April Flowers and April News

Happy April! I love these early spring days. Daffodils and tulips are popping up here on our hilltop in Vermont, near Quechee Gorge. Tulips are risky with the critters but fingers crossed. I’ll report back.

I’m writing, as always, and look forward to finally talking more about what I have in the works. Yay!

I do have some news. Print-lovers, Finding You will be back in paperback on October 26. It’s one of my early single-title romantic suspense novels. Jayne Ann Krentz called it “A delicious read. Bright, sassy and romantic.”  You can pre-order your copy toda… Read More

It’s maple-sugaring time in Vermont

The maple sap is running here in Vermont, a sure sign of warming temperatures. Too warm, though, and the sap stops. We don’t want that, not yet, anyway. We still have a lot of snow on our hilltop in Vermont but we are seeing more bare spots. Buckets to collect sap are picturesque but tubing is more efficient and more common now. Either way, we love the results! Pure maple syrup.

I’ve mentioned maple-sugaring in several of my books, including my Black Falls trilogy, set in Vermont. Cold Pursuit is on sale in eBook this month (March) for just $1.99.

Happy spring!

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The promise of February

As I type this, I’m watching the snow fall on our hilltop in Vermont. Just took the photo below. It’s quiet and still, with no wind. And it’s warmer than it was this past weekend. A great day for writing, and perfect conditions for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. I’ll get outside for sure.

Not terribly exciting but that’s okay. “Deep work,” as Cal Newport would say, is happening, and I’m never bored, even as I think about roses in the garden instead of in vases. March will be here soon, and spring.

Like so many of us, I’ve learned th… Read More

Happy 2021!

Here’s to a happy, healthy, fulfilling New Year to you and yours!

All the best,

Carla

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Merry Christmas!

Wherever you are, whether you’re on your own this year or with family or friends, I wish you a merry, merry Christmas!

All the best,

Carla

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A recipe for hot chocolate

When we were growing up in small-town New England, my six brothers and sisters and I would spend hours sledding on the hills behind our 18th-century house (a work-in-progress!). We’d come in pink-cheeked, usually with snow in our boots and cold, and inevitably our mother had a big pot of hot chocolate simmering on the wood stove. What a way to warm up!

I’ve made lots of hot chocolate since then, for adults as well as children. I’ve used mixes but prefer to make it from scratch. Since my father was Dutch, I’ve tended to use Droste cocoa. King Arthur Baking Company, its head… Read More

A recipe for mulled wine

On a chilly winter evening, Joe and I love to have a pot of mulled wine simmering on the wood stove. Not only is it delicious as we read or warm up after snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, it fills the house with wonderful scents.

Here’s the recipe included in my Swift River Valley novella, “Christmas at Carriage Hill.”

Ingredients

2 bottles of dry red wine
1-2 orange(s), sliced into “circles”
1/3 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup brandy
1/4-1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
8 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 nutmegs, cracked into pieces

Preparation

Combine all the ingredient… Read More

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

Happy St. Nicholas Day!

It’s a festive holiday celebrated December 5-6. It’s popular in many places, perhaps especially the Netherlands, where my father was born and raised. Here’s a quick article that explains a bit about its origins: “The tradition of receiving small gifts from St. Nicholas began with Dutch children, who put out their shoes the night before so St. Nicholas could leave the gifts in them.”

When I was growing up, my father would make spritz cookies throughout the Christmas season. My six brothers and sisters and I  all loved to help him (th… Read More

Welcome, December!

December to me means family, friends, afternoon tea, reading by the fire and reflecting on the past year. And writing. Of course, writing! It’s rare a day that I don’t write. Right now I’m in “monk mode” with new projects, a great place to be on these short, chilly (cold!) days.

My granddaughter and I are planning St. Nicholas Day (December 6) festivities. She’s in the second grade and loves to draw and do art projects, especially ones involving glitter. I love her cheerful rendition of sunflowers, below, that she did for me last week. I can’t help … Read More

Happy Thanksgiving

My best to friends in the U.S. this week. We are staying home on our hilltop in Vermont and looking forward to a quiet day, giving thanks and enjoying a nice dinner and a good walk in the hills.

Happy Thanksgiving!… Read More