Forget-Me-Not Cookies by Fern

The last book I'll be publishing in the Old-Timey Holiday Kitchen series is now ready for preorder. It will publish on October 25. In Forget-Me-Not Cookies by Fern, Fern Russell gets caught disobeying her parents and seeing a man they don't approve of. They send her off to a private school in the little-known place of Big Lick. Fern is surprised to discover she likes the family where she's assigned to stay. Their shy, older son touches her heart, but she won't be disloyal to the beau she left behind. Waiting is hard, but that's exactly what she'll have to do to find out what the future holds. She bakes both men forget-me-not cookies. Which one will end up not forgetting her?

Big Lick Academy was a real place, close to where I now live. It's been fun researching the history and the time period. The headmaster of the school wanted the students to participate in the many community events, so they would stay busy and hopefully out of trouble. The out-of-town students roomed in private homes in the thriving community of Big Lick, named for a salt lick nearby. Dr. Black not only opened and ran the academy, but he was also the minister of a Big Lick church.

An interesting side note is that I used to sponsor a junior history club when I taught school. Each year, my students would do projects to get to go to the state convention. One of my students did a large model of the early town of Big Lick, which won an award and is now displayed at the local history museum. Little did I know at that time that I would be using his model as part of my research for a book.

I love how this book came together and how Fern comes to realize what her heart has been trying to tell her. How she conveys this epiphany involves her forget-me-not cookies, which are a type of macaroon. As a bonus, the recipe is included in the back of the book. I think you'll enjoy both the story and the cookies. It will be available in paperback, KU, Kindle, and Audible.

Link to book

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