Deborah Vogts's Blog, page 24

Book Preview ~ My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge

My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge, by Pepper Basham

Journey into the Blue Ridge Mountains of 1918 where Laurel McAdams endures the challenges of a hard life while dreaming things can eventually improve. But trouble arrives in the form of an outsider. Having failed his British father again, Jonathan Taylor joins is uncle’s missionary endeavors as a teacher in a two-room schoolhouse. Laurel feels compelled to protect the tenderhearted teacher from the harsh realities of Appalachian life, even while his stories of life outside the mountains pull at Laurel’s imagination. Faced with angry parents over teaching methods, Laurel’s father’s drunken rages, and bad news from England, will Jonathan leave and never return, or will he stay and let love bloom? Buy the book HERE.


As a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Pepper Basham enjoys sprinkling her Appalachian into her fiction writing. She is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance, mom of five, speech-language pathologist, and a lover of Jesus and chocolate. She resides in Asheville, North Carolina with her family. You can learn more about her on her website, www.PepperDBasham.com 

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes.Have a blessed weekend!
Cheeseburger Soup
A Twelve Days of Christmas Tea Party
Cranberry-Apricot Glazed Party Meatballs

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes.Be blessed and have a wonderful new year! 
Chocolate Caramel Pecan Clusters
Bacon-Wrapped Lil' Smokies
New Year's Celebration Menu Ideas

Hallmark and the Holidays

Every year when the holidays come around, I find myself looking forward to snuggling up with a blanket and a cup of tea or hot cocoa to watch a favorite Hallmark movie. 
We are still celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas, so technically, it's okay...
What is it about Hallmark and the Holidays? 

Is it the feel-good music that accompanies each movie? Or the heart-warming commercials between scenes? Or maybe it's just knowing that when you reach the end, you'll sigh in contentment at the satisfying conclusion.
Our oldest daughter and I always visit about the Hallmark movies we've watched. She loves them just as much as I do! Here are a few Hallmark movies we've enjoyed through the years. 

The Christmas Card - Always a FavoriteA Very, Merry Mix Up
A Season for MiraclesA Princess for Christmas
A Christmas Kiss

And the many "Royal" Christmas movies.
I think we love ALL OF THEM! 
The Magic of Ordinary DaysSara, Plain and Tall (Probably our very favorite Hallmark movie)What Hallmark movies have you seen lately? Do you have a favorite?

Book Preview ~ Jacob's Bell

Jacob's Bell, by John Snyder
At one time, Jacob had it all: wealth, a wonderful family and a position as one of the most respected businessmen in Chicago. Then he made some bad decisions and all that changed. For the past twenty years he lived in an alcohol-induced haze, riddled with guilt for the dreadful things he had done to his family and his role in the untimely death of his wife. Estranged from his children and penniless, he was in and out of jail, on the street and jumping freight trains for transportation. Realizing he needed a drastic change, Jacob embarked on a journey to find his children, seek their forgiveness, and restore his relationship with them. Befriended by a pastor at a Salvation Army mission, he struggled to transform his life. Yet finally he overcame his demons, but not without a fair number of setbacks. Jacob became a Salvation Army Bell Ringer at Christmastime. While ringing his bell on a street corner one snowy day, he met a young girl who, through a series of strange coincidences, led him back to his children and facilitated Jacob's forgiveness just in time for Christmas.
Author John Snyder pens a story of love, hardship, and reconciliation that will leave readers filled with Christmas joy. Buy the book HERE.
John Snyder is the author of the heart-warming book THE GOLDEN RING -- A CHRISTMAS STORY, and is a member of The Authors Guild. Before retiring he owned and operated an award-winning public relations/advertising/sports marketing firm in the Baltimore, MD/Washington, DC Area for nearly 25 years.

In 1981 John founded his own marketing firm, which specialized in public relations, sports marketing and advertising. The Snyder Group, Inc. developed and implemented national award-winning marketing campaigns for regional and national corporations. His firm has also worked with and represented some of the world's top professional athletes, sports franchises (including The Washington Capitals of the NHL, The Washington Bullets of the NBA, and top INDYCAR teams, NASCAR teams and teams in other prominent racing series), as well as nationally televised sporting events.

When not writing, John's interests and hobbies include spending time with my family and friends, camping, hiking, golf, auto racing (he has raced karts - capable of speeds in excess of 100mph, pit crewed in the Indianapolis 500, and operated the driver communications board from the wall at the edges of speedways across the United States for his former client, two-time Indy 500 winner and national auto racing champion, Al Unser, Jr). John lives in Mocksville, North Carolina (just West of Winston-Salem) with his wife, Ruth Ellen. Learn more about John HERE.

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes.Wishing you a Very, Merry Christmas!
Golden Pecan Pie
Glazed Cornish Hens with Grand Marnier Apricot Stuffing

Featured Author, Tamera Alexander, shares her recipe for Tempy's Southern Teacakes.

Christmas Traditions - Collecting Ornaments

This month, I'm sharing about favorite Christmas traditions. 
When our girls were little, we collected a new set of ornaments for our tree in a set of 3--one for each daughter, and if possible, they matched the color of their birthstones. Some of our favorites are a set of cowboy boots, a set of china teapots, and a set of angels.
Of course, there are the ornaments that help you remember special moments, like Clara from the Nutcracker, to commemorate the year we went to see the Nutcracker Ballet.
We also collect snowmen and bells . . . 
And angels in all shapes and sizes.
One of my favorite's is this Jim Shore Angel. Isn't she lovely? Do you have a special ornament collection for your tree? Please share with us below.

Book Preview ~ The Christmas Heirloom

The Christmas Heirloom, by Kristi Ann Hunter, Karen Witemeyer, Sarah Loudin Thomas, and Becky Wade

An heirloom brooch connects four generations of Christmas romance! In Legacy of Love, Sarah returns a lost pin. In Gift of the Heart,Ruth uses it for collateral. In A Shot at Love, a hunter captures Fleeta's heart using the ornament. And in Because of You, Maddie rediscovers the antique. Will it bring her love?  Buy the book HERE.

Legacy of Love, by Kristi Ann Hunter - Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson, a man far above her station.

Gift of the Heart by Karen Witemeyer - Widow Ruth Albright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local banker. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love.

A Shot at Love, by Sarah Loudin Thomas - Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her family's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance.

Because of You, by Becky Wade - Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes. Enjoy your weekend! 
Chocolate Cream Cake
Baked Cheesecake

Baking Christmas Cookies

Christmas Traditions - Baking Cookies

Every Christmas our daughters and I become Cookie Elves as we continue our Christmas traditions -- baking cookies. We have our favorite recipes (see recipes HERE), which usually include: Sugar Cookies, Peanut Butter Kisses, and Chocolate Peanut Butter. 
And this last year, I discovered how much I enjoy making Springerle, Spiced Speculaas, Biscotti, and pressed cookies.Of course, we keep some for eating and then freeze the rest to give as gifts for Christmas. 
Next we'll bake Fruit Cake, Stollen, and quick breads -- Orange Nut Bread and Poppy Seed Bread. 
Then later this month we'll make some fudge, chocolate turtles and chocolate peanut clusters. 
Do you enjoy holiday baking? 
What are some "traditional" favorites for your family?