Recipes, Romance, and Inspiration

Cover for December Book

2011-12-08T11:02:00.000-05:00

Pretty Cute Huh? As sweet as he looks, this dog takes up with the enemy--a right man who shows up at the wrong time.

If you like reading sweet romace, where falling is love is out of the question but happens anyway, ask for BED AND BREAKFAST BLUES at your library or buy a copy from Avalon Books or one of the on-line book sellers.

Happy Holidays

Susan Ralph

My December Book

2011-10-14T20:21:00.000-04:00

I got a look at my cover for Bed and Breakfast Blues which will be out in December. It isn't what I pictured in my mind, but the covers never are. I have no credentials for cover art so I trust the judgment of those who do. I'll try to post the cover here in the next couple of days.

And maybe I'll post the recipe for salmon burgers that are incredibly declicious. I made them tonight, and I have to say they are "the bomb"-if that expression is still in use. Most of the time I am way behind the times on my expressions, but in this case I think "the bomb" fits. One of the ingredients is chipotle chile canned in adobo sauce which gives them a nice zing.

Another thing I've made recently is sliced fresh tomatos with slices of mozzrella, fresh basil, olive oil and salt. It always looked too simple to be delicious. But I found some good tomatoes and made it. It got raves from my husband and that is a real coup. Most of the time things don't get a much higher rating that its okay.

It's almost time for his birthday and I'll be baking a chocolate cake using brown sugar. I'm torn between frosting it with a cooked brown sugar frosting or the chocolate genache they used in the recipe.

Fall here is beautiful. Still not the flash of color on the trees one sees at higher latitudes but the weather is delightful. I hope if I can talk my hub into another beach trip before cold weather sets in?

From my ocean dreams to yours,

Susan

Time, where does it go?

2011-10-09T21:52:00.000-04:00

Here we are in October and I am way behind on everything.

Time is not my friend. I do not manage it well. It always escapes me.

I gave my speech. It went well. I spent a lot of time writing and practicing it. All in all, the result was worth the effort. And to my great surprise, I wasn't nervous.

And then I've been traveling. Something I love to do. My darling hub and I went to upstate NY to visit a daughter. We had lunch at the Culinary Institute of America to celebrate her birthday. A real treat. The service was impeccable, much of the food was great, some super great, but not all of it rated an "A" in my opinion. However, being able to watch the work going on in the kitchens was fun and the buildings and grounds are a treat.

We then went to West Point and had an hour long tour. Spectatcular views of the Hudson River, a lot of history, but the place felt claustrphobic to me. It would take a special type person to endure the limitations and the rigors of a military academy.

On this trip, we stayed with another daughter and her family in VA, coming and going. On the return trip, we had blue crabs and steamed jumbo shrimp at a great seafood shack not far from their house.

Since the weather has cooled off, my hub and I have been spending some time at the beach. The latest trip was last Friday and Saturday...two perfect beach days.

I'm reading another disappointing book. The beginning chapters were terrific and then blah. But, I'll finish it even though it hasn't gotten better. The reviews I've read say the end is great.

The thing is, between reading the new books in my "to read" stack, I have been buying more of Georgette Heyer's books to add to my collection. Reading them is such a treat. They are long books and not once have I ever been bored with the story or said blah. Her plots have logic, her pacing is right, and her characters are distinguishable and enchanting.

Now it's back to my own writing. At least I hope that's what I'll be concentrating on for the next couple of weeks.

From my incomplete book to yours.

Susan Ralph

Promises and Promise

2011-09-15T14:56:00.002-04:00

Well, after promising to get my poor heroine out of the dungeon, she's still there. Stuck. Because I have been doing other things.

Guilt weighs on my shoulders.

But who can write, when the view out the front window is the Atlantic Ocean? Not I. And that was my view for the last three days.

"But, I've been stuck in this dank dark place with no window for weeks," shouts my heroine.

Remorse roils my heart. "Soon. It won't be much longer," I reply.

For some reason which I cannot imagine, or perhaps in a moment of insanity, I agreed to speak to a group. Standing alone before an audience and talking for x number of minutes, is not a comfortable spot for me. Trying to figure out what to say to them has consumed my time for the last three weeks--except during the blissful three days I just spent at the Ocean.

I'm crazy about the Ocean.

And it didn't disappoint.

From my boogie board to yours.

The Fragrance of Rosemary

2011-08-30T13:10:00.002-04:00

Piney, woodsy, and enough to make me conjure up all sorts of delights. When I'm in the backyard, I make sure to run my hand over a branch. Cheap perfume of the best kind.

Did you know you can strip the needles off a stem, leaving a few at the tip for presentation, then sharpen the other end and use the stem for a skewer for grilling? Shrimp and Chicken both work well.

In one of my books that has yet to spark a response from an editor, rosemary and lavender play a role in the meeting of the gentleman and lady who will fall in love in a very romantic way.

There are many herbs I love, lemon verbena and basil being two. Some lend their flavor best to cooked dishes, like oregano and thyme. Mint is another great one and comes in tons of flavors now including chocolate.

I once had several scented geraniums and made a pound cake with the leaves placed in the bottom on the pan so they came out on top. My family frowned at the idea of eating geranium leaves and they don't like chive blossoms in their salad. None of the geraniums were hardy enough to survive my less than great gardening skills and the wonderful herb farm where I bought them went out of business after the death of the owners.

Heading north sometime this month. Having grown up in northern US, I miss the far vistas of fall's brilliant leaf colors.

From my heart to yours.

The Big Wind Didn't Blow Down The House

2011-08-28T16:07:00.001-04:00

On Friday the dire predictions about Hurricane Irene cancelled our weekly grocery shopping. No sense in filling the freezer and frig with more stuff if we might lose power.

On Saturday Irene made landfall in an almost direct line to the West of us. Thank heavens the winds had slowed to a Cat One level. We got a few gusts, some rain, some downed trees and limbs, but it wasn't the Big Bad Wolf threatening to blow our house down.

My heart goes out to those who lost a loved one and to those who may have suffered damage to their abode.

This time we were blessed.

A Stunning Movie

2011-08-14T12:06:00.002-04:00

The Help. It will make you laugh--more than once. And it will make you cry--more than once.

I did not read the book before seeing the movie. Which is always my preference when a book is made into a movie so my mental image of the book characters doesn't conflict with the movie characters.

My Saturday late afternoon was spent in a movie theater watching this incredible movie. Not sure if it is more of a chick film or not. I didn't take my husband as he ruins movies for me if he doesn't like them so I don't have his reaction to go by. But there were a lot of men in the audience. It's a long movie. I don't have the exact running length, but it started at 3:10 (not sure if that time includes the ads and the upcoming previews) and by the time I got back to my car (steps from the theater) it was after 6. The acting is incredible. And the movie never drags. At least it didn't for me.

For the first time in a long time, (although its may be my choice of movies or the times I attend) the theater was near full. A mixed race audience. And a very responsive (in a good way) audience.

I'm just glad I didn't see this movie with the two youngest of my four daughters. They both would have been sobbing--with no restraint.

Even when the days and times look dark, I pray that decent humans stand at their peril against wrong.

From my heart to yours.

Susan Ralph

Confessions of a Romance Writer

2011-08-02T11:02:00.000-04:00

Steamy, spicy? Nah. My books are sweet and tender and short. At least for now.

But, about my Lady Aruleius, who has progressed no farther than she had the other day, she may be a bit more scintillating than my previous heroines. A bit of wildness lies beneath her proper demeanor.

And about my chicken salad. I am really into Ina Garten's cooking. She made chicken salad (I think her dressing calls for tarragon which I don't like) one day. She recommended roasting the chicken breasts on the bone for flavor. Always before, I have poached the chicken. Yesterday, I roasted the chicken breasts and will use my forever favorite chicken salad dressing.

I also made her lemon chicken which calls for boneless breasts with the skin on. No such thing in my grocery so I had to bone out the breasts, a tedious and messy and, if your not careful, a painful job.

I seem to have recovered from whatever was affecting my ability to stay awake. Got in some good writing yesterday on my latest contemporary.

Winners never quit, and quitters never win, says this characters mother. Which is oh so very true in the fiction writing business. Writer's write for years, suffering rejections from many different agents and publishers and writing contests, but perseverance can result in one accomplishing the goal of having an agent or a publisher say we love your story and we want to represent or publish it.

Keep going. Learn. Improve. Stay focused.

From my heart to yours.

Susan

"Help!" Shouts Lady Aruleius

2011-07-28T10:05:00.000-04:00

"Wait, wait, I'm on my way," I reply.

How cruel of me to have put a fictional female in danger and then abandoned her to the wiles of an attractive fictional male.

Sometimes the way to move a story forward seems too difficult, too tedious.

However, I am determined to get to the HEA this romance story requires. And to save the fair maiden at the same time.

Right now, my Lady Aruleius has been kidnapped and is imprisoned in a dark, musty dungeon--for her own good, of course. Or so her captor, the arrogant and insufferable Viscount Randell tells her.

Did I mention, she is a beauty and not quite the proper lady she pretends, and he is handsome and not quite the altruist he pretends? So what does he want from her, and what is she willing to give him?

Sunk into ennui, I edit and re-edit already written pages and then escape into one of my new Georgette Heyer books. But guilt clouds my pleasure.

So today, I pledge to the muse of writers, I will write one new page. Tomorrow I will confess my success or failure.

From my story to yours.

Susan

An overcooked chicken save

2011-07-23T14:12:00.000-04:00

My attempt to salvage my dry pesto slathered chicken breasts worked....YAY!

I scrapped off some of the pesto and then diced them into small cubes.

And here is the dressing recipe that is the key.

6 TBS fat-free mayonnaise--okay I don't have fat free and used full fat
2 TBS fresh lemon juice (and do use fresh)
2 tsp Dijon mustard (yummy)
1/4 tsp hot sauce
1/8 tsp white pepper (black would work fine)
3 cups cooked chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil.

This recipe calls for 6 cups of fresh spinach as a base for the chicken salad. I used a mix of lettuces dressed with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. And the recipe also says 1 1/2 TBS pine nuts (optional). I used walnuts.

This is my forever chicken salad recipe when there is fresh basil in my garden--probably even better with properly cooked chicken.

From my kitchen to yours.

I really have to stop cooking and start writing.

Susan

Basil Pesto: One success-One failure

2011-07-22T09:08:00.000-04:00

I love the herby frangrance of my basil pesto. The leftover portion from my successful use catches my eye whenever I open the refrigerator door.

Must use it. Must use it pretty soon. But for what? I'm low carbing except on Wednesdays. Pasta sauce is the logical choice, but I also have a batch of fresh tomato sauce with lots of garlic and lots of fresh basil.

Then I remembered a couple of years ago I'd slathered chicken breasts in pesto and cooked them. So I google it and get a couple of recipes with instructions. Unfortuantely the cooking time on the one I followed was way too long and they were dry. I'm pondering trying to remedy this by making a basil chicken salad with them.

The first use of my first batch of the season pesto, I used in a Rachael Ray recipe....good grief that girl can cook. Haven't tired one of her recipies yet that wasn't great.

The day I saw her do this on her TV show, I went to the food network site to get the full insturctions. Turns out it is a shortened (faster) version of a recipie she'd made before.

Here is the basic idea. You get pesto (commercial). But I made mine this time. You get Italian sausage (ground or links that you open up and take out the meat). I got mild. You get tiny mozzarella balls (they have an Italian name). I couldn't find them at the store I was in so I got a good quality mozzarella and than cut off small chuncks. Now the idea is, you encase a piece of the cheese in a portion of the meat (I think she made twelve for four servings) and form a meatball. These bake in the oven. In the meantime, you mix basil pesto into a can of tomatoes for the sauce and heat it up. She made some cheesey mashed potatoes and roasted garlicky broccoli to go with it. Me, who is low carbing and it wasn't Wed. didn't make the potatoes.

These meatballs with the sauce were delish. And one of the fastest things I every cooked. If you want the real recipe, you can find it on FN site.

And pesto slathered chicken breasts can be delish too, but not if they are overcooked.

From my stove to yours.

Susan

RWA Conference 2011

2011-07-06T07:53:00.000-04:00

Back home from my ninth RWA Conference. This year it was held in NYC. The conference hotel, Times Square Mariott Marquis was fab. The location is full of attractions.

This year two of my four daughters and two of my five grands came along. They had a blast. As the eight year old said when asked about the Broadway show, Mary Poppins, "Awesome."

I took it a bit easy this year. Attended the Literacy signing on Tuesday night. It was jam packed. I think the room was samll for 500 seated authors and the number of people who came to meet the authors and get signed copies of their books. But it was a hoot. Met up with fellow Avalon authors Wednesday morning and then went to the lunch. The PAN retreat took up the remainder of the afternoon and then there was a fab cocktail party for the Avalon authors at the Avalon office.

On Thursday, I attended Michael Hauge's workshops. Two hours in the morning and then two more hours in the afternoon. I had heard him speak twice before, but what he offers is so important I need it to soak in and become automatic.

Thursday night I joined my family for pizza and pasta at Johns, cheesecake from Juniors, and a seat on the red steps in Times Square. Lot of fun, lot of light, lot of noise.

This year I left the morning of the last day. Family had a huge and delicious breakfast at Juniors, then we said goodbye to one daughter and the rest of us headed for the train station and the trip back.

We got home to find another daughter and her husband here painting interior doors. When she lived with us, she got a rabbit who removed much of the paint from the bottom of several doors. Somehow she persuaded her husband to paint them. He did a super great job. They stayed for the fourth of July celebration and were joined by our oldest daughter and three grands. Hectic but fun.

Getting back to writing will take some real discipline on my part.

How lucky we are to live in the USA. Other countries have a much longer history and many splendors, but we who claim the USA as home are priviledged.

Pray for our troops. They are still putting and often giving their life to protect us from those whose desire is to destory us.

Best,

Susan

Pesto Recipe

2011-05-29T09:56:00.000-04:00

There are many variations of the basic basil pesto recipe. You can use other herbs or combine herbs. You can use nuts other than the pine nuts (which aren't really nuts).

However, my preference is for the straight forward all basil recipe. I do substitute walnuts for the pine nuts sometimes as they are much cheaper.

You really should have a food processor to make this. Back in the day, they used a motar and pestle which one still could but it might take you awhile to grind all this into a paste.

Basil Pesto

2 packed cups of fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Put basil and pine nuts into the bowl of the food processor and pluse a few times. Add the gralic and pluse a few more times.

With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow steady stream. If you need to, stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula to get everything incorporated.

Add the grated cheese and pulse a few more times. Add a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

If you plan on freezing this, do not add the cheese until you are ready to use it.

Here is a quick and delicious way to use the pesto in a dip.

Mix 1 cup sour cream with 1/2 cup pesto and 2 Tbs. parmesan cheese. Then chill before serving.

From my basil patch to yours. Yummy!

Basil

2011-05-26T16:35:00.000-04:00

A simple and delicious recipe using fresh basil.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Paint a a prepared pizza shell (the small size) with olive oil. Place it on a middle rack in the hot oven.

Leave it a few minutes. You basically want it a bit crispy sort of like toast.

In the meantime, slice fresh roma tomatoes (medium thick) and salt them. To peel or not to peel is your choice.

Take out the pizza shells. Put sliced tomatoes on top. Then add slices of fresh mozzarella cheese--I like the soft balls that you can find in the grocery groumet cheese but others might do.

Finally top with whole fresh basil leaves and return to oven to let the cheese melt.

Can be cut for appetizers or one would make an entree for lunch or dinner.

Basil on my mind.

Susan

Basil and other herbs in my garden

2011-05-10T14:22:00.000-04:00

Planted my yearly supply of basil. Love this stuff. I think I will look up a recipe using basil in the next few days and post it. Pesto is of course, the biggie, but there are other things to make with fresh basil.

My chives have blossomed. People in my family are reluctant to eat flowers so I don't include them in salads.

I'm going to harvest some of my new crop of Lemon Balm and make tea.

My rosemary bush is in bad shape. My husband purned it to within an inch of its life. Now that I have a charcoal grill again, I think I will fire it up and use the stems of the rosemary to make shrimp kabobs.

I should be able to harvest a few sprigs of lavender this year, but I need to replace the plant. The automatic yard water sprayers drown my plantings.

From my herb garden to yours.

A Decrease in the Royal Funds

2011-05-07T21:50:00.001-04:00

Here is the link to an article which comfirms my dismay stated in the previous post. The Royals get a huge chunk of money for what? Perhaps the Queen could have her wedding cake hats, spray painted to cut down on her wardrobe expense.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8500765/Royal-family-braced-for-cut-in-funding.html

The Royals and Their Weddings

2011-05-03T16:04:00.002-04:00

Ever since William's mother got treated with utter disdain by his father, I have been way way over seeing anything worthy in the current British Royals.

They do have spectacular residences, and costumes and staff, all paid for by those who pay British taxes or fees or land rents or whatever. And I suppose they generate a certain input to the British treasury as a tourist attraction. But my point is, they do nothing of real value to earn one cent as far as I can tell.

When Elizabeth last came to the US on an official visit and went down a line of Congress people (and I am no fan of Nancy Polosi who well may still have had visible knife cuts from her last face lift), Elizabeth greeted her, Polosi introduced her husband, which was probably not good protocol, and then Elizabeth walked forward but kept her head turned staring at Polosi for a long period of time. I thought it quite rude on Elizabeth's part. I suppose having been deferred to since birth by simmpering staff and every want immediately produced, she feels no need to forgo being rude.

As far as I am concerned, the posh wedding was sad. How fascinated I was watching the wedding of Diana and Charles only to learn later the whole thing was a sham. He never loved her. He needed a virgin (?) bride to supply the crown with an heir and a spare. She did her job and was then humiliated by the man she had once gazed at with such adoration.

So now the British Royals, one of the wealthiest families on earth, produce another wedding spectacle costing millions attended by family and guests wearing the most outlandish outfits any designer could dream up. With the exception of the Middleton girls who dressed with great style. Many of the young women relatives were made up to look like tarts. See Beatrice and Eugenie. Amazing.

I wish the newlyweds well, but am pessimistic about the long term. I hope I am wrong.

My problem is Kate Middleton, now the Duchess of Cambridge, gazes at William in the same way his tragic mother once gazed at his father.

Good Weather for Reading

2011-04-26T16:50:00.000-04:00

Wow. Rocky weather churning stuff up around here for the past week.

Parts of the area I live in are smashed by the tornadoes that came through earlier, a number of people are digging out and trying to recover. We were lucky that in this immediate area no one lost their life but a lot of people lost their house and possessions.

Today we have had thunderstorms all day.

I'm staying inside. I finished reading a stack of books I got from the library and since I'm not venturing far from home, I went through my "not yet read pile" and found a Meg Cabot. It's about vampires--not my favorite characters--but she is a great writer.

Being able to download books from my library to an e-reader kind of makes having one seem practical. Maybe I'll be able to wean myself off of paper soon...LOL.

Hope you are not under seige from threatening weather conditions or floods whereever you may be.

From my book to yours,

Susan

Rio - the movie

2011-04-20T23:11:00.001-04:00

Today with a grandkid visiting we went to see Rio, the 3-D version. Pretty good, but not my favorite of the recent 3-D moives that have come out in the last couple of years.

It was, however, at the heart of it, a story about pairing up and falling in love. For a romance writer it is always about getting to this happy ending.

And is what I wish for everyone to experience.

Social Networking

2011-04-19T09:58:00.002-04:00

Like a person afraid of heights who takes up mountain climbing, I'm afraid of plunging into the canyon of the social networking scene.

The people I know who are facile with the ins and outs of these sites seem to have jumped and instead of falling, took flight.

Still, being a solitary person by nature, I resist. And am thinking more and more about getting off both the electronic and cyber grid altogether.

The First Rose of Summer

2011-04-17T20:26:00.002-04:00

Our one rose bush, a climbing variety that spreads across the side fence I can see from my writing area, has presented its first rose of the season. On the back fence, the Rhododendrons, probably my favorite of the southern shrubs, are in full bud. I eagerly await their unraveling.

Having grown up in an area of the country where blowsy beautiful peonies bloomed and the enticing smell of lilac purfumed the air, I miss them even after all these years away.

If I were an avid gardener perhaps I could find an adequate replacement for these two flowers, but I am not.

A Beautiful Day

2011-04-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

The dogwood blossoms are almost gone. My resident robins are back and chirupping from the branches of the pine tree. Other birds, whose names I have to look up each year, have been dining in my backyard.

Outside the Loop

2011-04-14T19:25:00.000-04:00

Just learned a friend is dealing with a serious illness. Praying for them and if you pray, I hope you will give them a shout out in a biblical sense.

Susan

Around the US

2010-09-20T15:24:00.000-04:00

Last week my husband and I finished the quest we were on to visit every state capital. What a grand adventure it was. We started out in 2002 and then the end was delayed a year because of the closure of the capital builidings in Utah and Idaho for renovation and for bolstering their ability to withstand a severe earthquake. Both are grand buildings and the effort to restore them to historical accuracy (but with all the new technology) was well done. Our last of the fifty was Montana. It is also an interesting and grand building, but on a smaller scale.

The week started with a flight to my home state for my high school reunion. We then caught a flight to Salt Lake City. The following day, we flew to Boise and then back to Salt Lake where we were supposed to catch a flight to Helena. Due to a delay, we missed the connecting flight. The airline booked a room and gave us meal vouchers...holy wow...and booked our flight for the next day. This worked fine, and we had a free night's lodging (with breakfast) and an almost free dinner that night and lunch the next day.

We got to Helena in plenty of time to visit the capital and then get back to the airport for the connecting flight back to Salt Lake City. The following day, we caught our flight home.

Now we need to set another goal. Not sure what yet. But even goals that seem insurmontable may not be if you work toward fulfilling them and do not get discouraged along the way.

Utah, Idaho and Montana are interesting places. Much less populated then the eastern seaboard. They have a certain majesty that I found only in the upper tier of mid-western states. Maybe we will do a Lewis and Clark tour next which would take us back there.

I finished reading another great book. Prophecy by Heather McCollum. It is published by The Wild Rose Press and available for purchase at Amazon books. The plot and the characters and the settings will sweep you away.

From my book to yours,

Susan

New Recipe

2010-08-27T20:27:00.002-04:00

I love easy and yummy recipes and found another featuring chocolate chips in the newspaper the other day that I thought I would share.

Baked Somemores

You will want to use some of the non-stick cooking spray on a 10 X 15 cookie sheet, the old kind with the rimmed sides, and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together 3 cups of graham cracker crumbs, 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted and 1/3 cup sugar. Pat this mixture on the bottom of the sprayed baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle the marshmellows on top. I haven't tried this but I would be inclined to put the oven on broil and toast the marshmellows a bit to get the flavor you get when roasting them over an open fire. Top the marshmellows with 12 oz broken up (6-8) chocolate bars or chocolate chips and bake 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and cool than take a pizza cutter and cut into desired size squares. Makes 35-40.

I am immersing this thought into my mind, "Let God sort it out." Whenever I want to holler not fair or why me over things I have no control over, I remind myself to let God sort it out.

Best wishes from my book to yours,

Susan

Whoohee

2010-08-25T20:07:00.000-04:00

Whoohee, because life is grand regardless of every pitfall and every bit of bad news or lack of good news.

What happened today that was so great? Millions of things. But most of all, I'm healthy, my family is healthy and we can laugh.

So many people on this earth are living through and perservering in spite of overwhelming devastation and tragedy. My woes, such as they are, pale in comparison.

I am reading the best book I've read in a long time. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE by Kristan Higgins. It's been in my pile of "to be read" for a long time. I'm glad I plucked it out. It is funny and sweet, quirky and at the same time sane. It is a story of falling in love in the very best way. I'll be sad to leave these characters when it ends.

I send best wishes from my book to yours.

Susan

Good Vibes

2010-08-08T19:30:00.001-04:00

Things have been moving forward in a very positive direction. Hoorah. Many opporutnities have opened up for me in the month of August.

My website can be found by doing the usual www + susanralph + com. It is currently residing somewhere in the dark recesses of the listings if you search on susan ralph. You will find an e-mail contact address there.

If you would like to have a chance to win a copy of my new book, drop into http://www.romconinc.com/ on August 12. To find me on that date, move your curosr to the blog box and then click on contemporary in the drop down box. My question of the day is who played or plays an important part in making you the person you are. I would love to read your answers.

Hope to see you there.

Susan

The Second Book

2010-08-04T14:37:00.003-04:00

It is great to have a second book out. Unlike BROMPTON MANOR, a Regency historical, STARTING FROM SCRATCH is a contemporary chick-lit style story.

The love interest has a big role, he is a great guy--my kind of guy--but the story is about the heroine taking charge of her life and following her dream without losing the people she loves and who love her.

The past week was a wonderful time in Orlando where I attended the Romance Writer's annual conference. Like always, the conference was filled with wonderful people , great workshops, and inspiring speakers. But this year, I thought the conference hotel, The Swan and Dolphin, was superior to any of the previous conference hotels I have been to and this was my ninth conference.

And now I am back home and picking up my writing. Hoping all of the inspiration I got from being among fellow writers for a week will spur me to make a larger effort.

May you all find inspiration for the tasks you are faced with in a mother's group, a social club, church, working for a cause you believe in, or from a boss with excellent management skills and a heart of gold.

POV and A New Recipe Using Chocolate

2010-01-31T20:38:00.005-05:00

POV: Even more important, whose head do you want the reader to be in? See my earler posts on the subject of POV.

If you've seen my earlier recipe postings, you know chocolate is a favorite ingredient and easy is my favorite method.

Here is another easy and yummy cookie.

Crunch Bars

35 saltine crackers
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margerine
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 pkg (8 squares) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
In a foil-lined 15x10x1-inch pan in a single layer line the crackers on the bottom
Stirring constantly, cook butter and sugar in a saucepan on medium-high heat until butter is melted and mixture is well-blended. Bring to boil and then cook 3 minutes without stirring.
Spread on crackers.

Bake 5 to 7 minutes until topping is golden brown. Remove and immediately sprinkle with chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes or until chocolate is soft and then spread the chocolate to cover the first topping. Sprinkle with nuts. Cool and then break into pieces.

Recent News

2010-01-28T14:37:00.003-05:00

POV check. Who sees? Who hears? Who smells? Who feels? Who tastes? And more subtle and more telling--Who reacts?

My second book for Avalon Books is on track for a June release. I received an e-mail preview of the cover and love it.

My December and January writing time got taken up by other things demanding a top spot on my to do lists. December was family and the holidays. Janurary was the planning for and making the trip to Hawaii. I hope to pick up the writing pace in February.

We lived on Oahu for three years. My husband, our daughter #3, and I enjoyed revisiting familiar places. We cruised past the two schools she attended, visited the house we lived in, visited the North Shore where the gigantic waves and surfers didn't disappoint. A shave ice refreshed another of her childhood memories. The taste of Zippy's zip pack sent us all back to the day. So much is the same as it was when we lived there. We had a great time and we each left another piece of our heart behind on the island. We would love to visit often, but the trip from the east coast is arduous. We left home at 7 am changed planes in Atlanta with only a little time on the ground, and then flew for ten hours. And the trip going wasn't near as bad as the return trip--which was an overnight flight--and sleeping in the cattle seat section on a plane is not easy.

Hawaii is not without the intractable problems one finds on the mainland, but Wakiki still glitters, the island of Oahu is still beautiful, and the Aloha spirit is still alive.

I'm grateful for being able to make the trip with our daughter and take the words below to heart.

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Fiction Writing - More on POV

2009-08-04T22:23:00.004-04:00

Used well, point of view helps the writer draw a full picture of the point of view character. Because, not only does a POV character act and speak as do non-pov characters, the POV character--unlike the other characters--thinks and feels.

This alone allows the reader to make an emotional connection to the point of view character.

And that fact means the point of view character is the dominant character in the book if you are writing single point of view or one of the dominant characters if you are using multiple point of view characters. One thing to remember is, in most cases, when you write the thoughts and feelings of any character you elevate their importance in the reader's mind.

In romance fiction, if the writer uses two point of view characters--the protagonist and the love interest--the reader learns the internal thinking and the impact of words and actions on both characters. And in romance, when a reader falls in love with and roots for both the protagonist (male or female) and the love interest (male or female) character , it spices up the romance part of the story.

I have been writing first person single point of view lately. Why? I have no idea. It is more of a challenge. But I do write short--no 100,000 word manuscripts yet--and less word count makes it easier.

Fiction Writing - Point of View

2009-07-28T15:28:00.008-04:00

Point of view (POV) may not be the most important element of writing great fiction, but learning what it is and being mindful of it when creating a story is necessary to avoid confusing the reader. If the reader gets confused they may put down your book, never finish reading it, and never recommend it to others.

So what is POV? The character who sees, hears, feels, detects smells, tastes AND who reacts to these senses is the POV character. When you put the POV character at a certain place--say inside a house--they cannot see what is going on two blocks away. They may hear sirens two blocks away or smell something burning that isn't visible, but they can't hear another character humming inside a house three doors down.

If a story is written with one character POV, that character must be in every scene. If Sally is the POV character and she isn't there it didn't happen unless someone tells her about it. If Sally (the POV character) is facing John you cannot say Harry crept up behind Sally. John might see Harry, but Sally cannot see Harry and if you say John sees Harry you are now in his POV. However, Sally might see John's eyes widen, spin around, and see Harry.

Romance fiction is most often written with two POV characters--the protagonist and the love interest.

A skilled writer can write multiple character POV and not bog down the story or lose the reader.

Showing Up

2009-07-22T13:56:00.002-04:00

Showing up is half the game. And so I'm back. And happy to be back. Not that I've been missing for any reason other than doing other things instead of posting to this blog.

Last week, I attended the Romance Writer's of America National Conference. The conference is always stiumlating. I never fail to learn something new, enjoy a new experience, and meet someone who inspires. This year, I was invited to a cocktail reception hosted by the editors of Avalon Books. A lovely occasion. The Avalon writers I spoke with at the reception are some of the warmest people I've ever met. In fact, all of the romance writers I've had the priviledge of meeting are giving and friendly. The Avalon editors are young, attractive, and talented. They are a pleasure to work with.

This year the national conference was held in Washington D.C. My hubby and I took advantage of the location to visit the Capitol and Mt. Vernon. Neither disappointed. However, visiting Mt. Vernon when the weather is cooler would have been smart. The grounds are extensive and interesting but require a bit of walking--not so enjoyable in the heat and humidity of July.

"We fight for freedom." The rallying cry of George Washington during the dire days of the Revolutionary War. And to this day, America continues to fight to bring freedom to others. Washington's "never give up" spirit and the sacrifice of many gave us this wonderful country. Can we keep it?

My plan for this blog is to begin a series of short posts of fiction writing tips.

Drop in next week to see if I actually got my act together. And laugh.

Living with a joyous spirit is the best revenge against those who would disparage all that is good.

A Little Inspiration Goes A Long Way

2008-10-13T16:48:00.005-04:00

At the moment I write this, the world is experiencing the turmoil of war and a worldwide financial collapse.

To ease my path through this time, I replace all negative thoughts, with positive thoughts. Some days this becomes a constant exercise. But, if I open my eyes and look around me, it isn't difficult to find something to be thankful for.

And then there are worries over big and small issues, second guessing motives or making assumptions about things I have no clue about. These can take a bit longer to dispel--especially if they are constantly fueled by events over which I have no control.

When I was raising children, it took a lot of energy not to worry. School grades--worry. Daughters dating--worry. Driving a car--worry. Health issues--worry. And now there are the grandchildren. But I don't see them everyday, so out of sight, out of mind....for the most part. Besides, they are blessed with great parents to worry about them--leaving me free.

When I do find myself worrying, I turn to my faith to dispense with it. The quotation below is a good thought to remember.

Anxiety springs from the desire that things should happen as we wish rather than as God wills.
Anonymous

Chocolate Ganache Sandwiches

2008-08-24T16:24:00.002-04:00

A recipe from my newspaper taken from Real Simple.

What could be easier of yummier? A chocolate lover's dream of perfection.

1 12oz. bag of semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups heavy cream
2 9oz. boxes of Nabisco Famous Chocolate wafers

Melt the chocolate chips in the heavy cream over low heat, sitrring occasionally until blended. Remove from heat and chill in refrigerator until cool but not firm.

Beat the chocolate cream (ganache) with an electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Assemble each sandwich with a few tablespoons of the ganache between 2 wafers. If you want to keep the wafer crisp assemble right before serving. Or you can acheive a more cakelike wafer by assembling them a day ahead and keeping them covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 30.

A Litte of This and That

2008-08-14T13:47:00.004-04:00

Summer is rolling into fall. Every mother of school age children who are not home schooled sighs when school reconvenes. I marvel at families who chose to home school and who do so with great success.

My herb plants are scraggly from lack of attention. The harvested basil has been put to use as has the mint. I shall pluck what I can from my favorite herb, the lemon verbena that struggles to survive. Now that fresh herbs are available at the market, my natural tendency to avoid gardening has taken hold and keeps me inside where it is cool.

A few notes about the broad category of romance fiction: Romance was the biggest fiction category published in 2007. The number of men reading romance is increasing. Contemporary, Inspirational and Historical are the three top sub-genres. I have tried writing all three. My heart prefers writing what is known as the Regency historical.

Words of inspiration:

Hope and be happy that all's for the best!
Martin Farquahar Tupper: All's for the Best, st. 3

Adversity

2008-06-03T14:37:00.002-04:00

Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near.
James Montgomery: What Is Prayer? st. 2

State Houses

2008-05-26T15:11:00.004-04:00

We can see the end.

Last week we took in three more State Capitals: Sacramento, CA; Salem, OR; and Olympia, WA. Giving us a grand total of 46. The four remaining are: Utah; Montana; Idaho; Hawaii.

Now we have to decide how to get to Hawaii. Cruise or fly? Having lived there for three years and then been back on Oahu years later for a week long visit before we'd started our quest to visit all of the US State Houses, staying on island isn't a priority. Still getting to the the west coast requires a long flight, an overnight stay, the cruise and then reverse (staying overnight depending on when the cruise docks). Flying the whole way would be faster. At the moment, after the trip last week, I am inclined toward choosing the cruise.

Once we finish this grand tour with a visit to the Federal Capital what will be our next goal? There are numerous exciting possibilities.

England

2008-04-21T15:26:00.003-04:00

The estates of the titled were extensive, providing them the basis of their wealth. Today many of these estates are part of the National Trust and are open for public visits.

England and Austen

2008-04-08T14:17:00.004-04:00

This is an image from an illustrated copy of Emma. The latest PBS series of Austen books, the shows that were filmed for the series, were a disappointment. How sad to have the writings of a master writer turned into a cheap suit.

Happily Ever After

2008-03-31T14:25:00.004-04:00

Sorrows remembered sweeten present joy.
Robert Polock: Course of Time, Bk. I

Joys are our wings, sorrows our spurs.
Jean Paul Richter

Romance fiction demands a promise of happily ever after before the writer ends the story. Every fairy tale ends with the promise of a happy ever after. But, in all of these stories, obstacles arise that must be overcome and resolutions to differences must be found.

Real life is full of obstacles, sorrows, differences, and grim news--things that detour us from obtaining the happiness we seek. But overcoming the pot holes of life leads to happiness.

Keep positive. Remember past woes, but don't let unhappy memories spoil today.

Brownies In A Jar

2008-03-22T11:27:00.004-04:00

These ingrediant jars make great gifts. This one is from the Hershey website and calls for a combination of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips. I should think you could substitute any flavor chip combination as long as you use the one and a half cups called for.

So find a clean 1 quart class canister or jar and layer (tapping the jar gently on the counter to settle each layer before adding the next layer) the ingredients in the following order: 1-1/2 cups sugar; 1/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa; a combined 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt; 1 cup of whatever chips you choose, ending with 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate mini chips.

Cover and attach baking directions.

Baking directions: Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour an 8x8x2 inch baking pan. Combine 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted and cooled butter and 2 slightly beaten eggs. Gently stir in jar contents. Spread in pan. Bake 35 minutes. Cool in pan then cut into 16 bars.

A Little Inspiration

2008-02-16T14:29:00.007-05:00

My neglect of my blog is evident. But not posting here does not mean I have been idle. Family, the holidays, producing new pages and completing new stories have kept me busy.

Today I am posting two inspirational quotes about perseverance that speak to my own need for inspiration at the moment.

When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try one more time." Author Unknown.

He conquers who endures. ~Persius

A writer's life is often filled with delay and with rejection. But, I know of more than one writer who succeeded after years of struggle. Their ability to persevere allowed them to keep writing in the face of rejection after rejection.

So if you have a dream, pursue it with every bit of determination you can muster. Increasing your knowledge, overcoming obstacles, and after each goal is met, set another.

Libraries are Fun

2007-11-08T10:52:00.000-05:00

The 2007 Holiday season is fast approaching--not to mention my birthday--! I have much to celebrate and be thankful for this year.

In October the Durham County Library held a Romance Tea.The Heart of Carolina published Regency Writers were invited to make up a panel. It was a super day. The guests who came out on a beautiful Sunday afternoon were full of questions and fun. I displayed a copy of BROMPTON MANOR and then donated it as a prize.

On Monday, I received a call from a librarian from Apex who was given my name by one of their librarians who met me at the ALA conference. I have been invited to partcipate in their brown bag lunch event on February 14.

As a long time fan of libraries, I am delighted the publication of BROMPTON MANOR by Avalon Books has provided me with these opportunities.

Among my most pleasurable memories of early childhood are a memory of sitting at a school desk and discovering I could read the words in a Dick and Jane primer and the day I first remember walking into the children's section of my hometown public library and thinking I had entered a land of enchantment.

In my adult life, as my family moved around the country, one of the first things I looked for in every new community was the nearest public library. Each of my four daughters are avid readers and have passed this joyous endeavor on to their children.

Having more and more research books available on the internet is a great benefit, but I am hopeful ink, paper and glue books never disappear.

But whatever is ahead, I look forward to the challanges and the joys.

Chocolate Haystacks

2007-10-09T12:28:00.000-04:00

Satisfy a sweet tooth and get your crunch at the same time. Keep the ingredients in your pantry and you can whip up a batch whenever you get the urge.

Chocolate Haystacks

1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate)
1 Tbs. shortening (must be the solid at room temp. kind)
1 1/2 cups (3 oz. can) chow mein noodles--broken coarsley

Line a tray with wax paper. Put all chips and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) for 1 minute. Stir. If not completely melted, Microwave on MEDIUM another 15 seconds and then stir. Repeat 15 seconds until mixture is smooth.

Add chow mein noodles. Stir to coat. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto wax paper. Let stand until cool enough to eat (or until firm). You may have to refrigerate to firm. Store in covered container in refrigerator. Makes 2 dozen.

Boston and the Revolution

2007-09-18T16:59:00.000-04:00

The Massachusetts State House, located in the center of Boston at the crest of Beacon Hill is an interesting structure. The orignial portion is still there and still used. The newer portion is well-integrated.

After Boston, there are six State Houses to go before we will have visited all fifty: California, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Idaho and Hawaii remain. Both Idaho and Utah are being renovated and Idaho is closed to the public. Making the rounds of the State Houses has been an amazing experience in touching the history of this great nation.

Since the 2008 RWA Conference is being held in San Francisco, the California, Oregon and Washington State Houses will be on the travel agenda.

In Boston we not only visited the State House but also toured the US Constitution--used in the War of 1812 and docked at the Boston Naval Yard--Feneuil Hall, Quincy Market and The old State House. I love Boston. The flavor of the city reminds me of London--a blend of the old with the new.

Pedestrians consider the streets of Boston nothing more than additional sidewalks. They cross on the red hand and on the walking guy icon--! They cross anywhere they choose.

Adding to the wonder, we visited the town of Quincy to tour the Adams' residences. The properties are a remarkable preservation of history by the Adams' descendents and the National Park Service.

So I am steeped in the history of the nations birth and my head is full of the romance of past times. Stories pop pop pop in my head. If only I could write a book in a minute.

Because I am enchanted by all of this, I am lableling this post under romance.

Writing the Bones

2007-08-12T12:47:00.000-04:00

You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself into one.

Henry David Thoreau

RWA Conference

2007-07-21T17:09:00.000-04:00

With copies of BROMPTON MANOR supplied by Avalon Books, the publisher, I enjoyed the heady experience of sitting behind one of the long tables with my book on display during the literacy autographing at the RWA Conference.

I did not have the line that Nora Roberts gets each year, nor the line Sherrilyn Kenyon attracted. But Ms. Kenyon was wearing an eye catching head dress--a life-sized (at least it appeared life-sized) replica of a black swan. I do hope the swan was a replica and not the product of a taxidermist--anyway....

To my happy surprise--always--several people picked up my book to purchase. The attractive cover is a big draw and a super sales tool.

I'm not sure of the exact number of authors who participated this year, but for earlier years I have heard the number 400. This year's event raised $56,o00 from the sale of authors books--all donated. The proceeds are given to organizations whose purpose is to promote literacy.

I feel privileged to have been a part of this wonderful event.

Come Out Of Your Shell

2007-07-20T18:05:00.000-04:00

Observe the turtle -

He only goes forward when he sticks out his neck.

The Wild Ride Continues

2007-06-22T07:12:00.000-04:00

American Library Association Conference--here I come. After my WOW experience at BookExpo, I am jazzing about ALA.

Monday, June 25 from 9:30 to 10:30, I will be at the Romance Writers of America booth signing BROMPTON MANOR.

Avalon Books, publisher of BROMPTON MANOR and many other wonderful books, has been supportive and generous in providing copies of BROMPTON MANOR for me to sign at both the ALA and Book Expo.

Henceforth, 2007 will be referred to as the year of my book.

Good reading and happy memories.

Me and BookExpo

2007-06-14T10:57:00.000-04:00

A weekend in New York City--hmm. So, as a reason to make a trip to the grandaddy of big cities, I applied for an opportunity to sign BROMPTON MANOR in the Romance Writer's of America booth at BookExpo--a stupendous feast of a convention for people connected to the book business.

What a fabulous experience. A line formed in front of my table--one person in the line showed me her spreadsheet schedule with BROMPTON MANOR printed in the 9:15 box. Before my alloted signing time of forty-five minutes was up, I was out of books and my ego was struming a merry tune.

The hustle and bustle of New York City paled in comparison.

Warp Speed

2007-06-14T10:53:00.000-04:00

When life speeds up, grab the steering wheel with two hands and enjoy the ride for a long as it lasts.

Chocolate Chip Pie

2007-05-25T11:52:00.000-04:00

If you live in Kentucky, you might put bourban in this pie, but it is good enough without the bourban--so good in fact you might eat more than your share.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

You will need a single 9-inch pie crust--bought or homemade--unbaked--fitted into a pie tin.

Then mix together 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour. Stir in 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Pour mixture into the pie shell and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Let cool before diving in.

Book Signing

2007-05-25T11:47:00.000-04:00

BookExpo in New York. I'll be there and signing BROMPTON MANOR. The book is available on Amazon for purchase or check your local library. If they don't have a copy, ask them to order a copy or two.

Think About It

2007-05-25T11:39:00.003-04:00

Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Black Bottom Mini-Cupcakes

2007-05-03T12:40:00.000-04:00

Another recipe utilizing that wonderful product--the chocolate chip. Oh yum!

If you don't have two mini-muffin pans, rush out and buy them and a package of mini-paper liners. They are handy.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini-muffin tins with paper liners.

Make Filling: Blend 8 oz. of room temperature cream cheese with 1 large egg and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth.

Make Cake Batter: Combine 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 cup sugar. Stir in 3/4 cup water; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Fill paper-lined cups 1/2 full. Top each with a half-teaspoon cream cheese mixture. Press 2 chocolate chips into cream cheese. Backe in center of oven for 14 minutes until firm.

Yield: 60 mini-cupcakes.

For standard cupcake pans: Line 24 muffin cups and follow above instructions except use 1 Tablespoon cream cheese mixture and 3 or 4 chocolate chips. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Yield: 24 cupcakes.

A dream is worth pursuing

2007-03-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

If you have a dream, work as though it is real.

For Sale

2007-03-21T08:48:00.000-04:00

I've been neglecting this blog for sometime. Life in general, and working to get my next sweet romance novel finished and sent off for consideration, has taken precedence.

Since my last post, BROMPTON MANOR, my sweet, Regency romance, is available for purchase from Amazon. Or look for it in your local library--if they don't have a copy of the book, request one.

Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

2007-01-19T14:37:00.000-05:00

To make these yummy cookies:

Melt 1/2 cup of butter over low heat (or in the microwave). Mix 1 (16 oz.) jar peanut butter and 3 3/4 cups of powdered sugar together. Blend in the melted butter. Stir in 3 cups crispy cereal or corn flakes. Spread over the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan.

Melt 1 (16 oz.) package of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Sparead evenely over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate to cool. Cut into 30 bars.

This recipe is taken from the top of a jar of Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter.

Author Copies

2007-01-18T13:01:00.000-05:00

Gee whiz. It's the middle of January, and I'm caught up in a whirlwind of procrastination. But, today is a banner day. A box, containing my author copies of BROMPTON MANOR, arrived on my doorstep this morning.

My Cover for BROMPTON MANOR

2006-12-26T21:36:00.000-05:00

Romance Writer

2006-12-11T08:28:00.000-05:00

Romance Wrtier's of America opens their membership to published and unpublished writers. Although the organization's emphasis is on romance, there is a broad range of sub-genres that shelter beneath the romance umbrella. The national organization branches out into local chapters where fellowship and learning go hand-in-hand. There is an on-line chapter and speciality on-line chapters. My membership has provided me an opportunity to learn, and continue learning, the intricacies of fiction writing and the business of publishing. The support of my local chaptermates has been a blessing.

Chocolate Chip Pie

2006-12-02T15:26:00.000-05:00

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt one stick butter. Combine the butter with 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup self-rising flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt in mixer bowl and beat on high speed until well blended.

Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans and 1 6-oz package chocolate chips. Pour into an unbaked pie crust. Bake 35 to 45 minutes.

What Really Matters

2006-12-01T15:45:00.000-05:00

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about." British wrtier Charles Kingsley (1819-1875)

Friendship Tea

2006-12-01T15:34:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for an inexpensvie and welcome gift to give, try this. You will need: 2 and 1/2 cups powdered orange-flavored breakfast drink (think early astronauts); 1 3/4 cups powdered instant unsweetened tea; 2 to 2 1/2 cups sugar; 1 small package unsweetened lemonade; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Mix well and store in an airtight container with lid. To make a glass of cold tea, use 1 to 2 rounded teaspoons to 6 to 8 ounces of water. Stir. Add ice.

Inspiration for Thanksgiving

2006-11-20T20:40:00.000-05:00

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them is the true measure of our thanksgiving." W.T. Purkiser

Inspiration - Hope

2006-11-16T20:28:00.000-05:00

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope. Psalm 16:9

Chocolate Butter Cream Frosting

2006-11-14T11:30:00.000-05:00

You will need two twelve ounce bags of semisweet chocolate chips, one and one-half cups of heavy cream, two tablespoons light corn syrup, one-half teaspoon vanilla extract, four Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature.

Put all of the chocolate chips and the heavy cream in a bowl over simmering water until the chips have melted. Remove from heat. Stir until smooth. Stir in vanilla and corn syrup. Let cool on the counter so the butter won't melt from the heat. When cool, add the butter and mix with mixer until thick.

Book News

BROMPTON MANOR, my first soon-to-be published novel, is a sweet romance set during the Regency period in England. I am anxiously awaiting a look at the cover.

Inspiration

All our dreams can come true - if we have the courage to pursue them.
Walt Disney

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2006-11-13T16:18:00.000-05:00

To dunk in preferred beverage or eat straight up.

Do not turn on the oven. You will be chilling dough. If you really need a cookie, finish mixing the dough and head to the nearest store or bakery.

Get out your mixer and beat like it was the devil a combination of one-half cup soft magerine, one-half cup shortening (comes in a can), one-half cup sugar, one cup brown sugar and one-half teaspoon vanilla.

Rub a bit of the mixture between your thumb and forefinger. If you don't feel grit, the stuff is beat enough. Now beat the devil out of two eggs (only the inside part, throw away the shells). Done? Pour those beat eggs into the beat sugar/buter mixture and beat again.

Now you get to dirty up the one-fourth cup measure. Measure out two cups and one-fourth cup of flour, one teaspoon salt and one teaspoon baking soda. Combine in a separate container and stir them around until blended. Mix into the beat mixture.

Here's the yummy stuff. You get a choice. You want nuts? Measure out one cup of your preferred tree nut or whatever nut is on hand and not rancid. You can give them a toast in the microwave to bring out the flavor. Stir em in. Authentic chocolate chip cookies require chocolate chips. The chip makers have gone wild--choose whatever flavor of chocolate chips you want. Stir in twelve ounces of chocolate chips.

Do not eat the unbaked dough. You must put this tempting mixture in the refrigerator for four hours or longer before baking.

Ding, ding. Three hours and fifty minutes later. Get out your cookie pans. Fire up the oven to 350 degrees. I use a small scoop (like a mini ice cream scoop), it is equivilant to a level Tablespoon. Dot the pans and bake for 10 minutes. If they look done (you don't want them too dry) remove and cool.

Romance Reads

My first book, BROMPTON MANOR, will be published in February. Look for it at Amazon.com.

Inspriation

This is a day the Lord hath made; rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24