My Recommendation: Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

What It's About:
Miranda Woodruff has it all. At least, that's how it looks when she's starring in her homebuilding television show, From the Ground Up. So when her network begins to talk about making cuts, she'll do anything to boost ratings and save her show--even if it means pretending to be married to a man who's definitely not the fiance who ran out on her three years ago.
 
When a handsome reporter starts shadowing Miranda's every move, all his digging into her personal life brings him a little too close to the truth--and to her. Can the girl whose entire identity is wrapped up in her on-screen persona finally find the nerve to set the record straight? And if she does, will the life she's built come crashing down just as she's found a love to last?

My Thoughts:
I loved the twist on the typical marriage-of-convenience or fake husband story line in this book! Having a fake husband nearly means Miranda doesn't get the real love relationship she wants. There were funny moments and super sweet romantic moments. I liked the variety of characters and their personalities, and how both the hero and heroine had to figure out what they were willing to give up for what they wanted most. This is a fun, well-written contemporary romance!

Find it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

My Famous Chocolate-Chip Cookies

A few weeks back someone asked me about my "famous chocolate-chip cookies," which I reference in my bio in LADY OUTLAW. I will readily admit I'm not much of a cook, but I CAN make chocolate-chip cookies that'll melt in your mouth and satisfy a chocolate craving. :) These are a staple in our house - and I like to believe they're fairly healthy because I add oatmeal to them, though you can't really taste it.

Because these are my favorite cookies - and I, unfortunately, cannot bake all of you a batch - I'm sharing the recipe here. Enjoy!

Chocolate-Chip Cookies

3 sticks of butter (softened)

1 ¼ cups brown sugar

1 ¼ cups white sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

3 cups oatmeal (blended to the consistency of flour)

2 ¼ cups white flour

Chocolate chips

Start by mixing the butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda and salt. Next blend the oatmeal—I do this in our blender—until it’s the consistency of flour. Mix the blended oatmeal and the white flour with everything else.  When the dough clumps together, it’s ready. The key to the right consistency of dough—and therefore to fantastic cookies—is the white flour. If the dough still seems wet or sticky, add another ¼ cup of flour until the dough doesn't stick to your fingers (too little flour=flat cookies; too much flour=clumpier cookies). Add chocolate chips next—I typically put in half a bag.

Form the dough into balls to place on a cookie sheet. Cook at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are turning golden brown. The cookies won’t necessarily look done, but once they have that slightly golden brown top, pull them out and set them on top of the oven to cool for another few minutes.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies—depending on how much dough is snitched prior to baking them. :) Most of them I’ll freeze in Ziploc bags to be enjoyed later. These cookies freeze really well, and when you want one, 15 - 20 seconds in the microwave softens them perfectly. 

Reasons to Smile!

1. I finished writing Book #3 of my WWI trilogy last week! It was a bitter-sweet moment. Sweet because I did it - this is the sixth book I've written overall. Bitter because I've spent the last year and a half getting to know these characters and writing their stories. And now all three books are written. But there'll be plenty of opportunities to visit them again as I work on edits and then get to share this trilogy with you! The first book is slated to release in March 2014.

2. It's a fall tradition for our family to can peaches in September, which we did again this year. Look at all those lovely bottles. They'll be perfect for cold weather.

3. The bookshelves my husband built for our family room have been installed and we'll start painting them today. I can't wait to get our books on there and hang the fabric banner I bought in England that spells out "read on."

4. Another family tradition in the fall is going to the state fair. This year, there was a super cool exhibit with these giant bubble makers. We need one of these at home!

5. I'm taking a short break from historical romance writing and working on a funny, contemporary romance I started a couple of years ago. I've also been solidifying a couple ideas for my next inspirational historical. I can't Not write. :)

What are some reasons you have to smile lately? What fall traditions do you keep?

To Tide Me Over Til Downton Abbey Returns

Anyone else counting down the months until Downton Abbey Season 4 starts? I wonder if there's ever been a show more anticipated here in the US than this one!

In the meantime, my hubby and I found this hilarious show on Netflix called Monarch of the Glen. It's set in Scotland in the early 2000's and follows the lives of Archie McDonald, his family, staff and friends in the town of Glenbogle where Archie is "laird" of Genbogle House.

picture from here

We finished Season 1 and started into the second season, and we're constantly cracking up as we watch this show. The conflict, especially for Archie, is so well done. The guy can't seem to get a break from trying to pull the estate out of ruin, deal with his crazy parents, and figure out which of the local girls he likes in return. It's like the contemporary, Scottish version of Downton Abbey! :)

The show reminds me a lot of our trip to Scotland and England. It's fun to hear that accent again, and while the town and house are set very far north in Scotland, it looks a lot like the town and castle of Inveraray that we saw in the Western Highlands.

Western Highlands of Scotland

Have you heard of Monarch of the Glen? What shows are you watching lately? Are you anticipating Season 4 of Downton Abbey, too?

Kiplin Hall

One of my quests while in England was to tour an estate house. The hero of Book #3, in my WWI trilogy, is the son of a baronet and lives in one of these centuries-old, country houses. We tried touring a couple of them, but it was either the wrong day or time to get in on an actual tour. Then I learned that a number of these great houses were doing an exhibition on living in a country house during times of war. So we decided to visit the one closest to us - Kiplin Hall.

back view

side view

We went somewhere else that morning and it took longer to get to the house than we thought, but we made it just in time for the last tour of the day! The inside of the house was amazing. I wish I'd been able to take pictures of it. The library was one of the coolest I have ever seen - it fit so well with what I wanted in my book. 

The war displays were really interesting. Several members of the family served in WWI. During WWII, Royal Air Force officers lived in the house, which was also used for storing and supplying ammunition and bombs to nearby airfields. Several of the rooms used by the RAF have been left exactly as they were back then.

front view

front gates - the road used to come up to the house from here

The grounds were also lovely with lots of lawn, a walled garden and a lake out back. And the sweet English ladies who oversee the tours were as delightful as the house itself!

We talked to them about my book and they gave me some great pointers on writing a story set in England. For example, they told me that no one asks if you want a cup of tea over there; they simply say, "I'll make you a nice cup of tea." And everyone in England talks about the weather. It was well worth the drive and time to see this gem - and find my hero a proper English country house for a home. :)

What do you think of English country houses? Would you rather live in one of them or a brand-new house/apartment? 

Brougham Castle

One of the coolest castles we saw in England this spring was Brougham (pronounced "broom") Castle in Cumbria. Not only does it have well-preserved ruins and stairs leading all the way to the third floor, but I love the story behind this castle.

Unlike other females at the time, Lady Anne Clifford was supposed to inherit her father's properties, including Brougham Castle, upon his death. However, they went to an uncle instead. So Lady Anne spent years getting back the Clifford properties and restoring them. She actually died in Brougham Castle in 1676, in the same room her father was born in.

This castle is going to be featured in a couple of scenes in Book #3 of my WWI trilogy - and may involve an aeroplane ride and a kiss or two. ;)

Take That Fear of Heights!

I don't know if I've mentioned my fear of heights on here, but it's bad. I don't ever plan on going to the top of the Space Needle or the Sears Tower. And drives through the mountains with steep cliffs and that itty-bitty guard rail make me physically cringe.

But I took another step toward ignoring and conquering that fear! Last night, with a bunch of youth from my church, I went rappelling. And not just a short rappell. No, this was down a 100 foot cliff face.

Was it scary? Yes, especially at the beginning when you have to climb over the cliff ledge. But I didn't look down at all. And when I got to the bottom, my hands trembling from gripping the rope so tight, it was the coolest, adrenline-rush feeling to know I DID IT.

What have you done to conquer your fears lately? Have you ever been rappelling?