Elizabeth Boyle's Blog

Goodreads Giveaway

It’s that time of year again! My favorite–Fall and the Holidays!! To kick it off and celebrate, I’m giving away ten autographed print copies of O Little Town of Bethlehem over on Goodreads. Make sure to enter now.

I’ve also got lots of fun things happening in the coming days–make sure to sign up for my newsletter–Five Things for Friday–to make sure you have all news first.

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Christmas Craftalong Week 1: Cowls and Cookies

Thank you for joining me in the 6 weeks of my Christmas Craftalong. If you love handmade gifts, giving home baked goodies or just love the season, join me until Christmas for ideas old and new to put together a unique and old fashioned Christmas season. If you don’t want to miss a thing, sign up for my Newsletter now.

This week is all about Cowls and Cookies, Tea Cookies to be exact.

Cowls

While I’ve never seen a vintage pattern for a cowl (scarves were the gift to make), I prefer the more modern (and quicker) cowl for a handmade gift. Great for a walking partner, that playground lady, a dear friend, or yourself. This one, pictured above with Pi is The Interrupted Cowl designed by Heather Hill. Bonus: this pattern is free.

This is my go-to pattern for a quick gift, and between now and Christmas–you could quickly knit several of these. I love this bulky yarn, Bamboo Bloom, for all its wonderful color and possibilities and since it is knit on big needles the cowls are fast.

I do like to modify this one by casting on 150 stitches. It makes a narrower cowl, but the length is good from wrapping around your neck twice. I can usually make one during a single football game.

CROCHETERS: Here is a good pattern to sub: The Artemis Cowl.

The Simply Scrappy cowl is another fast project, and if you are a knitter, you very likely have leftovers or a skein or two on hand that will fit the bill. I used up a handful of mini skeins I had tucked away and knit until I felt it was the right length. You can personalize this with lots of colors or a tame palette depending on who you intend to gift it to. This pattern is Free. (Crocheters: sub in The Michigan Waves.)

Okay, get those cowls on the needles and if you do make something, post about online using the hashtag: #handcraftedchristmas and #OLTB

Oh, you thought you could skim over the knitting and crochet and say “not for me.” Well, I am trying to include everyone–so if you can read a recipe, you can participate. Because we are going to fill the cookie plate with a nummy variety of cookies you can bake now, freeze, and then bring out in December and shine with your glorious selection of homemade goodies that look like you spent the entire month baking.

Cookies: Christmas Tea Cakes

This was my grandmother’s trick. She worked full time, but she baked a different cookie in the evenings throughout November and by December she had enough to fill lots of plates to giveaway.
So let’s begin with one of my holiday favorites: Russian Teacakes

This is my mom’s handwritten recipe card, but I will spell it out for you:
Russian Tea Cakes

1 C butter (room temp)

1/2 C sifted powder sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups of flour

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (I like pecans, my mother used walnuts)

Mix the butter, sugar and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt. Mix in nuts. Chill. When ready to bake, heat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough into 1″ balls. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. While warm, roll in additional powdered sugar. Cool, then roll again in the sugar. Makes 4 dozen.

Pop them in the freezer. Easy peasy. 1st Batch done. I love mom’s recipes.

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Goodreads Giveaway – Enter Today

Enter to win one of ten print copies of O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM. Click below to enter.


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Goodreads Book Giveaway








O Little Town of Bethlehem


by Elizabeth Boyle

Giveaway ends September 22, 2024.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

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Five Things for Friday

It’s been a busy month. I went to Chicago, helped my son move, did a bunch of book research at the Newberry Library and The Chicago History Museum. And then had the great joy of taking the train home. Chicago to Seattle on the Empire Builder. I loved every minute of the trip. More on that below.

I also got a new author photo taken by my very talented cousin, Robin L. Green. She’s been a professional photographer for years–doing western photography, nature photography, rodeos, and of course, people. Follow her on Facebook–I always love seeing what she’s up to.

Now I know I told you I would ask for your help choosing, but I fell in love with this shot and picked it the moment I saw it.

Yep it’s me.

Now what else have I got for you:

One

Star Trek, Strange New Worlds. I’m all about sci fi, love it—and have been a Trekkie since I watched the original. Am I dating myself? Probably. Just don’t do the math.

Anyhoo, this show is so much fun—while also tugging at the heart strings. I love the storytelling here and can’t recommend it enough. On Paramount Plus.

I suggest watching the trailer.

Two

The 2022 Tote Bag Reader Giveaway is on! My dear friend, Melissa McClone puts this together every year and I am always happy to support her. This year, the Authors With Heart have 8 Thirty-One Gifts thermal tote bags with lots of books and other items up for grabs. To find out all the details and enter, go here. To see the bags in all their glory, go here.

Make sure to enter by this Sunday!

Three

Apparently it is warm just about everywhere right now, so I offer my favorite way to cool down–homemade Lemon Sorbet. Even if you don’t have an ice cream maker, they show you how to make a wonderful, cool treat without one, but… if you love ice cream (like our house does) having one of these Cuisinart Ice Cream makers is a fun way to make your own. Super simple and fun.

Four

I have always loved traveling by train. When I have a choice, I will always choose a train over a plane. So earlier this month I realized a dream by taking the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle. Two days of joy, settled in my seat, watching the scenery go by and enjoying having someone else cook my meals. Just me, a stack of books, my knitting and the wide open view.

When you flyover, you never get to see the jaw dropping beauty and expanse that is the United States.

 

Crossing the Mississippi.

From the rivers to the plains and beautiful peaks of the Rockies and Cascades, it is a feast for the soul.

Morning in North Dakota.

 

 

Getting close to home. Coming down the western side of the Cascade mountains.

Now I am ready to start exploring more routes, like the Coast Starlight, or the City of New Orleans, and especially the California Zephyr. The Rockies in the fall would be breathtaking.

So before you email me and ask:

Yes, I had a roomette. If you are travelling overnight I would highly recommend getting a roomette. It has the advantage of converting the seats into a bed and it comes with all your meals. And you have your own little private, quiet corner to curl up in.No, it isn’t all that hard to sleep on a train. I found the bunk very comfortable.And yes, the food was really good. The desserts were heaven!Five

If you have ever dreamed of writing your own book, now is is the time of year to start thinking about fall writing conferences. I am a huge fan of several: the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, (September 23-25, Renton, WA), Women Writing the West, (Oklahoma City, OK, in October) and my very favorite, and I will go out on a limb and say the all time best writing conference anywhere, Surrey International Writers Conference (October, Surrey, British Columbia).

This year, SIWC is doing a hybrid model of in person and virtual. So no matter where you are in the world, you can “attend.”

I don’t think I would have ever gotten published without the help and encouragement I found at writing conferences. It is a great place to start or just dip your toes into.

Stay cook, eat some of that Lemon Sorbet and chat soon!

The post Five Things for Friday first appeared on Elizabeth Boyle.

Five Things for Friday

Yes, I know it has been two months since I dropped by. I’ve been busy with getting the new book polished up for submission and then I caught Covid. Thankfully I am fully vaxxed and double boosted so it wasn’t too bad, but it still knocked me back for two weeks with really staggering fatigue. But now I am all recovered, ready for new adventures and have collected Five Things I’ve been dying to share with you. Enjoy.

One

Laine and Meg of Plot Trysts always make me laugh. Full disclosure: they’ve reviewed and discussed a number of my books, which you can find on this handy dandy episode guide. Of you can give all the episodes a listen-I’m telling you, these two are delightful fun.

You can find their podcast on Apple or wherever you download your favorites to give them a listen, as well as on Instagram.

Two

The Offer on Paramount Plus. This limited series about the making of The Godfather, is wonderful—I loved it. I liked seeing the juxtaposition of creativity and business and just the wonder of making movies.

But I also have to also say, I had never seen the movie. Nope. Never watched The Godfather. Ever. And yet I loved the series.

So after watching all 10 episodes, we popped the corn and sat down for 3 hours of Brando making magic. Amazing film, and knowing some the behind the scenes made it even more entertaining. You can also see The Offer via Amazon Prime.

Three

You know I love Georgette Heyer, so recently I treated myself to yet another one of her engaging romances. Discovering Heyer is like finding a treasure trove that you hoard for rainy days. Well, we’ve had our fair share in Seattle this spring, so I read Black Sheep.

Like any good Georgette Heyer, the characters steal your heart and the ending is so perfect and so romantic. I adored it.

Four

I have to share this: my new, absolute favorite dinner, this Cooking Light Ginger-Soy Chicken Thighs with Scallion Rice. First of all, you want to lick the pan so you get all of it. And secondly, you are going to say: But Elizabeth, where am I going to find Ginger Preserves? Don’t send your husband to the store to find them as I did (poor man), just order them online. Or you can sub in Apricot Preserves.

Photo Credit: John Autry

Five

Frog Frenzy. No, it is not a new game. It is when I spend way too much time on Ravelry and find some whimsical baby blanket and just have to make it. Hence, Frog Frenzy. This will be headed off to my niece’s new baby when the little dickens decides to arrive.

I am such a sucker for whimsical. Watch for Owls in my near future.

 

Until next time, have a great beginning to summer!

The post Five Things for Friday first appeared on Elizabeth Boyle.

Five Things for Friday

Let’s talk.

I keep getting anxious emails from all of you—am I writing, am I going to have a new book out soon, and why is this taking so long?????

All good questions.

I want to be honest with all of you because you are my readers, my dear friends, so here is how it is.

I finished the book last fall. After a bit of a delay, my agent and I decided to part company. I had suspected for sometime that this new shiny book wouldn’t be her cup of tea, and that would be her reaction, so it wasn’t a surprise. But it did leave things hanging.

Finding a new agent and selling a book just as the holidays are beginning would have been a disaster. Agents and editors are trying to clear their desks, so I had to pause for a few months. But in mid January I began my search and after 8 weeks of querying I found my perfect agent.

And she LOVES the book. I mean, she LOVES it. In all caps and gushing all over it. So I knew it had found the perfect champion. It still needs some work, which I am close to finishing up and then it will go out into world of publishing to see if it can find a home as welcoming.

Keep your fingers crossed and I promise to keep you in the loop.

Now, onto this week’s list:

One

Looking for a lovely and wonderful read that will whisk you away? Try A Cup of Silver Linings by Karen Hawkins. It was just the fresh air of spring I was looking for.

Two

I was going to talk about salads—yet again—but realized I’ve kinda overstated the point as I looked at past Five Things, (like here and here) so I thought you might like something more fun. So I present Chocolate Mug Cake, because you can’t live on salad alone. Well, you can, but . . . you know what I mean. This is quick and delish. And most likely you have everything you need right in your cupboard. At least I hope so. Because, yum.

Photo Credit: Tastes Better From Scratch

Three

In the last newsletter I asked for pictures of your TBRs and here is Sandy’s lovely and enviable TBR! Just take a moment and enjoy. Sigh. Thank you, Sandy!!

Four

 

There but for the grace of God go I.

I have said this to myself for the past month as I watch the news every day. So I help where I can—though I think it is always hard to know where to help and where the money will go the farthest. So I found this list vetted by The Today Show.

After reading through, I donated to World Central Kitchen who are helping feed the refugees coming across the border. Every time I see the news and all those children coming across the border, I want to bake cookies for them. Sending in a donation to WCK is as close as I could get. There is more about their work here as well.

Five

Let’s finish on a lighter note. Here is a quirky list of classical art that has been turned into memes. Just something to bring a smile to you on a Friday. Here is my favorite:

 

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Five Things for Friday

Part of me wonders–do I post this sort of trivial list when the world is on the fire?–because I don’t want anyone to think I am not scared spitless about the state of things right now. Especially since I’ve been reading a lot of WW1 history lately and the parallels are like blinking billboards with spotlights. But perhaps five things that touch the normal, that place we can all agree upon, are also necessary. The more we can reach out and all find common ground, maybe we can see our differences without the harsh rhetoric.

One

Here a pic of the TBR that is in my office. I’ll share pics of the other TBRs *snort* scattered around my house another time. As you can see I am an eclectic reader. Currently I am reading research books as I move into my next project but I keep looking longingly at these books and trying to decide which to read first. Share a picture of your TBR and I’ll pick some to share in the weeks ahead.

Two

I have a salad nearly every day for lunch. I just like making sure I get all those veggies and such in. And this battered copy of Salads by Sue Quinn shows all the evidence of how much it is well loved and well used. I haven’t got a favorite recipe (though I love the dressings in the back) but rather I use the book as a jumping off place for ingredients I have on hand and then go from there. Do you have a favorite salad recipe book?

Three

I asked a while ago about your favorite childhood reads and Geraldine shared the following:

“I loved going the library as a child and teen. When I got old enough to ride my bicycle, I’d spend the day. For Christmas, our parents would include a stack of books (from the used book store) on the fireplace hearth – books for all ages and interests.”

Sound familiar? We were too far out in the country to ride our bikes to the library, but my mom would take us every week, and later, when I was in high school, I worked afternoons and evenings shelving books at our local library. Libraries are a haven and books a treasure.

Geraldine’s favorites:

1. “Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators” series, initially written by Robert Arthur – interestingly, decades later, when I met my now husband, I discovered those were his favorite books as well!
2. The Black Stallion Series
3. The Chronicles of Narnia
4. Anne of Green Gables series – I bought my first book at a bookstore on Prince Edward Island, in 1973 (EB jumping in here: I am so jealous!! PEI is on my bucket list of places to go)
5. The Wizard of Oz series – as an adult, I moved to central NY state – and now live about 20 miles from Chittenango – the birth place of L. Frank Baum.

I love Geraldine’s list because so many of these were my favorites as well.

Four

Bullet Journalers—are you out there? Here is one of my favorite creative/writer/journaler and her wonderful YouTube channel about writing and journals. Rachael Stephen offers fun videos–she’s an interesting soul and I always learn something from her, and if you are a writer, she does a video class on her “Story Toolkit” process that is fascinating. Sign up for it!

Photo credit: Rachael Stephen

Five

My 90 year old mother-in-law sang the praises of Reacher on Amazon Prime, so we settled in for a binge and loved it. Warning: it is violent, but I loved the characters and the story line.

As for my MIL? She’s a diehard thriller reader, and she was adamant that this version of Lee Child’s character was SO much better than the horrible Tom Cruise version. As you might have guessed, she has opinions.

Then again, my MIL is also a huge fan of Rip on Yellowstone. Should I be worried if she offers to take me to the train station?

And finally, in my ongoing PSA about staying safe, I got this email from FTFF reader, Susan and she asked me to share this:

Hello, Elizabeth,

Thank you for your timely reminders, especially the CO tips. I’ve one to add to that. For those of us whose homes are heated with natural gas, and who live in snowy regions, it’s important to make sure that the furnace vent to outside is not blocked by snow. Sometimes we get lots of snow, and then a wee melt makes snow slides off the roof into a pile. And sometimes that pile blocks or partially blocks the vent. (Or sometimes a neighbour might shovel their walkway and inadvertently make a pile that can block the vent.) Same goes for the dryer vent.
I’m in Toronto, Ontario. Lots of snow here right now, and more expected.
All the best, Susan C.

I really love how much you all want to take care of each other. It warms my heart and gives me hope in such bleak times. Please, continue to send out the love and hope.

Five Things for Friday

So last Friday I snuck out and had knee surgery.

I tore my meniscus last summer when we were remodeling the house. I’ve been limping along ever since and it has been painful. It turned out to be more complex than they thought, but it is all fixed and I am doing great. Looking forward to rehabbing it and by summer getting back to all the things I love.

Meanwhile, there’s been a lot of Pi helping me mend and knitting. I cannot recommend two stranded knitting while taking pain pills. I think I frogged more than I knit last weekend. LOL.

So onward to this week’s Five Things.

One

This weekend is the Super Bowl!! And I am celebrating two things: The Bengals!! and it being Tom Brady free. Thank you very much.

As you can tell, I am a diehard football junkie, and I have been on the edge of my seat the entire playoffs. I picked every winner in my playoff lineup–really should have bet money on it. LOL. Still, even without all that, the playoffs were amazing games. And if you don’t believe me, here is Peyton Manning to sum it all up in hilarious Saturday Night Live Fashion.

And by the way: Go Bengals!

Two

In our house, the Super Bowl means Super Nachos!! They are quick and easy and if you chop and shred and cook the meat beforehand, they come together quickly and easily so you don’t miss a single commercial.

I just take a bag of tortilla chips and toss them on a sheet pan covered with foil. Who wants to miss a single play cleaning up a mess? No way.

Then add taco meat (I make mine ahead of time with either ground beef or ground chicken or turkey and this seasoning recipe), chopped onions, tomatoes, peppers, whatever strikes your fancy and combine it with a LOT of shredded cheese (I like a mix of cheddar and Jack, or again, whatever I have on hand)

Bake it at 400 until the cheese is melted and it all looks crispy and great (about 5-10 minutes or so) and then dig in with a homemade salsa or your favorite dip.

P.S. On the seasoning recipe—I quadruple the mix and then store it in a small canning jar so I always have taco seasoning on hand and am not wasting money on that horribly expensive and overpriced packaged stuff.

Three

If you haven’t heard about Dillon Helbig, he’s a little boy from Idaho who 1) wrote and illustrated his own book, 2) inserted it into his local library and 3) made it one of the most popular books in the stacks. He’s a delight. And he’s hard at work on his next book.

Please take a moment and meet one imaginative little boy. You can read his story here or watch him here.

Photo credit: The Seattle Times

Four

If you have to quarantine, a private island with a five star hotel isn’t a bad way to isolate. I love how these wonderful folks made the best of their isolation and their story is a vacation all in its own.

Five

On the off chance that you aren’t going to spend Sunday watching commercials and football, you might need something to read. And I happen to have some great recommendations from all of you on books you’ve read over and over. And as I was thumbing through these yet again—yes, I’ve been hoarding them—I found a list I can heartily endorse, from Five Things reader, Shaleah K:

Beauty by Robin Mckinley

Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

Anything by Ilona Andrews

Have a great week and I hope this list brought a smile to your weekend. And P.S. Thank you, Shaleah!! You have great taste in books.

Five Things for Friday

It’s inevitable, but I am going to repeat myself. I’ve tried hard not to. I even maintain a list–but the list only works if you update it, which I did last week and discovered I have repeated myself. The Expanse! The Vanished Days! With over 220 Things and counting, it is going to happen.

But happily as much as I keep thinking I’ll run out eventually, and I always seem to find more. Let’s take a look at this week’s list.

One

But for the record, I don’t think updates should count. Do you remember the Thing I did a while back about Prancer the Chihuahua? The demon chihuahua who was stuck in a shelter because of his personality and quirks? I was scrolling through the other day and discovered that Prancer found the perfect forever home and now has a his own Instagram account and is living his best life. Give him a follow!

Two

Wow! You all had thoughts and suggestions about learning how to jump a car. Didn’t read last week’s Five Things? Here’s a quick link back.

Tammy and Geraldine wrote about cables that come with chargers so you don’t need another car. Once charged, they will hold that charge for about a year. Ginny wrote in and recommended a Halo Bolt. The Halo Bolt also has a plug in for charging phones and laptops. I haven’t tried one, but I will definitely be checking them out.

I was also reminded that in addition to jumping a car, pumping your own gas, and changing a tire, you should also know how and where to add oil. Add those to your car-wise list of expertise.

As an aside to all all this, I once went on a date and his car tire went flat and he didn’t know how to change it. So there I was, in heels and fancy dress, changing the tire so he could take me home. Note: there was no second date and not because he didn’t know how to change the tire, but because he wasn’t interested in learning how.

Three

Looking for a light fun read? Try The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling. I spotted this book before Christmas at the bookstore, and much to my chagrin, forgot to grab it that day and it was gone by the next time I went in, so I had to order it up on my Kindle. It’s a cute story of a reluctant witch who accidentally cursed her summer fling a decade earlier and now he’s returned. A fun read for a cold day.

Four

Have you watched The Gilded Age yet? It’s very Downtown Abbey light. I’m not invested yet, and I wish the characters had a little more depth, but having just finished the second episode, I’m with Mrs. Aster in saying, “we’ll be seeing more of them.”

I’ll stay for now, because the costumes are amazing and lush and beautiful. That, and watching Christine Baranski sneer at everything is always a delight.

Five

One of you marvelous Five Things readers wrote and asked me to share a PSA on CO Poisoning. I then promptly made a note to do so and now I can’t find the email to thank them. But we should all thank them because it is a timely reminder. She asked that we all be mindful of shutting off our cars, especially if they are parked in an attached garage. And make sure to remind the elderly as well. Her elderly mother had a brush with CO poisoning and thankfully she is doing better.

A few years ago, an entire family in our neighborhood was lost during a power outage when they brought their gas grill inside the garage to use to cook and heat. All five people in that house perished from CO poisoning.

So please be mindful when parking your car in an enclosed garage and making sure your car is shut off immediately. And in light of the bad weather sweeping across the country, never use a gas grill or any other propane/gas powered thing inside a residence.

And CO monitors aren’t a bad investment. We have one in our house.

Count this as a Thing I hope I never have to repeat. Have a wonderful and safe weekend.

Five Things for Friday

Tomorrow (Saturday, Jan 29th) I will be taking over on Instagram for Romanced By the Book. Megan and Marielle are a dynamic duo of romance loving readers who post about books and authors and sponsor read alongs–most recently diving deep into And the Miss Ran Away with the Rake. Drop by and leave a comment, or make sure to include them in your follows.

They will also be posting a zoom interview with yours truly. Please promise not to horrified of live me. LOL.

Now let’s get to the list. We have a Friday ahead and a weekend in front of us. I hope both are wonderful.

One

I recently left my car lights on when I went to help out a friend. And went back outside a few hours later to find I had a dead battery. My friend was ready to call for help, but I got out my jumper cables and we got the car started with a jump from her car. Easy peasy. But I was surprised that not only did my friend not know how to jump a car, she didn’t even own jumper cables. So we went over the basics so now she knows, and let me tell you what not so fancy gift she is getting for her birthday.

When I was a teen and wanted my driver’s license, my dad required two things (well other than proficiency at driving): How to change a tire and how to jump a dead battery. Really, every driver should know how. But as women, we shouldn’t be at the mercy of just any random stranger. So this weekend, please, learn how to jump start your car and keep a set of jumper cables in the trunk.

Car battery with jumper cables, close-up.

We’ll discuss changing a tire next week.

Two

So now that we’ve gotten our hands dirty, I offer this little bit of delightful spa wonderfulness. These Salux exfoliating washcloths are the bomb. The same friend who can now jumpstart a car gave me a set of these for my birthday last year and I wore them out. Having just ordered a new set, I realized I needed to share these with all of you.

Warning: the first few times you use these, go gently. They will really buff the skin. But oh, how lovely you feel after.

Three

Periodically I just have to read a Georgette Heyer. Haven’t read her? Oh, a Regency universe awaits you. I’ve been slowly working my way through books for years, savoring them slowly, rereading favorites in between–looking right at you The Foundling and/or The Grand Sophy–both excellent gateway books into all things Heyer.

Don’t be fooled by the demure miss on the cover. Sophy is a riot!

This time up, I read The Quiet Gentleman, a romance/mystery about an earl who returns from years at war only to find that someone in his peaceful home wants him dead. It is more mystery than romance, but has a slow burn of a spark that brings a smile at the end. The mystery isn’t too hard to figure out, but it is Georgette Heyer, so you just love the entire journey to the end.

Have  you got a favorite Georgette Heyer novel?

Four

So early in the pandemic, I bought a small, straggling lemon tree off the discount/dying plant shelf at Home Depot. I nursed it back to health and it grew a very large, wonderful lemon. I knew I had to do something very special with it, and so I made Lucy’s Lemon Squares.

I’ve had this recipe ever since I was a kid, from my own copy of The Peanuts Cookbook that I bought using my allowance from one of those Scholastic flyers that they used to send home from school.

So you could say, Lucy Van Pelt was the inspiration for my love of cooking. Do you have a favorite cookbook? Or just a unique sentimental favorite?

Five

Have you watched The Expanse? This scifi thriller series is based on the James S. A. Corey books, beginning with Leviathan Wakes. I wish I’d read the books first, but now I am more curious to see how they stack against the show. We really loved watching this series (I simply adore Amos) but were disappointed that Amazon cut the final season from 10 episodes to 6 due to costs. My husband wanted to know if Amazon Prime was going to cut its streaming costs by 40% as well. Snort.

Have a great week!