I am absolutely thrilled to have Sue-Ellen on my blog today. Many of you know that Sue-Ellen hosted me on her blog Tartan Ink (http://tartaninkblog.wordpress.com/) on the release day for Highland Solution. That turned out to be the start of a great friendship! Her newest release, a seasonal novella, Once Upon a Highland Christmas simply had to be one of the books in my Christmas Giveaway prize package! Leave a comment on by blog before noon on December 20 to be entered (see the Events or Drawings page of this website for complete details).
Thanks so much for having me here today, Ceci. I love that you included other writers in your giveaway and I’m delighted to be one of them. Christmas is a season of giving, and you’re making readers very happy with the chance to win lots of great books.
Speaking of which, don’t you just love holiday stories? I’d always wanted to do one and really enjoyed writing Once Upon a Highland Christmas. So many things I love abound at this time of year and it was so much fun weaving these elements into the tale. The spirit of Christmas, combined with the usual prerequisites of romance, is a heady mix.
Here’s a sampling of everything I believe must be present to give a story a wonderful “holiday feel”…
As I love atmosphere, a charming, ‘enchanted’ setting is an absolute must. Also a hint of fairytale for sparkle and magic. While the holidays can happen anywhere, my personal taste requires cold and snow, brittle air laced with the scent of pine, frosty nights and glittering stars, delicious baked goods and a scrumptious feast at a lavishly-set table, enjoyed by candlelight. A cheery fire is also desired, as is the joy of the season. The rest comes from within: the goodness of man that so easily spills forth now, softening hearts, spreading gladness, and bringing love.
I enjoy all kind of holiday stories, but a Christmas tale set in medieval Scotland will really make my heart pound.
One of the reasons I enjoyed writing Once Upon A Highland Christmas so much was because the hours spent at the keyboard whisked me back in time to the magical, oh-so-atmospheric world I love so much: Scotland of long ago. Back then, the season was ‘what it was,’ a time to celebrate the simple joys the holiday. There weren’t any mad Black Friday rushes, no stress caused by maxing out your credit cards, no carols playing everywhere months before the festive season began.
When it did arrive, the anticipation and excitement was palpable. Feasts and revels were held, kith and kin gathered, decorations were real holly and ivy, and mistletoe, all imbued with rich lore and meaning, and not the often-garish plastic holiday trappings seen today. Good cheer was had by all, merry was made, and a frosty night full of stars and wonder (as appreciated by Grim and Breena in the mini-excerpt from Once Upon A Highland Christmas) held more magic than can ever be found on a busy, over-decorated modern-day city street at Christmas.
I loved ‘being in’ medieval Scotland with Grim and Breena.
In real life, I miss the simple joys of my childhood Christmases. Little pleasures that made the holidays so very special: turning back the daily flap on a glittery, colorful Advent calendar, staying up late on Dec. 24th to open one gift from under the tree while watching Santa and his reindeer appear on the TV weatherman’s radar screen. Really exciting for me was setting out cookies and milk for Santa before going to bed. On Christmas morning, the plate of crumbs and empty glass proved his existence.
I’m not fond of how commercialized the holidays are these days. And I enjoy recapturing the ‘coziness’ of Christmases past by doing things like re-reading Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol every year and also making my mother’s Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas Cookies. My grandmother and my mother baked a lot at Christmas and some of my fondest holiday memories are coming home from school to find them aproned, flour-dusted, and busy in the kitchen, the whole house smelling of sugar and spice.
My mother’s sugar cookies required a night in the refrigerator and I would always sneak a few nibbles of the chilled dough. I still do, I freely admit. And each stolen bite takes me back to Christmases of old. I love that, and promise the dough is as good as the cookies.
If you’d like to try them, here’s the recipe:
Sue-Ellen’s Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas Cookies
(sugar cookies)1 lb. butter
1 lb. sugar (4 cups)
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda
4 to 4 1/2 Cups flour
Enough flour to rollCream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Dissolve the baking soda in the sour cream and add to the mixture. Sift in flour until the dough is stiff enough to handle (not tacky).
Chill overnight.
Roll out on a floured board and cut with cookie cutters. Decorate with colored sugar.
Bake at 350 about 10 minutes.Enjoy! (remember to try the chilled dough)
Ceci, thank you so much for inviting me here today. It was fun, and I’m wishing everyone a Christmas full of joy and magic. Highland magic, of course!
Happy Holidays!
About Sue-Ellen:
Sue-Ellen Welfonder is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes Scottish medieval romances for Grand Central Publishing. As time allows, she also writes as Allie Mackay, penning contemporary paranormals, mostly set in the Scottish Highlands.
Her twenty-year airline career allowed her to see the world, but it was always to Scotland that she returned. She spent fifteen years living in Europe, using that time to explore as many castle ruins, medieval abbeys, and stone circles, as possible. Anything ancient, crumbling, or lichened caught her eye. She still visits Scotland when she can as such trips give her inspiration for new books.
Proud of her own Hebridean ancestry, she belongs to two clan societies and never misses a chance to attend Highland Games. In addition to Scotland, her greatest passions are medieval history, the paranormal, nature, and animals. She enjoys long walks and bicycling, loves haggis, and writes at a 450-year-old desk that once stood in a Bavarian castle.
Amazon: Once Upon a Highland Christmas
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-upon-a-highland-christmas-sue-ellen-welfonder/1114921341?ean=9781455527120
Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/once-upon-a-highland-christmas
Once Upon a Highland Christmas
In A Magical Season…
As a lass who has lost everything, Breena O’ Doherty’s only wish for Christmas is to brighten the holidays at her new Highland home, Duncreag Castle, where the MacNab laird is determined not to celebrate. Hoping to bring joy to the clan she dearly loves, she’s stunned to see her efforts thwarted by the ruggedly handsome Highlander who secretly holds her heart.
Love Is The Greatest Gift Of All
Grim Mackintosh, Duncreag’s captain of the guard, knows he isn’t a man to stir female hearts. But he’s shocked when Breena believes he’s been stealing her festive decorations. Having admired her from afar, he seizes an unexpected chance to kiss her beneath the mistletoe. His boldness spurs a quest to bring Christmas joy to Duncreag. Together, they travel across the sparkling, snow-clad hills where passion soon blazes between them. But more than holiday magic is afoot in the Highlands. Can their love survive a secret danger from the past? Or will the wonder of the season give them the happily-ever-after they deserve?
Mini Excerpt from Once Upon a Highland Christmas
Set-Up ~ Grim has taken Breena to a little-used chamber in one of the castle’s highest towers, wanting her to enjoy the view. He may also wish to let her know how deeply he feels for her.
Grim caught Breena’s wrist, led her into the nearest embrasure. “It is said one can see all of Scotland from up here. Though”—he slid his arm about her waist, drawing her close as they approached the tall window arch—“I’ll own that’s stretching the truth a bit. Even so, the view is splendid.”
“I have no words.” Breena set her hands on the cold stone of the ledge, stunned by the snowy expanse before her. The soaring peaks that surrounded Duncreag, cutting off the stronghold from the rest of the world, glistened with the sheen of ice crystals. In the distance, other hills, moorland, and glens sprawled blue-white in every direction, each ripple of the land sparkling, the whole of the Highlands kissed by a light haze of frosty mist.
But it was the glitter of stars that took her breath.
“The stars.” She glanced up at Grim. “They’re everywhere, more than I have ever seen.”
He nodded, looking pleased. “Indeed. And the crescent moon is allowing them their glory.”
Breena turned back to the window. “It’s almost too beautiful.”
“Indeed, my lady.” Grim’s words flowed through her, sweeter than honeyed mead. “I wanted you to see the night sky from here. I wished that because you should know that if every one of those stars were to fall from the heavens, their brilliance could not outshine you.”
Contact Information
http://alliemackay.wordpress.com/
Mailing List: http://welfonder.com/mailing-list/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/SE_Welfonder
Tartan Ink After Hours: Book News Only
http://tartaninkafterhours.wordpress.com/
Tartan Ink: All Things Celtic, Highland Magic, Kilties, & Other Neat Things
http://tartaninkblog.wordpress.com/
Ceci Giltenan, Author 
Thanks so much forstory of your writing and that wonderful cookie receipe…
Hi Kate! Thank you so much for your good words. You brightened my afternoon. Hope you’ll enjoy the sugar cookies. They really are good. Happy Holidays! 🙂
LOVED “Once Upon a Highland Christmas” as I have ALL your books. I love to be transported back to a time where is was wild, but yet ‘simple’. Like you said, “It was what is was”. When I read your stories, I AM the woman in the story with my big strappin Highlander of my dreams. At the end of the story, I feel like I shouldn’t be living in the world I do now, but should still be back in the hills, and am saddened until the next story comes out. Then I’m back in the hills again. Thank you Sue-Ellen for making all my ‘dreams’ a reality at least for a little while. Hope you and everyone have a ‘Merry Highland Christmas’ of their own. HUGS, Wendy
(((HUGS))) back to you, Wendy! You really made me feel good. Thank you so much for your kind words. Obviously, I also yearn for the days or yore, when not just Christmas, but everything, was just ‘what it was.’ Big old sigh. So I go there when I write. And my goal is always to take the reader there with me. I’m so happy my books transport you as you say. That’s wonderful! Now if only we could figure out how to stay there once we get there!
Happy Holidays! 🙂
Boy, wouldn’t that be nice!! HUGS
If I find a way to do that, I’ll share the secret. Please do the same for me!
Another doable recipe for this non baker 😀
Here’s wishing everyone a peaceful, non-commercial, Christmas. I hope everyone can find a moment to sit quietly and imagine themselves in a castle surrounded by the festivities of old, feeling the heat from the fire and hearing the chatter and laughter of the crowd, smelling the feast that is laid out on the tables, and for me, seeing a certain highlander leaning against the wall, arms crossed, gazing across the way towards me while the light from the candles and torches reflect off the metal rings placed here and there in his beard. 😉
Happy Yule~ Merry Christmas, everyone!
Thank you Leah. Wishing you the same!
Merry Christmas,
Ceci
Yes, to everything you say, Leah! You paint the ideal holiday setting and I want to step right into your words. 🙂 As for a certain ring-bearded, smoky-eyed Highlander, could be I saw him heading your way a while ago. He should be there by nightfall. 😉
Re the cookie recipe and being a non baker: you always make me chuckle. Seriously, the recipe is so easy. Try it. 🙂
Happy Yule! 🙂
My late husband’s ancestors come from the highlands of Scotland so whenever I read one of Sue-Ellen’s books I put his face on the brawny highland hero. Thanks for for helping me keep his memory alive.
Wow. Sue-Ellen you have the best fans!
Yes, I do. I’m blessed with the most wonderful readers/friends. I love them all.
So good to see you in here, Marilyn! (((HUGS))) to you!! I know you love my books and have been reading them all these long years. I’m so glad they bring back fond memories for you. I know how much you miss your husband. Love you and am wishing you a blessed holiday.
(((MORE HUGS)))
Just popping in to say “hello.” Absolutely loved “Once Upon a Highland Christmas.” Perfect story for the holidays. And will definitely try this cookie recipe.
This is a wonderful giveaway, Ceci! Fantastic authors and their stories. 🙂
Mary, I would love to host you and feature your debut novel, Dragon Knight’s Sword, when it is released. I am looking forward to reading it!
Ceci
Thanks so much, Mary! You’re such a true-blue friend. (and have been since Devil In A Kilt days) I am so excited about your upcoming debut and can’t wait to be a part of letting everyone know about you and your beautiful books! (((HUGS)))
🙂
I am very fortunate to live in a place where life is somewhat simpler. We were surprised with over six inches of snow this weekend and I spent some of those hours reading historic, Scottish romance – thank you for sharing your storytelling gifts!
Looking forward to trying out that sugar cookie recipe this weekend 🙂
Best wishes & Happy Holidays
Oh, you are so bless, indeed, Suja. Enjoy such a lovely world and the peace and bliss it brings for me, too, please. For all of us. I was likewise so fortunate for much of my adult life, living in a small village in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps. I miss it dearly.
Thank you so much for your kind words about my books. And Scottish romance in general. I love seeing when readers love Scottish stories, and Scotland, of course.
Enjoy the sugar cookies! It isn’t Christmas for me without them.
Happy Holidays! 🙂
So glad to see you here, Sue-Ellen! I’m still trying to carve out enough time to read my copy of Once Upon a Highland Christmas, but I’ve got it and my daughter helped me download it into my new tablet (a Christmas gift I had to open early to make sure it didn’t have to be returned). Maybe one of these nights I’ll finally get some time to relax and read it. Here’s hoping! ^_^
It’s good to be here! Isn’t it nice of Ceci to do this multi-author giveaway and also invite all the participating writers to her blog? It’s fun being here today. 🙂
Congrats on the new tablet! That’s a super Christmas gift!! 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy Grim and Breena’s story when you get to it. Lots of Highland magic in there. 😉
Happy Holidays! 🙂
A wonderful read and that sounds like a really good cookie recipe. I haven’t baked in a while but now I am tempted. I’d rather read than bake lol.
Hi Catslady! Thanks so much for looking in here. And for your good words. So glad you enjoyed the story. And thanks for the chuckles. Ha ha ha ha ha… I would rather read than do anything, too. I imagine everyone in here would admit to that. 😉
The sugar cookies are good, though.
Happy Holidays! 🙂
Love the look back at your childhood. I remember all those things too. My mom used to let my sister and I help bake cookies. The smells of Christmas, who could ever forget them. Spending Christmas Eve at my Grandparents house with the whole family. I dearly treasure those memories and really miss them more than ever during this time of year. Christmas is just so magical you can feel it in the air, lifting your spirits and touching your soul.
I’m not surprised we share similar Christmas memories. Every word you wrote had me nodding and smiling agreement. I miss such Christmases so much, too. I bring back them, into my own world, by baking family recipes. The smells (and the prep work) take me back. My grandmother lived with us and she was a homemaker extraordinaire. She sewed all clothes, being a wonderful seamstress, and she could bake!! (and cook) I have my great love of cooking and baking from her. Here’s to cherished memories, holiday ones and all of them! And to simpler times!!
And the magic…
(((HUGS)))
Happy Holidays! 🙂
We lived with Grandparents for 5 years. I cherish everyone of those days. Grandma loved to cook and bake. I would always sit and watch her. I got my love of cooking and baking from her also. She also loved mysteries. We would sit up late and watch them. There used to be a mystery show on the radio on night a week I remember listening to them with her too. I learned so much from them both. They were a truly magical couple.
Your grandparents sound so wonderful. You were blessed to have them as such an integral part of your home life as a child. I was fortunate, too, having a really good and happy childhood. My grandfather also lived with us until he passed, then it was only my grandmother. Like yours, she gave me my love of cooking and baking. Sadly, I didn’t inherit her skill with a sewing needle!
Mysteries are great reads. Love that your grandmother enjoyed them so much. Can see her listening at the radio or watching them on those old b/w TVs. Remember the big ‘bunny ear’ thingeys? And the snowy ‘static’ that came on a midnight when everything went off the air for the night? Good times….
My dad’s mom was the sewer. That is were i get my love of quilting from…yeap I remember rabbit ears. They played the Star Spangled Banner then white noise till morning…ahhh memories..I remember my Grandmother telling me how when they used to go visit her parents who lived 2 hours away by horse and buggy…I feel blessed I can remember them and their stories.
I wish you could take a whiff of my house! I had to try this recipe so I made dough last night (to bake with my daughter when she gets home from college this week). I baked up a few today just to try. They are yummy.
Ahhhh, this is great news, Ceci! I am so glad you tried them. I made the dough last night, too. Will be baking my batches later this evening. Can’t wait. 🙂
Sue-Ellen–I love your books and tartan ink and the tea room. I can’t help wondering, after all the traveling you did what do you think of flying today with all the rule and regs and long waiting lines. Do you still enjoy flying with all the wasted time? I still love sugar cookies but can no longer stand up long enough to make them. Only my son bakes. I plan to send him your recipe. Thanks for all the hours of entertainment and pleasure you have given us. I hope someone does the same for you.
Great question, Sandra. And well observed. Yes, I spent decades flying all over the world, on duty and private travel. I loved every minute of it and miss it all so much. But I miss how it was back then. I now find air travel frightfully stressy. I am very fortunate to have had my travel years in a time before the world went nuts and everything changed so drastically.
Aside from the hassles of so much security and long waits, I also hate seeing how service on board has deteriorated and how the airlines now charge so much for every little thing. In my day, we served full warm meals on all but the very shortest routes. Passengers had a choice between two entrees, often three. We did additional snack services on longer flights. We also did frequent beverage services and none of that cost the passengers extra. We also never walked through the aisles with garbage bags. So much has changed.
It’s a different world entirely from my days as a stewardess. Even the things passengers usually aren’t aware of, have changed. In my time, we had long layovers, often several days (sometimes more) in exotic and great cities. Who wouldn’t love 3 days in London or Hong Kong? A week in Cairo? (it was safe then). Days in Stockholm or Copenhagan? Paris or Rio? We’d have crew parties in the captain’s hotel room, which very often was a huge and luxurious suite. We’d do the town together, go exploring. I once had a full week layover in Fiji, for example. Good times! I know from friends still flying that all has has also changed, layovers now being mostly super-short.
So I miss how it was then and find air travel today to be nerving and stressful. And I don;t care for all the extra charges for things that used to be free. So I am delighted to get where I want to be, but don’t like the ‘getting there’ anymore.
Hope you enjoy the sugar cookies when your son bakes them. They really are good.
(((HUGS)))
Happy Holidays! 🙂
Ceci, thank you so much for having me here today. It is so good of you to do such a great giveaway and to involve other writers. I love that! It’s such a win-win for readers. Love being a part of it!
Everyone, I will look back in here later tonight to say hello to anyone who yet stops by. Good luck in Ceci’s great drawing!
Happy Holidays! 🙂
I loved your memories of Christmas past and the memories it evoked, as those are the very things I love about Christmas. Thanks so much for the cookie recipe and will be reading Once Upon a Highland Christmas tonight after I finish making pumpkin rolls. So excited to read your book…
So glad you feel the same about Christmases of old. The years roll on and times change (boy, haven’t they?!), but no one can take our beautiful memories. My pleasure re the sugar cookies. I baked them tonight. Pumpkin rolls sound scrumptious!! Hope you will enjoy Grim and Breena’s story! 🙂
Hi, Sue-Ellen and Ceci! Sue-Ellen, I loved and agree with everything you said above. I also long for long ago times when holidays were simpler, happier, and less stressful. I can remember everything wonderful from my childhood with family around me. Your books take me back in time, and when the book is over, I am wishing I was still there with my own Highlander. Thanks for the sugar cookie recipe. Can’t wait to try it. I am planning to read ONCE UPON A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS sometime before Christmas. Really looking forward to reading it!
This is my first holiday season without my own DH, Dan, of 39 years. I miss him so terribly much. Even though the holidays are being spent with his family and my friends, it just isn’t the same.
LOVE AND HUGS!
Cathy, I know this will be such a rough time for you. It’s good that you have family and friends with you. I’m so glad for that. (((HUGS)))
So glad to see you feel the same about Christmases of old. And thank you so much for your kind words about my books. If you get to ONCE UPON A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS before the 25th, you’ll surely find a ‘medieval Highland respite’ from the holiday crush. I hope you’ll enjoy the story. I know you’ll love the cookies if you make them.
(((HUGS)))
PS: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
(((HUGS))) Cathy. Btw, I’ll have something special to send you to see very soon. You know what it’s about. 😉 First glimpse. (((HUGS)))
Ceci, thanks for hosting my dear friend Sue-Ellen.
Sue-Ellen, your cookie recipe looks yummy. Mine has cream cheese in it.
Good luck to everyone in Ceci’s drawing.
Thanks so much for looking in here, Kathy. It’s been a fun day. Cream cheese sugar cookies sound delicious. M’mmm 🙂
Kathy, Sue-Ellen has been a true Fairy Godmother! She has been so kind to me! I’m sure you remember the release party for Highland Solution that was held on Tartan Ink. This is only a very small thank you for all she has done.
Ceci
It was my pleasure to be a part of your launch, Ceci. And my good fortune. I helped you celebrate the day and gained a wonderful friend. Pretty good deal, I think! 🙂
And I’ve loved being here today, and being a part of your giveaway, which I think is so great. It’s so good for readers. 🙂
Ceci, so very happy you had Sue Ellen here today – she is the greatest!
Also have your book Highland Solution in my ‘need to read’ pile and looking forward to doing just that – wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a successful Happy New Year 2014!
Hey Sue Ellen, absolutely will be making your cookies because sugar cookies are Richard’s favorite – keep your fingers crossed I get them right – LOL!
Ah, you’re making me blush, Barb! Thank you so much for your good words. Love seeing you in here tonight. Thank you!
Let me know how the sugar cookies turn out. I made them tonight. The recipe makes tons. Richard will be happy. 🙂 And there are NO calories!!! 😉
Sue-Ellen always has such nice posts. And I am with her in this, Christmas is so much more than 50 inch tv’s and iPads. Which is why I am making a point to do the kinds of Christmas things with my kids as my mom did…popcorn strands anyone? 🙂
Lexi, you always make me smile. I really loved writing this post. As you know, I just recently did a promo blog tour for my novella. So I knew everyone had heard all about the story and then some. So I decided to focus on Christmas itself instead. I am so glad you feel the same about Christmases of old. Thank goodness for our memories. YESSS, to those popcorn strands. We did them, too. So much fun, so special. I’d forgotten them till you mentioned them. Thank you!!
(((HUGS)))
The last year my mother-in-law was with us, we visited Ireland for Christmas. My husband, one of his brothers and I went out on a tractor and cut a tree from the farm. My kids were little and I wanted to make popcorn strands with them. Can I tell you how hard it is to find a store that carries regular popcorn in Ireland? Eventually I found it. Anyway, a gale hit on Christmas Eve, we lost power but we had perhaps the most old fashioned Christmas imaginable. String that popcorn and turn out the lights! It makes for great memories.
LOVE this, Ceci! What a special time, what precious memories remain. Beautiful.
Ceci, thank you so much for inviting me here today. It’s been a joy. I’ll look in one more time before bed so I don’t miss anyone who may yet say hello.
For now, thanks again. So much.
Everyone, thank you so much for visiting me here today. I loved chatting with you about Christmas. Love you all!!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! 🙂
XXOOOXX
You are very welcome. Having you and your many fans here has been a blast! Thank you so much for sharing.
Ceci XOXO
My friend went off to Atlanta without giving me her Nook with the cracked screen so I still don’t have an ereader to read Once Upon a Highland Christmas on! 😦 However, I’ll get one because I want to read it, badly! I, too, have my grandmother’s PA Dutch Christmas cookie recipes but they are much more involved than yours: date-filled, Swedish, sugar (made with buttermilk), Russian tea cakes (later addition by my mother). I haven’t baked in a number of years now but I could make sugar cookies just like my grandmother did; made my father very happy (his mother you know). I remember many Christmases helping Mother bake these cookies and it was a great time. 🙂
Trudy, your recipes sound sooo good. Any chance of sharing them? I’d love the Swedish one, especially. And the Russian tea cakes. M’mmm… The German baking I do this time of year is pretty ‘intricate’ work, too. These sugar cookies are simple to make. I have other recipes for them, but love these best as this is my mother’s and grandmother’s recipe. If you can email me any of yours, I’d be thrilled. 🙂
What a shame about the Nook. There is a free reading app on amazon that you can download (for free :)) and it allows you to read Kindle books on your pc and/or phone, etc. So you can read Kindle books (like my novella) without actually having a Kindle or Nook device.
If you want to get the free app, go to my book’s amazon page and look for the Kindle reading app on the top right-hand side of the screen.
Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Highland-Christmas-ebook/dp/B00C102SZM?=tarinkblo-20
I believe BN has the same set-up for their Nook.
Ceci, thank you for hosting Sue Ellen today and also for the give away.
Sue-Ellen I am not sure I would want to go back as far as Medievall times to be shed of Black Sunday and all the craziness that has come to be the holidays. I think maybe going back to the 50’s would do it. Stores were not open on Sundays. The Christmas sales were after Christmas. Holiday decorations etc were not put out in the store before Halloween and you did not have to get your kids and grandkids way too gifts that will be broken or obsolete by New Year’s Day. But oh you make going back in time to the Highlands sounds so romantic and tempting. Thank you ever so much for the recipe. I will try that tomorrow.
Best to you all. Helen, in much warmer, Ark
Hi Helen! So good to see you in here. Thank goodness you’re warmer tonight. Brrrrr, you were really in the deep freeze for a quite a while.
I loved your Christmas recollections of the 1950s. I agree with every point you make, especially that the 50s would be a great era to keep on ‘perma-time.’ A more wholesome, Father Knows Best, Mayberry RFD, Leave It To Beaver, kind of world. ‘Course, I’d be even happier to land in medieval Scotland. No one would ever see me again! Except maybe Leah Weller, who I know would be there, too. (with bells on, like me)
Thank you so much for looking in tonight.
Let me know how the sugar cookies turn out. I made them tonight. 🙂
Happy Holidays!!
(((HUGS)))
Thank you for sharing your Christmas memories and traditions with us, Sue-Ellen. I enjoyed reading about them. I really loved Once Upon a Highland Christmas and hope to read it again soon. I can read Christmas stories all year long – I find them very comforting. I love Christmas cookies, but hubby isn’t big on sweets; I’m saving your recipe though!! Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.
Thanks for stopping by Jackie and Karen. I’m glad you enjoyed the interview. Good luck in the drawing and Merry Christmas. 🙂
Ceci
Enjoyed reading the blog today. I’ve always enjoyed the books of your that I’ve read.Have a great new year with your writing.
Thank you for the wonderful post. A must read for me.
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
Jackie and Mary,
Thanks for stopping by. I agree, Sue-Ellen is wonderful. Good luck in the drawing.
Ceci