Good Morning, Everyone.
It’s a gray raw morning here on Sayville Long Island. Snow is in the forecast…uhh.
The coffee is hot. Grab your mug. Let’s quickly catch up.
If we were having coffee together, I would invite you to view the Tenement Museum Book Talk event. I had a wonderful chat with Erika Sullivan and responded to Zoom participant questions. It was a comfortable and easy-going hour. I’d do it again! Thank you to everyone who viewed and commented.
If we were having coffee together, I would proudly announce that the Jr. Bookworms Book Club is available for viewing on Between the Covers YouTube channel. Seven middle-grade students joined Stephanie Larkin, publisher of Red Penguin Books, and me for a lively and insightful chat about Daily Bread. The kids were great. Take a look.
If we were having coffee together, I would add that Daily Bread received 5 star reviews from Readers’ Favorite. Not only were the words wonderful, I am entitled to a flashy sticker to place on the book cover. WhooHoo!
If we were having coffee together, I would admit that I am struggling to get into the holiday mood. Like everyone else, parties, gatherings, and drop-in visiting are non-existent. But then another blow unraveled this week. My youngest daughter Robyn, who lives in Oregon, and my middle daughter, who lives in Hilton Head Island, SC, with her family that includes the grandkids, will not travel due to, you know, #!*@ing COVID. Missing my dad adds to the melancholy.
This crazy year forces us to adapt. Today, I am going to the grocery store to stock up on baking supplies and take a walk through my beautiful downtown Sayville. Instead of cooking Sunday dinner tonight, I’m flooding the house with Christmas baking. Baking is not my strong skill set, but the aromas and comfort should help offset the sadness. My eldest daughter, Sara, will visit tomorrow for my hubby’s birthday. We will Zoom with the faraway children, decorate the tree, and sing Happy Birthday. It will have to do.
If we were having coffee together, I would say that my husband and I are renting the same condo on Hilton Head Island for two months (maybe longer). Once we get COVID results, we are driving south soon after Christmas. We will be nearby the kids and able to walk the beach daily. 2021 is looking up.
Be well, Everyone.
Big thank yous go out to Eclectic Ali for keeping the Weekend Coffee Share up and running.
If you had purchased a paperback or ebook Daily Bread—Thank you!
Take a picture of you with Daily Bread, and I’ll send you Reader’s Swag and add you to the Daily Bread Reader slideshow, coming for the New Year. Kid pics are welcomed with parent or guardian permission. Don’t forget to leave a rating and quick comment on Amazon and/or Goodreads.
Have a good week, Everyone. Make it great.
Be well. Be safe.
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Daily Bread is set in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, 1911. The story follows nine-year-old Lily, an American-born child of Sicilian immigrants, who wants to prove she is not a little kid. To be a big kid in the crowded tenement neighborhoods, she must tackle bigotry, bullies, disasters, dotty bakers, and learn to cross the street by herself.
Hope you are hungry. Becoming America’s Food Stories recalls the tales that have been told around my family’s dinner table. The histories explain the motivations over bowls of macaroni, antics play out while slurping soup, and laughter echoes throughout the dining room. Pull up a seat. There’s always room.
“If you don’t cook with love, you have to get out of the kitchen.” Florence Messina
Stories Served 
I’m so proud of you for the five-star rating for your book! So sorry to know though that you won’t be seeing your kids IRL this Christmas. This COVID thing truly sucks! I hope you enjoyed the baking though.
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Thank you!
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Congratulations on your 5-star rating!!
This is an incredible accomplishment!
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Congratulations, Antoinette, on your book 5-star rating! I hope you have a great day celebrating your husband’s birthday. Stay safe and well for the holidays and your upcoming trip.
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