Christian Roots in Jack O'Lanterns? Jolene Navarro

Hello, Jolene Navarro checking in from the Texas Hill Country. This is my view as I sip my tea and write this post.

Texas Hill Country Sunrise from Jolene Navarro's front porch.

Last weekend we had our family Pumpkin Carving Slam. I love Fall, the colors, scents, and flavors. Did you know it has Halloween and Pumpkin carvings have Christian roots?

Family Fall Fun - Jolene Navarro

My sister and I started hosting a pumpkin carving fest with our kids about twenty years ago when they little. One year someone asked why we carved pumpkins? So I did some research. Where does the tradition come from? I’m glad you asked…

Carving Pumpkins - Jolene Navarro

The tradition of Jack-O-Lanterns came to the USA from the way of our Irish immigrants. Did you know that the original Jack-O-Lanterns were carved into beets, turnips & potatoes?

Like most traditions it starts with a myth, a story created to warn children to behave and not play with the devil or you’ll end up like poor “Stingy Jack”.

“Stingy Jack” was an Irish man that loved playing tricks on people and thought he could outsmart the devil. It all started when he invited Mr. Satan to have a drink. 

Jack tricked Satan to turn himself into a coin. Then he left the bar tab unpaid and put the coin in his pocket, next to a silver cross. This, of course, trapped the Devil from changing back.

Laughing at his own trick, he thought he was so smart. He finally made a deal with the Devil. He would free him if Satan vowed he would not claim Jack’s soul for a year.

A year later and bored, Jack tricked the Devil into climbing a tree for a piece of fruit on a top branch. The Devil’s pride once again had him falling for Jack’s ploy. While Satan reached for the fruit, Jack carved a cross into the trunk, trapping the Devil.

This time he made the Devil promise not to bother him for ten years. Before the decade was up though, Jake, drunk fell from his horse and died.

Now the story tells of Jake’s true fate. God, not pleased with how Jack had chosen to spend his life, would not allow him into heaven.

Of course, the Devil had vowed not to claim Jack’s soul, so he was left with nowhere to go. Sent out into the darkness with nothing but a lump of burning coal that he carried in a carved-out turnip. Jack wondered the earth looking for someone to play a trick on.

The Irish refer to him as “Jack of the Lantern” of course being Irish, it became Jack O’Lantern. Throughout Ireland and Scotland families started making their own versions of Jack-O-Lanterns by carving spooky designs into turnips and beets.

When the immigrants arrived at the shores of the new country they shared their stories and traditions. Soon they discovered that the native fruit, pumpkin, made a perfect canvas for the artistic carvings.

Jack-O-Lanterns - Jolene Navarro

Any good story told has a moral, a lesson to learn, so next time you see a Jack-O-Lantern remember that pride will get you in trouble and never try to outsmart the devil. It will always lead to misfortune.

Carving Pumpkins - Jolene Navarro

I love that my life is full of family traditions and get-togethers. So, goes my stories.  My latest release, A LONE STAR CHRISTMAS is full of Thanksgiving and Christmas with a big family in a small town.

https://www.amazon.com/Lone-Star-Christmas-Legacy-Inspired/

The hero Max, comes back to town with two young brothers he just received custody. He doesn't understand family and has no connections to family traditions.  Jackie Bergmann is surrounded by family and might be the one to convince Max to stay home for Christmas...maybe forever.

What are some of your favorite family memories or traditions? Or maybe one you wish you had…it’s not too late to start one.

Fuzzy Blankets, Warm Drinks and Novels

by Jill Kemerer

In northern Ohio the leaves have changed, the furnace is running, and I’m ready to snuggle inside. I love this time of year!

I kick off every morning with a nice, hot pot of coffee. While I watch the local news, I wrap up in a comfy throw and sip my creamy caffeine. I have a collection of fuzzy blankets, and my current favorite was a gift from my sister-in-law from last Christmas. It’s dove gray and so soft. My little doxie always curls up on my lap underneath the blanket! She’s silly.

This won’t shock you, but my T-shirts and shorts have been packed away. In their place are jeans and sweaters. I’m always cold, so in the afternoon, I fill my electric tea kettle with water and sip hot tea while I write.

Sometimes my husband and I will take a long walk before it gets dark out. We try to take advantage of the daylight as much as possible because it won’t be long until it grows dark before dinner time. Having less sunlight makes me sad. I’m not a fan of short days. I actually have a Happy Light, which is an LED light therapy lamp. It’s supposed to ease low moods due to lack of sunlight. Even my dog loves it. She stretches out in front of it whenever I turn it on.

My reading habits change this time of year. I read more cozy fiction—inspirational contemporary romance novels, cozy mysteries, and historical romances. Oh, and Christmas stories! I love holiday books this time of year. The only novels I steer clear of in autumn are heavy women’s fiction and thrillers. With winter approaching, I need reading material guaranteed to make me smile.

Here are a few books I’ve read recently and highly recommend.

Walk It Out: The Radical Result of Living God’s Word One Step at a Time by Tricia Goyer

First of all, I love the cover of this one. More importantly, the message is powerful. I was inspired by Tricia’s story, and I love the Bible truths in this book. Living God’s word isn’t always comfortable, but it’s worth it.

Rescue Me by Susan May Warren

This is the second book in the Montana Rescue series, and I loved it! It’s a romantic adventure and follows multiple characters. I highly recommend it.

Speaking of books... My new series, Wyoming Cowboys, launched this month with the release of The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride! It’s a Christmas romance set on a ranch in Wyoming. The book is available in supermarkets and online at all major book retailers. See below for more information.

To celebrate, I’m giving away three copies of my new release, The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride, on my Facebook page. US residents are eligible to win a paperback or ebook. International readers are eligible to win an ebook! Stop by and scroll until you see the post titled Giveaway Time 10/10/17. CLICK HERE to go to Jill’s Facebook page!

I’d love to hear your fall habits. Hot drinks? Fuzzy blankets? Or is it hot year-round where you live? And what are you reading?

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Jill Kemerer writes Christian fiction and nonfiction. She is a multi-published author of Christian romance novels for Harlequin Love Inspired. Her essentials include coffee, M&Ms, a stack of books, her miniature-dachshund and taking long nature walks. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two almost-grown children. Jill loves connecting with readers, so please visit her website, jillkemerer.com, and sign up for her newsletter.

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The Rancher's Mistletoe Bride

Coming Home for Christmas 

Wedding planner Lexi Harrington needs a manager for her inherited Wyoming ranch. Clint Romine is the perfect man for the job, but the ruggedly handsome cowboy soon presents a new dilemma—distraction. Lexi can't fall for a small-town rancher when she's planning to return to her big-city career after the holidays. Home has always been elusive for former foster kid Clint. Working alongside Lexi at Rock Step Ranch feels too cozy—and too risky. Opening up to her means revealing a secret about his past that could jeopardize everything he holds dear. This Christmas, can Clint learn to trust Lexi with the truth…and with his heart?

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  | iBooks

Happy November. Make a joyful noise--Lenora Worth

I can't believe it's November already. On the one hand, I'm so ready for next week to pass. I don't want to get into politics, but I'm ready to focus on being thankful for what's right in the world instead of hearing everyone bickering about what's wrong.

But enough about that. I'm here to celebrate some of the beauty of fall and find out what's happening with the rest of you. If you visited the Love Inspired Harvest Festival on the Harlequin website a few weeks ago, you probably heard some of this there. Fall is a great time to regroup and settle down and snuggle up. Hot chocolate and s'mores, football and falling leaves, good books and crisp breezes in the air. Taking a long walk on a pretty path. Thanking God for the bounty of the earth.

Since I just finished a book ahead of deadline, I'm in a cooking mood. Gumbo, French bread, maybe some pumpkin bread and other yummy fall foods. Red velvet brownies, maybe?

And my favorite--pie:

What are your plans for fall?

Do you find you read a different type of book as the season changes?

What are some of your favorite fall foods?

I hope you have a great fall. As we go into the holiday season, I hope we cling to these verses from Psalms 95:

"Oh, come let us sing to the Lord;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!"

Thanksgiving and songs of praise. Joy. I pray we always find the JOY!

What's your favorite thing about fall.... Lenora Worth

It's that time of year. The time where Christmas decorations start popping up right after school starts. We have Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, usually in that order but lately things are getting a little confusing. It's like Valentine's Day with Mardi Gras thrown in. Beads or Chocolate?

What is your favorite thing about fall?

I don't like to rush things so I truly wish retailers would go with the order of things. Plenty of time to put out Halloween things after the back-to-school-rush. And let's enjoy Thanksgiving before we dive into standing in line for bargains to put underneath the tree. This can be the most wonderful time of the year if we celebrate at the right time of the year.

But not to worry, fall is still magical and wonderful and part of the process that God put on the calendar that week he created the earth. Spring--things are reborn, Summer--things get a little world-weary and warm. Fall--things turn golden and misty and the earth reclaims the leaves from the trees. Winter--a big chill makes us long for blossoms and sitting on a green hill. It's a system that works if we just allow each season to have it's very own reason. So in honor of how the four seasons are set up I'm going to share some pictures of nature and it's bounty today. In case you missed Summer because you were searching for pumpkins and in case you missed fall because you were knee-deep in Christmas decorations! Enjoy: These moments are brought to you by God! His world is amazing :)



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This last one is a reissue of one of my Christmas favorites from 2009!

Had to get in a book cover, of course!

 



Return to Autumn House, a Halloween Serial - Chapter Two - Teri Wilson

Return to Autumn House – Chapter Two

Teri Wilson

We have to get out of here. It’s not safe.

Hallie’s chest grew tight. She couldn’t seem to breathe. Or even think straight. The noises in the house grew louder. Whoever was inside was coming closer. And closer.

It’s not safe.

She could run. She should run. She should turn right around, climb back into her pumpkin orange roadster and drive far away. She should forget she’d ever heard of Marshmallow, Maine. Let them condemn the place. Why should she care what happened to Autumn House?

Maybe because this is where Kane kissed you for the very first time.

Kane.

He was the reason she couldn’t bring herself to turn tail and run. He was hurt. Hurt and bloodied. Something terrible had happened to him. She couldn’t just leave him here. She’d never be able to forgive herself if she did, even though she’d never seen him after the Halloween night so long ago when he’d kissed her on this very front porch. He’d been dressed as Superman, with a red cape and a big S on his manly chest. She’d been Lois Lane. They hadn’t planned on matching costumes. It had just happened. She’d thought it was fate. She’d thought it meant they were destined to be together.

She’d never been so wrong about anything in her life, except maybe the time she’d tried pumpkin spice potato chips. (They were horrible. Almost as horrible as being kissed within an inch of her life by a man who'd never deigned to speak to her again.)

But that didn’t mean she could leave him here. Not when something sinister was just on the other side of the front door to Autumn House. Whomever…or whatever…was coming for them had grown so close that Hallie could hear it breathing heavily just on the other side of the door.

A shiver ran up her spine.

“Kane. Wake up. Please wake up.” She gave him a little shake and tried not to think about how handsome he looked, even with a bloodied forehead.

But it’s such a nice forehead. So Clark Kent-esque.

She sighed.   

Focus, Hallie!

“Hmm?” Kane’s eyes fluttered open. “Lois? I mean, Hallie?”

Good. He was awake. If she could just get him to the car…

The door to Autumn House creaked open, and Hallie froze. It was too late to flee. Time had run out. She held onto Kane’s limp form for dear life while something hulking and black leapt toward her in the dark. A monster.

She squeezed her eyes closed and prayed for a miracle.

Then something wet and cold hit her on the side of her face. It almost felt like the monster had licked her. She opened her eyes.

Laugher bubbled up her throat. It wasn’t a monster at all. It was a dog. A big, clumsy dog. And from the looks of its wagging tail, it was friendly.

“Hallie, we have to get you out of here.” Kane sat up. “I told you it wasn’t safe. You’re severely allergic to dogs.”

He remembered. How sweet. How…super. Hallie had the sudden urge to kiss him right then and there.

But wait. Why was he all bloody? Why had he ignored her for so many years? Who did this giant dog belong to? And why was Autumn House on the verge of crumbling to the ground?

A kiss was the last thing she needed. What she needed most of all were answers. And maybe some Benadryl.

Apple Recipes by Christine Johnson

Tis the season for fragrant apple desserts fresh out of the oven. I love a good apple crisp with vanilla ice cream, or a warm apple cake with caramel icing. For breakfast, I’ll grate some apple into the pancake batter and add a little cinnamon. Yum!

 

I have two trees that alternate producing apples. This year is a banner year. I have four grocery bags full of apples. There’s no time to can applesauce, thanks to book deadlines, so I’m looking for other ways to use apples.

 

My grandmother’s old (early 1920s) cookbook has an apple confection recipe, called Apple Allies. As is typical of old cookbooks, the instructions are vague. From what I can figure out, you bring a two-to-one mixture of sugar to water to a boil and then add pared apple slices. Cook until they are soft enough that they are transparent and can be pierced with a straw. Then remove, drain, and dry for a day. Roll in regular granulated sugar and serve.

 

Naturally I had to give this a try. Here I am attempting the straw test. It didn’t work, probably because straws back then were made of glued paper that was then waxed and were very small in diameter. So I went with transparency as a measure.

 

Here’s the finished product. How do they taste? Like apples with sugar. Since I chose a tart apple, there's a tart-sweet flavor. But what do I do with the syrup that's left? It's the consistency of corn syrup and has an apple flavor. Any ideas?

 

I don’t recall my grandma ever making these. Nor do I recall eating candy made from apples–other than caramel apples, of course.

 

Does your family have any traditional apple recipes? Any current favorites? Please share!

 

Christine Johnson

Mail Order Mix-Up (LIH, Coming April 2016)
Honor Redeemed (Revell, Coming June 2016)
http://christineelizabethjohnson.com

 

How I Love September!

by @jillkemerer

Usually by  September I'm ready for jeans, sweatshirts and cozy time on the couch. We had a rainy, mild summer, but the last few weeks have been hot and muggy. What can I say? Our weather gets confused. Anyway, I'm giddy for all things September, and yep, I've compiled a list in no particular order.

I took this photo last year in September--isn't the cardinal pretty?

1.  My writing schedule evens out.

I write during the summer, but it's not as easy when the kids are out of school. Summer brings daily distractions in many forms. Fall and winter are great for my writing!

2. The leaves grow colorful.

I live in northern Ohio. The full color display really pops in October, but September hints at the yellows, oranges and reds on their way. So pretty!

3. Football!

I. Love. Football. Yes, I do. There's nothing better than a steaming mug of coffee while watching ESPN's College Game Day on Saturday morning. I root for University of Michigan's Wolverines, and I enjoy NFL, too. It's not easy being a Detroit Lions fan, but someone has to do it.

4. Fall sports.

We have two teens busy with fall sports. Saturdays usually mean cross country meets, and Sundays bring an afternoon baseball game. Fun times!

5. Sunday school.

I take turns with another woman teaching preschool Sunday school. The kids are so cute at that age, and I love spending an hour with them. 

6. Birthdays.

My birthday and my son's birthday are in September. Double the cake. Ditto the ice cream. :)

7. Crisp nights.

When the weather starts to cool at night? Yes! I love that! But in another two months I'll be whining about winter...

8. Hearty food.

I enjoy cooking and baking. This is the time of year I cook chili all day in the slow cooker and bake an apple pie. Good stuff!

9. No holidays.

Yes, Christmas is my favorite time of the year, but it's really, really nice to get a break from holiday planning. No pressure to buy gifts, decorate, figure out costumes, fill a basket, etc... I'll take the mini-break. 

10. My second book released this September. 

This book is so dear to my heart. It's a reunion romance with a divorced couple, and the hero, Tom, finds out he has a child. The cover and blurb are below. It should be in stores all month, and it's available to order online.

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His Surprise Daughter 

After five years apart, Tom Sheffield is shocked to find his ex-wife, Stephanie, on his doorstep. The news that they share a child he's never met sends him reeling. Four-year-old Macy has his eyes, his mouth and, from their first encounter, his heart. Things with her mother are much more complicated. He doesn't understand what went wrong between them or why she kept their daughter a secret. And he's afraid of falling in love all over again. Yet he feels a glimmer of hope that somehow he can convince Macy and Stephanie to stay in Lake Endwell—and with him—for keeps.

Interested in purchasing Unexpected Family? Click HERE for purchase links!

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About Jill ~

Jill Kemerer writes contemporary romance novels with love, humor and faith. A full time writer, she relies on coffee and chocolate to keep up with her kids’ busy schedules. Besides spoiling her mini-dachshund, Jill adores magazines, M&Ms, fluffy animals and long nature walks. She resides in Ohio with her husband and two children.  Jill loves connecting with readers, so please visit her website, jillkemerer.com.

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What do YOU love about September?

Have a fabulous day!

Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall – Does the Season Matter?

 by Jean C. Gordon

Do you what September is? September is National Chicken Month. Thank you Little Gray, Yellow, Brown, and Yellow Spot for posing. 

It's also the beginning of Fall, my favorite season, ushered in at 10:29 last night. My birthday is in September. Our wedding anniversary is in September. We're blessed with beautiful fall foliage. And school starts. I was enough of a geek that I always looked forward to going back to school.

Which brings me to a question: Does the season a book is set in influence your book choices? Aside from holiday-month books — I love holiday books — I never gave much thought to the season in which a book was set, either in my reading or my writing, until my ninth book, Small-Town Mom. The season only came to my attention then when we were at the cover stage. The story takes place in the dead of a frigid Adirondack Mountains winter. But the book came out in June, and initially, the cover had no snow and looked like spring, not winter. The dusting of snow was added to bring it into season.

With the books I've written since then, I've thought about when it will be published and tried to mesh the story's season with the publication season (or close). And, just for fun, I checked the seasons my books are set in. Four are set in the fall, one in the winter, and the rest take place in the summer.

Happy fall, y'all-- Lenora Worth

It's fall! And it's Monday. Elnora is not at her best on Monday mornings, but I do love the changing of the seasons. So I was wondering what you like about fall. What is your favorite fall thing? I love the first fresh crisp hint of chill in the early morning air. Not that I rise and shine at the crack of dawn but I do love to sit on my porch and drink coffee without sweating it all out before I finish the cup. That nice crisp cool air is just wonderful after the heat and humidity of summer.

Fall is a time to reflect, cocoon for winter and gear up for the holiday season. And if you are a writer, fall is a time for great stories involving pumpkins and family and home and hearth. Or maybe a little bit of mystery and suspense, too.

So, what do you love about fall? (I forgot football, of course!)

September Excitement

I love this month. I love fall and am looking forward to seeing the change of season begin. We've moved to a more wooded area and I can't wait to see what color the leaves on the trees change to in the coming weeks.

Spring along our walking trail

Summer out our front door

I usually go to the ACFW Conference this time of year, but replacing an air conditioner  a few weeks ago put that out this time. I'll miss not getting together with other Craftie Ladies, but I'll hope for next year.

Still, this September is an exciting one for me. My second book, A Place of Refuge, in the LIH series Boardinghouse Betrothals, is out and I'm working on a deadline for the third book in the series. I love writing these stories. I love Heaton House where all stories connect and I love the characters. It's fun to write about their lives, see them grow and fall in love. It was an exciting time for women in the late 1800s as many joined the workforce for the first time. So far we've had a seamstress for Butterick Patterns, a matron at Ellis Island, a writer for the Delineator, a women's magazine, and a former Tiffany girl now working for a charity who tries to help those living in the tenements. A new character is a photographer who wants to open her own business. But women were working at many other professions.  I'll be bringing in a few new characters in the fourth book and am not sure what jobs they might working at.  What others would you like to see written about?  A sales clerk? Teacher? Telephone operator? I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Ask Elnora--About ACFW??? Lenora Worth

Hello, my lovely friends. September is a good month. My daughter was born in September and fall comes in September. It kind of slinks in on those last rays of summer sun and plays around, a leaf falling here, a burst of crisp clean air there. You feel a hint of change in the air.  September is the beginning of the end of the year, the winding down of all the rebirth and growth we get to enjoy and then the world goes quiet and turns into brilliant colors that allow the good earth and the natural world to take a rest and go dormant. But there is another reason I love September and that is the American Christian Fiction Writers Annual Conference!

This year, it will be held September 13 -- 15 in Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the best conference for anyone who is interested in writing. Yes, I know it's technically a conference for Christian writers but good writing is good writing and you can learn how to be a good writer at this conference. But it's very different from some big conferences. At ACFW, we begin each day with a worship service and praise singing and lots of prayers. It's a loving, open, giving place where people's lives really do change. There are so many people in this world who have stories to tell and they hurt to put their words to paper. This is the place for such people.

I know that not everyone who attends will go home and write a book. For some, it will be a lifetime struggle and for others, it will be a dream realized. Writing is a hard business. We start with a blank page and we try to fill it and hundreds of pages with words that are woven together into a story. It's not an easy task, no matter what anyone has told us. But at ACFW, we use The Word to help us figure out our words. It's a good place to start.

If you haven't been to ACFW, if you haven't heard of ACFW, if you have a story in your heart and a dream in your head, then today is your lucky day. Elnora is encouraging you to check out this conference. If not this year, work toward going next year. (The hotel fills up and I'm telling you this rather late, but I just want everyone to be aware.) If you can't go to the conference, try joining ACFW and work you way from there. September is about letting go but it's also about blossoming into something wonderful come spring. It's Elnora's job to spread hope to those out there who might not be sure. Be sure and be assured, ACFW means business--the Lord's business and the writing business. Oh, and you can wear fabulous shoes, too, of course :)))

Fall Colors!

Missy, here. Fall weather is finally coming to Georgia. It's actually been gorgeous but a bit cooler. The cool weather last week reminded me to get out my fall wreath. Although I love hot weather and never look forward to winter, I do like a bit of relief from the heat.

And I love the chance to start decorating for the holidays.

Speaking of! Last time I went to Cracker Barrel (for our readers who don't know what that is, it's a restaurant with a huge country store), they had out decorations for Halloween, Thanksgiving, AND Christmas! To me, that's a little over the top. :)

How's your weather looking? (For those in the way of the huge storm, we're praying for you!) Do you have much fall color? For you Aussie readers, are you feeling some spring weather?

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visit missy at www.missytippens.com

Ask Elnora--About Masquerades? Lenora Worth

So yesterday, we asked to see some costume pictures. I'll get back to that in a minute. But all this talk of dressing up got Elnora to thinking. What is it about masquerades that bring out the strangeness in people. Here we have a big party each Halloween called artscare (with no caps). Artscare is put on by the local Arts Council and Elnora used to be a social reporter for a local magazine and artscare was actually one of my first assignments. I know you won't believe this, but I'm rather shy and entering a dark room full of people wearing masks and heavy make-up almost had me running away in fear. I didn't masquerade. Elnora wore a black tuxedo suit with a jack-o-lantern scarf slung around my neck. That's about as costumey as I get. Kind of James Bond meets Ichabod Crane. Wearing pumps. Anyway, it was fun to take pictures of people dressed as zombies, gypsies, rock stars, mad scientists and fairy princesses. Just another day in high society. And given the fact that I live in the land of Mardi Gras, I see a lot of strange costumes all year long. It's alway fun to see what people will come up with. So that begs the question--Why do we like to masquerade as someone else? Why is it fun to change our appearance into something else just for laughs? Or for scares?? Here is a picture of my group of friends and me at Mardi Gras a few years ago, celebrating The Wizard of Oz theme. We were "Good Witches', of course!

Let's talk about dressing up in costumes. And in the meantime, let's celebrate our costume winner--Beth N--who was brave enough to send me this picture of her dressed as a Centurion. Beth writes that this is her favorite costume. She wore it at a kids program she helped lead at her church. She told the story of the Centurion from Luke 7 wearing this amazing costume. Congratulations, Beth. I will get your mailing address and send you the promised prizes! If anyone else is brave enough to share a picture, we'd love to see it!

Thank you, Beth, for sharing. Now, everyone, how can we apply this masquerade theme to our stories? Readers, do you like this type of theme? Let's discuss!