Sarah MacLean's Blog, page 19

Leanna Renee Hieber's Ten Ways to Win A Second Chance at Love

Continuing the holiday theme...I'm so happy to have the lovely Leanna Renee Hieber on the blog today to chat about her Christmas novella, A Christmas Carroll, set in the world of her Strangely Beautiful series and starring, Vicar Michael Carroll, who just so happens to have the kind of name that begs for a holiday story.

A Christmas Carroll is featured in the ebook, A MIDWINTER FANTASY , which includes three novellas from Leanna, LJ McDonald and Helen Scott Taylor. In the novella, readers join two of the most popular secondary characters in the series: lonely and guilt-ridden Headmistress Rebecca Thompson, and the man who has loved her
from afar for twenty years; the stalwart and affable Vicar Michael Carroll.

Welcome Leanna!

As members of London's Guard against spiritual terror, Michael and Rebecca are questioning their powers and their hearts, and three spirits have quite the Dickensian work cut out for them. Percy, Alexi and the whole Guard gang, along with familiar Athens Academy spirits, return to put this long-awaited romance through necessary harrowing supernatural paces, in order to make a magical Christmas yet to come…


A MIDWINTER FANTASY is now available digitally as an eBook at all digital vendors,
with a Trade Paperback release next October.

Without further ado I give you Vicar Michael Carroll's Ten Ways to Win Your Second Chance at Love:

10. Pray for a Supernatural Intervention. 

9. Manifest good cheer (even if you've lost your powers) and mull some wine. It's a big hit 'round this time of year. 

8. When ghosts come and fetch you for said intervention… don't fight them. Especially not three of them. 

7. Stop being a coward. (I am not casting first stones; I will be the first to admit I've been a coward 

6. Look into your past, your present and your future. Learn from every moment. 

5. Never underestimate the power, or masterful truth, of Charles Dickens. 

4. Save your love's life. Literally and metaphorically. 

3. Even if they love someone else, if you cannot help but love them still, then do. But never let it make you angry. 

2. Keep merry, keep bright, look sharp and keep awake; Christmas miracles might be waiting for you.

1. Even though it might be terrifying, tell the person you love that you love them. And always have. Who knows, history might change.

I love it when history changes. So. Very. Much. :)

Contest time! Leanna has generously offered signed copies of the first and second books in the series, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker and The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker to one commenter! Comment below with your favorite fictional Christmas story

A Christmas Carroll is (obviously) based on Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol...comment below with your favorite fictional Christmas story for a chance to win! **Don't forget to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win** We'll choose the winner on Monday!

10 Great Stocking Stuffers for Writers...

If you're anything like me, stockings are your nemesis. Awesome + inexpensive + small is the holy trinity of stockings, and it's not easy...particularly not while you're also thinking about big gifts for under the tree! BUT...if you've got a writer in your life, I've got some ideas for good stocking stuffers...at least...good if your writer is anything like me.

1. The Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Automatic Pencil. I've tweeted about this, I've Facebooked about this, I basically expound about the awesome that is this pencil to any author who will listen. This is PERFECT for copy edits and typeset pages. Why? It's mechanical, *and* it takes colored leads, which means you don't have to spend half your copyediting time resharpening broken, soft Crayola coloreds. And it looks uber-fancy.

2. Pentel Colored Leads. If you buy the Pentel Automatic, you'll need the leads. Amazon sells them in red and blue, but you can find other .5mm colored leads in other places on the web.

3. Stranger Than Fiction . Emma Thompson is a writer with writer's block; Will Ferrel is just a guy...who happens to be the man she's writing about. What ensues is a brilliantly funny, heartbreakingly wonderful movie that everyone can enjoy, and writers can appreciate on an entirely different level.

4. Stephen King's On Writing. King is a writers' writer. His process is undeniably effective and this book is not only a great resource, but also a great read.  He's an inspiration. And every writer should have a copy of this book to dogear and mark up.

5. Flags. If they're reading On Writing or editing their own books, they're going to need flags in multiple colors. At least, I do. I have them in purses, on desks, in the junk drawer in my kitchen.

6. Sticky notes. They will need these in spades.  I have them in purses, on desks, in the bedroom, in the bathroom, in the junk drawer in my kitchen. Which means that when I'm in the middle of a book, there are stickies all over the house. ALL over. They have ideas, to-dos, and sometimes jibberish that made sense at the time on them. I like fun ones, like the Cavallini's here...but Post-Its work, too, obvs!

7. Moleskine notebook. They were good enough for Hemingway. And that makes them good enough for me. I have one of these in red, and I honestly don't leave home without it. They're durable and the perfect size for jotting down ideas or actually writing while sitting and waiting for your dinner date. The key here is getting a size that's actually functional. If I had a nickel for every teeny-tiny, useless notebook someone put in my stocking, I'd never have to write another book again.

8. Pens. If you're a non-writer, here's something you should know about the strange beings called writers. We are obsessive about our tools. Some of us are pen users, some pencils, some ballpoint, some gel, some fountain.  I myself, am a rollerball user.  I particularly like the Uni-Ball Vision Elite because it feels great, it glides well and it comes in awesome colors, like the purple one I linked. Yes. It's $7. But I think it's worth it.  If you know what kind of pen your writer likes to use, he/she will love you forever if you put one in his/her stocking.

9. Fingerless gloves. Hey, hands get cold. And writers need their fingers. So I'm pro fingerless gloves for several reasons...not the least of which is that repetitive stress symptoms can be relieved by keeping wrists warm. Also, fingerless gloves are snazzy. And, lucky for you, very very popular.

10. Caffeine. Some of us are tea drinkers, some coffee drinkers, some like our Diet Coke (I'm looking at you, Carrie Ryan) a bit too much...but almost all of us need a jolt of caffeine now and then. So...a fun additional gift? How about a gift certificate to Adagio Teas (my favorite) or Starbucks (or your writer's preferred coffee haunt), or a pound of fresh-roasted beans shipped from Gorilla Coffee in Brooklyn, or an IOU for a case of Diet Coke?

Beverley Kendall's Ten Reasons To Write Historicals (and not live them!)

I'm so happy to have Beverley Kendall--author of The Elusive Lords series and founder of the amazingly addictive Romance website The Season for Romance--here on the blog to talk about writing historical romances...and the benefits of living in *fantasy* historical times instead of *real* historical times. This is a super fun topic--one I love thinking about...and I'm so happy Beverley came over to chat as part of the release celebration of Ten Ways to be Adored When Landing a Lord !

Welcome Beverley!

Beverley Kendall's Ten Reasons I'm Happy Not to Live in a Historical Romance.

1. Ladies, if you think bras can be uncomfortable, think full torso iron cast and you have the corset.

2. Movies-on-demand might be your thing, but I'll gladly take clean hot running water on demand over that any time and every time.

3. No trousers, no jeans. Just dresses that fall below the ankle. Oh, the horror!

4. Sewers and daily baths. I like those very much, thank you very much.

5. Pasteurization. My cereal no longer takes it for granted.

6. As much as I love horses, I gotta say I do love my car.

7. Central heat and air. Can I get an AMEN!

8. Women's razor. I believe that is self-explanatory.

9. As much as I love babies and children, the advent of women's birth control was a very good thing.

10. Whoever made divorce acceptable in society, I THANK YOU with all my heart!

That's the list I came up with first. I was punchy after having driven 40 miles to work to then have to turn right around and head back home because my son was sick. I came up with the second list after getting warm and out of the 15 degree day (with a wind chill of 0). I do write and read romance, and these are the reasons I do.

The Top Ten Reasons Every Woman Should be Romanced by a Victorian Gentleman

1. Daily baths. I have it from very good sources that the wealthy aristocrats did indulge in them. And even that's not true, ALL of my heroes do.

2. Lord. Seriously, who can resist a man with that in front of his name? ;)

3. Dashing and sinfully seductive. James and Thomas are the first two heroes in The Elusive Lords series and I know they personify dashing and seductive—because they literally leapt off the page that way. What woman can resist a man who whispers this in her ear: "I should kiss you senseless right here…right now." – Lord Thomas Armstrong, A TASTE OF DESIRE

4. A horse. And what woman can resist a man perched high on a horse. Sigh. Ladies, can you even imagine the strength of his thighs?

5. Time. Since they are either self-employed or just don't work, they have heaps of time to pursue you. Although, I don't like a lazy, shiftless gentleman, so all of my heroes work and are very good at what they do.

6. Impeccable Manners. Yes, Victorian gentlemen have them unless, like Thomas in A TASTE OF DESIRE, he has his sights set on seduction. I fear with seduction in play, manners tend to fall to the wayside.

7. Grace. He walks in beauty. Yes, he's as graceful as a mountain lion (think any wild large cat). Now I've seen a mountain lion walk and stalk and they are graceful…but very deadly. Ladies, be warned because the comparison is very accurate.

8. Wealth. Now before you jump all over me for what seems like something that shouts gold-digger, this is only part and parcel of the entire package…and let's face it, it sure don't hurt.

9. Handsomeness. Titled Victorian gentlemen are handsome. It's the law.

10. Love. He loves and will love only you until the end of time, and there's nothing on earth that can beat being loved by a man like that. 

Sarah, thank you so much for hosting me on your blog. I had a lot of fun coming up with my Top Ten Reasons lists. I'm also giving away autographed copies of my debut book, SINFUL SURRENDER and an advance copy of my January release, A TASTE OF DESIRE . You can read excerpts for Sinful Surrender and A Taste of Desire on my website.

Contest time!

Tell us the one reason you'd love (or hate) to live in a historical novel...and we'll choose two lucky winners on Wednesday of next week to receive signed copies of Beverley's books! **Don't forget to leave your email address, so we can connect with you if you win!

A Harlequin Christmas Carol

Today, I'm so excited to host the amazing Hope Tarr, who has been one of my favorite romance authors for ages! Hope is a Renaissance woman--writing contemporaries, historicals and memoirs--and she's also one of the co-founders of Lady Jane's Salon in New York City! 


Hope's most recent release can be found in A Harlequin Christmas Carol along with lovely stories by Betina Krahn & Jacquie D'Alessandro. Last week, I was at Lady Jane's, where I heard Hope and Jacquie read from their stories...they're fabulous! I'm so happy to have Hope here to talk about her work in this perfect holiday read!

Welcome Hope!

When I first got together for an online brainstorming session with my fellow anthology contributors, Jacquie D'Alessandro and Betina Krahn, our email back-and-forth quickly turned to A Christmas Carol—and settled there.

Beyond the staying power of Dickens, who doesn't love a good story of transformation and redemption, especially around the holidays? Add a generous dollop of romance—make that three dollops—and you've got, so we calculated, a recipe for a Christmas crowd pleaser.

In Tomorrow's Destiny, my romantic retelling of the "Christmas Yet to Come" portion of the classic, prickly, scotch swilling Covent Garden bookshop proprietress, Fiona MacPherson faces losing her beloved bookshop and turning thirty on Christmas Day. She's also lost her beloved father to death the month before and her dancing days five years before to a mishap on an iced over train platform. The accident has left her with a very slight limp and a very great fear of crowds. Unbeknown to her, it also caused her to miss meeting her soul's mate, her One True Love.

Fiona's life quite frankly sucks in the manner of a lemon sans the peppermint stick. Her only source of sweetness is her monthly book club gatherings with her two friends, Adelaide and Claire, and as the holiday approaches even that small joy is about to be snatched away. Addie is bound for Paris, ostensibly to study art but in reality to mend her broken heart. Claire is likewise carried away with her own romantic troubles. And now a gentleman scholar from Oxford, Tobias Templeton, is poised to seize the bookshop that is both Fiona's birthplace and the only home she's ever known. Small wonder Fiona is humbugging the holiday.

Unearthly pale and sun blind, Tobias isn't exactly in the Christmas spirit either. He doesn't care a whit about the bloody bookshop, which he's rightfully purchased from Fiona's dying father, but there's one rare volume among its inventory he's convinced holds the alchemist's cure for his "curse."

Fiona wants her shop. Tobias wants his book. Their stubborn, single minded pursuit of their cross purposes is poised to have them miss out on meeting yet again. Fortunately Fiona's guardian angel-in-training, Fern, has a very different notion of what their Happily Ever After should look like, and it doesn't involve real estate or books. When Divine Intervention takes the form of an Angel of Christmas Future, two unlikely lovers are about to find that sometimes surrendering to destiny brings the biggest gift of all.

Wishing you a holiday season brimming with mistletoe moments,
Hope

***Contest!***

What wishes, hopes and/or prayers are you thankful you didn't receive? Or maybe you received them but packaged in a very different, very unique wrapping from what you'd had in mind?

Post a reply—naughty or nice, slapstick or serious—and be entered to win a copy of A Harlequin Christmas Carol, signed by Hope and Jacquie.

Eleven Scandals Gets A Cover!

On a scale of 1 to 10, this one is an Eleven. (I know, I know, I'm a cheeseball.)

I got one of those fabulous packages today...the ones that never get old...the giant ones that include a stack of cover flats, all gorgeous and designed by the unparalleled Avon Books design team...with pearly paper and foiled, lovely text and official, bona-fide romance author photo and bio.

And oh, em, gee...this one is a doozy. Because aside from having stunning Juliana and hot hot hot Leighton on it, it's also what my husband calls "radioactive pink." I mean, so very pink that a mere .jpg on a computer screen does it no kind of justice.  I mean, so very pink that when you see it on shelves (on April 26th!!!) you'll have no choice.  You'll pick it up. Because it's incredible.

So, here it is! Thanks for being so very very patient!

Juliana Fiori lands her duke in Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart , in stores April 26th!

She lives for passion 

Bold, impulsive, and a magnet for trouble, Juliana Fiori is no simpering English miss. She refuses to play by society's rules: she speaks her mind, cares nothing for the approval of the ton, and can throw a punch with remarkable accuracy. Her scandalous nature makes her a favorite subject of London's most practiced gossips...and precisely the kind of woman the Duke of Leighton wants far far away from him. 

He swears by reputation.  

Scandal is the last thing Simon Pearson has room for in his well-ordered world. The Duke of Disdain is too focused on keeping his title untainted and his secrets unknown. But when he discovers Juliana hiding in his carriage late one evening--risking everything he holds dear--he swears to teach the reckless beauty a lesson in propriety. 

She has other plans, however; she wants two weeks to prove that even an unflappable duke is not above passion. 

So...that's the teaser...the fiery Italian and the icy English duke...all I can really promise is that sparks will fly and scandals will start!

I'm particularly happy to share the (as yet unrevealed!) stepback of this book...Golden-haired Simon, all blonde and beautiful, and stunning minx Juliana...in the clinch of all clinches!


Once again, the designers at Avon Books (and my astoundingly talented cover artist, Ricky Mujica) have outdone themselves. I mean, are you kidding me with that cover?  Jeez.

So...I've got a bunch of these to give away...I'm choosing 30 lucky winners from my mailing list to win signed coverflats! Join the mailing list here (I swear I won't spam you) between now and next Wednesday, December 15th to be eligible to win (Added bonus...if you join anytime, ever, you'll get postcards and other goodies from me periodically)!

Also...if you're in the market for preordering a signed copy of Eleven (signed by me and shipped to you by my local indie in April) you can do that here, at WORD Brooklyn!

And feel free to comment below with thoughts, drool, etc.  You know I love that.

xoxo!

Ten Ways I'm Celebrating the Holidays!

Well, it's that time of year again...the holiday season, halfway through Hanukkah and twenty days precisely until Santa comes down the chimney--and so I give you, in my standard format, Ten Ways I'm Celebrating the Holidays!

1. Gushing over this fabulous satellite photograph of the cold, snowy UK! I'll confess, I know snow is a problem for most people, but I haven't seen a single flurry here in New York, so I'm a little jealous of my friends across the pond (and I'm wishing that I was wandering in St. James this week instead of doing copyedits on Eleven Scandals!)

2. English Shortbread - It's a tradition with my family, but this year we spend Christmas with Eric's parents...so we won't have it on the big day, therefore, we have it now.  :)

3. Scottish Falsetto Sock Puppet Theatre - I laughed until I thought I might "Wii." Property is an investment; geese are a waste of my time and hers.




4. My Pandora holiday music station. I love holiday music. My husband (who is a musician) hates it. But he humors me from December 1st to December 25th every year, and lets me play it pretty much 24/7. I, in turn, allow him full-access to the stereo between December 26th and November 30th.

5. Oh, Etsy.com, how you tempt me; how you empty my bank account.

6. Christmas Tree! We buy our tree every year just like Harry & Sally do, we go out on the first Sunday in December, select our tree from Nikoli (who sleeps in his van and sells trees 24 hours a day until Christmas Eve), and carry it home in tandem. Nikoli's been doing this for way longer than we've been buying trees from him...so long that filmmaker Mary Matthews did this mini-documentary about him:




7. Winter romances, of course!  Last week, I read Sophie Jordan's FABULOUS latest (wintery and wonderful!) Wicked Nights With a Lover , and Lisa Kleypas's charming Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor . This week's docket? My friend Lauren Willig's The Mischief of the Mistletoe!

8. The Spirit of Hope & Goodwill - Even as we're all hearing (and feeling) about how tough it is out there...I count my (many) blessings and try to pay it forward--I make sure to put money in the Salvation Army buckets when I see them, and I write my annual check to the Robin Hood Foundation.  It's not much this year, but every little bit counts.

9. Environmentally friendly wrapping! For the last three years, Eric and I have been wrapping our presents in recycled, repurposed, all-natural wrapping: we save up copies of the New York Times and wrap gifts in newsprint, then accent the blacks and whites and greys with brightly colored ribbons, evergreen, lavender, and other fun natural or reusable things.  The packaging stands out against most others...and it makes us feel like we're doing our part to save the earth.

10. Yes, I know, I talk about him all the time, but Aaron Sorkin writes a great holiday show. Need proof? I give you the Sports Night episode in which we are all reminded that this is not just a season for giving, but also for giving thanks.

In the spirit of giving, how about this? I've got a signed copy of Sophie Jordan's Wicked Nights With a Lover to give away, just in time for winter! Comment below with *your* favorite way to celebrate the season, and I'll choose one winner on Wednesday to receive the book!  We'll make sure to get it out in time for cozy New Years reading! **Don't forget to leave your email so I can reach you if you win!

Holiday Gifting - Autographed Books!

I make it no secret that I'm basically in love with the idea of giving books as gifts.  As it stands, I'm giving books to everyone in my life--each hand selected with love. Books are personal. They represent a passion for learning and knowledge and imagination and worlds far beyond our own. And I think they represent a special connection between giver and receiver.

That said, I'm also a big believer in putting books on my wish list.  There are about 12,000 books that I want, they're easy to buy, and way less expensive than a Vespa (which is really what I want for Christmas), and so my Christmas wish list is filled with books.  And if they're signed by the author, even better!

While chatting with the fabulous ladies at my local indie bookstore, WORD Brooklyn, we came up with the very cool (I think) idea that readers could order autographed copies of my books direct from them!

Here's how it works:

1. You click here or call WORD at 718-383-0096 and select the books you'd like me to sign: The Season, Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake, or Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord (you could also preorder Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart as well, and I'll send you signed goodies to stick in someone's stocking to say their gift is coming in April!) 

2. You fill in the form, and include the message you'd like... for example: For Maggie, Merry Christmas! Sarah MacLean, or To Christine, The person who bought this book for you is the best! Sarah MacLean, or simply Sarah MacLean, or whatever else you'd like me to write.

3. The staff at WORD calls me.

4. I pop in sometime before December 18th, sign the books, and add special bookmarks, postcards and other fun printed goodies to your package like the gift giving fairy I am!

5. They ship the books to you.

6. You win the award for Best. Gift. Ever.

"But Sarah," I hear you saying, "What if I just want the book for myself?"

Never fear!  I also wholeheartedly endorse self-gifting during the holiday season! I'd love to sign a book just for you...and I'm sure the team at WORD would love to ship it to you!

NOTE: Books ordered before 11am ET on December 18 
will be shipped in time for Christmas delivery. 
Questions? Comments? General holiday glee? Comment below and I'll happily respond!

Kieran Kramer's Ten Ways to Achieve Wild Success!

Today, I'm so excited to host the wonderful Kieran Kramer, whose debut When Harry Met Molly was released last month to HUGE critical acclaim, and whose Dukes to the Left of me, Princes to the Right was released yesterday!  Congrats, Kieran!! 


Aside from having fabulous titles (you know how much I love a great title), Kieran is also just plain awesome to be around.  I'm so happy she decided to take some time out of her release-week schedule to come hang out with me in celebration of the release of Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord! 


Welcome Kieran!

In When Harry Met Molly, Molly is thrust into a seemingly impossible situation in which she doesn't know what she's doing and needs to learn fast. I think it's a basic human fear we all share—-I don't know anyone who doesn't have a stress dream about being thrown into a scenario in which you're required to sink or swim. Not all of us have the razor-sharp wits of MacGyver!

In Molly's case, she's a virtuous young lady who'll be ruined for sure if she doesn't agree to her childhood nemesis's terms for helping her: she has to pretend she's a lightskirt and compete in a scandalous contest sanctioned by the Prince Regent himself. This contest is a big deal in a lot of ways, and Molly is challenged to give it her all in order to win the illustrious title of "Most Delectable Companion."

So with those thoughts in mind, I decided to write a tongue-in-cheek list that also has a few bits of serious advice in it for anyone who wants to grab the proverbial brass ring.

I call it:

Ten Ways To Achieve Wild Success When You Don't Know What the Hell You're Doing

1. Wear really cool glasses

2. Surround yourself with brilliant people and let them know you value them

3. It never hurts to nod your head and murmur, "Right. Of course," when you're feeling a bit clueless.

4. Listen to the career advice of the top 10% in your field. Do what they do. Period. Or "full stop" for our British readers.

5. If you mess up, say you're being ironic.

6. Either that, or don't say a word. Honestly, maybe no one will notice. (It took me years to have the cajones to stay silent). There's power in it. Combine this strategy with wearing the really cool glasses and fabulous shoes for added impact.

7. Don't let failure stop you. Keep moving, keep tweaking. Don't be afraid to make a mess. Think Lucille Ball in the assembly line with the doughnuts coming faster and faster, but you're going to grab what good doughnuts you can, ignore the smushed ones, and lick the chocolate off your fingers as you go because that's what makes the whole process fun.

8. Reach straight for the top, not the middle or the bottom, but be 90% prepared to handle success immediately. The other 10% can't be learned in advance. As it comes at you, however, you mustn't waver—-karate-chop it to the ground with gusto.

9. Channel Michael Scott on "The Office," which isn't as bad as it sounds. Have an optimistic heart. Wear the suit and play the role, but be willing to expose your vulnerabilities for the sake of your dream. Love what you do.

10. And finally, ignore the fact that you don't "know" what you're doing. People who achieve great success pay more attention to their guts and imaginations than their heads. Be brave and follow your instinct's lead; get the head knowledge along the way.

Kieran is generously offering up a signed copy of When Harry Met Molly to one lucky winner! Tell us a time when you faked it till you made it, and we'll choose a winner on Monday (I've got a great--if embarrassing--one of these stories in comments)! **Don't forget to share your email address with us so we can reach you if you win!

And don't forget to read more Authors Rule(s)!

Avon Holiday Recipe 2010 - English Shortbread

As you may know, my mother is English and my father is Italian, which means that Christmas in our house is filled with ridiculous amounts of food and a crazy collection of traditions from both countries. While the kitchen is always filled with loud voices and wonderful smells, there are two things that my parents (pictured, left, at their first apartment in the US) make together: homemade pasta and shortbread.
Now, don't get me wrong...I love me some homemade pasta (after all, Italian blood does run in my veins)...but my favorite tradition, without doubt, involves the baking of shortbread...a quintessentially English food that my parents make together, with love.

My mother's recipe is below:

MacLean Family Shortbread

3 cups of sifted all-purpose flour
½ cup of sugar
1 cup of soft butter
1 egg yolk
1 sous chef (In our house, an Italian male. Substitute gender/nationality of your choice.)

Butter and flour a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour, sugar and butter together until crumbly. Add egg yolk and knead in well, until the dough comes together in a ball. **This part can be "tiresomely long," according to my mom, so this is where my very patient father steps in.

Divide the mixture into four parts and roll each into a ½-inch thick circle. Prick with a fork. Cut each circle into 8 triangles, place the pieces on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake for 30 minutes longer, until the shortbread looks light brown and yummy. **During this time, may we suggest a robust discussion (these are the Italians and English here, remember) about what time you should put the roast beef in the oven to be able to eat your holiday dinner at 4pm?

Yield: 32 pieces of shortbread. And another year of your sous-chef proclaiming that "without him, there would be no shortbread."

Now, of course, you have to eat this shortbread! May I suggest a cup of tea and a romance novel? Try mine...

           
Or perhaps one from the fabulous Rachael Herron, whose recipe for Buttermilk Pie is next in the Avon Holiday Recipe Ring! Click the image below to head over to Rachael's site!



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Kathryn Caskie's Ten Cool Holiday Gifts to Give or Receive

After the last sentence of Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord, there is an incredible, special teaser of Kathryn Caskie's The Duke's Night of Sin , the third book in Kathryn's awesome Seven Deadly Sins series!

I was so thrilled that The Duke's Night of Sin was teased in Ten Ways, in part because I got to read that first chapter (which is YUMMY) ages ago! We'll leave aside the fact that then I had to WAIT forEVER to read the actual book!

To celebrate the launch of both our books...and the holiday season...Kathryn is here on the blog, talking about holiday gifts! These are fabulous ideas...I might have used several of them to cross off people on my list!

Welcome, Kathryn!

Ten Cool Holiday Gifts to Give or Receive 

1..  Ultra unusual flashies for your writer friend, business bud,  or the environment conscious student in your family.  How green are these USB 2.0 flash drives (right)? Each comes tucked inside a real reclaimed tree branch. They can even be laser-engraved.  Promokeychains.com 

2.  Sought-after tickets.  Tickets to sporting events, musicals, holiday events or plays. Remember, the tickets aren't necessarily for you.  They're for your special someone's enjoyment.  Don't worry, your gesture will be appreciated big time. 

3.  Paper Jamz, for kids of all ages. I've already bought for my nephew. Become an instant rock star with Paper Jamz! No musical ability required. Play like a pro just by touching the Paper Jamz guitar's fret and strumming the strings image. Series 1 guitars feature six jammin' guitars, each with three hit songs built in to play along with in Perfect Play and Rhythm modes. Then, go to the Solo switch to Freestyle mode to play real chords and create your own songs. Rock on!
4. Luxe for Less.  From White House Black Market, a satin wristlet that's as pretty as present wrapped by Martha Stewart herself (left).

5.  Something homemade (even if you didn't make it!).  I love Etsy.  You can find some many unique, handcrafted jewels there.  I simply adore these super soft hand-felted slippers by Pawfelts.

6.  Experiences.  Cooking classes, golf lessons, sailing, wine tasting classes.  The gift of doing something together is one of the best you can give and receive.  I have had a lot of luck finding unique experiences on Groupon.com.  My husband got to drive a NASCAR, my daughters went on an overnight ghost hunt with paranormal investigators in Harpers Ferry.  Check out the site for 50%- 90% Groupon discounts offerings for your area. 

7. Charity.  Make a donation in your friend or loved one's name to a charity they support.  Since my children were small we have donated a hive of bees, a goat and a flock of chicks, etc. through Heifer International.  For as little as $10 you can change lives by providing training and livestock that can make families self-reliant.  

8.  Rosemary holiday tree.  Is there someone in your life who would love a tree in the house making everything smell so fragrant and festive but doesn't have the room or the ability to go out and choose one?  This small (around 3 ft.) tree that ships straight to the door is just the answer (right)!  And, when the holidays are over, just snip a bit to use in chicken dishes or soups. Solutions. 

9.  What do you get Dad, Grandpa or your favorite uncle?  Well, if you want to be practical, they'd probably enjoy the utility of these Gluttony pants after a filling holiday meal.  Concealed fully adjustable waist, with a built-in napkin, but who would know? Betabrand.com. 

10.  Send a smile everyday.  I love the idea of this gift.  A decorative jar filled with beautiful tiny envelopes with sentiments written by you (or, if you wish, you can choose from a variety pre-written messages.)  Each day, or whenever a smile is needed, your loved one, student, grandmother, new mother, etc. can take open an envelope a get a special message from you.  Very touching gift, especially for someone who can't be with you for the holidays.  KindNotes.com  

Holiday Bonus~ The Duke's Night of Sin hits stores November 30th!  Great gift for the romance lover on your list (and you.)  If you send a SASE business size envelope to Caskie Book Plates, PO Box 342, Waterford, VA, 20197, Kathryn will send you up to two signed bookplates for books.  Limited availability, so hurry, hurry!

And...Kathy is generously offering up three sets of the first two books in the Seven Deadly Sins series to three separate winners! Woo-hoo! Tell us the best gift you ever received...fun, funny, useful or just plain special...we'll choose a winner (USA only, sorry!) on Friday... **Don't forget to share your email address with us so we can reach you if you win!

Stay tuned all this and next month for fabulous prizes and awesome Ten Ways posts from an incredible range of authors! And don't forget to read more Authors Rule(s)!