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Wednesday, November 19, 2014

A Christmas tale in Nebraska? Brrrrrrr ~Tanya Hanson

Can a Christmas blizzard ignite love gone cold?

My Christmas story, Covenant, is now bargain priced at only 99 cents! It’s a gut wrencher...here’s what one reviewer has to say:

 In a romance I want a novella to deliver the power and enjoyable HEA that one would expect to enjoy only in a full size novel.
     “Covenant” is that kind of 5-Star novella.
     It opens with about as emotional a scene as you’d expect in a romance and then continues with that high level of tension until the last page. No padding and no sagging middle.
     “Covenant” provided a totally engaging and enjoyable reading experience. I loved it. Highest recommendation. 5-Stars!
http://tinyurl.com/ltj63hr
Part of the anthology, Wishing for a Cowboy, the story--now available separately, needed a Christmas food for a theme. My gram’s springerle cookies just jumped into my head. I clearly remember the lemony yet licorice-y taste of these little “picture cookies” from my childhood, but more than that, I remember just dreaming over the rolling pin.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/holiday-springerle-recipe
In the story, Carsten Green courts his mail-order bride Ella across the miles by sending her hand-carved cookie molds depicting her life...and his love. She calls his carvings worthy of a museum. But sadly, Fate tosses them unexpected grief that tears apart the new marriage.

Also sadly, Gram's springerle recipe disappeared over time, a well as her story-telling rolling pin. But King Arthur Flour has generously given permission to use their recipe at the back of the story, and pictures..

Enjoy! It’s the perfect short read in front of a fireplace where stocking have been hung with care!

Blurb:
Alone, abandoned, struck with guilt and grief, mail order bride Ella Green refuses to celebrate their first wedding anniversary by herself on the Nebraska homestead. Her fault Charlotte died.

Her fault her husband couldn’t stick around. So it’s back to Pennsylvania. Until the snow hits.
But do the spingerle cookie molds depicting her life--Carsten’s hand-carved courtship gifts to her across the miles--still have more story to tell?

Or is it truly The End?

Widower Carsten Green took on a bride merely to tend his little daughter. Unbeknownst to Ella, he gave her his heart instantly. Yet he believed she’s got no reason to stay after the child’s death. So he’s left her first.

How can the Christmas blizzard separating them warm their hearts, brighten their future, and ignite love gone cold?
  


“Tuesdays with Tanya~ http://tanyahanson.blogspot.com

3 comments:

  1. Tanya,

    'Covenant' is a gut-wrencher, but in a good way. *wink* Lots of angst for both the H&h.

    I remember these cookies (or cookies like these) showing up in my grandmother's house around Christmastime, but they must have been store-bought, because I don't recall anyone in my family baking them. The craftsmanship that went in to hand-carving the images and shapes on the rolling pins is amazing. A lost art nowadays.

    I'm going to give the recipe you linked-to a try. Now...off to find a springerle pin or molds.

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  2. The perfect story for this time of year. Now to figure out how to make the cookies gluten free..*Sigh*

    Thanks! Doris

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  3. Tanya, this is one of my favorite stories of yours. I truly was brought to tears more than once reading this. I had never heard of springerle--learn something new every day! Sadly...I don't like licorice, but this is something my mother would have dearly loved. Those were two of her favorite flavors, and she loved cookies. Great story. You sure deserved that 5 star review!
    Cheryl

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