightful cozy mystery set in downtown Geneva, Illinois, our sarcastic and savvy sleuths will seek justice for the untimely death of the owner of the beloved and charming retail mansion: The Tiny Wanderer. It’s time to stroll on Third street. Immerse yourself in beautiful Christmas décor. Drink some hot chocolate and help solve the Christmas Walk Caper.

You can find The Christmas Walk Caper on Goodreads You can buy The Christmas Walk Caper here on Amazon About the Author: I am JB Michaels, award-winning and USA Today Bestselling Author of two series: Bud Hutchins Thrillers and the Tannenbaum Tailors. I have spent my life in the study of story from riveting novels to the slam-bang action-packed world of comics to the examination of film history, I have spent a lifetime learning and examining the elements that make a story incredible. This steadfast dedication has led me to writing stories of my own. I am married and with a son, I have a great love of family. I hope that you enjoy my bestselling books that mash genres from thrillers to science fiction to fantasy! You can find and contact JB Michaels here: – Website – Publisher – Facebook – Twitter – Goodreads – Amazon – Instagram Giveaway There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of The Christmas Walk Caper. One winner will win a $25 Amazon Gift Card (US Only) For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

MORNING

Mac O’Malley adjusted his chair in the atrium café of the Tiny Wanderer, a labyrinthine retail center inside a colonial-style mansion nestled on the famously charming Third Street of Geneva, Illinois. He moved his hands closer to the keyboard of his brand new appropriately named Mac computer. He stopped just short of typing when he decided to take a drink of his black coffee that smelled better than it tasted. Alas, that was just the way the former cop and national hero liked it. Bitter, black, and hotter than hell. Many Chicago winters on the beat needed coffee just like this. 

As much as Millie would like to point out and Mac deny, he always slurped his coffee. He slurped it now. He realized it when the old gray-haired man lowered a newspaper to reveal a menacing scowl.

“Sorry. Just really love the coffee here.” Mac smiled.

The man stared for an uncomfortable pause then put his paper back up to his face.

Mac made a face back at him but only after the older man couldn’t see. Time to work. The brand  new computer beckoned him to write. Though admittedly, Mac would have rather just watched movies on the amazing screen. He had a hard deadline though. A major New York publisher wanted his story. The true-life story of a cop who prevented an attack on the Chicago marathon through his wits and resolve and apparent willingness to follow a hunch even though it disobeyed direct orders from a superior officer. 

Mac hadn’t come away from the attack without the weight of severe consequences. He would never be a cop again. Well, a cop in the way he wanted to be. He didn’t want the desk job and instead had opted for the big publishing contract and a chance to start anew. The advance was big enough for him to take some time off and figure out his next move.

For now, the chronic pain in his leg would forever be a reminder of his once vigorous job and the fuel that drove him to write the book. He looked to the cane that leaned on the wall next to his small circular table. He sighed, trying not to let it bother him and sink him into a bleak depression. He was told that writing the story would help him and help other cops to inspire them to be the best they could be.

“You got this, Mac. Let’s do this.” He cracked his knuckles, slurped his coffee again. 

The man lowered the paper. Mac winked at him.

Paper back up. Mac wondered how far he could push it with this guy. 

He thought better of the possible antagonism and moved his fingers to the keyboard. 

“I tried calling her house again and again. She should be here by now,” Edith, the hostess in the café, said to another Tiny Wanderer employee, who held garland and a string of lights.

Mac, doing everything he could to not actually write a damn word, looked up from his beautiful, vibrant, blank computer screen. Eavesdropping was a much better idea.

“That is not like Patricia at all. You think someone should go over there? I mean, she lives right behind the store,” the employee responded.

“Can you stay here? I will run over there. She would be here today of all days.” Edith walked down a hallway presumably to grab her jacket.

Mac surmised she meant the day of the Christmas Walk. Today was the first day of two where the people of this delightful little burg gathered to light the Christmas tree and then walk through elaborately staged and decorated homes around downtown Geneva, all in celebration of the holidays. 

Geneva did Christmas celebrations right. If you couldn’t feel the magic of the holidays in this town, then your name must be Ebenezer Scrooge, pre-hauntings of course. The Tiny Wanderer did great business on this weekend, and Patricia, the owner of the retail mansion, would most definitely be here to greet guests and hand out hot chocolate, etc. You know, Christmassy things. 

Mac closed the laptop and put it in his backpack. Put his peacoat on and grabbed his cane. He decided to leave the backpack as it would slow him down. Edith wouldn’t mind a former cop joining her for a stroll.