Holiday Cheer - Gifts from the Afterlife

WIN A NOOK HD in Holiday Cheer Event

By Sarah J. McNeal

Nothing is more fun than blogging around Christmas, especially when there are free prizes offered. It doesn’t get much better than a free Nook HD.

To help spread the cheer and enjoy a little time talking about Christmas and great stories during the season, I would like to celebrate my single release, Gifts From The Afterlife, just out for just $.99. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I love the $.99 store. I can’t think of anything more fun for the price. To add to the fun, I am giving away a digital copy of Gifts From The Afterlife to someone who leaves a comment. Be sure to include your email address at the end of your comment.

How dark must it get before Lydia sees the light?

Blurb:

Lydia Sinclair’s life has run off the rails.  She has lost everyone she loves and Christmas has lost its meaning.  As Christmas approaches, Lydia wants to go to sleep and never wake up again.  Perhaps an angel, some ghosts and a childhood sweetheart can convince her that life is worth living again.  Can Lydia let go of what once was, renew her joy in Christmas and find the promise of hope for her future? 

Short Excerpt:

She searched her memory and it suddenly came to her that she had, indeed, met a young boy from next door. However, her contacts with him had always been brief. He had been a cute kid, but she couldn't remember much of what he ever said except for once. Lydia, her sister, and a couple of their friends were camping out in an old tent. Austin came over with a bag of fresh baked cookies his Aunt Mimi made to give to them. They shared a few cookies while Lydia told them a ghost story with only the moon to illuminate the tent. When she finished and everyone stopped screaming, Austin had leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Some day when I'm grown up, I'm going to marry you."

The memory came floating back like a pink bubble. She definitely wouldn't tell him about that memory. Instead, she kept it simple and neutral. "I do remember seeing you from time to time."

He smiled and his eyes told her he remembered that night in the tent, too.

Buy Links:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/245342

Amazon.com:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009VLI3CG

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

       Provided by Sarah J. McNeal

½ cup butter or margarine                               1/3 cup Hershey’s cocoa

2/3 cup sugar                                                   ¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg yolk (set aside the egg white)                Vanilla Filling (below)

2 tablespoons milk                                          Granulated sugar  

1 teaspoon vanilla                                           ½ cup walnuts or pecans ground

1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour                      2 dozen Hershey kisses 

Cream butter, 2/3 cup sugar, egg yolk, milk and vanilla in small mixer bowl; blend into creamed mixture.  Chill dough about an hour or until firm enough to handle.  Keep the egg white at room temperature until dough is ready to handle.  Then beat the egg white until frothy and place in a small bowl.  Roll each ball in either the granulated sugar or the ground nuts and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Make a thumbprint in each cookie. 

Place in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

While the cookies are cooling,

Prepare Vanilla Filling:

Thoroughly combine ½ cup confections’ sugar, I tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoons milk and ¼ teaspoon vanilla

Once the cookies have cooled, place a dollop of vanilla filling in the thumbprint and top with a Hershey Kiss. 

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