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Boston Booksigning and New Covers!

Feeling blessed today. My publishers at HQN are sending me to Boston to the American Library Association this weekend to sign copies of the upcoming THE RAIN SPARROW. I love librarians, love libraries and feel so privileged to get to meet many of them. The Rain Sparrow releases in March.

And here's a look at the new cover for book 1 of the Honey Ridge Novels,  The Memory House. The book is being re-released in February in paperback form. So if you missed it the first time around, you can grab a copy very soon (and as a bonus, the price will be lower too!)  Enjoy.

Keeping Christ in Christmas-Our Jesus Tree

 I love Christmas. All of Christmas, the hustle and bustle, Santa Claus, snowflakes, but most of all I love Christmas because of Jesus. This year our family  wanted to decorate with more spiritual meaning but we found very little, not even any ornaments, when we went shopping for decorations. So we decided to come up with our own.  Mr. G, who is handy as all get out, used some boards he had on hand to build me a manger,  and the girls and I made paper ornaments proclaiming some of  the many names/titles  of Jesus. (We found the template online.) We added the angel ornaments we already had and proclaimed this our Jesus tree. Every time I look at it I have a good feeling and remember the true reason for Christmas.

Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge

Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge 

2 ¼ cups sugar

½ tall can evaporated milk (1/2 cup and a splash more)

1 stick (or ½ cup) butter or cooking margarine

1 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream/fluff

12 oz. package chocolate chips (2 cups)

1  3 oz. dark chocolate candy bar (80% cocoa)

½ cup chopped pecans or your favorite nut

In a heavy saucepan, bring first three ingredients to boil and boil on medium high for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and fluff and stir well until melted.

Add pecans.

Pour into buttered or sprayed 9 x 13 pan. Cool. Cut into squares. Store in airtight container.

 

Aunt Bill's Brown Candy - the original

Aunt Bill’s Brown Candy, the original

This original candy from my home state of Oklahoma is a rich, caramel-like fudge that makes a large amount-6 pounds. Recipe can be halved if desired. Aunt Bill’s takes quite a while to make, has some complicated instructions, and is expensive but worth the once yearly effort. This is my family’s favorite Christmas candy.

6 cups white granulated sugar – divided

2 cups whole milk (or cream)

1/4 pound or ½ cup butter or margarine

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 pounds coarsely chopped pecans (This is a lot of pecans—about 8 cups!)

1. In a heavy pan over low heat, begin heating 3 cups sugar.  (I use a cast iron skillet and wooden spoon.)  Stir constantly to prevent scorching. This will take about 30 minutes and will scorch if rushed.  When melted, it should be a light brown, caramel color.
2. As soon as you have the first sugar heating:
3. In a separate deep heavy pan, pour the remaining sugar and the milk. Cook over low heat. (Both mixtures will be cooking at the same time.)
4. When the first sugar is melted, begin pouring it slowly into the pan of sugar and milk. (The secret to mixing these ingredients together is to pour the golden sugar in a very thin, constant stream, no thicker than a knitting needle.) Stir constantly, remembering to stir the bottom too. This is easier if you make it a two-person task!
5. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture forms a firm ball when dropped into cold water. (250 degrees on the candy thermometer.)  Remove from heat. Add baking soda. Stir vigorously as it foams up.  Add butter and stir.
6. Set pan aside to cool for 20 minutes.  Add vanilla. Beat until mixture is thick and heavy and begins to loss its gloss.  Mix in pecans. Turn onto buttered, sided cookie sheetor 9 x 13 pans and let cool. Cut into one inch squares, store in airtight containers.

Blogger is being uncooperative and won't let me post a picture. Perhaps, later!

PEANUT BRITTLE, anyone?

Peanut Brittle

Tips:    Make on a dry day. Humidity above 40%  kills Peanut Brittle.

            Use a candy thermometer for best results.
            Have all ingredients measured, pan buttered and ready before you start.

2 cups sugar

1 cup white syrup

1/3 cup water

Dash salt

Stir all this in a big, heavy pot over high heat until it gets to boiling good. Lower heat to medium high and cook to hard ball stage. 260 degrees (Mixture forms a hard ball when dropped in cold water.)

Add:

2 cups peanuts

4 T. butter

Continue cooking over medium heat cook until hard crack or 300 degrees. The syrup turns a rich caramel brown and the peanuts begin to separate from their skins. Don’t scorch but be sure to cook long enough. Lift spoon from pot, let a small amount of syrup fall in a thin stream. If “spider webs” begin to spin from the spoon, it’s ready. Remove from heat.

Add:

3 t. soda mixed with 1-2 t. of vanilla

Mixture will foam up. Stir well and pour onto buttered cookie sheets. (2 regular or one large.) Spread thinly. Cool and then crack into pieces. Store in airtight containers or zip bags.

BLOG TOUR AND BIG GIVEAWAY!

November 11, 2015 I will joining a blog tour with a big giveaway.

Join me as I share my Christmas tradition of Candy Day and for a chance to win lots of goodies from these authors:

http://melissawatercolor.blogspot.com/2015/11/blog-tour-naughty-or-nice-with-linda.html

Participating authors/titles include:

·        Christmas in Mustang Creek by Linda Lael Miller (HQN)
·        When Secrets Strike by Marta Perry (HQN)
·        Act Like It by Lucy Parker (Carina)
·        Evergreen Springs by RaeAnne Thayne (HQN)
·        A Cold Creek Christmas Story by RaeAnne Thayne (HQN)

And me!

Harlequin will be giving away, among other things:

2 print copies of each: EVERGREEN SPRINGS by RaeAnne Thayne,
CHRISTMAS IN MUSTANG CREEK by Linda Lael Miller,
A COLD CREEK CHRISTMAS STORY by RaeAnne Thayne,
WHEN SECRETS STRIKE by Marta Perry and
THE CHRISTMAS FAMILY by Linda Goodnight

What is Love?

 

 I've been hearing a lot about love lately. We throw that word around a lot. Think about it. I love my husband. I love my  friends. I love chocolate ice cream. But I don't love my friends the way I love my  husband, nor do I love him the way I love ice cream. What then, is love?

Eskimos have more than fifty words for snow.  But we English speakers only have one word for love. The Greeks, however, had the right idea because they have at least four words for love. I'm no Greek scholar but it's pretty easy to check these out.

• Phileo - means brotherly or friendship love.  William Penn knew this when he named Philadelphia the "city of brotherly love."  Basically phileo means a warm,  platonic affection toward another person. 

• Storge - family affection. The love we have for our kids and close relatives. 

• Eros -  Sexual love. We get our word erotic from this. Eros was the Greek mythical god of passionate love, sexual love. 

• Agape -  The highest form of love. Perfect love. The God kind of love.  It's a committed, sacrificial love that overlooks faults, that loves no matter what and is freely given. It is the love that never ends, that isn't moved by circumstances, that won't quit when the going gets tough. Agape doesn't divorce or talk ugly or harbor ill feelings. It is the kind of love Jesus has for mankind. Agape took Him to the cross and raised Him from the dead that even those who misuse love for their own gratification can find salvation in Him if they seek it.

                                                                1 John 4:8

BLOG TOUR DATES, The Memory House

 THE MEMORY HOUSE releases Tuesday, March 31. Please join me the celebration.

Click on a link to join the conversation. I'll be giving away some books along the way so join me on the journey! 

March 30 - Article at Publishing Crawl.

March 31st - Seekerville - article on editing and a chance to win a book!

April 1st - Novel Escapes - Interview

April 3rd - Book Reviews and More by Kathy -Recipe  and feature
April 3rd - THE READING FRENZY - Interview

April 4th - Wicked Little Pixie -Review and recipe

April  5th - Be Nice or Leave - review

April 6th - Night Owl Reviews  - Excerpt and recipe card
April 7th - Craftie Ladies of Romance 

April 10th - www.sharonsrock.com - spotlight and book giveaway!

April 13 - http://margaretdaley.com/margarets-blog/ - interview and more chances to win The Memory House

"Fans of historical fiction and contemporary romance will be riveted and deeply moved by this rich and compelling novel."

"A beautiful second chance story."

"The imagery this story inspires is stunning."

" Fans of Dorothea Benton Frank, Luanne Rice, and Anne Rivers Siddons will enjoy “The Memory House”

Miss Julia's Peach Tea

In honor of the release of THE MEMORY HOUSE, I'm sharing the recipe for the delicious peach tea my heroine, Julia, makes for guests in her bed and breakfast inn, The Peach Orchard Inn. 

My  daughter and I can't get enough of it. It's refreshing, fruity, and sweet.

Miss Julia's Peach Tea

Makes about 1 quart

2  one qt. size teabags
2 cups water
Boil bags in water.
Pour boiled tea into a quart jar or pitcher and add 1/2 cup sugar. Stir.
Puree 2  fresh peaches for about a half cup of puree. Strain.
Juice of one lemon
Ice for glasses

Mix all together. Fill quart container the rest of the way with water.  . 
Garnish if desired with mint, toothpick of berries, a strawberry slice, peach slice floating around it in. (That's what I have in mine but the peaches this time of year were white!)

   The Memory House

The Memory House goes on sale March 31! Read an excerpt.

New York Times bestselling author Linda Goodnight welcomes you to Honey Ridge, Tennessee, and a house that's rich with secrets and brimming with sweet possibilities...

Easy Peasy Pie!

Love pie? Don't love to bake? I'm feelin' ya. So try this on today, NATIONAL PIE DAY!

Ice Box Pie

 

1 can Eagle Brand milk

6 TBSP. lemon juice

1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple

1 cup chopped pecans

1 big carton of Cool Whip

Optionally, add 1/2 cup flaked coconut.

Mix together first four ingredients. Fold in Cool Whip.  Put into a graham cracker crust or baked, cooled pie crust. Chill.

New Year's Good Luck Meal--Southern Black-eyed Peas with a Twist!

Ever wondered where the southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year's Day began?  Well, here you go! 

According to lore, during the Civil War, the Yankees pillaged and plundered the south until there was little left for southerners to eat except for black-eyed peas and greens. The  south survived and thrived on these nutrient rich, common foods and today they are a staple we love to enjoy anytime.  Add some cornbread-another southern staple-and a fortunate New Year is almost guaranteed!

 Try this healthy black-eyed pea salsa/side dish we call "Cowboy Caviar". There are many variations. This is ours.

                                                            Cowboy Caviar
                                                         The Goodnight Way

1 can whole corn, drain half the juice
1 can black-eyed peas, drain half the juice
1 bell pepper, diced (The red or yellow ones make it pretty, but green will do.)
½ cup green onions, diced (any onion will do)
1 medium tomato, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic

Optional: If you like spicy, add a chopped jalepeno.

Mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

Dressing
½ cup vinegar
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup oil

Mix the sugar and vinegar together until the sugar melts. Then add the oil and mix well. Pour over the vegetables, stir and chill for about an hour until the flavors get well acquainted. Can be made the night before. Serve as a cold side dish or as a dip with tortilla chips or Fritos.

WISHING YOU A HAPPY  AND PROSPEROUS 2015!

Orange Slice Treats and an Old Fashioned Christmas

 So, I was at our little bitty, local IGA yesterday—love this store--and ran across the old fashioned candies I remember from childhood. Frankly, I never liked the taste but I LOVE the smell so I bought some. They smell like Christmas to me.
As I was talking to the checker, she told me this recipe. I’ve yet to try it, but it’s simple and yummy looking and adds a festive attitude to the plain old forerunner to gummy bears. Let me know if you try it.

                                                              Orange Slice Treats
Orange slice candies
Powdered sugar
Pecans, chopped or ground
Put candy in microwavable bowl and microwave until soft. Twenty seconds is plenty in my microwave. Immediately, place the candy between slices of plastic wrap, waxed paper or parchment paper and roll out until flat. Dip in powdered sugar and then in pecans.
Let cool and enjoy!

YUM UPDATE:  A marvelous Facebook friend gave me an even better idea! Cut the orange slices in half lengthwise and dip in melted dark chocolate.  Oh, yeah!




________

The Memory House  is coming March 31, 2015 - available for preorder now, y'all!!

Welcome to Peach Orchard Inn, a house that's rich in secrets, history and sweet possibilities....

"The Memory House is a  beautiful, rich, memorable story filled with tenderness and heart." NY Times Bestselling Author, RaeAnne Thayne

Preorder from any retailer including these:
Amazon   Barnes and Noble  Indie Bound  eharlequin

Christmas Traditions

We have a Christmas tradition at our  house that I dearly love. It started a few years ago, sort of spontaneously. We'd always baked a cake and sung happy birthday to Jesus but one year my older daughter, Sundy, came up with a twist on the idea. We generally have around 20 or 30 people at our house for Christmas dinner and frankly, by the time we eat, no one wants a big piece of cake. So my girls bake mini-cupcakes, spelling out "Happy Birthday, Jesus" with a letter on each tiny cake.  While everyone is still gathered in the living room, we put a candle in each cupcake and pass one out to each person. Then we light the candles, turn off the lights and sing to Jesus.

What traditions -old or new- do you keep in your family?

COWBOY UNDER THE MISTLETOE - New Book News

 

Order Cowboy Under the Mistletoe

Yippee! It's finally here. The first book in my new series from Love Inspired has hit the shelves to get you  warmed up for the Christmas season!

Here's a bit about it:

Second-Chance Christmas
It's been nine years since Jake Hamilton broke Allison Buchanon's heart and left town. But she's never been able to forget the high school boy she secretly loved. Now Jake's come home to care for his ailing grandmother, and Allison's family will do anything to prevent a rekindled romance. Unfortunately, the connection between Allison and the green-eyed cowboy is undeniable. She believes that forgiveness is possible, especially at Christmas. But Jake cares too deeply about Allison to take her away from the close-knit Buchanon clan. Will Allison have to choose between a loving family and the love of her life?

The Buchanons: Steeped in loyalty, bound by family.

Let me know if you like it or better yet, post a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Thank you so much!

Remember if you have a Good Report to share, send it to me and if I use it on my blog, I'll send you a brand new copy of Cowboy Under the Mistletoe!

linda   @   lindagoodnight  dot com

Today's Lost Youth, Dog Food, and a ROK

It all started with a bag of dog food. A BIG bag of dog food. Fifty pounds of dog food. If you guessed I have several large dogs, you'd be correct. I was at Walmart when the husband called to say we were out of dog food. I don't usually make these purchases because fifty pounds is heavy and I'm a wimp. But this day I braved it to save an extra trip to town.

Back in the pet aisle, the fifty pounders were stacked so that I had to wrestle a bag forward and then hoist it up and into my cart. To say I was making little progress is putting it mildly but I could do it. Eventually. Suddenly, a pair of masculine hands appeared and took hold of the bag. A young man probably 19 or 20 said, "Let me get that for you." I didn't know this young man nor was he an employee. He was simply a shopper with wonderful manners and a pair of strong arms.

Has anything like this ever happened to you?

If you have good news or a random act of kindness to share, please email me. If I choose your anecdote for the blog, I'll send you a print copy of one of my recent books!

linda  @ lindagoodnight   dot   com

The Good News Blog

More than once lately I've complained that the "News" programs on TV report only bad news, never the good stuff.  When a person walks through a dark season in her life, as I have this year, finding the joy in life is often difficult. As I floundered, searching for a way to escape the doldrums, I heard a simple sermon by a young preacher on maintaining joy in life. His text was from Phillipians 8.

 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Is it really that simple? Is it worth a try?


Then I heard someone talking about the state of the world, how bad everything was, how disrespectful today's youth are, etc. Negative, negative. No wonder we are in the doldrums. All around is negativity and  bad news.  There must be good things happening in this world. We are just too programmed toward the bad to notice.

And so begins my new purpose for this blog. To find and accent the GOOD. Sure, I'll still post a recipe or news about a book's release-that's good news to me--but I'm more interested in the little daily moments of good news.

Stay tuned, on Monday I have a Random Act of Kindness to share with you!

Easy Peach Cobbler-only four ingredients!

Last night, I wanted pie. While I resisted that urge, I succumbed to an easy version of peach cobbler. This recipe makes a light amount of crust with lots of peaches. Sorry we ate it so fast, I forgot to a take picture. 

Easy Peach Cobbler

Ingredients needed:

Peaches, self-rising flour, sugar, butter

For crust, blend together the following until crumbly:

1 cup self-rising flour
½ cup sugar or a combination of sugar and Splenda
½ stick butter or margarine, melted

Sprinkle about ¼ of the crumbs on the bottom of a sprayed 8 x 8 pan.

Spoon in 1 large can of peaches (about 29 oz), including juice.
Top with remaining crust crumbs.
Drizzle on another melted ½ cup butter.
Sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over that.

Bake at 350 about 1 hour.

Serve hot. Good with Cool Whip or ice cream.

Optionally, you can add a little cinnamon and/or nutmeg to the peaches.

First Kisses is on sale for 99 cents!! Whoopee!

Six authors, six great books!

http://inspykisses.blogspot.com/

Too much fun! I loved doing this collection with these fabulous women. And I loved reading all the books. I think you will too. A wonderful mix of genres, so there is something for everyone.

For a limited time, we are offering the new FIRST KISSES COLLECTION FOR ONLY 99 CENTS!

 Okay, I couldn't resist posting the hero from my book. Is he great or what!!!

Inspy Kisses Video

First Kisses is so much fun! Remember yours?

Enjoy this sneak peak at the exciting new collaboration between five of my author friends and me. Sweet, inspiring, and romantic!

Let me know if you like it.