Smitten (49 page)
DENISE
: We knew these stories would be highly interconnected, with story threads running through the whole collection and with each of our heroines appearing in all four stories. I think it was Colleen who suggested we give our heroines our own basic personalities. We know each other well, so putting words in each others’ mouths would be a piece of cake.
COLLEEN
: I knew I wanted to get to write about Kristin’s character, Julia, giving Natalie, my character, a pair of shoes. And how Diann’s character, Shelby, loves her small dog and dresses it up. And how Denise’s character, Reese, organizes her spices by alphabet. And okay, I admit I might have sprinkled a few other friends in there. Like Natalie was named for a certain editor friend at Thomas Nelson. And there is a certain Mrs. Deshler mentioned . . .
DENISE
: We’re not exactly like our characters though. My heroine Reese, for example, is an exercise nut. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a walker and all, but I don’t jog, and I sure don’t jog up mountains or play one-on-one basketball in the middle of winter.
DIANN
: Well, since we’re being honest here, I’m not exactly as elegant as my heroine, Shelby. I know that comes as a shock to you all. But I DO have a creampuff dog. Take a peek at Latte on my website at diannhunt.com. Isn’t she adorable?
COLLEEN
: In real life I hate conflict, so if I were really my character, I’d have asked Kristin’s character to confront my hero, Carson. But for the sake of the story, my “Natalie” had to do that hard work! It worked well for her in the end . . .
KRISTIN
: This book was so easy to write because we know each other so well. In fact, we even had Colleen’s character saying the same thing in two of the stories. We simply know how the others will react. Colleen is comfortable being bossy (or the mother, depending on if you agree with her at that moment). She’s also incredible with setting, so her taking the first story allowed the rest of us to follow that lead. Denise is the organizer, so she cleaned up all the loose ends by taking the last story in winter. Diann seems to find it appropriate to listen to Christmas carols in July and I do believe she starts decorating her tree around October, so she got to do that in the story. I got spring—because I’ve lived in California all my life and have no idea what a real winter looks like. One way I’m significantly different from my character, Julia, though, is that I can only take nature in small doses, and the idea of small-town living gives me hives. So I’m glad to live in Smitten with my girls, but ultimately, I love being able to walk to Korean, Indian, or Japanese restaurants any time I feel like it.
AMI
: We should’ve had you take winter so you would have to do some research!
DENISE
: Like a trip to Indiana in February!
DIANN
: I loved how the community came together to save the town, and the faith of a little girl led the way. Our Heavenly Father is so creative that way. He surprises us with answers to our prayers in ways we hadn’t considered.
DENISE
: That is so true. I was praying hard when we finished our stories, and it was time to send them to the other girls. Yikes. Was I the only one who was nervous? I mean, they knew what they were getting when they signed me up, but we were in this together, and I didn’t want to let my pals down, you know?
COLLEEN
: I think we were all a little nervous! Would this idea even work? But when I read through the entire story, I was struck by how our unique voices brought a distinct flavor to the whole.
Smitten
is just plain fun to read!
DENISE
: Colleen, our fearless leader, compiled the stories into one document and hit Send. Then we waited patiently to hear from Ami. We did not email each other seeking reassurance. We did not bite our nails to the quick. And we never, not even once, turned to chocolate for comfort.
AMI
: The manuscript was everything I’d hoped for: four individually compelling novellas that read together as if it were a cohesive experience. And the vicarious experience of friendship in a small town was just so lovely and so real! I never wanted to leave Smitten.
KRISTIN
: The editorial process, which I thought would be a nightmare, was incredibly easy. Ami and LB each gave us feedback and we simply made sure all our facts were straight and the characters/setting consistent.
DENISE
: In many ways,
Smitten
is a celebration of our friendship, a celebration of enduring love, and a celebration of God’s unexpected blessings, all wrapped up in one book. We hope our readers will feel part of that as they join us on a journey to a very special place called Smitten.
Mug Cake
2 tablespoons almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons xylitol
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, heaping
1 egg
1 1/2 tablespoons half and half or cream
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
Splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug
Mix all dry ingredients in mug, add egg and blend thoroughly. Add milk, oil, and vanilla and mix. Place in 1000-watt microwave for 90 seconds. Do not cover mug. Cake will rise. Let cool and place on a plate. Add a little whipped cream to the top.
Cranberry Bars
1 1/2 cups raw pecans
10 dates, pitted
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
6 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon orange zest
Grind dates and pecans in food processor. Add in oil and salt until mixture begins to form a ball. Press crust into an 8x8-inch, greased baking dish. Bake at 350° for 10–12 minutes until lightly browned.
Cranberry Topping
Stir together 4 cups cranberries, agave, and orange zest then bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cranberries start to dissolve, about 10–15 minutes.
Add remaining 2 cups cranberries and cook for 5 more minutes with lid still on.
Remove mixture from heat and cool for 10 minutes before pouring over pecan crust.
Let set at least an hour.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
2 cups cooked, mashed cauliflower (I also use RAW cabbage run through the food processor)
3 eggs
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, combine cauliflower, egg, and mozzarella. Press evenly on the pan. Sprinkle Italian seasonings across the top.
Bake at 4500 for 15–20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Spread tomato paste on the crust, more Italian seasonings, then toppings like cooked meats, mushrooms, and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until the cheese is melted.
R
EESE’S
T
IPS TO
M
OTIVATE
Y
OURSELF TO
E
XERCISE
Notice: It is always important to consult your physician before starting a daily exercise program.
1. Make a deal with yourself: You’ll exercise for ten minutes and then you can quit. Getting started is the hardest part. Often you’ll find yourself going longer once you get started.
2. Choose an exercise you enjoy. If you deplore jogging, you’ll never do it. If aerobics gives you hives, you’ll find excuses to skip. Dance, join a volleyball league, or go skating. Make it fun!
3. Buy a cute workout outfit that makes you look and feel great.
4. Put exercise on the schedule like all of your important appointments.
5. Exercise early in the day before other things (excuses) crowd it out.
6. Make exercising a multitasking event. Walk and socialize with your friends, jog and listen to your favorite tunes, hit the treadmill with a novel, go hiking and dream up ideas for your next project (bring a voice recorder!).
7. Partner with someone for built-in accountability.
8. Award yourself for meeting your goals—not with junk food!
9. Start small. Maybe ten minutes, three times a week. Build slowly to longer and more frequent activity until it becomes routine.
10. Change it up! Any activity done repetitively can get boring. Alternating activities will challenge the mind and body.
J
ULIA’S
C
RANBERRY
E
XFOLIATING
M
ASK
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/4 cup ground oatmeal
3 tablespoons fresh lemon
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Boil the cranberries and then let them cool.
Whirl the oatmeal in the blender so that it becomes a powder. Add the cranberries, lemon juice, ginger, and plain yogurt to the blender. Blend well. Use a clean makeup brush to “paint” the mask on and leave on for twenty to thirty minutes for a refreshing peel with fruit acids.
Store leftover mixture in an airtight container for next time you want your skin to feel fresh and rejuvenated.
R
ETURN TO
S
MITTEN
, V
ERMONT
,
for more friendship,
romance, and a long-held
secret revealed.
Secretly Smitten
• Available •
December 2012
Want more
Smitten
?
Visit
S
MITTEN
V
ERMONT.COM
* Win free books and prizes!
* Get the inside scoop on the next Smitten book, coming December 2012!
* Hear Sawyer’s song, “Smitten by Love,” written specifi cally for the novel!
* Go behind the scenes with the
Smitten
authors!
* Print Natalie’s recipes!
* Sign up for the Smitten Newsletter!
* Learn more about the town of Smitten and its people!
RITA finalist Colleen Coble is the author of several best-selling romantic suspense series, including the Mercy Falls series, the Lonestar series, and the Rock Harbor series. She lives with her husband, Dave, in Indiana.
visit
ColleenCoble.com
Christy Award finalist and two-time winner of the ACFW Book of the Year award, Kristin Billerbeck has appeared on the
Today Show
and has been featured in the
New York Times
. She lives with her family in Northern California.
