Buckeyes for Christmas #Candy #Recipe @DonnaFaz

Buckeyes

Makes about 6 dozen

1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 – 4 cups confectioners sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoon vegetable shortening

1.     Mix together the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt until well combined and smooth. Add 2 cups confectioners sugar until well incorporated. Add another 1 – 2 cups confectioners sugar just until the mixture rolls easily into balls and stays on a toothpick. (I used 3 cups in the batch I made.)

2.     Roll into balls that are about 1 inch in diameter. Place on waxed paper on cookie sheets and refrigerate for about 2 hours.

3.     Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in microwave, stirring every minute, until completely melted and smooth. (My chocolate melted in 2 minutes, but all microwaves vary.)

4.     Pick up each ball with a toothpick and dip into chocolate to cover 3/4 of the surface. Place Buckeyes on waxed paper covered cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm. Keep refrigerated. Will keep a week in an airtight container.  

FOLLOWING HIS HEART by Donna Fasano #Romance #Series @DonnaFaz

Good morning and ho-ho-ho! I’m happy to announce that Release Day has finally arrived!

FOLLOWING HIS HEART is now available for Kindle, Nook, Kobo, iBook, and in Paperback. This novel would make a perfect holiday gift for the romance reader in your life (especially if that reader is you). Here’s a bit about the book.

Sara Carson is a 30-something widow with a busy life. Two fun-loving best friends, a caring mom who needs her, and a thriving sweet shop. What more could a woman want? But when the ancient plumbing in her shop springs a leak and a gorgeous, dark-eyed stranger rushes to her rescue, hilarity unfolds—and Sara quickly sees exactly what she's been missing.

Something most peculiar draws Landon Richards to Ocean City, Maryland—and to the lovely Sara. This woman touches his heart like no other, and the two of them explore the heady attraction that pulses between them. But haunting dreams have a way of encroaching on reality, and the strange phenomenon that brings these two together will also threaten to tear them apart.

This is the first book in the Ocean City Boardwalk Series, where life for three enterprising women, Sara, Heather, and Cathy, isn't just fun in the sun—love is waiting on those sandy shores!

You can find FOLLOWING HIS HEART in these stores:

US Kindle        UK Kindle        CA Kindle

Nook Book

US Kobo        UK Kobo

iBook Worldwide

US Paperback     UK Paperback

I hope you enjoy my book!

To stir a little conversation, I have to ask...have you ever been to Ocean City, Maryland? Are you a beach lover? What's YOUR favorite beach town?

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

All I Want For Christmas

 It’s that time of year—the hustle and bustle of shopping, those carols that have you humming, baking all those delicious treats, wrapping gifts of all sizes, trimming the tree with glittery lights and ornaments. Who doesn’t love Christmas?

To children all over the world, this is a magical time. There are wish lists to be made and re-made. A visit to sit on Santa’s lap is an absolute necessity. Every boy and girl hopes and prays that they haven’t made The Naughty List.

As we get older, though, and have children and grandchildren of our own, we realize just how right The Grinch got it.

“It came without ribbons. It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes, or bags.

The Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store.

Maybe Christmas, he thought, means a little bit more.”*

When we get a little life experience under our belts, we understand that Christmas is all about love—ocean-deep, unexplainable, unimaginably beautiful. This time of year reminds us who we are and what we believe, and we’re also reminded that we should love one another and respect each other.

If I could have anything imaginable, I think I would ask for world peace, and an end to world hunger. Tall orders, I know. But this IS a magical time of year.

For myself, I’d ask for one more family reunion with all those loved ones who have passed: my brother, my parents, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. Wow, what a wonderful party THAT would be.

If you could wish for anything—anything at all—what would you ask for this Christmas?  

*Quote taken from How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss.

New Release by .@JackieWeger ~ No Perfect Destiny ~ #GreatBookDeal #eNovAaW

My friend, author Jackie Weger, has a brand new book available for your Kindle, and she’s offering it for 99¢ (77p in the UK) for a very limited time. Have a look. Jackie spins fun and entertaining tales!

Leah Spenser owns a decrepit car, a budget that won’t stretch, and the moxie to make a decent life. She lives in the present until one sun-drenched day, a past she has outrun imperils her future and threatens all she holds dear. When her boss announces that someone is embezzling company funds, history begins to repeat itself. Detective Leo Garvey has her in his sights as the number one suspect and more. Leah knows she must be careful, that nothing good could come from his attraction. Leo doesn’t see it her way. Guilty or innocent, she is the one. Convincing Leah the past can only be escaped by embracing something better seems to fall on deaf ears. While Leo works to uncover the truth, Leah determines it will never surface.

Kindle US          Kindle UK

~ ~ ~

The first book in the series, NO PERFECT SECRET, is value priced at $2.99 (£1.85 in the UK) and has over 110 reviews with a 4.5-star average. Wow!

A single secret begets a layer of lies. 

Anna Nesmith believes she has it all--a great marriage, a dream job and a home of her own. When a State Department investigator begins asking questions, Anna’s ordered world implodes. Frank Caburn is man to the bone and manufactures testosterone like Frito Lay does chips. Instantly attracted to Anna, he is determined to make her his own--if only she can pick through the emotional rubble to find her bruised heart can love once again.

Kindle US        Kindle UK

Old Fashioned Blueberry Buckle #Recipe by @DonnaFaz

Old Fashioned Blueberry Buckle

Sometimes, you just can’t improve on a recipe. This Blueberry Buckle is moist and delicious. Perfect with a cup of hot tea!

For the cake –

1/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup milk

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

For the topping –

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup cold butter, cubed

1.     Preheat oven 350º F. Spray a 9 inch square pan with baking spray.

2.     To make the cake, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Stir in the milk. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Spread half the batter evenly into the bottom of the greased baking dish. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries evenly on top of the batter. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the blueberries. Sprinkle the final 1/2 cup of blueberries on top of the batter.

3.     To make the topping, place the sugar, flour, and cinnamon into a bowl and mix to combine. Add the cubed butter and rub between fingers and thumbs until the topping resembles crumbles. Sprinkle the topping over the cake.

4.     Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool before serving.

What's your favorite old fashioned tea-time snack? 

Happy Thanksgiving from Donna Fasano @DonnaFaz

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. 

~Aesop

Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance. ~Eckhart Tolle

Gratitude turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and a vision for tomorrow. 

~Melody Beattie

12 Topics of Conversation

Thanksgiving is right around the corner which means hoards of family and friends will be converging together for a day of festivities. It doesn’t take long to “catch up” with regards to the job, the kids, etc. Then here it comes. That dreaded awkward silence. Well, here’s a list of questions that will help keep the conversation flowing.

·        Tell me something about you I don’t know.

·        If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Why?

·        What’s the oddest [funniest, most embarrassing, etc] thing that’s happened to you since we last talked?

·        What’s the best gift you ever gave someone? Received?

·        Name five things you can’t live without.

·        What’s the worst job you ever had?

·        Tell me about your most memorable vacation. Your best? Your worst?

·        What would you do if you won the lottery?

·        Have you ever broken the law?

·        What underutilized skills do you have? In other words, what are you good at that others might not know about?

·        Tell me about your guilty pleasures.

·        What one book do you think should be required reading?

Remember, conversation is a two-way street. Offering your perspective will inspire others to do the same. Relax, enjoy this time with family and friends. And if all else fails, turn to the NFL; the Bears will play the Lions, the Eagles will take on the Cowboys, and the Seahawks will challenge the 49ers.

Do you have an unusual conversation starter? Please share in a comment below.

Happy Thanksgiving!

New Book Video: An Almost Perfect Christmas

I'd like to thank Kat Brooks, 

Co-Admin at Indies Unlimited, 

for making this fabulous book trailer 

for my new Christmas novella. 

Creamy Italian Chicken Soup #Crock-pot #Recipe @DonnaFaz

Delicious, flavorful, and husband approved! This soup serves 6 hearty portions.

1 14 ounce can coconut milk

1 14 ounce can chicken broth

1 8 ounce can tomato sauce

1 14 ounce can diced tomato (with juice)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon dried basil

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 15 ounce can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained

3 medium carrots, sliced into half-inch rounds

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless

1. Add the coconut milk, broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, garlic, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to the crock-pot and stir to combine.

2. Add the beans, carrots, celery, and onion. Stir.

3. Add chicken breasts. Cover crock-pot with lid and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. (All crock-pots vary in cooking temperatures, so adjust cooking times to your crock-pot.)

4. When ready to serve, shred chicken using 2 forks. Stir to distribute chicken. Enjoy!

Wow! #99¢ eBook Extravaganza - 20 Bks That Are Less Than A Buck

Update! Some prices have changed. Please check price before purchasing!

~  ~  ~

Each e-book below has been reduced to 99¢. I don’t know how long these prices will last, so grab them while you can. Clicking the covers will take you directly to the Kindle Store. This is one time I don’t mind being called easy and cheap. *laughing* Now, go! Shop! Let's celebrate the arrival of November.

  
  

   

    
    
    
  

Self-Publishing 101: Your Amazon Author Page

Many of you know I run a blog called Awesome Romance Novels. All too often as I write up the posts for the books I promote, I'm surprised to see that authors have not created an Author Page on Amazon. Why, oh, why do authors not take advantage of this wonderful marketing tool?

I won’t lecture you about the many reasons you should climb up onto this FREE soapbox that Amazon offers, but I will recommend that you do it. And I’ll even give you a quick how-to:

1.     Create an account at AuthorCentral.com. Here’s how.

2.     Once your account is created, claim your books.

3.     Upload a photo of yourself. Readers love to actually see you!

4.     Write an active bio which includes accolades, awards, and social media information.

5.     Use Author Central to update the product descriptions of your books.

6.     Check your Author Ranking. It’s a really cool feature.

For more information on Author Central and the importance of this platform, see Jackie Weger’s post on Novel Authors At Work. Also, check out what Amazon has to say about all that Author Central has to offer.

Now go do it. Do it now!

Do you have a Self-Publishing 101 tip to offer? Please share your knowledge in the comment section.