One of the best things about the holiday season–in my opinion–is the baking!  I love to bake and my kids love to eat. As a family, we watch The Great British Baking Show (we are constantly re-watching every season) and my oldest loves spending time working through a recipe with me in the kitchen.

In my upcoming release, A Perfect Picture of Us, the hero’s mom spends an afternoon baking with the heroine. They whip up a batch of lemon cookies. I love citrus and the bright flavor (especially in the middle of winter). I didn’t have any particular recipe in mind when I mentioned the cookies, but I will be working on these recipes myself in the coming days.

Citrus Butter Cookies from The Pioneer Woman

Lemon Tea Cookies from Betty Crocker

Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies (Merry Gourmet, tweaked Ina Garten recipe)

Happy Baking!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you are surrounded by loved ones today and enjoy a wonderful meal.  Every year, I am most thankful for my family. I am blessed beyond measure to have them in my life. I am grateful for the love and support of my wonderful husband, my darling sons, my dear parents, and my extended family and friends.

As the year winds down, I reflect on everything that has happened so far and my plans for the future. To sum up 2018 in one word, I’d use: Challenging. We have had struggles we never could have anticipated, deep moments of heartbreak, and joyous occasions too. I have learned so much about myself, have refocused my attention on what matters in my life, and feel lighter for choosing to center on the people I love and the dreams I have for them and myself.

Next month, my first novel with The Wild Rose Press releases and I can’t wait to share Leo and Jessica’s story with you. They have both built walls around their hearts and to find a forever love, they have to be vulnerable in ways neither imagined. Check it out here.

Wishing you a wonderful day of feasting (and shopping)!

It’s 1 month and 24 hours to release day!!! (Click here for the pre-order on Amazon and click here for the pre-order on iBooks)  I’m sharing a little behind-the-scenes on how I came up with the story.

In A Perfect Picture of Us, Jess Edwards is a popular lifestyle blogger in Chicago who is tired of upholding the perfect image and is ready to get back to civilian life. I was inspired watching the rise and fall and then–in some cases–the resurrection of lifestyle bloggers.

Eleven years ago, I started planning my wedding and turned to the Internet for inspiration. I stumbled on a lot of personal blogs run by women my age also organizing their own weddings. I related to their struggles to stay on budget while achieving their goal.

Many of the bloggers had DIY personalities and I liked to see how they made restrictions work in their favor. When I had my first child, a lot of the same bloggers were also new parents. Again, I related to their struggles with newborns and sorting through all the conflicting information about what is best for your child.

Slowly, however, the blogs became less personal journal and more vehicle for marketing. Many major brands and companies started to invest in blogs and sponsored posts started popping up. Bloggers gained income and their lifestyles were no longer relatable to their audience. I’ve been a fascinated spectator and this sparked the what if thought that starts the novel. What if a woman with the “perfect” life wants to be imperfect? What if she doesn’t want to document her every choice for content for an audience of strangers? And what if her chance for normalcy is threatened?

Check out A Perfect Picture of Us on December 17th!