Please welcome Lori Wilde, multi-published Harlequin author, and learn about her newest release. We have cookies!
Hey, Lori, when did you decide to become a writer?
From the time I realized real people wrote the books I loved so dearly, I wanted to be a writer.
Every time I spied a shooting star, every birthday I blew out my candles, every coin I tossed into a fountain, I made this same wish---Please let me be a writer. I was such a dreamer.
I understand you have a new release due? Tell us about it. What's with the cookies? I love cookies, but...
“On Christmas Eve, if you sleep with kismet cookies under your pillow and dream of your one true love, he will be your destiny.”
So goes the legend of the kismet cookie prophesy and my heroine, Sara Collier, believes. Boy, does she believe. Until at age fifteen, when she makes a fool of herself, running down the aisle of a church on Christmas morning in a jingle bell sweater and reindeer antlers, trying to stop her one true love from marrying the wrong woman.
Cookies, cookie, who doesn’t love cookies?
From the moment I conceived my idea about a crafting club in the small Texas town of Twilight, I knew one of the books would center on a cookie club. For one thing, I love cookies. For another thing, I love to cook. Let me tell you it was no hardship dreaming up cookie recipes for The First Love Cookie Club.
For more information about Lori and her backlist, check out www.loriwilde.com.
Lori, how many books have you sold?
Marvella,
I've sold 56 books to Avon, Warner, Grand Central, St. Martin's and Harlequin.
Here's the recipe for the kismet cookies:
Kismet Cookie
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 cups rolled oats
¾ cup shredded coconut
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts toasted (optional)
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand for 3 minutes, then whish for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. *
*Yes, it’s painstaking but don’t skip this step!
Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in rolled oats, coconut, dried cranberries and macadamia nuts, giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Bake cookies 1 tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10-14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.
Sleep with them under your pillow on Christmas Eve and dream of your one true love.
Do you have a favorite Christmas Cookie recipe you’d like to share? Or tell us about your most romantic Christmas.
Lori
I have to try those cookies!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe Lori.
I have your latest book on my wish list. Sounds like another awesome read.
Well done on having so many books published.
Congratulations on the new book Lori! I am looking forward to seeing how Sara (my daughter's name by the way) deals with her humiliation.
Morning, Lori,
YUM. Gotta try that one.
I knew you had sold a LOT of books.
Great-looking cookies and a great little blog. Kudos for both!
Thanks for the recipe! The cookies look delicious.
Your poor heroine!! Was the one Sara thought was her true love REALLY the right man for her?
This sounds like a fund read. I'll have to read the book to see if it works. If so, then I'm baking cookies!
Lori, your book sounds Adorable!! Can't miss - cute plot and cookies, too. Congratulations! Hmmm- Yum! Thanks for the recipe!!
Okay, I gained weight by the picture, and now you give us the recipe? )the combination of oatmeal and coconut sounds to die for ... Thanks a LOT :) But... the dreams of a 15 year old girl and her cookie theory/fantasy sound adorable. Congrats on such phenomenal success ;)
Thanks for the recipe, who doesn't love a good cookie!!
dang lori, those cookies look so good! lol
Hi Lori,
Those kismet cookies sound delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Congratulations Lori! those cookies look delectable.
Barbara,
That's what the storyt is all about.
Cookies look delish. Since I have celiac I will try to make them with a gluten free flour.
Thanks for your great books
Hi Lori, Can't wait until my book arrives in the mail. I think I've read most of your books and enjoyed them all.
My own favorite cookie recipe is from Mrs. Blackwell's "Heart of Texas Cookbook."
Scotch Cookies.
1/2 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Cream sugar and butter. Stir in eggs, then dry ingredients. Drop on greased cookie sheet and bake in moderate oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
From the Depression Era. Not low fat but MMM Good!
Ladies, keep the recipes coming!
FYI Lori is giving away 2 of her books. The more you comment, the better your chances. (GRIN)
Don't forget to ask her some good questions.
Thanks for sharing, Barbara!
Lori
Hi, Lori,
I've read that some authors get
ideas for stories from looking at
photographs or a random comment.
Has a photo or comment worked for
you in that manner?
Thanks for the cookie recipe!
Pat Cochran
Nice meeting you Lori. I think I will put the kismet cookie under my pillow and wish for a big sale. LOL
Hi Lori,
Welcome to the Pink Fuzzies, and thanks for the cookie recipe. Wow--you've sold 56 books--that's amazing. Congrats, and best wishes on your continued success.
Loved reading how you wished about becoming a writer. So glad your wish came true. :-)
Larena
Lori, I love it that you knew you wanted to be a writer at such a young age. And that you wished it, and your wishes came true. With a lot of hard work on your part, I'm sure!
Lori, is the Kismet Cookie recipe one passed down in your family, from a favorite recipe book, or from a friend? These look very yummy. I know they have softer centers when removing from the oven, but do they end up soft/chewy or crunchy.
Last question, the Kismet Cookie lore (i.e., "Sleep with them under your pillow on Christmas Eve and dream of your one true love.") came originally from where, and how did you happen upon it?
I can't wait for the story to come out. Congrats on what I'm sure will be yet another winner!
lkepstein
Those cookies look great. As great as the book that I am dying to read!
Good luck and thanks for posting with us Lori!
what an amazing idea. 56 books, wow now that is super. What a dream come true. Cookies under your pillow for your own true love? Middle school girls will snap that one up. Mary, thanks for bringing Lori to visit with us. Lori, welcome to the fuzzies.
Hi Lori,
can't wait to read the books. I haave an awsome choclote chip oatmeal cookie recipe. It is always a huge hit when I make them. I love cookies
Oh wow. 56 books. I'm in awe. Such an interesting post and recipe. Thanks so much for being with the Fuzzies!
Waving at you, Lori, after having lunch with you and hubby yesterday!!
Lori gave a wonderful presentation to our chapter on plotting. I hope to use some of these hints.
My favorite "easy" cookies.
PEANUT BUTTER CUP TARTS
36 miniature peanut butter cups (Wal-Mart brand has 36 exactly.)
1 (14 oz) roll of slice and bake Chocolate Chip Walnut cookie dough
Freeze the cookie dough slightly and it will cut easier. Slice cookie roll into 9 even pieces, then cut each one into quarters. Roll each quarter in your hands and drop into sprayed miniature muffin tins. Bake for 10 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven. While cookie is baking, remove candies from their wrapper. Remove cookies from oven and press one peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. As chocolate melts, take the tip of a knife and spread the chocolate around a little. Wait until the shine goes off the chocolate before removing from tins.
Enjoy.
Thank you for the recipe. I will make a bath for my children to try. I hope they find their true loves. Not that I want them gone from home but nearby would be good. LOL.
For sure the cookies will go good with your book. Sounds delicious.
Should be batch not bath :)
Sorry. My phone auto corrects and I don't always catch it.
YIPPEE! COOKIE CLUB JUST SHIPPED!!
congrats on 56; wahoo!!
thanks for the cookie recipe; very interesting.
I can't wait to read it. The cookies sound great! I hope this is another big hit for you! Debi
One more day before I receive your book on my Kindle....I can't wait to begin reading it.
Nancy
Hi, Lori! My copy of your book is due to arrive by Friday. I am so excited that the book is almost here, but I am going to TRY to hold off on reading it until mid-November when I start my annual Christmas reading binge. Of course, I am no better at resisting books than I am at resisting cookies. LOL :-)
I wish you great success with this book!
Hey, Maureen and Michelle Benerd. Are you around?
WOW LORI, THAT'S AWESOME!!
Hi Lori I have all your twilight Texas novels . I love them and this year for my cookie swap I decided I am going to make your kismet cookie. Thank you for the recipe in the back of the book!