The Eclipse Awards

Happy Hump Day! :)

I'm excited to announce that The Summer of '76 won 3rd place for Best Romance One-Shot in the Eclipse Awards! Someone Like You also won 3rd place for Best Angst One-Shot!

Thank you SO, SO, SO VERY MUCH to all those who nominated and voted for these! It means the world to me to know that people are even thinking about these, let alone spreading the word. If there was any way to pass out ridiculous amounts of hugs, kisses, and love via the computer, then I would do so. :)

Thank you again and CONGRATULATIONS to all the winners in the awards!

xoxo
- N.

Music from 'Home for the Holidays'

I'm not entirely sure why, but this song was pretty much playing in a loop in my head while I was writing this chapter.

Everybody talks ... And they certainly have been, especially the moms. And we know they'll continue talking.

Anyhoo, Neon Trees are awesome, give it a listen, and I hope you enjoy!

 

Visuals from 'Home for the Holidays'

I'm not sure how much I've discussed this topic before, but I pour a little bit of myself into the stories that I write. Sometimes I project myself into my characters, sometimes I put my characters in similar situations from my own life, and other times I go ahead and incorporate different pieces of my life into the stories.

That being said, it should come as no surprise that my paternal grandmother has been making snow pudding every year on Christmas for as long as I can remember. And, also no surprise, this is my single favorite food to eat every year. It certainly beats out the lutefisk that my aunts and uncles insist on having... ;)

This is just a picture of what snow pudding looks like. Below the picture, however, I've included my grandma's recipe:

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Snow Pudding

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
3 egg whites
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 package frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed

Mix gelatin, sugar, and water in microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave mixture on high, stirring once, for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is boiling. Stir in the milk. Refrigerate until the mixture is just thicker than the unbeaten egg whites.

Beat the egg whites on high speed until they are foamy. Add the corn syrup to the egg whites gradually, beating until the mixture is thick enough to form mounds. Beat in the vanilla and the almond extract. Fold into the gelatin mixture. Pour the mixture into a jell-o ring mold or into a glass baking dish and cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until the mixture is set.

Serve strawberries on the side, as some guests may not wish to put the fruit mixture on.

Edward mentions him and Bella's third date, in which she took him skating at the Rockefeller ice rink in Manhattan. A picture of the actual rink is below. Skating there is on my bucket list, unfortunately I have yet to visit the city when the ice is still frozen! Maybe this coming winter... :)

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Last, but not least -- East of Eden.

If you haven't read it yet, I recommend you do, because it's a stellar novel. I'm thinking the roles of Irish farmer and prostitute might make more sense after peeking at the pages. (If my recommendation isn't enough to push you into reading this, just remember this happens to be one of Rob's favorite books as well!) ;)

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