Aven Ellis's Blog, page 6
January 21, 2014
MK’s Blog: Cheers to January Renewal!
Hello All,
First, I hope everyone had an amazing holiday and Happy New Year! I went skiing with William and my family over the holiday break in Colorado. We had a blast ringing in the New Year there–it might have to be a new holiday tradition for us. We spent time together dining out, shopping, and skiing. No,that’s a lie. William spent time skiing. I spent most of my time falling down and trying to stay upright, actually. Worst moment: falling out of the ski lift when it got to the end of the line. I don’t think I have ever seen William laugh so hard but I digress.
William here. Editing. And in my defense, Mary-Kate is the only person I have ever seen to fall off a lift and go sliding across the top of the slope sideways.
William, are you editing? Or commenting?
Darling, it’s obvious I’m commenting, isn’t it?
Shut up.
Ah you say that but you’re laughing, Mary-Kate.
Anway, we are back in Chicago for the entire month.
And it’s bloody cold here, if I might comment again.
Of course you can, love. It is frigid here! In fact, this evening it is going to be 8F. And that’s without the wind chill. So it’s a perfect night to stay inside and do a little planning. Despite the weather, I really do love January. I always feel a sense of beginning with each year, and I think about what I hope to accomplish and how I can tackle those goals. So in this blog, I hope to inspire all of you to challenge yourself in the year ahead. What do you hope to achieve? How do you hope to grow? I’ll share my ideas here–and I’d love to hear yours, too.
Goals This Year:
1. After our wedding (only six months away, YES!), I want to start looking for a house in England. I’m starting a file for this: preferred locations, printouts of houses we like, etc. and hope to get started on that project this summer when we get back from our honeymoon. And William STILL won’t tell me where that will be, by the way.
Why do you need to know? Pack tropical.
William, you know this is killing me!
Not telling. What’s your next goal, darling?
2. Learn to cook French. I want to expand my cooking skills so I can bring new things to the blog, therefore I want to take a class when we get back to London. William has already started me in the right direction by giving me Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. I’m going to try to prepare one French dish a week as part of my education.
I’ll add more swimming to my schedule as my goal is to not go up another suit size. Burberry, however, will be quite pleased to see this goal of yours, Mary-Kate.
Readers, I’m laughing at him. William always complains about his suit size and it never changes.
Does so.
Does not. But quit arguing with me, I need to finish my goals.
Apologies, please continue.
3. Continue writing informative articles for The Beautiful Homes Network website, and continue to share my experience here on my blog. And I want to grow my readership here, too. So I plan attend some writing conferences, keep reading, keep exposing myself to new trends in cooking, decorating, and crafts. I’m a big believer you have to keep learning to keep growing.
Excellent goal here.
Thank you, William.
4. Take yoga. I’m really good at keeping up with my workouts–I spin and do weights at the gym–but I need to find something that focuses on calm and being relaxed.
I give this goal one week.
William! I can do yoga for more than a week!
Shall we bet on that?
Okay, why do you think I won’t last?
Darling, sitting still and breathing and holding poses is not you. You’ll be annoyed within five minutes of class.
Ha! Ha ha! What about you, William? I don’t think you could last as long as me! It would completely get on your nerves.
Are you suggesting I take a yoga class with you?
Yes. I think you should. We’ll see who can last longer.
Oh, I’ll take this bet. You’re on.
Alright readers, so there you have it. My goals for the New Year, and you are all witness to the fact that William and I are going to square off in a yoga class. Which is not the point of yoga, but I digress. I’ll let you know how many minutes William lasts before he’s bolting for the pool.
Or she’s bolting for a spin bike.
Okay, regardless, I hope you find your own goals and inspiration for the coming year. See you soon!
MK
January 17, 2014
Golden Globes 2014: Worst Dressed, Best Couples, and On the Fence Dresses
TGIF! I am wrapping up Golden Globes fashion review today with Worst Dressed, Best Dressed Couples, and dresses that one-minute-I-loved-the-next-minute-I-wasn’t-sure. So let’s get started!
First, the UGLY:
1. Paula. This is one of those structural dresses that looks spectacular at New York Fashion Week, but must be altered to wear in reality.
2. Lena. And this breaks my heart because it is a Zac Posen gown (I LOVE THIS MAN ON PROJECT RUNWAY.) But it just doesn’t flatter her, both the fit and the color.
3. Tina. Of course we all love her. But I do not love her bedspread print on this gown. No.
4. Edie. This dress style has been done before. (Nicole Kidman, who rocked it.) But this dress does not flatter Edie. No.
5. Caitlin. No. Just no.
6. Sandra. Is it a boy? A girl? Is that what this color block is trying to tell us?
Now, let’s go on with some happier pictures–BEST DRESSED COUPLES.
1. How awesome do Liev and Naomi (both spectacular in Tom Ford) look? Ah-ma-zing!
2. Channing and Jenna. Spectacular.
3. Matthew and Camilla. Okay, I *dislike* velvet jackets but they look so good I’ll put this in my top 3.
Now, two looks I’m flipping back and forth on.
1. Julia. Sometimes I think this dress is a nice spin on what Sharon Stone did years ago; the next minute I think it makes Julia look older. Hmmmm.
2. Amy. I like this dress, but I wish the neckline wasn’t so….plunging. Hmmmmm.
And that’s it until the next awards show (because you know I’m covering SAG and The Oscars!)
Happy Friday!
xo Aven
January 16, 2014
2014 Golden Globe Man Candy: Benedict Cumberbatch and *mixed assortment* offerings
While Benedict didn’t attend the Golden Globes (SOB! I wanted red carpet shots!) he did attend the after parties. And par-tay he did, dancing with Michael Fassbender in a moment of epic awesomeness. Benedict was wearing a sharp suit and tie and looked oh-so-swoonworthy.
Assorted 2014 Golden Globe Man Candy:
Leo.
Bradley.
Orlando.
Ben A.
Idris.
Tomorrow I finish my Golden Globes review with worst dressed and best dressed couples…and outfits that make you go Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
January 15, 2014
2014 Golden Globe Man Candy, Chris Pine
Seriously. Chris is so flipping hot that he deserved an entire post dedicated to him. He has the *hot facial hair* down, and I don’t like facial hair (except for some sexy stubble.) The tux is tailored to perfection, the shoes just right, and did I mention he is HOT? Yes.This. Excactly.
2014 Golden Globes
Okay, people, perk up and take out your notes. It’s time to do the fashion review of the 2014 Golden Globe Awards. Yay!
I have decided to go with five categories this year: Best Dressed, Worst Dressed, Best Dressed Couple, I’m Not Sure About This and Man Candy (Two new categories this year, oooh, exciting, yes yes?)
So get in your cozy spot, get yourself a glass or cup of something to drink, and let’s dish fashion!
TODAY’S CATEGORY: GOLDEN GLOBES BEST DRESSED.
1. Taylor Swift. I absolutely adored the color of this dress, the cut is perfection, Taylor is styled beautifully. In a word, gorgeous.
2. Michelle Dockery. Elegant, classy, and the first stunning dress I saw of the night. Absolutely loved this. And I want her skin, too, but I digress.
3. Emma Watson. This was a risk that paid off. How chic is the color on her, and the pants! A great surprise when she turned around. Love.
4. Cate Blanchett. This dress is so sophisticated, and I love the plunging back. And the hair and make-up were gorgeous.
5. Margot Robbie. Can this woman be any more stunning in this white dress? Okay, she can’t. No further discussion needed. Except for talking about the shoes, where were spot on with the detail on the dress. Fabulous.
BONUS PIC FROM GOLDEN GLOBE PARTIES: MIRANDA KERR. HOT!
Next post: GOLDEN GLOBES MAN CANDY.
December 22, 2013
A Connectivity Christmas
“Darling, you do realize it will be you, me, Rupert, Claire, and the children for Christmas in Berkshire, right?” William asks as he slides his arms around my waist. “You don’t need one Christmas cake per person, you know.”
I laugh so hard I snort, which brings a huge grin to William’s face. “Of course I realize that!” I glance at our kitchen table, which has not one, not two, not three, but four, yes four, English Christmas cakes gracing it. It’s Christmas Eve, and I’m preparing everything to take to Berkshire tomorrow for our first Christmas together with his family.
“Oh God. You not only have a mortal fear of running out of pumpkin, but Christmas cakes, too?” William quips.
I playfully push him on the chest. “No, I don’t,” I say, smiling up at him. “But I wasn’t sure which one was the best, being that this is my first Christmas cake and all, and I don’t feel comfortable making one until I’ve tried several of them. This really is the most practical solution, you know. So I picked up one from Harrods, Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, and a bakery.”
“Bloody hell, I’ll go up another suit size before we leave for Aspen,” William says, cupping my face in his hands. “Unless we can find a way to burn off some extra calories. Any ideas on that, Mary-Kate?”
“Swimming?” I tease, unbuttoning a button on his white Prada dress shirt.
“I was thinking of something more intensive.”
“Outdoor run?” I say, toying with him as I unbutton another button.
“No.”
“Do you want to take me to the bedroom and have your way with me, William Cumberland?” I say, lifting an eyebrow.
William’s eyes flicker with intensity. “Yes.”
“That can be arranged, however, you have chores first,” I say firmly.
William laughs. “Chores?”
“Well, you’re going to help me make a very sexy for two Christmas Eve dinner,” I say, running my fingers through his gorgeous waves.
“What’s on the menu, love?” William asks. “Because I’m thinking I can forgo dinner for you.”
My heart happily skips a beat. We’ve been together nearly a year now, we’re engaged, and we still haven’t lost passion for each other. I’m beyond lucky.
“Filet mignon,” I say. “Which rosemary mashed potatoes.”
“I’m intrigued. Go on,” William says, flashing me a smile.
“A bottle of something red to drink.”
“Perfect.”
“Then,” I say, winding my arms around his neck, “we’ll play some jazzy Christmas music and wrap Charlie and Emma’s presents for tomorrow.”
William’s brow creases. “I don’t know how to wrap presents.”
“Then it is high time you learn,” I say sternly. “I demand a mean crease on the paper, so you’d better pay attention to my demonstration.”
William’s blue eyes shine at me. He loves that I make him do everything for himself.
“After presents?” he asks. The he smiles. “Considering you don’t toss me for being a shit gift wrapper.”
I burst out laughing, and he does, too. “Then I made your favorite Christmas treat, mince pies.”
“Brandy butter? I love them with brandy butter.”
“Of course, my love.”
“All right. We’ll have dinner, sorted out the presents, dessert. “
“Then,” I say, kissing him on the lips, “We’ll have some champagne.”
“I can skip that.”
“What if I serve it in the bedroom?”
“I am,” William says, kissing me back, “agreeable to that arrangement.”
We kiss, slowly and sweetly, and then I break the kiss and gaze up at him. “I’m so happy this holiday,” I say, speaking from my heart.
“Me too,” William says, his blue eyes shining with nothing but love for me. “And I didn’t even know you a year ago at this time. I worked all last Christmas.”
“And now you have taken days off,” I say happily, “and we’ll be in Aspen for the New Year!”
“I can’t wait to go on holiday with you,” William says.
“Thank you for inviting my family,” I say.
“They are my family, too,” William says firmly. “You are giving up Christmas with them to stay here, it’s only fair that we celebrate with them on New Year’s. Besides, Michelle needs a change of scenery for what would have been her wedding day.”
I take a breath and nod. I move over to the fridge and take out the filets to warm up. “I know that day will be hard for her, and I think you taking everyone skiing is just what the family needs right now.”
“It won’t solve everything but it’s a start to a new beginning,” William declares, opening up the wine refrigerator and selecting a bottle. “Cab?”
“Mmmm, yes please.”
William begins uncorking the bottle, and I reach for the basket of potatoes I had put on the counter top earlier. Except I lose my grip on the handle and they go crashing to the floor, potatoes rolling everywhere across our kitchen.
William simply looks up at me as he removes the cork.
“Not one word!” I try to say with a straight face, but then I begin laughing.
William laughs loudly, and stops to help me pick up the potatoes which are all over the floor. We are laughing and crawling around the hardwood and after the last potato is picked up, William stops me as we are crouched next to the basket.
“I will joyfully spend the rest of my life picking up anything you drop, Mary-Kate,” William says softly. “Happy Christmas Eve, darling.”
I smile back, feeling nothing but love in my heart. “Merry Christmas, William. I love you, too.”
He pulls me up and into his arms. As William takes out my headband and runs his fingers through my hair, and claims my mouth with his, I decide that dinner can wait a little bit tonight after all.
And although I haven’t opened a single present yet, I have everything I could ever want right here with William.
Happily holidays indeed.
December 12, 2013
Connectivity Bonus Scene #3
I hold my breath as Michelle stares at William. He’s just asked her to admit if she has ever really loved Jason, and I swear the air has gone out of the room as I wait for her to answer.
Michelle removes her hand from mine, which I was holding across the table. She tilts her chin defiantly and looks at William.
“Who are you, the British Dr. Phil?” she snaps.
Okay, despite everything, the idea of William being Dr. Phil makes me want to laugh out loud.
“No,” William says, as if he gets asked that every day, “I am not. However, I do ask questions I think are important. And if you really loved Jason the way a woman should love the man she is about to marry, you wouldn’t be asking me if I were Dr. Phil. You’d just answer ‘Yes.’”
Michelle swallows hard, but says nothing.
“Michelle,” William says softly. “I’m not judging you. I want to help you. But you have to be honest. Not for me, not for Mary-Kate, but for yourself.”
“I’m not like MK!” Michelle suddenly snaps.
I feel as though I have been slapped. “What?” I ask. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
William reaches for my hand to comfort me. “Let her talk, Mary-Kate.”
“You’ve always been the smart one,” Michelle cries, the tears falling freely down her face. “MK was the one who was going to be a success. She always excelled in school, knew what she was going to do and exactly how she was going to do it since she was a little girl. You always had big plans, MK. Everyone knew you were going to be somebody!”
“But you didn’t want that!” I cry in confusion. “You always wanted to be married!”
“Like I had other options? I’m not you, MK! Why do you think mom always talked about the importance of finding a husband? Because she knew I would never be successful like you!”
I am reeling by her confession. I feel like the world has suddenly tipped upside down, and the blood is rushing to my head.
“I’m not good at things like you are,” Michelle says, angrily jerking her hand across her face to wipe the tears away. “You’re good at everything you do!”
“That’s not true! I have worked really hard to get where I am at!”
“But you knew what you wanted to do!” Michelle wails. “I never knew what to do. I’m just average at everything! The only thing I was good at was getting boys!”
I’m shell shocked as to what is coming out of Michelle’s mouth. She only wanted to be married because she didn’t think she was good enough to do anything else? How did I not know her self-esteem was so low? Guilt floods through me as I realize this.
“But Michelle, you do love Jason, right?”
“It’s not like what you have with William because that’s a fairytale,” Michelle says, as if we are the only people capable of having a love like this. “But of course I did,” Michelle says.
Did, I think. She used the past tense.
“But the wedding,” William interjects slowly, “was your way of being successful. The big, elaborate wedding was what you could do to achieve more than Mary-Kate. And that is why you became obsessed with it. And that is why you were demeaning to Mary-Kate while you were planning it, and that is why you were livid when she began seeing me. All of this was about you being more accomplished in one area than your little sister.”
Oh.my.God. I turn to William as I realize, as usual, he has gotten inside Michelle’s head and figured out how she ticked.
Michelle begins sobbing at William’s accusations. She puts her head in her hands and I watch as her body shakes as she cries.
Tears fill my eyes as I watch her. My God, how did this all happen and I didn’t even see it?
“Michelle, I’m so sorry you felt this way,” I say softly, somehow getting the words out.
Michelle lifts her head up. “William is right.”
I swallow hard over the lump in my throat.
“This wedding was going to be more spectacular than anything you could ever do,” Michelle admits, reaching for a tissue and blowing her nose. She wads it up when she is finished and looks at me. “I’m sorry I was so mean to you.” Her lower lip quivers, and she pauses before continuing. “Really, really sorry, MK,” she finishes, her voice wobbly.
”It’s okay,” I say honestly. “I chalked it up to getting wrapped up in a wedding.”
Michelle turns to William. “I promise I’m not a horrible person!” she blurts out.
“I don’t think you are,” William says softly.
Michelle looks relieved that we aren’t upset with her. Then tears fill her eyes again.
“The wedding,” Michelle says wistfully. “For once, I was going to be better at something. And now I don’t have that. I don’t have Jason. I have a job I hate, I’m 26, and my life is just shit!”
Then, ever the dramatic, she puts her head down on the kitchen table and wails.
I look at William, who looks back at me, and then we both look at Michelle, who is sobbing into the tabletop.
Finally Michelle lifts her head and looks at William. “And I don’t care what you say, you really are the British Dr. Phil.”
“Then you need to ‘Get Real,’” William quips, using Dr. Phil’s infamous phrase.
I turn to William, shocked. “Since when do you know Dr. Phil sayings?”
“Since I have to compete against his show in many markets for daytime ratings, I know my competition,” William says easily.
Despite the drama, I find myself smiling. Oh, William, you are such a badass mogul, and I do love you. And I really want to see the expression on your face while watching a Dr. Phil show with all that American drama because that would be hilarious.
“But you do need to get real, Michelle,” William says, his voice firm and snapping me from my thoughts. “You have talents and abilities. You simply need to reach down and figure out what they are.”
“I’m not MK! How many times do I have to say it?”
“No, you’re not. But you need to quit using that as your excuse because you’re afraid.”
Now I see anger in Michelle’s brown-gold eyes.
“I’m not afraid!” she snaps.
“You are,” William insists. “You’re afraid to even try because you don’t think you’ll succeed.”
“You don’t know me!” Michelle yells, anger taking over.
“I know fear when I see it,” William says firmly. “And right now I see a very confused, very afraid young woman who thinks she has no options. I see a woman who lost herself in the process of making a wedding her life’s accomplishment.”
He’s right, I think as I digest William’s words. And as I look across the table to Michelle, I see her expression is thoughtful. Deep down, she knows he’s right, too.
“So the question is, Michelle, where do you go from here?” William asks.
So what will Michelle do? To be continued…
And should she have her own book to explore that journey in? Leave your thoughts here as I’m considering writing Michelle’s own story. …
November 22, 2013
Connectivity Bonus Scene #2
I wake up to sunlight filtering through the blinds on a chilly autumn Saturday. I don’t even need to roll over to know William is up and taking on the day.
But I’m not sure about Michelle.
I bite my lip. I still can’t believe she is here, in London.
I sit up in bed, drawing my knees to my chest. Everything happened so fast the other night. As soon as I got the text from Michelle, announcing that Jason had cancelled the wedding, I went into a state of shock. I couldn’t even imagine how Michelle was feeling–I thought of how I would feel if William had called off our wedding–God, I can’t even imagine that, I really can’t. Gutted, devastated, utterly heartbroken–that wouldn’t even scratch the surface of how I would feel if I lost William.
I had called Michelle immediately, and when she answered, she was hysterical. Unhinged. Despite her behavior the past few months, Michelle is my sister. I love her, and I would do anything for her. Period.
Michelle kept sobbing about how humiliated and embarrassed she was and all she wanted to do was run away. William sat with me during the call, and then, like the badass mogul he is, took charge of the crisis. He got on the phone, and to my shock, told Michelle to pack a bag. She was coming to London, and she was going to stay with us to sort things out. He purchased her a walk-up first class ticket on the last flight out of Chicago, arriving at seven o’clock the next morning. We picked her up at the airport, and the second I saw her, my heart broke. Michelle was a mess, and it was obvious she hadn’t slept from the deep shadows under her eyes. In fact, she went straight to bed in our guest room and hasn’t been out since.
I swing my legs over the side of my bed. It was time to get Michelle up and something to eat. And then have a very real conversation about what happened with Jason and where she is going to go from here.
I get up, brush my teeth and get dressed, pulling on my Saturday outfit of yoga pants and a cozy hoodie. I brush my hair, slide a head band into it, and head down the hallway.
When I get to Michelle’s room, I see the door is open, and the bed is left in a mess. I breathe a sigh of relief. Okay, she’s up, that’s better than sleeping all day. That’s a victory in itself, I think.
I head toward the living room, and I hear voices. William and Michelle’s. I stop dead in my tracks, as William and Michelle rarely say anything to each other more than friendly greetings and generic chit chat.
Then I realize I smell breakfast. Eggs and sausage. I hear sizzling, and God, has Michelle has rallied enough to cook? But next I hear a crash into the sink and William’s deep baritone voice.
“Oh for fuck’s sake, why can’t I cook sausage?” William snaps. “I’m sorry, Michelle, let me try that again. Third time should be a charm, right?”
I feel my mouth pop open. William is making her breakfast?
I walk into the kitchen and see Michelle at the large kitchen table, her head in her hands, a cup of untouched tea parked in front of her.
And then I look at William, who has a made an utter mess of the kitchen in his attempt to cook. There is a half-used carton of eggs, shells on the countertop, eggs burning in a pan this very second, a carton of cream, shreds of grated cheese…
“Do you need some help, love?” I ask, grinning as I move next to him and take the burning pan off the stovetop.
William turns and smiles brightly at me. “Bloody hell, you make this look so easy, darling.” He cups my face in his hands and gives me a sweet kiss on the lips. “Good morning. Sorry I didn’t get out for your Starbucks yet.”
“That’s okay,” I say, sliding my hands around his back. “I’ll make some coffee. And I’ll take over in here, if you don’t mind,” I add, smiling back at him.
“Don’t worry, MK, I’m really not hungry,” Michelle says weakly from the table.
“Not eating is no longer an option for you, Michelle,” William says firmly, his voice taking on the edge he uses in the office. Toast pops up in the toaster right on cue, and William moves to retrieve it. “Starting with toast. Now.”
I hold my breath as I reach for the coffee pot. Nobody tells Michelle what to do–ever.
And really, I’m the only person who tells William what to do, so this is rather intriguing to watch.
“I don’t care if I ever eat again!” Michelle snaps.
I stand frozen. William shoots me a look, and I know he is going into full on crisis management. He snatches the toast and puts it on a plate.
“That’s not logical,” William says, putting the toast in front of Michelle.
“Nothing is logical anymore!” Michelle cries, her voice thick.
“Wrong. Eating is logical,” William commands. He calmly crosses the kitchen to the refrigerator, takes out a jar of apple jelly I’ve made and some imported French butter, and puts them down on the table. Next he grabs a knife, setting it down next to Michelle’s plate, and then, to my utter shock, sits down across from Michelle at the table. “Now I want you to eat. And to tell me what happened. Why did Jason call off the wedding?”
Michelle rakes her hands through her wild, curly, copper red hair. “I’ve never been so humiliated in all my life,” she says slowly, her voice thick with unshed tears. “He . . . Jason . . . told me he was tired of staring in a production. That he didn’t feel like he was getting married, but playing a part! I mean, that is . . . utterly ridiculous! If he felt that way, he should have said something! I have paid all these people, ordered all these custom things, sent out ‘Save the date’ cards, and it’s just so embarrassing to tell everyone that Jason is backing out and-”
“Quite problematic,” William interrupts, putting his fingertips to his lips in a steeple position.
“I know,” Michelle sniffs, reaching for a tissue.
“No, it’s quite problematic that you haven’t mentioned love,” William says slowly.
I start the coffee and move to the table, sitting next to William.
“What?” Michelle asks, her teary brown eyes taking William in. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
William reaches for my hand underneath the table and squeezes it. “All I know,” William says, “is that if Mary-Kate called off our wedding, décor would be the last thing on my mind. If I lost her-” He pauses and looks at me, “I would never recover. To me, Mary-Kate is the most important person, my most cherished possession, my life. That is what I would be talking about, that is all I would be thinking about, if she were to leave me.”
My eyes fill with tears. I am so loved by this man, so absolutely and completely loved, and I still can’t believe William is mine. To love for the rest of my life.
“Me too,” I say, squeezing William’s hand in my own.
“Of course I feel that way!” Michelle roars, her eyes flashing. “Of course I love Jason!”
“Do you really?” William asks softly.
I suck in my breath. “William!” I gasp, shocked at his question.
“No, Mary-Kate, she needs to answer,” William says firmly. He turns his attention back to Michelle. “I have heard about all the plans, the embarrassment, all the money, the cancellations. But what I haven’t heard, Michelle, is that you love Jason. There’s a reason for that. You made this wedding the Royal Wedding, and I’m wondering if you made it a spectacle to distract yourself from the idea that he’s not the man you love.”
My heart wrenches as I watch Michelle go absolutely white at the table. She is shaking, and I reach across the tabletop and grasp her hand to comfort her. William has just dropped a much needed reality check on her, and I have no idea how she is going to respond to William’s accusation.
“Michelle,” I say quietly, pleadingly, “is William right? Please, Michelle, you need to be truthful. Is William right about this?”
To Be Continued…
November 21, 2013
Merry Chick Lit
During the process of promoting Connectivity, I became really active on social media. And one of the people I was fortunate enough to meet is Holly Martin. We were destined to meet, I think. Holly’s debut novel, The Sentinel (Have you bought this yet? If not, DO IT! It’s soooo good! But I digress) was published on the same date as my debut novel, Connectivity. We became quick friends, and she is forever my debut twin.
Holly is truly an amazing woman, and so is her mother. Holly’s mum has fought breast cancer, and Holly details her jouney here:
http://theloveofagoodbook.wordpress.com/2013/11/18/1038/
So when I found out Holly was participating in Merry Chick Lit, a fun Christmas anthology to aid Breast Cancer Care, I jumped at the chance to help promote it. It’s 99 cents in the USA–come on, 99 cents and not only do you get seasonal fun stories but you help fight breast cancer with your purchase. Win all the way around!
Here is more about the book. And I’m proud to say I have it on my Kindle this holiday season. 
In the spirit of giving, six chick-lit authors present a charming collection of seasonal shorts sure to inspire holiday cheer, plus love and hope throughout the year, with all proceeds donated to Rocking the Road for a Cure!
On Friday 22nd November, Merry Chick Lit, a warm, funny Christmas anthology in aid of Breast Cancer Care, will be officially released.
Every penny of the royalties is going to Breast Cancer Charity, Rocking the Road to a Cure.
Rocking the Road to a Cure is dedicated to improving the quality of life of people undergoing the often energy-depleting and emotionally draining treatments for breast cancer.
The name comes from their founder and President, Dawn Frey, a musician, who learned through personal experience that “it takes a village” to get through the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, and not every individual has the support network they need.
Rocking The Road For A Cure provides free, in-home housekeeping, health and wellness services to restore strength and confidence, and to rebuild spiritual, emotional and physical well-being.
So, when you settle back and relax to enjoy reading Merry Chick Lit, please know that you have helped us help a breast cancer patient to also settle back and relax…and heal.
Featured authors & stories include:
Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
In “Santa’s Gift,” journalist Jessica thinks Santa’s just a silly myth for children, so when he asks what she most wants for Christmas she tells him the one thing she knows he can’t deliver–true love. Or can he…?
Sarah Hitchcock
In “The Christmas Lights,” one competition pits two families against each other…who will win this war?
Francine LaSala
Pretty Izzy knows exactly what she wants for Christmas: hunky sales manager Jake Harrington wrapped up with a shiny silver bow–and nothing else. Except Santa may have other plans in “Carol of the Belles.”
Nikki Mahood In “Spinster Christmas,” Cara’s looking forward to spending Christmas alone until she learns her old–and she believes very gay–crush needs a place to stay. Though it soon becomes clear that while still hot, Ronan isn’t gay after all…
Holly Martin
Ella’s dreams of making a better life for her and her daughter seem further away than ever in “Iced Dreams.” But as Christmas approaches, and she wishes for a fairy godmother to wave a magic wand to fix her life, things begin to change in ways she never imagined!
K.C. Wilder
In “The Mermaid,” Allie’s content to spend Christmas by herself at a vacant beach house to make good on a promise made to her true love lost, Jeff. Until Jeff’s gorgeous college roommate Tim crashes in on her with his own promise to keep…
So snuggle up near the fire, drink a glass of wine or a cup of cocoa and enjoy these festive holiday shorts, knowing your purchase of this book is helping women with breast cancer.
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November 7, 2013
MK’s Blog: Candy Cookies
Hello Readers!
So Halloween has passed, yet you have a disturbing amount of Halloween candy in your midst. (I know in America, we would get loads of Trick-Or-Treaters at my childhood home in Wisconsin. My mother overstocked us in fear of running out.) Which meant having a big bowl full of miniature candies leftover at the end of the evening. And in the spirit of my first Halloween in London, I did splurge and order some miniatures to have in the house, even though we didn’t have Trick-Or-Treaters.
William here, commenting while editing. Mary-Kate, was it really essential to order five bags of miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter cups from Amazon for the two of us? I really don’t care to go up another suit size…
MK: William Cumberland, you will not go up another suit size with all the swimming you do! And I came up with a bloody brilliant way, as you would say, to use those peanut butter cups.
William: Bloody brilliant? I’m intrigued, darling. Go on.
MK: I actually chopped them up and put them into my favorite chocolate chip cookie dough recipe. You can use any candy you like, actually.
William: So if I fancied some cookies with SMARTIES in them, you could do that?
MK: Of course! But you’ll need to tell me what SMARTIES are first. Because I don’t think you are talking about the kind we have in America.
William: No, those are Fizzers here. But you’ve really never had our SMARTIES?
MK: We don’t have those in America, William!
William: Now that is tragic. Because they’re brilliant. They are little chocolates coated in sugar. How can you have lived here since June and not had any yet?
MK: Maybe because my badass mogul fiancé has not given me any.
William (And I’m laughing): I shall rectify this situation immediately. Do go on with your post, though. I know your readers are waiting for your recipe.
MK (Now I am laughing!) Thank you my love. And without further delay, here’s my recipe for Candy Chocolate Chip Cookies. I started with this basic recipe from Giada De Laurentiis and adapted it (this is the link to the original.)
http://www.giadadelaurentiis.com/recipes/752/hazelnut-chocolate-chip-cookies
And after adding my own tweaks to it, came up with Candy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Enjoy!
MK’s Candy Chocolate Chip Cookies
*1 cup old fashioned oats
*2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
*1 teaspoon baking powder
*1 teaspoon baking soda
*1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
*1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
*1 cup firmly packed DARK MUSCOVADO sugar (This is a wonderful sugar for baking–very dark brown, strong molasses flavor–but dark brown sugar will work, too.)
*1 cup granulated sugar
*2 large eggs
*1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
*1 12 ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
*1 cup chopped candy bars (or 1 cup SMARTIES, as William wants.)
Notes: This will make a thin kind of cookie that is crisp on the edges, chewy inside. Do check while baking as all ovens bake differently. They will be a little soft in the center when you take them out.
Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
Mix oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in medium bowl and set aside.
Beat butter and both sugars together in an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Add flour mixture in parts and stir until just blended. Then stir in chocolate chips and candy by hand using a wooden spoon.
Drop 1 rounded tablespoon full of dough onto sheet, spacing about 1 inch apart. (I get about six on a baking sheet.) Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheet for five minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
