The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007 - Betty Jo's Trees

Saturday was our annual ladies' tea with my church friends. I always supply teacups and saucers, scones and preserves. This year I had two helpers to bake the scones. Another person does finger sandwiches. Brewing the tea is a collaborative effort, and we have six kinds to choose from. I will post pictures of the lovely food table, but since this is supposed to be the tree tour, here are two of the hostesses three incredible trees.

This first one you see is in the family room, where tables were set. A fireplace is to the left. The tree is decorated with vintage ornaments, including many Shiny Brites.


This tree is in Betty Jo's living room. It's mostly white, glass and gold. She has decorated it with Lennox ornaments she's collected over the years, as well as White House Limited Edition ornaments that her daughter sends her each year. Both trees are stunning.

Tea Time

Here's the table set for tea.
Exquisite, isn't it?

The Great Christmas tree Tour 2007: Say What?

Can you guess what this tree is decorated with? Mountain Dew cans! That's a 2 liter on top!

Who knew?

I have to tell you something funny that happened to me today. I went into Walmart photo center to pick up some pics I ordered, and my package was flagged for copyright. The girl slid out my pics and asked, "Are these professionally taken?"

I told her I took them, and I had to sign a copyright release! LOL

So, guess what, I'm now a professional photographer!

(And by the way, don't venture into that photo center without your sack lunch and bottled water.)

Drawing Winner

ANNOUNCING A WINNER!

The winner of an autographed copy of A Christmas Wedding Wager is Julie :-)

Congrats, Julie!

Please send your address to Michelle at MMStyles@aol.com and she will send you your book!

Thanks to all who blogged this week. I've had lots of good feedback about the Christmas trees, all the authors and Christmas books, and the readers loved you, Michelle!

Stayed tuned for more trees this coming week. You can still send me yours if you haven't.

A Randall Hero by Judy Christenberry

January 2008
When John Randall swerved to avoid a broken-down car on a deserted Wyoming back road, the cowboy never dreamed he'd find a beautiful woman inside. But like a knight without his steed, the rancher came to her rescue. She was, after all, alone…and about to give birth.

Lucy Horton was on the run. After an attack on her unborn child, she'd had no choice but to seek refuge in the tiny town of Rawhide. But now her baby was making an unscheduled appearance and her handsome hero wouldn't leave her side. Lucy had no choice but to accept his help, his shelter, his strong shoulder. But when John offered more than that, how could she accept, when her heart wasn't hers to give?

Meet My Friend, Cyndy

I'm blessed to have so many friends, including readers and writers. Another friend I'd like to tell you about is Cyndy.

Cynthia Rutledge wrote her first book at 14 and relegated it to the trash shortly thereafter. She started writing again in 1996 after taking a class at a local community college in "How to Write a Romance Novel."

In three-and-a-half years she'd written five books. Her fifth book, originally entitled Faith on a Harley, won the Romance Writers of America's Faith, Hope and Love chapter's Touched by Love contest, garnering it a critique by a Steeple Hill. In June 1999 Cynthia sold that book to Steeple Hill books.

Since that time she has continued to write for the Love Inspired series as well as for the Silhouette Romance series. When she writes a book for the Love Inspired series, Cynthia tries not to be constrained by "you can't" and tries to follow her own good sense. This leads to such descriptions in her Romantic Times reviews as: "non-traditional inspirational romance;" "fresh detour from the conservative inspirational romance;" "nothing typical about this wonderful story;" and "unconventional, delightfully unique."

Cynthia is a member of RWA and several chapters, including Faith, Hope and Love. She has continued to work full-time as a regional consultant for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, while meeting her goal of writing at least three books a year.

A lifelong Nebraska resident, Cynthia is a graduate of the University of Nebraska with bachelors degrees in sociology (wanted to be a social worker), political science (wanted to go to law school), and nursing (is an RN). As you can tell, Cynthia had a hard time deciding what she wanted to be when she grew up. If only "romance writer" had been on those early lists of career choices.…

Find out more about Cyndy on her web site, www.cynthiarutledge.com.

FREE ONLINE READ AT eharlequin.com CLICK HERE
A SEASON OF MIRACLES is Cyndy's FREE online read, and you an enjoy it now.

A Christmas Wedding Wager

A Christmas Wedding Wager is set during the Christmas season in 1846 in Newcastle Upon Tyne.




















Lovely Miss Emma Harrison has long turned her back on the frivolities of the Marriage Mart and dedicated herself to helping her father. But this Christmas everything changes – the unforgettable Jack Stanton is back! No longer the charity boy determined to make good, he has become one of the richest men in England. Driven to succeed and used to getting anything he wants, Jack makes it clear that he wants Emma.

And as the Yuletide festivities throw Emma into his company, she can’t help but wonder if she made the right choice seven years ago...

Because I love Christmas, it was such fun to write a Christmas book. I wanted to make sure that readers could understand what Christmas was like in the North East of England in the 1840s. Many of the places I mention in the story -- the Assembly Rooms,the Theatre Royal and the Town Moor all still exist. It was so interesting to find out about goose feasts and how Christmas carols were sung.

I was so absolutely thrilled that they chose to use a sleigh on the front cover. There is a key scene in the book which features a sleigh. The inspiration for that scene came from a green dragon sleigh that resides in Wallington hall, a country house in Northumberland where I did some of my research. After seeing it and making sure it was from the right time period I was determined to have a sleigh feature as I love the whole idea of sleighs and ice skating at Christmas time.

I am offering a copy of A Christmas Wedding Wager to a reader of this blog. Cheryl has generously agreed to pluck one winner out of the comments section. So here is a question for you: what traditional activity do you associate with Christmas?


CLICK TO PURCHASE A COPY OF A CHRISTMAS WEDDING WAGER AT AMAZON

Christmas Wedding Bells

The Pirate's Kiss by Nicola Cornick
Famous and feared pirate Daniel de Lancey is master and commander of the Defiance. Only one woman makes him want to swap danger for desire, sea for seduction… And with one Christmas kiss, he will make Lucinda his bride!

A Smuggler's Tale by Margaret McPhee
Masquerading as a smuggler, society's handsome bad boy, Lord Jack Holberton, finds himself protecting young Miss Linden's honor, despite his reputation. But will this rake keep his twelfth-night promise and return to claim her as his own?

The Sailor's Bride by Miranda Jarrett
War-ravaged Lieutenant Lord James Richardson is about to put in to Naples after a victorious sea battle that has made him a hero but has left its mark on his soul. Young and innocent, Abigail Layton is just the woman to heal his hardened heart…

Heart of the Family by Margaret Daley

We've looked at this book before, but now here's some inside info about the author!

Margaret Daley is an award winning, multi-published author in the romance genre. She currently writes inspirational romance and romantic suspense books for the Steeple Hill Love Inspired lines. She recently sold her fifty-sixth book. When she isn't writing, she is teaching at Jenks High School.

Women, Dr. Jacob Hartman knew, were a mystery. Take the first time he met social worker Hannah Smith at the Stone Refuge home for foster children. The woman stared him down as if he'd come at her with castor oil. Why? His past was full of heavy duty heartache, but he was positive they'd never met. And as a former foster child himself, Jacob was deeply touched by how much she cared about the kids at the home, how loving she was to everyone but him. Which was where, he figured, the mistletoe came in!

Heart of the Family received a 4 1/2 stars at Romantic Times and was a December Top Pick.

VISIT MARGARET'S WEBSITE

ORDER HEART OF THE FAMILY FROM AMAZON

Fifty six books! Margaret, that's amazing!

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007: Gail Gaymer Martin

Hi from Gail Gaymer Martin. Welcome to my home at Christmas. Though I don't have a Christmas book this year, you'll be able to purchase Steeple Hill Love Inspired, Family In His Heart, at the very end of December when the January releases reach your local stores. This is my last book set on a Michigan island---which in this case is Drummond and the Les Cheneaux Islands of Michigan's upper peninsula.














I had a great time researching this book, and even hired a fishing boat to take me around the islands so I could get a sense of the 36 islands that make up the Les Cheaneaux (French for The Channels) Islands. Captian Shutt provided me with three hours of information about the islands and their history as he showed me the area. It was a great research project. I hope you enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed writing it.

If you're a writer, please look for my book from Writers Digest, Writing the Christian Romance, to be released on December 26. It can be preordered from a link on my webstie at www.gailmartin.com

Thanks for reading our Love Inspired books and many blessings to you and yours as you celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

A Nutcracker Story from Michelle Styles

Back in 1993, when [my son] was 3, we went to visit my mother for Christmas. This was the first time he had experienced an American Christmas and one of his big treats was being taken to see the San Francisco Ballet's production of the Nutcracker on Christmas Eve.

The Nutcracker is one of my favourite ballets and to see it performed by the SF Ballet is wonderful. A truly magical happening and on Christmas eve, they used to sing carols after the performance.

My son had not see the Nutcracker live before and was totally entranced with Clara's Nutcracker. At the interval my husband took him to look around as I was busy with our daughter who was a baby at the time. She was very good by the way and slept the entire way through the performance.

They came back to the seats and my son was very excited about the possibilities of a Nutcracker. My husband lifted an eyebrow, indicating that I should go and somehow get one, but I shook my head. It was Christmas Eve and there were loads of presents to come. To avoid a huge temper tantrum, I did concede that he could put an emergency letter up the chimney to Father Christmas but more than likely Father Christmas had left the North Pole. My son, tears filling in his eyes, agreed. The curtain went up and the second act started. Both my husband and I stayed in our seats and we did not leave the ballet with any extra packages. In fact, we purchased nothing at the ballet.

When we returned to my mother's house, my son duly put up his letter and excitedly talked about the nutcracker. My husband was quite cross with me btw and predicted a ruined Christmas. I said that my son would forget in the morning.

From this point on, no adult left the house to purchase anything. Nothing was purchased or brought into the house. Can I be clear on this point -- other than paying for parking that day, no money was spent and no presents were bought.
On Christmas morning, in front of the fireplace in pride of place stood a Nutcracker. Exactly like the one he had seen in the ballet. Father Christmas had come through. Even though, no one could have guessed that it would be the one thing my son would desire. Oh how my son's eyes shone!

I have told all my children when they can figure out how this happened, then they can tell me that Father Christmas does not exist.

The Nutcracker now slightly battered still graces our mantelpiece at Christmastime.
And even though my children are in their teens, they still have not been able to explain it. Or maybe they just like the magic.

Michelle told me:
"It is a true story and the fact that I might have wanted a nutcracker has never occurred to the children!"

Thanks for sharing, Michelle! What a wonderful Christmas memory.

Michelle is historical romance novelist who struggles to juggle her writing, family and the million other things which need to get done. Her publisher is Harlequin Mills and Boon Historicals. Her books include The Gladiator's Honour, A Noble Captive, Sold and Seduced, The Roman's Virgin Mistress, Taken by the Viking, A Christmas Wedding Wager, Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife, and An Impulsive Debutante.

Visitors over the last couple hours

Mountain View, AR, United States
Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
Omaha, NE, United States
Brentwood, United Kingdom
La Junta, CO, United States
Rosalia, WA, United States
Tremonton, UT, United States
U S A F Academy, CO, United States
West Columbia, SC, United States
Motta Visconti, Italy
West Des Moines, IA, United States
Warren, MI, United States
Omaha, NE, United States
Santa Ana, CA, United States
Kansas City, MO, United States
Nairobi, Kenya
Dartmouth, NS, Canada
Fort Myers, FL, United States
Austin, TX, United States
Winter Springs, FL, United States
United Kingdom
Murdock, NE, United States
Melbourne, Australia

Wave if it's YOU!!

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007: Michelle Styles

Michelle says they put their tree in their unheated sunroom, so the needles don't drop. It's stunning, Michelle! Thanks for letting us enjoy it with you.

Human Statue of Liberty

CLICK TO ENLARGE
18,000 soldiers! Amazing, isn't it? You can click to see close up, but also look while it's small to see how perfect the optical illusion is. Uniforms appear WWI, and the location is Camp Dodge, Iowa.

Most recent visitors

Just for fun, here's the list of visitors who were here in the last few hours:

Los Angeles, CA, United States
O Fallon, IL, United States
Grand Junction, CO, United States
Nashville, TN, United States
Madrid, Spain
Omaha, NE, United States
Saint Louis, MO, United States
Spokane, WA, United States
North Brunswick, NJ, United States
Chattanooga, TN, United States
Marietta, GA, United States
Dayton, OH, United States
West Hills, CA, United States
Lincoln, NE, United States
Simpsonville, SC, United States
Solymár, Hungary
North Bend, OR, United States
Haddonfield, NJ, United States
Lawn, PA, United States
Menznau, Switzerland
Snellville, GA, United States
London, ON, Canada
Rochester, NY, United States
Rockville, MD, United States
Lowell, MA, United States

If it's you, say HOWDY!

Favorite Western Romances at TGTBATU

http://www.goodbadandunread.com/2007/12/10/duodecimal-the-top-12-western-romances-from-wendy-the-super-librarian/#comment-33537

Sorry! Brenda pointed out the link stopped working.

HERE IT IS AGAIN or cut and paste the URL above

A Holiday to Remember by Jillian Hart

To: Uncle Ben

From: Mia

Re: Thanks to you, we have a whole new family!

Moving to Chestnut Grove was the best thing to happen to Mom and me. It's so neat that a few months ago Mom didn't know she had a half brother—you! And I can tell she likes Jonah Fraser, this really cool carpenter. I always tell Mom she's got to believe in the power of prayer. But now I have my own special prayer—that mom and Jonah get together to make this the best Christmas ever!

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007: Charlene Sands

From my good friend Charlene in sunny Orange County, CA:














"It's FAKE and therefore perfect every year! After 28 years of a 'live' tree, now the kids are grown and can't complain (yet they still do). The fear of fire (our neighbor's house burned down a few years ago from a Christmas tree fire)and our desire to decorate early made our decision easy. We LOVE our fake perfect tree and often we buy a live wreath to get that wonderful pine scent in our home."
Charlene Sands
www.charlenesands.com
Coming in January - Silhouette Desire THE CORPORATE RAIDER'S REVENGE

Charlene, it's beautiful, as is your entire room! I want to come sit on your sofa and sip tea (or cider or something) with you for an afternoon.

Favorite Western Romances

Wendy, the SUPER LIBRARIAN guest blogged her list of top 12 favorite western romances on The Good, The Bad and The Unread, and guess who has a book listed, hmm?

CHECK OUT SYBIL'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS LISTS

December Release: Heart of the Family

Women, Dr. Jacob Hartman knew, were a mystery. Take the first time he met social worker Hannah Smith at the Stone Refuge home for foster children. The woman stared him down as if he'd come at her with castor oil. Why? His past was full of heavy-duty heartache, but he was positive they'd never met. And as a former foster child himself, Jacob was deeply touched by how much she cared about the kids at the home, how loving she was—to everyone but him. Which was where, he figured, the mistletoe came in!

Straight, No Chaser: *lizzie found this!

Men's Accapella

thank's *lizzie! Loved this!

Bet You Didn't Know: #1 Warehouse Club Buy

And you don't need a membership!

If prescription drug costs are breaking your bank, a trip to the warehouse club may be just what the doctor ordered. Prices there routinely beat those of mainstream pharmacies by more than 50%, says Gabriel Levitt, vice president of research for PharmacyChecker.com, a site that rates online pharmacies. Warehouse club deals are often even lower than Wal-Mart and Target, both of which made news this year by offering 30-day supplies of generic prescription medications for just $4.

Let's say you need to fill a prescription for 20mg of Lisinopril, a popular generic blood-pressure medication. At Costco, you'll pay $10 for 100 pills, whereas a 90-count bottle would cost you $38.90 at CVS and $12 at Wal-Mart or Target. Considering the price per pill, you'd save anywhere from 25% to 77%, by heading to the warehouse.

Better yet, federal law stipulates that you don't need a club membership to access the pharmacy counter. That includes purchases of prescription eyewear and contact lenses, where available. You will, however, need a membership to purchase over-the-counter meds.

A Bravo Christmas Reunion by Christine Rimmer

What brought him to her door…

…Marcus Reid couldn't say. But then Hayley Bravo opened her door, and he got a good look at her burgeoning stomach! She appeared to be about eight months along. So was this proof that she'd gotten over him fast…or that they were connected, now and forever? Months ago Hayley had walked out on Marcus, even though it was the hardest thing she'd ever done. Because though she knew he'd do the right thing by her, she was holding out for the real thing. Love. Baby. Marriage. And apparently, in that order…

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007: BETSY

Betsy says:

"Here's a picture of my tree, just decorated today. When the kids leave home, I give them their ornaments. I'm down to just Alex's so the tree is beginning to look a bit bare. I guess I'll just have to go shopping!"

Thank you for sharing, Betsy! It's beautiful!

Snowbound with Mr. Right by Judy Christenberry

Tempting the tycoon out of the city…just in time for Christmas! Sally Rogers's family store is the heart and soul of the small town of Bailey, and she's working all hours to keep her business afloat. So when city slicker Hunter Bedford arrives, determined to buy her out, Sally is furious. No way will she sell to a ruthless businessman like Hunter! Instead, with Christmas approaching, she'll show him the warmth and spirit of Bailey. But as the snow falls thick and fast, they are trapped together and Sally begins to wonder if she's snowbound with Mr. Right…

Christmas Tree Tips and Ideas

How much fun is this? The smaller accent trees add color and an unusual touch to this room. I don't know about you, but I don't have room to do something that takes this much space, but it's fun to admire.

have you looked lately?

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK FOR NEW RECIPES

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007: Robyn

These first two pictures are of one of Robyn's trees, but the angel in front is the focal point of the first picture!

Robyn's favorite color is purple. Can you guess?

Thanks, Robyn!

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007

Ginger cleared off her credenza and got a little fiber optic tree. Her grandbaby made the stocking, and the two floppy reindeers are her most precious possessions from when her kids were little.

Thanks, Ginger!

From *lizzie Starr: Myths and Other Tales

Quotes given for books in the Tales of the Double Keltic Triad series:

“You will believe in Faeries!” Judy Buranich
“...faeries can be sexy.” Belinda Palmer
“...myth, merriment and mayhem all wrapped up in one.” The Romance Studio
“...an epic fantasy with a lot of romance.” Marlene Breakfield
“...a magical, dream-like flavor...” Gina Duvall
Do you know where the Anasazi really went when they disappeared from the American southwest?

Do you think there was really a library at Alexandria that held every book and scroll written?

Might you believe that Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream really happened?

I do!

When I first wrote By Keltic Design I had no idea that I was starting a six book series! It’s rather amazing to think that so much began with a single Celtic tattoo. And now, I’m working on the first book of a possible new series featuring the children of those in the first books.

In these books, and others, I’ve used Myth and Other Tales quite frequently. The main tale that carries through the entire series is Shakespeare’s play. My characters descended from Oberon, Titania, Puck, and even Bottom.

When the library at Alexandria was destroyed, the Fae library was lost, deep within the sands of the Sahara Desert. Now found, the Faerie librarians have discovered a wealth of information and history.And the Anasazi? They passed into a parallel world where they thrive, although they are bound by their own history and traditions.

I’ve always loved mythology, fairy tales and Shakespeare. So it must be a natural progression for me to use some of the basics in my own writing, making a change here, adding a different character there.

Have I been successful in creating these Keltic worlds, and the worlds of my other stories? I think so. Now, it’s up to you as readers to decide.

One more quote and recipe for you. This one is from the first of the Double Keltic Triad books—By Keltic Design. Oh, and this isn’t people food. It’s a doggy treat!
Suddenly, a huge black bundle of fur leapt on Derrik’s lap and his face was covered with warm, wet slurps... “Noid! Down ye beastie.”

The dog sat obediently, but the large head remained only a few inches from Derrik’s nose.

Noid’s Nanna Nummies

2 ¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup powdered milk
1 egg
1/3 cup mashed ripe banana
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 beef or chicken bouillon cube
½ cup hot water
1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Knead for two minutes on a floured surface.

Roll to ¼ inch thick. Use a cookie cutter—a bone shape is nice—and cut out cookies.

Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.

Where can you order *lizzie's books you ask?
CLICK RIGHT HERE!

*~*romance with a sparkling twist!*~*
www.lizziestarr.com
www.myspace.com/lizziestarrsparkles

My Elf Dance

Want to see me dancing with my friends!??
CLICK HERE!

I laughed so hard making this tonight, I nearly woke the household.

Christmas Tree Ideas and Tips

I actually like artificial fruit ornaments. Some are frosted and quite elaborate and others are simple. This gold theme gives the tree an elegant look.

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007: Nathan

My fans come in all shapes and sizes, praise God, and here's a Christmas tree sent by Nathan. I appreciate this tree, Nathan. I can tell you worked very hard on it. It has a beautiful angel at the top also a very special person - Jesus! Because that's what Christmas is all about, isn't it?

Thank you, Nathan!

Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007: Carla

Thank you, Carla, for sending us a picture of your gorgeous tree! We'd all love to stop over and sit by your fireplace for an evening. Can you make us hot chocolate?

Guest Blogger: *lizzie Starr

((Quote for Dancing the Stars))
...*lizzie starr is not of this planet. Only a native with knowledge of such far-away galaxies could so vividly bring to life the breathtaking worlds...Endearing characters and an emotionally moving storyline submerge the reader in a superbly written page-turner... ~ Cass Andre, author

That quote gives me chills every time I read it. This is highest praise. And shows that I can build believable worlds. Although this tale takes place in a galaxy that can be reached by going between the stars of Orion's belt, readers feel at home there, because in many ways, it's still familiar.
Successful world building, for me anyway, often stems from the traditions of the world we know. Some of these traditions are ancient, almost forgotten and recorded only in history. Some are so familiar we hardly acknowledge the tradition behind them. Combining the celebrations and traditions from many sources creates new festivities and important times for the characters and you, the readers to experience.

This time of year is filled with traditions...sometimes overwhelming, isn't it? As many attempt to be more understanding of others, our traditions get mushed together. For example, some families may have a Christmas tree decorated in Kwanzaa colors.

In Dancing the Stars Irisa accompanies Niallan to the End of Year celebration on his planet. This holiday takes place in the winter, and includes being with family and the giving of gifts. Then there is the public celebration which includes parades, singing, the tossing out of small gifts. There's also a private ceremony at this time which marks lovers as belonging to one another.
Where did all this come from? Well, Christmas of course. And Mardi Gras. And another ancient parade ceremony where groups come from different directions to meet at a central location—sorry, I can't remember where I found that one. And, of course, my imagination.

Some authors create their worlds in extreme detail, outlining the physical environment and how characters react in any given situation. Often they do this before they even start writing. Not me. I start with my ideas and just let them go. It is so important, in fact of ultimate importance, to keep your world, characters and their actions believable. It's okay to have a reader think, 'how could that be' or 'hmmm, interesting'. But not have them throw the book across the room with a loud 'no way'!

With our world's knowledge of “what a fantasy or science fiction world should be” an author has to be careful of overstepping the established boundaries. We have to make certain there's an excellent reason why an Elven-like creature doesn't act like Tolkien's Elves, or why suddenly a space ship can travel faster than Andromeda can with slip stream drive.

But, you know, the world is changing so fast...who knows, the author may have the right of it after all!

Food and family play an important role in Dancing the Stars. Irisa is a clumsy cook who works diligently to make Niallan's favorite dessert. Here's a short quote and the recipe.

His dark eyes were wide and sparkling with delight... he took a huge spoonful of the sweet dessert. Irisa watched the movements of his mouth while he savored the bite. Leaning back with his eyes closed, his face was a study in pure bliss.

Cheesecake Insatiable

Crust:
5 oz. graham cracker crumbs
3 Tablespoons sugar
5 Tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
16 oz softened cream cheese
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt
2 large eggs
3 Tablespoons Chambord liqueur

Topping:
8 oz sour cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon Chambord liqueur
1 cup fresh raspberries or other fresh fruits

Preheat oven to 350

Mix crust ingredients and press firmly into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

Mix cream cheese, sugar vanilla and salt at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs and mix until well blended. Using a fork, gently fold Chambord into the batter. Pour into crust.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until golden brown. Loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool completely and remove rim.

Mix topping ingredients and spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate four hours or until firm. Top with fresh fruit just before serving.

Note: Irisa also decorated her special dessert with spun sugar designs.

Christmas Tree Ideas & Tips

Anything goes with your Christmas tree, but it's good to have a theme or cholor scheme in mind when you start. This tree is done in red with glass and crystal. Crystal really adds sparkle.

The Great Christmas Tree Tour 2007: Sherri

Sherri said her tree wasn't photogenic (thanks to her two year old) but she shared her Christmas cactus, which has been blooming for weeks!

This is beautiful, Sherri. Thanks.

Welcome Guest Blogger: *lizzie Starr

I'm delighted to introduce you a close friend of mine. Her stories are literally light years away from mine, in that she's usually in another time and place. She has a gift for endearing characters, gripping story lines, and unique world building. Add to that the fact that she's a fun person who can really cook, and I knew you'd love her! Meet, my critique partner, *lizzie Starr:



Cheryl’s review of Birds Do It:
“A sexy hero, a believable heroine, and *lizzie starr’s clever brand of humor make her an author to watch out for. With a premise so delightful I wish I had thought of it, Birds Do It will keep you turning pages with a smile.”

When Cheryl asked me to be a guest blogger I was thrilled...then dismayed. What was I going to chat about? Sure, as a lunch lady by profession I could talk about cooking and recipes—a favorite here. But what about as a writer?

Although I do write some contemporary romance (like the book Cheryl reviewed!) most of the tales flowing from my pen are fantasy and futuristic. Those are my worlds. So, why not talk a little bit about world building?

Having a believable world is essential to every story. Cheryl gives us excellent glimpses into historical worlds—like the Harvey Houses. Her contemporary works give the reader glimpses of a world they’re already knowledgeable about. We’ve lived our own lives in these times and with these histories. As long as a storyteller doesn’t completely rearrange facts or recognizable places or landmarks, we’re comfortable, happy and enjoy the read.

But what about places we haven’t been or read about in a travel article or history book? What about places that come totally from an author’s mind?

Actually, readers, as well as movie goers and couch potatoes, are well versed in fantasy and science fiction/futuristic worlds. In looking at the worlds of Star Trek or The Lord Of The Rings, we see familiar locations. Forests, a view of stars from space, vast cities and civilizations which could be made up of humans--if we take away pointed ears or oddly colored skin. We’re comfortable in these settings. In fact, these world views have become a part of our history, of what we know.

So what does an author do? Haven’t all these worlds been done before? Is there really anything new? Scientists now are playing with all kinds of quantum stuff (which I find totally fascinating but don’t understand one iota! Although I’ve come close—thanks to Trek watching.) and have come close to proving theories of parallel worlds and time travel. Pure fantasy? Perhaps. The made up technologies of Star Trek are not so made up any more.

In order to stand out, to make their world different, writers have to go beyond the physical world itself and build upon myths, history and traditions. I’ll talk about those over the next couple of days.

Of course, I can’t leave ya’ll without a recipe! And a quote from my fantasy romance Double Moon Destiny.

“Here is food, but I fear it is cold. We may have taken longer to return than expected.”

Kierigh laughed. “She hoped we would be long. See, the meal is meant to be eaten cold.” He lifted a loaf... “Grandmother is ever hopeful.”

Where can you order *lizzie's books you ask?
CLICK RIGHT HERE!

Grandmother’s Campfire Sandwich

1 large, thick and round unsweetened scone
2 cups cooked, shelled seafood of choice (shrimp, clams, muscles, oysters, crab)
½ cup tomato cocktail sauce
1 cup cooked vegetables (corn and peas are good)
salt and other seasonings to your personal choice

Mash together half of the seafood, the cocktail sauce and seasonings. Fold in the remaining seafood and the vegetables.

Cut scone in half horizontally. Spread filling evenly on bottom half then press on the scone top. Wrap in foil and place at the edge of the campfire or on a grill until heated. (Although, as Kierigh and Jermanaha discovered, it is also good cold!)

Learn more about *lizzie and her books here:
www.lizziestarr.com
www.myspace.com/lizziestarrsparkles

And come back tomorrow for more about *lizzie AND another recipe!

Time to Vote for Favorite Western Romance of 2007!

Remember those nominations I told you about?


It's time to vote for the Best Western Romance of 2007 from the list of books awarded 5 spurs.
The Preacher's daughter is one of the contenders, as well as A Western Winter Wonderland.
What a choice, and each visitor can only vote ONCE!

The voting will run until January 11, 2008 to give fans plenty of time to vote.

The author whose book is voted Best Western Romance of 2007 will receive the following:
-A logo to place on your website designating your book as the 2007 Best Western Romance by Love Western Romances.com.
-Free space on the Love Western Romances home page for a banner or book cover for one of your western historical romances as long as the book has been published in the last year.
-A 2008 Studs ‘N Spurs calendar filled with inspiration!
-A Love Western Romances Mug, pin, magnet and T-shirt (size large)

The second and third runners-up will receive a Love Western Romances mug, pin and magnet.

Voters will be entered into a contest for a basket of “goodies” and a Barnes and Noble gift card.

So, CLICK HERE TO vote today!
http://www.lovewesternromances.com/index.html