Tracy Campbell’s days are filled with shared ownership and the never-ending duties of running a struggling cranberry farm. She tries to supplement finances with accounting jobs yet it never seems to be enough. Time is in short supply for the widow, as she also works for the area’s charitable organization, Helping Hands.
Widower Michael Hunter spends a well-deserved leave from heading up a Chicago charitable organization on Hope Harbor. His wife had often vacationed here as a child. He’d promised her they’d come together. Now that opportunity was gone.
Guilt plagues both of them for past mistakes in this contemporary romance.
Miracles seem to happen in Hope Harbor, a place where I, as a reader, wanted to spend some time. Authentic characters with realistic struggles drew me into the story. Secondary plots strengthen the novel’s impact.
The story is told in multiple viewpoints. Many interesting characters are introduced along the way, hinting that they might have a bigger part to play in upcoming novels.
Looks like it will be a great series. I’m looking forward to reading more of Hannon’s books!
My preschool grandchildren love to cook with me so I often search for easy recipes to involve them. This recipe for griddlecakes (pancakes) from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook fit this criteria. So with a few messy adventures along the way, the three of us made blueberry pancakes.
Wash ½ cup of blueberries and set on paper towels or a cloth towel to drain.
Sift 1 cup of flour in a separate bowl. Mix in 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ½ teaspoon of salt and set aside.
In another mixing bowl, stir together ½ – ¾ cup milk (you’ll add more if needed for the right consistency as you combine all the ingredients later,) 1 slightly beaten egg, and 2 tablespoons melted butter.
Add the flour mixture all at once to the wet ingredients. Add more milk, a little at time, to achieve the desired consistency.
Fold in ½ cup reserved blueberries. (I doubled the recipe and poured half the batter into a separate bowl and then added the berries to only one of the batters. This way we had plain pancakes for family members who preferred that over blueberry pancakes.)
Spray your griddle or skillet with cooking spray, or use enough vegetable oil to barely coat the bottom. Heat to a moderate heat. Two tablespoons of batter make a small pancake. Use a ¼ cup of batter for larger pancakes.
Cook the pancakes on one side until the top is full of bubbles and then turn with a spatula to brown the other side.
You can keep them in a 200-degree (Fahrenheit) oven so they stay warm until all the griddlecakes are cooked.
We actually served these with bacon for a fun brunch meal with the children. It was a big hit. Both children cleaned their plate and ate every bite of pancake! I can’t often say that about them. 😊
I think that perhaps another tablespoon of sugar would have enhanced the flavor of the blueberry pancakes. Perhaps another ¼ cup of berries—or a heaping ½ cup—wouldn’t be a bad idea either. Though it was a tasty meal, it seems I am always looking for ways to improve new dishes I try.
Making pancakes from scratch is nearly as easy as using a boxed mixture—and you probably have the ingredients in your pantry.
This is a good and easy recipe if you’d like to try it.
Sources
Revised by Cunningham, Marion and Laber, Jeri. The Fannie Farmer Cookbook, Alfred A Knopf Inc., 1983.
Something drew me yet again to Gettysburg. I had visited this battlefield before, but this time I knew there was a story waiting for me. I only had an inkling of an idea when I left my home that fall day—a Confederate soldier needs help from a Gettysburg seamstress. Not much to go on, is it? Sometimes novel ideas grow slowly and sometimes you know the whole story within an hour. A Rebel In My Houseswelled in my imagination as I explored Gettysburg.
My husband and I walked the battlefields. Ideas stirred when I found Tennessee troops with the brigade who began the fighting on the first day. Nothing solidified so I kept digging. I visited the museums. I discovered fascinating history at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at the Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum. Surely my story touched this place. Yet no ideas came. I trudged on.
I spent hours at the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, Gettysburg Museum of History, Gettysburg Railroad Station, General Lee’s Headquarters Museum, and The David Wills House where President Lincoln stayed. I learned captivating facts at the Jennie Wade House, Shriver House Museum, and “The Women of Gettysburg Tour,” an evening walking tour.
Ideas strengthened. My husband and I walked the town’s streets around the “Diamond” or the town square where the women and children suffered through a nightmare. Then we spent another afternoon and evening at the battlefield.
Three Tennessee regiments fought the beginning battle on July 1st. They didn’t fight again until they joined in Pickett’s Charge.
The sun sank low on the horizon as I stood alone on Cemetery Ridge. The expansive field crossed by Pickett’s Charge on July 3, 1863, captured my imagination. Though the land is peaceful once more, it still tells a story. My imagination soared while the sun disappeared.
I had to tell what the townspeople endured. What if a Gettysburg woman fell in love with a Confederate soldier? What if they both made promises to loved ones? Some promises are impossible to keep …
I reluctantly left the ridge because I had a story to write.
Book Blurb:
When the cannons roar beside Sarah Hubbard’s home outside of Gettysburg, she despairs of escaping the war that’s come to Pennsylvania. A wounded Confederate soldier on her doorstep leaves her with a heart-wrenching decision.
Separated from his unit and with a bullet in his back, Jesse Mitchell needs help. He seeks refuge at a house beside Willoughby Run. His future lies in the hands of a woman whose sympathies lay with the North.
Jesse has promised his sister-in-law he’d bring his brother home from the war. Sarah has promised her sister that she’d stay clear of the enemy. Can the two keep their promises amid a war bent on tearing their country apart?
When the handsome bachelor Peter Maltby, a journeyman fuller, comes to town, no one believes Yarrow will capture his attention.
Both have secrets that plague them.
I loved this gentle historical romance! The struggles of the main characters tugged at my heart. Honest, with some unexpected twists. I also loved learning about a little-known law passed by the Crown in the colonies that placed great hardship on colonists.
This novella is a short, satisfying book that can be read in a few hours.
I’ve read other books by this author and will look for more!
Marianne Phillips is mortified by her wealthy father’s plan to force out those who had lived first in the Texas valley where he built his ranch. Her fear grows as she learns he will use weapons and his Virginia friends to remove the Mexicans from La Flor because his cattle need their land to graze.
Then Marianne is kidnapped in exchange for La Flor by members of the rebel band led by Armando Garcia, angering him. They acted without his knowledge. He insists on guarding Marianne himself, who is soon captivated by the man’s bravery. Yet there could be no future for these feelings for her father’s enemy, especially after he arranges for her to marry a man older than himself.
Innocent characters on both sides of the book’s conflict quickly snagged my sympathy. There is action and adventure throughout the novel with a love story that tugged at my heart.
This book was a page turner for me. I learned much about the struggles in the early history of Texas before it became a state. Recommended for historical romance readers.
I had about a pound of asparagus in my fridge so I checked my 1877 cookbook, Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, for recipe ideas. The one that snagged my attention was for asparagus salad. It was almost time for supper and this quick and easy recipe sounded delicious.
Mrs. Lewis Brown, an 1877 cook, provided this recipe. She gave no measurements.
Wash the asparagus and set on paper towels or a cloth towel to drain. Slice off the bottom third of each asparagus spear to remove those tough, fibrous section.
Boil water to blanch the vegetables. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water.
Place the asparagus in the boiling water. Cover and cook for 2 – 3 minutes for desired tenderness. I cooked them for 3 minutes.
Remove the vegetables from the water immediately. Add ¼ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Mrs. Brown suggested using strong cider vinegar. I had raw apple cider vinegar on hand and used that.
Once the asparagus has cooled, place it in a serving dish. Whisk 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the vinegar that the vegetables marinated in and pour over the top. (Mrs. Brown’s recipe says that you can replace the olive oil with melted butter—your choice.)
As mentioned, Mrs. Brown provided no measurements so I guessed at quantities. I used a 1:1 ratio for vinegar and olive oil. Next time I will reduce the oil to 2 tablespoons to allow a stronger vinegar taste.
I really enjoyed this salad. The vinegar flavor enhanced the dish with a nice snap. The olive oil added a smooth texture.
It could have used a bit of crunch. Next time I will toast some almonds and sprinkle them on top of the salad.
A quick and easy summer salad!
Sources
Compiled from Original Recipes. Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, Applewood Books, 1877.
I am thrilled to announce that I have signed 2 three-book series contracts with Wild Heart Books! You read that right—2 contracts for 2 different series for a total of 6 books!
The first series is a Civil War Spy series. Avenue of Betrayal is the first book and is set in Washington DC (still commonly known as Washington City in the 1860s.) The whole series deals with the spying that happened during the war. Book 2, Boulevard of Confusion, and Book 3, Byway to Danger, are set in Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate capital. Spying went on in that city as well.
The Civil War series will be released first. I’ll share more about release dates as I learn them. Book 1 of this series is written and will soon be delivered to the editor. I’m currently writing the second book and need to squeeze in another research trip now that museums are open.
The second series begins with Book 1, In Ginny’s Shadow. It’s a marriage of convenience story set in three Ohio locations. Most stories lose their intensity in your imagination after you’ve written it. This one never left me so I am excited that it found a home. There are turbulent days for two characters from In Ginny’s Shadow in Book 2 as they attend college in Cincinnati in 1883-84. Then Book 3 follows one of these characters on a train to the West where the adventure starts on the trip. More about these later.
Thanks for joining me on this publishing adventure! I’ll update you when I learn more about release dates.
The War Between the States has been over four years. Solomon Dykes, a former officer in the Union army, longs to move south to the beautiful country in Virginia he fell in love with as a soldier.
Jeb Mosby farms his Virginia land once again. The war took so much from him and his family but he doesn’t want to dwell on those painful losses. He is willing to give Dykes a chance as his new neighbor.
There are those in town who are not as forgiving.
I was transported to the difficult days following the Civil War by this story, when Carpetbaggers and soldiers were an unwelcome presence in the South. This story is mostly set in the beautiful Virginia valleys and I could see them again through the author’s descriptions.
Likeable, authentic characters tell a story of tough times, of wounds that fester. I loved learning more about the struggles beyond the war. The story caught and held my interest.
Recommended for those interested in American history and the American Civil War.
A boy discovers a sharp metal object buried in the snow that leads to the unearthing of a World War II plane crash, a plane that Alison Wiley’s missing grandfather had flown.
Alison, sorting through her recently-deceased mother’s files, discovers a telegram informing her grandmother that her husband was missing in action. The family mystery of what happened to him tugs at her. What happened to her grandfather?
I was pulled into the mystery along with the characters in this time-slip novel with the careful insertion of scenes from the war. At first these scenes feel unrelated yet are masterfully woven together in a way that grips a reader’s attention and builds suspense.
Readers will be shocked at the cruelty of some leaders and heartbroken by the tragedy others suffered at their hands. There is violence and language in this story.
This book is a page-turner from beginning to end. Highly recommend for readers of World War II historical novels.
Fellow author and friend Shelia Stovall shares a family recipe from her novel with us today. Welcome to Historical Nibbles, Shelia!
by Shelia Stovall
Thank you, Sandra, for the opportunity to share my recipe for Southern Fried Blackberry pies.
According to Wikipedia, fried pies were known as “Crab Lanterns” in the American South. This term dates back to at least 1770. It may originate from crabapple pies that had slits for ventilation, thus resembling a lantern.
In my book, Every Window Filled with Light, Mrs. Dot, the owner of Dot’s Deluxe Diner, features a different flavor of fried fruit pie each week. The idea to do this in my novel came to me while I waited in line at Habegger’s Amish Market. My mouth watered as I stared at their fried pie display. In Every Window Filled with Light, blackberry is Pastor Bob’s favorite fried pie. So, I’m sharing my mom’s recipe for Southern Fried Blackberry Pies. I’m sure she never bought a blackberry in her life. We picked wild blackberries in late June.
Mama made her pie crusts with lard, but I buy pie crusts. It needs to be at room temperature or the crust might crack.
I sprinkle powdered sugar on my cooled pies to hide flaws while mom served them plain.
Ann’s Southern Fried Blackberry Pie
Ingredients:
3 cups blackberries
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¾ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons salted butter
¼ cup water (to dissolve corn starch)
1 tablespoon corn starch
Vegetable oil
Sifted powdered sugar
1 box rolled pie crust from the refrigerated section of your grocery.
Filling:
Combine blackberries, lemon juice, brown sugar, melted butter. Mash berries, bring the mixture to a boil, and then stir in dissolved corn starch and simmer until thickened. (About 5 minutes.) Set aside until completely cool. (About an hour.) It’s okay to store in the refrigerator overnight.
Unroll the pie crust on waxed paper.
Cut into 3 ½ inch circles with cookie cutter or glass.
Place 1 teaspoon of cooled blackberry mixture in the center of each circle. Moisten edges of pastry; fold in half, making sure edges are even. Press pastry edges together firmly with a fork dipped in flour.
Heat 1 to 2 inches of oil in a skillet to 375° (I prefer an iron skillet). Cook 4 to 5 pies at a time until golden brown on both sides, turning once. (About 2 minutes on each side.)
Drain well on a wire rack on a cookie sheet for at least 15 minutes and then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Depending on the size of your pies, this recipe will make about 12 – 14 pies. You will have about a cup of filling left. I usually refrigerate this and use it on toast. Yummy!
I believe there’s a fruit for every season of life. I hope you’ll try my recipe and let me know what you think.
“ 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 ESV.
About Shelia:
Shelia Stovall is the director of a small-town library in southern Kentucky, where only strangers mention her last name, and the children call her Miss Shelia.
Missionary travels are taking her to Africa—again. She’s the self-proclaimed worst missionary ever, but is glad God continues to send her.
Shelia and her husband Michael live on a farm. Spending time with family, especially her grandchildren, is her all-time favorite thing. The only hobby Shelia loves more than reading uplifting stories of hope is writing them.
Welcome to Weldon, Kentucky, where the only things the locals love more than fried pies are gossip and match-making.
Librarian Emma Baker, a young and childless widow, believes her dream to build a family is over. It’s been two years since a student accidentally stabbed Emma’s husband to death, and her grief has stifled any interest in romance—until she meets Pastor Luke Davis. But when Emma learns Luke is counseling her husband’s killer fresh out of jail, her temper gets in the way.
Meanwhile, Emma discovers twelve-year-old Harley, abandoned by her drug-addict mother, hiding in the library, and takes the girl in as her foster mom. Then a young mother is made homeless by an apartment fire, and Emma opens her home again. One person and one prayer at a time, Emma begins to discover hope.
Sandra Merville Hart 