Showing posts with label #Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Christmas. Show all posts

Thursday, November 24, 2022

Be Kind to Yourself by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.bookswelove.com/donaldson-yarmey-joan/
 

Writers are sometimes hard on themselves when it comes to their writing. As a writer I can be my own worst critic. One moment I think I am writing something great and the next it will seem like the most boring stuff. Sometimes I look at other writer’s books and wish I could write like them.

Over the years I’ve tried to keep to the following rules. These might help any new or experienced writer.

No. One: Remember every writer, whether a best seller or a working-hard-at-becoming-a-best-seller, started their very first book with a blank page.

No. Two: Don’t try to write your novel in one sitting, or one month, or even one year. Give yourself time to enjoy the experience, to change the story line, if need be, as you progress, and to get to know your characters. I attended a romance writing course and the speaker, who wrote for Harlequin, said you should know everything about your main character, even what type of toothpaste she uses.

No. Three: Sometimes, now is not the time to write the book you’re sure will be the next great best seller. Sometimes you need to put in more time learning the craft, like how to write good dialogue, how to flesh out your characters, and how to decide which is the best location to set your story.

No. Four: It is nice to have a set schedule for writing, whether it’s from 5-7am before work, 8-10pm after the children are in bed, but sometimes that won’t always work. Some authors write twenty minutes here and there throughout the day. Some try for two hours Saturday morning and an hour Wednesday evening. Find what works best for you and try to stick to it as best you can.

No. Five: Whatever language you write in, make sure your language skills are up to par. I write in English and all my life I knew that when a person nodded their head, they agreed and when they shook their head they disagreed. In some books I’ve seen where the character shook their head yes and nodded their head for no.

No Six: Try to have a separate space for your writing even if it is a corner in your dining room or bedroom. That way when you are there you know you have replaced you mom or dad hat, or your friend hat, or your working hat with your writing hat.

No. Seven: Back-up your work whether it be on a thumb drive, or the cloud, or even an email to yourself. I’ve read of many writers who have lost whole chapters or multiple chapters due to their computer crashing. Don’t let that happen to you.

No. Eight: Most of all be kind to yourself. Not every word you write is going perfect, not every story your write is going to be a masterpiece. But each time you finish a project you can tell yourself: “You Did it!!Good Job!!”

Saturday, December 25, 2021

A Traditional Scandinavian Christmas Recipe by A.M.Westerling

 

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2022! May you have time today to sit down and relax with loved ones. 


Every family has their favourite traditions and I'd like to share one of ours. My husband is Danish and this is one of the fun little customs we keep going. We eat our turkey dinner on Christmas Eve and serve rice pudding for dessert. 

 ****

Danish Rice Pudding

1 cup pearl rice

5 cups milk

¼ cup sugar

½ cup slivered almonds

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups whipping cream

Cherry Sauce

 Boil rice in milk over low heat 45 minutes. Cool, then add sugar, almonds and almond extract. Whip cream until stiff and fold into rice mixture. Chill. Turn into bowl and top with Cherry Sauce or spoon into individual dessert dishes and top with sauce. Makes about 12 servings.

 Cherry Sauce

1 16 ounce can dark sweet cherries.

1 teaspoon cornstarch

 Reserve about 1 teaspoon cherry liquid. Turn remaining liquid and cherries into saucepan and heat to boiling. Blend cornstarch with reserved liquid and stir into boiling mixture. Cook and stir until well blended, then cool sauce and chill.

**** 

Now here comes the fun part. Place a whole almond in the pudding and whoever gets the whole almond wins a little prize, usually a marzipan pig. As our family has grown, I now use 2 almonds. But everyone wants to win a coveted pig! Good luck!

How about Evelyn's Beau, a Christmas novella to read and enjoy when you have a moment to put up your feet? 

As a favour to the local vicar, Lady Evelyn Kendall agrees to organize a Christmas pageant involving disadvantaged children, never realizing it would lead to disaster for both her and Lord Oliver Harrington, the man she loves.



Available at your favourite online store HERE. Prefer print? Find that on Amazon.



Find all my books on my page at the BWL Publishing website.

Friday, December 24, 2021

December by Joan Donaldson-Yarmey

 

https://www.bookswelove.com/donaldson-yarmey-joan/

December

The word December comes from the Latin word decem which means ‘ten’. In the Roman calendar, which began with the month of March, December was the tenth month. The cold, wintery days between the end of December and the beginning of March did not have a name. Eventually, those days were called January and February and were considered the beginning of the calendar year. Therefore, December became the twelfth month but kept its name.

      The birthstone of December is turquoise with blue topaz a close second. Turquoise color can range from sky-blue to blue green to a vivid green. The flower of December is the narcissus. The Zodiac sign Sagittarius ends on December 21 and Capricorn begins on December 22.
 

     December is noted for the Nobel Prizes being awarded in that month. Other events that took place in December are: the first Sunday newspaper began publication in Britain on December 4, 1791; the Bill of Rights was passed in the USA on December 14, 1791; the Wright brothers made their first flight on the December 17th, 1903; and the first heart transplant took place in December 03, 1967.
 

     Celebrations in December include World Aids Day on the first, the International Day of the Disabled Person on the third, and International Hug day on the fourth. Human rights day is on the tenth but there is also the month long observance of Universal Human Rights. Poinsettia Day is on the twelfth.

     Christmas Day is celebrated by Christians around the world on December 25 to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. Some non-Christian celebrations in December include: Hanukkah from December 7-14 on the Jewish calendar; Bodhi Day (Buddhism) on the 8th; and Datta Jayanti (Hinduism) and Yomari punhi (Nepal Era) on the 25th.
 

     Some facts and beliefs about December:


    December 1st always falls on the same day of the week as September 1st and December 31st is always on the same day of the week as April 30th, even in a Leap Year.

    December 21 is the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and has the shortest number of daylight hours of the year. It is the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere and has the longest daylight hours there.

     The ancient Mayans were very advanced in their culture and in their understanding of the universe. Because the Mayan calendar ended on the 21st of December 2012, many people world-wide thought it predicted the world as we knew it would end on that day.

     If snow falls on Christmas day, Easter will be warm and sunny.

     Some believe that December 28 is the unluckiest day of the year, while spiders and their webs are considered lucky on Christmas.

     More dentists have birthdays in December than in any other month according to a survey done in 2011. The results of another survey showed that couples argue the most during the last month of the year.

     More money is drawn from ATMs during December than in any other month.

     St. Nicholas, was originally the patron saint of children, thieves, and pawnbrokers. He is now known as Santa Claus.

     A Norse tradition of cutting and burning a tree on December 21 to bring in the Winter Solstice was supposed to last for twelve days. This is now known as the 12 days of Christmas.

    Germany had the first artificial Christmas trees. Some were wooden and shaped like a pyramid while others, developed in the 1880s, were made of goose feathers that were dyed green. Candy canes are supposed to represent the Shepherds cane, the star at the top of the tree is for the first Christmas night and candles, which were used before there was power for lights, represented the light of the world.


Wednesday, December 15, 2021

An Alternative to Christmas Gifts

 


 

A long-standing tradition in North America is the purchase and gifting of Christmas gifts.  Friends and family members are listed, shopping lists prepared, gifts purchased, wrapped and mailed (or delivered.)  

Certainly gifts given or received bring joy and remembrance to all concerned. But this is not always an easy task. My wife and I always encounter questions as to what to get for who. Sending ties or shirts that most likely will never move out of closets is a definite no-no. Others, such as parents, claim that they don’t want anything. And these days, inflation and COVID lockdowns have pinched everyone’s budgets.

Fortunately, there are alternatives to gifting store-bought presents. Here are a few ideas:

1.        Home-baked cookies. Besides being economical, the personal touch is always appreciated. I remember an erstwhile neighbor popping by with an apple pie during the holidays. My family loved it!

2.      Charity Gift Cards: A unique kind of gift, the Charity Gift Card allows the gift-giver to purchase a certain amount of money on a Charity Gift Card. This card is given to a recipient, who can choose a charity to which the amount can be donated.

3.      Organize your family to a volunteer program: Many Charities—homeless shelters, soup kitchens, church or temple programs, food pantries—find themselves overwhelmed during the holidays. The need for volunteers is at the greatest during this time. Spending a day helping out at one of these places would be most welcome. Please call before-hand.

4.      Family photos: For family and close friends, receiving photos is always appreciated. A favorite, especially if you have little ones, they will be placed in albums and cherished for years to come.

5.      Gifting books. Finally, my favorite. Books used to be a common gift item, but sadly, this tradition is disappearing. As a writer, I fight back against this trend. I have given copies of my books, autographed, to both family and friends. They assure me that they have read them, but even if they don’t, I know that they value receiving something printed with my name on it!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.


Mohan Ashtakala (www.mohanauthor.com) is the author of "The Yoga Zapper," a fantasy, and "Karma Nation," a literary romance. He is published by Books We Love (www.bookswelove.com.) 


 




Sunday, November 28, 2021

It's a Very Merry Cajun Christmas---Love Potions, Bachelor Auctions, Hollywood Productions, and Gypsy Magic! By Connie Vines

How Do Cajuns Celebrate Christmas? 


Cajun Christmas traditions that mark the holidays always involve lots of laughter in the company of friends and family. Many holidays dinners include having seafood dishes like seafood gumbo and oyster dressing. Look for Cajun sausage and fried turkey--or signature Lousiana Turducken!

"What is a Turducken?" you ask (wondering if it's some type of Swamp Creature that crawled out of the Bayou).

Turducken is a true showstopping main course for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. The term "turducken" is a combination of the words "turkey," "duck," and "chicken".  Turducken combines the flavors of moist roast poultry and savory stuffing into one glorious dish. It is not difficult to make, but it is a little time-consuming,

When sliced, each piece of turducken contains portions of all three birds with stuffing in between the layers.





Cajuns love to cook, love their family, and... they love to party and celebrate life!



After you've consumed your holiday dinner and are sitting by the fireplace and relaxing, You might like to enjoy a new ebook to read.

Here's a little sample of Cajun life, "Gumbo Ya Ya" style:


"Marrying Off Murphy" Excerpt:

"You forgot about the rehearsal?" Tallulah said in an exasperated voice. "Murph, I reminded you. Twice."

"It'll be okay," Sylvie promised.

Tallulah glanced after her stepbrother. "I hope so," she said under her breath.

"Let's go over the program again," Sylvie coached Murphy behind the temporary rigged curtain inside the crowded restaurant.

"I smile, walk down the runway, take off my jacket, turn around, and then walk back to the podium."

"Smile," she instructed.

He complied, and Sylvie rolled her eyes. How could someone fail smiling? Murphy, try again."

Instead, he ignored her instructions and fiddled with his tie.

Pushing his fingers away, "Stop it. Listen to me," she snapped. "Pull yourself together!"

The frenzied sounds of bidding for the first bachelor filled the room. "Hear that? It's the emcee's job to pump up the bids. Just strut your stuff."

"Strut my stuff?" he yelped.

Sylvie seized him By the hand to keep him from bolting. "It's an auction, a bachelor bidding war, remember? The proceeds go to charity."

Tallulah parted the curtain and shoved Murphy onto the stage.


Fragrances and scents have the power to transport to a time and place long forgotten.     


"Love Potion No. 9"

"Don't shake your finger at me, Simone Basso. I know what I'm doing," Persia Richmond said, holding a pipette to fill a crystal half-ounce atomizer with perfume. The top notes of peach blossoms and bergamot, and mid-notes of gardenia, honey, and tuberose tantalized. While the tuberose, being the most carnal of the floral notes, and the high-ticket natural essence for her fragrance compound, merged with peony and orange blossom to temper the intoxication properties. The base notes lingered, while a hint of something unnamed and mysterious beguiled and skimmed across the narrow processing room, saturating her senses.

The fragrance was News Orleans; culture at its most upscale moment and Mardi Gras at its naughtiest.

Success!

This was a signature fragrance.

Her signature fragrance.

This was her--

"I've done warned you and warned you about messing with love potions!" Simone leaned over Persia's shoulder to hiss the words into her ear. Her statement yanked Persia out of her state of bliss and sent her heart thundering.

"You worry too much, Simone." Settling down her atomizer, she rearranged her test tubes. "This is a perfume. Nothing more, nothing less."

"That be no French perfume you be selling."

"I've extracted essences from bayou plants before, and you didn't object."

"You be using flowers then. Not that root!"

Persia frowned. She'd extracted the essence using the enfleurage procedure--a time-honored perfuming method. "Simone the scent is pure--"

"That root be pre alright. It be pure trouble from a voodoo love-plant!"

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Simone. There's no such thing as a voodoo love-plant."



"A Slice of Scandal"

"Hey, now, 'dis key lime pie's like de one I serve at my restaurant. Simple to make and good to eat! Key limes perk up de mouth and makes you Hoppy."

Producer/Director Julia Kincaid focused on her monitor and adjusted the mic of her headset. "Camera One, tighten that headshot," She watched as the camera feathered over the chef to capture the best angle. The camera should have loved franklin. His height was average, his black hair, short and curly and his skin took on a polished bronze color under the harsh camera lights, but the camera didn't like  Franklin. There was something about his eyes: the dark agate, forbidding, and expressionless, and the grayish ring that clung to the end of the pupil that was difficult to erase.

"Okay. Now hold it, while Chef Franklinpullins the second pie from the refrigerator. Follow him back to the island. Good."

When the chef stood on his mark, Julia said, "Cue the music. Okay. Two, scan the audience. Back to Franklin. Focus on the pie..Camera One, close-up on the chef...Hold it."

The studio audience uttered a collective sigh when he lifted his fork to take a bite of the pie.

Julia watched as Franklin Grabbed his throat. "What's going on?" she shouted.

From her left, she heard J.D. groan. "He's spitting out the pie. Hell, there goes the show's ratings!"

Julia hopped down from the camera and took off at a full run.

Gone was the applause. People jumped to their feet. They screamed.

"J.D. call the paramedics...someone grab the AED kit off the wall!"


1-800-FORTUNE

The moon was full; huge in the sky, a brilliant iridescent orb that stared down at the earth. Enza allowed the energy to feather over her as she removed the silk cloth protecting her Tarot cards.

There are event-eight cards in the Tarot deck. Four suits of fourteen cards each. Swords, Cups, and Pentacles, and twenty-two cards called the major arcane--the big mysteries.

Enza's mother told her she would learn to associate the picture cards with people.

The Tarot was very clear in meaning.

Not for spells and chants ar you damned but for the abuse of your gifts.

Enza glanced out the window and into the moonlight washing across the cobblestone street outside of the French Quarter.  The Roma, though, they traced their roots back to ancient Romania, never consider themself twenty-first-century gypsies. Her mother came from a stricter branch of the gypsies, rooted in the Bohemia hillsides of what is now called the Czech Republic. Her family displayed no read palms upon the shop doors or upon their carts. Nor did they dabble in the black arts. They followed the old ways...

🦃Happy Holidays and 🎅Merry Christmas, 🎄,


Connie




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