Inspy Romance

Inspy Romance—Fall in Love With a Good Book

Fall in Maple Run + #Giveaway

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September 1st. A day that makes me smile and one that has my internal clock dreaming of all things fall. You know: pumpkin-flavored everything, apple cider, changing leaves, FOOTBALL, and cooler weather after sweltering heat. Oh and let’s not forget cute sweaters, open-front cardigans, boots, blankets, and a good book to curl up with!

Obviously I’d read anytime of the year, but there’s something about being underneath a blanket drinking apple cider (or insert your favorite pumpkin beverage). I took a look at my books and have a couple of series where book one happens during autumn. So I eenie meenie minie moed to pick which one to talk about. ;)

My Maple Run series is one of my most popular series. There’s something about the small town of Maple Run and it’s maple-inspired menu that is a hit with the readers. Not to mention that book one has the best fall cover (in my humble opinion).

Set in the very real county of Loudoun County, Virginia, Maple Run (which is fictional) is a small-town that has a great restaurant. The Maple Pit features food that have been cooked with maple and warm the heart. While most of us are fawning over pumpkin and apple cider, my Maple Run friends are living it up with maple.

In reality, the amount of maple offerings I see in the grocery store pale to the amount of pumpkin offerings. However, whenever I see an item I immediately think of this series. Depending on where you live in Loudoun county, you can find orchards providing pick-your-own options and festivals celebrating some harvested fruits/vegetables (I can’t remember if pumpkin is truly a vegetable).

September kicks off apple picking season in Loudoun county. There will be cider donuts, apple pie, and other yummy recipe you can think of. I’ve picked apples with my kids and I imagine my Maple Run crew will be doing that as well. Not to mention, I imagine Dwight Williams (hero in Buying Love) will add apples to the menu as a special nod to autumn.

In October, various orchards in Virginia kick off the pumpkin season with u-pick options. Some have corn mazes and festivals as well. If you’ve read the series, can’t you just imagine Mrs. Williams (Dwight’s mother) strongly suggesting pumpking-maple offering on the menu.

But more than what they’re cooking at The Maple Pit, I know all the characters will be gathered around a dining table as they share about their life. They’ll have celebrations with food being the backdrop because that’s what has connected them. Without The Maple Pit, the eight main characters would never have established meaningful relationships and form life-long friendships.

So this fall in Maple Run, we’ll be eating and doing life together. What will you be doing?

Giveaway

I’d like to offer the complete series in paperback to one US commentator. To enter, please leave a comment telling me your favorite thing to bake during the fall (or eat if you’re not a baker). Please leave a comment by 9/4 11:59pm eastern time. I will use a random generator to pick a winner.

Toni Shiloh (60 Posts)

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and Christian fiction writer. Once she understood the powerful saving grace thanks to the love of Christ, she was moved to honor her Savior. She writes to bring Him glory and to learn more about His goodness. She spends her days hanging out with her husband and their two boys. She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Find out more on her website at http://tonishiloh.com.


Comments

  1. I don’t bake but I do people watch because i only live 5 blocks from a football stadium and this weekend will be a the first home game. So I will be outdoors people watching.

  2. I’m not much of a baker but I definitely crave comfort food in the fall. Casseroles mostly! But going with pumpkin everything, pumpkin muffins are delicious and so easy to make!

  4. I like to bake, and I’m thinking this year I’m going to try making gingerbread cookies. I might try making banana nut bread again, too. I’m not a big pumpkin fan.

  5. Snickerdoodles, banana bread, and pumpkin bread are my favorite fall treats to bake. Autumn kicks off all the baking!

  6. I really enjoy baking chocolate chip pumpkin muffins in the fall. They are so good and delicious for breakfast. (I mean, since they have pumpkin they are healthy, right??) :D

  7. Pumpkin bread is the only one I bake myself, but I enjoy consuming all the cakes, breads and casseroles!

  8. How fun! Fall is my absolute favorite time to bake! But I’m stuck deciding between pumpkin cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies 🥰 I bake most days during Fall haha.

  9. Fun! I went to a football game last Friday and it definitely gave lots of opportunity to people watch.

  10. I love baking. But fall is when I go back to school, so it’s hard to sneak time for it. And football, yuck… Give me hockey any day. ;)

  13. I love the idea of The Maple Pit’s menu and an apple maple special sounds delicious. My favorite thing to bake in fall is pumpkin bread and my favorite to eat is an apple cider donut.

  18. Yes! I’m already trying to figure out what to bake next (I’ve done zucchini bread and pumpkin muffins).

  26. Fall will always remind me of the time my roommate invited me to her parents’ house, and her mom had baked pumpkin bread. With icing on top, it was just the best! :)

  30. Hi, I am ready for Fall for the cooler weather and yes, I agree, there is nothing like snuggling with a blanket on the couch and reading a book or watching a movie. My favorite thing to bake in the cooler months are baked fruit turnovers, I like to bake them because my whole family loves them. My favorite thing that my husband bakes is a Pumpkin Cream Cheese roll, it is delicious! He also bakes the Best Oatmeal Raisin Pecan cookies, now those are my favorite cookies. Just reading this post you wrote gets me in the mood to get on the couch with a blanket and read or watch a good movie. I also love, love apple cider or hot cocoa during the cooler weather. Have a Great week and stay safe. God Bless you and your family. Thank you for the chance at your Great sounding and looking books.

  31. I only bake around the holidays, but I love making pumpkin spice bread, pumpkin pie, and Southern pecan pie with (has peach pecan whiskey in it)! And Texas Cowboy Cream homemade biscuits, super easy!

  32. Hi, Toni! I’m always up for some fall pastries and drinks. I’m not a big fan of pumpkin, though. And, even though I grew up in rural upstate New York (definite Maple territory), I’m not a big fan of maple syrup. I have cousins who live in Vermont (an even bigger Maple territory!) who are appalled that I don’t enjoy their elixir from the gods :-). I think I may have eaten myself sick on Maple candy once when I was a kid. Now it just seems too icky sweet. My loss, I suppose. Maple combined with something savory (like Maple bacon), I can enjoy. It cuts the sweet enough.

    One of my happy childhood memories was of the fellow who would set up taps each spring on the maple trees along the streets in our little town. No small buckets for him. No, sirree. He would set the taps, connect them to long plastic tubes that emptied into shiny-clean, galvanized trash barrels. Then, he would drive his truck around with a big tank on the back and empty the cans in the tank. I don’t know if he cooked down his own syrup or sold the sap to a processor. It’s just a special spring memory.

    No need to include me in the drawing, thanks. Great foodie post!

  36. I love anything autumn-related including all the pumpkin, maple, and apple goodies. I made mini pumpkin loaves the other day, based on my grandmother’s pumpkin bread recipe. They make the best breakfast treats! Next up, I’m going to make an apple cream cheese bundt cake.
    Today is actually my parents’ anniversary. 59 years and going strong!

  39. I Love baking Homemade Pumpkin Rolls My 5 adult children love them and when I start baking them I have to bake one for each of them Happy Fall! Your book sounds amazing!

  41. I am not sure there are seasonal things I bake. I do know I don’t like pumpkin and cant even imagine some of the pumpkin items like pumpkin spice or lattes.
    I know mum use to strew apples and freeze to use through the year. She made a lot of apple pies. I will admit with the nicer weather I am eating more salad here. (quite warm today and then back to the cooler weather for a few days which is normal for spring).
    When I was in Canada I really liked the maple syrup fudge and also the maple syrup candy.

  43. We love sweet potato pie and apple crisp. Thank you for the wonderful chance. Blessings

  44. I enjoy baking AND eating the results, and I love college football. Watching the game is especially fun with my grown children and granddaughters it makes family time all the more special.

  45. I love to bake cookies (chocolate chip, butterscotch scotchies, M&M). I also enjoy making pumpkin bread. If I am in a hurry, it maybe a cake. Thank you for the opportunity. God bless you.

  46. I love my mom’s special treats because she makes them with special love & we camp together so we get a lot of treats

  60. I love love love these covers!

    I like to bake anything with pumpkin! But not nutmeg since I’m allergic to it, so that takes away from the flavor since I got that allergy in the past couple of years.

  61. This series is amazing! I have the whole set and I love them! I like to bake but I often don’t
    have time so I don’t know what my favorite fall thing to bake is

  62. I don’t do much fall themed baking, but I love applie cider for drinking and I love fresh baked cinnamon rolls.

  63. I love baking things with farm fresh sugar pumpkins that I buy from our farmer’s market; pies, bread, cake, bars, etc! Nothing like homemade sweets made from scratch and fresh produce.

    I also like making apple pies or apple crisp & my husband sometimes makes applesauce. One day I’d love to tackle apple butter….yummy!! I’ve even made homemade hot chocolate mix a few times, then fix it with hot milk for an extra creamy hot drink.

    Now I’m seriously hungry! :-)

  64. My dad used to make a homemade hot cocoa mix that did really well with hot milk. Happy memory!

    About an hour or two away from us, in the town of Winchester, Virginia where my wife spent part of her childhood, they have an apple festival each fall and I remember seeing the local craftsmen with their giant copper kettles and wooden paddles continually stirring the apple butter. I have no idea how to make apple butter in a home kitchen setting, but the festival memories are happy ones, as well!

  69. Now I want to make applesauce and apple butter. Off I go to look at apple picking times at my nearest orchard!

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