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Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.
Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.
Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.
Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.
12 Comments:
I hear ya, neighbor! When my thermometer read 0 the other morning, I was ready to hibernate right through Christmas. By the way, my first memories of Christmas are of Hawaii. We'd put up our fake tree (you can't afford the real ones in Hawaii), put together our cardboard fireplace (with built in card holder), and go to the beach. White sand, white snow, whatever.
it's summer in australia. we always have fake trees. well, most people do. i've never seen a white christmas. the closest i ever got was one time, when it rained. and was humid and horrid.
think i'll be spending christmas day in my aunt's pool this year. :D let's just hope i get some good books so i can lounge around the pool, reading and eating. oh what a life... :)
I can't imagine you as the Grinch, Colleen. You are just too full of giving. As for me, I'm going to finish my Christmas shopping tomorrow, hubby's stocking stuffers is all I have left. I'm with Di, forget the diet, eat the chocolate!!!
Um, D, can I have a turtle? LOL Maybe that would chase the Grinch away.
Colleen, there is no way you could be a Grinch. LOL! I'm with Rhonda, just not possible. This year, it all came too fast. My youngest turns twelve next week and my oldest turns sixteen the week after. I think I'll find a pile of sand and hide my head. LOL!
WHAT???? You've been holding out on me, Denise? Too late! I went by your house and smelled the goodies. Leave a plate of cookies (preferably something chocolate) and a glass of milk by the fireplace. I'll be down your chimney at midnight.
Sheesh. You think you know a person.
Diann
I want a turtle too. I'd even settle for a pecan log if you have any to spare.
Well met, Grinch sister! Yeah, I'm lame. Fake tree, which my MOTHER put up and decorated, not me. She was only here for the weekend, but she's the one with the Christmas cheer.
I revere Christ's birth. It's not that. And I admit I love the wealth of Christmas cookies that find their way into my house. But decorating? Too much effort. Shopping? I'd rather go online. Carols? Shoot me.
Bah, humbug.
Camy
kristin, well usually my family does the traditional turkey and stuff... but many australians have barbeques on christmas, with salads and all that. a popular dessert (for any time but especially around christmas, and in fact we will be having it on christmas this year) is a pavlova.
i made one for the staff at a camp i worked at in michigan one summer and everyone loved it. (so yes, i have been to the usa).
try it out!
http://www.joyofbaking.com/Pavlova.html has some background info to the pav. and some photos :)
AUSSIE PAVLOVA
Meringue Cake:
4 large egg whites
1 cup (200 grams) superfine (castor) sugar
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (corn flour)
also 1teaspoon vanilla extract if you like
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (130 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch (18 cm) circle on the paper.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers). Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, fold in.
Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges, making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the outside is dry and takes on a very pale cream color. But don't open the oven, use the oven light to check! Turn the oven off, leave the door closed and let it cool. Don't open the door! (actually the recipe from this website says to open it but I say don't, coz it will flatten, and I know, coz i've done it before).
It's easiest to make it in the evening and let it cool over night.
For the topping, get some whipping cream, with no sugar, coz it's sweet enough, put it on top and decorate with fruit, such as strawberries, kiwi, passionfruit pulp. you can use any fruit really, but those 3 are the best to use! and also, it's best to decorate it just before serving as the cream makes the meringue go soft.
i have a photo of me with a pavlova i made in colorado once, but i'm not sure if i have uploaded it, and my server is down at the moment... :-|
let me know how you like it kristin! :)
I've got my tree up and I checked this morning. The green tint to my skin is definitely lightening. Would you believe our preacher spoke this morning on How the Grinch Stole Christmas? LOL
Colleen, that's hilarious!
Colleen, you may be a lot of things, but a grinch is NOT one of them! LOL
As for me, I HAVE to do the holiday spirit, for the kids. Now the teen would let me get away with foregoing the tree and such, but the 3 and 5 year old? NO WAY! I'd be burned at the stake!
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