A week to Christmas? Egads! I’d be really panicked if it was a usual year–big dinner to plan. Family arriving from around the country. And getting those last minute gifts done. But this year? Just trying to finish two knitting projects. That’s it.

We all have people we miss seeing

, and at Christmastime, no less, it is harder. But I take a deep breath–one of any number I’ve taken over the last 10 months and remind myself, this shall pass. And on the other side is next year. With high hopes for the blessings of family and friends … Read more »

It’s Friday. No preamble. Let’s just get one with it.

One

Are you writing along with me? As we move into Week 3 of journaling the Season, the word this week is Light. I think this is the word for the entire season. Nothing is more valuable right now than light. It brightens the darkness inside and out. What brings light into your heart and home right now?

Two

While these Christmas cookies aren’t some old family recipe, these Chocolate Crinkles are ones that I love and were always found on the infamous family cookie tree. I can’t find Grandma’s … Read more »

Into December we joyfully proceed. Yes, I am still on last week’s Joy celebration. That doesn’t mean I don’t have a new word for all of us to celebrate.

First off

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, thank you to so many of you who wrote to me to share your lists of Joy. They brought tears to my eyes and lightened my heart. Thank you so much for sharing.

And one quick reminder–don’t forget, I will be on Julia Quinn’s Instagram Live this coming Tuesday, December 8, 2pm Pacific Time. You can get the details here. Hope to … Read more »

Opening one eye after a day of baking, roasting, rolling, snapping, mashing and stirring to offer a better-late-than-never wish of a happy Friday wherever you are. Goodness, I love Thanksgiving. Even pared down pandemic Thanksgiving. Throw together a turkey sandwich and enjoy the following:

One

I love picking a word for a week or a month or the year, and trying to find ways to express it in my bullet journal. So I thought for the next four weeks of Advent, I would share with you what I am writing about.

This week I chose Joy, because while it … Read more »

So this week has been one of time to write. A bit of baking. And that quiet sense of waiting that happens just before the rush of the holidays begins next week. I like to dip my toe into the holidays before it turns into a rush and I have few things this week to ease you into that and happy mayhem.

One

Let the Christmas cookie recipe exchange commence! The first one I am sharing with you is an old family recipe, Chocolate Cookie Bars. My mom always made these at Christmastime and occasionally when we’d talk her … Read more »

I have started and restarted this week’s edition three times. I just don’t know where to start this week with so much wrong going on.

So, let me just share what I have, and my hope is that one of these things will make you smile.

One

Have you seen the preview for Enola Holmes on Netflix? Well, here it is:

Go ahead

, watch it, I’ll wait.

It had me at Henry Cavill. Coming next week on Netflix.

Two

I know right now that an outside fire is the furthest thing from most of our minds. … Read more »

I always smile when I see this date. You see, April 1st has a different meaning for me–not the day of pranks and foolery, but the day I began my publishing career.

Not the day I sold, but the day I turned in the manuscript of Brazen Angel for the Dell Diamond Debut contest. To me, April 1st is the day it all began.

Now there is a HUGE story behind my first book, and you can find it here. Go read it

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, then come back. I’ll wait.

And this year, I wanted to remember it all … Read more »

Historical romance author Theresa Romain has joined us today to answer five questions about herself, and her stories, that you probably don’t know. Her newest novel, Secrets of a Scandalous Heiress, debuts on January 6th, and her holiday story, A Season for Desire, is out in stores now!

1) How do you pick the names of your Heroes/Heroines? I write Regency-set historical romance, so I need to make sure my characters have names that existed (or plausibly could have existed) in the early 1800s. One way I find names is through contemporary novels—that is, contemporary to the Regency! … Read more »

These are wonderful if you are going to/or having a party and need something that will feed a crowd. These are always what I get asked to bring:

Meatballs:
1 pound of ground beef
2 T finely chopped onions
1/2 C fine bread crumbs
1 T parsley
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/3 C milk

Mix all this together thoroughly and then form into small

, bite sized meatballs. In a pan, over medium heat, melt 1 T butter and 2 T of oil, and add an 1/8 of curry, then brown the meatballs in lots so as … Read more »

I am so thrilled to have my dear friend, Melissa McClone on the blog today. Melissa and I had our kids like one after another, have traded mom advice through it all, and relied on each other as sounding boards when things got (and still do get) crazy. We walk a very similar path and have so MUCH in common that sometimes it’s almost scary . . .

Like our mutual need for Peanut Buster Parfaits while on deadline . . .

1) Did you have a nickname growing up?

Yes! I was Missy for the first eighteen years of … Read more »