How I Met My Husband: Going That Extra Mile

by Jean C. Gordon

My husband and I met in a Western Civilization class the second semester of our freshman year at Genesee Community College.No bells or whistles or fireworks. But I can still picture our meet as if it were a few days ago, rather than 43 years ago. He and Laurie, a girl I worked on the student newspaper with, and I all sat in the middle back of the classroom that first day. We talked for a while after class and went our separate ways.

I, the quintessential good girl, honor student was drawn to his bad-boy look — long hair, beard, well-worn jeans and jeans jacket, not to mention he drove a Triumph 650 motorcycle. He was drawn to — well, I'll get to that later.

We met again a couple of days later when he turned up in my painting class, too. He was studying art. I needed an art class and thought a hands-on one would be more fun than Art History. Because the supplies we needed for class were so expensive, the art teacher suggested we students go in together on them. Mark struck up a conversation with me after class and asked where I lived. I told him, and he said we should share art supplies. He could pick them up that day after his classes and bring them over to my house since I lived "right on his way home."

It turned out his idea of "right on the way" was a little different than other people's. I lived with my parents 30 minutes south of the college, and he lived 20 minutes west of school. And I'm talking windy two-lane country roads. 

Who could resist a guy who was willing to go out of his way like that right right from the start?

As for what attracted him to me, he told me after we'd been going out a while that the first day we'd met, he'd decided he would ask either Laurie or me out. Why did he choose me? My scintillating conversation? My winning smile? No. Remember, he's a guy. He liked the way I looked walking out of the classroom better.

Nothing Says Christmas Like Shortbread

Jean C. Gordon here getting and staying in the holiday spirit working on a new book that combines two of my favorite romance elements — love rekindled and Christmas. It's the first of my new series, The Donnelly Brothers, "Hometown boys make good…and find love." My working title is The Pastor's Christmas Star, and it won't be out until next Christmas.

So for this Christmas, I’m sharing a recipe for a Gordon family holiday treat, shortbread. It’s from my husband’s grandmother (and great-grandmother?), dating back to before 1900. His Aunt Jean added some helpful instructions.

GRANDMA GORDON’S SHORTBREAD

1 lb softened butter (the salted regular butter)
1 cup white sugar
Approx. 4 cups all-purpose (plain) white flour (Be sure to spoon the flour into the measuring cup because you might have to add a few more spoonfuls while you are mixing the batter to be the right consistency,)

Mix the softened butter and sugar together with a spoon and then add the flour one cup at a time and mix the batter with your hands until it feels ready to spread on a cookie sheet. Press the batter on the cookie with your hands until it spreads out evenly and smoothly. (It is not necessary to use a rolling pin unless you so desire.

Then mark the size pieces (leave the pieces on the cookie sheet!) you want with a table knofe and prick each piece a couple of times with a table fork (this lets air circulate through each piece while the shortbread is baking). Depending on how you mark the pieces, you can have 48 or more pieces on a cookie sheet.

BAKE FOR TWO HOURS (2 HOURS) IN A SLOW OVEN (225 TO 235 DEGREES DEPENDING ON YOUR OVEN). Once the shortbread looks a nice golden brown and smells heavenly, remove from the oven and let the shortbread cool on the cookie sheet for about 15 minutes. Then use a table knife to cut each piece on the already marked lines but let the shortbread finish cooling on the cookie sheet.

Once the shortbread is cooled, then you can put the cookie pieces in a zip-lock bag (obviously Aunt Jean added this J), a tight container, or even in the freezer. These shortbread cookies keep for a long time if sealed well and even longer if frozen. They are delicious with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Enjoy this Scottish treat for the holidays or any time. Cheers!

So, what are your favorite holiday — any holiday — foods?

And to close, here's a plug for my newsletter launch: I'll be launching my author newsletter soon with a cover reveal of my next Love Inspired Romance — see it before Facebook. Sign up for the newsletter on my website, www.JeanCGordon.com by December 28 and receive a free excerpt from SMALL-TOWN MIDWIFE and a free e-copy of my sweet romance BACHELOR FATHER in the format of your choice.

We've Got That Covered

by Jean C. Gordon

I've found that readers often think we authors have more control over our books' covers than we do. That's not to say we don't have input. I fill out screens of art sheets to help the art department create my covers. I have to describe all of my characters, scenes I think might make a good cover, notable landmarks in my story and I'm encouraged to send pictures of how I see my hero and heroine.

I thought it would be fun to show you the the pictures I sent for a couple of my books and the book covers. What do you think?

Midwife Autumn Hazard and Dr. Jonathan Hanlon from Small-Town Midwife 

Neal Hazard from Small-Town Dad 

This one is Jared Donnelly from Winning the Teacher's Heart, the first book in my new Love Inspired Romance series, The Donnelly Brothers. It's due out in May 2015. Can't wait to see the cover.