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October 25, 2015
SIZZLE IN THE SNOW: A SOUL MATE CHRISTMAS COLLECTION
Eight steamy romances by eight Soul Mate Publishing
authors . . .
This Christmas season, Soul Mate Publishing and editor,
Char Chaffin, presents Sizzle In The Snow: A Soul Mate
Christmas Collection, an anthology available November
25th on Amazon and Soul Mate Publishing. The featured authors and
their stories include:
- Beth
Carter http://bethcarter.com/, Santa
Baby
- Amy Deason https://amydeason.wordpress.com/,
Second Chances: A Christmas Story - Crystal
Firsdon http://crystalfirsdon.com/, 'Twas
the Crazy Night Before Christmas
- CD
Hersh https://cdhersh.wordpress.com/, Kissing
Santa
- Kim
Hotzon http://kimhotzon.com/, The
Snow Bird
- Ryan Jo
Summers http://www.ryanjosummers.com/, Tamed
by Christmas
- Tina
Susedik http://www.tinasusedik.com/, Operation
Santa
- Cheryl
Yeko http://www.cherylyeko.com/, Christmas
Eve Surprise
Welcome to our third newsletter in
celebration of the release of Sizzle In The Snow: A Soul Mate Christmas
Collection.
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Check your inbox every ten days for each newsletter.
Inside you'll find great decorating tips, recipes and cocktails, excerpts,
craft ideas, song links, holiday memories, and personalized cards and poems by
the authors!
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Cocktail Corner
Busy shopping, wrapping and socializing?
Kick back with a festive cocktail!
Recipe shared by Cheryl Yeko!
Candy Cane Cocktail
Ingredients
1 shot vanilla rum
1 shot white chocolate liqueur (recommended: Godiva)
1 shot peppermint schnapps
Candy cane, garnish
Add all liquid ingredients to cocktail shaker filled
with ice. Shake well and strain into martini glass. Garnish with candy cane.
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Tina Susedik has a
wonderful holiday memory to share . . .
All four of my grandparents came over from Germany
after WWI, and, of course, spoke German as well as English. As my siblings and
cousins grew up, we learned a few words of German.
One Christmas when my parents were particularly short of
cash for gifts, my mother decided to teach my two older sisters and me to sing
Silent Night in German. I was six, my two sisters 8 and 10. We sang in three
part-harmony. This would have been 1958.
I remember standing in the doorway between my Grandma's
parlor and living room. We were surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins (there
were a lot of them), and my two sets of grandparents. My mom played the piano.
The room was dead silent. Everyone stared at us. Then we started singing (OMG.
I'm starting to tear up as I write this). When we finished, tears were running
down the adults' faces, but none more than my grandparents.
This became a tradition whenever we were at my
grandparents' farm for Christmas. One year I had a cold, developed laryngitis,
and couldn't sing. I cried and cried as Barb and Pat sang without me. We'd had
this dream of becoming the next Lennon Sisters and I ruined it.
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Music Corner
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I’ve always liked my Christmas music rocked up, so
I’m partial to Mannheim Steamroller. Here’s one of my Christmas favorites,
Carol of the Bells.
Title:
Carol of the Bells
Song Link:
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Craft Corner
Feeling crafty? Ryan Jo Summers shares
a festive DIY craft:
My DIY craft is felt snowmen. Super easy to make and
fairly quick. They do not require lots of expensive items
Start with various sized bottles or jars. Mine all came
from white bottles: supplements, OTC medicine, etc... Almost any round object
would work. Also, white felt, black felt, orange felt. Amounts will be based on
sizes of bottles and number of snowmen to be made. Lastly, glue. Elmer's school
style or hot glue are both fine.
First, glue white felt around the empty bottle or jar.
Then glue black felt around the top for a hat. Length will depend on overall
desired size of hat. To make the hat brim, cut a hole in the center of a black
felt circle slightly larger than the bottle's/ jar's diameter. Pull over
bottle/ jar and glue in place.
Lastly, add googly eyes, orange felt nose and cheeks.
Tie ribbons (Christmas design or not) around hat and/or body. Use puffy paint
to draw a mouth and outline the nose. If you have a tall enough snowman, glue
some buttons under the mouth to indicate a torso.
Viola! All done!
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Book Corner
We promised a sneak peek, so here goes . . .
Author Kim Hotzon gives an excerpt of
their short story, The Snow Bird!
Standing beneath him, she caught a glimpse of his butt
encased in his jeans. He wore a navy fleece jacket and a matching hat. Even
dressed like this, it was evident Tony had a sculpted, God-like physique. Her
pulse raced as she pictured him naked, reclining on a sheepskin rug in front of
a roaring fireplace. Or wrapping a white towel around his waist as he came out
of the shower . . .
Lauren was startled when Tony nearly stepped on her
hand. She had been so lost in thought, she hadn't realized he'd almost descended
the ladder.
"You all right? No need to be concerned," he
said. "It's a small job. I need to cut a piece of wood and fit it in
across the hole."
She hadn't expected he would work so quickly. How to
devise a way to keep him around longer? "I was about to make a pot of
coffee . . . can I bring you a cup?"
Tony hesitated, tucking a lock of hair under his fuzzy
hat. His brown eyes were liquid, kind and warm. "Sure."
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Decorating Corner
Time to bring out the mistletoe! CD Hersh has
some great decorating tips!
Decorate your Christmas Table
Catherine loves to set a pretty Christmas table, which
she changes yearly. (She has a thing for dishes.) She also loves napkin rings,
which are often expensive. To satisfy her dish decorating habit, she came up
with a quick and easy way to brighten up her Christmas table using last year’s
Christmas cards. You have them right? Doesn’t everyone?
Here’s what you need:
Christmas cards
Clear drinking glass (which will allow you to see the
pattern on the Christmas card) or other circle template. A 2 ¼ to 2 ¾ diameter
works best.
A marking pen or pencil
Scissors
Craft knife
Ribbons-cord or ¼ inch satin works best. Coordinate them
to match your cards or go wild with colors.
Directions:
Position the glass or circle template on the Christmas
card, choosing the part of the card you want to use as the base of the napkin
ring.
Draw around the outside edge of the glass. Cut out the
circle. With a craft knife cut two slots in the circle, spacing them
about ¼ of the way from the edges of the circle. Thread a pretty ribbon, long
enough to circle your napkins and tie a bow, through the slots. Slip the ribbon
around your napkins, tie your bow, and you have a festive napkin ring for your
holiday table. If you want to get even fancier, glue some lace or gathered
ribbon to the back of the greeting card circle and cover it with another
circle. Slit both front and back circles and slid the ribbon through. Tie the
ring onto your napkin and enjoy.
Like this easy table decoration? You can adapt it using
any themed greeting cards and have tailor made napkin rings for any occasion.
If you add your guests’ names, the napkin rings double as name cards.
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Holiday Card/Poem Corner
What's a holiday without a personalized poem by one
of your favorite authors? Author Beth
Carter shares this delightful and heartfelt poem:
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Christmas Tree Angel
By Beth Carter
Bejeweled with strands of pearls
Feathered birds and twinkling lights;
Glittering ornaments and velvet bows
Encircled our tree with delight.
Plump snowmen and toy soldiers
Carefully placed just right;
Shiny Red and Green Packages
Completed the joyful sight.
The most special gift of all
Topped our majestic tree;
A frayed, embroidered angel
Handmade by Mommy and me.
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Of course, as authors we love our readers, and we
couldn't pass up an opportunity to offer swag, free books, and a grand
prize which will be awarded to one lucky blog/newsletter follower!
For a chance to win these prizes, follow and join the author's
blogs!
Don't miss our upcoming Facebook launch party with
tons of goodies to giveaway! Follow the authors' blogs for a sneak peek of this
wonderful collection! (FB launch date TBA).
