Day 12 in 15 Days of Christmas - Sandra Sookoo!

Today, Sandra Sookoo, another of my Facebook friends joins us.  I love Sandra’s quirky sense of humor and envy her prolific output!  The woman is a dynamo, a force to reckon with for sure!!!  I look forward to us being a conference at the same time because I definitely want to hang out with her…the pain we can inflict on some unsuspecting bartender…joy, joy!!!  

Time to grab that cup of coffee or whatever and sit back and read why she breaks a promise to herself each year.  And also how to get your name in the drawing for a great “swag bag” of goodies!!!

Now, heeeerrrre’s Sandra!!! 

Thanks Lizzie for inviting me on your blog!

One random commenter will win a packet of book swag including goodies from Bath and Body Works!  Please be sure to leave contact info. 

For me, I think romance and the holidays go hand in hand.  Every year I promise myself I won’t write a holiday romance for a variety of reasons.  But every year, I find myself scribbling away on stories set at Halloween and Christmas or even Valentine’s.

It’s a sickness I tell you LOL

There’s just something about finding love during the holiday season that seems a bit more magical than other days.  Maybe it’s all the theming.  Maybe it’s the glow of candles at all these holidays.  Maybe it’s the chocolate that’s in great supply during these times.  I’m not sure exactly what it is that sucks me in each time.

In a way, writing a romance during the holidays immediately gives out a cozy feeling.  You already know going in that it’ll be special, and if done right, leave the reader with a warm glow on the inside.  Let’s face it, holiday stories are set up to promote hugging and kissing.  Usually cool temps, crackling fires, holiday spices, parties, etc.

*sigh*

You hear that sound?  Yup, I’m getting sucked in again.  I’m in the pre-planning stages for two, yes two, Christmas stories for next year.

Send help.  And chocolate, preferably hot with mini marshmallows and a peppermint stick.

So, what about you?  What compels you to buy holiday stories year after year and season after season?  What’s that indefinable “something” that lures you into the sticky web of love and good cheer in a romance?

Recipe

I’m sharing a peanut butter cookie recipe I recently made for mail away gifts. These cookies are awesome! They puff up and are just so cute when they come out of the oven!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• additional sugar (set aside in small bowl)
• 48 Hershey's chocolate kisses (or pieces of Dove chocolate with is what I used)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In mixer, beat shortening and peanut butter until well blended.  Blend in sugars and beat until light and fluffy.

Add egg, milk and vanilla; Beat well.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually mix in peanut butter mixture.  Depending on the weather (I know it sounds weird but humidity affects baking) you might need to add in another quarter cup of flour.  Dough won’t be crumbly and it will look sticky, but it’s not.

Roll out walnut to golf ball sized balls and roll in additional sugar.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  They will spread a tiny bit but not much, just mostly flatten out.

Immediately place a Hershey's Kiss or Dove chocolate on each cookie and press down slightly.

Blurb for Not Just Make Believe (now on sale at Desert Breeze Publishing and Amazon for .99 cents through the end of the month)

Andrea Peterchef never thought her job would include a nine-year-old Piper and vomit.  Then she meets Max, a workaholic stockbroker with a voice like melted chocolate and she vows to help her charge and him reconnect as a family and maybe find the love she’s been looking for as well.

Maxwell Gildenthall is haunted by the 9/11 deaths of his girlfriend and his cousin—Piper’s dad.  Deadlines and data define his life—not baby dolls and dress-up.  When Andrea cajoles him into playing the part of dad, the benefits of spending time with the plus-size au pair are a bonus, but he can’t ditch the guilt.  

It’ll take more than a spoonful of sugar and a dose of Christmas magic to mend the broken family.  It’ll take the power of love.

Desert Breeze Publishing buy link: http://stores.desertbreezepublishing.com/-strse-37/Not-Just-Make-Believe/Detail.bok

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Not-Just-Make-Believe-ebook/dp/B002ZCYAMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323868100&sr=8-1

Connect with me here:

Website:  http://www.sandrasookoo.com

Believing is Seeing blog:  http://sandrasookoo.wordpress.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/sandrasookoo

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/sandra.sookoo