Marine Under the Mistletoe Recipe (Cracker Crack)

 By Heather Long

   No, it’s not a recipe for how to get a Marine under the mistletoe precisely, however, at one point in the book Rowan is baking cracker crack for the coven feast. And since this is one of my favorite dessert treats to make every holiday season, I thought I would share a little joy of the season with you and the recipe for your very own cracker crack. 

   I warn you, there is a reason I call this crack J 

Ingredients: 

1 package saltine crackers

1 cup brown sugar

2 bars of unsalted butter

2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Step 1

Line cookie pan with tin foil and preheat oven to 350 degrees i

Step 2

Spread package of saltine crackers out on foil i

Step 3

Mix brown sugar and butter together in sauce pan, bring to a boil. Boil for 3.5 minutes, stirring frequently i

Step 4

Pour butter/sugar mixture over crackers on foil, spread evenly. Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes i

Step 5

Sprinkle 2 cups of chocolate chips evenly over top of whole pan. Put back into oven until chocolate is almost melted (~2 minutes) i

Step 6

Spread chocolate evenly with a spatula. Refrigerate overnight. Break into pieces and enjoy i

Enjoy Marine Under the Mistletoe with cracker crack this holiday season!

The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November, and December each year and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to these youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.

This holiday collection of the Always a Marine series is dedicated to Toys for Tots and the men and women of the United States Marine Corps Reserve who dedicate their time, their efforts, and their funds to delivering this message of hope. A portion of the proceeds from each of these books will be donated to Toys for Tots to continue that mission. Semper Fi.

http://www.toysfortots.org

Marine Under the Mistletoe

He used to believe in magic… 
Kaiden Nelson looked like every other Marine, only most of his guys didn’t grow up in a family of nudists, celebrating the wheel of the year and the lunar cycles. His buddies wouldn’t name him a witch, either. But after more than a decade at war, Kaiden isn’t sure he can—or even wants to lay claim to that calling anymore. He’s got too much blood on his hands and he’s tired…tired of war, tired of fighting. Some days…he’s tired of living. When he’s sent on leave for the holidays, he’s unsure if he can ever really go home again. 

She’s a candle in the night… 
Rowan Harper lives in two worlds, the mundane where she handles tech issues for a major corporation and the pagan where she celebrates the sabbats and esbats with her coven. Like so many in the region, she keeps her beliefs private. It makes life more bearable from others who would judge, and she likes nothing better than the great sabbat retreats the coven takes to the sprawling Lake House. It’s a time where she sheds the shackles of everyday life and embraces the divine. 

The wheel turns…
When Kaiden turns up at the coven Yule, his Circle of family and friends are eager to welcome him. He feels unworthy of the open warmth and shies away to the darkness, but Rowan refuses to leave him in the shadows. Can the inexorable pull of one woman help him face down his demons as they hold vigil against the longest night of the year? 

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is here!

Buy Whiskey Tango Foxtrot HERE

Joe Cooper is a hero and active duty Marine sent to Mike’s Place to complete his recovery from injuries sustained during a firefight. His one-in-a-million injury includes a bullet to the back that cracked a bone in his spine, but left the nerves intact. His right leg was shattered in two places. Extensive reconstructive surgery and weeks trapped in a wheelchair haven’t dampened this wounded warrior’s pride or his devotion to duty—but they have left him needing to be needed because he is not an idle man, his waiting is very soon rewarded when recently widowed mom Melody Carter moves in next door.  Today, I wanted to share with you five reasons I love to write military heroes like Joe and all the Marines in my Always a Marine series.

They’re Heroes – This is the most obvious reason, but the men and women who serve in our armed forces choose to serve, sacrificing blood, sweat, tears for our country and knowing they could, at any time, give up their lives in our defense.  It’s not hard for these Marines to earn my respect, my sympathy, my empathy, and my desire to see them receive the happily ever after so many richly deserve.

They’re Human – In addition to recognizing their heroic service, it’s vital to remember that those who serve are human. They have flaws, fears, needs, and that makes them all the more real to me. I’ve known many people who served our country in peacetime and in war, I adore them all.

They Commit – Marines sign contracts for terms anywhere from four to eight years. Many recommit when they’re contracts are up. They are the first ones in to regions of conflict and some of the last ones out. They go through intensive training to become Marines and once they are, they always are. I’ve met Marines in their 70s who are as absolute in their commitments and dedication as they were when they were on active duty. They don’t give up and they know how to get the job done.

Reliable in a Crisis – Marines undergo rigorous training to handle dangerous situations, that same training is designed to help them keep their heads when the shooting starts. They contain their fear and act, not react. They improvise and they get the job done. These are the men and women you want at your back in war and at home.

Courage – The definition of courage is mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty. These are men and women who run toward danger and bodily put themselves in harm’s way to defend everyone else. What’s not to love?

In Whiskey Tango Foxtrot we meet Captain Joe Anderson, a man who put himself in harm’s way and is working on his recovery. His need to help the widow of an abusive Marine becomes more than a mission—and this was a painful story for me to right, one that made me deeply sad and yet gave me such hope as they two souls struggle to overcome, connect and find love in the process.

Heather Long Website | Facebook | Always a Marine Series Page | Twitter

Blurb:

Have you ever woken up every day afraid of everything?

For single mom and widow Melody Carter, six months passed since an IED ripped her life apart. Everyone is sympathetic and offers platitudes of comfort and support. Everyone thinks they know why she's grieving but Melody isn't mourning her broken heart. She's ashamed to be grateful her abusive husband won't hurt her anymore and scared for her child. Born with a mild heart defect, her daughter needs lifesaving surgery and with her funds tight and her emotional scars tighter, she’s running out of options. When she receives an offer for assistance from Mike's Place, can Melody put her faith in the men her husband called friend?

Have you ever woken up, day after day, to discover your body's betrayal?

Marine Captain, Joe Anderson Cooper, received the Silver Star for Valor when he led his unit through heavy fire to rescue fellow Marines. Despite numerous injuries, the Captain refused medical aid, insisting that the medics attend others. A broken back and shattered bones put Captain Cooper in a wheelchair and every day is a battle to keep his recovery on track and his sanity intact. When a single mom moves in to the apartment next door to his and he recognizes a kindred—damaged—soul, can he overcome her fear and be the man she's always needed?

 Can these two lonely souls rise to the challenge or will their scars trap them forever?

Excerpt:

   Letting herself out of the apartment, she locked up and turned to find her neighbor locking his door. He caught sight of her and smiled. “Good morning.” His deep baritone hummed over her senses. She appreciated the low voiced greeting.

   “Good morning.” She wanted to say something more, but her brain locked up around the words. He eased his wheelchair back until nearly off the sidewalk and motioned for her to precede him. Biting her lip, she found another smile for him. “Thank you.” Her heartbeat accelerated and sweat cooled her spine. She didn't hug the wall, but she couldn't help widening the distance between them.

   The wheels made the faintest squeaking noise after she passed, and she glanced back to see him following her down the path toward the parking lot. Maybe she should have offered to push. He wore an olive green t-shirt and a matching pair of slacks, though they were cut up the side of the large cast encasing his right leg from mid-thigh to his toes.

   He—Joe, he said his name was Joe—met her gaze and gave her another easy smile. His eyes crinkled at the corners and the dimple in his cheek deepened. The sidewalk widened and she slowed to let him catch up.

   “I'm sorry. I'm not the best company this morning.”

   “No worries, ma'am. Little ones take a lot out of a body.” The buttery softness of his voice washed over her like a soothing balm—like the night before when he knocked on her door and introduced himself. He scared the hell out of her, but not in the same breath.

   I must be tired. I have no idea what I'm feeling from one moment to the next. As if summoned by her thought, fatigue wavered through her and she stumbled. The diaper bag swung down her arm. She couldn't catch it and hold the baby at the same time. Joe stopped the bag's arc, and gave her a chance to catch her balance.

   “May I?” He offered, still holding the bag.

   May he what…? He wanted to carry the bag for her and she winced. It was heavy and he…

   “I have plenty of room and then you don't have to worry about it taking you off balance again.” The sound logic quashed her natural objections. She shifted Libby carefully and let the strap fall off her arm. Her internal alarms sounded. Giving him the bag didn't give him some kind of power over her, but her gut tightened at the surrender of her possession.

   He settled the bag against his lap and nodded encouragingly. “Just point me to your car…”

   “Oh, I don't drive. Well, I do but I'm not driving here. I'm actually just staying here for a few weeks and I'm waiting for the shuttle.” She tacked the last on with a grimace. “And apparently I'm as muddleheaded for real as I feel. Sorry. Thank you. The shuttle is scheduled to pick us up here in about…” She couldn't look at her watch.

   “Two minutes.” The captain supplied. “I'm waiting for the same shuttle.” His warm brown gaze turned studious. “Are you okay?”

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Don’t miss these upcoming titles in the Always a Marine series:

No Regrets, No Surrender

Buy No Regrets, No Surrender HERE

A little under a year ago, on Black Friday 2011, I decided to write a 1Night Stand featuring high school sweethearts reunited after a decade long separation precipitated by the events on September 11, 2001.  I had no idea when I wrote this first story that I would be sitting here a year later announcing the release of book #6, the follow-up to book #2, with four more turned in and scheduled for release or that I would be planning Marine stories stretching into 2014.

While Marines may be the 'smallest' branch of the U.S. military in the number of men and women who serve, they are among those with the 'largest life' on the page. Becoming a Marine is not simply a matter of enlistment, it's a matter of training, service, and dedication—which is why once a person achieves his or her goal of becoming a Marine, they are always a Marine.  Every Marine has a story and I've tried to capture those tales in these novels. I couldn't be prouder of this work and more delighted that it resonates with readers.

When Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here released in April 2012, readers asked—and in some cases demanded—more of Jazz, Logan and Zach. I wanted to write more about these wonderful characters, too. I am thrilled to announce the release of No Regrets, No Surrender and I invite you to help me tip my hat in salute to every Marine that has served our country and to their families, who also serve.

Freedom is not free and we must always remember that. 

The emotional sequel to Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here. Readers wished for more Jazz, Logan and Zach and the threesome are reunited when the unthinkable happens.

No Regrets, No Surrender

Always a Marine #6

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-61333-420-1

Release Date:  20 Nov 2012

This sixth installment of the Always a Marine series for Decadent Publishing and a first for the series, as a spinoff of Retreat Hell! She Just Got Here. Jazz, Logan and Zach met via a 1NightStand. This is the business name of an exclusive online dating service run by Madame Evangeline who provides her clients with a possibility of happily ever after or happily for now.

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of No Regrets, No Surrender will be donated to Fisher House—the real life Mike's Place.

BLURB:

At the end of their night of frenzied passion, Jazz Winters walked away from the only two men who’d ever made her feel like a woman. Logan Cavanaugh and Zach Evans let her go, but only if she swore all her future leaves to them.

Waiting fourteen excruciatingly long months, visiting Jazz when they can, is harder on the guys that they like to admit. But their work at Mike’s Place, a veteran’s rehabilitative facility, only lets Zach and Logan go one at a time. Jazz fears their unconventional relationship can’t last a lifetime. The stress of years of military service in hot zones, combined with life-threatening injuries pushed her to the edge. But when she comes home a wounded warrior, not the woman she believes they want, Zach and Logan are right there to help her, even when she resists.

She’s not alone. Whether she chooses one or both, they have no regrets and they won’t surrender.

**Find all of Heather Long's Always a Marine series books HERE** 

Giveaway

Do you have a favorite branch of the military, have a military-inspired antidote (can be from any country's military!) you'd like to share or been in the armed services? Leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win a copy of any book from Heather's backlist at Decadent Publishing!

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