One-Year Anniversary: My Blog Turns 1

 
My blog made it to its one-year anniversary. A lot has happened during that one year. I started my blog with hopes that it would reach others. The Facebook page has grown during that time. Thanks to you! With the growth, I've reached restaurants, authors, and many different places. In this, I've enjoyed spotlighting people and their work. It's been an exciting year, but not without some difficulty. I've fought hard to keep my blog going. There were a few weeks or days where no posts were done. But I was determined to forge ahead, not letting anything stop me. And here we are! It's turned one - a whole year.

The photo collage above that I created is a look back at photos on my blog. I've come through a fire that almost destroyed our home, health issues with my family, and my own personal struggles. It hasn't been easy. But with God by our side, we conquered those days. I'm hoping that I can continue to write in the days to come. I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. God will be with me, and so, I won't be afraid. I'll keep going. I plan to spotlight more people and businesses. Take lots of new photos, share my stories, and hopefully reveal a new book. It's all coming this year or the next.

In my blog, I've had photo quests, author interviews, guest writers, business spotlights, book reviews, devotionals, and much more. I even had a Christmas advent calendar in December. My Facebook page has grown from one follower to more than a hundred. I've watched it grow, and in turn, I've found growth, as well. I've burst out of my shell and social anxiety to spotlight people and their businesses. I've done things that I wouldn't normally do. Those days have been filled with anxiety. But it was so worth it, and I really want to push myself more for another year of blogging. I'm optimistic about everything.

As we go forward, I would like to thank my fellow wanderers. I always enjoy the comments that are left on my blog posts and on my Facebook page. I look forward to encouraging and hopefully, inspiring other readers. I want my blog to help, reach, and motivate those that need it. You're always welcome here! And I'm also open to any ideas, too. I love to hear what people think. If you haven't followed my Facebook page here for Wandering With Grace, I'm trying to reach 150 followers. Once I do, there will be a small Facebook giveaway on that page. So, please, if you can, follow! Thank you so much! 💓

Let's do a few more years together.

Many blessings,
- Grace Thorson

Guest Writer: Author Carmen Peone - Heart Full of Recipes Cookbook

Guest Writer: Author Carmen Peone
Subject: Heart Full of Recipes Cookbook

Thank you, Grace, for having me on your wonderful blog! It’s always an honor.

A Heart Full of Recipes Cookbook

Last month, the idea sparked—a collaborative cookbook with fellow sweet and Christian contemporary romance authors, a delicious prospect. I knew I'd be pressed for time, but the idea excited me, and I'd seen other authors successfully pull it off. 

I volunteered to gather everyone’s information and organize it in Canva, the popular design tool for creating everything from social media posts and book covers to flyers and presentations—a favorite among writers. 

After a flurry of emails—dozens, maybe even hundreds, okay, not that many, but it felt like it, a plan finally emerged. A testament to the first-time effort. Whew. We were getting somewhere.

Canva was a lifesaver. I used my three pages as a template and saved tons of time. 

Throughout the first three-quarters of January, a steady stream of submissions arrived—book covers, recipes, book quotes, back cover copy, photos, and book links, each adding to the growing collection. At first, the sheer scale of the project felt overwhelming, a wave of anxiety washing over me, but I knew it was something I had to do. 

After talking with God about how I felt, I swear he said, “It’s okay, Carmen. I’ll work out the timeline. Trust me.” Trust him. Sure thing. Yeah, I can do that. And just like that, a wave of tranquility washed over me, calming my racing thoughts and soothing my anxieties. Whew.

As the information trickled in, I started to gather everyone's details, each piece adding to the yummy puzzle. Creating the cookbook filled me with a quiet joy. We proofed, corrected, and proofed again.

Finally, the cookbook was completed, its pages filled with delicious recipes and beautiful photographs. 

I’m so happy I tackled this project, blending our characters together with a recipe and a book.

Want to know more?

A Holiday Cookbook by Sweet and Christian Romance Authors

Do you ever love characters so much that you don’t want to say goodbye?

Authors do too!

After months of getting to know our heroines and heroes, their likes and dislikes, their habits and dreams, fears and successes, it’s safe to say, we want more. This cookbook is a way we, sweet and Christian authors, can share our characters with you once again.

We each chose a character from one of our books and shared one of their favorite dishes.

We hope this gives you fun new ideas for a special meal, including dessert, for a loved one. 

How would you like a copy?

I’m offering a free download of the novella for a signup to my newsletter.

Don’t miss out!

https://bookhip.com/BXMGTSV

And just in time for Valentine's Day, the month of love, whether it be a significant other, a parent, a child, a grandchild, or a friend.

I hope you enjoy your gift!

Blessings, 

Carmen

Guest Writer: Author Carmen Peone

About the Guest Writer: Carmen Peone is an award-winning author. She has won the Willa Literary Award, a Will Rogers Medallion Award, and the LAURA Short Fiction Award. When she isn't writing, she can be found on her horse, on the water, or in the woods shooting nature photos for her daily haiku poems. You can find all of her books on Amazon, her website here, or at ...And Books, Too! (andbookstooonline.com)

Her Books:

Connect with Carmen:

Website and Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub | Goodreads

Thank you for being our guest writer today, Carmen, and for sharing this novella with my readers. Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! 💓

Many blessings,
- Grace Thorson

Christmas Blog Advent: Day 19 - Book Giveaway: Christmas At Sugar Plum Manor

 

Giveaway: For Christmas, I'm giving away a new copy of Christmas At Sugar Plum Manor by Roseanna M. White. It's a novella. I was going to do a book review along with this giveaway but ran out of time. Instead, I'll post the synopsis for the book, so that you can see what it's about. I read a couple of chapters from the book, and I really like it so far. It also seems to have lots of good reviews on Amazon. Whoever wins, I hope you like the book. Good luck!

Synopsis:

As the beloved stepdaughter of the Earl of Castleton, Lady Mariah Lyons cherishes her home at Plumford Manor, but her idyllic world will be threatened when the estate passes to Cyril Lightbourne, a childhood friend she hasn't seen or heard from in years. Once, Mariah dreamed their friendship would kindle into something more, but that was before she heard Cyril was courting the cruelhearted Lady Pearl. Now Mariah is willing to welcome him as a friend and pray he will be the heir her stepfather needs, but she'll keep her heart locked safely away from anyone with such poor taste.

Cyril Lightbourne has long avoided returning to Plumford Manor, yet he reluctantly arrives in time for Christmas. When his friendship with Lady Mariah reignites, he finds himself caught between his affection for her and her family's misunderstanding of his attachment to Lady Pearl. Then, more trouble arrives in the form of a Danish lord on a mission to win Mariah's hand by Christmas. Will the magic of the holiday season help lead to the discovery of true love, or will duty to country leave all longing for what could have been?

How To Enter: All you have to do is leave a comment here on this blog post. Just make sure you have a way for me to contact you if you win the giveaway. If you have any questions, let me know! Have fun! Giveaway ends January 7th. Thank you! Merry Christmas! 💓

Many blessings,
- Grace Thorson

Christmas Blog Advent: Day 1 - Introduction

Christmas Blog Advent: Day 1 - Introduction

Welcome to my blog's first-ever Christmas advent calendar. I've got many fun things ahead for you to discover. Are there giveaways? Yes! There's two giveaways - one starts tomorrow and the other at a later date. So excited! I've been wanting to do something similar to this for a long time, but I just never did. What is it exactly? I'm glad you asked! It's similar to a real advent calendar. There will be a post each day on my blog until December 25th. That's the last day of the advent, like traditional ones. After that, I'll take a short break.

You're not required to do anything except to leave a comment on the blog posts that have a giveaway. All you have to do is sit back and relax while reading my blog posts. I've actually been planning this for a few months. I really wanted to get into the Christmas spirit and share that with everyone else. Some of you know, it's been a difficult year for all of us. Things have quieted a little, but I don't know how the rest of this month will go - good, I hope. 💗 I'm praying for a lovely December for everyone - one filled with celebration.

How are you celebrating this month? I'd love to hear about it! I want to go look at lights, build a snowcat, and do a whole bunch of writing. I want to work hard, but take in the season, as well. I'm learning that it can be hard to juggle both. Do you have that problem? This Christmas, I'm realizing that contentment is what I need to focus on. It's not easy to be content, even in the hard times! Ultimately, I'm hoping that my family can have a rest-filled month - where we all find contentment. May you find it, too, my friend.

The picture above is of the tree that's become symbolic to my family over the years. I decided one day to add ornaments and a star to it (not real ones). It really is kind of like a welcome home to Arrow for Christmas. May it be a welcome home for you this Christmas as you're invited to my blog's celebration! I really hope everyone enjoys this advent calendar I put together. I pray it brings some joy to your daily life. If you like my blog, and don't want to miss out on any posts, be sure to like or follow my Facebook page here. Thank you! 🎄

Many blessings,
- Grace Thorson

My Favorite Tea + A Gift For You

I love tea. I drink about 2-3 cups each day. Because I like it so much, I thought I'd do a post about my favorite teas. I usually just do tea simply. I don't heat it up on a stove. I don't have a stove of my own, so I heat it up in the microwave. I know some may find this bad, but it doesn't bother me. I do like to add honey to my tea, though. I also enjoy trying different kinds of tea, whether it's black tea, green tea, oolong, white, pu-erh, or yellow. What's your favorite kind to drink? I'd like to know, especially if there's one you'd recommend I try.

One of my favorite teas is Cherry Blossom Tea, especially the Buddha brand. It has a light, flowery taste to it. It's not overpowering at all. At first, I didn't know if I'd like it, but it quickly became a favorite. I have this one on hand, because I keep going back to it.

Another favorite is the Taylors of Harrogate White Hibiscus and Peach Green Tea. It's also not a strong tea - which I like. The green tea is just right, and the hibiscus and peach are perfect together. A nice, spring or summery tea to drink on warmer days.

A new tea that I discovered recently is the Hibiscus Blueberry Superflower Herbal Tea by The Republic of Tea. It has a stronger taste, but it's the right sweetness. I like it so much, it might be my top favorite out of all of them that I've tasted. It's that good!

Like the tea above, I just found a new one that I really like. It's perfect for Autumn. It's the Pumpkin Pie Chai Herbal Tea by The Republic of Tea. I had bought a box of autumn teas, and this one was included in it. I decided to try it first, and I'm now in love with the flavors.

The Tazo Dessert Delights Glazed Lemon Loaf Herbal Tea is delicious! It's a yummy treat to have when you're craving something sweet. The flavor isn't too strong or anything. It's a nice balance of sweetness that is like having a dessert of lemon loaf.

A great friend gifted me with a bag of herbal tea that's called Evening In Missoula. It's packed full of wonderful ingredients, like peppermint, wild cherry bark, wintergreen, and more. It's become an absolute favorite of mine to drink. I really love it!

If I'm in the mood for a drink during Christmas with a little cheer, I pull out the Gingerbread Cookie Tea from The Republic of Tea. I enjoy anything with gingerbread, so this tea is the best! I highly recommend it if you like gingerbread, especially for some holiday fun.

The last on my list is the Harney & Sons Blueberry Green Tea. The one I got comes in a cool tin. It's a bit stronger, so you can really notice the green tea. It's more bitter, but I like to drink it because it seems healthy. The blueberry does help with the bitterness of it.

Most of these teas can be found on Amazon or from the company themselves. All the teas I listed, I recommend. I like to have these specific teas on hand when I'm craving a cup.

This post, however, isn't just about my favorite tea, but a small gift to offer my readers today. I want to share one of my favorite teas with you, my readers. I only have five packets of this tea (which is the Hibiscus Blueberry Superflower Tea - it has stevia in it), but I'd like to give each reader a tea packet sent with a card in the mail. The first five to either leave a comment on this blog post (with a way to contact you, unless I know you on Facebook) will receive a tea packet and card. If you don't wish to comment here, you can do it on Facebook instead. But, like I said, I only have five packets to give away today. Enjoy! 💓

If you liked my post, be sure to like and/or follow my Facebook page here. Thank you!

Many blessings,
- Grace Thorson