To all the hard working mothers out there,
here's a small treat for you!
Three sweet romance e-books for under a dollar.
Enjoy!
Have a beautiful weekend!
How to Start a Book Club
I have a dear friend who is a
member of a book club. She enjoys meeting up with other readers and discussing
the books that the group has chosen to read. I asked her to give me some tips
on how to start a book club. Here’s what she suggested:
1.
Decide on the “tone”
of the club. Will the feel be seriously academic, highly social, or
somewhere in between?
2.
Genre matters! What
kind of books will be read? Will the group focus on best-selling literature or
mass market genres such as mysteries, romances, thrillers, etc?
3.
The “when” and “where”
also matter. How often will the group meet? It seems once a month is about the
average. If you want to meet more often, breaking the reading into chapters
(read chapters 5 through 10 before the next meeting) will work. And will you
meet in someone’s home? Or rotate meeting locations? Meeting in the local
library might be an option.
4.
Decide on the
size of the group. Probably between 8 and 16 members is a good size. Large
enough to have a good conversation even if several members are absent, but not
so large as to make the discussion overwhelming.
5.
Naming the group
might be a fun “ice breaker” at the first meeting.
6.
Keeping in touch:
exchange emails and set up a “loop” or create a phone tree for meeting
reminders or emergency cancellations.
7.
Going above and
beyond—collect dues and use the money to buy books for the local library, a
school, or donate the money to a local literacy program.
Here are some suggestions on how
to structure your meetings (with or without a leader).
Find ideas for promoting
discussion here.
Are you a book club member?
How often do you meet? What types of books does your group read?
Bean Soup with Ham ~ Dad’s Favorite #Recipe
After enjoying a few 70 degree days here, we woke to discover that Spring had decided to chill us to the bone again. I thought a nice pot of soup was in order. While preparing the beans and chopping the vegetables, I thought a lot about my dad. This was his favorite meal. He really loved to enjoy a bowl of bean soup along with a wedge of moist corn bread slathered with butter. I know he was up there in heaven smiling down on me as I cooked.
Bean Soup with Ham
1 lb beans (see note below)
32 ounces chicken broth
2 cups water, more if needed (see note below)
1 large onion, chopped fine
3 stalks celery, leafy tops included, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, sliced into rounds
2 cups smoked ham, cut into half inch cubes
2 cups mixed greens, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Prepare beans. Soak them overnight in water, then drain off the soaking water. OR cover the beans with water and bring to a boil. Let sit for at least one hour and drain off the water.
Notes:
About the beans: I used pinto (my dad’s favorite), but you can use any mild-flavored bean you like. Navy, Great Northern, or cannelloni would be good substitutes.
About the water: You might need to add more water during the cooking. The beans should remain covered with liquid. I usually add another cup before the soup is finished.
#Rafflecopter #Giveaway! Gift cards, paperbacks, ebks! April 25-27! @DonnaFaz
Novels by #eNovAaW Bestselling authors up for Grabs!
Awesome Book Giveaway!
Giveaway begins April 25!
$10 Amazon Gift Card from Jackie Weger
No Perfect Fate by Jackie Weger (Print copy, US Only)
Setting Up House by Jackie Weger (eCopy, US Only)
No More Mulberries by Mary Smith (eCopy)
Drunk Chickens and Burnt Macaroni by Mary Smith (eCopy)
$10 Amazon Gift Card from R.P. Dahlke
Hurricane Hole by R.P. Dahlke (eCopy)
A Dangerous Harbor by R.P. Dahlke (eCopy)
$10 Amazon Gift Card from Bronwyn Elsmore
Every Five Minutes by Bronwyn Elsmore (eCopy via Amazon)
Seventeen Seas by Bronwyn Elsmore (eCopy via Amazon)
Special Prize - New Zealand Only:
Print copy of Every Five Minutes or Seventeen Seas by Bronwyn Elsmore
Mazie Baby by Julie Frayn (eCopy)
It Isn't Cheating If He's Dead by Julie Frayn (eCopy)
$10 Amazon Gift Card from Donna Fasano
Following His Heart by Donna Fasano (Print copy, US Only)
Any Back List Book by Donna Fasano (eCopy)
How To Make A Recycled T-Shirt Grocery Tote Bag
This “no sew” project is fun, easy, and will keep all those awful plastic grocery bags from ending up in your local landfill. Follow these three simple steps and in five minutes you can turn an old t-shirt into a reusable grocery tote bag, a beach bag, or a craft carry-all.
1. Cut the hem off the t-shirt. Save it! We’re going to use it in a minute.
2. Cut away the neck and the sleeves. These can be discarded.
3. Turn the t-shirt inside out, gather the bottom fabric together, and tie it off, using the bottom hem from step 1. Tie it tightly. I wrapped mine twice and double knotted it. Turn right-side out, and you’re done!
I love recycling/reusing. Share your ideas for how to recycle old t-shirts in the comments section.
RECLAIM MY HEART ~ 224 Reviews, 4.5-Star Average @DonnaFaz #Montlake
 |
| A USA Today Bestselling Novel! |
Almost a year and half ago
(my, how time flies!) Montlake Romance published RECLAIM MY HEART. The book now
has 224 reviews with a 4.5-star average. The book’s themes—racial prejudice, family
relationships, teen pregnancy, coping with life’s difficulties, forgiveness, etc—are
ones with which readers seem to identify. More times than not, life isn’t tied
up in a nice, pretty bow and we are left to figure out how to deal with friends
or family members whose character traits are, well, less than perfect. But none
of us are perfect, are we? We’re all just humans… being. (Many of my books
touch on this fact.) The best we can do is learn to live and let live, learn to
love those who are unlovable, and most of all, we must find it in our hearts to
forgive. I’m so proud that RECLAIM MY HEART has done well, and I thank all of
you who have read, enjoyed, and taken the time to review the book.
Some of my favorite review
clips:
“This book really hit home
for me... I enjoyed the characters as I could relate to each of them. I love
the story and I have to say that I wish there was a continuing story. I would
love to know how everyone is doing since the reunion... Thank you for a good,
heart-warming story.”
“Excellent … Hard to put
down. Looking forward to reading more from this writer. Truly a memorable
reading experience.”
“The best book I've read in a
long time.”
“…the characters came alive. …addressed
so many issues and left you with so much meaning, pride and joy.”
RECLAIM MY HEART is available
in paperback, for Kindle , and also as an audio book.
Find other books I have written here.
I'm A Winner! @DonnaFaz @BooksAndPals
I am so excited to announce
that FOLLOWING HIS HEART won
BigAl's Books And Pals Readers' Choice Award
Best Romance of 2015.
Woo-hoo!
Thank you to everyone who voted for my book!
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