Honey Creek Citizens Make New Year’s Resolutions

Image by Digitalart at Freedigitalphotos.com

It’s that time of year. Everyone is all about making the new year a better year than the last. I’ve found that New Year’s resolutions are a great way to get to know people. They give you a glimpse into their hopes and dreams, and what things are important to them. I asked some of the characters in Honey Creek if they would share their New Year’s resolutions with you. A few of them agreed.

Carter Dick (yes that's really his name) thinks he’s an important man in Honey Creek. His family has been here practically since the town was founded. He’s set his sights on being mayor within the next few years. Unfortunately, some of the kids in town have been playing the game of Gauntlet in the cemetery and leaving soda cans on the Dick Family tombstones. Naturally, this doesn’t please Carter. He’s resolved to find the culprits and put them in their place once and for all. This might involve skulking around the cemetery late at night, but whatever it takes, he’s going to keep this resolution.

Mariah Davis happens to know something about the soda cans in the cemetery, but don't tell Carter. She's determined to get a runner’s scholarship to Ohio State University. She wants to become a veterinarian and open the first animal hospital in Honey Creek. She’s a marathon runner, and her New Year’s resolution is to keep training and to get more people involved in the Relay for Life run this year. She’s training every day, and trying to convert local people to the joys of running. In my novel Shades of the Future, you’ll find out if she meets her goal.

Joe Helmer, the good looking owner of Catch 22 Pizza, makes amazing Chicago style pizza at night, and writes novels during the day. His resolution is to write the Great American Novel this year and become a literary legend. He gets plenty of writing fodder from the people who come into his restaurant, so you never know. He might just make his resolution a reality.

Ralph Creamer runs the funeral home in Honey Creek. As you can imagine, he doesn’t meet too many eligible young women. His New Year’s resolution is to get out more and meet someone, perhaps even the woman of his dreams. She’ll have long blonde hair, blue eyes, a laugh like an angel, and not be afraid of dead bodies with rigor mortis. Good luck, Ralphie!

Mavis and Mack Prattle, are definitely not afraid of dead bodies. Mack's the town butcher and Mavis owns the meat market. They're determined that this is the year they’ll lose fifty pounds. That’s fifty pounds each, mind you, not all together. It’s going to be a challenge, what with all the delicious cuts of meat in the shop. Perhaps they’ll learn to love salads as much as roast beef, but only time will tell.

Bess Beale, AKA The Drill Sergeant, runs the White Cottage Restaurant. She’s too practical to waste time on New Year’s resolutions, but one thing she does want to do is get a retirement fund going for the workers in her restaurant. With her tight fisted er, good money sense, she’ll have a fiscally secure one set up soon.

I’m a bit like Bess because I don’t do resolutions. I’m always setting goals for myself. My goal this year is to get another fabulous book written for you, the readers.

Now you know a bit more about some of the Honey Creek folk from their New Year’s resolutions. What are your resolutions? Do you have any?

Post by Suzanne Lilly

My First Ever Cover Art!

I've been living part time in Honey Creek for almost a year, but this month has been full of added excitement. I know this town. Have the details carved in my mind and written on my heart, but suddenly Honey Creek is getting a face I can share with everyone. First this blog and all the other amazing authors in town ;) Then we got new logos and a twitter account. Now, COVER ART. MY cover art! *swoon*. I literally squealed, threw an arm over my eyes and fell back into the couch when it arrived in my email. (I lean toward the dramatic. I find life more interesting this way). I love it. It has captured the heart of my story and I have full intention of kissing the designer when I see her this summer at conferences.

The minute I pulled my eyes from it (which took a super long time) I spread it all over the Internet! So, you *might* have seen it somewhere before, but if you haven't...here it is in all its wondrous glory. My very first cover art. A huge milestone in my life, and career. Another giant step in the direction of Honey Creek. Soon others can stop over for sweet tea or cider, whatever season you slip into, there will always be pie.

Bloom by Julie Anne Lindsey <– OMG that’s ME!

In a town filled with her past, she never expected to find her future…

Seven years ago Cynthia left Honey Creek with a broken heart. Three years ago Mitchell arrived with one. Now Cynthia’s come home, and these two hardened hearts can’t stop arguing. If they’d only take a break long enough to find some common ground, they might be surprised to find love can grow anywhere.

If they’ll let it, love will find a way to Bloom.

Coming January 2012

Add it to you list on GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10673028-bloom

Christmas Traditions

Yesterday, my family gathered around the living room in our pajamas to open presents. Four dogs, two children, three twenty-somethings, and two adults. That and a lot of wrapping paper and bows.

One thing that always strikes me about this time of year are all the traditions. My family is very busy and sometimes Christmas is the only time of year we all end up in the same room.

My teenage cousin and I are in charge of the cake for dessert, which in recent years has been a buche de noel cake.

The youngest is always in charge of handing out presents.

And the females always go out for a Christmas tea at a local bed and breakfast.

/

Did your family celebrate? Do you have any traditions that help make the holidays special?

Happy Holidays and Thanks to Our Men and Women in Uniform

Now that we're in the midst of the holiday season, I want to take a moment to thank the brave men and women serving our country for all they do. This holiday season my son is far away, serving in the Air Force, and will miss our family Christmas. I know he's not the only one in that situation. If you're a parent or a loved one of a person in any branch of military service, you may be spending the holidays far away from the one you love.

These are the sacrifices they make for us to keep us safe and to do their jobs. I want to salute with utmost respect everyone who serves our country. My heart goes out to anyone spending the holidays apart, and I hope and wish that next season you'll all be together again.

Warm wishes to all, for whatever holidays you observe.

Suzanne Lilly

Thanks to Josh Klute for the image of the Thunderbirds.

Honey Creek Punch by Beckie Clark

My name is Beckie Clark and I'm quit the character! *wink wink*
And like most, I love the holidays.  Especially the parties.
My grandmother always says a part ain't a party unless you've got something great to drink which is why she developed Honey Creek Punch.

Despite what you might think, just because we live out in the country, our evenings are not filled with drinking moon shine out by the crick!  No, drinking is still illegal unless you're 21 and that's no exception in HC. Although, there are those of my friends who part take in the adult libations.  For me, it's my grandmother's punch.
Lame to some, yummy to all.

Here's the recipe:
Mix one can of frozen cranberry juice, one can of frozen orange juice and one can of frozen apple juice with 1 1/2 liters of ginger ale.  Garnish with thinly sliced apple slices and voila!  I like to cut out shapes with cookie cutters in the apples before I place them in the punch.  And a word to the wise: let the frozen juice sit a bit otherwise once you've mixed all together, the chunks take a bit to melt.

This punch goes great with buckeyes or when you've got company over and you want to impress them with your punch making abilities.

Look for more from Beckie and her grandmother in the 3rd book from the YA series (not yet titled) by Jennifer Anderson.

Holiday Travel Tips from Maggie Greene

This week, I get ready to travel home for the holidays. What does that mean? Well it starts with way too much time spent at the airport and flying. I've spent a lot of time over the last several years flying and have become a bit of an expect (if I do say so myself) on surviving the wonders of air travel. I thought I might share a couple tips with you today. 

1. Make sure everything is together. If you don't fly often, it is easy to forget just how many things you need to get from the ticket counter to baggage claim. I suggest buying a little portfolio that you can use for your flight information. You should have your itinerary, photo ID (take it out of your wallet if you're using your driver's license), boarding pass, and bag claim tickets. If they are all in one easy location, you won't spend time trying to get them all out again and again. 

2. Have stuff to do. No, seriously. It's easy to think that you are going to sleep through a flight or rely on in-flight entertainment. Don't. You never know when you are going to get stuck waiting in an airport for eight extra hours, end up on a twelve hour flight with 0 movies or have to stay awake so someone else's toddler on you (yep, done all of those). May I suggest loading up the e-reader with books from TMP?

3. Be early. The information airlines give out say to be at the airport 2 hours early for domestic flights and 3 hours early for international flights. Yes, you really should. Yes, sometimes you can get through the airport in 20 minutes. No, that doesn't happen all the time. Show up early so you have time to get a cup of coffee and hit the bathrooms. Don't be that person screaming at the TSA agents because your flight leaves in 20 minutes and you haven't reached the front of the security line. 

Do you have any travel advice? Please share!

Christmas in Honey Creek, Ohio

It's the most wonderful time of the year, as the classic Christmas song claims, and that's still true in Honey Creek, Ohio.

Remember back in the day when people would go caroling from door to door during the Christmas season? They still do that in Honey Creek. The choir from a local church does a social every year the week before Christmas. After dinner, when folks' stomachs are full of good food and hot chocolate, they head to the streets for caroling. You're welcome to sing along, too.

Another popular treat is the downtown Christmas tree lighting. Everyone heads down to Main Street, where they can buy candy apples, kettle corn, and hot apple cider. The White Cottage Restaurant provides more hot cocoa than anyone should ever drink in one night. The whole town comes out, and it's great fun to see people hugging and waiting in line to see Santa and Mrs. Claus. Usually Mr. and Mrs. Creamer who own Creamer's Furniture Store do the Santa honors. There's always a horse drawn carriage to ride through the snowy streets, and the kids have a snowman building contest in the town park. The winner gets a special gift from Santa, which makes it worth all the fun.

Down at Honey Creek Lake, there's a tree decorating contest the first week in December. Jester Mason who runs the Filling Station, and Virgil Neff, owner of Bolts and Buckles Hardware, provide a few portable generators. The town council brings in trees for groups such as the Girl Scouts, the Grange, and the VFW to decorate with lights, ribbons, ornaments, and all. Folks bid in a silent auction for their favorite tree. One year, the Creamer family got the tree they won all set up in the front window of their store. After the Christmas lights warmed up, a little tree squirrel ran out and wreaked havoc in the foam cushions of the couches. That sure was an extra bonus!

After the festivities, folks go home to their families, or to a friend's house for a late evening celebration. That's one heavenly thing about Honey Creek; there's no reason to be alone with such friendly small town people.

What's your favorite tradition of the holiday season?


Posted by Suzanne Lilly

My Favorite Ohio Christmas Recipe

My family has lived in Ohio for more than 100 years. My great-grandparents came over from Italy on a slow boat to Ellis Island. They stopped traveling in Ohio when my great-grandpa found work at a foundry. Back then, embracing your heritage was hard. Being an immigrant then was not a good time.

However, my great-grandmother was resilient as all woman are. She set out to join a church and make friends and get involved in her community. Baking immediately gained her a position in our town. As all the women in my family (until me) she loved to bake and friends clamored to earn something from her kitchen. Holiday baking became a tradition for my family.

While I never had the blessing of knowing my great-grandmother…or my grandmother, my mom and I have baked together every year since I could be propped in my high chair to watch. I bake with my daughter now. Every year we make one recipe regardless of what else is on the menu. At my house there are ALWAYS buckeyes.

In honor of the Ohio buckeye nut, these delicious oh-my-sweet-heavens! treats will make you want to kick off your shoes and curl up with about a dozen more. I thought I’d share it with you. This recipe makes 2 dozen for my mom. I stretch it to three dozen. I know I’ll eat them all, so making smaller balls prolongs my experience. LOL

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup margarine
1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Mix first 3 ingredients together.
2. Roll into 1" balls and place on waxed paper lined cookie sheet.
3. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
4. Melt chocolate chips in double boiler with oil.
5. Stick toothpick in center of peanut butter ball, dip in chocolate about 3/4 of the ball, leaving a small amount of the peanut butter ball showing. Put back on waxed papered cookie sheet, remove toothpick. Refrigerate until set.
6. Keep in sealed container in cool place. The yield depends on how large you make the balls. Cooking time is actually refrigeration time.

ENJOY! ENJOY! ENJOY!

Baby, it's cold outside

I hate winter. There, I said it. Now, I know a lot of people live for this time of year. I won't argue with you about most of it. I love the holidays. Christmas trees, cookies, decorative lights, and, of course, presents. I would just prefer if we could do all of this without the cold.

Yes, I know this exists some places. I've never lived in one of those. The closest I've come to living in a place where it was warm is the time I spent in Seattle. Stop laughing. That is the warmest place I've ever lived. Before that I was in Wyoming and now I'm in Pennsylvania (also known as frigid and really cold). My whole goal in life is to move to a city where I can actually go outside without having to put on eight layers of clothes.

Notice I said I hate cold, not snow? Yeah, I actually don't mind snow. What makes me mad is the incredibly cold, dreary days where you look outside and think it might not be so bad. Turns out, it is that bad. Except there is no beautiful snow to look at when you step outside.

Do you have snow yet? What do like/hate about winter?

The White Cottage Restaurant, the Hub of Honey Creek

Image by Darren Robertson Dreamstime.com

Honey Creek, Ohio is a little slice of heaven on Earth. It's where the corn grows tall, the gossips grows large, and the romance is from sweet to hot. My name’s Suzanne Lilly, and I’d like to introduce you to this lovely little town and the lake named after it.

The first thing to do is to get acquainted with some of the characters in Honey Creek. When I say characters, I mean that in the best sense of the word, bless their hearts. The best place to meet people is in the White Cottage Restaurant, owned and run by Bess Beale. She’s quite a hoot, that lady. I think Jester Mason, from over at the Filling Station, has a thing for Bess. He follows her around like a puppy on a leash. But from what I hear, neither one of them is the marrying type. We’ll just have to watch and see what happens with that.

This little diner is the place where people in town like to hang out. Bess and Eulalie, her cook, make the best cakes and pies this side of the Appalachian Mountains. Nobody anywhere can hold a candle to Eulalie’s biscuits.  The coffee is to die for. It’s the coffee that keeps Howard Doyle coming back. Howard's at the diner so much he has his own stool at the bar with his personal butt print. He sits there all day, drinking cup after cup of joe. Some people say it’s because his wife Gerry can’t make a good cup to save her life, but I think there might be more to it than that. Just don’t tell anyone you heard it from me. I wouldn’t want to hurt her feelings.

White Cottage Restaurant sits right on Main Street, in the center of town. It’s also the center of gossip, since you can see everyone coming and going when you’re there. It also has easy access off Highway 22, the other main drag through town. That’s the way truckers and out-of-towners come by the diner, off Highway 22. Some of those out-of-towners leave things behind. Things like jackets, sweaters, sunglasses. Speaking of sunglasses, one day Mariah Davis and her friend Hayley Bayless found a pair of very unusual sunglasses in the diner. Mariah said she could see things in the future when she put them on. Some people think that’s all a bunch of horse pucky, but I believed her. I told her story in Shades of the Future. You’ll be able to read all about it in the summer of 2012 when Turquoise Morning Press, the publisher of Honey Creek Books releases it.

There are so many stories to tell about this place, but I can’t squeeze them all into this one blog post. If you want to stay up to date on the gossip, news, and happenings around Honey Creek, subscribe to our blog. You can also follow us on Twitter as @HoneyCreekBooks. We’ll let you know about upcoming books, contests, prizes, and all the important things readers like you want to know about.

I’m looking forward to getting to know you. See you around Honey Creek!

The Tree by Mya Newman from Ice Princess

I'm sure everybody will tell you that Christmas if their favorite time of the year.  I'm no exception.  I LOVE Christmas time, especially in Honey Creek.  Lafayette High School holds a Winter Formal every year and it's awesome.  I mean ice sculptures, twinkly lights and shimmery decorations everywhere.  And with the right dress and hunky guy on your arm, you will not be disappointed.

But's that not my favorite part.  Don't get me wrong, I love the Winter Formal but my absolutely favorite part of this time of year is decorating the Christmas tree.  My mom wraps each ornament in tissue paper when she stores them.  And when we pull them out, she tells the story behind each one.  By now, I know most of them but there are still a few that I have to hear over and over again.

For example, my dad proposed to my mom on Christmas Eve.  They'd gone to Columbus for dinner and on their way back they cruised by Honey Creek Lake.  The moon rose high into a clear sky and shown down across like a mirror.  Wavering among the waves she said she could see a big round white ball nestled on the water.  They sat in silence for what felt like forever she said and just watched the moon sitting on the lake.

Then out of nowhere, my father sat a small golden drum ornament on her knee.  The shiny coating danced beneath the light of the moon within the dark truck cab.  With unsteady fingers, she picked up the drum and turned it in her hands.  She noticed a small clasp on one side.  Carefully, she flipped the clasp and opened the lid.  She held her breathe as she watched something sparkle within the blue velvet bed.

She said she was so stunned that she barely heard what my father had said but she remembered his voice was shaky as he told her how much he loved her and he'd be honored if she'd be his wife...forever.

She spared my the gushy part, thank you very much.  I mean my parents, making out in a car...yuck.

Anyway, I love to hear her retell the story each year and watch tears dance along her lids. The best part is when she gasps as she reopens the drum and pretends there's a ring inside.

I have to admit.  My dad had great taste.  Her ring is beautiful.

So decorating the tree is my favorite part.  What's yours?

Opening Week Winners!

I want to personally thank every single one of you for joining us last week. I know myself, Suzanne, Julie, and Jennifer all appreciate the support. Now, I think we said something about prizes.


Oh yes, that's right. So, without further ado, I get the pleasure of announcing the winners of our contest:


Print copy of Rapunzel's Daughters: Ashley Maker*
Ebook copy of Rapunzel's Daughters: JK Coi
Ebook copy of Men in Uniform: Aurian
Ebook copy of Summer Shorts: Loucinda McGary*
$10 Amazon Gift Card: Carla Ackley


One of us will be contacting you to claim your prize (*Ashley and Loucinda-  you didn't leave an email address, so please email me at authormaggiegreene AT gmail DOT com).


Thanks so much to all of you. We'll have a lot more fun and prizes in the months ahead, so stay tuned. 

Heavenly Honey Creek, Ohio

Image by Roger Kirby at stock.xchng

When I first discovered Honey Creek, Ohio, I wanted to live there. It's fictional, so I can't pack up my belongings and move to the town, but as a writer, it’s possible for me to go any place and time in the world and take any reader with me. Hopefully you'll come along for the trip. Honey Creek may be a fictional town, but it’s become a real place with real people through the writing of these stories.

Honey Creek reminds me of my home town and perhaps it will remind you of the place you live. My small, rural town in Northern California is only a few miles from a beautiful lake where families love to swim, fish, boat, and picnic.

With no mall, skating rink, or other things for kids to do, they have to make up their own entertainment. I'll be telling you about Gauntlet, a local competitive game they also play in Honey Creek in a future post. School sports are big, both in my town and Honey Creek, especially football.

No matter where you go in town, people are friendly.  They sit on their front porches, watering their flowers and visiting their neighbors. The Christmas tree lighting ceremony is a huge community party with plenty of candy canes, hot chocolate, and horse drawn carriages.

Like all small towns, in Honey Creek everyone is up in everyone else’s business. A person can't walk down the street without bystanders gossiping discussing what she's doing. On the flip side of that, when things in life go wrong, as things in life tend to do, the people of the community pull together and help each other out. The people of Honey Creek are like one big, crazy, happy family. 

You’re invited to become a part of this family, both here on our blog, on Twitter, and through the books. Beginning in January, you’ll be able to start reading the books and novellas that weave together the history and happenings of this charming town and its intriguing people. You’ll meet Bess Beale, owner of the White Cottage Restaurant, and Jester Mason, the handsome bachelor who could rival Hugh Grant any day.  I'll give you a personalized tour around Honey Creek Lake and the inside view of all the secrets and gossip. Plus, some of the women of Honey Creek might share with you a few of the delectable recipes they're famous for creating. I'm including the recipe for Nothing Beats Chocolate Beet Cake in the back of Shades of the Future.

Are there stories you're interested in hearing about? Let us know on the comments here, and we'll see what we can do.

I’m so looking forward to chatting with you on the blog and on Twitter as @HoneyCreekBooks and as @SuzanneLilly.

While you’re here, don’t forget that every comment left this week is an entry into our prize drawings. You can gain an extra entry, too. Just check out how to earn more entries on our contest page. Don't forget to leave an email address so we can contact you if you win. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 5th.

Happy reading!

Post by Suzanne Lilly

How I Stumbled on Honey Creek.

Hello, I’m Jennifer Anderson and I have a YA series with Honey Creek.  The first novella in my series, Ice Princess releases April 2012 and I can’t tell you how excited I am.  The journey from start to finish has been amazing.

You may have met my friend Julie Anne Lindsey.  Her debut novella, Bloom, which is also the launching title for Honey Creek, introduced me to Honey Creek and Turquoise Morning Press.  I’d been toying with this writer thing for a few years, honing my craft, meeting new people and writing constantly all to reach that golden prize.  Publication. *que the angels singing*

After I beta read her book, Bloom, I became inspired.  I had to learn more about this wonderful cute town settled amongst the corn fields of Ohio. And that’s when Ice Princess came alive.  Mya Newman begins her senior year and she’s tired of the same ‘ole, same ‘ole.  She wants excitement.  Except at what cost will her wish be granted.  Will she get her excitement but lose the one thing she couldn’t bear to lose especially after she’s lost so much?

Check back to this blog for more updates on mine, and all my fellow Honey Creeker’s books due out in 2012.  It’s a very exciting year for our little town.  Will the residents survive the instant fame?  Or will they run off and hide in the fields or jump in the lake.  Only time will tell.

·       Enter to win an e-copy of your choice of Men In Uniform, a sweet romance anthology by various TMP authors.  Remember that every comment left this week is an entry into our prize drawings. You can gain an extra entry by following the directions on this post. Don't forget to leave an email address so we can contact you if you win. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 5^th. 

Welcome to Honey Creek!