That Did Not Just Happen! ~ Holiday Suspense

I love small town holiday stories, don't you? They can be funny or filled with suspense, it really doesn't matter. If there are snowflakes and Christmas lights and decorations and the feeling of hope and love, I devour them.

In 'In The presence Of Evil', Christmas is only a week away. At the insistence of his best-friend, Marine Cole Hanson returns to Mountain Pine, Pennsylvania for the holiday celebration. While he is not looking forward to facing the woman who broke his heart and has haunted his dreams, a small part of him hopes part of their past can be erased and they could start their relationship a new. When he sees Gina trembling in handcuffs, accused of murder, he steps up as her alibi, but can he keep her safe from the real killer.


One minute, Gina is planning the perfect holiday with her new boyfriend and the next she is in handcuffs and facing murder charges. Just when she thinks she’ll spend Christmas in jail, she looks up into the eyes that once had promised to love her forever. Cole. The memory of how he’d crushed her heart, keeps her from jumping into his arms until the truth of their past is revealed. But, is it too late for them? A killer is determined to make Gina his next victim.

Here's an excerpt from the pages of 'In The Presence of Evil'. I hope you enjoy.

***
Cole’s sixth sense kicked in. A tall, slim shadow grew larger on the wall he faced.

Gina slept the last time he’d checked on her, and Rusty won’t creep.

Had someone gotten past Rusty? Was Gina okay? He fought the urge to bulldoze the guy over and race to her side.

Rule one; self-preservation. He couldn’t be distracted by the image of Rusty or Gina injured or dead. Rule two; take out the intruder. Rule three; find Gina and Rusty, and get them medical help if—

He wouldn’t think the worse.

He had to follow the rules.

Cole concentrated on keeping his breathing normal and waited for the right moment to make his move. The hairs on the nape of his neck prickled as if the cold finger of death toyed with him.

He nuzzled his cheek into the pillow and felt the butt of his gun. His muscles tensed. Under his breath he silently counted one, two, three, and then in a fluid motion, he grabbed his weapon and spiraled off the bed toward his predator, hoping to catch him off guard.

Cole wrapped his arm around legs and dropped the body to the floor, surprised by the light weight.

A high-pitched yelp cut through the night.

“Cole, stop. It’s me.”

“Jesus, Gina.” He halted slamming his gun into her head by a fiction of an inch and braced himself on his elbows.

Her soft body moved under him, and he went hard all over.

A shard of moonlight beamed through the window above them and cut across her shocked expression. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I was just checking on you.”

Her voice shook, and Cole’s heart hammered his sternum. “You almost got yourself killed. Do you know that?”

“I do now.”

Gina’s nails bit into his forearms. The rapid rise and fall of her breasts tickled his chest hair. The satin fabric of her nightgown brushed against his stomach. He recalled the red nightie he’d seen thrown across her bed the night before, and his blood pulsed to areas south of his boxer’s waistband imagining her wearing it now.
He took in the feel of her, recording each soft curve to memory for those nights when he needed to remember a happier time.

Cole’s nostrils flared. Gina’s sweet scent surrounded him like a London fog. The silky strands of her hair lay beneath his hand, tangled in his fingers, and he couldn’t resist the urge to play with the curls, relish their feel. Why was she here?

“What do you want, Gina?”

“Nothing.”

“Don’t lie to me. There is something. I can feel it.”

***
In The Presence Of Evil is available in both paperback and e-format through TWRP, B&N, and Amazon, both USA and Amazon Europe.

Happy holidays and have fun reading,

AJ

Holiday Tips For The Busy Person

Holidays are a time for family and friends, but with all we have to do it seems there is little time left over to spend with the family and friends. Let me share my philosophy, which will help relieve the stress your feeling. Your family and friends will never know or notice what you didn’t get done. They will only see all that you did do.

So this year, I’m baking a limited amount of Christmas cookies and not the piles I normally do. There are always so many left over and I’m the one who tries to eat as many as I can before feeding the rest to the birds and deer. I don't need or have time to spend extra minutes on the treadmill.



Everyone will get one wrapped gift this year, so they get that feeling of opening a surprise package but the rest of the gifts are going into bags or are card gifts.

Christmas breakfast will be a crockpot filled with cream chipped beef which can be made the day before. Christmas dinner will not be the sit down dinner that Thanksgiving was, but trays of lasagna which I also will make the day before. I'm using throw away trays mind you. WINK And, desert will be cookies, chocolates, fruit amd maybe a pie or two.

Am I being lazy. No. My whole family isn't able to get together very often. Life is too busy for us all. I don't want to spend it in the kitchen. I'd rather enjoy them. Memories are made when you're together, not over the internet.

So do you have any time-saving hints or recipes for this holiday?

Perfect Feast Tidbits From An Expert

This year, Thanksgiving is at your house and you’re beginning to wonder why you agreed to host the family event. Relax. I’ve got tips for you.

Why should you take my advice? Well, I’ve hosted Thanksgiving, among other events, for more than twenty years for small, large and huge groups. And, I’m not only an award-winning author, but also— a long time ago— an award-winning restaurant manager. So, I have some experience at preparing feasts for many. Organization is one of my talents.

It’s always good to have a plan, so let’s start.

First, you need to do is decide three things. What style of dining you want your party to be—buffet or sit down. The style will play a part in your menu. You certainly don’t want to serve soup at a buffet. Too many opportunities for spills.

Second, your guests. How many will be attending your celebration? This number will also determine what is the best style for your feast. If you really envision a sit down dinner, you’ll have to limit the guests, or have a second sitting and even a third sitting. Extra sittings is not my idea of a fun-filled day.

Third, the menu. Menus for Thanksgiving can range from the traditional Norman Rockwell’s portrayal of roast turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce to Wild Salmon and rice. Make the holiday your own by combining traditions of guests. If invited family or friends offer to make dishes, let them, but ask if they intend to cook or bake their dish before arriving. Seriously, I’ve had someone bring their unbaked dish to dinner, expecting room in my oven and time to bake it.

My last tip has nothing to do with the meal. Activities. You’ll have a household full and while dinner is part of the agenda, it’s not the whole day. And while I love enjoying watching football, not everyone does, so have other activities planned. My children and grandchildren love playing bingo. A game set can be purchased at a dollar store along with prizes. And while very few think of November as a time to fly a kite, it is great fun and exercise.

Now with your style, guests and menu decided, make a game plan.

Two weeks out from the holiday:
1) Confirm guests and time.
2) Review recipes and make shopping list for all dishes.
3) Anytime this week, check china, silverware, glassware and all serving dishes and platters, including salt and pepper shakers (wash & fill), butter dishes, gravy bowls, bread baskets, etc. Wash them and store them until ready to set your table.
If you’re planning to use paper or plasticware, buy it this week, especially if you’re thinking of holiday theme. You don’t have time to run from store to store searching for the last few packs on the shelves.
4) Check tablecloths, napkins, and any other decorative items, such as candles and candleholders. I’ve come for my candles only to remember they were used last storm or broken. Purchase wanted items now.
5) During this week, you could actually arrange your furniture and set your table to ensure enough elbow room. It’s better to have the space all planned now then to try to arrange it during the time you will be baking and cooking. Arrange for extra necessary table space or seating.

One week out from the holiday:

1) Double check your grocery list and head to the store. (It’s a good idea to buy extra plastic containers and Ziploc bags for guests to take leftovers home.)
2) Think about your cooking timeline. I have one oven and a lot to bake, so I start my timeline at 1 pm, since my family usually sits down then and I work my way backward. The star of my dinner is the turkey, which I know must come out of the oven by 11:45. It has to sit and can be kept warm. So, depending on the size of the bird is when the turkey must go in my oven. 11:45 works, because my stuffing and corn pudding needs to bake for an hour so it can go in the oven then, along with mash potatoes and yams or any other dishes that need to be warmed. (It’s a good idea, especially if you have limited space, to put all baking dishes in the oven beforehand to ensure they fit) At 12:45, those food items come out and rolls go in for the last fifteen minutes while all other food is put into dishes and placed on the table. During the last hour, veggies can be steamed or warmed.
3) Cleaning. Honestly, I do a light house cleaning before the holiday, because the house is going to need a deep clean after the crowd leaves.

Two days before the holiday:

1) Some dishes can be made now. I find stuffing and candy yams taste much better when made ahead.
2) If you possibly can, set your table.

3) Make ice if you don’t have an ice maker.

Day before holiday:

1) Other dishes can be made early. Ie: mash potatoes, pies, desserts, veggie trays.
2) I put my applesauce and cranberry sauces into bowls and refrigerate.
3) I’m in northeast PA and have been able to use my outside gas grill as an extra cold storage for items prepared ahead. Think out of the box when space is limited.

The holiday:
You’re organized and ready. Stay with your timeline and if something hiccups, don’t sweat it. Your friends and family only will know what you’ve done, not what wasn’t done.

Enjoy the day and as always thanks for stopping by!

Ps: if anyone has found a time saving tip that has worked for them, please share.