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Holiday Books by Debra H. Goldstein

December 13, 2022 by in category From a Cabin in the Woods by Members of Bethlehem Writers Group

A prolific number of writers comprise the Bethlehem Writers Group. The upcoming holidays make this the perfect time to become acquainted with a new author or to simply grab copies of your favorite author’s books for stocking stuffers.

Short Stories:

AN ELEMENT OF MYSTERY: SWEET, FUNNY, AND STRANGE TALES OF INTRIQUE (2022)—From classic whodunits to tales of the unexplained, each of the twenty-three stories in this brand-new collection from BWG writers will leave you guessing and wanting to read just one more story.

CHRISTMAS ON NANTUCKET AND OTHER STORIES (2019)—Multiple award-winning author Carol L. Wright is known for capturing the nuances of family dynamics with vivid, relatable characters. This collection brings you her heartfelt stories with a mix of joy and sadness, love and loss, celebrations of all seasons, and a bit of mystery and magic. As it takes you through the year with compassion and humor, it is sure to touch your heart…and perhaps inspire you.

OFF THE RAILS A COLLECTION OF WEIRD, WICKED, AND WACKY STORIES (2019)—In this eclectic collection, Jerome W. McFadden takes a warped view of life in twenty-six fast-paced tales that explore the satirical edges of crime, paranoia, human foibles, and the afterlife. Some of the stories are weird, some wicked, some wacky, but all contain the unexpected twists born of McFadden’s unique sense of humor and dark imagination.

Cozy Mystery:

FIVE BELLS TOO MANY (2022)—As readers of One Taste Too Many found, for culinary challenged Sarah Blair, there is only one thing scarier than murder—and that’s the kitchen. In this fifth addition to the series, Sarah’s mother, Maybelle, who requires higher maintenance than Sarah’s Siamese cat, is a finalist in a competition for the perfect Southern wedding, and Sarah is forced into being her mother’s chaperone. After the show’s producer is found dead, with Sarah’s greatest nemesis kneeling by his body, Sarah must find the true killer before another contestant or crew member is permanently eliminated.

Children’s Books:

TANYA AND THE BABY ELEPHANT (2021) – Wouldn’t it be great to have a baby elephant as a pet? But baby elephants don’t stay babies forever and may miss their mothers. A charming book by Peter J Barbour.

Science Fiction and Fantasy:

THE DEATH OF MAGIC (2022)—For thousands of years, merciless dragons ruled the land, magical people their only food. But as magic itself began to die, the birthrate of magical people dwindled. Facing starvation, the heinous beasts ate the only magical beings they could find—each other. Now Saoirse, the last magical person, is hunted by the last surviving dragon. Kidd Wadsworth’s novel is being serialized one chapter a week for free on Scribble Hub.

MY FRIEND JACKSON (2020) by Christopher D. Ochs. Jasmine Price’s days are filled with emotional, physical, and cyber abuse at the hands of her new school’s queen bees. Rivalries, jealousies, and hatred escalate toward Jasmine, until a monstrous force intervenes with deadly consequences.

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Choosing a Focus Word for Next Year

December 12, 2022 by in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby tagged as ,

I’ve written several posts about choosing a focus word each year and work hard (my word is WORK after all, this year) to find ways to study it, learn about it and share throughout the year. Over the past few years, I’ve had my word scream at me by the end of October. This year, it’s a little more subtle and I’m not sure what to choose. Have you picked your word yet?

Wood panels in background with the words Word of the Year 2023 and question marks supporting the question of what Denise M. Colby will pick for a focus word in 2023

How do you start to choose a focus word?

My word of the year journey began in 2015, when I decided to choose a focus word that I could cling to in my writing. I quickly realized that my word applied to all areas of my life, not just writing. And I have found it to be something I love to incorporate in my social media and discussions with people throughout the year.

You can introduce your word of the year in social media, take pics when you find your word, and share quotes and verses which include your focus word.

About a year ago I figured out each word builds on the previous word and a true indicator of my overall writing journey. Now I just have to figure out what my 2023 word will be. 

Here are the words I’ve selected since I’ve started.

synonyms of wisdom block 1
I love to look at all the synonyms of my focus word to see different angles of how to apply it

I have a short list for next year already, I just want to look up verses and see if there’s enough quotes to support and encourage me throughout an entire year.

Do you have a process you use to select your word? Or if you haven’t ever chosen a word, I wrote this blog post on the Wisdom of Selecting a New Focus Word Every Year

If you’ve already chosen a word, I’d love to hear what it is and why you chose it. Please write in the comments so those of us who have not picked a word yet, can find some inspiration!

In the meantime, I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas.

Blessings,

Denise

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Dipped in Chocolate: How I researched THE ORPHANS OF BERLIN and loved every minute by Jina Bacarr

December 11, 2022 by in category Jina’s Book Chat, Writing tagged as , , , ,

Do you remember the hilarious scene in an episode of ‘I Love Lucy’ where Lucy and Ethel are working in a candy factory and the conveyor belt speeds up and they stuff their mouths with gourmet chocolates?

Pure heaven…

I didn’t have that experience, but I did have a blast researching the art of chocolate up close and personal for The Orphans of Berlin, tasting and munching on creams and caramels to my little heart’s content.

Then running on the treadmill for hours…

It was worth it.

I wanted to get a feel for what it was like to grow up in the world of chocolate like my debutante-heroine Kay Alexander and become familiar with how candy is made… as well as its importance during World War 2 when Ration D chocolate bars were loaded with vitamins and included in every soldier’s military ration kit.

It all started in 1868 when Kay’s candy-loving, Irish great-grandfather started a candy business called ‘Radwell’s French Chocolates’. Being a candy heiress gives Kay the opportunity to spare no expense getting Jewish children out of Nazi Germany.

I discovered a publication called the ‘Confectioners and Bakers Gazette’ which detailed the candy business from 1896 – 1930, including candy factories in Philadelphia (in 1908, there were twenty-five factories in the US manufacturing chocolate). I find it odd it ceased publication during the Depression since candy sales boomed during those lean years, including Radwell’s French chocolates.

‘Sorority Chocolates’ were a big seller reputed to reach seventy-five million customers, appealing to high school girls, their moms, aunts, and grandmas.

Other notable facts include the use of synthetic vanilla called vanillin even back then; but as any Christmas cookie baker will tell you, real vanilla in his cookies is what makes Santa smile.

I also read books on chocolates and searched the Internet for chocolatier’s ‘secrets’ and favorite recipes to come up with my own special chocolates for the Radwell’s brand.

Here are a few samples for your taste delight:

Renoir Dark Chocolate Bars

Hand-dipped, chocolate-covered squares

… topped with a swirl of buttercream

 

Caramels de Vendôme 

Dark chocolate

… filled with honey caramel and vanilla ganache

 

Truffles à l’Opéra

Bittersweet chocolate

…filled with raspberry ganache 

 

Montmartre Mints

Dark chocolate thin mints

… with flecks of almonds

 

Versailles Soft Creams

Dark chocolate hearts

… filled with raspberry buttercream 

 

Notre-Dame Angels

White chocolate truffles

… filled with pecans and vanilla ganache

I invite you to give yourself a treat when you’re reading The Orphans of Berlin. Stock up on your favorite chocolates filled with creamy mousse, rich ganache… and decadent truffles.

I dip my fingers into the box of gourmet chocolates and grab the last piece. A raspberry dark chocolate truffle. Mm… delicious. A gift from the candy gods.

Ah, the travails of a writer’s research… a tough job.

But somebody’s got to do it, n’est-ce pas?

@jinabacarrauthor

1939 Berlin What if you’re a mom and you have to send your daughters to France to save their lives? #historytokwwiihistoricalfiction@bookandtonic

♬ original sound – Jina Bacarr Historical Author♥
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What’s on your holiday to do list?

December 10, 2022 by in category Writing tagged as , ,

The holiday countdown has begun! Are you ready? Just 15 days until Christmas and 8 until the start of Hanukah. I’m nearly there. My Christmas shopping is finished. Our tree is up, and we’ve done a little decorating, although most of our decorations are in Arizona. The little apartment we’ve rented in California for Paul until he retires is where we decorated…that’s where the grandchildren will be. And, while I’ll be baking cookies for my family, I won’t be on a huge baking binge this year…and I’m trying to bake healthier.

HOWEVER…for many years, there have been places that I could only go at Christmas with a platter of cookies. Baking cookies has been a Christmas tradition for me, since I got my first apartment at 18 years old. I tried to add a new cookie to my repertoire every year

Some of the cookies on my list included:

  • Applesauce Fruitcake bars– my alternative to fruit cake
  • Butterballs– aka snowballs, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Russian Tea balls
  • Candy Cane Cookies– ala Martha Stewarts Christmas book page 41
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Cinnamon Swirls
  • Double Chocolate Thumbprints- recently renamed Mud Puddles – this recipe is my own, and it’s printed in the story Love and Mud Puddles.
  • Frost on the pumpkin cookies
  • Magic Cookie Bars
  • Oatmeal Craisin cookies
  • Orange Glazed Carrot Cookies…this recipe has a story to it, and if you sign up for my newsletter, you’ll get the recipe and the story!
  • Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
  • Snickerdoodles
  • Sour Cream Cookies
  • Spritz Cookies
  • Sugar Cookies…or as we call them cut-out cookies
  • Thumbprint

There are more, but you get the idea…I bake cookies. One year I made over 200 dozen cookies…but that’s another story. For this year. I’ll bake a few of my family’s favorites, and some new healthier cookies that I’m hoping will become new traditions.

So, it’s perfectly fitting for me to write a Christmas romcom about cookie baking. Love and Mud Puddles released on November 30th, and it’s available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble I hope you’ll check it out. And don’t forget that I have another Christmas romcom #12DancingSantas…if you’re in the mood for holiday romance.

I’ve shared many of the recipes on the cookie list above in my Facebook group Tari Lynn & Friends. So, if you’d like them please join us, and you can join in the rest of the fun as well!

I have another story releasing in the Imperfect Date Collection in February, it’s available for preorder now! …and I can’t wait to tell you more about that!

For now, Happy Holidays to all of you and your families, and I’d love to hear what you’re baking this season!! (And if you don’t bake and just eat them, that’s okay too.)

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Dianna Sinovic, Featured Author

December 7, 2022 by in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as , , ,

Author of the Month: Dianna Sinovic

picture of dianna sinovic

Dianna is a contributing author in the last three anthologies from The Bethlehem Writers Group, An Element of Mystery: Sweet, Funny and Strange Tales of Intrigue, Fur, Feathers, and Scales, Sweet, Funny and Strange Animal Tales and Untethered, Sweet, Funny & Strange Tales of the Paranormal. She has also contributed stories for the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable ezine, including “In the Delivery.”

Born and raised in the Midwest, Dianna has also lived in three other quadrants of the U.S. She writes short stories and poetry, and is working on a full-length novel about a young woman in search of her long-lost brother.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Horror Writers Association, The American Medical Writers Association, and The Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC.

Dianna also has a regular column here on A Slice of Orange, titled Quill and Moss, in which she frequently includes short fiction.

Below, you can also listen to Dianna read her short story, “Cold Front” from the GLVWG Writes Stuff anthology.


Other books by Dianna Sinovic


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