Christmas Is Coming

It isn't long until Christmas, so why don't we have a nice Christmas excerpt today? This one is from The Table in the Window which is available now at http://www.amazon.com/The-Table-Window-Elaine-Cantrell-ebook/dp/B006GYAQ26/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385177773&sr=8-1&keywords=the+table+in+the+window+by+elaine+cantrell and at most other online retail outlets.  This scene occurs a few weeks before Christmas.

“Hey, there,” she called, even before she reached the table.

“Seeing you makes up for the lousy weather.” She smiled as she

took her seat and busied herself with removing her wet coat.

Michael, who wore the wheat-colored sweater she’d bought

him last month, stared out the window as if he saw something far

more fascinating than rain and fog. He hadn’t met her eyes once,

and he didn’t have the hint of a smile on his face. “Hello, Marley.”

 

The waiter, a guy whose name tag identified him as Robert,

approached to take their order. “What’ll it be?” he asked with a

smile. “Hot chocolate? Coffee? Or do you need something stronger

to warm you up?”

 

“Coffee,” Marley answered.

 

Robert offered them a menu, but Michael waved it away.

“I’m not having lunch.”

 

Marley’s eyebrows shot up. As the waiter left the table, she

said, “I thought you wanted to have lunch.”

 

“No, I said I wanted to talk to you.”

 

“Okay, talk.” Marley reached for his hand, but he drew it

away and put it in his lap.

 

“Uh…Marley…I have something to tell you.” He cleared his

throat, and this time he stared at some point right behind her left

shoulder.

 

Marley’s heart thumped. “What is it, Michael? What’s

wrong?” Was he ill? Had he lost his job?

 

He stared at a burned spot on the rustic table as if it had

come to life and tried to bite him. “I…I’ve met someone.”

 

Marley cocked her head. “Who did you meet?”

 

He’d pitched his voice so low she had a hard time hearing

him. “Her name is Heather.”

 

Everything clicked. He wouldn’t hold hands with her. He

wouldn’t look at her. Cold more intense than that outside settled

into her veins and almost took her breath away, but she clung to

the hope that she was wrong. “I...I don’t understand.”

 

 

His eyes met hers briefly before they slid away. “Yes, you

do. I’m sorry, Marley, but I can’t marry you after all.” 

Easter Symbols

Every year at Easter we dye some Easter eggs and set up decorations which probably include little yellow chicks or bunnies and maybe lambs. Some of us buy new clothes to wear on Easter Sunday. Perhaps we serve hot cross buns.

All traditional and lots of fun, but do you know why we do those things? I did a little research on common Easter symbols, and this is what I found out.

Easter eggs and baby chicks symbolize new life or rebirth. In Medieval Europe eggs were forbidden during Lent, so people either pickled or hard boiled them. When Easter Sunday came around they ate the eggs. Going back even further, we believe that the ancient Romans, Persians, and Egyptians also used eggs in spring festivals. Early Christians used red eggs to symbolize the resurrection of Christ and considered the egg a symbol of the rock tomb out of Christ emerged when he rose again. Today, we dye eggs all colors and hide them for children to find. And don’t forget the annual Easter Egg roll on the White House lawn.

Bunnies symbolized abundant new life in ancient times and became symbols of fertility. The inclusion of hares or rabbits into Christian celebrations probably came from Germany. The Germans told stories about Easter Hares who laid eggs for children to find. They also baked cakes for Easter in the shape of hares and probably made chocolate bunnies and cakes.

The white blossoms on Easter Lilies symbolize the purity of Jesus. They also symbolize new life and the resurrection of Christ. Because they are shaped like trumpets they are symbols of immortality. (See 1 Corinthians 15:52.)

The lamb represents Jesus who was called The Lamb of God in the Bible.

The Cross is a symbol of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Crucifixion was a common way to execute criminals during ancient times. The person was bound and nailed to a cross where they died miserably. To Christians the cross symbolizes Jesus’ victory over sin and death. That’s why the cross has become the major symbol of Christianity.


If you'd like to read the prologue and first chapter from my new release The Sentence, scroll down and find Tuesday's entry.

SAVE A TURKEY: GOBBLE A BOOK BLOG HOP TOUR (NOV 14-21)

Blog Hop Rules

1)     HAVE FUN!!!                                                                                                                                                                               

2) INVITE ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!!! SPREAD THE WORD!!!

3) THIS TOUR STARTS: Monday, November 14, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
THIS TOUR ENDS: Monday, November 21, at Midnight (Arizona Time)
Winners will be drawn and posted November 22nd! ***

4) MEET AND MINGLE WITH ALL THE AUTHORS & BOOK PAGES! EXPERIENCE A NEW DESTINATION AT EVERY STOP! PARTICIPATE IN EVERY BLOG CONTEST AND BE ENTERED FOR CHANCES TO WIN MULTIPLE PRIZES! EVERY BLOG VISITED IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WIN!!

5) PARTICIPATION AT ALL BLOGS IS RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT REQUIRED. REMEMBER, THE MORE BLOGS YOU HOP, THE BETTER YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING PRIZES. EVERY AUTHOR & BOOK PAGE IS WAITING TO MEET AND INTERACT WITH YOU, SO PLEASE BE SURE TO SHOW THEM SOME LOVE!

6) DID I MENTION TO HAVE FUN? WHOO! HOO!! HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOO!***Authors & Book Pages have full discretion to choose an alternate winner in the event any winner fails to claim their prize(s) within 72 hours of their name being posted or after notification of win, whichever comes first. Anyone who participates in this blog hop tour is subject to these rules***

Now for the good stuff...
                                                                             

Imagine that its Thanksgiving morning.  You’re in a good mood because for starters you aren’t working.  You’ve also gotten a head start on your Thanksgiving dinner by cooking a lot of stuff on Wednesday.  The good china even got washed because you ought to use it at least once a year.  The turkey’s in the oven, and it smells delicious. 

Dinner’s at one so the turkey comes out of the oven at eleven.  That should give you plenty of time to get it sliced.  (We don’t carve turkeys at the table.  We slice them beforehand.  Well, to tell the truth my husband slices them beforehand.) 

You give him the special platter that you use on Thanksgiving and Christmas and run upstairs to change your clothes.  It’s such a perfect day that you even like the way your hair turned out.

You run back downstairs and put the finishing touches on the table.  You add the spare leaf because you have close to twenty people coming for dinner.  Then, your husband joins you in the dining room.  “I finished the turkey,” he says, so you go into the kitchen to check on it. 

Gasp!  What horror!  The cat Elizabeth is sitting in the turkey eating her fill!  Oh, no!  Oh, no!  Now what? 

Readers, this really did happen to me.  When I announce my winners, I’ll tell you what I did.   To enter my contest, follow my blog and leave a comment telling me that you followed.  If you’re already a follower, tell me that too.  Now there’s only one thing left to do.  Tell me what you would have done if your cat was sitting in your turkey. 

Here are the prizes:

Prize 1 an ecopy of my new Christmas release The Table in the Window.  (available on Black Friday at http://www.astraeapress.com  The photo of the cover is only the proof, not the finished product.

Prize 2 a set of black and silver earrings by my favorite designer Lucy O.

Prize 3 a PDF copy of my novel A New Dream (available at http://www.astraeapress.com/#ecwid:category=662249&mode=product&product=2676585 )

Would you like to read an excerpt from The Table in the Window?  This is from Chapter One where my heroine's fiance breaks up with her right before Christmas

Robert offered them a menu, but Michael waved it away.  “I’m not having lunch.”

Marley’s eyebrows shot up.  As the waiter left the table, she said, “I thought you wanted to have lunch.”

“No, I said I wanted to talk to you.”

“Okay, talk.”  Marley reached for his hand, but he drew it away and put it in his lap.

“Uh, Marley, I have something to tell you.”  He cleared his throat, and this time he stared at some point right behind her left shoulder.

Marley’s heart thumped.  “What is it, Michael?  What’s wrong?”  Was he ill?  Had he lost his job? 

He stared at a burned spot on the rustic table as if it had come to life and was about to bite him.  “I..I’ve met someone.”

Marley cocked her head.  “Who did you meet?”

His voice was so low she had a hard time hearing him.  “Her name is Heather.”

Everything clicked.  He wouldn’t hold hands with her.  He wouldn’t look at her.  Cold more intense than anything outside settled into her veins and almost took her breath away, but she clung to the hope that she was wrong.  “I..I don’t understand.”

His eyes briefly met hers before they slid away.  “Yes, you do.  I’m sorry, Marley, but I can’t marry you after all.”
To return to the blog hop list click here.

On Thanksgiving Day

On Thanksgiving Day I wish for you:

that your turkey is juicy and your cranberry sauce tart; your mashed potatoes are creamy without any lumps, and your dessert melts in your mouth without sticking on your hips; that you enjoy the Macy's parade, and when you read the paper you find great Black Friday sales. But most of all, I hope you make warm and beautiful memories that will fill your heart with joy every single year when the holidays roll around. Have a great Thanksgiving Day.