Sharon Wray's Blog, page 5

Restocking the Autumn Pantry

As the days grow shorter and the nights turn chilly, it’s the perfect time to take a fresh look at your pantry. Stocking up for fall isn’t just about pumpkin spice and hearty soups (though those are essentials in my book!). It’s also about making sure your shelves are ready for whatever the colder months may bring, including unexpected power outages or early winter storms.

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A well-stocked fall pantry does double duty: it keeps your family fed with seasonal comfort foods and provides peace of mind during emergencies. Oh, and while you refresh the food in the pantry, it’s also a nice time to do a bit of cleaning.

Prep Your Autumn PantryStep 1: Rotate and Refresh

Before adding anything new, take inventory:

Check expiration dates on canned goods, baking ingredients, and spices.Rotate stock by moving older items to the front.Donate extras you know you won’t use to your local food bank.

Fall is also a great time to refresh baking staples—flour, sugar, yeast, cocoa powder—since the holidays usually mean more time in the kitchen.

Step 2: Stock Up on Fall & Winter Comfort Foods

Nothing says autumn like cozy meals. Consider adding:

Canned pumpkin, applesauce, and pie filling for quick desserts.Soups, broths, and bouillon for fast, warming meals.Rice, pasta, and oats, all hearty bases for both sweet and savory dishes.Beans and lentils for protein-packed stews.Shelf-stable dairy alternatives like evaporated milk or oat milk.Seasonal spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and sage.Step 3: Prepare for Emergencies

Fall storms and winter weather can mean sudden power outages. Keep your pantry emergency-ready with:

Ready-to-eat foods that don’t require cooking (nut butters, granola bars, canned fruit, crackers).Shelf-stable proteins (tuna, chicken, jerky).Extra water, one gallon per person, per day, for at least three days.Manual can opener (often forgotten until it’s too late).Instant coffee or tea bags or hot chocolate packets because even in emergencies, comfort matters.Leftover Halloween candy, for obvious reasons.Step 4: Layer in Seasonal Treats

Preparedness doesn’t have to feel grim. A few seasonal treats—hot cocoa mix, spiced cider packets, shortbread cookies, leftover Halloween candy—bring comfort during stressful moments. Think of them as morale boosters for long nights or stormy weekends.

Final Thoughts & Autumn Recipe Ideas

Updating your pantry in the fall isn’t just a seasonal chore—it’s an act of care. You’re nourishing your family with comfort foods and preparing for the unexpected with resilience and grace. When the first snow falls or the lights flicker, you’ll be grateful for those shelves full of soups, spices, and small comforts. Below I’ve added a few links to my Hungry {Romance} Writer series that’s filled with recipes perfect for this season.

Slow Cooker Recipes[image error]Winter Soups[image error][image error]Salads[image error]Beverages

Michaelmas and Revenge of the Blackberry (Tarts)

This is an edited repost from the archives.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite activities around this time of year was picking blackberries. I loved everything we made with them from jams and crumbles, to syrups that covered our pancakes on Christmas morning. But looking back now, I realize it was more than just eating all the blackberry-laden treats. My love for this activity was tied directly to my love for this season, especially the month of September. And the season’s appeal probably stems from not just the weather change, which in the mountains of New Jersey was a huge relief since we didn’t have air conditioning. Summertime was almost unbearable with its humidity and bugs. So when the cooler air showed up, along with shorter days, living in an old house became much more bearable.

But back to the blackberries… I think my love for this season came directly from all of the stories that go along with it. From the tales of St. Luke’s Little Summer straight through to All Saints Day, this time of year carries with it tons of folklore and fairytales. Many of my favorite books are also set in this season or, at least, evoke the feelings that come from crisp days, colored leaves, and longer nights. One of my favorite September stories comes from the legend of St. Michael and the day known as Michaelmas.

The legend says that on (or around) September 29, St. Michael–Heaven’s greatest angel–defeated the angel Lucifer. At the end of a great battle, St. Michael banished Lucifer and tossed him out of Heaven. When Lucifer fell, he landed, bottom first, onto a thorny blackberry bush. In anger, he spat and stomped on the bush, cursing its fruit. (He may have also done some other nasty things to the poor bush, but I hope not!) Since blackberries naturally sour in late September due to the changing weather, I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that today is also National Poisoned Blackberry Day. As the old Irish proverb says, “On Michaelmas Day the devil puts his foot on blackberries”.

There’s also a wonderful poem called Blackberry Picking, about the charm of children picking blackberries by Seamus Heaney. It’s still under copyright so I won’t post any of the lines here, but it’s worth a read. The poem evokes the memories of sticky hands covered in blackberry juice, the anticipation of pies and tarts for teatime, and the disappointment they feel when they realize the devil has beaten them to their “byre” and poisoned all the berries. Michaelmas, traditionally, was also the day of the year that leases would end and begin, rents were due, and servants were hired or fired. Since all of the harvests were usually in by this date, it was also the time that debts were paid off and land was bought or sold. In the English-speaking world, this was also the time that magistrates were elected and law schools and universities would begin their terms. Our own rule of having elections in early November is tied to these old traditions. 

Since the Fall Equinox marks the time on the calendar that the nights get darker and longer and the days turn colder and shorter, the celebration of Michaelmas is associated with the idea that we need protection during the darker months. Many used to believe that negative forces grew stronger in the darkness so starting on September 29th, after the harvest was in, families built stronger defenses to protect themselves. These protections included physical protection (fences, etc.) and making sure they had enough food put away for the winter. 

But St. Michael’s protection also extended to financial issues. In Britain, a fattened goose was eaten to protect families against financial losses during the winter. There used to be an old English saying that goes like this: “Eat a goose on Michaelmas Day, want not for money all the year. ” This was such a popular tradition that some people called Michaelmas “Goose Day”. In some parts of Britain, people still attend “Goose Fairs” instead of harvest festivals. Regardless of how they celebrated, Michaelmas used to be one of the most important days on the calendar because it ensured the health and wealth of the family into the new year.

Yet, beyond the stories, blackberries are still delicious and fun to eat by the handful or in baked desserts. Below is one of my new favorites, Blackberry Tarts. It’s a perfect dessert or snack for this time of year while you’re sitting by a fire reading your favorite fall-themed books!

PrintBlackberry TartsThis is an adapted recipe from an old Martha Stewart magazine recipe. I like to use more blackberries than the original recipe calls for and I don't cut the berries in half. They're too beautiful in their full form. Course DessertPrep Time 4 hours hoursCook Time 20 minutes minutesServings 24 2 1/2″ tartsIngredientsCrust:1 1/2 cups white flour1 cup whole wheat pastry flour3 Tablespoons sugar16 Tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter chilled and cut into cubes2 egg yolks lightly beaten4 Tablespoons ice waterVanilla Bean Cream:6 ounces white chocolate8 ounce container mascarpone cheese1 vanilla bean1 cup heavy whipping creamGarnish2 pints blackberries washed and dried2 Tablespoons confectioner's sugarInstructionsTart CrustIn a food processor, combine the flour and sugar with a few quick pulses. Add in the butter cubes and pulse until the dough resembles small peas. This will take about 10-12 seconds. Then keep the food processor on while you add the egg yolks and the ice water. Keep blending until the dough forms a ball. Take out the dough and divide it into 2 balls and flatten them into discs. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one hour or more. Working with one disc at at time, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll until the dough is 1/8" thick and then cut out circles a bit larger than the tart tins you're using. Press the dough rounds into the tart tins. Then chill the dough in the tart tins for another hour. Preheat the oven to 375 ℉.Take the tarts out of the fridge and place them on a larger baking sheet. Bake for 17-20 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through the cooking time. Then take them out of the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Gently take the crusts out of the pans and put them on wire racks to cool. Vanilla CreamMake a double boiler by placing a small glass box over a pan of simmering water. Place the chocolate in the bowl and stir until it is melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes. While you're waiting, cut the vanilla bean in half with a sharp knife and scrape the seeds out of each half. In another bowl, whisk together the seeds with the mascarpone cheese. Then slowly whisk the melted chocolate into the cheese. Set aside. With a stand mixer, beat the whipping cream into soft peaks and then gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone/vanilla batter.Assembling the TartsDivide the vanilla cream evenly between all the tarts and spoon the cream into each tart shell. Top with the blackberries and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Serve immediately.

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Banana Pudding Trifle

How can it already be the middle of September? That means my summer anthologies will be leaving soon, and I’m almost finished with this blog series. But for today, I’m sharing my favorite recipe for Banana Pudding Trifle, which is a perfect dessert for an early fall party. This recipe is easy to make, especially on a busy fall weekend, but you do need to allow time for the trifle to chill. I hope you enjoy it!

KINGSMILL REHEARSAL DINNER MENU SERIES

Welcome to my Kingsmill Rehearsal Dinner Menu series inspired by the fictional wedding celebration in my new story, A Room with a Groom (from Save the Date Anthology). This blog series brings the charm of small-town Kingsmill to your summer table. 

This love story unfolds in the heart of the Virginia mountains, and features a rehearsal dinner held near the town’s historic 18th-century mill, along the Shenandoah River. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the seasonal recipes from that riverside celebration and today’s recipe is Banana Pudding Trifle

[image error] PrintBanana Pudding TrifleCourse DessertPrep Time 40 minutes minutesCalories 620kcalIngredients1 quart cold milk2 3.5 ounce packages instant banana pudding mix2 bananas chopped4 cups heavy cream1 cup confectioners’ sugar4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract1 12 ounce package prepared pound cake, cubed½ 12 ounce box vanilla wafers, crushedInstructionsIn a bowl, whisk together the milk and pudding until smooth. Then stir in the cut up bananas. Set the bowl aside. In a large glass bowl that has been chilled for at least 1 hour, beat the cream with an electric mixer until the peaks just become stiff. Then beat in the sugar and vanilla until the peaks are formed. Do not overbeat. No one likes lumpy, butter-like whipped cream. In a large glass trifle bowl, layer 1/2 of every ingredient: Cake cubes, pudding, whipped cream, and crushed vanilla wafers. Then do a second layer with the other half of the ingredients, making sure to garnish the top with the last of the crushed vanilla wafers. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

September Book Fairs and Reading Events Part 2

September is flying by and I’ve barely put a dent into my Fall TBR! But I have more books for you, and I wanted to tell you about a reader event that happens TODAY. I hope you’re all enjoying the early fall season!

1The Isn’t it Romantic Book Club Group Monthly Livestream

The Isn’t It Romantic Book Club Group will be live-streaming today, Thursday, September 25th at 3 pm EST, while we interview Diana Munoz Stewart and her new book Thank You For Breaking My Heart. It’ll be live-streamed on our YouTube channel and we hope you’ll join us there!

Free Books for September A Shot Worth Taking by Tracy Brody

FBI Linguist Angela Hoffman is no stranger to high-stakes missions, but her current one raises a new threat. Sent undercover to track a dangerous terrorist, Angela’s past collides with the present when her mission converges with Sergeant First Class Tony Vincenti and his elite Bad Karma Special Ops team. Scarred by past betrayals, along with threats from her past, have made Angela swear off serious relationships. She and Tony posed as lovers in the past. Now, she is forced to confront her lingering attraction to the soldier she can’t allow herself to want.

On Tony’s prior undercover op with Angela, their lives depended on selling themselves as lovers. It also meant sticking to their roles. Now, as they race against time to prevent a terror attack, Tony has more on the line than the mission. He’s determined to prove to Angela that her past won’t stand in the way of their future together.

But when Angela becomes the target of a lethal threat, trust becomes a matter of life and death. As danger close in, Angela must reveal her secrets—and her heart—to Tony, or risk losing everything. Can Tony protect the woman he loves and convince her they’re worth the ultimate gamble?

Heat level: Steamy. Contains sexual content/on the page. Not overly explicit.
Profanity: Moderate (These are military characters)
Contains hunky heroes, a strong female heroine, and a military working dog.

Get it for free now! Someone in the Water by Katie Mettner

Spring Lewis knows death. As a nurse in the ICU, she has experienced more than her fair share of it. The difference is, she is acutely aware not everyone who dies stays in the afterlife.

Vince Roundtree is tired. Tired of living life alone and where his health takes a back seat to his career as a music professor. His nightly walks along the river help clear his head and strengthen his body, but he never expects to find his heart there too.

Spring and Vince find themselves walking a path of forgiveness, understanding, and acceptance, but their rose-colored glasses blind them to the dangerous shadow lurking in the darkness. When Spring breaks her silence about the people in the water, the reaper comes calling, and it will be up to Vince to save her from certain death before time runs out.

Get it for free now! Blind Sided by Gwen Hernandez

A hacker framed for espionage. A sniper hot on her trail. Enemies who can’t resist falling in love.

Framed for divulging state secrets, reformed hacker Valerie Sanchez has no choice but to run. Worse, when the proof of her innocence is destroyed, things turn fatal. She must decide if the sexy special operator who mysteriously turns up to protect her is an ally or the real threat.

Scott Kramer’s job was supposed to be easy. Follow the hot computer geek who stole plans for classified weapons until she meets her buyer, then let law enforcement take over. But when Valerie becomes an assassin’s target, Scott’s gut says she’s innocent. Now, he must risk his life—and his heart—to keep her safe.

Get it for free now! Challenge My Heart by Diane Wiggs

Hotdish isn’t the only thing heating up in Ashwood.

Restaurant owner Bel Holloway’s nana passed down her cat and café to her granddaughter when she died, along with two rules. #1- Don’t share the award-winning recipes. #2- Never share the secret catering client list.

Detective Tanner Malone strolled into Miss Mabel’s thinking this would be a typical attempted smash-and-grab, but it soon becomes apparent that someone wants more than delicious food from the savory café owner.

Bel might be sweet as pie, but is reluctant to share her client list, even if it’s vital to the case. Can Tanner protect her when she starves his investigation for details?

Get it for free now! In Paradise with Someone Like Him by Susanna Eastman

Floral designer Anna is desperate to break the bonds of her loving but smothering family, her boss’s empty promises, and the humiliation of a broken engagement months before the wedding. Except she has no idea how to change her life until she discovers a Caribbean sex club called Fantasy. Fantasy, a luxurious realm shrouded in secrecy, promises anonymous, consensual ecstasy and a chance for Anna to redefine herself. Amidst this newfound-yet-unsettling freedom, Anna encounters Jacob, a handsome man with secrets of his own.  

Jacob, a charismatic billionaire who owns the lavish Caribbean resort hosting Fantasy, has doubts. While his wealth and power have allowed him to create a haven for those seeking clandestine desires and untamed passion, he’s not sure if this is the right direction to take his company. Things become complicated when he meets Anna, a beautiful woman seeking to change her life, and he experiences a connection that challenges the foundation of his controlled, unforgiving world. Although Fantasy requires anonymity, Jacob knows his secrets could ruin his future with Anna. A future he didn’t know he wanted. A future he’s desperate to save, even if he has to break his own rules.

Will Anna and Jacob’s rendezvous of passion and discovery lead them on separate paths? Or will their powerful connection offer them a chance at love that transcends the bounds of Fantasy?

Get it for free now! It’s All in the Hips by Diana Munoz Stewart

Winning the Fit for The World prize money is Yolanda Vasquez’s last chance at saving her family business. But to win it, she’ll have to face show creator Easton Blake––a steamy one-night stand she’s never forgotten––while also taking on the big kids of fitness. One of whom isn’t playing fair.

Yolanda Vasquez

Ten-plus years ago, I spent one glorious night with a hot stranger visiting Puerto Rico. Today, that heartthrob is a global health icon giving away millions on a reality fitness show. I really need that money to rescue my family business, am pretty sure I can win, and mostly sure he won’t remember me.

Easton Blake

I spent a decade building Fit for The World gym franchises, but after a reputation-ruining mistake, my board wants me out. Vowing to repair my image on a groundbreaking reality show is a huge gamble. One that turns dicey when the hottest hookup of my life makes the competition, and the other contestants quickly see her as a threat. Yeah. This can’t be what my board meant by reviving my public persona.

Knowing the disaster any romance would bring, Easton and Yolanda struggle to ignore their flaming-hot chemistry, but when someone schemes to drive Yolanda from the show, they join forces to stop them. Will their undeniable heat catch fire and burn down their worlds before they can eliminate the threat?

Get it for free now! Alaska Wild by Lolo Paige

What happens before that fateful day where Tara and Ryan collide on the Montana fire that leads them both to Alaska, in Alaska Spark? Read their origin story to find out!

Read what happens before Tara and Ryan meet up in Alaska Spark!

Ryan O’Connor’s hotshot fire crew pulls out all the stops to save a trapped family in a Southern California firestorm. But when his crew is unable to reach them in time, Ryan considers the loss a personal failure. He decides to apply and train with the Delta Force of wildland fire—the Alaska Smokejumpers. If Ryan can survive the ball-busting training, his life will be on a new trajectory…one that could lead him to the woman of his dreams. Tara Waters loves being a wildland firefighter and has worked hard to prove herself capable. But when a hunky Missoula smokejumper aims his parachute at Tara, her worlds collide when her father dooms the relationship to fail. The path she then chooses will set a new course..toward a wildfire with searing flames she’s powerless to fight.

Get it for free now! How to Unbreak a Heart by Jennie Marts

Solitary cowboy, Trip Turner walked out on the love of his life twelve years ago, breaking her heart and landing in juvenile detention. Now he’s back in Saddle Creek, Montana, at the dude ranch for wayward teens, where his mentor, John Stone, taught him the rules of how to become a man. But a tragedy has reminded Trip he failed to follow one of those rules. And it could have been the most important one of all.

Bre Wilson had moved on with her life—she has a successful veterinary practice, and she’s put all thoughts of Trip Turner, the boy she’d planned to spend the rest of her life with, behind her. Or so she thought. Because he’s back, and no longer a boy. Now he’s a hot-as-hell man, and she has to spend the next two weeks working by his side without either kissing him or killing him. Trip let Bre go once, he won’t do it again. He has a second chance to fix the mistakes he made all of those years ago, and this time he’s following the rules. He just needs to figure out how to unbreak her heart. 

Get it for free now! Risking Trust by Adrienne Giordano

Michael Taylor is cooler than ice. As CEO of a private security company, his job means protecting those at risk. But now Michael is the one in trouble—he’s the prime suspect in his ex-wife’s murder. To prove his innocence, he needs not just a few good men, but one smart woman.

Get it for free now!

Sarah Munro’s Autumn Apple Spice Tea

I love making hot Autumn teas, and my newest favorite is Apple Spice Tea. This tea is made with apples, oranges, cinnamon and dried hibiscus leaves. It’s a simple recipe that is soothing on an early fall afternoon, when the heat of the day turns a bit cooler. While I can get organic oranges and apples at my grocery store, I prefer to get my organic and natural herbs from and Mountain Rose Herbs.

For those of you new to this series, Sarah Munro, the heroine in ONE DARK WISH, the second book in the Deadly Force series, is an 18th century historian who inherited a collection of colonial-era herbal and homeopathic remedies. And, in this blog space, I’ve been sharing her recipes with you all. I’m adding this recipe to this collection because hibiscus and oranges are loaded with Vitamin C which can boost the immune system, cinnamon has antibacterial qualities and can help lower blood sugar, cloves possess both antibacterial and antiviral properties, and apples contain antioxidants that can help aid digestion. These are all things I need this time of year!

Note: I am not an affiliate of Mountain Rose Herbs. I just love their website and buy most of my herbs and other special ingredients from them.

Ingredients:

1 cinnamon stick4 whole cloves2 teaspoons dried hibiscus2 apple slices2 orange slices4 cups filtered waterhoney (optional for sweetness)[image error]Directions for Autumn Apple Spice TeaThis recipe makes a pot of tea, about 4 cups.Boil the water over medium heat.Add all the ingredients, except for the honey, into a teapot. Once the water comes to a boil, pour the water over top. Steep for at least ten minutes.Strain the tea into a tea cup and stir in the desired amount of honey. Enjoy! IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ABOUT WILD PLANTS, FORAGING , AND MAKING HERBAL REMEDIES:

I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).

It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.

If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.

Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.

Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.

Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.

Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.

I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!

The Joy of Drying Herbs

One of the joys of summer is stepping outside and snipping fresh herbs straight from the garden. But when the days get shorter and frost is on the way, you don’t have to give up those flavors. With a little cutting, drying, and storing, you can tuck away the taste of summer and enjoy your homegrown herbs all winter long.

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Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to cutting, drying, and storing herbs from your garden.

How to Cut and Dry Herbs From the Garden When to Harvest HerbsTime of day: The best time to cut herbs is mid-morning, after the dew has dried but before the sun gets too hot. This helps preserve their essential oils and flavor.Stage of growth: Harvest herbs before they flower (or as soon as buds appear). This is when the oils are most concentrated.How much to cut: Take no more than one-third of the plant at a time so it can continue growing if the season isn’t over yet. How to Cut Herbs ProperlyUse sharp scissors or garden shears to make clean cuts and avoid damaging the plant.Cut just above a leaf node (the spot where leaves join the stem) to encourage regrowth.Gather stems in small bundles as you go for easy drying later. Best Methods for Drying Herbs1. Air Drying (Great for sturdy herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage)Gather 5–10 stems into a small bundle.Tie the stems with twine or a rubber band.Hang them upside down in a warm, dry, dark place with good airflow.Drying time: 1–2 weeks.2. Screen Drying (For delicate herbs like parsley, basil, and dill)Spread leaves in a single layer on a drying screen or baking rack.Keep them out of direct sunlight in a well-ventilated room.Stir occasionally until fully dry.3. Oven or Dehydrator Drying (Fast option)Set the oven to the lowest temperature (around 100–110°F if possible).Spread leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet.Keep the oven door slightly open to allow moisture to escape.Check every 15–20 minutes. Most herbs will be dry in 1–4 hours. How to Tell if Herbs Are Dry

Herbs are fully dry when the leaves crumble easily between your fingers and stems snap instead of bending.

Storing Your Herbs for WinterRemove leaves from stems and discard woody stalks.Store herbs in airtight containers (glass jars or tins work best).Keep them in a cool, dark place away from heat and sunlight.Label jars with the herb name and date. They’re best used within 6–12 months. Tips for Using Dried HerbsDried herbs are more concentrated than fresh. As a general rule, use one teaspoon of dried herbs for every tablespoon of fresh.Crush dried herbs between your fingers before adding them to a dish to release their flavor.Mix and store custom blends (like Italian seasoning or poultry mix) to make winter cooking even easier.By taking a little time now to cut and dry your herbs, you’ll bring the taste of summer into your kitchen all winter long.

How Autumn Teaches Writers to Let Go

Every year when the air turns crisp and the leaves begin to fall, I’m reminded that autumn is a season of both abundance and release. The trees let go of what they no longer need, not in despair but in preparation for renewal. They don’t cling to what once served them, they surrender their leaves. They surrender with grace, trusting spring will come again.

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As writers, we’re often called to do the same.

It’s easy to hold on tightly to every word we put on the page. We fall in love with scenes that sparkle or characters who won’t stop whispering to us at midnight. We convince ourselves that if we cut too much, the heart of the story will vanish. But more often than not, it’s the opposite. The heart of the story only shines when we let go of the pieces that no longer belong.

This isn’t always easy. Just like the trees, releasing what we’ve nurtured takes courage. Cutting a scene we’ve polished or shelving a project that once held our entire heart can feel like loss. But I’ve learned that letting go is never wasted effort. Those discarded words are part of the compost that feeds new stories. They enrich the soil of our creativity, even if they never make it into a book.

Autumn reminds me that letting go is an act of trust. Trust in ourselves, and that we’ll keep writing. Trust in the story, and that it knows the shape it needs to take. Trust in the future, and that the ideas we release now may return in a new form, stronger and more vibrant than before.

So as I watch the leaves drift past my window, I take comfort in their quiet lesson. Writing, like life, is full of seasons. Some are for growth, some are for harvesting, and some are for surrender. When we release with intention, we make space for resilience, grace, and the stories still waiting to be told.

Writer’s Takeaway

If autumn is nudging you to let go, here are a few gentle ways to embrace that practice in your writing life:

Release a Scene – Pick one scene you love but know deep down isn’t serving the story. Save it in a “cuttings” file. Letting it go may reveal the story’s true heart.Retire an Idea – If you’ve been clinging to a project that feels heavy or stalled, give yourself permission to set it aside. Trust that if it’s meant to bloom, it will return when the season is right.Clear the Desk – Just as trees shed leaves, clear your creative space of old drafts, clutter, or notes that weigh you down. Fresh space invites fresh words.

Autumn is proof that letting go isn’t an ending—it’s a beginning in disguise.

A Cookie for the Fall Equinox

This is an edited repost from the archives.

Twice a year, the hours of night and day are equal. These two events are called the Fall and Spring Equinoxes. (as opposed to the Winter and Summer Solstices where the hours of night and day are the longest respectively). The Latin word equinox translates into English as “equal night” and refers to how, due to the Earth’s tilt on its axis, both the northern and Southern Hemispheres receive an equal amount of daylight and darkness twice a year. The Fall Equinox takes place around September 21 while the Spring Equinox occurs on March 21. After the Fall Equinox, the days will get shorter in the Northern Hemisphere and longer in the Southern Hemisphere.

For centuries, from Ancient Greece to today’s Bavaria, this time of year has been devoted to harvest festivals where we give thanks for the abundance of food that will get us through the long winter months. While the world no longer worries about having no access to food during the winter months (war and poverty notwithstanding), that is a fairly new occurrence. This is proven by the fact that despite the globalization of the food chain, we seem to be hardwired to celebrate this season.

Initially, in the United States, Thanksgiving Day was celebrated on October 3rd which makes sense since most of the fields are harvested by then. For many reasons, Abraham Lincoln, with his “Thanksgiving Proclamation”, changed the date of Thanksgiving to the last Thursday in November. Then, in 1939, FDR changed the date to the fourth Thursday in November. But the first idea for Thanksgiving–dating back to the Wampanoag Native American tribe that lived near Plymouth, MA and the surrounding areas–took place about two weeks past the Fall Equinox. The celebrations always happened after the hard work of bringing in the crops was finished.

This time of year, besides pumpkin patches, harvest festivals, and bonfires, there are many myths and legends that tell stories of life, death, and rebirth. Not surprising since the Fall Equinox is the time of year when the earth goes fallow in anticipation of winter coming. One of the best known of the harvest legends comes from the ancient Greek myth of the goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone. Demeter, the goddess of grain and the harvest, adored her daughter Persephone. But one day the god of the underworld, Hades, abducted Persephone and took her back to his kingdom. Demeter’s grief caused all of the world’s crops to die, getting the attention of Zeus (the father of all the gods). Demeter told Zeus what had happened. Zeus went to Hades and ordered him to return Persephone, as long as she’d not eaten or drunk anything while in the underworld. Unfortunately, Persephone had eaten six pomegranate seeds. This meant that Persephone was doomed to spend six months of year underground with Hades. Demeter was so upset she decided that during those six months of year nothing would grow on Earth. Now, the beginning of this six months of fallow land begins on the Fall Equinox.

But the Fall Equinox is not just about pumpkins and scarecrows. In 1981, the UN declared September 21st as World Peace Day. A few decades later, a famous French chef in Paris made a dark chocolate cookie that was so good, critics declared that if everyone ate a cookie a day, peace would take over the world. So, besides all the pumpkin spice lattes and s’mores that we eat this time of year, there’s also a decadent, dark chocolate cooked appropriately named World Peace Cookie. (there are many variations to this story about a humble cookie, but I like this one. :))

While this cookie (recipe below) is amazing, it’s so chocolatey (they are like chewy, chocolate shortbreads) that I can only eat it once a year. So I always bake them to celebrate the Fall Equinox.

PrintWorld Peace CookiesCourse DessertKeyword CookiesPrep Time 1 hour hourCook Time 1 hour hourChilling Time 3 hours hoursServings 36 cookiesCalories 189kcalIngredients1 1/4 cups flour1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 stick plus 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks, room temperature2/3 cup packed light brown sugar1/4 cup sugar1/4 teaspoon sea salt1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract5 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped into small, irregular sized chunks1 cup pecans chopped (optional)InstructionsIn a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Set aside.Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. In the mixer's large bowl, beat the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed until fluffy and smooth. Beat in the salt and pure vanilla. Slowly beat in the flour mixture, a 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is chucky and moist and sticks together.Stir in the chocolate chunks and pecans. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and knead it until it forms a dough ball. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a lot that is 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Length doesn't matter–just make sure no part of the log is hollow. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325℉. Then adjust the rack so it sits in the center of the oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.Work with one log at a time, keeping the other in the fridge while you bake the first log. On a lightly floured counter or cutting board, use a very sharp knife to slice the dough into 1/2" rounds. If the rounds crack, just mush them back together when you place them on the baking tray. Place all the circles on the baking sheets, about 2" apart. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes. They will still look soft and mushy, but they are done and will firm up as they cool. Let the baking sheet cool on a metal baking rack and let the cookies set for 10 minutes. Then move the cookies to another baking rack to cool completely. Repeat baking cookies with the second log until you've used up all the dough.

It’s Time to Fall into a Book

6th Annual Fall into a Book Giveaway Begins Today!

The Isn’t It Romantic Book Club Group will be live-streaming today, September 18th, while we interview Sharon Wray (me!) and my new Kingsmill Courtships novella A Room with a Groom that is currently for sale in the Save the Date wedding romance anthology. It’ll be live-streamed on our YouTube channel and will be loaded to the Facebook Group.

Today is also the kick-off for our annual Fall into a Book Giveaway where, for three days, over 300 authors will be giving away books, swag, gift cards–just spending time with readers and getting to know them. If you want to participate for free, just join us in the Facebook group!

join the Isn’t it romantic facebook group here!

Nutting Day: A Forgotten Feast of Courage and Love

Every September, when the air shifts and the evenings arrive earlier, I find myself remembering Nutting Day. It isn’t a holiday you’ll see on a calendar or even one you’ll hear mentioned very often anymore. Somewhere between September 14 and 21, when the hazelnuts ripen and begin to fall, folklore tells us that the world holds its breath. Nutting Day lingers in that quiet pause, the brief moment when summer has ended but autumn hasn’t quite taken hold.

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I’ve always loved the symbolism tucked inside this old custom. In Celtic legend, the hazel tree is sacred. Its branches once hung over holy wells, and its nuts fed the Salmon of Wisdom. Those who ate the nuts—or the salmon—gained insight into the future. The hazel tree became a keeper of prophecy, of courage, of love. It’s no surprise that hazelnuts found their way into wedding rituals, fertility traditions, and love spells. To gather hazelnuts on Nutting Day was to gather not only food for winter, but also blessings of wisdom and resilience for the dark months ahead.

For writers and dreamers, it’s easy to see why this small, almost forgotten feast matters. Nutting Day isn’t about abundance like harvest festivals or feasting like Thanksgiving. It’s about the quiet things, the small kernels of strength and love that sustain us when life becomes difficult. Hazelnuts are hidden treasures, wrapped in green husks, hard to crack open. They remind me that courage often works the same way. We don’t always see it until life presses us hard enough that the shell gives way, revealing the resilience inside.

There’s something deeply romantic about this too. Nutting Day belongs to the liminal time of year, when day and night balance for just a heartbeat before the darkness grows longer. Liminal times are thresholds, and in myth, thresholds are where magic happens. The hazel tree itself often grew at the edges of orchards or where two worlds met: the worlds of forest and meadow, of mortal and fae. And isn’t love itself a threshold? Two people stepping out of one life and into another, risking heartbreak for the promise of belonging to one another for all time.

When I bake on Nutting Day, usually something rich with apples and hazelnuts, it’s not just about cake. It’s about ritual. About pausing to remember that the smallest moments like the crack of a shell, the sweetness of the nut, and the warmth of the kitchen hold as much power as any grand festival. They root us in courage. They remind us to celebrate resilience, to honor wisdom, and to believe in love even when the nights grow long.

So this year, as the hazelnuts fall and the light changes, I’ll bake again. I’ll walk to the edge of the woods where shadows lengthen. And I’ll listen. For the truth is, Nutting Day deserves more than a cake. It deserves our attention. It deserves our courage. And maybe, just maybe, it deserves to become a day where we all pause—between endings and beginnings—to gather what wisdom and love we can carry into the coming season.