Author Archives: Cecelia Dowdy

Frosting And Flurries!

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box set 2box setFrosting and Flurries, the Christmas box set that includes Sugar and Spice (The Bakery Romance Series Book #4) has been selling a lot on Amazon. We’ve gotten tons of reviews and our ranking has been pretty good in the Contemporary Christian Romance (and Holiday) categories!

Come purchase your copy today! The 99-cent price is a steal for these five delicious romance novels. The set is also available on Kindle Unlimited! The stories are set in different countries, too: USA, Canada, UK, and Ireland!

Sugar and Spice:

Sheila Parks is stunned when Mason Smith, the identical twin brother of her ex-boyfriend Reese, moves to Blue Spring and opens a bakery. Reese’s cruel breakup still bothers her and seeing somebody who looks just like him is a painful reminder of her predicament. Unemployed, Sheila needs financial help and it appears that Mason can assist her with her problem. Can she learn to trust a man who looks just like her ex?

Mason is stunned when Sheila storms into his bakery, mistakenly thinking that he’s Reese. Mason is used to comforting his womanizing brother’s ex-girlfriends. A stutterer, Mason has always had a hard time socializing with others. However, he finds himself smitten with beautiful Sheila. Can he control his stutter so that he can ask Sheila to be his date to his grandmother’s Christmas birthday party?

Both Sheila and Mason deal with past pains as they work together during the Christmas season.

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Speculaas!

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Traditional dutch speculaas cookies on white background

 

 

Don’t these cookies look delicious? Have you ever eaten these before? I was browsing through my King Arthur flour catalog and saw these advertised. I did a little research about these cookies and discovered the following:

  1. It’s a shortcrust-type cookie made with different spices.
  2. Speculaas are eaten on Saint Nicolas Day (December 6th) in the Netherlands and Belgium. They are eaten in Germany around Christmas time.
  3. They usually have some image or figure stamped on the front and the back is flat.
  4. The dough can be stored overnight so that the spices can permeate the dough, giving it a richer spicy flavor.
  5. Sometimes speculaas contain slivered almonds.

I must admit, I’ve never made these before. However, I believe I’ve eaten a store-bought version of this cookie. Perhaps I will make some this Christmas! If I do, I’ll be sure to post a mouth-watering picture!

So, have you ever eaten these cookies? If so, do you enjoy them?

If you like cookies, then you should try my Christmas novella Loving Luke! It’s only 99 cents and mentions lots of sweet Christmas treats for your palate! Winter Background

 

Blessed Assurance

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Blessed Assurance by various authors

If you could take a Bible story and re-tell it in a modern way, which story would you choose?

This was a nice change from my usual Christian fiction reading. These are short stories. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a collection of short stories. These tales take Biblical stories and re-tell them in a modern day setting. Out of all of the stories, these were my favorites:

Traveling Mercies by Maurice Gray – this story is a modern day rendition of the Good Samaritan. When Matt is attacked near a group of onlookers, the only person who helps him turns out to be a prostitute named Samaria. Samaria is dealing with a lot of issues, including her lack of faith. I loved this story – it shows that even Christians sometimes turn their backs on those in need, and that non-believers are sometimes the only ones who will offer assistance.

Baby Blues by Patricia Haley – this story is based upon Sarah and Abraham

When Sarah has trouble conceiving, she convinces her friend Gayle to have a baby with her (Sarah’s) husband. Sarah’s demands causes a strange love triangle and leaves a lot of hurt feelings between the threesome. This story proves that we need to wait on God’s timing for everything.

The Best of Everything by Victoria Christopher Murray – this story is based upon Hannah

When Hannah and her husband Brandon have trouble conceiving, Hannah is stunned that there is no medical reason as to why she can’t conceive. Her desire to conceive dominates her life and causes problems in her marriage. Her husband’s ex-wife’s attitude towards her makes her angry – after all, Brandon has had several children with his ex. This story shows us that we need to be patient and trust in God for all that we want. We need to trust that God knows what’s best for us.

Jacquelin Thomas’s A Change Is Gonna Come is based upon Tamar. Dinanna’s life takes a drastic turn when her half brother rapes her. Her father does little to help her with her plight. This story show how we need to lean on God during the darkest of times. At times, even our family members abandon us during our darkest times.

If you could take a Bible story and re-tell it in a modern way, which story would you choose? How would you tell your modern day Bible story?

Frosting and Flurries!

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I’m pairing up with some wonderful authors this autumn! We’re going to do a box set of Christmas stories. Book four of my Bakery Romance Series will be included in this collection. If you enjoyed my other stories, then I encourage you to purchase the box set once it’s released! This is a great way to introduce you to some more Christian romance authors!

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Love Finds You In Treasure Island Florida

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Love Finds You in Treasure Island Florida

Have you ever vacationed in Florida? If so, what was you favorite Florida vacation spot?

Jerry is on vacation in Treasure Island Florida with his elderly parents. He’s been attracted to pretty Amanda for the last few years. He comes each year with his parents for vacation – he rents a tandem for the older couple from Amanda’s bike shop.

Amanda is attracted to Jerry too, and when he comes in this year to rent the tandem, they end up doing a lot more than just saying “hello” to each other.

However, Amanda is a mother-figure to her irresponsible younger sister Lacey. Plus, she doesn’t consider herself a good candidate as a girlfriend since she’s had a troubled past with her mom. She’s also never gotten over being stood up at the altar by her ex-fiancé.

Jerry has his own set of problems. He’s only in the beach town of treasure island because he’s vacationing with his folks. After awhile, he’ll be returning with his parents back to Atlanta. His folks are getting older and they have health problems, too. If Jerry doesn’t take care of his parents then, who will? How can he even consider a relationship when he has so many responsibilities?

This book was  a light, gentle, heartwarming read. It’d be a nice book to take with you to the beach.

So, have you ever vacationed in Florida? If so, what was you favorite Florida vacation spot?

 

 

Locusts And Wild Honey?

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Matthew 3:4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Locusts and wild honey? I’ve always wondered about this. I wish there were more details. John The Baptist wandered around the wilderness dressed in a garment made with camel’s hair, preaching the gospel and he ate locusts and wild honey? I’m wondering if the locusts were alive when he ate them, or if he cooked them over a fire before eating? How does one eat a locust? I’m wondering how easy it was to gather the locusts and wild honey for his meals? If you have any knowledge about this, feel free to share. It just doesn’t sound like an appetizing diet to me. I’m thinking he had other things to eat, but it appears that he may have eaten the locusts and wild honey quite frequently?

Montana by Debbie Macomber

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Montana by Debbie Macomber

Have you ever relocated to another state?

Molly relocates from California to Montana to help her ill grandfather run his ranch. She’s angry and sad about the demise of her ex-husband. Her ex is in prison for swindling old folks out of their funds. When she arrives, she meets Sam Dakota (her grandfather’s foreman). Sam has a few secrets of his own. Molly is at odds about the way she feels about Sam. He’s nice to her kids, especially her wayward son, so, he has a few good attributes.

But, trouble appears. Mysterious acts of vandalism and a mysterious disappearance make this story so intriguing. This was a great book. There was an unexpected slightly suspenseful twist that added a layer of danger to the story. This book was also about how to learn to trust after being hurt by someone that you love.

So, have you ever relocated to another state? If so, was the relocation by choice, or, was it a matter of circumstance?

 

Loving Luke – a squeaky clean, sweet, delicious romance novella! Only 99 cents – also on Kindle Unlimited!