affirmations

Why These Cookies and My Novel Are a Match Made in Heaven

• The gentle spice blend of cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice and cloves channels the evocative warmth echoed in For My Sister’s emotional and intimate storytelling…plus chai is weaved throughout the novel as it takes place in the land of Chai: India.
• Their delicate powdered‑sugar coating gives each bite a subtle sweetness — perfect for dessert or even brunch bites at book club!
• With 45 cookies per batch, they’re ideal for sharing and snacking. And they can be made gluten free!

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The Recipe (inspired by Betty Crocker)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar (for the dough)
• 2 cups all‑purpose flour, (I used GF Jules All Purpose Flour and made my batch gluten free)
• 1½ tsp ground cardamom
• 1½ tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• ½-1 tsp ginger (depending on spice desired)
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks

Chai Spiced Coating

• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ tsp cardamom
• ½ tsp cinnamon

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Directions (in a Nutshell)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Cream together butter and ½ cup powdered sugar. Stir in the rest of the dough ingredients until soft dough forms.
3. Shape dough balls by the tablespoon and place on ungreased cookie sheets, about 1½ inches apart.
4. Bake for 12–15 minutes until just lightly browned.
5. Cool 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack.
6. Coat in spiced sugar, let cool 5 more minutes, then roll again for full coverage

Yield: makes roughly 40-45 cookies.

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Book Club Serving Tips

• Presentation: Arrange on a tiered platter or steel thali for Indian vibes. Place around a steaming pot of tea!
• Pairing: Serve with chai or even herbal teas. OR pair them with a Chai-Tini!

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Why They’re Perfect for For My Sister

For My Sister explores themes of family, identity, and quiet strength. These cookies, with their layers of spice and tender crumb, mirror that subtly powerful landscape. Much like the novel, they invite slow savoring and introspection…making every bite feel meaningful.

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Quick Checklist for Your Baking Day

• Bring butter to room temperature
• Measure and prep spices ahead
• Roll dough balls ahead of time
• Roll in coating while warm
• Print or write out quotes about chai from the book to place around the table

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Final Flourish: The Book and the Cookie in Harmony

Imagine passing the cookies around as someone reads a poignant or reflective passage. The chai aroma fills the air. Teacups clink softly. Conversation drifts from plot twists to character motivations. Voices soften. Hearts open.

These chai‑spiced cookies are more than dessert—they’re a thoughtful, sensory companion to the deeper connections explored in For My Sister.

Enjoy your baking and your book club gathering!

To have me present virtually at your book club, contact me on my website or via Instagram DM!

Do affirmations really work?

For as long as I can remember, I believed in the power of words. As a writer, it’s no surprise that even as a child, I found comfort in writing my feelings out as poetry, sharing love with heartfelt cards to my family and friends and reading the words of authors I admired. I also loved quotes, collecting inspiration along the way. This was pre-instagram, when I had to look around or listen to the world I was in to notice a quote at a restaurant, in a movie or from a book.

It’s why as I work on my next novel, I started reading and reciting affirmations again. I remember the affirmations I recited in both pregnancies, for the health of my babies and births. I have noticed how I feel good after and even how that itself impacts my productivity and daily life, all coming into a full circle with the start of words that matter.

Historically, ancient texts from various religions all hold belief in the power of affirmations via prayer, and recent scientific studies demystify the notion that affirmations may not always ‘work’ as well.

So the next time you feel the stress or writing blocks eating away at you, here are 13 affirmations that you can incorporate into your life and bring with you anywhere, anytime:

1. I create my reality.
2. Abundance comes to me easily.
3.  I trust myself.
4.  Happiness is a choice, my choice.
5.  The past is powerless, I hold power in this present moment.
6.   I am loveable.
7.  My inner wisdom guides me.
8.  I feel appreciated by my family/friends.
9.   I feel grounded.
10.  I am accepting and forgiving.
11.  I am ready for this change.
12.   I attract positivity in my life.
13.  I give and receive unconditional love.

Go on, try one out today. And don’t just say it, believe it. You got this.