Monday, December 7, 2009

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.

22 comments:

Edgy Inspirational Author said...

I'd love to win either of these books. :) I enjoy the Love Finds You books...

collettakay said...

Both of these books are on my wish list. Please enter me.

pepsi324[at]yahoo[dot]com

Hope said...

Please enter me! I especially love reading the Love Finds You series.
onepilgrim86[at]yahoo.com

Sandee61 said...

I really enjoyed the book trailer Laura's book. I'd love to read any of the books in your giveaway. Please enter my name in your giveaway. Thank you!

Blessings,
Sandee

Muzzley56[at]aol[dot]com

Deborah said...

I love the "Love Finds You..." series also. Thank you for the chance to win!

dleathers36(at)yahoo(dot)com

Linda said...

Your trailer makes the book even more interesting that I first expected! Dynamic! Please enter me. Thank you.

desertrose5173 at gmail dot com

Martha A. said...

I would love to win the Love finds you book! I love those ones and have wanted to read this one. Those cookies look really simple and delicious!!! martha(at)lclink(dot)com

Anonymous said...

Please enter me ....love to read. Thanks.
jackie.smith(at)dishmail(dot)net

Patty said...

I would love to win this book. The Love Finds You series have been great to read and I'm sure this one is no different. Please enter me in the drawing.

pleblanc_1[at]charter[dot]net

Giveaway Lady said...

Please enter me:) I am going to have to try that cookie recipe. It looks good:) Thanks!
esterried[at]yahoo[dot]com

Jeanette Levellie said...

HI, Please enter my name, and thank you!
jeanettelevellie(at)gmail(dot)com.

Wendy said...

Thanks for the opportunity to win the books,
wsmarple/at/gmail/dot/com

Carole said...

Christmas anthologies are so much fun, and I enjoyed A Blue & Grey Christmas very much. But I'm eager to try the LFY series and would love to win a copy of Bethlehem, New Hampshire. Thank you so much for the giveaway.

cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net

Anonymous said...

I just recently read my first "Love Finds You" book and loved it so much I put them all on my Wish List. I'd love to win "Love Finds You in Bethlehem, New Hampshire"!!!

readingatthebeach at gmail dot com

Deborah M said...

Looks like great Christmas books! Sign me up please.
Deborah M.
debbiejeanm{at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a interesting book. Please enter me in the contest. design(underscore)for(underscore)purpose(at)hotmail(dot)com

Deborah Bates Cavitt said...

Enjoyed reading about your books. Do you have ideas how to get in the greeting card market?

Lynda Lee Schab said...

Hi Deborah,

Are you asking Lauralee or me? I have had greeting cards published and have blogged about it a few times. Here is a post from Examiner.com that lists several links to greeting card companies and their writer's guidelines: http://www.examiner.com/x-29378-Christian-Writing-Examiner~y2009m11d10-So-You-Want-to-Write-Greeting-Cards. If you have any specific questions, please let me know.

Angie Vik said...

Please enter my name.
Thanks so much.
angie_vik[at]yahoo[dot]com

Sara Harricharan said...

Oooh, great books! I'd love to enter. (and I like the cookie recipe) ^_^

stephanie said...

Please enter me too

Andrea Schultz said...

Not sure if this is still open or not, but giving this a shot!

Merry Christmas & thanks -

Andrea

andrealschultz[at]gmail[dot]com