C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

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Holiday Kick Off with Lisa Cocca, #InkRipples, and Cookies

December 5, 2016 By C. Lee McKenzie 61 Comments

Well this is the last Featured Follower of 2016. I can’t believe that the year is close to being over, but it will be an exciting end because Lisa Cocca is a good storyteller. I’m so happy to have her here for the month of December. 

Her book is Providence, and I’ve already read and reviewed it. If you want to find out more about Lisa, here’s her WEBSITE. If you want buy her most excellent book, it’s available on Amazon. With KindleUnlimited, you can read her story for free.  Email Connect peeps, she’s offering a FREE signed paperback. 

Connect with Lisa on Facebook and Twitter 

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Kai Strand, Mary Waibel, and Katie L. Carroll. They post on the first Monday of every month with a new topic. They’re all authors, but you don’t have to be to participate.
For about two decades, neighborhood did a spectacular Cookie Bake. I know what you’re thinking. Everybody comes bearing a dozen or so special holiday cookies, and then swaps with everyone else–and a good time was had by all. Nope. Not even close.

Everyone came with three cookie recipes and all the ingredients. We started about 4 in the afternoon and wound up the last batches about midnight. In between, we drank wine, nibbled on a pot luck buffet and exchanged Cookie Bake stories. “Remember in ’90 when we forgot the sugar cookies in the oven next door and smoke poured out the windows?”

Flour and sugar was involved in every part of the evening. And at the end we produced over 2,000 cookies and at least 30 different kinds. With the graying of the cookie bakers, the kids took over for a while, but then it was time to retire the tireless Cookie Bake. Now we have the memories, and each one is perfect, even the burnt sugar cookie night. 
Here I am ready to roll. It must be early in the evening because I’m not dusted with flour yet.

My neighbor and I are deep into the mixing here, and we’re still smiling, so it’s not midnight yet!


Quote of the Week:
 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: InkRipples, Lisa Colozza Cocca

Comments

  1. Alexa from Summer Snowflakes says

    December 7, 2016 at 1:25 am

    That is such an awesome and delicious idea!!! How did you all eat all those cookies though? lol

    Love that quote! That's definitely the only way to go. 😉

    Alexa
    thessalexa.blogspot.com
    verbosityreviews.com

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 7, 2016 at 10:42 pm

      Mostly we gave them away or took them as our contributions to parties. We got a lot of invitations.

      Reply
  2. Lynda R Young says

    December 7, 2016 at 1:20 am

    wow, that was a LOT of cookies! Love the pics!!

    Reply
  3. DMS says

    December 7, 2016 at 1:10 am

    I have never heard of doing cookies the way you did them back in the day. Sounds like a lot of fun- and tiring too! Loved seeing the pictures. 🙂

    Congratulations to Lisa. What a pretty cover! 🙂
    ~Jess

    Reply
  4. Juneta Key says

    December 6, 2016 at 10:41 pm

    You made me hungry. Congrats' Lisa.
    Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

    Reply
  5. Kelly Hashway/Ashelyn Drake says

    December 6, 2016 at 7:40 pm

    My mom brought me cookies last night (early birthday gift) and they are so good. I have to exercise real restraint not to eat them all!

    Congrats to Lisa. I love the colors on her cover. So pretty!

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 7, 2016 at 10:41 pm

      No restraint during the holidays!

      Reply
  6. L. Diane Wolfe says

    December 6, 2016 at 12:41 pm

    I have a friend who does that kind of baking spree all on her own. Last year, she literally stayed up all night and was late to church to deliver the cookies.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:09 pm

      Ha! That's a good one.

      Reply
  7. Yvonne Ventresca says

    December 6, 2016 at 12:36 pm

    Sounds like a fun tradition! Great memories!

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:08 pm

      Wish I could find the pictures of the table at the end of the evening. They were impressive.

      Reply
  8. Barbara Fisher says

    December 6, 2016 at 12:22 pm

    The Cookie Bake sounds fun and exhausting in equal measure.

    In answer to your question on my blog – yes I’ve read Cat’s Paw or at least part one and am now on the hunt for a copy of the January 1932 edition of The Ladies Journal. So far, there has been a murder and a kidnapping so it is all exciting stuff.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:08 pm

      I'd love to hear more about it. Hope you find the issue with the next part of the story in it!

      Reply
  9. J.H. Moncrieff says

    December 6, 2016 at 11:42 am

    What a great tradition! How long ago did you stop doing it? It's always sad when longstanding traditions like that end.

    Understandable, though.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:07 pm

      We were at it over ten years. And interestingly enough, we all decided it was time to stop without consulting each other. When we met for our pre-cookie bake strategy meeting we just said, no more.

      Reply
  10. Mason Canyon says

    December 6, 2016 at 11:21 am

    Sounds like the perfect way to do a Cookie Bake. Such fun memories to have.

    Congratulations to Lisa.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:05 pm

      Thanks. I enjoyed reminiscing.

      Reply
  11. Shooting Stars Mag says

    December 6, 2016 at 2:27 am

    Oh, I love the idea of the Cookie Bake. All those neighborhood type of get-togethers are fun to hear about, as my neighborhood has never been like that.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:05 pm

      Ours has changed. We don't have the same kind of get-togethers anymore. People move. Our interests change. Too bad. I'm with you in enjoying a friendly drop in kind of neighborhood.

      Reply
  12. Liz A. says

    December 6, 2016 at 2:09 am

    Wow, that's quite the endeavor. But many hands make the work light.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:03 pm

      . . .and a big mess. Our ovens took a hit that night.

      Reply
  13. Sandra Cox says

    December 6, 2016 at 1:43 am

    The cookie bake off looked like all sorts of fun. Good memories.
    And what a perfect quote!
    Love the cover of Providence.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:02 pm

      If you like a feel good story, you'll like Providence. The best part is there are no zombies or werewolves even mentioned. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Birgit says

    December 6, 2016 at 1:23 am

    What a great idea and it looks like you had a great time doing this.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:01 pm

      That was the most important part of the event–the fun.

      Reply
  15. Natalie Aguirre says

    December 6, 2016 at 12:36 am

    Wow! Sounds like a super fun cookie day. Yes, I could use a cookie every day.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:01 pm

      Isn't there a saying about a cookie a day keeping the doctor away? If not, there should be.

      Reply
  16. Brandi Kosiner says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:33 pm

    Sounds like fun, and very yummy.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:00 pm

      The yummy part was the best. Then we didn't touch cookies for months.

      Reply
  17. Tyrean Martinson says

    December 5, 2016 at 11:05 pm

    That looks like great fun!!!
    Thanks for introducing Lisa!
    And Merry Christmas – early!

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 4:00 pm

      Thanks, so much, Tryean. Hope you'll take a look at Lisa's book.

      Reply
  18. Shady Del Knight says

    December 5, 2016 at 10:20 pm

    Hi, Cheryl!

    Thanks for introducing author Lisa Colozza Cocca and her book Providence. Becky seems like a well drawn character and I always appreciate good storytelling.

    I enjoyed seeing those pictures of you, Cheryl. Looks like you guys had loads of fun at your Cookie Bake-a-thons over the years. Seems there are not as many members of the younger generation embracing the homemaking skills learned by their parents and especially their grandparents. Thanks for sharing, dear friend, Cheryl-Lee, and enjoy the rest of your week!

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 3:59 pm

      I do think the kids quit earlier than the adults in this cookie all-nighter, but some went on to be really good bakers. Maybe something rubbed off on them.

      Reply
  19. Jemi Fraser says

    December 5, 2016 at 9:54 pm

    I have that Cookie Monster quote up in my classroom! 🙂
    That sounds like fun – everyone loves cookies!

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 6, 2016 at 3:57 pm

      I love Cookie Monster!

      Reply
  20. DEZMOND says

    December 5, 2016 at 9:03 pm

    what a lovely tradition that must have been!

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 9:23 pm

      I do miss it. I really miss the beautiful cookies.

      Reply
  21. Elephant's Child says

    December 5, 2016 at 8:58 pm

    What a brilliant idea – and a wonderful way to celebrate a community.
    Congratulations to Lisa. And all authors. You enrich my world.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 9:23 pm

      What a sweet comment! Thank you for it.

      Reply
  22. Pat Hatt says

    December 5, 2016 at 7:36 pm

    Now that is a crap ton of cookies haha congrats to the featured follower too

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 9:22 pm

      You said it!

      Reply
  23. Susan Gourley/Kelley says

    December 5, 2016 at 7:31 pm

    What a wonderful time. I know some families who do that kind of thing. In our family, it's mostly all boys. Everyone had sons and only a few of them are married yet. My daughter and her friends get together every year and build gingerbread houses even though they're in their twenties now. I hope they continue for years to come.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 9:22 pm

      Some holiday traditions just shouldn't be stopped, no matter how old we get.

      Reply
  24. Karen Lange says

    December 5, 2016 at 7:03 pm

    That's a lot of cookie baking! Sounds (and looks) like fun.

    It's nice to meet Lisa. And hard to believe the year is almost over! Guess we'll be saying that this time next year too. 🙂 Time does march on. Have a good week!

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 9:21 pm

      I find myself typing out my expression of surprise each season. Here's to another great week ahead.

      Reply
  25. Christine Rains says

    December 5, 2016 at 7:02 pm

    So nice to meet your follower of the month. And yeah! Love that idea for a cookie bake. We're going to try to organize a holiday party for friends, and I think this is an awesome thing to do. Or at the very least, decorating cookies. 🙂

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 9:21 pm

      I think it worked because at that time we were a very close set of friends. Let us know what your cookie bake/decorating event turns out like.

      Reply
  26. S.A. Larsenッ says

    December 5, 2016 at 6:02 pm

    First of all, I love this feature! And secondly, your smile in those photos shows who you really are. I love that! You are full of life. 🙂

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 6:28 pm

      Thanks, Sheri. That's very sweet. I don't have any pictures of after the cookie bake when smiling wasn't possible, but you can imagine what we all looked like after 8 hours of cookie making.

      Reply
  27. nashvillecats2 says

    December 5, 2016 at 3:57 pm

    Sounds like fun, thats what life is all about having fun. Thanks for a very up lifting read.
    Yvonne.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 6:26 pm

      If you can't have fun now, I can't imagine any other opportunity! 🙂

      Reply
  28. Kai Strand says

    December 5, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    Wow, what an epic tradition! Thanks for sharing it with us.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 6:26 pm

      It was something we all looked forward to, and yet we were all glad when it was over.

      Reply
  29. Dianne K. Salerni says

    December 5, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    That's a heck of a lot of cookies! Did they all get eaten before they went stale? (I guess that might depend on how many teenagers were in the neighborhood.)

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 6:25 pm

      From my experience cookies never had a chance to go stale in our neighborhood. They barely had time to cool before they vanished. 🙂

      Reply
  30. Katie L. Carroll says

    December 5, 2016 at 2:44 pm

    Best of luck to Lisa on her book!

    What a great cookie tradition. Sounds like you have many wonderful memories from it.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 6:24 pm

      I love the memories. I just don't think any of us have another all-nighter in us to hang out around the ovens.

      Reply
  31. Beverly Stowe McClure says

    December 5, 2016 at 2:01 pm

    The cookie bake sounds like a lot of fun. I used to make Christmas cookies when the boys were home. Now, the cats won't eat them, so I don't cook them. Great pictures too.
    Congratulations to Lisa her book and on being Featured Follower.

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 6:22 pm

      The teens did look forward to our marathon cookie bake. My husband did, too. I think he misses that tradition more than any other at Christmas.

      Reply
  32. Alex J. Cavanaugh says

    December 5, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    What a fun idea. What did you guys do with two thousand cookies though?

    Reply
    • C. Lee McKenzie says

      December 5, 2016 at 6:19 pm

      We shared them with our other friends and everyone knew if there was a potluck party coming up, they could depend on the Cookie Baker gang to provide a great dessert.

      Reply

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