Christmas in the Kitchen

Last year I wrote and published my very first ebook: Christmas in the Kitchen: The Modern Girl's Guide to Surviving the Holidays: One Batch of Cookies at a Time.

It was such a fun and rewarding process. Even though it was my first book published, it was a book I've been writing (and re-writing) for a few years. I'm I just finally got it done, edited, and out there in 2012.  And that started my delve into self-publishing and my commitment to growing myself as an indie-author.  My first novella comes out later this month. (It's a Christmas novella- the first in a series) More on that later.

an unapologetic Christmas-holic. I've done it all -the big, the simple, the extravagant, and the crazy.  I love the hope and love and amazingly-wonderful out-of-this world, no-one-could-make-this-up, truth-is-stranger-than-fiction reason for the season.

If you are stressing from Christmas, I get you completely. I have been there, done that, over and over and over.

But really......We can only do so much and after all, this IS a time when we are supposed to be celebrating...not stressing.

Enjoy the excerpt from the book.

If you purchase Christmas in the Kitchen for your Kindle, Nook, or Kobo reader,  send me your receipt and I'll send you a gift. (no, I'm not telling you what it is! It's a Christmas surprise!)

 

It Started on a Cold, Windy, Wet Day…..

It was getting cold out by the minute and the five foot, silver tip, smells-like-Christmas tree got

heavier in my arms by the second.

I didn’t have the confidence to put the beautiful tree on the roof. I was sure I would end up like the two women I had seen just days before, running after an escaping mattress in the middle of the freeway. I could see myself chasing down the tree on the wet freeway, scarf flying and tears dripping down my cheeks as I dodged cars to save my beloved tree.

I slowly dragged the tree out of my compact car. It didn’t feel intensely heavy when I started up the stairs. But now it felt like I was carrying an elephant. (A small elephant). Thinking I was being very practical, I bought a tree that almost just fit in the back seat of the car and poked out just a foot or two outside the window.

Is it illegal to have your tree stick out of the back window?

I don’t know about the legality of Christmas trees sticking out of cars. All I knew was it was the first Christmas living on my own and I was getting a tree all by myself, even if it killed me.

It almost did.

Lugging that tree up the flight of steep stairs nearly cost me my life. I carefully felt each step with my foot, since the roundness of the tree made all visual ability null and void. Almost to the top I began to breathe easier despite the increasing heaviness.

All of a sudden, my foot slipped. I couldn’t scream. I was so scared all vocalizing was stifled.

My arms flailed and I grabbed the tree with one arm and the rail with the other.

I stood on the top of the stairs panting like a dog that has just run five miles. The only thing I could think was, “THIS IS WHY I NEED A BOYFRIEND!”

Maybe it’s just me but I have in my mind what I think would make the perfect Christmas. And, to be perfectly transparent, a handsome, strong guy who can effortlessly bring in a Christmas tree is part of my idealism of the perfect holiday season.

How about you?

More money, more time, a boyfriend, better health, for the family to get along, for the relatives to leave you alone, a nicer boss. Perhaps you are looking for a multiple choice answer and would choose all of the above?

Well, this book is for me. And for you. I’m banking on the fact there is more than one modern young woman who continues to attempt to create the perfect Christmas season. I’ve talked to many of you so I know you are out there.

I don’t know what you want but I’ve come to the conclusion that I better get over having Mr. Hunk of Burning Love carry my tree up the stairs to have a perfect Christmas. Neither will perfecting fudge to bring to the holiday get together make it perfect (more about fudge failure in Chapter 9).

In fact, there is a lot I’m letting go about what I thought would make me happy at Christmas and what really will bring some joy to the season.

And since I’m a bona fide Christmas-holic I don’t want to waste any more time aching over what I don’t have. The season goes by too fast. There is too much I want to do that I don’t seem to get done.

I started changing things the past two years. I went back to my roots. No, I’m not talking about hair color. (Since my gray hairs started coming in when I was a teenager there is no way I would let my hair go natural!)

No, I mean back to the kitchen- my first love and my favorite room in the home. I’ve learned a lot there. I’ve even given up some of my unhealthy Christmas behaviors in exchange for a richer, more decadent experience.

Walking through this book, you will find how I create my merry in the kitchen.

I don’t know where you will have your merry Christmas. But I want to convince you that you can be merry no matter what is going on this time of year, whether you have your own James Bond watching football on your couch or it’s simply you and Max the cat who celebrate together.

So, let’s get going. Let’s talk and bake awhile. Come into my kitchen. You might learn something that could help you. I hope you’ll be entertained. There is nothing like a Christmas enthusiast to do some really crazy things over the years. I’m gonna tell you more than I’ve told most of my family. The things I have done at Christmas. Like the gift I stayed up making all night for the crush in high school. Or the year I spent multiple paychecks all on Christmas. Or the time I was so husband-less I thought I wouldn’t survive the season.

Well, I’m still here. And still a Christmas enthralled blonde. So come and talk with me awhile. We’ll talk about what gets us down and how us modern girls really can experience the most merriest season of all.

Did I mention baking? I love to bake. Actually, I really love to bake and then have people over to eat all the goodies. Or, wrap them up in fun Christmas wrapping and festive ribbon and take with me to parties, to work or wherever to share. I learned a long time ago that there is power in the home made cookie! Now, baking is part of my holiday routine.

I'll be posting several of the recipes from the book at my baking blog, Bake Perfect Cookies