At first I wasn’t going to do this because I had gone most of the year without my connection to Jetpack being fully functional – sometimes not functioning at all because I wasn’t able to connect to it. But in the end, I thought ‘what the heck’ and here are my results.
Thank you WordPress.com stats helper monkeys for keeping tabs on my site.
And to all my Scottish friends and family…
Happy Hogmanay!
I’d share the wordpress helper monkeys stats for my blog here for 2014 but since I went most of the unable to connect to Jetpack, it hardly seems worthwhile. Besides, I have some other things I’d rather share about this past year and not the cheesy thing that Facebook puts together.
So, here we go! Fasten your seatbelts, we’re ready for takeoff!
April, Easter to be exact, my husband and I spent 10 days in beautiful, romantic Paris.
Then in September, another romantic destination was on the cards – Niagara Falls, Ontario. Okay, there are the tatty, touristy places but overall, it’s a lovely place.
While we were here, we decided to take a horse-drawn carriage ride. We’d seem them on previous trips and have always wanted to do it…
… so we did.
We even did a wine tour while we were in the region and came home with at least 4 bottles of wine – including a couple icewines!
Before the year was out, we spent a week in Quebec City. It was close enough to Christmas that the decorations were in the process of being put up. In hindsight, second week of December might be a better time to visit this beautiful city so that the baubles and lights and everything are in place.
And again, we did a horse-drawn carriage ride. Our driver, Philippe, was amazing and made the ride extremely fun.
No trip to Quebec City would be complete without a short drive further east to see my ‘haunted’ house which is between Quebec City and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
Sadly it’s more run down since the last time I was down in this part of Canada but it’s beautiful nonetheless. And doesn’t being in a state of disrepair add to the mystery and the possibility of it being home to ghosts?
And when we weren’t gallivanting here, there and everywhere, I managed to write over 74,000 words in one of my works in progress (the first draft of the sequel to my debut novel)! While it was with my beta readers, I plotted and started another project and have some cracking ideas for even more writing projects.
So before I get all sappy and sentimental, I’ll finish this post with a little Auld Lang Syne.
SHOULD auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!
Chorus.—For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne.
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And surely ye’ll be your pint stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine!
And we’ll tak a cup o’kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a
weary fit,
Sin’ auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn,
Frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.
For auld, &c.
Robert Burns
What will you do to see out 2014 and see in 2015? Any traditions you take part in?
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree… where for art thou? Oh wait, that’s a cross between the Christmas carol and Romeo and Juliet.
I couldn’t bring myself to put up our regular tree and since I’m such a nut when it comes to nutcrackers, I thought I would do something different this year. I had to go shopping the other night for a gift bag for our Christmas Gift exchange at work and as I thought more about that, I came up with a brilliant idea. Well not all that brilliant. Not until I got into the store. So what started out as a gift bag, became a full-fledged shopping spree. I got a small LED lighted tree (not of the artificial evergreen variety), a new tree skirt, a couple of new stockings (our old ones were getting pretty dilapidated), and three (yup THREE) new nutcrackers. One about 36″-40″ tall, and two about 18″ tall.
Missing from this picture (perhaps out partying or whatever it is that nutcrackers do when they’re together, or maybe just mad because I brought new ones into the fold and are staging a protest) from last year’s photo (see below) are the small ones on the rocking horses, the small one in green on the left, my kilted one wearing the tartan tam and the one in red beside him. Or they could be in the bottom of one of the totes. The lighting in the basement under the stairs isn’t the best and I didn’t have my glasses on.
In addition to our Secret Santa Gift exchange Friday, we decided to liven it up and wear our ugly Christmas sweaters or jumpers to my friends across the pond. Seeing how I don’t own a Christmas sweater (ugly or otherwise), I had to think up something. So this is what I came up with…
I had bought two strings of battery-operated LED lights recently for illuminating my Eiffel Tower statues so threaded them through the sweater then took a couple of pairs of tacky Christmas earrings and affixed them in strategic locations. I topped the ensemble off with my Santa hat.
What did I get in the gift exchange? Well, a cordial set and a really cute stuffed polar bear. What can I say, I’m a sucker for stuffed animals.
What do you think of breaking with tradition and doing something different?
How can a woman who gives to everyone but herself accept God’s love and healing when she believes she’s fat, unworthy, and unfixable? Can she be Worth Her Weight?
LACEY CHANDLER helps her mother, her sister, her friend, and then she binges on food and wonders is there really a God?
BETTY CHANDLER hates being handicapped and useless, so she lashes out at the daughter that helps, and the God who doesn’t seem to care.
TOBY WHEELER loves being police chief in Wharton Rock, but when the devil invades the small town, he can’t release control.
Is God enough in Wharton Rock?
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PRE-ORDER DISCOUNT AVAILABLE NOW
This inspirational women’s fiction is available now for pre-order at http://www.pen-l.com/WorthHerWeight.html
Pen-L is offering a 10% discount if pre-ordered before Christmas. Since it will release on Dec. 16, in most cases, it can still be shipped and received in time for Christmas delivery.
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The recipe below might’ve been one enjoyed by the heroine of Worth Her Weight my inspirational women’s fiction. Lacey faces a food addiction that only God can heal. A good friend brings her a casserole, a salad, and a dessert, hoping it’s something Lacey might eat and stay healthy during a traumatic time in her life.
The reader will find those recipes at the end of the book.
Today, I’m offering Celtic Connexions’ viewers what might’ve been Lacey’s dessert for Christmas.
Turtle Pumpkin Pudding Pie
¼ cup plus 2Tbsp. sugar-free caramel ice cream topping, divided
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. chopped pecan pieces, divided
2 packages (3.4 oz.) of light vanilla-flavored instant pudding
1 cup fat-free milk
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz) whipped topping, thawed
Pour ¼ c caramel topping into bottom of 9” pie pan.
Sprinkle ½ c pecan pieces on that.
Beat next 5 ingredients in large bowl with hand mixer.
Stir in 1½ cups of whipped topping into mixture.
Spread over pie pan (on top of caramel topping & pecans)
Refrigerate for an hour. Then, top with remaining whipped topping.
Before serving, drizzle other 2 T. caramel topping & 2 T. pecan pieces on top of pie.
10 Servings
You can add calories by using a crust of light honey graham crackers.
Enjoy without the high calorie content.
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About Janet K. Brown
Janet K. Brown lives in Wichita Falls, Texas with her husband, Charles. Writing became her second career after retirement from medical coding.
Worth Her Weight will be the author’s debut inspirational women’s fiction, but it makes a perfect companion to her recently released, Divine Dining: 365 Devotions to Guide You to Healthier Weight and Abundant Wellness. Both books encompass her passion for diet, fitness, and God’s Word.
Worth Her Weight marks Brown’s third book. Who knew she had a penchant for teens and ghosts? She released her debut novel, an inspirational young adult, Victoria and the Ghost, in July, 2012.
Janet and her husband love to travel with their RV, visit their three daughters, two sons-in-law and three perfect grandchildren, and work in their church.
Find her at her website: http://www.janetkbrown.com
on Twitter: @janetkbrowntx
and on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Janet-K-Brown-Author/143915285641707
Drew Nelson did not plan to talk with anyone that morning. He did not plan to make a new friend. He certainly did not plan to fall in love.
He resisted all of Amy’s attempts to draw him out− at the hotel, at the airport, on the airplane − giving hurried responses and burying his face in a pile of papers. It was only when the flight attendant offered coffee, and a muscle in Amy’s back twitched as she reached for it, and the cup tipped, and the hot liquid puddled in Drew’s lap that they began to talk.
Earlier in the year, each had lost a spouse of over thirty years. Drew’s wife had died of a brain tumor, Amy’s husband when his small airplane nose-dived to earth, the engine at full throttle − an accident, it was ruled.
They live in the same city. Both have grandchildren. They are about the same age. Consciously, or not, they both are looking to love again.
But relationships do not exist in vacuums. Drew is wealthy, and Amy is middle class. Amy is “new” in town – she and her husband moved to Charleston twenty-five years ago – while Drew’s family has lived there for three centuries. Drew lives below Broad, a code word for high society, old families, power, and money. Amy’s home is across the river.
Class warfare may be less violent than it was in the past, but when Drew invites Amy to the St Cecelia Ball, battle lines are drawn. In a city in which ancestry is important, the ball’s membership is passed from father to son, and only those from the oldest families attend.
Family, friends, co-workers all weigh in on their relationship and choose sides. Allies are found in unexpected places. Opposition comes from among those who were thought to be friends. Though they are gone, even their spouses − through things they have done and things they have said − wield influence in the conflict that follows.
Amy begins to suspect that Drew is one of them, the rich snobs who despise her, while Drew concludes that Amy neither trusts him nor cares for him. As each questions the other’s motives, their feelings for each other are tested, and Drew and Amy are challenged to consider if they truly want to fall in love again.
BUY LINKS
About David Burnett 
I live in Columbia South Carolina, with my wife and our blue-eyed cat, Bonnie. I enjoy traveling, photography, baking bread, and the Carolina beaches.
We have traveled widely in the United States and the United Kingdom. During one trip to Scotland, we visited Crathes Castle, the ancestral home of the Burnett family near Aberdeen.
My photographic subjects have been as varied as prehistoric ruins on the islands of Scotland, star trails, sea gulls, and a Native American powwow.
I went to school for longer than I want to admit, and I have graduate degrees in psychology and education. I was formerly director of research for our state education department.
We have two daughters and three grandchildren. To Fall in Love Again is my third novel.
http://davidburnett.yolasite.com
http://davidburnettsbooks.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/David-Burnett-Author/447290468681693?ref=hl
Imagine yourself newly wed to a handsome young fisherman who takes you to live in a remote cabin on the B.C. coast. How romantic! Or is it? Too late, you realize that you’ve made a bad choice. His behavior is more and more aggressive and bizarre. At first you’re nervous, then afraid, then terrified. At last, you fear for your life. There is no phone and he has control of the only radio, which is on his fishboat docked in front of the cabin. Even if you could access it, if he found out you had used it, you might not survive long enough to be rescued. Outside in the howling winter storms, the wind weeps, and so do you.
Here is an excerpt from my novel, The Wind Weeps. Robert has allowed Andrea to come along on a rare trip for groceries to a small general store on a nearby island.
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We loaded up on groceries and it occurred to me that I might phone Monique from the store. Robert would never approve, but maybe while he was taking the first load of food down to the boat, I could make a quick call.
As soon as he stepped outside with the first of the boxes, I said, “I’ll be along in a minute. I want to have another look at the sewing things.” Then quickly I looked for the storekeeper to get his attention.
“Excuse me?” I called across the room to him. “Do you have a—”
I stopped mid-sentence as Robert stuck his head back in the door. He looked at me with a scowl and motioned with waves of his hand for me to continue the question.
“Ah, er, do you have a … washroom I could use, please?”
“Sure, right back here, miss.” He pointed down a dark hall. “On the right.”
By the time I got into the washroom my impromptu need to pee became real. I had so nearly been caught. Robert would have been furious to catch me reaching out to someone—anyone but him. And worse yet, he didn’t like Monique.
He always said, “What Monique needs is a man in her life to tell her what to do. Who does she think she is, doing whatever she pleases? I don’t like you hanging out with her. She’s a bad influence on you.” Why would I want to phone her? he would want to know.
Arranging to run away? A shiver of fear went through me. Was I really contemplating running away? Was it what I wanted? Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh yes!
I flushed the toilet, gave my hands a rinse and hurried out.
“Thank you,” I mumbled to the storekeeper. I picked up the remaining box of groceries and headed for the door. “Oh!” I stopped. “Is there any mail for me? Andrea Bolton?”
He shuffled through the letters he kept under the counter. “Yes, there is. It’s been here a while, but I hang onto letters longer than the post office says. I know people live far out and don’t get in here that often.”
“Very nice of you to do that.” I looked around the store. “Robert? Is he still here?”
“He’s gone.” I wondered later if he saw my shoulders sag with relief. I folded up the letter very small so it fit into my jacket pocket, out of sight.
“Oh, okay. Thanks. Well, Merry Christmas.”
I was rewarded with a warm smile. “And merry Christmas to you too. I hope it’s a good one for you.” I nodded. I hope so too. But chances are it’ll be just another day … if I’m lucky.
***
Review of The Wind Weeps
Elise and Hazel:
Loved it! Love the title! Loved the contents, as they kept us interested and engaged. Learned more about the lonely life of fisher people, and we revisited some of our personal dockside stories. The book touches on many topics most people will not talk about. It has some interesting dynamics with isolation. Why would the wind weep? There are a number of ways this is revealed. It makes us think that we all have stories that need to be written!
Make your next read, the Wind Weeps.
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You can order this book as a paperback or as an e-book at smashwords.com and all amazon outlets. Click on the links for more information.
Please visit my webpage at anneli-purchase.com or my blogs at http://wordsfromanneli.wordpress.com and http://annelisplace.wordpress.com
The perfect Christmas gift idea! Choose from three of my novels: The Wind Weeps, Orion’s Gift, or Julia’s Violinist.
Walter had shared a home and a sort of life with her for over sixteen years. When he came to think of it, that’d been a bit like a game of chess too. He’d gone from the enthusiastic opening – through a mid game of jogging along – to the endgame of barbed neutrality, a sort of emotional desert where no win was possible, a kind of stalemate. That had been the pattern for the last five years.
Summer 1930 and Walter Bruce is told he has a terminal disease. With nursing care and an easier job he could have five more years. With neither he may not see out the year. But he’s got a wife to keep – one too selfish and idle to be his nurse. When he finds out she’s been deceiving him about her past for years he comes to a stark decision: if she won’t take care of him he’ll have to take care of her – for good. He plans her removal like one of the chess problems he loves. It will be the perfect murder; he’ll get away with it and enjoy his last few years in comfort. But his carefully laid plans unravel, entangling him in a slowly closing trap where truth and lies become confused…
Set in between-the-wars Liverpool, Stalemate is a gripping tale of moral choices and terrible punishment.
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My Review:
Stalemate is a gripping work of fiction based on an actual murder from that area. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and it was difficult to put down at night. I love Alan’s writing style and hope to read more of his books in the future.
A ☆☆☆☆☆ read!
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BUY LINKS
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GIVEAWAY
2 SIGNED PAPERBACKS (UK only)
2 ECOPIES (International)
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About the Author:
Alan Hamilton finds that real events, where there is a mystery or something unexplained, leave so much to the imagination they give the writer of fiction license to make it up. At heart he’s a conspiracy theorist though his head tells him accident is usually more likely – albeit far less interesting. As an antidote to the urge to write creatively, Alan is a publisher’s editor for non-fiction, academic books and journal articles. He lives by the sea in the South West of the UK. His hobbies are cooking and cryptic crosswords in the national newspapers, winning first prize twice in ten years.
https://www.facebook.com/alan.hamilton.1291?v=wall
How can a woman who gives to everyone but herself accept God’s healing and love in her life when she believes she’s fat, unworthy, and unfixable?
I’m excited to take part in Stacey O’Neale’s release day launch for FRAGILE REIGN! Check out the book below and be sure to enter the amazing giveaway!
FRAGILE REIGN (Mortal Enchantment #2)
It’s been a week since all hell broke loose… Rumors of King Taron’s weakened powers have left the air court vulnerable. Kalin is desperate to awaken her akasha powers, except she doesn’t know how. Tension within the court is at an all-time high. Pressure is mounting for her to ascend to the throne, but a halfling has never ruled over any court. To solidify her position, the council has advised her to marry Sebastian—a high ranking air elemental she’s never met and her betrothed.
Will Kalin sacrifice her relationship with Rowan to strengthen her court?
Rowan and Marcus return to a fire court in turmoil. Liana’s death has fueled the fire elementals’ distrust against the air and woodland courts. The unbalanced elements have set off natural disasters all over the mortal world. Rowan takes the throne to restore balance, promising to unite the fire court. But not all elementals are happy with his leadership. Many are secretly loyal to Valac, which means Rowan needs to find allies for his cause.
Can Rowan unify the court of fire before the elements destroy the world?
Fragile Reign: Goodreads | Amazon
Excerpt:
I need to clear my head.
Away from my court.
Away from everyone.
I took a portal to the beach—the last place I had spent time with Kalin. Nothing about the last several hours made any kind of sense to me. I walked aimlessly down the sandy beach as I tried to unravel the confusion in my head. Dark skies made it difficult to see much of anything in front of me. The only illumination came from the full moon. In this dimmed light, I could make out the outline of the veil protecting Avalon. It sparkled like the stars in the sky.
My thoughts quickly shifted back to the engagement party. Kalin just stood there at his side and didn’t say a word. She didn’t even bother to answer my question. Did she feel nothing when she saw me? Did she even care how I felt? This wasn’t the Kalin I had come to know. The brave girl I had trained. The girl who saved her father against all odds. The girl who fought viciously for her court. It was a nightmare. Unfortunately, my nightmare was also my reality.
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If you haven’t read Stacey’s Mortal Enchantment series, you can get the first book for FREE on Amazon and Barnes & Noble! The Shadow Prince won GOLD at the 2014 Readers’ Favorite Book Awards in the Short Story/Novella category!
ABOUT STACEY O’NEALE
Stacey O’Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she’s not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter.
Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.
Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Goodreads. You can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/.
Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest| Goodreads
GIVEAWAY
THE SHADOW PRINCE (Mortal Enchantment #0.5)
“Filled with betrayal and intrigue, THE SHADOW PRINCE is a dark and twisty novella from an exciting new author!”
Katee Robert, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission:
Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king.
Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he’s capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
MORTAL ENCHANTMENT by Stacey O’Neale
“Mortal Enchantment spins a unique twist on elemental mythology. This series is not to be missed.”
Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
In Kalin Matthew’s world, elementals control the forces of nature. They are divided into four courts: air, woodland, fire, and water. At sixteen she will leave the life she’s built with her mortal mother. Kalin will move to Avalon to rule with her father—the elemental king of the air court. Along the way, she’s attacked by a fire court assassin and saved by Rowan, a swoon-worthy elemental with a questionable past.
Worst of all, she learns her father is missing.
To rescue him, Kalin will have to work with a judgmental council and a system of courts too busy accusing each other of deceit to actually be able to help her. But, they aren’t her biggest challenge. With the Midwinter’s Ball only five days away, Kalin must take over her father’s duties, which includes shifting control of the elements—power Kalin has yet to realize.
As Rowan attempts to train her, a war looms between the four courts. If Kalin fails, her father will die and the courts will fall, but the betrayal she’s about to uncover may cost her even more…
Mortal Enchantment: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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Join me and numerous other vendors in the village of Merrickville, Ontario for the 19th Annual Christmas Craft and Concession Show.
I’ll be there signing copies of A Shadow in the Past and The Consequences Collection. In addition, I’ll have my 2015 A Shadow in the Past companion calendar showing various locations throughout Scotland used in the book. And who doesn’t need a calendar to keep track of appointments and such?
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I hope to see you there!