top of page
Writer's pictureVeronica Cline Barton

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Bring On the #Holiday Fun!

The holidays are here, only 5 more Mondays ’til Christmas 🙂 .  At our house, the November birthday celebrations have begun, Thanksgiving is next week, and the travel and party plans are on the calendars! This past weekend was a very special event for me. I had the pleasure to have afternoon tea in Santa Monica with one of my lovely Twitter friends, Becca Carrol Guido, during her visit here in southern California. Becca is a producer/director and attended the AFM (American Film Market) event held last week. We both are devoted Hallmark Channel Christmas movie fans, which made our holiday tea get together even more special as we talked all things Christmas!

Our holiday high tea was delicious—served with mounds of yummy sandwiches, scones, tarts, and macaroons. And of course, don’t forget the lemon curd, clotted cream and jam! Japan bleu tea and sparkling champagne were the perfect accompaniments. Our teatime stretched to a four hour conversation, which ended with a spectacular view of the Santa Monica pier and beach at sunset. Friends, great conversation, and yummy foods–a perfect start to the holidays! It’s Wednesday, time for #DearDiary:

It’s Mistletoe and Mayhem!

I was honored to be a guest on Jessie Cahalin’s Books in My Handbag blog post this week. She featured Mistletoe and Mayhem, just in time for the holidays. Jessie is a super supporter of the #WritingCommunity and is so fun to work with! Check out her blog post here:


I need your help please! Paperback versions for Mistletoe and Mayhem are now available for preorder on Amazon. I’d appreciate it if you could take a look at the link—Amazon will be gaging how many books to order from BookBaby based upon the site visits! Thanks so much!

Check out the New Apple Summer eBook 2019 awards!

Looking for some great holiday reads? The winners and official selection books for all the genres has been released by New Apple Literary! Check out the books here:

go away reading

A bittersweet coming of age tale and Christmas romance from the #writers of Twitter this week…

Author D.B. Carter, The Wild Roses, 5 STARS

The lives of three friends change dramatically by the choices they make in Author D.B Carter’s latest tale, The Wild Roses. Pip, the conscientious daughter, devoted friend and career oriented young woman finds that doing the right thing doesn’t always mean happiness and success. Sharon decides to take a wild leap of faith, but the dark side of her choices soon appear. Gavin is an introvert, studious with a heart of gold, but bullied by his peers. A chance act of bravery changes his classmates perception, but can he live up to their brave expectations?

We travel through the years with the three friends, experiencing the betrayal and heartbreak of their love lives, the cruel ramifications of acts committed in anger, the real life struggles faced in the workplace, and the criminal dangers out on the street. Family drama ignites as memories and past decisions haunt the parents and their children. Decisions have ramifications, as many are about to learn.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book on so many levels. The characters are engaging–you feel their ups and downs, see their hopes and dreams, and live the sorrow of their mistakes. Life is not always fair, and most always has a surprise twist in store. The Wild Roses is a story that shows us the bittersweet moments in life, and the hope for a better tomorrow. A great read to reflect upon and give thanks, especially during this holiday season, highly recommended!


Author Bibiana Krall, The Getaway, 5 STARS

Alexandra thinks she is going to a highly anticipated Christmas party this holiday season with a posh friend who has caught her eye, but an unexpected slip on the ice and a family crisis soon changes her plans. A helpful guard assists her off the ice and gets her on her way, touching her heart with his kindness. The snow has turned Worchester into a slippery winter wonderland, but Christmas magic is in the air, seeking out those who need an extra lift. Alex is about to learn a lesson in love, and the importance of family.

Dressed in her party finery, Alex gets a frantic call, causing her to abandon her party dreams and head to the hospital to take care of her beloved Aunt Violet. Her feisty auntie is pushing to escape her medical confines to travel  to Florida, but her heart condition dictates otherwise. As she and Alex reminisce before surgery, Alex realizes the depth of her aunt’s love for her family and the importance of valuing yourself. A last minute request to go to her aunt’s house gives Alex a bit of ghostly inspiration with a dash of Christmas magic. Sometimes the person of your dreams has been there all along. A witty, fun, short story read, perfect for the holidays!


Next up in the reading queue:


#HoHoHo, Sensational Writers and Holiday Recipes!

A special shoutout to Author Bibiana Krall for compiling some delicious recipes from the writers of Twitter for this special book! You can start those orders now (A great #Christmas gift, #JustSayin)–Bibiana will be tweeting the details. How can you resist sampling these luscious holiday yummies? Libations and eats include:

  1. Holiday Rum Punch Gemma’s Gin and St. Germain Martini Homemade Bailey’s Sophia’s St. Demetria Punch

  2. Mama’s Italian Sausage, Date and Bacon Bites Bibiana’s Easy Rumaki Maple and Pineapple Sausage Balls Sausage Bread Oyster Dressing Grandma Brown, Great-Grandma Hayden Barefootin’ in Carolina Corn Dip

You can order your FREE eBook (Kobo) or print copy (lulu) of this #writer holiday treat book at these fine sellers:

Welcome to my world. Enjoy the rest of your #week and #weekend friends!

Crowns and Kisses,

Veronica

P.S. If you’re near Santa Monica, check out the afternoon tea experience at The Georgian hotel! Gemma and Rikkhe approve! 🙂

5 views0 comments

Comments


Post: Blog2_Post
bottom of page