The 12 Books of Christmas - Lauralee Bliss

This week's Christmas book author is Lauralee Bliss, who has been a busy girl! TWO of Lauralee's stories have recently been released in time for the holidays. Lauralee's novel, Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, is the book she will be giving away this week! She also has a novella included in the anthology, A Blue and Gray Christmas. More on that book below.

But first, let's talk about the book YOU have the opportunity to win this week! Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire was awarded four stars by The Romantic Times! Here's a blurb:

Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire is what one reader calls - a "twist" on the mail order bride story, sort of like the mail order bride meets up with My Fair Lady. In it there’s an uneducated and penniless orphan whose well meaning friend answers an ad for a bride, and the unsuspecting suitor who has no idea what to make of the woman that arrives at the train station. Even if he feels he cannot marry her, he will provide for her. But both are in for a surprise and a change of heart and attitude - thus leading to the idea of the first Bethlehem - that the most precious gifts don’t always come as they're expected.



Want to learn more about this book? Check out the book trailer here:

LOVE FINDS YOU IN BETHLEHEM, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Leave a comment on this blog post to be entered in this giveaway.

Lauralee's other Christmas release is a novella, "Till Death Do Us Part" in the collection titled A Blue and Gray Christmas. Despite the Blue and Gray troops advancing on their hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Leah Woods and Seth Madison vow to wed at the dawn of the New Year. But when Seth disappears, Leah is left alone, clinging to whatever faith she can muster. This book is available at Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Christianbook.com.

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Lauralee shares a favorite holiday recipe, which also happens to be a favorite holiday memory:

Ah memories - and what is Christmas without Christmas cookies? A fond memory we have as a family is decorating cookies with all kinds of colored sugar, sprinkles, and candies to create individual masterpieces. The recipe I use comes from one included with some Wilton cookie cutters I purchased some fifteen years ago. It makes the most delicious sugar cookies I've ever tasted, and we use it every year! I share this with you so you may also create your own cookie masterpeices in celebration of the holiday season. Enjoy!


Roll-Out Cookie Dough Recipe

1 cup butter (I use margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Dough will be stiff. Blend in last of the flour by hand. Do not chill the dough. Divide dough into two balls. On floured surface, roll out to 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Dip cookie cutters in flour, cut out cookies. Decorate with sugar, sprinkles, etc. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 6-7 minutes. Dough can be tinted with paste food coloring if desired.
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Lauralee Bliss has always liked to dream big dreams. Part of that dream was writing, and her career began with small creative works as a teen just for fun. After several years of hard work, the dream of publishing was realized in 1997 with the publication of her first romance novel, Mountaintop, through Barbour Publishing. Since then she's had over fifteen books published, both historical and contemporary. Lauralee’s desire is that readers will come away with both an entertaining story and a lesson that ministers to the heart.

Along with the dream of writing and publishing, Lauralee has recognized another dream in her life, completing a hike of the entire Appalachian Trail. Lauralee is a wife of 20 years to husband Steve and mother to son Joshua, whom she homeschooled. Her other interests include traveling (of which she has been to 49 of the 50 states), gardening, and perusing a yard sale or two.

Visit Lauralee online on her website: http://www.lauraleebliss.com/ or her blog: www.blissfulwritingthoughts.blogspot.com/. Lauralee loves to hear from her readers! Email her at: blissful63@gmail.com

**Contest disclaimer: Void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents. Odds of winning depend on number of entrants. Only one book allowed per person throughout the duration of the event.