Okay – I’m going to show my age here, but does anyone remember the movie, The Three Lives of Thomasina? It was released in the early 60’s by Walt Disney, and the film sticks in my mind as being special because it was the first one I ever saw in a real theatre.
I still remember getting out of the car and walking across the parking lot. It was nighttime and cool, and I was very excited. I loved that movie. It starred Karen Dotrice (she played Jane in Mary Poppins) as Mary. When her precious cat, Thomasina, runs away and is injured, she and her friends take the sick cat to see a woman they believe is a witch with healing powers. Mary’s recently widowed father (a vet) tangles with the woman, and they become attracted to one another. Thomasina is instrumental in bringing them all together, the adults fall in love, get married and live happily ever after. Of course. 🙂
I’d always relished the concept of a character shunned by the community but somehow saves the day and is loved by all in the end . (My second book with Leisure, Lady Gypsy, has this same plotline.) When I had the opportunity to be part of Harlequin Historicals next Christmas anthology with long-time pal, Cheryl St. John and Jenna Kernan, I chose this concept for my story, titled One Magic Eve.
The recipe I included and wove into the story is the yummy rosette, another fond memory from my childhood. The fragile cookies are made by dipping festive-shaped irons into thin batter and then fried; when cooled, they could be dusted with powdered sugar or their edges dipped into a glaze. The fried cookies were a special treat my Sicilian grandmother made for us during the holidays, but it’s a cookie favorite throughout the world.
You’ll find our individual writing styles makes each story in Western Winter Wonderland unique. We hope you’ll be inspired by our tales of the joys of family, love and Christmas traditions you find within the pages.
So, tell us. Do you love holiday anthologies as much as we authors love writing them? Any favorites? Have you had rosettes before? I’d love to hear!
Take a minute to post a comment (until midnight CST), and I’ll put your name in a drawing for a special copy of Western Winter Wonderland, signed by all three of us!
Excerpts:
Christmas Day Family by Cheryl St.John
Fallen Angel by Jenna Kernan
One Magic Eve by Pam Crooks
Much easier contest to enter 😉
back to checking emails…
Hey, Sybil. I’m learnin’.
(You have a memory like an elephant. Hee!)
Yes, I love holiday anthologies. It is great to read each short story between times that I am running around in a frenzy to prepare for a holiday and get help staying in the holiday mood.
I totally remember that movie! My mom used to rent it on VHS for me 🙂 I love reading holiday anthologies, I like to read the Christmas ones in bed on Christmas Eve.
LOLOLOL
Pam!! I was meaning the Berkley contest, which I am lucky hasn’t crashed the site. LOL but your last contest was much harder than this one…. wasn’t it ;).
Pam, I totally love anthologies and Christmas is a wonderful setting for them. I have never had a rosette before but they sound fabulous!
I love holiday anthologies as well! They help put me in the holiday spirit. I’ve never eaten a rosette before but they look and sound really yummy. 🙂
I love holiday anthologies, with Christmas anthologies being my favorites. Christmas always feels like such a time of hopefulness and possibility to me, that I can’t imagine a better time for a love story.
I have had a rosette at a Christmas party, in fact. It was quite yummy. I’m on a diet right now though, so I’m afraid to even look at the picture for too long lol.
Hugs, Zara
Oooo… I LOVE Rosettes!! So yummy when warm and crisp, dusted with confectioners sugar! Mmmmm…. I don’t have a Rosette wand thing though. I’ve always eaten them at other people’s houses. Maybe Santa will bring me one this year! 😉 … along with a Christmas Anthology. Wouldn’t that be a great gift?
I love Christmas Anthologies because the stories are always so sweet! Short, heart-warming and comforting, the kind the make you glad to be inside buried in a pile of blankets while it’s snowing outside. And I’ve never had a rosette – which is surprising given that I’m addicted to sweets of any kind – but they sound delicious! With a big glass of milk and a good book…mmmmm. 🙂
Hi, everyone! Little Lamb Lost–what a unique name. I love it!
Lis, so you remember Thomasina, eh? Isn’t funny how some really stick with you and others you never think about again?
Buffie and Andrea, never had a rosette before? Oh, I hope you get to, sometime soon?
Zara, you nailed the mood and purpose of the Christmas anthologies perfectly! Well said! Good luck on the diet, too!
Christine, LOL. You’re right–great gifts!!
Mary M, you must live someplace where it gets cold in winter–like we do here in Nebraska. Can’t beat a blizzard, warm blankets and a good book–great combination!
Thanks for posting!
Time to draw a winner! My husband and I have this snazzy way of picking names. He picks a number, I count and voila! A winner.
So my winner today of a copy of WESTERN WINTER WONDERLAND signed by me, Cheryl and Jenna is . . . Andrea!! Woo-hoo!!!
Email me at pacrooks@radiks.net, send me your snail mail addy and I’ll send you a book pronto.
Thank you for stopping by, ladies!
Last but not least, Sybil, my heartfelt thanks to YOU for inviting me, Cheryl, and Jenna to talk about our book.
Are you going to San Francisco? I’ll buy you a drink, dah-ling!
Thank you so much, Pam! And thanks to your hubby, too. I sent you my addy. 🙂