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Take it away, Marilyn!
See the giveaway below!
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Take it away, Marilyn!
See the giveaway below!
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When summertime comes, I love to eat fruit that’s in season. This is a recipe that lends itself to both blueberries and peaches. The perfect snack to have around three o’clock when I can use a break from writing. Speaking of writing, I’m
almost finished with the third book in the Haunted Library mystery
series. Writing takes up a good part of my day, but I also am busy
writing interviews for my virtual blog tour in September when READ AND
GONE comes out. And I spend time on Facebook communicating with
friends, readers, and fellow authors. So you can see why I need a break and a snack! Sammy, my cat, is always sleeping near my chair as I’m writing.
He doesn't really like me to take his picture. Can you tell? |
Enjoy the cake! This recipe can also be made with a pint of blueberries or apples
and cinnamon.
Easy Peachy Cake
1 stick of butter softened
2 eggs
I cup flour
1 cup sugar (I use sugar in the raw)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
a dash of salt
handful of chocolate chips
4-5 large peaches
Line and grease a 9X9 pan.
Mix together all ingredients except peaches and choc chips and spread dough in pan.
Add chocolate chips, then cover with slices of peaches.( I peel the peaches first)
Bake 350 degrees 40-50 minutes.
A little blurry. I was getting too excited to eat it! |
A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn’t know since her dad Jim’s been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a twenty-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again.
Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie’s boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr’s life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she’s searching the victim’s country cabin.
Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie’s boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr’s life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she’s searching the victim’s country cabin.
Today I'm offering a paperback copy of DEATH OVERDUE to one commenter. Leave your email so I can contact you if you win. (It can be cryptic.) And tell me...this book is set during the holidays. What's your favorite holiday memory?
Visit Allison (Marilyn) here:
website: http://www.marilynlevinson.com
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Twitter: @MarilynLevinson
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My favorite holiday is Christmas. I love the music and decorations. Festive. Scents of cinnamon and ginger fills the house when I bake soft ginger cookies. My mother introduced us to plum pudding and Christmas crackers, and we continue this tradition. I’m looking forward to decorating at our new old house. We live in a 1935 cottage and my antique and Victorian ornaments will look beautiful here. bluedawn95864 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have lovely traditions to keep up in your new old house!
DeleteYes, looking forward to it.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe cover of Death Overdue reminds me of the fall and anticipation of Halloween. My grade school would have a Halloween carnival with every classroom having a booth. After that we would trick or treat, then come home to my mom's caramel apples and fudgy brownies. Great memories.
ReplyDeletebrowninggloria(at) hotmail(dot) com
I love this cover, too! Halloween has become a very popular holiday in our country.
DeleteMy favorite holiday memory is sneaking out to raid the Christmas tree in the wee hours of Christmas morning. We each grabbed a gift and opened them in the glow of our electric heater. I imagine my parents were just happy we let them sleep in :-) donah42 at aol dot com
ReplyDeleteWhat fun!
DeleteI love all of the holidays! They each have wonderful traditions. I love the decorating, making the food that goes with the holiday and the family and friend activities.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the recipe and the book giveaway. I love finding new series to read!
debprice60@gmail.com
I agree. Every holiday has its special traditions. I hope you'll enjoy the Haunted Library mystery series.
DeleteEven though there was not much money when I was growing up, I remember the look of the Christmas tree with so many wrapped gifts under it, lots of cookies, the smells of turkey or ham. We played with our new toys, read our new. Oops and played our new games. It doesn't take much to make a child happy.
ReplyDeleteYou have all those wonderful memories!
DeleteEarly one Thanksgiving morning we were invited to a Dallas Cowboy game by some of my parents' friends. Mom, Dad, my husband & I quickly accepted the invitation & spent a few wonderful hours in Texas Stadium watching the Cowboys beat the Cleveland Browns. We had Thanksgiving dinner around 8pm & this is my favorite holiday memory. lnchudej@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI love Thanksgiving, though most of us eat too much that day.
DeleteThis series sounds great. My favorite Christmas memories are always putting up the tree and remembering where each ornament came from. ckmbeg (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteNice memories to have.
DeleteHolidays weren't such a big deal in my family when I was growing up. I always felt that my mother just didn't care about them. We observed all the religious holidays when my kids were young (they attended religious day schools) and they are passing that on to the grand kids. Myself, I just can't be bothered anymore. I just want to sit and read or spend time with close friends (that happens when you get olde).
ReplyDeleteI know. Preparing food, especially for holidays, takes a good deal of time and stamina.
DeleteI enjoyed opening one package Christmas Eve - it was a wonderful time with the family sharing and not being distracted by other things.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recipe- going to give it a try.
kckendler at gmail dot com
You're welcome. It's great with blueberries, too.
DeleteTime with family - watching my Dad's slides - still have the slide projector and slides! Now love looking at the pictures from over the years
ReplyDeleteIt's good to preserve those memories!
DeleteSo many to choose from! Probably going to grandma's at Christmas...Their house was small, usually crowded due to more people than house, Lol. Some people even went into the bedrooms and set up tv trays. Gma and Gpa made sure everyone had plenty, food, gifts..etc. Grandma always decorated, she had the best little village I had ever seen. Gpa didn't necessarily like all the fuss, but went along because of gma. It was back in the day when everyone smoked, so we always went home smelling of cigarettes...that's an odd memory. If I could go back in time, that's one of the places I'd go. It's been a hard year, I haven't decorated for holidays(been a little depressed or something), I'm going to have to go overboard this year. I want my kiddos to have great memories like I did as a child...Minus the cigarette smoke. Lol. Thank you for the entry. Have a fun and safe holiday weekend all! konecny7(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteSorry you're depressed. I admire you for still wanting your kids to enjoy the holiday. And I agree with you regarding the smoke. My mother smoked and I can't stand the smell or how it affects our health.
DeleteI love all holidays cause it usually means some family time. I'm one who doesn't mind decorations being put out early cause I love them. I also enjoy doing holiday crafts and those you have to start early. jawdance@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteYou sure do have to start early to finish all those craft projects.
DeleteDon't you just love to use up the last of season fruit, especially the peaches? My current favorite holiday memory is this past Christmas, because we were lucky enough to have 2 granddaughters, 4 great grandchildren and our favorite dog and cat spend it with us. All those little ones running around, it was wonderful! Thanks for the giveaway.
ReplyDeletesallycootie(at)gmail(dot)com
You're welcome.
DeleteI love using fruit when I bake. And chocolate chips.
My favorite Christmas memory is Christmas of 2012. It was my Dad's last Christmas and he knew it. It was very emotional because of all the love that was shown and all the memories shared. We tried to keep it upbeat so he would have a good memory to take with him. He left us on January 21, 2015. I miss him everyday. pgenest57@aol.com
ReplyDeleteA wonderful memory. Interesting, how celebrating holidays usually comes down to spending special time with loved ones.
DeleteMy favorite Christmas memory is really two fold. First it is my Dad who always arrived very early so he could go down the hall saying “Hohoho Santa’s been here!” and waking up my daughter to go see what was under the tree. It was a tradition that we all loved – including his granddaughter. The second part was when our daughter had just turned a teenager. She actually woke up very early to get dressed and fixed up (you know teenagers when it comes to having their photos taken) and then crawled back into bed just so Pappaw could “wake her up” Christmas morning like he always did. I cherish these memories since both Dad and our daughter are together now having Christmas in heaven. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful chance to win a paperback copy of your fabulous book "DEATH OVERDUE". I would love the opportunity to read it.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Nice memories!
DeleteChristmas 1986 is one of my favorites since I was very pregnant with our first child. Based on the doctor's orders I wasn't able to travel very far from the hospital. My husband and I figured we would just have a small dinner with just the two of us, but up pops my mom and dad and my mother-in-law with our dinner and all the trimmings. It was a wonderful celebration of Jesus's birth and three days later our daughter's birth. robeader53@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteLots to celebrate that year!
DeleteMy best ever holiday memory was Chanukah which I loved. The songs, the food, the family celebration. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYes! I love Chanukah! Lots of singing and potato latkes!
DeleteI don't know that I have a favourite holiday, I like them all with possibly Christmas being a tiny bit in the lead. :) Presents after all. Death Overdue looks to be Halloween themed, if I'm right. That is not really done much the same way here in Germany as in the US. Though kids have adopted the trick-or-treating part - for obvious reasons. ;) What we, at least in our tiny village, have always celebrated is St. Martin on November 11, with kids going from door to door the evening before, singing the various songs that go with it and getting candy. Much nicer to be given sweets without having to resort to threatening people. ;) Thank you for the chance of a winning a book that I haven't read yet. brurasche(dot)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteIn DEATH OVERDUE, Carrie my sleuth arranges a Halloween party in the library, but the book isn't Halloween-themed as such. I think Halloween has gotten to be a very big holiday here in the US. I also think the celebration has spread to other countries.
DeleteMy favorite tradition is fried shrimp and Christmas Eve! Love that tradition!! dubecara (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteSounds yummy!
DeleteMy personal favorite holiday is Halloween..but as a family, ours is Christmas Eve..my favorite any holiday tradition is homemade cherry pie. My grandmother made homemade cherry pie, every holiday and for my birthday! We carry on the homemade cherry pie tradition, without fail. nani_geplcs@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteA delicious tradition, Sheryl.
DeleteMy favorite holiday memory is when I got a car (!) for Christmas when I was 16. The keys were hidden in another present, and when I found them, I ran outside, and it was parked in our neighbor's driveway with a big red ribbon on top of it. Most of our neighbors came out (hearing me scream!), and I didn't even care that I was dressed in an old pair of my Dad's pajamas! It was so wonderful ~ bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteWho could forget one's first car!
DeleteI remember when I was a kid we always had the family at our house for dinner - the 5 of us, my grandmother, aunt and uncle and great-aunt and great-uncle. My great-uncle Oscar was an amateur magician and we were always thrilled when he pulled quarters and eggs out from behind our ears (depending on the holiday!).
ReplyDeleteI think a magician at holiday time is a great tradition.
DeleteMy favorite holiday memory is the year that I got a nutcracker for Christmas. I was obsessed with the music from the Nutcracker when I was a kid, and I wanted my own. They weren't as easy to come by then as they are now. I still have it, and we include it in the decorations every year. Thanks so much for the giveaway! aut1063(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHow nice that you still have the nutcracker to use as a decoration.
DeleteLooks like Sammy prefers to be photographed in your arms!
ReplyDeleteWhat a handsome bruiser.
libbydodd at comcast dot net
Sammy is very attached to his mommy. He also has quite a reputation—for biting occasionally, even his mommy.
DeleteI like Thanksgiving. I love sharing a big meal with my friends and family.
ReplyDeletekapw7531(at)gmail(dot)com
I love Thanksgiving. I think of it as the Great American Holiday celebrated with food, family and friends.
DeleteMy favorite holiday memories are of my daughter when she was little. I was a single mom (still am but she’s almost 21) so I really loved having the special memories of just my daughter and me at Halloween and Christmas. musiqmom(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you have those memories. Treasure them!
DeleteI have many holiday memories.. when I was a child we would always go to my grandparents house to celebrate Christmas Eve, and have dinner and open gifts. We would get home late and be excited to go to bed to wake up Christmas morning. The year I was told by my older sister about "the truth".. I remember this was the year Cabbage Patch Kids were really big.. she told me before Christmas that all the letters I sent to Santa never got there.. I just looked at her like she didn't know what she was talking about..
ReplyDeleteWe opened our gifts and went to my grandparents house for dinner.. my sister was in the truck with me as my mom said she needed to go back in the house to get something she forgot.. (no big deal)
When we certainly home hours later.. there were 2 gifts in front of the tree and a note from Santa. It said he was sorry he missed these two gifts that fell at the bottom of his bag. I turned to my sister and said "see I told you he was real."
I believed for a few more years. It was amazing!! 🙂🙂
a very cute story.
DeleteMy favorite holiday is Christmas. The best memory that stands out is the year that my parents somehow managed to get santa to land on our roof-well we heard his sleigh at least. Not sure how they pulled it off but we saw the shadow and heard the bells as he flew out of sight . lol They never gave up that secret. nvictoria77@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good one!
DeleteThere are many great holiday memories. One of my favorites was when the kids were old enough to help make Christmas cookies. We were visiting my in-laws. My mother-in-law introduced the kids and me to the joys of Danish Christmas cookies. We had great fun, and the kids looked forward to baking those traditional cookies at Christmas every year after that.
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
baking cookies has become a Christmas tradition.
DeleteFavorite memory of Christmas was the annual visit to the Enchanted Village, a lavish Christmas display, which occupied an entire floor in the Jordan Marsh department store.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
I love seeing Christmas displays. I'll never forget the one I've seen a few times—a house in the Bronx that has many very large figures that move and are beautifully dressed. I was so impressed, I once wrote a short story about two skaters in the display.
DeleteI loved Halloween as a kid. Running around with a flock of kids like a gang of banshees collecting treats. Good times!
ReplyDeletepatdupuy@yahoo.com
All that candy!!
DeleteOpening the barn door and hearing a horse whinny and it was a Shetland pony for Christmas. I was so surprised. Donamaekutska7@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful gift!
DeleteI love all holidays but especially Christmas. Even with my family gone, I still like to decorate and listen to Christmas music.
ReplyDeleteGood for you! You're still enjoying the season.
DeleteI like the addition of the chocolate chips. Every year we spend Christmas Eve day making treats for Santa & ourselves. We have holiday music playing in the background & spend all day talking & laughing. Always such fun.
ReplyDeleteturtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com
I add chocolate chips to many dessert recipes. So do my friends where I live.
DeleteMy favorite memory is the year my father gave me a star sapphire ring for Christmas. I was 13. I still have it and it still fits. I will be 69 this month.
ReplyDeletelkish77123 at gmail dot com.
A wonderful gift. It's rare when you're able to still enjoy something you received all those years ago.
DeleteMy favorite holiday memory is the Christmas spent with my parents. They always made Christmas special.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
You have lovely Christmas memories, Dianne.
DeleteThis cake looks delicious! My favorite holiday memory would have to be baking cookies with the kids we had visiting a few years ago. We made a mess but had a lot of fun. mbradeen [at] yahoo [dot] com
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to bake cookies with my granddaughter when she's a little bit older.
DeleteI love the recipe. I have to make this! When I was a kid, my family and I went to a family friend's house on Christmas Eve, and it started to snow. Thank you for this chance! areewekidding(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Robyn.
DeleteI love the Halloween cover!! My favorite memory is making gingerbread cookies with my granddaughters when they were young. Alas, they grow up and move away, but they still come home for Christmas and love to come to Nana's house to bake. Thanks for a chance to win.
ReplyDeletebabemomara@att.net
Glad you like the cover. I do, too.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday memories Are of Halloweens when my two kids were little! So much fun! Lindaherold999@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteYes! I love the tradition of wearing costumes at Halloween. Such fun!
DeleteFavorite holiday is Christmas jcook22@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteA popular choice!
DeleteAs a kid I always loved waking up on Thanksgiving morning and smelling the turkey cooking. Then after dinner, I would go to my room and curl up next to the heat register and read until I fell asleep.
ReplyDeleteskforrest1957 at gmail dot com
Good food and a good book afterwards!
DeleteAll the cousins together. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteI remember being with my cousins on holidays, too. One of the best parts of the celebration.
DeleteI would have to say anytime I spend with my Son & his family is the best. Thanks for your generosity. lindamay4852@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! I love visiting my kiddies at my son and d-i-l's house! Such fun!!
Deletegreeneyesredhair@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday memory was Christmas dinner with my parents. Every year my dad would make a prime rib roast and Yorkshire pudding. I could eat Yorkshire pudding doused with beef gravy every day!
What a delicious Christmas dinner!!
DeleteI don't remember how old I was, but my favorite Christmas memory as a child, was the year my mom said I scared Santa Claus and left a present in the fireplace for me.
ReplyDeletekvmatlock (at) gmail (dot) com
That's cute!
ReplyDeleteThe winner of this giveaway, by random selection, is Judy Weaver. Marilyn aka Allison will be in touch. Thanks to all for commenting. ~ Daryl
ReplyDelete