The Far Edge of Normal

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-13T02:00:00.000-08:00

Check out the party over on Backwards Momentum all day tomorrow, Feb. 14! (The site is adult content, so I'm posting my story here along with my giveaway details.)

Be My Valentine

Valentine's Day is a special one for me - it's my wedding anniversary. We rarely celebrate on that day, though, because we're mostly cheapskates and hate crowds. Our latest romantic date involved taking the dog to obedience class without our kids. Not what most people would consider romantic, not in the least. And yet, it was.

Romance really bothers me because I can't quantify it or measure it. I'm a science nerd, I want to take things apart and figure out the nuts and bolts. Romance in life and writing doesn't lend itself to logic or scientific inquiry.

What makes something romantic? Is it flowers and music and chocolate and sexy waiters with bedroom eyes serving bubbly drinks with umbrellas? Or does it have more to do with the relationship between the two lovers?

I don't write Romance, I write science fiction adventure with romantic subplots. For me, the romance is not the physical relationship between the characters, but the emotional. Nexus Point contains exactly one very short, chaste kiss. The sequel (which is in negotiation with a publisher, long story) contains a lot more kissing but less romance. The main character, Dace, has no idea what relationships are all about. She's been abused and neglected most of her life. When Tayvis, the hunky lead man in Nexus Point, takes an interest in her, she has no clue how to handle it or even what it means. A major theme of the books is the question, what is love and what does it really mean? For someone who's never experienced it, the question is a tough one to tackle.

Most romance stories deal with the initial falling-in-love stage of a relationship. It's exciting, it's sexy, it doesn't involve the day-to-day drudgery of life together. How sexy is a ratty flannel nightgown when you're seven months pregnant and feeling like something the cat chewed up, barfed out, and left on the front porch for a week? According to my husband, very sexy. That moment is real, and it's one of my precious memories. I was brushing my teeth in my decrepit flannel nightgown, feeling like a beached whale with my pregnant belly (number six, if you want to know), my hair a mess, and feeling like the cat toy, when my husband looked at me with that light in his eyes and said, "Do you know how beautiful you are?"

That, my friends, is real romance.

Giveaway! Want to experience my kind of romance? I'm giving away one ebook copy of Nexus Point (international). And since life isn't romantic without chocolate somewhere, I'm giving away a bag of Dove chocolates (US only, please). Email me at jaletaclegg@gmail.com with your idea of a romantic moment and you could win! I'll pick winners randomly on Feb 21.

~Jaleta Clegg writes science fiction adventure with plenty of romance and silly horror stories without romance, although it leaks out sometimes when she's not looking. You can find links to her books and stories at www.jaletac.com

Thursday Recipe - Boston Cream Pie

2012-02-09T02:00:00.000-08:00

I love Terry Pratchett. I love his Discworld books. And I especially love his character, Nanny Ogg. I want to be her when I grow up, after I'm done being Han Solo and Ursula the Sea Witch. Maybe I can be all of them at once. A girl has to have ambitions, you know.

I had the great honor of meeting Sir Pterry in person a couple of years ago at the first North American Discworld Convention. He's as charming and sweet in person as I imagined him to be. And funny.

One of my prized possessions now has his signature - My copy of Nanny Ogg's cookbook. It really is a cookbook with all sorts of entertaining and suggestive dishes. And all sorts of Nanny Ogg wisdom. She's a witch, the Mother in the group. Granny Weatherwax is the crone, but don't tell her I said that or she might curse me. The Maiden changes depending on what's been happening in the stories. I loved Magrat Garlick in the role. If you want to know what I'm talking about now, read Wyrd Sisters. These witches are REAL witches.

My post is starting to resemble a Discworld novel - rambling and disconnected and who knows where it's going but yes it does have a point and I'll get there and you'll see how all of it fits together.

Nanny Ogg owns the most horribly fascinating cat ever conceived. Greebo is a cat among cats. He lives by one rule: everything exists either for eating, mating, or killing. Things that don't fit in those three categories are scenery. Nanny Ogg loves the beast. He grows on you. Nanny Ogg also has lots of sons who exist to provide her with daughters-in-law who exist to cook and clean and provide grandchildren for her to spoil.

Nanny Ogg is a very British woman. She knows the words to all of the suggestive ditties. She cooks suggestive dishes. And she has a heart as big as her stomach.

Since I try to keep this blog at a PG rating, I won't post my favorite recipes from her cookbook (Bananana Surprise and Strawberry Wobblers, anyone?). I'll post my husband's favorite dessert instead. Valentine's Day is coming up and what's that special day without a special dessert?

Boston Cream Pie (as close as I can get to my mother-in-law's version)

1 yellow cake, made according to the box directions
1 6 oz box instant vanilla pudding
3 c. milk
1 c. chocolate chips
1 t. butter

Bake cake according to directions. If you have a serving plate that holds a 9x13 cake, do it as a rectangle. If you're like me and don't own one, do it as two rounds. Each round will make one cake. Let it cool completely before assembling the pie. In fact, refrigerate the cake layers for at least an hour before you start.
Mix pudding with milk. Whisk until thick and smooth.
Carefully split the cake layers in half horizontally. Place one half on a plate. Spread half the pudding over the cake. Put the other half of the cake on top. Repeat with the other round.
Put chocolate chips and butter into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir. If it isn't completely melted and smooth, microwave it for another ten seconds. Don't overcook! It will go nasty and grainy. You want it just melted and smooth and shiny. Pour it over the top of the cake and pudding layers.
Refrigerate the whole thing for at least three hours before serving.

Since I can't make this right no matter how hard I try (ask my husband, it's okay, though, I'd have to be his mom to make it right), I came up with lots of my own variations. This dessert can go from basic and simple to elegant and elaborate.

Try these:
Black Forest - use a dark chocolate cake mix, fill it with whipped cream cheese and cherry pie filling. Top with the chocolate glaze.
Strawberry Bliss - use a vanilla cake mix. Fill with sliced fresh strawberries and chocolate pudding. Top with whipped topping.
Pineapple Pistachio - Use a white cake. Use pistachio pudding, but use 1 18 oz can of crushed pineapple to mix up the pudding. You can add 1/2 c. of shredded coconut if you want. Reserve 1/2 c. of the filling to spread on top. Decorate with maraschino cherries and whipped topping.
Death by Chocolate - use a chocolate cake mix, chocolate pudding, and add 1/2 c. chopped chocolate candy bars or chocolate chips to the filling. Top with the chocolate glaze and more chocolate bits.
Snickers cake - Use a chocolate cake mix. For the filling, melt 2 c. caramels over low heat until until spreadable. Spread 1/2 c. whipped cream cheese over the bottom layer, then 2/3 of the caramel. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Spread the rest of the caramel over the top and sprinkle on more nuts.

Have fun and don't be afraid to be creative and try something new. If the cake gets soggy or crumbles, just serve it as a crumble - scoop a serving into a bowl and add whipped topping. Pretend that's the way you intended it to turn out.

Here's pictures of my version:

Ingredients, minus the eggs, oil, and milk. So simple.

Grease and flour the pans so your cake will look like this:

See? Pretty. And filled with chocolate pudding.

Frost with whipped topping and decorate with chocolate chips.

Delicious!

Then drop the cake while putting it in the fridge.

Not delicious. *sigh*

Author Interview Jessica E. Subject

2012-02-06T02:00:00.000-08:00

Please welcome Jessica E. Subject to The Far Edge of Normal today! Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories. Her debut novella, Celestial Seduction is available from Decadent Publishing.
What genre do you write?

I write science fiction romance, with more emphasis on the romance part. I also have a contemporary erotic romance story published.

Do you have cats or other pets? Why or why not?

Right now, we have a rabbit, and some fish that multiply like crazy. When the kids are older, we hope to get a puppy.

What events do you have coming up?

Right now, I am finishing up the blog tours for Unknown Futures, and Never Gonna Let You Go, both of which released in January.

In March, I’ll be promoting my first release, Celestial Seduction, which will be Decadent Publishing’s Read For a Cure story. All publisher proceeds from my story in March will be donated to the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life program.

Also in March, my first novel, The Zurian Child, will release from Silver Publishing.

How do you like your romance, sweet or spicy?

Oh, I read it all, from sweet inspirational romance and young adult to erotica. I love it all.

What is your current WIP?

I’m working on the sequel to The Zurian Child, and other smaller projects.

Do you write to music or not? If so, what type of music inspires you the most?

I don’t listen to music while I’m writing, but I do when I’m brainstorming ideas. While doing housework or driving, I’ll listen to my playlist for a particular story so when I sit down to write, I have the right vibe. Dance and pop music tend to make up most of my playlists, but I do listen to heavier and slower stuff as well.

What are your favorite movies, tv shows, or books to read? Is there one that you could watch/read over and over without ever tiring of it?

Movies – Star Trek (2009), Star Wars (all except Revenge of the Sith – too gory for me), Jurassic Park 3, The Core, Contact, Avatar

TV Shows – Castle

Books – Following many series by Nora Roberts w/a J.D. Robb, Gini Koch, Rebecca Royce, D.L. Jackson, Zee Monodee, and Lorna Suzuki

I could and have watched and read all of these over again and still never grow tired of them.

If you could travel anywhere on Earth, where would you want to go?

I could list so many places, all for different reasons, but here are 5: Alaska, Mauritius, Scotland, Germany, and Vancouver.

If you could travel anywhere, fictional or real, where would you go?

I think it would be the ultimate experience to travel into space and look back at Earth.

If you could time travel, what is one event you would want to see in person, either future or past?

First contact.

What's your favorite color?

Green.

Food?

Pasta.

Reading spot?

Anywhere I can. I always carry a book when I’m waiting for the kids after school, and read while on my Health Walker.

How can we find you?

Here are my links:
Website/Blog: http://www.markofthestars.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jsubject
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-E-Subject-author/205759796126370
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4959083.Jessica_E_Subject
Google +: https://plus.google.com/100079570422204018357/posts

What do you currently have in print and where can we find them?

Beneath the Starry Sky, Celestial Seduction, and Unknown Futures are all part of Decadent Publishing’s 1Night Stand line. Never Gonna Let You Go is the first book in The Underground series. All of these stories can be found at Decadent Publishing, and other ebook retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AllRomanceEbooks, Smashwords and more.

Never Gonna Let You Go Blurb
Caught in a tangle of lies, Calla Jacobs must sort through the truth to discover where she truly belongs. A biologist for Planet Core, she finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit. Sent to Airondelle, she must work with a team to prepare the newly discovered planet for colonists from Earth. But the mission does not go as she expected. Her former lover, Erik Edwards, shuns her, sending Calla into the arms of Melina Holloway, their commander, for the attention she craves and more. A confrontation among the trio leaves her with a broken heart, and fleeing from the two people she trusted most.

Attempting to break free from the lies that bind her, she discovers Planet Core has deceived everyone. And when she returns to Earth, Calla learns just how far Planet Core’s control reaches..

Available from Decadent Publishing and other ebook retailers.
Buy Links here: http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/?page_id=7889
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/I8hN8O4bVo4
Giveaway!!
As part of the Never Gonna Let You Go blog tour, Jessica is giving away a $20 gift certificate to either Amazon.com or AllRomanceEbooks.com. Simply leave a comment with your email address for your chance to WIN! Be sure to follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/?page_id=8999

Thanks for stopping by, Jessica!

Thursday Recipe - Fairy Offerings and Guava Candy

2012-02-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

Please welcome Frances Pauli to the Far Edge of Normal. She's got a three book dark fantasy fairy series out. A Moth in Darkness, The Fly in Paradise, and Spiders from Memory. And since she's on a blog tour, she's got prizes and other goodies listed here.

Today, we discuss fairy foods. Good stuff. One lucky commenter on this post will win a package of fairy offerings from me. Frances has her own giveaways, too, so be sure to check out her main blog hop post here: www.francespauli.blogspot.com

You have an interesting mix of fairies including the sparkling little things we usually associate with Tinkerbell. What kinds of foods do they eat? Flower nectar? Fruit? Nibbles of beef from the grill of the elves?

You know, I don't see the little ones needing to eat really. They may nibble on some nectar when no one is looking, but in the books they really feed off of human emotion. The Dancers that they create provide them with a steady stream of memories and passion that seems to be their primary nutrition. Of course, you never really know with fairies. One in particular develops a serious doughnut addiction. Food, like anything for the little ones is just another game or pleasure.

My elves, on the other hand, are incredibly picky eaters. They dine on sweet fruit and succulent meats, and drink a steady supply of sticky-sweet Cuarry juice. In book three, in fact, a small group of refugees are stranded on the mundane side of the borders, and their constant whining about the food at the Embassy proves problematic.

The tiny little fairy with the doughnut obsession who ate a dozen doughnuts by itself gave me a giggle. What does a fat fairy look like? Makes you wonder a bit.

Fat fairies are my favorite. I used to do a bit of fairy graffiti in my younger, art-school years. I left scribbled fairies just about everywhere I went—don’t tell the dean. My favorites to draw were heavy, rounded fairies with tiny little wings. Not from the doughnuts though…fairies don’t get fat from sugar. I think they get fat just to try it out.

Tell me about the fairy offering - peach colored bits of pure heaven, if I remember it right. What's the inspiration for that?

Flower Kiss candy. I developed quite an addiction to it when I lived in the Seattle area. It's made in Japan, and I found a bag of it by chance during a shopping trip to Uwajimaya. The wrappers are so cute. Pastel blue, pink and yellow with various botanical images. So lovely, and inside, a hard, pale pink piece of bumpy goodness. They are really good. I mean, unbelievably good. The flavor is very delicate, and I love the name and look of the stuff almost as much as the taste. Can you tell I'm addicted? I believe that they are plum flavored. To me they just taste like the name says, like little flower kisses.

For those who want to learn more or get addicted to fairy offerings, here are a couple of links: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flower-Kiss-Candy/354468518306?sk=wall
http://www.amazon.com/Kasugai-Flowers-Kiss-Candy-5-1oz/dp/B000B7S2QG
Or you can comment on this post for a chance to win some fairy offerings!

Ever tried guava candy, another Asian treat? Excellent stuff.

No, I haven't, but it sounds right up my alley. I learned all about guava juice in Hawaii. They start you off with it on the plane going in, almost like a prelude to paradise. "Here's some juice, now you'll understand that everything is better on the islands." It is, too.

I absolutely *love* guava nectar from Kern's. So sweet and thick and just plain delicious. If you have never had guava nectar, go find some! It's that good. The frozen guava-raspberry juice from Hawaii's Own is tasty, too, but not nearly as good as the canned nectar.

POG is worth getting too, if you’ve never tried it. Pineapple, orange, and guava all together. Mmmmm.

Since this is a recipe post, can you share a great fairy recipe with us?

I imagine sugared fruit would be a big hit among the Fey. I once read a recipe where you used orange and lemon rind and a sugary syrup to make a dainty sort of sweet snack. I've never had the patience to make them though. I can share the recipe for Sed's Substitute Cuarry Juice. He saves the day with it in Spiders from Memory, but it's ghastly sweet stuff. I'd never drink it, but to an elf with a sweet tooth, this is the closest you can get to a taste of home.

Sed's Substitute Cuarry Juice

2 c. Pomegranate Juice
2 c. Cranberry Juice
Splash of Pineapple juice (Not too much, the acidity hurts the elves' dainty mouths)
Grotesque amounts of Grenadine. (Here is where the syrupy tastes come into play. For human consumption it might be better to say "Grenadine to taste."

Mix everything together. Serve well chilled and over ice.

Sounds delicious in very small quantities. This recipe makes 4-6 servings, if I'm judging it right. 1 serving if you're an elf.

I'll have to find a recipe for candied fruit that isn't nasty and post that sometime. For now, thanks for stopping by, Frances. Good luck with the books. I can't wait to get my hands on book 3, Spiders from Memory!

For the rest of you, don't forget to leave a comment with your name and email address so I can do a random drawing for some delicious fairy offerings and guava candy! You also get entered in Frances' drawing for her books and other goodies.
Thanks so much for having a spot on the tour! I’ll be selecting one commenter here for a pdf copy of any book from my backlist, and for each tour stop you comment on you’ll get an entry into a drawing for the entire trilogy in print. So comment, and come along on the tour for more chances to win.

Book Reviews and Contests!

2012-01-30T12:26:00.000-08:00

Who doesn't like to win free stuff? Who wouldn't want to win free books and free candy? I've got two contests coming up this week, both with some great prizes.

First up, BestsellerBound authors are hosting a giveaway. Enter to win lots of great books by some really talented indie authors. The link will go live sometime on Feb. 1 so check back for the details. http://www.quietfurybooks.com/contests.html And while you're at it, check out BestsellerBound, it's a great community of authors and readers and people interested in discussing books, writing, publishing, and all sorts of other topics. The people there are very supportive and loads of fun. I've pushed them before and I'll push them again. Of all the online groups I've joined, this community is one of the absolute best.

Second, make sure you check my blog on Thursday. I've got a fun food-centered author interview with Frances Pauli as part of her book launch blog tour for Spiders From Memory. As part of my post, I'm giving away three packages of fairy offerings and guava candy to three lucky commenters. So stop by on Thursday and make sure you comment. Frances Pauli is also collecting comments for a lucky winner on her blog tour who will win all three books.

To get you set for the book, which is the third and final book in Frances' fairy urban fantasy, I'm going to post reviews and teasers for the first two books.

A Moth in Darkness starts the series off. A Fly in Paradise continues the wild ride. Spiders from Memory is going to finish the story, or maybe not, according to the author.

The three books tell the story of Elizabeth Larson ten years after she and two friends managed to open the gates to the fairy world. This is not a happy bright little story with happy bright little Tinkerbells flitting around. These stories are dark fantasy delving into addiction and politics and all sorts of what-ifs.

The fairies are bright little creatures, true, but they invite people to join in their dance, to partake of their offerings, which to humans and elves alike is a highly addictive and hallucinogenic experience. Elizabeth Larson has been fighting her addiction for years, but it's ruined her life and her reputation.

The elves are similar to humans, but consider themselves much more refined, cultured, and just plain civilized than us brutish humans. Other fairy-tale creatures also come to vivid life in the books.

Go read the synopsis from the web pages if you want the full setup.

I thoroughly enjoyed the darkness of these stories. The characters are wonderfully imperfect. The political tangles are vast and complicated. Frances Pauli does a marvelous job of creating a world where the Seelie Court rules the fairytale races with a heavy hand, the fairies are at once innocent and devious in their temptations, and the elves are annoying, ruthless, driven, loving, and complex as humans. I can't wait to dive into book three and see how it all works out.

Go read the books. You won't be sorry.

Thursday Recipe - Slow-Cooker Oriental Beef

2012-01-26T02:00:00.000-08:00

This is one of those "open the fridge and see what I've got" meals. It turned out tasty enough my kids asked me to write the recipe down. So, here it is.

Slow-Cooker Oriental Beef

1 lb beef stew meat (small chunks and very lean work great in this one)
1/4 c. sliced green onions
1 green bell pepper, chopped
5 carrots, cut in small chunks
1/2 c. celery, sliced
1/2 c. ketchup or catsup
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. Thai Kitchen sweet chili dipping sauce

Dump everything in a 3 - 4 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Stir. Turn to low and cook for another 1-4 hours, depending on how long you have and how soft you want your carrots. Serve over rice.

You can garnish it with more chopped green onions, finely chopped peanuts or cashews, bean sprouts, or whatever else strikes your fancy.

One of these days, I'm going to find the recipe for sweet Hawaiian Beef that my neighbor taught me years ago when I was twelve. It had raisins and coconut and all sorts of good stuff in it. I haven't managed to recreate it. This recipe is sort of like it. Anyone out there have a recipe for Hawaiian Beef they want to share? I'd love to have it again.

Life Experiences

2012-01-23T16:45:00.000-08:00

I write science fiction. I make up worlds and technology and aliens and all sorts of stuff. It can be a challenge to make them believable.

The best way to create a believable setting is to base it on reality. Use real science as your beginning point for your tech and aliens and worlds. You're on your own coming up with a great plot, that's a different topic.

So how do you go about creating a real-feeling situation and/or world? Learn, study, read, experience. Store them all in your head. Rely on your great database of information. No, do not spout it all onto the page when you're writing. Give us enough to ground your story or make your aliens feel real. Too many writers make the mistake of wanting to show off everything they've learned and created for the story. Save it for your webpage, for the die-hard fans who want to know all that. Put it in your story and you'll kill it with information dumping overload.

Some of my favorite sources to learn about bizarre things, science, technology, etc. are:

1. Television, especially PBS specials like Nature and Nova. If you watch channels like History or Discovery, just take some of their shows with a big dose of disbelief. Many of them are trying too hard to be shocking or groundbreaking. They push the show from real science into speculation. But they are highly entertaining and can lead to a lot of great what-if questions.

2. Magazines and online science websites. National Geographic is a great resource. It's got pretty pictures. The articles range from cultural to biological to astronomical to ecological to a lot of other disciplines. It's written on a high school level so it's accessible to almost anyone. I also love Space.com for their pictures and articles.

3. Personal experience. I'm talking about camping, hiking, travel, museums, etc. If you want to write about the oceans on a planet, it helps to have experienced at least a little of Earth's oceans. When you travel, take time to record the smells, textures, sights, colors, the whole deal. Don't forget to record how the air feels - dry and hot, dry and cold, humid, etc. Spend a moment just feeling, just breathing, just being. It's a great way to experience different environments.

4. Education. If you haven't gone to college yet, do your best to get there. And while you're there in whatever you're majoring in, don't be afraid to try out some of the other beginner level classes. Take an astronomy class, a geology class, a drawing or sculpture class, a music class, or whatever else tickles your fancy. Step out of your comfort zone.

If you aren't in a position to go to college, try a community class. Try a cooking seminar or an art class or a craft class. Many communities offer these classes in the evenings for a few weeks at a time. The cost is usually minimal. Many stores like Home Depot and craft stores offer seminars on a variety of topics. Learn how to lay tile, even if you never plan to lay any yourself.

Take an online seminar or join a club. Expand your horizons by trying something new.

And while you're taking those classes, indulge in people watching. Study your fellow students, study the teacher. Learn how to create believable characters for your stories.

Take whatever you have experienced in your life and use it as fodder for your stories. Synthesize them into something new.

Thursday Recipe - INDEX

2012-01-19T07:18:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you've been waiting for this one. I know I have since I can't remember what recipes I've posted. Over on the left side, I put up a link for recipes. I'll try to keep it organized and updated, but I'm only human.

It's an alphabetical list. I'll also get one up that's divided by category.

Recipe Index

2012-01-16T12:47:00.000-08:00

Accidental Brownies
Apple Cake
Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
Applesauce Cookies
Bacon Bread
Baked Yams and Winter Squash
Barbecue Beef Short Ribs
Basic Bread
Beef Stew
Biscuits and Gravy
Bubble and Squeak
Butter Toffee
Butter Rum Popcorn
Butternut Squash Custard
Candied Popcorn
Candied Yams
Candy Cane Cookies (aka Smash-em up Cookies)
Cake Mix Cookies
Cherry Bars
Cherry Chocolate Tarts
Chicken Mushroom and Leek Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chili
Chilled Monkey Brains (gelatin dessert)
Chocolate Chunks
Chocolate Freezer Cookies
Chocolate Frog Cookies
Coleslaw
Cookie Mix in a Jar (Oatmeal, Brownie variations)
Cranberry Sweet Potato Muffins
Cream Puffs
Cream of Tomato Soup
Curried Pickle Chunks
Dairy-Free Cream of Vegetable Soup
Date Cake
Double Turkey Gravy
Eyeball Gelatin
Eyeball Soup
Fish Variations
Freezer Cookies
Fresh Cranberry Sauce
Fresh Fruit Salsa
Fresh Guacamole
Fresh Salsa
Fried Noodles
Fruit Cream
German Potato Salad
Ginger Honey Chews
Gluten-Free S'Mores Bars
Goat Cheese Spread
Gorilla Poop Cookies
Gorp
Green Gelatin Salad
Green Tomato Mincemeat
Green Tomato Mincemeat Cookies
Gummy Bear Gelatin Salad
Hagrid's Thumbprint Cookies
Hawaiian Turkey Loaf
Healthy Brownies
Hot Citrus Punch
Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
Hummus
Island Chicken
Jello Cookies
Jello Cookies (includes Gluten-Free variation)
Jungle Salad
Kale Soup
Lazy Lasagna
Mango Salsa
Mayotard
Meatloaf, Crockpot Style
Minestrone Soup
Monster Cookies
Mud Pie
Nacho Stacks
Navy Bean Soup
Ninja Turtle Soup
No-Bake Cookies
Not-so-Hot Wings
Oatmeal Supreme
Oregano Fried Noodles
Oregano Rice
Oriental Beef
Peanut Chews
Pie Crust
Playdough
Poppy Seed Lime Salad Dressing
Potato Salad
Pudding Supreme
Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Custard
Quick Peanut Fudge Sauce
Rhubarb Pie
Roast Garlic
Roast Turkey with Gravy
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
Seafood Salad
Slow-Cooked Pot Roast
Smoothies
Spiked Lemonade (non-alcoholic)
Spinach Bacon Salad
Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing
Split Pea Soup, Ham
Split Pea Soup, Vegetarian
Spotted Dick
Sticky Buns
Stuffed Zucchini
Sweet Na'an
Tandoori Chicken with Golden Rice
Toffee
Tropical Southwest Chicken
Turkey a la King
Turkey Poop Soup
Turkey Stuffing
To-die-for Frosting
Vinagrette Salad Dressings
Watchagot Stew
Winter Fruit Salad
Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles
Zucchini Cheese Pie

NaHoImMo Update

2012-01-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

They look better in real life, promise.

November is long gone. NaNoWriMo is long over. But at my house, NaHoImMo is still going strong. Maybe I should change it to NaHoImYe (National Home Improvement Year) since it's taking me so long to finish projects. My family room is finally together, except for one curtain panel that Wally's World has yet to deliver and the paintings that need to be hung. Only two, we're keeping it simple.

Finally framed this print. Now to hang it.

My living room is finally complete - junk removed, walls cleaned, carpet sort of cleaned (the pros are coming in March), furniture rearranged, extra books and furniture removed, AND valance curtain sewn and installed. Doesn't it look pretty?

The cat's butt has been washed again. He was so heavy when we adopted him last spring, he couldn't reach it. So my son washes it for him. The cat has finally lost enough weight he can reach it now, but he apparently doesn't know how to clean himself. Or else he has the IQ of a pickle.

AND, on top of everything else, I'm now officially a grandma. He's a week old today.

Now to tackle the master bedroom and bathroom.

Maybe I'll take a nap and write some stories instead.

Living room valance is done.

Chunkalicious finally has a clean butt, for a day or two.

My grandson being held by his aunt, my youngest.

Thursday Recipe - Tandoori Chicken with Golden Rice, my version

2012-01-12T16:20:00.000-08:00

Tandoori Chicken is a traditional Indian recipe. I don't have a tandoor oven and I don't have access to all of the spices they use, but this recipe is a pretty good imitation. It's Indian comfort food, perfect for the freezing January weather we're having here. It also cooks in a crockpot or slow cooker so it's a great lazy recipe.

You can buy a tandoor oven (or here) if you want, but be prepared to spend some serious money.

You can put cilantro on top of this if you want, but that weed is banned from my house. I think it's nasty, it gives me migraines, and it makes my tummy very unhappy. It's not allowed here, but if you like it, feel free to add it to the recipe.

Tandoori Chicken with Golden Rice

4 - 6 chicken breasts, about 2 lbs, cut into fourths
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 8 oz can pineapple chunks
1 t. ginger
1/2 t. cayenne
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. black pepper
1 t. salt
1/4 t. ground cardamom
1 t. cumin
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. paprika
1 T. lemon juice
1 c. plain yogurt (optional-it just makes the sauce creamier)

For chicken: Place onions in the bottom of a 2 - 3 qt crock pot or slow cooker. Layer chicken on top. Add peppers and pineapple. Mix all spices with lemon juice. Pour over chicken. Cook on low 4 - 6 hours, until chicken is tender. Stir yogurt in just before serving.

2 c. rice
4 c. water
2 t. salt
1 t. turmeric

For rice: place rice, water, salt, and turmeric in a 2 - 3 qt sauce pan. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and cook 18 - 20 minutes, until rice is tender. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Migraine Monday

2012-01-09T15:57:00.000-08:00

The title says it all. I didn't read the ingredient list yesterday and ended up with an MSG triggered migraine today. Why do they put that stuff in everything?

Since I'm out of it, go read some of these blogs instead. Lots of fun, lots of topics, just lots of stuff to have fun with:

Speculative Friction, Frances Pauli's author blog - She's coming to The Far Edge of Normal the end of the month on a book promo tour.

The Troubadour, a look at the inner workings of the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center where I work. My boss is freaking hilarious.

I'm a Lazy Mom - she's funny and down to earth. She has hordes of followers so I'm not doing this for a favor. I'm doing this because I enjoy reading her posts.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks - fun recipes complete with great pictures. She also has hordes of followers, but she's funny and gives great recipes that don't call for all sorts of weird ingredients.

Momentum Gathering - so positive and uplifting and honest. Bring tissues when you read these posts.

And if you haven't discovered this one yet, be prepared to laugh yourself sick. Cakewrecks!

Want to nominate a blog to list? If I get enough interest, I may make this a monthly feature. Just list some of your favorite blogs in the comments.

Thursday Recipe - Spinach Salad with Bacon Dressing

2012-01-06T07:42:00.000-08:00

It's New Years, everybody resolved to lose weight, right? So eat more salad. This recipe, while healthy with fresh spinach and cranberries, isn't going to help you lose weight. It uses bacon and bacon grease. But it's so good. If you're feeling really guilty about eating it, make it the main course for your meal.

I posted a Spinach Salad before. This one is a bit different. It has a hot bacon dressing you pour on right before serving.

Good luck with your weight loss. I made that goal, too, since I've put on weight recently due to changing medications, stress, and just eating too many cookies again. It's time to revisit my eating plan and find time to walk the dog more often. Anyone have some spare energy lying around? I'm going to need it.

Spinach Salad

1 lb baby spinach
1 can mandarin oranges, drained (reserve juice)
1/2 c. craisins (sweetened dried cranberries)
1/3 c. pecans from a salted nut mix

Toss together. Pour hot dressing over the top. Serve immediately. 6 - 10 servings

Bacon Dressing

4 strips of bacon, cut up small
1/2 c. vinegar
1/3 c. mandarin orange juice (reserved from salad)
1 T. corn starch
1/2 t. salt
pepper to taste

Fry bacon until crispy. Remove from pan, reserving drippings, add bacon to salad. Stir vinegar, juice, and cornstach together. Add to bacon fat. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over salad and toss.

On Setting Goals

2012-01-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

This time of year, people write New Year's Resolutions. Vague statements that make you feel better but really aren't much use. There is no way to measure progress, no specifics of how you will accomplish your lofty ambition.

-I resolve to be a better writer this year-

Nice, but how am I going to accomplish that? Goals give you specific targets with measurable steps to achieving the desired result.

-Goal: publish four stories this year-

Big problem with that goal. Is it measurable? Yes. Is it achievable? Yes. But it depends on someone else, not just me.

Several years ago, I participated in Woodbadge, the adult leadership training course put on by the Boy Scouts of America. Great program. If you're involved with scouting in any way, I highly recommend this course. It takes a week, or two weekends, but it's worth it. At the end of the course, each participant set five goals related to their scouting position. When the goals were achieved, you were awarded your beads. The hardest part of setting the goals was making sure they weren't dependent on someone else.

For example, a scoutmaster might set the goal to have all of his scouts at first class by the end of six months. Nice goal, but it depends on the boys earning the rank. A better goal would be to provide the activities, classes, and opportunities the boys need in order to earn their first class during the next six months. Achieving your goal no longer depends on someone else. You are the scoutmaster, you can organize the necessary classes and campouts the boys need. Whether they take advantage of it and earn the rank is up to them. But you can still achieve your goal.

Back to my goal: Publish four stories this year. Unless I choose to self-publish, I have no control over when or whether my stories will be published. A better goal would be write and submit at least four stories this year. Is it measurable? Yes. Is it achievable by just me? Yes. Does it depend on someone else? No.

Another problem with many resolutions and goals is that they are vague. Vague is hard to measure.

-I resolve to lose weight this year-

Most of us make that one, but do we set up any goals to figure out how we are going to shed those pounds?

-Goal: I will eat healthier-

Pretty vague. Specifics are easier because we can see exactly what we need to do and it is measurable. Eating healthier is hard to measure without some kind of comparison or scale.

-Goal: I will eat at least 10 grams of fiber a day for the next two months-
-Goal: I will only eat one small dessert per day, except Sunday-

Are these specific and measurable? Yes. Will they help me lose weight? Maybe, if I add enough other good goals to my list. Once I achieve these goals, I can make new ones. They can be simple and short or long and complicated as long as they are specific, measurable, and don't depend on somebody else. Breaking a big goal into smaller ones is also easier, go with baby steps instead of one giant leap.

-Goal: my husband will lose ten pounds this month-

Nope, can't set that one. I can't lose weight for my husband and I can't make him lose the weight. He can set that goal, but I can't. I could set the goal that I will cook low-fat, healthy meals this month and not make the gooey desserts he loves. It's something I can control and I can measure.

Good luck with whatever you resolve this year. May 2012 be a great year for all of us. And may you reach the goals you set.

Just for the record, one of my goals is to set up a recipe index for this blog so I can find what I've posted.

Thursday Recipe - Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

2011-12-29T10:42:00.000-08:00

I posted Ninja Turtle Soup last year about this time. Split pea with ham. This version is a mild vegetarian version, just as tasty and just as easy. New Year's must make me crave something simple and healthy after all the rich dishes and sweet treats of Christmas. Try this one out. It freezes well if it makes lots more than your family will eat. Or just cut the recipe in half.

Enjoy the New Year.

Split Pea Soup

1 lb green split peas
1 c. sliced celery
1 small onion, chopped
2 c. carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, cut in small chunks
1 T. curry powder
1 t. turmeric
1 t. powdered garlic
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1 t. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
about 10 c. water

Place everything in a 4-qt crockpot. Cook on high for 2 hours. Turn to low, stir once. Cook another 3 - 6 hours until everything is soft. Good with garlic bread or croutons.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-26T09:27:00.000-08:00

I think Charlie Brown's Christmas and the Grinch have it right: Christmas is more than shopping and presents and rich food. Christmas doesn't come from a store. It's about the best gift all of us have ever been given. It's about Jesus Christ. It's His birthday we celebrate, His life we remember, His gifts we revere.

Christmas is about a young woman giving birth to a miraculous child in a stable of animals. Christmas is about hope and love. Christmas is about redemption. Christmas is about Christ.

Whether you believe in Him or not, his message speaks to everyone. Love God with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. Love your neighbor as you love yourself. If everyone lived by those two commandments, our world would be a much sweeter, happier place.

I believe in Christ, deity descended to earth to redeem us through His atonement, to teach us by His example, to lift us with His love. May you find the spirit of Christ within you this Christmas. May you find peace in your heart.

That is my wish this Christmas season.

Thursday Recipe - Cookie Mix for Gifts

2011-12-22T16:29:00.000-08:00

AKA - Cookies in a Jar. If you have quart jars hanging around, these are perfect presents. It only takes a few minutes to put it together and makes a nice gift. The recipient can make the cookies fresh whenever they want. Plus, if you're careful when layering the cookies, they look very pretty in the jar.

Layer ingredients in quart jars in the order given. Use a clean lid (doesn’t have to be new) to seal the jar. Be careful not to shake the jars. Attach the recipe card to each jar with your own personal message.

Double Chocolate Brownies:
Jar - layer:
1 c. white flour
1/2 c. wheat flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. cocoa
3/4 c. white sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. chocolate chips (any variety)

Recipe card:
Empty jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir dry ingredients until well mixed. Add 1/2 c. butter, melted, and 3 eggs. Stir until mixed. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes.

Gourmet Flavored Brownies:
Jar - layer:
2 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 t. baking powder
1/4 gourmet flavor hot cocoa drink mix (dry)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. baking cocoa

Recipe card:
Empty jar into a large mixing bowl. Stir dry ingredients together until well mixed. Add 1/2 c. butter, melted, 4 eggs, and 1 t. vanilla. Stir until mixed. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Oatmeal Scotchies:
Jar - layer:
2/3 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. salt
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
3/4 c. butterscotch or chocolate chips
1 1/2 c. oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned
1/2 c. nuts (optional)

Recipe card:
Empty jar into large bowl. Stir to mix dry ingredients. Add 1/2 c. butter, melted, 1 egg, and 1/2 t. vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes.

Coconut Oatmeal Bars:
Jar - layer:
3/4 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 3/4 c. oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned
2/3 c. chocolate chips (any variety)
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. coconut
1/2 c. brown sugar

Recipe card:
Empty jar into large bowl. Stir to mix dry ingredients. Add 1/2 c. butter, melted, 1 egg, and 1 t. vanilla. Stir together. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes, just until set. Cool before cutting.

Book Review: Heir to Power, Book 1 of The Healing Crystal

2011-12-19T13:25:00.000-08:00

Heir to Power by Michele Poague

If you like lavish fantasy novels with the setting and characters described in loving detail, this is the book for you. It's billed as a post-apocalyptic novel, and there are traces of a past technologically advanced society peeking through the current one, but with magic and a low-tech agrarian society at the center, I'd put this book on the fantasy shelves.

Kairma wants to be just a normal girl, but she is heir to the powerful Healing Crystal that her village holds secret from the rest of the world. She's also the only person known to survive the sweating sickness. Her white hair marks her as different and leads to conflicts with the other villagers. Mired in tradition and isolation, Kairma's world is about to change, whether the villagers wish it or not.

Michele (note the one L) builds a wonderfully rich world with plenty of detail and intriguing ideas. I found it a bit frustrating to read because she teases me with mysteries then spends several chapters exploring a minor character's relationship with his father and his past. I know people who love that kind of story. I'm an action movie kind of reader, though. I like things to happen with a bang and keep happening. Michele likes to spend time with her characters, exploring the nuances of their lives.

If you're a fan of books like Tolkien or Tad Williams, the big fat ones with lots of rich detail, give this one a try. Michele has given herself plenty to explore in the book series. This is book one in The Healing Crystal series, I'm sure the others will bring their own mysteries as her world unfolds.

Thursday Recipe - Cherry Bars

2011-12-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

I had a craving for these and I just happen to have several jars of maraschino cherries that need used. I thought you might enjoy them, too. They're nice and red/pink, great holiday colors. And they're very delicious and decadent.

(Anyone out there good at food pictures? My bars look like weird alien brain squares, not delicious pink cherry bars. They still taste very good.)


If you want them more pink, just add some food coloring.

Cherry Bars

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
2 T. shortening
3 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 t. almond extract
1/2 c. maraschino cherry juice
4 eggs
4 1/2 c. flour
1 c. maraschino cherries, halved

Cream butter, shortening, and sugar. Add baking powder, salt, vanilla, almond extract, cherry juice, and eggs. Beat until very smooth and creamy. Stir in flour and cherries. Spread in greased jelly roll pan (15x10). Bake at 325° for 30 minutes. Cool at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Time for some reviews

2011-12-12T12:51:00.000-08:00

I haven't read much lately, but I've played a lot of games. If you're looking for some gift ideas, these might be just the thing. No video games here, just board and card games.

Tales of the Arabian Nights
I ran into this game at a convention last summer and fell in love. It's a great game. The players are not really competing against each other, it's more about the storytelling than the winning. As you move your token around on the board, things happen to you, both bad and good, based on cards and dice rolls and the massive story book. The game is entertaining, but be warned, it can last a good two or three hours. It's pricey, but well worth the cost.

Fluxx, a whole family of card games
I've got four different versions of this game. The basic version is a lot of fun. Rules change with every play of the cards. Someone can win out of the blue with no warning, although that rarely happens. Silliness abounds. Now add different flavors of the game. My current favorite is Pirate Fluxx. Treasures consist of different ships, booty, and a whole horde of bizarre pirate-y objects. The rules even include a Talk-Like-a-Pirate card. Everyone who uses an outrageous pirate accent gets to draw and play an extra card. Our versions include Monty Python and Martians. You can find a version themed for anyone. And the fun part? You can combine the decks for an even weirder game if you want. It's simple to learn and lots of fun to play. Plus, the decks of cards are pretty inexpensive for a game the whole family can enjoy, at least the ones who can read.

Settlers of Catan (and all the expansion sets)
Another pricey one, but one that appeals to adults and older kids. We've had this game for years, but it still gets pulled out on a regular basis. The game board is made up of various tiles so it's never the same. The game is about building a civilization on the island of Catan. You compete for resources and road space and settlements, but if you work together, everyone does better. It's an entertaining game, but again, one game can last several hours, especially if you start adding the expansion sets.

Forbidden Island
This game is unique. You have to cooperate to win. If you start competing, you will lose and so will everyone else. You have to win as a team. It's you against the sinking island. It's all about strategy and cooperation. To be fair, I haven't played this game myself but my children have told me it's a great game. We got it last year for Christmas, but it got lost in the pile of other stuff. They found it recently and decided to figure it out. It's now on the list of top ten games to pull out when they've got a few hours. It's a mid-price game, listing for about $14 on Amazon.

Apples to Apples
Another mid-price game, this one has been around for ages and comes in a wide variety of variations. We prefer Apples to Apples Jr. It's got fewer political figures and current events and more of just general things on the cards. The big drawback is that Jr. doesn't have a card for Han Solo or Indiana Jones. BUT, you can buy a pack of blank cards to run through your printer and make whatever cards you want to add. This is a great game for building vocabulary. As my family has figured out, though, the game isn't about matching your cards to the description card, but about playing to the psychology of the person choosing the winning card. It's a fun game for group parties or large gatherings. We've played with up to fifteen people and still had a blast.

Swipe Card Game
I found this little game at the grocery store. I figured for a couple of bucks, it would be worth trying. Everything fits in a little plastic case so it's great for taking on trips. Not for playing while you travel, though. It involves rolling dice and matching the symbols with different actions. Each player is trying to accumulate as many tokens as they can. The game ends when the last one is taken from the middle. It's easy to play. We taught a 3yo and a 5yo who can't read yet how to play. All of us had a blast with the game. It's a great, inexpensive game for all ages. It's also fast to learn and play.

Once Upon a Time Card Game
Another storytelling game, we bought this years ago and loved it. I'm happy to see it back in print with all-new versions available. Each player has two ending cards and various story element cards. It's a group story, though, with each player adding in their own twists as they all try to get the story to their particular ending. If you enjoy story telling, this is a game to check out.

I hope you have fun and find lots of time to play some new games with your family and friends. I love finding new board games that get my kids off the computers and gathered around the kitchen table.

I'm back!

2011-12-06T12:41:00.001-08:00

Did you miss me? My router quit working last week and it's been entertaining trying to get a new one that works. Me and technology don't always get along. If it can break in a weird way, it does.

So, I'm back online and buried under things that need taken care of ASAP. Instead of posting my own story, I'll direct you to Maria Savva's blog post- It's a great tribute to BestsellerBound's new venture, a one-stop spot to find all sorts of great indie books. These are published by the author or by small presses. Since advertising budgets tend to be non-existent for these gems, you never hear about them. Self-publishing has come a long way. Yes, there are duds out there, some of them horrific like a train wreck involving clowns and puppy dogs. But there are some beautifully written books that you won't find on the normal lists. So check out the stores and download some great books this holiday season. Many of them are also available in print, but order early!

The title list is growing daily, so check back often for new reads.

Kindle store
Print store

Thursday Recipe - Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

2011-12-01T18:02:00.001-08:00

This is what I made for Thanksgiving instead of bringing mashed potatoes. It's a tasty alternative. In fact, I prefer these. Easy and delicious.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

6 c. bite size chunks of potato, about 8 medium (leave the peels on, but scrub them well)
2 T. oil
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. paprika

Toss everything together until potatoes are well coated with seasonings. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400° until golden brown and slightly crispy. Stir every 15 minutes or so. It usually takes 35-45 minutes.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Another NaHoImMo Update

2011-11-28T19:43:00.001-08:00

It's almost the end of November. NaNoWriMo is almost over. That's write-a-novel-in-a-month, a goal of 50,000 words written. Hats off to those who attempted it. Big hurrahs to those who finished.

I did write a short story or two, but most of my month has been eaten up by home improvement projects. Here's the latest update on the state of my family room.

See the pretty walls? Only the one above my new countertop is blue. The others are a lovely shade of green. You can see the new cabinet pulls, too. We just have cleanup and the trim above the counter left. I think I'm going to put 3/4 round glass shelves in the corner. What do you think?

Yes, that is sunshine on the cabinet. I've got blinds to replace in the room when I'm done painting and cleaning. Anyone like to wash windows? I might even pay you more than just cookies to do it.

Any takers? No?

See? No ugly holes or markings or stains or other things on my lovely walls. The baseboards are back in place and the wood floor has been scrubbed and refinished, but I haven't taken pictures of it yet.

This wall is mostly prepped for painting but we need to move more furniture and stuff and get the carpet taped off and covered. The family room is an L-shape. So far, I've just been working on the hard wood and cabinet end of the room.

We have to move a tv and some sitting furniture. The wii has already been banished to the living room for now. The desk and computer will move into the finished half. My office, what's left of it, will move there, too. It's mostly files of paperwork and my shredder. Most of my office is on my computer and virtual. Yay for progress.

This is a corner I haven't touched yet. See what I've been dealing with? Country wallpaper, partially shredded by one of our cats; holes caused by children; clutter caused by lots of things. The cabinet was made by my husband from scrap lumber, mostly old waterbed frames. It houses all sorts of weird knickknacks that mostly need to get used for target practice but I don't have the emotional energy to make those decisions right now. Later...

This is Sasha, enjoying the sunshine and the view. I love this corner of the room - floor to ceiling windows facing south and west. I'll have to post pictures once we get the walls done.

We still need to have a stripper party and finish stripping the wallpaper off.

Other things I've finished - I now have a chocolate colored front door with a nice clean coat of peach on the inside. It even includes new hardware. My kitchen cabinets are getting new handles, a few at a time. I still need to scrub them down and see what we can do to make them look great without having to repaint or refinish them. I made a whole pile of burp towels for a new great-niece and my grandson who isn't quite here yet. I cut out valance curtains for my living room. I'm almost out of projects that I have materials for. Must be time for another home improvement shopping spree. What next? Flooring for the entryway, downstairs mud room, and laundry room? Sounds good to me.

Thursday Recipe - Easy Apple Cake

2011-11-24T18:37:00.001-08:00

Looking for something simple but delicious? Try this cake. So simple anyone can make it.

Apple Cake

1 box butter pecan cake mix
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. apple juice
1 can apple pie filling
(Or you can use 1 quart of bottled apple slices instead of the juice and pie filling)

Heat oven to 350°. Dump everything in a mixing bowl. Stir it together. Grease a 9x13 cake pan. Pour in the cake mixture. Spread it out just a bit until it's even. Bake for about 45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool for about 15 minutes then serve.

If you want to get fancy, drizzle it with caramel sauce and serve with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream.

NaHoImMo UpDate

2011-11-21T14:49:00.001-08:00

Now I'm stuck doing the weird Capitalization in the MiDdle of WorDs. Looks BiZarRe.

Enough of that. Update on my projects, for those who care.

Countertop is mostly finished, just needs scrubbed one last time. Right now it's covered with paper because I'm painting walls. I've got the blue up, working on the pale green around it. We spent Saturday moving furniture and dejunking and sorting and removing. My living room is so empty. One big chair, one smaller chair, a table, several bookcases, and the piano. Desk and office are gone. Half the books are boxed and stored. It looks very big now.

See the ugly chandelier? It's gone now.

See the pretty replacement? Just turn your head sideways or your monitor. I'm being lazy about pictures today.

Is your head still sideways? Good. This is the tree by my driveway.

Leaves in the driveway. I may have to print and frame this.

The last rose of summer, wait, autumn. It's almost winter. *sigh*

Thursday Recipe - Applesauce Cookies

2011-11-17T11:26:00.001-08:00

Note to self: I need to create an index of recipes so I know what I've already posted. Maybe next week.

This is the season for cookies and treats. Right? Wrong. Any season is the season for cookies and treats. These cookies come out moist and tender with a great spice apple flavor. If you use at least half whole wheat flour, they're also healthy. As healthy as cookies can get, anyway. This recipe makes quite a few cookies so prepare to share.

Applesauce Cookies

2 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
2 t. salt
2 t. vanilla
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. ginger
1 t. cinnamon
4 eggs
3 c. applesauce
5 c. flour (half whole wheat if you like)
2 c. oatmeal
1 c. chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375°. Cream butter and sugar. Stir in salt, vanilla, soda, spices, eggs, and applesauce. Beat well. Stir in flour, oatmeal, and chocolate chips. The dough should be pretty sticky. Bake a single cookie. If it spreads too much, stir in an extra 1/2 - 1 c. flour. Cookies bake for 10 minutes. Let cool on sheets for a few minutes. They will set up more as they cool.

DYI NaHoImMo Update

2011-11-14T15:00:00.001-08:00

I'm not doing NaNoWriMo this year. It just wasn't in the cards, not with everything else I have going on. So, I'm doing NationHomeImprovementMonth (I made it up but feel free to join in).

Here's my update on the tile countertop. More pics next week with the next stage.


Naked particle board sporting a new coat of paint


This was the easy part to install - mosaic sheets of little tiny tiles.

This is the border. If only I'd known before I started...


All installed and grouted, just waiting for paint on the trim.


The tile has iridescence and/or glitter. Love it!

Thursday Recipe - Attack of Green Gelatin Salad!

2011-11-10T11:28:00.000-08:00

Monsters and Mormons, the Anthology, released the ebook on Halloween. I'm tickled to be part of this one. It's horror stories, sort of. It's also science fiction, historical fantasy, silly horror, and lots of other genres. I haven't read any stories but mine, but I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with the book. It's 600 pages of awesome Mormons and Monsters battling it out. It all grew out of a chance Twitter comment. If you want to read the history of the anthology and join in some interviews and giveaways and all sorts of fun, go here: http://www.motleyvision.org/2011/monsters-mormons-virtual-launch-this-friday-the-details/ THIS FRIDAY! THAT'S TOMORROW! It's the official release party for the book!

And in honor of my story, Charity Never Faileth, I'm posting green jello recipes. What's more Mormon than a Relief Society Dinner complete with too many pans of green gelatin salad? If that made no sense, you must not understand Utah Mormon culture. Never fear, the story is still very funny.

Green Gelatin Carrot Salad, the Dangerous Kind with Pineapple, Pears, and Sour Cream Topping.

(I admit that I have never actually made this salad, since I can't stand it. There are better uses for green gelatin like, umm, I have no idea. I can't stand the stuff. Wait, you can make Jello Cookies with it.)

Okay, just go here and use this recipe. It's close enough. (Or this whole page of links for lime gelatin salads.) Here's the simple version:

Mix up one box of lime gelatin according to package directions. Let it sit until it's very thick. Stir in 1 c. shredded carrots and 1 c. crushed pineapple. Pour it into a fancy dish or mold and refrigerate until set. Take to a ward party. Bring home most of it and add it to your compost because nobody actually likes the horrid stuff.

Better Gelatin Salad, aka Chilled Monkey Brains

2 small boxes of raspberry gelatin, the four serving size
2 c. boiling water
1 c. frozen blueberries, strawberries (chopped or sliced), raspberries, or any combination of frozen berries
1 c. very cold water
1 c. vanilla yogurt
1 8 oz. tub whipped topping

Mix gelatin in the boiling water. Stir at least 5 minutes until completely dissolved. Add frozen berries and cold water. Stir until it starts to thicken. Stir in yogurt and whipped topping. Pour into nice dish or mold. Brain molds are really nice. Refrigerate until set. Hide at the back of the table when serving so you have half a chance of leftovers. Take home the empty bowl and mix up another batch just for yourself.

Jello Cookies

This came from an old Betty Crocker Cookbook (or Betty Crapper Crockbook at my house). I've messed with the recipe to get it where I want it. You can use any flavor of gelatin, just not all at once. Lime gelatin is pretty good in this recipe.

1 3 oz. package fruit flavored gelatin
1 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. softened butter
1/3 c. shortening
2 1/4 c. flour

Heat oven to 350°. Cream gelatin, sugar, butter, and shortening until very smooth and fluffy. Stir in flour, handling it as little as possible. Mix it just until the flour is incorporated (BIG WORD WARNING!!!). (Sorry, just had to add that bit.) Scoop dough onto a greased cookie sheet, about 1 1/2 t. per cookie is good. Bake 8 - 10 minutes until set and very lightly brown.

For variety, you can roll the dough in colored sugar (try blue sugar with red dough, or green sugar and yellow dough), the little tiny ball sprinkles, chopped nuts, or coconut shreds.

Or you can make some frosting or open a can of vanilla frosting, spread some on each cookie, and then add the colored sugar, sprinkles, nuts, or coconut or whatever.

Have fun with your gelatin, just watch out for those salads. Read the book if you want to know why. And don't forget to attend the party on Friday night. Details here.

Instead of writing...

2011-11-07T10:13:00.000-08:00

This blog was supposed to be about writing - the struggles and craft and excitement. But how can I write about that when my writing has stalled? My second book is in the hands of the editor and publisher; on hold for almost a year now. My stories are coming out in anthologies, but I don't have a lot of new ones in the pipeline. I'm having health issues and family stress which both cut out writing time. And the last straw - all the home improvement projects that have gone from "someday" to "the next three months".

Saturday, I finally had all the materials to tackle a project that has been begging to be done since we moved in over 17 years ago. Our family room has a counter and cabinets but no countertop, just a slab of particle board. I found some beautiful glass tiles online and decided I could tackle it myself. Tiny tiles need no cutting, or so I decided. I'm not sure what I was thinking.

It was supposed to take three, maybe four, hours. Ten hours later, I had the tile down. A couple rows are a bit crooked. I'm hoping grout will hide some flaws. Yep, still needs grout and trim painted and installed. Another couple hours, I'm guessing.

But, I HAVE A COUNTERTOP IN THE FAMILY ROOM THAT IS NOT PARTICLE BOARD! And I love it. The colors are beautiful.

I've also learned that 3/4" tile should be left on the mosaic tile backing. Much easier to put in and keep straight. But then I couldn't have done the random color border, which ate up my entire afternoon.

Instead of writing, I've been learning how to install tile. As long as no cutting is involved, it is pretty easy. With the cool installer mats I found, it's also pretty clean and messless.

Pictures to come after I finish the project.

Thursday Recipe - Cream Puffs

2011-11-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

Raise your hand if cream puffs intimidate you. Tricky little pastries. I learned to make them in my Junior High Home Ec class. Back then, all girls were required to take it. Boys were required to take shop classes. Yep, I'm older than dirt. I lived when discrimination was all the rage. Girls did girl stuff and boys did boy stuff. You didn't cross the line or you were labeled weird. Guess what label I carried all through school.

Anyway, back to the recipe. Cream puffs can be difficult so be prepared to make them several times before you get the hang of it. If they don't puff up, just serve them as eggy, funky pancakes. Call them something French and you'll be okay.

Cream Puffs

1/2 c. butter (the real stuff works better than margarine)
1 c. water
1/4 t. salt
1 c. flour (sift it or stir it good and don't pack it into the cup, you want it about a tablespoon short of a packed cup)
4 eggs

Preheat your oven to 400° F.

Put the water, butter, and salt in a 2 qt. saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Turn heat down to medium. Add the flour. Stir until your arms feel like they are going to fall off and the mixture forms a thick, pasty ball. Remove from the heat. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter smooth between each addition. You should end up with a creamy, very thick dough that looks sticky but isn't because of the butter.

Scoop onto a greased cookie sheet, normal size cream puffs are about 2 T. of batter per puff. Give them room to spread and rise or they will all grow into each other.

Bake for 30 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR WHILE THEY ARE BAKING. You want the extra steam trapped in the oven. It helps them rise and bake properly. When the time is up, they should be more than double in size, puffy, and golden brown.

Fill them with whatever you want: Pudding, Chicken salad, tuna sandwich filling, sloppy joe mix, ice cream, fruit pie filling, chopped up candy bars, whipped cream...

Projects Galore

2011-10-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

This is what I did Saturday. Well, I should say my husband, sons, neighbors, and I did.

See the giant pine tree right in the middle of the yard? No? That's because we chopped it down and cut it up into green waste and firewood. I love it. My yard looks so much bigger and my house looks really big now, too.

Downside is that all the yard projects that we've been neglecting are now very noticeable. But not in this picture. I'm just going to bask in the lovely sunlight we now have in our east-facing front yard.

Here's what's left of the tree: a big pile of fire wood in what's left of our garden.

(Those are beehives in the background. Two hives. We got 4 1/2 gallons of honey out of them a month ago. My husband only harvested one box off each, too. I think we need more boxes next summer so we can get even more of that delicious liquid gold.)

This is why I lost my pruning license. This is the blue spruce on the north side of our house. That's another Scotch pine in the front on the right and a yew (I think) on the left. I took off all the lower scraggly branches of the spruce. Now we have a nice open space where nothing grows except pine needles and pine cones. I think it looks lovely.

So, what did you do last weekend? This weekend I'm up for tiling a countertop in our family room and getting a couple of dresser painted.

Thursday Recipe - Gourmet Cheese

2011-10-27T13:35:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't a post about making your own cheese. I have tried my hand at a couple simple goat milk cheeses mostly because I had access to fresh goat cheese and my daughter is allergic to cow milk and really wanted cheese. Good goat cheese is hard to find in stores. But cheese making is an art that requires time and patience to master. If you're interested, I'll post the recipes and my experiences with goat cheese. Considering I'm allergic to goat milk, I can't tell you how it tastes but my kids say the cheese is delicious.

Today, I'll give you some tips on gourmet cheeses you can find in your local supermarket. More and more stores are carrying exotic cheese, usually in very small packages. So try a flavor or two. Here are some of my favorites:

Havarti is a soft cheese with a fairly mild flavor. Plain havarti has a slight tang and a mild smoky taste. It goes great with fresh apples, crackers, or ham. Havarti also comes in a lot of varieties. Smoked havarti goes great on burgers. Try it paired with bacon in a BLT. Dill havarti has dill added. Try it in a green salad with pears and honey mustard dressing. Havarti with caraway is another great one for the fruit and cheese tray.

Swiss in all its varieties is a great cheese. It adds zip to melted cheese sauces. Use Swiss in your cheese balls with green onions. I've got a great recipe for cream puff type goodies with shredded cheese added to the dough. Don't fill that one with pudding or cream, fill them with scrambled eggs and ham or stuff them with chicken salad and greens. That's basic Swiss. If you like it milder, buy baby Swiss. A good Swiss will run you about $6-10 a pound. Try some rather than the cheaper stuff, you won't be sorry.

Provolone is a very mild, slightly sweet white cheese. Think mozarella but firmer. Provolone goes great on sandwiches of all types. It's another good choice for a fruit and cheese sampler.

Meunster is a fun cheese. My kids call it "monster cheese". It's a pale yellow with an orange edge. It's softer than mozarella. It's good on sandwiches, especially grilled cheese. Try pairing it with Cream of Tomato Soup.

Blue cheese has a bad rap. Yes, it's a very strong flavored cheese and smells a bit like stinky feet. Keep the portion very small and the taste will be less overwhelming. Try blue cheese with steak or beef stew. Sprinkle it on salad along with chopped apples and pears and a good vinaigrette dressing. Add a touch to cheese balls or cheese sauce for added flavor. If you like it milder, buy Gorgonzola or Roquefort. This site has all sorts of fun info on Blue Cheeses.

Fresh mozarella, the kind that comes in water, is very different than regular mozarella. It melts into a bigger gooey mess, for one. The flavor is milder and fresher, more like cream cheese. Drain it well before using.

Everyone knows cheddar cheese. Have you tried sharp? I rarely buy mild anymore. Medium has a good flavor, but sharp is better. The best I've eaten is Dubliner cheese, a white very sharp cheddar. It's pricey but a little goes a very long way. It's so good just by itself.

Check out your store deli and see what fun surprises are waiting. While you're trying a new variety of cheese, why not try a new variety of gourmet olive or pickle or something else? Expand your taste buds and try something different.

Thursday Recipe - Fudge?

2011-10-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

Road trip this weekend. We spent a good wad of money to rent an RV and take the whole family on a trip. We found a really cool place to get local food just north of Pasco - produce, artisan jams and jellies and sauces, breads, candies, sandwiches, and the most decadent fudge I have ever tasted. Three words - to die for. (Country Mercantile, Inc. - and I've got pictures of the fudge but not my camera cable, so I'll have to add those later.)

I can't make fudge to save my life. I can't even manage the easy, no-fail marshmallow cream and chocolate chip fudge. The only time I made good fudge was on accident. I was trying to make frosting.

So, no recipe for fudge. Instead, I'm posting a plea for recipes for good fudge that even I can make. I even mess up this recipe:

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Microwave until soft. Stir until smooth. Eat before it cools because for some reason, this fudge goes weird when it sets up so I use it as a dip for apples or cookies or pretzels.

Frightliner!

2011-10-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

It's October, which means it's time for scary movies, bad costumes, and too many sweets. And some creepy books. Please give a big welcome to Karina Fabian, here to tell us about her books. I'm excited to hear of her newest release co-written with Colleen Drippe: Frightliner: And Other Tales of the Undead. Grab some popcorn and enjoy!

Hi, Karina. Welcome to the Far Edge of Normal. I must say I love your chainsaw. How can we find you?
Website: http://fabianspace.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karina.fabian
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/KarinaFabian
Google +: https://plus.google.com/103660024891826015212

What do you currently have in print and where can we find them?
I have several books out, so it'd be easiest if folks went to http://fabianspace.com and checked them out. The ones that came out in the past 12 months are Infinite Space; Infinite God II; Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator; Perfect Ten; Frightliner; Mind Over Mind; and Mother Goose is Dead (story in the anthology).

What genre do you write?

Mostly science fiction, fantasy and horror, though I have also written a lovely nonfiction devotional with my father, Why God Matters.

Do you have cats or other pets?
I grew up with cats, dogs, hamsters and fish. As an adult, we've had a cat and dogs, plus some hermit crabs at Alex's insistence. I love furry animals who like to cuddle and who adore you just because you feed them and coo at them. Elbereth, our cat, likes to sit on the back of my chair or in my lap or on my back when I'm writing. Layla, the dog, is content to lay near me, though whenever I get up, she thinks it's treat time.

What inspires your stories?
Easier to ask what doesn't inspire a story. It depends on the story. In the case of the two I'm touring this month, the inspiration came from friends. Frightliner was inspired by Colleen Drippe, my co-author. She had read my story about a truck-driving vampire and suggested that no one wrote vampires as evil blood-thirsty beasts anymore. So we decided to write one together. Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator, came as a result of my publisher at Damnation Books asking me to do a novel based on the character I'd written in "Wokking Dead." Then while in the Writers' Chat room we were discussing reality TV and great first lines of books, and the idea struck to do a novel about a reality TV show about zombie exterminators.

How do you like your romance, sweet or spicy? Or do you like romance?
I like romance in the concept of the story, but not as the story itself. In Neeta Lyffe, there's a romance between Neeta and a good looking DJ, but it's peripheral and highlights her own struggles with the TV show. In Neeta Lyffe II, she's involved in a different romance, and while it's a big issue, there's so much else going on with the zombies and the environmentalists and such. I don't write especially spicy. I want to be able to read my stories to my kids or have them read them without giving me the fisheye afterwards.

I hear you on keeping the romance sweet. If it would embarrass me to have my mom read it, I don't write it. What is your current WIP?
I have two: Neeta Lyffe II: I Left My Brains in San Francisco, is on hold until I can explore an oil refinery, so I'm working on The Old Man and the Void, which is based loosely on Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, but involves a black hole and alien artifacts.

Wow. That sounds like a great read. What hobbies do you have that you want to share?
My husband and I are taking haidong gumbdo, Korean sword martial arts. It's a lot of fun and good exercise, especially when we are doing drills. I have a green belt, and need to master the roll in order to progress. I hate tumbling!

Did you always want to be an author? Who inspired you?
Absolutely. I started my first novel in fourth grade. However, my greatest inspiration has been my husband, Rob, who supports us well enough that I don't need to worry about money, helps me with ideas and technical matters, offers advice, and never fails to tell me how attractive I am when I'm writing. He's the best husband a writer could have--and the best husband, period.

I'll argue with you on that point. I think my husband is the best. We'll have to compare notes sometime. What are your favorite movies, tv shows, or books to read?
Right now, we're into Eureka, Warehouse 13, and Alphas. We still watch Dr. Who, but I'm just not a fan of the 11th doctor. He seems to either play the buffoon or play people as buffoons. In fact, we have a theory that he was somehow damaged in the last regenerations. The past two episodes have been better, so I hope he's changing. About the only show I really turn to again and again is Firefly. So sad that was canceled in its prime!

Firefly deserved to run much longer. What characters are your favorites from your books? From any work of fiction?
My works? I love them all, although Neeta, Vern (my dragon detective) and Deryl and Joshua (Mind Over trilogy) have my attention the most. From any work? Charles Wallace of A Wrinkle in Time. I still dream of writing a book where he's grown up.

That was one of my favorite childhood books. I loved Meg and her whole family. If you could travel anywhere on Earth, where would you want to go? If you could travel anywhere, fictional or real, where would you go?
Rob and I want to see Greece at some point. I've been lucky; my parents loved to go on long road trips, so I saw a lot of America and Canada as a child. In college, I went on a tour of the Middle East--Egypt, Jordan and Israel. When I graduated, I joined the Air Force to see the world, and did: I was stationed in Italy and Japan, and while there, toured a lot of Europe and visited Korea. Rob and I have also been to Mexico and Cancun. So my list is pretty short, and Greece is on the top.

As for where in the universe, I have my imagination for that, so I'm content.

What's your favorite color? Food? Reading spot?
I don't really have favorites. Maybe I'm flighty that way, but I just appreciate them all according to my mood.

Anything else you'd like to add?
Yes. I think your crocheted C'thulus are awesome!

Thanks!

*blush* Aw, thanks, Karina. Did I ever mention my little sister's name is Karina? Your stories are awesome. Thanks so much for stopping by.

Check out the excerpt from Frightliner below:

All Jay Carlson wants is to get his load delivered on-time, and the mysterious murder on a lone stretch of I-10 is just a slow-down. Things get freaky as a stranger suggests the murderer is a truck driver—and Jay has seen the truck. Thus starts a game of cat and mouse as the mysterious truck stalks him on his route. No one else seems to see his phantom pursuer except for two unlikely allies: a custodian claiming to be a vampire hunter, and an illegal alien who trusts his faith to defeat the monster. When the truck-driving vampire traps them in an abandoned church and his only defenders are injured in the fight, Jay must swallow his own disbelief and destroy the vampire himself before he kills them all.

Karina Fabian writes fantasy and science fiction, with the occasional foray into the world of horror. Her first novel, Magic, Mensa and Mayhem, the 2010 INDIE Award for best fantasy. Her latest book, the comedic horror, Neeta Lyffe, Zombie Exterminator, was a top ten in the Preditor and Editor reader’s polls and winner of the Global E-Book Award for best horror. Learn more about her works at http://fabianspace.com.

Colleen Drippe has been writing since age 6 and has had a lot of science fiction, a moderate amount of horror and fantasy, and assorted nonfiction scattered throughout the small press and online. She also writes for children and has had three children's books published so far (The Little Blue House, Christmas at the Little Blue House, and Mystery at Miners’ Creek) and another one (Growing with the Little Blue House) due out any day. She has had one sf book published (Godcountry) and another (Gelen!) coming out this year. She is the former editor of Hereditas (of happy memory but dried up funding) and is currently working on another sf book along with various other projects.

Excerpt:
Of course that was why he had not come out to check on her, she thought with a surge of relief. He probably thought it was an abandoned car. But now--she stepped out onto the gravel, hearing for the first time how loud the crickets sang. She smelled the strong scent of the cooling air. Too early for snow. Too warm, still anyway, though she cursed herself for not thinking to put on jeans before making her big exit. She peered at the cab, but nothing moved.

“Hello!” she called, moving closer. She could not make out a logo on the truck. It was dark, dark paint. She had an impression that the shape was--not wrong exactly, but not usual. It was an older model, she decided. An old truck.
She had reached the door.

“Anyone there?” she called, hesitating to step up and look inside. What if something had happened to the driver? What if he were dead? What if she opened the door and a body spilled out onto the road?

But that was silly. He had just pulled up. Probably he was rummaging around in his berth for some tools.

But what if he was dead? What if she took hold of the door and--and what if he was right there, watching her?

She had almost decided to go back to her own car. But the thought of the semi parked behind her, silently cutting its chunk from the sky, was in some strange way even more frightening than opening the door. She reached up for the handle and pulled herself up level with the window.

The handle turned in her hand.

It was then she knew she had done the wrong thing. If only someone else had come--she prayed for someone else. A cop. Even a car full of good old boys. Anyone.

The crickets fairly screamed their shrill and mindless song, the scent of the Russian knapweed was overpowering. But it wasn’t strong enough to hide another smell, a dark earthy smell. A smell of death mellowed by long usage.

The door opened.

Reba froze, clutching the handle, balancing there with the driver’s seat in front of her. She tried to speak, to call, but nothing would come out. She hung there, thinking of death, while the night passed and the stars moved and the moon looked in over her shoulder. Finally, she climbed into the truck.

“Daniel,” she whimpered. She was ready to forgive the new pickup, but it was too late. Something moved in the back and she turned in the driver’s seat and saw a pale face, caught in the moonlight, eyes gleaming. She had an impression of lank hair, grizzled beard. And then two hands reached up to take her shoulders and she saw the mouth open.

Video trailer link: http://youtu.be/pEi6y0IuOlI
Amazon link: http://amzn.to/lJDL9b
Website: http://fabianspace.com

Thursday Recipe - Rachel Paddington's Cheesecake

2011-10-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

I met Darcia Helle just over a year ago on BestsellerBound, a great community for authors and readers. She's a great friend and a wonderful storyteller. Our tastes don't always match, but I enjoy her characters and her stories. Check out her books and BestsellerBound. And don't forget to try this simple and delicious cheesecake recipe.

Max Paddington, the main character in my novel Into The Light, likes chocolate milk shakes. As readers get to know him, they will learn this little tidbit. What readers don't learn about Max is that he loves cheesecake. In fact, his wife Rachel would tell you that he is addicted to one specific recipe. She makes this cheesecake for him on every holiday and it's the only thing he asks for on each birthday.

Here is Rachel's recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as Max did.

Graham Cracker Crust:

1 cup graham crackers, crumbled
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted

Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Press into bottom of springform pan. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Cake:

4 8-oz packages cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp flour
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla

Combine cream cheese, sugar and flour. Mix until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Pour over graham cracker crust.

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 250 and continue baking for one hour. Cool before removing rim of pan.

Cheesecake tastes great plain or can be topped with a variety of options, including canned cherry pie filling, blueberry filling or fresh strawberries.

What a Dream I Had

2011-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

I had the weirdest dream last night about weather stripping, buying a house, zombies, third grade male teachers, and Minecraft. Here are the lessons I learned from my dream:

1. Never rent an apartment in an old basement with rotted wooden steps leading into the ancient tunnel system. You never know what might be down there.

2. If you do rent such an apartment, use lots of weather stripping under the door leading to the steps because everyone knows that rodents, like raccoons, can squeeze through a gap less than an inch high. (This was a dream, it doesn't always have to make sense.)

3. Never buy a big house that backs onto BLM land, especially a big mountain that has a cursed mine practically in your backyard.

4. The mine was a red herring. It was the safest place to be. I wasn't there during the next bit of my dream.

5. Zombie-ism is transmitted through bites like rabies. In fact, it resembles rabies.

6. The cure for a zombie bite is anti-fungal powder, spiderwebs, and Neosporin ointment. Douse the bite liberally with those three, wrap it in a clean hankie, and take two ibuprofen. You'll be all better in the morning.

7. If you get caught outside during a zombie outbreak, stand really still and quiet and they'll lose interest in you. Whatever you do, DO NOT SCREAM.

8. Abandoned cars are a good place to hide, provided you can get under the seats and stay really quiet. If you have several people in there with you, you'll stay nice and warm.

9. Keep your dog with you during the outbreak because they can become zombies, too. Cats are too angry to become zombies.

10. Lighting candles and singing nursery rhymes attracts zombies, but it also lulls them into a stupor. If you can keep it up until it snows, you'll be fine.

12. Snow kills zombies. Just hope the zombie outbreak happens the first day of the deer hunt because it always snows that first night.

13. During the zombie outbreak, watch out for third grade male teachers trying to entertain the boys from their classes. Seeing grown men sing happy songs about Minecraft is more than a little creepy, worse than being eaten by a zombie.

Very interesting dream and very educational. My imagination is working overtime. It must be trying to tell me to write some zombie stories and quit playing Minecraft. Excuse me while I add several inches of weatherstripping to my basement door...

Thursday Special - Book Review - The Worker Prince by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

2011-10-06T10:21:00.000-07:00

The Worker Prince by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

Davi begins life as a worker child, born to slaves and condemned to a life working where and when he's ordered. For the most part, the high tech society gives the workers a fairly good standard of living, but Lord Xalivar hates the workers and doesn't trust them to keep in their place. They want freedom for themselves and their children. Xalivar decrees all first-born sons of worker slaves will be sacrificed to his gods. Davi's parents steal a courier ship and outfit it for their infant son. They send him off by himself as the troops close in.

Davi is found and raised by Xalivar's sister. He's a prince of the realm and Xalivar's heir-apparent. Until he and Xalivar learn the truth of his heritage. Davi runs away to join the growing worker rebellion. Xalivar's love for his adopted nephew turns to hate and bitterness as they face each other as opponents.

If the story sounds a lot like the story of Moses and the Israelites against Pharoah and the Egyptians, it is. Schmidt has done a great job rewriting the historical tale into a science fiction adventure. He weaves a story of family ties, aggression, power, and love. Davi has everything - money, power, position - and he throws it away when he learns the truth of where he comes from and how his biological people are treated by his adopted family. If you're looking for characters with honor and integrity, who face tough choices with no clear answers, this is the book to read. I'm looking forward to book two and more of Davi's story.

4.5 stars, PG for mild violence.

Basket of Book Reviews

2011-10-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

I set the goal to review every book I finished. I'm not keeping up very well. Today I've got four print books in the basket. Just FYI, I bought all of these books. And I haven't regretted a penny of it.

The Lute and the Liar by Rie Sheridan Rose

This book saved me from several hours of plane ride boredom. I picked it up from Rie at FenCon in Dallas a couple weeks ago and started it on the plane between El Paso and Los Angeles. (I hate the way Southwest charges for direct flights between Salt Lake and Dallas. It's a lot cheaper to fly all over the place but it takes forever to get home, but that's a completely different blog post.) I had the book tucked into my carryon and pulled it out while sitting on the ground waiting for the plane to take off again. One big advantage of a print book - you can read it during take off and landing.

The Lute and the Liar is the story of Mordigan Bryre, an apprentice bard who can't stop lying. Two weeks before he is to receive his journeyman's status, he is dismissed in disgrace and meets a mysterious witch who strikes a bargain with him. If he seeks out the wizard Talthos he can gain a magical lute that will make him legendary. But if he tells a lie, he will lose his golden voice. He sets out on his quest without realizing Princess Allysian is following him, determined to declare her love and bring him home. Ultimately, Mordigan faces the choice of saving her honor and reputation or his voice and his life.

I really enjoyed this tale. It reminded me of the classic fairy tales I used to devour as a child. Rie has a deft touch with characters and settings. She creates a magical world and fantastic people and still pulls in the emotional connections. Mordigan is a lovable yet flawed character. Allysian spends most of the book sitting in prison. I would have loved to see more action from her. I also wanted the book to be longer and much more involved. I loved the setting and the characters and wanted to play with them more. The ending came too soon. Overall, this is a delightful book.

4.5 stars, G rating (although I'd recommend it for ages 10+)

Adventures by Mike Resnick

The right reverend Lucifer Jones travels across Africa pulling cons and swindles on everyone in search of a fortune. The problem is that the people he's conning are even bigger scoundrels. Reminiscent of all the campy, overblown adventure stories of the pulp magazines, this book is a rollicking good read.

I've always enjoyed pulp fiction, stories of exotic locations and great adventures. Mike Resnick serves up his version with a huge dollop of spoof. Tarzan, except by a different name, makes his appearance on more than the cover. Except he's a British lord who has inherited a big swath of jungle. He spends his time reorganizing gorilla society and government and protecting the wild. This is just one example of the kind of silliness this book excels in.

4 stars, PG for mild suggestiveness

Red Dragon Codex by R.D. Henham

R.D. Henham is a cover name for a lot of different writers. This book is written by Rebecca Shelley, a very sweet woman I've had the pleasure of knowing for several years now.

Red Dragon Codex follows the adventures of Mudd, his sister Hiera, and Drakecutter as they track down Redclaw the Destroyer, each for their own reasons. Mudd must rescue the village seeress who has been kidnapped by the dragon and her dragonman, Kirak. Drakecutter seeks revenge for his dwarf village, ravaged by the dragon in an unprovoked attack. Hiera follows to keep Mudd safe from his own vision of heroism. Each of them learns to trust and help each other, each learns that together they are stronger than alone. Kirak's story kept me intrigued the most, but I won't spoil it by doing more than hinting he's not quite what he seems.

Red Dragon Codex is an entertaining story aimed at 8-12 year-old children, but good enough to use as a family read-aloud book. I've got the Brass Dragon Codex on my shelf, also written by Rebecca Shelley, that I'm looking forward to sharing with my children along with this one.

5 stars, G rating, but with some mild violence

Full Throttle Space Tales #1: Space Pirates

It's collections like these that are changing me into a fan of anthologies. Space Pirates is loaded with great stories of space pirates. From the sublimely silly Space Pirate Cookies by C. J. Henderson (my favorite in this collection) to the dark and disturbing Never Lie to Yourself by Uncle River, this collection has something for every fan of science fiction and space opera stories.

I'm very happy this is book #1 in a series. I can't wait to get my hands on the other books in this collection. If the stories are as good as they ones in this book, they promise to provide hours of great entertainment.

5 stars, PG for mildly disturbing situations

Thursday Recipe - Hawaiian Turkey Loaf

2011-09-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Oops. A day late again. It's been that kind of week. But I have PICTURES! That should make up for being late, right? I made this Tuesday night and it turned out delicious. It's the kind of recipe where you can play fast and loose with the ingredients to make it what you want, so feel free to have fun.

Hawaiian Turkey Loaf

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1 c. oatmeal
2/3 c. ketchup or catsup, depending on where you live
1/4 c. BBQ sauce, whatever flavor you like best
2 eggs
1/2 can crushed pineapple
1/4 c. red onion, finely diced
1/2 c. green bell pepper, chopped small
1 apple, cored and chopped

Mix everything together. Your hands work best, but my son insisted on using a spoon. Whatever. Dump it into a greased casserole dish. Top with the other half of the can of pineapple and about a 1/4 c. teriyaki sauce (1 c. soy sauce, 1/3 c. brown sugar, 1/2 t. red pepper flakes - stir until mixed). Bake at 400° for about an hour, until the middle is no longer gooey and the meat is no longer pink. Or if you have a meat thermometer, bake it until the internal temperature is 170°. Serve it with rice and more teriyaki sauce.

PICTURES!

Red onion and bell pepper.

Ground turkey, from the clearance bin because I'm a cheapskate. Good stuff, though.

And one apple, ready to chop. This one has been in my fridge for a month, mushy but perfect for cooking.

1 can crushed pineapple...

My sauce collection, just part of it. What? You don't have at least three dozen bottles of assorted sauces in your fridge?

Scroll back up to the knife picture. It's very sharp. My thumb will never be the same again...

Everything in the bowl, ready to mix...

My son making his favorite sauce- teriyaki.

My other son mixing the meatloaf, with a spoon cause he has a thing about getting his hands gooey.


Meatloaf and rice, ready to bake. Yep, make oven rice and bake them together, Easy.	Oven rice: 2 c. rice, 4 c. hot water, 1 t. salt, 2 T. butter. Put in a casserole and bake at 400° for 1 hour.

And the finished meatloaf.

FenCon!

2011-09-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

FenCon was a great experience. Last year was my first time and I had so much fun I had to go back even though it meant riding airplanes all over the western US to get from Salt Lake to Dallas (That's another blog post all by itself). I wasn't disappointed. The only bad things about the trip were the obnoxious internet policy at the hotel and my time spent in the police state otherwise known as airports. I met wonderful people, old friends and new. I saw fun costumes, mostly steampunk. I ate chocolate and treats and collected bling at the room parties. I didn't even mind having my room next door to several room parties. FenCon is a friendly, fun science fiction/fantasy convention.

I even took pictures. Sort of. I'm really not much of a camera person. I sold books, too. I came home with less than I took, a first for me. I'm still suffering from con-brain syndrome, though, so I'm a bit scattered.

Steampunk! Everyone can have fun.

Steampunk dresses. The one on the left is purple, really. My camera is so off.

Even Stargate was there! Nice Barbies.

A most agreeable witch with a possessed flying monkey on her shoulder. Now if only I can figure out how to rotate pictures...

Missed Monday

2011-09-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

Missed again on Monday. I got caught up in doing stuff instead of writing my blog post. Wanna know what I did instead? In no particular order - Made peach cobbler, mopped the kitchen, went to work, vacuumed, watched a couple episodes of Buffy, took the dogs on a walk, went to a family birthday party, thought about moving the mound of stuff in the living that's destined for a thrift store donation bin, called my brother about the van we're selling, talked about Cub Scouts with a neighbor, felt guilty for not running three other errands, avoided the laundry room because I really don't want to tackle cleaning it out, stayed up way too late waiting for my daughter to get home, ran car pools, heated up leftover soup for dinner, rescued the cat from the slug crawling up his back, thought about pulling dandelions out of the yard, decided the yard was too muddy, cleaned the floor of the pantry, did my part of organizing/cleaning the freezer by finishing off a carton of ice cream, checked the bank balance...

Yep. Total excitement. My life is probably just as glamorous as yours. Nobody really wants to read all that. So, I'm asking you, my readers, what do you want to read on my blog? I've got a few author interviews lined up and I can write up book/movie reviews. I could talk about conventions and writing or quilt piecing and crocheting. I could talk about living with autism and teenagers. I could blather about all sorts of stuff. But is that what you would like to read?

Thursdays will continue to be recipe days, although I'd love suggestions on what recipes you'd be interested in.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Thursday Recipe - Zucchini Cheese Pie

2011-09-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

This was our dinner tonight. It was gobbled before I thought to grab my camera. Sorry, I could take a pic of the empty pie tin for you but that would be depressing because it means the pie is gone. It was that tasty. And that easy. And it has lots of variations.

Zucchini Cheese Pie

2 c. diced fresh zucchini
3 eggs
1/3 c. milk
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c. pancake or biscuit mix, dry
1 t. Italian herb mix
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper

Heat oven to 400°. Mix everything together and dump into a greased pie tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the middle. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve. Sliced fresh tomatoes and bacon are delicious with this pie.

Variations -
1. 2 c. chopped broccoli for the zucchini and 1 c. shredded sharp cheddar for the feta
2. 1 c. shredded mozzarella for the feta and add 1/2 c. diced pepperoni
3. Use goat cheese and gluten free baking mix (I used Bisquik's version) to make a cow-dairy free, gluten free version
4. Add up to 1 c. diced mushrooms, peppers, onions, olives, or anything else you'd top a pizza with
5. Use 1 c. chopped fresh spinach and 1 c. diced zucchini with 1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese

Use your imagination and have fun with this easy recipe.

Some Days, Life Happens

2011-09-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those days where you start with one item on your to-do list and by 10 pm that item is still on your list because life happened? That was my day today. That one item was to write my blog post.

My kids brought home a nasty bug. Fortunately, it only lasts a day or less. Unfortunately, it's very contagious. I woke up to a house full of sick kids. I felt lousy, too. So I called the schools and excused them, called work and left a message, then went back to bed. At 10:30 I got a call from my boss asking me about the planetarium show I was supposed to do at 10:30. He hadn't checked his urgent box yet and didn't realize I wasn't coming in. Next time, I'll keep calling until I get an answer.

So, since I was sick, I spent the day lounging on the couch, resting up so I could get better. Ha! Had you fooled for a minute, didn't I? I spent the day chasing kids, cooking lunch and dinner, making sure the laundry and chores got done, and working on projects on my computer. I even made it grocery shopping, more because the fridge was empty than because I wanted to go.

Okay, I'm sure you're bored by now. I hate when people post a long, detailed description of their illness and symptoms or the blow-by-blow account of their day. Unless something really funny or unusual happened, like growing frog's legs out of your arm, or having an Erma Bombeck day. I used to read her books in high school. There was something wrong with me. Why else would a teenager in the 80's be so amused by a 50's housewife's account of her day? Oops, I revealed how old I am. I also adore Doris Day movies, when I'm in the right mood.

I also cleaned out half my video collection. Guess how many I'm getting rid of? About twenty, most of them duplicates. Guess how many my kids insisted we keep? At least 100. This dejunking of the house is going very slowly. My kids are pack rats with emotional attachments to broken bits of cheap plastic toys, books missing both covers and half the pages, and dead VHS tapes.

They also keep all their homework papers, from every grade. I should make my 23yo finish those second grade worksheets he never did...

Ha! Blog post is now finished. I can go to bed...

Thursday Recipe - Bacon Bread

2011-09-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

I should learn to stay out of thrift stores. I found another cookbook–Better Homes & Gardens Homemade Bread Cookbook, copyright 1973. I had a version of this one that disappeared years ago. The recipes were tasty and such a wide variety that I was thrilled to find another copy.

Here's a recipe that caught my eye. It has BACON, and a very short list of ingredients. I'm getting the bacon out and making this bread this weekend. Imagine toast with the bacon cooked right in... *wipe drool off my chin*

Bacon Bread

3 1/2 to 3 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 T dry yeast (or 1 package)
10 slices bacon
1 1/4 c. milk
1 T. sugar
1 t. salt

Combine 1 c. of the flour with the yeast. Set aside. Cook bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels reserving 2 T. of the bacon grease. Finely crumble bacon and set aside. Heat milk, bacon grease, sugar, and salt until warm (115-120°, a very warm bathtub temp), stirring constantly. Add to flour/yeast mixture. Beat for 5 minutes by hand, or 3 with a mixer. Make sure it's a sturdy stand mixture. I've stripped gears on more than one mixer trying to make bread.

Add bacon and enough of the flour to make a soft dough. Mix this in by hand! The dough should be slightly sticky. Knead about 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The longer you mix it, the chewier the bread will be. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down. This is just what is sounds like. Punch that dough to deflate it, fold in the sides and squish it down into the bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Shape into a loaf and place in a greased loaf pan. Cover and let it rise until double, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes, cool on a wire rack. Makes one large loaf.

The best hang out I've found online

2011-09-05T12:30:00.000-07:00

BestsellerBound is a message board, discussion forum for authors and readers, and a great community of wonderful people. I joined shortly after it opened and I haven't regretted a second of time I've spent there.

The board is celebrating it's first anniversary this week. Here are a couple of blog posts explaining what it is. Plus, the authors on BsB are giving away free books as part of the party. Visit the blog posts and leave a comment to be entered in the drawing for a free book.

http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/1521185-bestsellerbound-is-1-year-old

http://mchanson714.blogspot.com/2011/09/year-anniversary-celebration.html

What are you waiting for? Go read the posts, leave a comment for the contest, then visit http://bestsellerbound.com/ to join a wonderful community of writers and readers!

Thursday Recipe - Chocolate Freezer Cookies

2011-09-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

To go with the theme from last week, supposedly easy recipes for lazy school days, here's a variation on freezer cookies that I gave you last week. If you made them, please post some pictures and let me know how they turned out.

Chocolate Freezer Cookies
1 1/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 t. salt
3 c. flour

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, cocoa, and salt. Beat until very light and fluffy. Add flour. Stir just until mixed. Divide dough in half. Color as desired. Shape one half into a roll 2 inches in diameter and about 7 inches long. Wrap tightly in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Freeze at least 4 hours, or up to one month.

Heat oven to 400°. Cut roll into 1/8 inch slices. Bake on lightly sprayed cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes. Cool one minute. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack. One roll makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

Variations: Add 1/2 c. finely chopped nuts or coconut shreds

Basic Glaze
2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. hot water
1 t. vanilla

Stir all together, mix until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Variations:
Lemon: use lemon juice instead of water. Warm in microwave. Omit vanilla.
Chocolate: Add 1/2 c. melted chocolate chips. If glaze thickens, warm briefly.
Spice: stir in 1 t. cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or any combination.
Any flavoring or extract can also be added.

Frosting (use to frost or make sandwich cookies):
1 c. butter
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 - 4 T water
1 t. vanilla

Beat until very creamy and light. Add flavorings as desired. (Chocolate: stir in 1/2 c. cocoa, decrease sugar to 2 c.)

Random Musings

2011-08-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to bellydancing music, surfing for Bollywood movies, and looking for African recipes. Isn't the internet a wonderful thing? Instant access to every culture in the world. Those who never look beyond their own neighborhood are really missing out.

If you haven't noticed yet, I love to cook. I love to play with my spices and experiment with new ingredients. I shop the ethnic markets sometimes although my local grocery store carries a pretty wide assortment. You don't need fancy ingredients, though. You need to know how to mix the spices. It's amazing how many cultures use cinnamon and how different the dishes taste. Want to eat Indian cuisine? Here's a great website: http://www.talimpu.com/?gclid=CPzwndHE9aoCFckaQgodk0yXLw

When's the last time you watched a movie that was not Hollywood or even American? My kids watch a lot of Japanese anime shows. Very different culture and very different storytelling. It's fun to immerse yourself in new ideas. I've got several of the Chinese movies - House of Flying Daggers and Forbidden Kingdom are the two close at hand. The stories are a bit weird because they're traditional tales sort of fixed up for American audiences. I love the costumes and the settings. They make you think differently about storytelling.

And the bellydance music? I was bored with my usual playlist. I have a lot of ethnic music on iTunes. It was Peruvian flute music a couple weeks ago, mariachi music before that, classical guitar and mandolins before that.

What does this have to do with writing? Everything. My writing mojo has been off for months. I finally finished my last have-to writing project. Despite lots of very cool projects looking for submissions, I think I'm taking a break. I need to refill my writing inspiration well. I need to read folktales and mythology from other cultures. I need to wrap my head around some ancient Egyptian art and far East costumes and Persian spices. I need to watch history shows about ancient mariners and Micronesian primates and deep sea fish. I need to read articles about archaeological digs and speculation on ancient Mayan rituals. I need to lay in the grass and watch the night sky. I need to find my roots and my sense of wonder again.

This doesn't mean I'm going to stop writing. I have several projects still in production, including book two in my series. This just means I'm taking a vacation. We all have to do it sometime. What do you do to find inspiration?

Thursday Recipe - Freezer Cookies

2011-08-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

No, these aren't a weird variant of no-bake cookies. These are cookies that used to be really popular but you just don't see them anymore, except in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Pillsbury sort of filled the niche. The homemade version of icebox cookies is so much better.

Mix up a huge batch on a day when you've got lots of energy or help, wrap the logs of dough, and freeze. Then on those lazy days when you just don't want to move, pull a roll out, slice, and bake. Tasty homemade cookies in no time. Here's the basic vanilla recipe, which turns out a lot like sugar cookies, and lots of variations. If I can get moving, I'll make a batch and post some pictures. Except mine tend to look like mutant alien heads. But they still taste nummy.

Freezer Cookies
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. salt
3 c. flour
1 t. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and salt. Beat until very light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Add flour. Stir just until mixed. Divide dough in half. Color as desired. Shape one half into a roll 2 inches in diameter and about 7 inches long. Wrap tightly in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Freeze at least 4 hours, or up to one month.

Heat oven to 400°. Cut roll into 1/8 inch slices. Bake on lightly sprayed cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes. Cool one minute. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack. One roll makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

Variations:
Instead of vanilla, use:
Lemon: stir in 1 t. lemon flavoring. Sprinkle cookies with dry lemon jello just before baking.
Orange or lime: same as above except use orange or lime flavoring. Color dough as desired.
Eggnog: add 1 t. rum flavoring and 1 t. nutmeg to dough. Dip cooled cookies into vanilla glaze.
Almond: add 1 t. almond extract. Sprinkle with chopped almonds if desired.

Peanut butter: use 1/2 c. butter and 1/2 c. peanut butter. Use 1 c. brown sugar instead of white.
Graham: use whole wheat flour and brown sugar instead of white.
Coconut: add 1/4 c. shredded coconut and 1 t. coconut flavoring. Substitute 1/2 c. brown sugar for the white.
Peppermint: add 1 t. peppermint flavoring, add coloring as desired.
Dip cooled cookies in melted chocolate, add sprinkles, coconut, chopped nuts, etc.
Make into sandwich cookies - spread jam or frosting on the bottom side of one cookie. Top with another cookie.

Game Reviews - Ticket to Ride Europe and Tales of the Arabian Nights

2011-08-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

I attended SpoCon last weekend, a great SF/F convention in Spokane WA. It was their first year in a hotel. Things were a little crazy. I ended up not attending many panels, partly because few of them interested me and partly because things were so spread out and the rooms for the panels were tiny it was hard to get a seat. I still had a great time.

I ended up hanging out in their game garden with my daughter. They had stacks of games to try, everything from cards to dice to board games to ones hard to classify. I found two new favorites that are now part of my personal game collection.

Tales of the Arabian Nights is a complicated storytelling game crossed with a board game. Don't let that scare you off. It's a lot of fun to play. Every turn you have an encounter. Based on where you are, which card you draw, and your dice rolls, you look up different story bits from the Book of Tales. Choose your reaction and all sorts of fun things happen to you. My first mission was to trade in three cities. Ha! I ended up insane, on a pilgrimage, and diseased. I had to buy the game so I could play more. This game is not about strategy or winning, it's about telling stories and having fun. It's a bit pricey, but well worth the money. I'd suggest this is for people with patience and good reading skills, probably age 10+.

Ticket to Ride Europe is an interesting strategy game. You and up to four of your friends are building railroads through Europe. You get points for the length of each segment you build as well as finishing specific routes between cities. My daughter begged me to play with her. I gave in and ended up liking it enough to buy it. Another pricey game, but again, more than worth the price. Even my 8yo figured it out although the cards were a little hard for her to read. Plus, bonus, they learn pre-WWI European geography. A game lasts around an hour.

(I apologize for only giving Amazon links. If you have a specialty game store in your area, see if they carry either of these. You get a great game to play and they make a bit of money. Win-win, in my opinion.)

Thursday Recipe - Jungle Salad with Poppy Seed Lime Dressing

2011-08-18T09:37:00.000-07:00

Years ago, I decided to throw a party based on one of my favorite movies - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I love it. It's so over-the-top and cheesy and fun. Spiders and snakes and evil priests and magic rocks and INDIANA JONES. I have a thing for the young Harrison Ford. Tasty...

Anyway, the focus of the party was not me drooling over Indie, but the food. Five course meal based on the dinner scene - sautéed beetles, jungle salad, eyeball soup, snake surprise, with chilled monkey brains for dessert. Mmm, tasty.

I'll have to post the rest of the recipes later, but here's the salad:

Jungle Salad with Poppy Seed Lime Dressing

Salad:
1 lb Spring Mix Greens
1 small head of leaf lettuce
2 tangelos or oranges, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 pomegranate OR 1 red bell pepper and 1/2 c. strawberries, washed and sliced.

Wash leaf lettuce and rip into bite size pieces. Arrange on platter. Sprinkle Spring Mix over top. Arrange tangelos in circle on top of greens. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over top (or chop pepper fine and sprinkle over whole salad, arrange strawberries inside ring of tangelos). Serve with dressing.

Dressing:
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 T. vinegar
1 1/2 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. lime zest
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 T. poppy seed

Mix sugar, vinegar, lime juice, zest, salt, and mustard with electric mixer until sugar dissolves (about 3 minutes). Beat oil in gradually. Keep beating until dressing is thick and smooth. Stir in poppy seed. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (If dressing separates, just mix well before serving.)

Thursday Recipe - Pickled somethings

2011-08-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter and I are on a road trip visiting friends and attending a con. The drive was very long so when we found an old used bookstore in the middle of nowhere Montana, we had to stop. We found a wonderful cookbook - The Complete Book of Pickles and Relishes by Leonard Louis Levinson, Hawthorn Books Inc., 1965. I'm in love already. I want to make just about every recipe in the book. (Sorry, the Jerusalem artichoke pickles will never happen at my house. I detest Jerusalem artichokes.) I even found recipes for pickled crabapples and Lady apples. Mustard pickles, fruit pickles, vegetable pickles, relishes galore - this book is making me drool. I love pickles.

There's one page the book opens to. Here's the recipe on that page. I'm making this one as soon as I can find the ingredients. I'm making as many of the others as I can. I'll post recipes and my results as I do it. If not this summer, definitely next.

Curry Pickle Chunks

3 lbs. 4-5 inch pickling cucumbers
1 2/3 c. white vinegar
1 c. sugar
1 1/2 t. curry powder
2 T. mustard seed
1 1/2 t. celery seed
2 t. salt (pickling salt preferred. The iodine in regular salt can make pickles turn a funky brown color.)

Wash cucumbers thoroughly, cut into chunks.

Combine remaining ingredients and mix well. Heat to a boil. Add cucumbers. Heat just to boiling point; then simmer while quickly packing 1 hot sterilized jar at a time. Fill to 1/8 inch from top. Be sure vinegar solution covers vegetables. Seal each jar at once. Makes 4 pints.

If you make these, please let me know how they turn out.

Happy Birthday to Me

2011-08-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

The title should give it away. It's my birthday today. I'm halfway to ninety now. That's a lot of birthdays. And a lot of gifts over the years. I don't remember most of them, shirts and books and movies and chocolate. The best gifts didn't come on my birthday and weren't just a one time thing. Here's a list, in no particular order.

1. The gift of music. My parents paid for four years of piano lessons. I didn't practice like I should have, but I did enough to learn how to play. I still enjoy it even though the antique piano in my front room needs some restoration work and re-tuned. My favorite pieces to play are the old classics - Bach, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky. I've attempted some of the harder pieces but haven't practiced consistently enough to master them.

2. The gift of reading. I taught myself to read when I was four. I can't remember not being able to read. I love books. I thank my mom and dad for keeping a huge library in our basement and letting me have the time to explore all those wonderful treasures.

3. The gift of writing. Thanks to all those patient teachers who put up with me for all those years of school, I know how to put sentences together. Thanks to the great SF writers who taught me to dream and follow my imagination, I write my own stories.

4. The gift of knowing who I am and loving what I am and reaching to become someone better. The best gift I have ever received is my testimony of a loving Heavenly Father who wants me to be the best I can be. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to provide a way for that to happen. He gave us scriptures and prophets to guide us back to Him. He loves us and wants us to find joy.

5. The gift of family. I have wonderful parents, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and children. I have marvelous in-laws. If you've seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding, my wedding looked like her side of the chapel, except both sides were just as full. Large families are great, especially those that treasure their family ties. I may have grumbled over all the family reunions over the years, but I'm grateful my mom made us go. As I look forward to my first grandchild, I'm glad I have that whole fabric of interconnected family links.

The best gifts in life aren't ones you can fit in a box. Thanks, mom and dad, for all you've given me.

Thursday Recipe - Vinagrette Dressings

2011-08-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

Buying salad dressing can be expensive. Making your own isn't that hard. Here's the basic recipe for a vingrette, a vinegar and oil dressing:

1/3 c. vinegar
1/2 c. oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

Put everything in a tightly capped bottle and shake well. Refrigerate for one hour to let the flavors blend.

Simple, yes? The dressing will separate, so serve it in the bottle with the tight lid so people can shake it right before serving. Some people will be tempted to cut down on the oil in the dressing because they are watching their weight. Don't. The oil helps the rest stick to your salad. Just use less of it. And make sure you use a good oil, any oil will do but a good olive oil or canola oil will taste good and be good for you.

Now for the fun part - variations. Don't be afraid to experiment. Try a flavored oil or an exotic one. Try a gourmet vinegar. Try other spices or herbs. If you aren't sure, just cut the recipe down and try a little. Here are some ideas:

Sesame dressing: substitute 2 T. sesame oil for 2 T. of the oil in the recipe. Add 1 t. lemon zest (the yellow part of the peel, grated and chopped fine), 1/2 t. garlic powder, and 1 T. toasted sesame seeds.

Italian: Add 1 T. finely minced onion, 1 t. finely chopped garlic, 1 t. dried oregano, 1 t. dried basil, and 1 t. dried parsley.

Ceaser: Use the Italian variation and add 2 T. finely grated parmesan cheese.

Red wine dressing: Substitute red wine vinegar. Add 1 t. dried rosemary and 1/2 t. garlic powder.

Balsamic sweet dressing: Substitute balsamic vinegar. Add 1 T. sugar, 1/2 t. dried thyme, and 1/2 t. rosemary.

Orange ginger dressing: Substitute orange juice for the vinegar. Add 1 t. orange zest (the orange part of the peel, chopped fine), 1 t. ground ginger, 1/2 t. garlic powder, 1/2 t. onion powder, 1 T. soy sauce, and a dash of red pepper flakes. Use more if you like it spicy.

Peanut curry dressing: Mix 1 T. creamy peanut butter with the oil until smooth. Whisk in the vinegar, salt, pepper, 2 t. curry powder, 1 t. onion powder, 1/2 t. garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Go try something new with your salad dressing.

Free Flash Fiction!

2011-08-01T19:41:00.000-07:00

I went shopping for a lamp this afternoon. We went to the thrift store and looked for a nice hanging lamp to go over the love seat in my family room. No luck. So, my husband suggested we go look at cars, just window shopping, kick a few tires, see what's out there, that kind of thing. Big mistake. I now own a 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan that is replacing my 1995 Dodge Ram 15 passenger van. Anyone want to buy the van?

Because I'm too tired to write anything else, here's a silly piece of flash I wrote a while ago. The idea was triggered by a comment from my son- "Why are they dust bunnies? Why not dust rhinos or dust kitties or dust dolphins?" Enjoy.

Dusting Wars

"General! The left flank is crumbling. What shall we do?"

"Buck up, man. We still have the power to beat this thing. Send out the rhinoceros. Bugle call, right flank, close the gap." General DB waved his baton. His troops rallied to his cry.

The rhinoceros charged, gray fluffy bits trailing in his wake. The assorted bunnies and animals followed, bellowing battle cries as they charged toward the fanged mouth of the monster menacing their home.

The monster growled, a roar so loud and terrifying that General DB shivered a whole fluff of cat hair loose. The rhinoceros thundered forward, a huge concoction of couch fibers, hairballs, pet fur, and dust. The monster's mouth swept closer, the roar constant. The sound drowned the screams as the front line troops disappeared into its maw.

General DB's aide froze, eyes wide in terror. The beast decimated the army, sucking whole squads into the bristle lined mouth. "We are going to die."

The troops scrambled backwards in full retreat. The monster slid its mouth closer, metal neck clattering on the floor.

"General, what are we going to do? The thing has our backs to the wall."

"Literally." General DB thumped his baton against the baseboard where the infant dust creatures gestated. "We must save our young. This vile creature must be stopped."

"How, sir?" His aide quivered, shedding bits of fluff and bread crumbs.

"We must sever its power umbilical. It is time to summon the Ferrous Feral One." General DB snapped his baton against the metal grate set into the flooring.

"But, General, he is evil incarnate. They say that he's mad, sir." The aide leaned close. "He even ate his own young."

"Be that as it may, without him, we have no hope. Our entire colony will be devoured by that creature." General DB hammered on the heating grate. "Oy, you, Ferrous One. We need your help."

"What's in it for me?" The gravelly metallic voice rattled through the duct.

"First rights to any coins or metal bits that fall through Couch Clouds."

"Your entire hoard, as well?" A fragment of dusty hair poked through the grill to study General DB.

"If you do not help us, our hoard will be swept away into the belly of the beast, along with our entire colony. We need your assistance, Ferrous One."

"You banished me, claimed I was too contentious for your fuzzy clan."

"Look at yourself, man. Metal bits poking out everywhere. You tore three of us to shreds just rolling past."

The Ferrous One pulled himself from the grate. Staples framed a gaping mouth, twisted into a wide grin. "I like the sharp bits. I used to live beneath a Desk."

"Yes, I know. Hurry, man, or there will be nothing left to save." General DB moved to prod the Ferrous One, but hesitated at the spiky mass of metal paperclips, staples, and thumbtacks protruding from its back.

The mouth of the monster slashed through the dust troops, sucking them wholesale into its belly.

"I shall return. And you shall honor your promise." The Ferrous One dribbled tacks beneath the General as a threat.

"Your courage and bravery shall live forever in our legends." General DB saluted the dangerous dust ball.

The Ferrous One charged towards the bristled maw, trailing staples in his wake. The mouth sucked him in. The monster swept its neck closer to the general and his aide.

"He failed, sir. What now? Do we die, sir?"

General DB squeezed back against the baseboard, spreading his fluff to protect the young.

"It was a pleasure to serve with you, sir."

The mouth swept closer, scratching over the floorboards. The constant roar increased in volume. General DB closed his eyes, pulling cat hair over the googly bits.

The monster screeched. The mouth paused as the belly whined. The mouth stopped, retreating. Sparks flew between the bristles. The high-pitched squeal cut off. The monster lay dormant in the sudden silence.

"What the devil?" The mouth clattered against the floor as something shook the metal neck. "Horace! The vacuum clogged again. You said you fixed it." Giant shoes clomped into the distance.

General DB let out his breath in a long sigh. His fluffy middle sagged away from the wall.

"Are we dead, sir?"

"No, I think we survived, thanks to the sacrifice of the Ferrous One. May his bravery serve to inspire our warriors for generations to come. Let's see who's left." General DB rolled forward.

The bristled mouth of the monster stirred. General DB froze, cat hair dripping from his underside. The monster coughed, a wheezing gasp that spat out the jagged shape of the Ferrous One.

"You've grown," General DB observed as the feral dust creature approached.

"Lots of materials to implement in the belly of the beast." The Ferrous One smoothed his staple smile. "I want payment, General. I lost more than a few of my paperclips in defeating the beast."

"Of course, certainly. Right away." General DB nudged his aide.

"Just drop it through the grate." The Ferrous One paused at the lip of the heating duct. "I have a long memory and I don't forgive easily."

General DB nodded. "We shall not forget, sir."

The heating duct rattled at the passage of the Ferrous One.

"Sir? Where shall I put these?" The aide dropped a dozen bent paperclips to the floor. "Nasty metal bits, all pokey and hard."

"Just drop them down the grate, man. And be grateful that's all he's asked for in payment."

Paperclips rattled as they slid through the vent into the underworld.

Thursday Recipe - BBQ Beef Short Ribs

2011-07-29T08:56:00.000-07:00

This is one of those no-brainer recipes. But don't let simplicity fool you. The meat comes out tender and juicy and flavorful. It's a great dinner for a lazy summer day. They'll think you slaved over a hot BBQ pit all day to produce these. Here's the recipe. My version. The way it really happened.

BBQ Beef Short Ribs

Open the fridge to look for something to cook for dinner. Find a package of boneless beef short ribs bought on sale a while back and recently thawed. Find a couple of containers of leftover spaghetti sauce. Close fridge because the rest of the leftovers need thrown away. Stare at the packages for a minute, thinking. Dump beef ribs into small crockpot. Move to bigger crockpot because they look too crowded. Dump leftover spaghetti sauce over the top, cover and leave on high. Tell daughter to do dishes stacked in the sinks. Endure teenager glare. Do dishes yourself. Ask other kids to please vacuum the dog hair and lint balls off the carpet. End up doing it yourself. Lay down on the couch and watch a couple of shows. Remember you put beef ribs in the crockpot. Debate about whether they have enough seasonings or not. Watch another show. Wonder why the kitchen smells like spaghetti. Remember the ribs. Wander into the kitchen, decide to sweep the floor because the crumbs keep sticking to your feet. Praise the dog for helping clean up the crumbs and licking the front of the oven clean. Check the ribs. Poke them with a fork. Wonder what else to do with them since they smell too much like tomato. Scrounge through the fridge again. Remove a half-empty bottle of BBQ sauce. Dump into the crockpot. Turn it to low since dinner isn't for another three hours. Take the dog for a walk. Fall asleep on the couch when you get back. Remember the ribs and dinner an hour after you planned on eating. Sniff ribs. Lick drool off chin. Find some leftover bean salad and corn bread to serve with the BBQ ribs that are now falling apart tender. Don't call the kids to dinner until after you have savored your food in peace. Ask son to do dishes. An hour later, do the dishes because it's easier than getting him to do it. Check crockpot for leftovers. Nothing left but sauce. That's a winner.

The Recipe for those who don't want to do it my way, which is just fine and probably better anyway

1.5 lbs boneless beef short ribs
1 c. thick Italian spaghetti sauce
1 c. barbecue sauce

Put beef ribs in small crockpot, they should fill it about 2/3 full. Pour spaghetti sauce over the top. Cover and cook on high for about three hours. Add barbecue sauce. Turn heat to low. Cover and cook an additional 3-4 hours. Serve with your favorite sides.

Author Interview - Heidi Ruby Miller

2011-07-25T11:45:00.000-07:00

Please join me in a big welcome to author Heidi Ruby Miller.

How can we find you?

Website: http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com

Blogs: http://heidirubymiller.blogspot.com

http://manygenres.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/heidirubymiller

http://www.facebook.com/heidirubymillerauthor

Twitter: @heidirubymiller

What do you currently have in print and where can we find them?

AMBASADORA

Amazon (e-Book)– http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZR9WOY

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/55171

MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/dp/0938467085

B 'n N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/many-genres-one-craft-michael-arnzen/1100760927?ean=9780938467083&itm=1&usri=many%2bgenres

SAILS AND SORCERY

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Sails-Sorcery-Tales-Nautical-Fantasy/dp/0971360898/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311248071&sr=1-1

Fantasist Enterprises - http://www.fantasistent.com/books/anthologies/sails.html

The books sound great. I'll add them to my TBR mountain. What genre do you write?

SF Romance, Fantasy, Thrillers

Do you have cats or other pets?

One cat named Francesca "Puddahs" Miller

What inspires your stories?

Traveling, dreaming—both at night and during the bright hours of day, other people's good stories

What events do you have coming up?

ConfluencePittsburgh, PA - July 22 - 24, 2011

Western Maryland Publishing FestivalFrostburg, MD - October 15, 2011

West Virginia Book FestivalCharleston, WV - October 22 - 23, 2011

Ligonier Inn Writing Workshop Ligonier, PA - November 5, 2011

How do you like your romance, sweet or spicy?

Spicy and toasty!

What is your current WIP?

I have the follow-up to AMBASADORA, titled FRAGGER, which is nearing first draft completion. Those who have read the first book in the series will guess FRAGGER has a slightly more Sean-focused storyline. I'm also writing two novellas in the Ambasadora-verse, both focused on the sensual side of specific characters' relationships. The first one AMBASADORA SENSUALS: DAVID AND MARI will show how these two secondary characters from the original novel become a couple and follows part of their courtship. It will be released in August 2011.

Do you write to music or not? If so, what type of music inspires you the most?

I almost always listen to music while I write--bands and artists like Linkin Park, Rise Against, System of a Down, Lady Gaga, Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Who are your favorite characters?

I always fall in love with the characters about whom I'm writing at the time, so presently David Anlow and Boston Maribu (aka Mari) are front and center in my mind as I finish revisions on their spicy and toasty novella, especially David because he's like the perfect Alpha Male. But, Sean Cryer and Sara Mendoza from the original AMBASADORA novel will always be in my heart because they suffered so much and needed one another so badly. They are the perfect tragic couple, but with a happy ending!

What hobbies do you have that you want to share?

Traveling, yoga, and reading

Did you always want to be an author?

My high school yearbook lists my career ambition as a romance novelist!

Congratulations on fulfilling your high school dream. I wanted to be a computer programmer and electronics nerd. Never happened. What are your favorite movies so far this year?

Suckerpunch, Hanna, Fast Five, Pirates of the Caribbean—seeing Harry Potter soon so I'm betting it will go on this list and eagerly awaiting Cowboys and Aliens!

books: I am obsessed with Jacquelyn Frank's Nightwalkers and The Three Worlds series right now.

Heidi also shared a recipe with me based on her novella - look for it next month and try this tasty recipe.

RECIPE:

Drunken Chai with Koley's Reserve

(from Heidi Ruby Miller's novella Ambasadora Sensuals: David and Mari)

1. Brew a cup of chai tea.

2. Add a splash of milk or cream liquor.

3. Add a shot of bourbon, preferably Woodford Reserve since Koley Reserve only comes from the Koley Mountains on the planet of Yurai.

4. Sweeten to taste.

5. Stir.

Thanks for stopping by. It was great to meet you and learn a bit more about you here.

Why I Adopted a Dog

2011-07-18T12:23:00.001-07:00

I am not a dog person. My attitude was "Dogs are fine, as long as they belong to someone else." Two months ago, I adopted a dog. I had to talk my husband, the one who's been begging for a dog for years, into doing it. I had to convince most of my children that we needed a dog. Me, the one who didn't like dogs.

For years, we've been cat people. Cats require very little maintenance. Feed them a couple times a day, empty the litter box once or twice a week, and pet them if they ask for it. You can leave them alone all day and they don't care. Cats are the perfect pets. They require less work than houseplants.

But my son was allergic to cats. We assured the allergist that when the cats died, which should be soon since we'd never had one live more than five years and these two were almost six, we wouldn't replace them. That was twelve years ago. One of them died last spring from a stroke at the ripe age of sixteen. The other one shows no sign of dying anytime soon although at seventeen he's slowed down a bit. My son has learned to deal with his allergies, which have lessened a lot over the years.

Buddy, the stuffed gorilla, feeding Clyde, the toothless ancient cat

So we were down to one ancient, toothless cat. We'd decided when he died, we were done with pets. Then things happened to change my mind.

I met a wonderful couple with an autism service dog at a convention in Seattle. He was a tiny little thing, very cute, and very friendly. They spent time with me, answering my questions about the dog and his role. I have four children on the spectrum and two others with related disorders. I'd never heard of an autism service dog and had no idea how it could help my children. As we talked, I realized our cats had been filling that role. The dog's purpose was to initiate social interaction and serve as a focal point. He also served as a sensory stimulus when needed. Petting a dog is an acceptable way to get the physical sensory input some autistic people need to calm down. There were other things the dog did, but those two were the main needs my children needed filled. Our ancient cat wasn't doing his job anymore.

Wookie

A week after that convention, my middle daughter brought home her new boyfriend, an eighty pound chow-lab mix. He's a very well-behaved, sweet dog. She and her dog spent a week with us before moving out. During that week, my other kids became attached to Wookie. My youngest daughter, the only neurotypical one out of the eight, cried when he left. My ten-year-old with extreme sensory issues actually petted the dog, surprising all of us. Wookie didn't reek of dog, like most of the dogs I'd ever had contact with. He taught me that I could live with a dog, if it were the right one.

I wrestled with the idea for another week, then spent the week after that talking it over with my husband. His reluctance to adopt a dog surprised me. I thought he'd be ecstatic that I'd finally given in. I convinced him to just go to the shelter and look with me. To think about adopting a dog.

The shelter was noisy, full of tiny kittens and barking dogs of all shapes and sizes. I didn't want a large dog or a noisy one or a hyperactive one. I needed a calm dog who wouldn't be in my face. I changed my mind about living with a dog, but I'm still not a dog lover. We looked at a golden lab who was more interested in running away and sniffing floor drains than interacting with us. Not the right one. We pulled another out of the kennel. He promptly peed on the floor. Not a good sign. Most of the ones barked as we passed. I lingered over a tiny chihuahua who sat very quiet in his pen. Too small, my husband decided. He didn't want a little dog. The retriever was too large and hairy and jumped on my husband, not a dog for us. My husband tried a shitzu who wound the leash around and between his legs. Cute dog, but much to licky. Dog spit was what triggered reactions and eczema in my kids. We needed one that didn't slobber. We tried dog after dog and none were right. I decided we could wait another week or two. Or maybe I'd been wrong about dogs. Or right, depending on how you looked at it.

Sasha, shortly after we brought her home

Then a small black lab mix caught my eye. She was quiet with a sad expression in her brown eyes. She was the right size, not a big dog but definitely not a small lap dog. She came quietly when we put her on a leash. She showed little interest in floor drains or peeing on the floor. She put her head on my leg and just asked to be petted. This was a dog I could live with.

We brought Sasha home two months ago. Yes, she barks sometimes. But she's a mostly polite, sweet natured, and obedient dog. She wants to please. She loves attention and people. My kids, some of them anyway, love her. She's pulling them out of their video games and on walks. She's teaching them to throw balls since she dearly loves to fetch. She keeps my youngest daughter safe from nightmares. She loves long hikes with my son-in-law. She's exactly what we needed.

Most of us. My son with the extreme sensory issues claims to hate her and won't touch her, but I have caught him playing with her when he thinks I'm not looking. We adopted a cat for him and my oldest son.

Chunkalicious Rex, King of Lardbutt

So instead of one ancient cat and then no pets, we now have two cats and a dog. Make that two dogs. Wookie and my daughter have moved back home. I'm still not a dog person, but I'm getting there.

Thursday Recipe - Pie Crust

2011-07-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

My daughter requested I post my pie crust recipe. Flaky crust isn't that hard to achieve. It does take some practice and a light touch, though. My favorite pie crust is smashed graham crackers mixed with a bit of sugar and enough butter to make it stick together. Easy, simple, tastes great, but doesn't work for fruit pies.

For those worried about carbs, why are you eating pie in the first place?!?!?! I make my pies with just a top crust anymore because I don't like soggy bottom crust. This way I get the tasty fruit and the flaky crust and it's a lot easier with no soggy bottom to worry about.

Give this a try sometime when you have that bowl of fruit begging to be turned into a tasty pie.

Flaky Pie Crust (makes one 8-9" crust)

1/4 c. shortening
3 T. softened butter
1/2 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1 c. flour
2 - 4 T. ice cold water

Mix flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in shortening and butter until it looks like cornmeal or fine bread crumbs. Take your time on this, it's part of the secret to a great crust. Once you've worked in the fats, sprinkle the water over one Tablespoonful at a time. Stir very lightly, just enough to wet the flour. Be careful not to add too much water, you want enough to wet all the flour but not enough to make it soggy. The less you handle the dough at this point, the flakier the crust will be.

Set it aside while you make the filling and put it in the pie tin. Preheat the oven to 400°.

Gather the crust together. Squeeze gently until all the dry bits are mixed in. Roll out between two pieces of waxed paper. Be gentle with the rolling pin. Work the dough as little as you can get away with.

Put the crust over the top of the filling. Press it to the edge of the pie pan and trim off any excess. Cut a few slits in the top to let the steam out. Make it as decorative as you like.

Bake at 400° for 50-65 minutes, depending on the type of fruit filling you use. For rhubarb, see this post. Let the pie cool for about 15 minutes before digging in.

You can bake the scraps for a yummy treat. Line them up in a pie tin and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400° for about 15 minutes, until just golden brown.

Tips for Reading or Presenting

2011-07-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Readings are a performance. The whole purpose is to engage the audience with your writing and get them to want to read more of your work. A flat, dull reading of even the most exciting story will do the exact opposite. These tips are the result of over twenty years working as a teacher and presenter and my flair as a natural ham and storyteller.

1. Think of it as storytelling instead of reading. Pick an exciting scene, whatever scene you love most, then add the drama. If you love what you read, the audience picks up on your excitement and enthusiasm.

2. Enunciation is your friend. Practice speaking in over-exaggerated pronunciation. Open your mouth as wide as you can. Twist your lips over every consonant. Speak like those English supervillains in the movies who linger over every sound that drips from their lips.

At work the other day, a group of the volunteers and I were discussing an upcoming scene in the story we were telling, just to make sure we knew what we were supposed to accomplish with our crew. (If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go here and read about my day job. It's interactive storytelling taken to a whole new level.) The name of the scene was "Snacks with Mad Dog". The staff member speaking was a teenager and mumbled his words. It sounded like "Sex with Mad Dog", a completely different scene than the one we were planning and one that would get us all fired and involved in all sorts of complicated lawsuits.

Speak clearly and save yourself from unintended embarrassment.

3. Slooooow dooooooown. When nervous, we tend to rush our words. Everything speeds up. Speaking too quickly makes it difficult for your audience to follow along, especially when hearing something new, which your story should be. Speak twice as slow as you think you should and it will be about the right speed for your audience.

4. Project your voice. Theater and singing background really help here. Being mom to eight kids also helps. I can bellow with the best of them. Many people swallow their words, especially when nervous. Projecting your voice means sending it to every corner of the room. Stand up, if you can. Practice good posture- shoulders back and relaxed, back straight, head up. Don't look down at your paper, lift it so you can read comfortably while still keeping your head up. Good posture aligns everything so you get good breaths and good support from your diaphragm and stomach muscles. Your voice automatically gets louder without shouting. Remember that volume comes from your chest and belly, not your throat. Support your voice.

5. Using a microphone can be tricky. Yes, it makes your voice louder, but it requires different techniques than projecting your voice. Don't be afraid of it. Get close but don't touch it with your lips. Watch explosive consonants like p, b, and s. You have to throttle back on those enunciations or your audience gets blasted with microphone explosions. Don't shout, either. Let the microphone do the amplifying. Practice is important if you have never used a microphone before. Find one and practice until you are comfortable with it.

6. Watch out for verbal stutters. Words like "um", "uh", "like", "okay", etc., all break the rhythm of your presentation. People notice although the speaker rarely does. Record yourself reading and presenting then play it back. It's highly embarrassing but very educational. Once you are aware of your stutters, you can work on eliminating them. This is less of a problem with a reading, but it can still happen.

7. Relax and have fun. Practice the bit you are going to read until you know it inside out, upside down, and backwards. You don't want to stumble over words or lose your place. You want a smooth, polished performance. Practice enunciating each word. Practice varying your pitch and expression. Ham it up a bit. Pretend you're a movie announcer or narrator. Make your work come alive through your voice. The audience will respond and want more. If you're having fun, the audience will have fun and isn't that the point of doing a reading?

Good luck!

Thursday Recipe - On Saturday! Smoothies

2011-07-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a wild week. Lady Fortuna has paid me a very unwelcome visit, not once, twice, or thrice, but multiple times this week. Sorry the post is late. I had it all written and everything, but disaster struck and now I'm finally posting it only two days late. One of these days I'll figure out how to schedule posts so it doesn't happen anymore.

Summer means lots of hot weather. I don't want to cook. My kids want cold treats. I want them to eat something other than sugar. Most of them can't eat dairy. So what's healthy, fast, cold, and a treat? Smoothies.

We recently empowered my 8yo and 10yo by teaching them how to run the blender and make their own smoothies. Below are some of their favorite combinations. Feel free to play with the recipes and try out your own combination. All you need is a blender, some fruit, and your imagination.

Smoothies

1 c. fresh fruit
2 c. frozen fruit
2 c. juice or rice milk (or other non-dairy milk or use dairy if you want)

Dump everything in the blender. Run on high until it's smooth and creamy. Add more liquid if needed. Makes about 1 quart.

Some variations to get you started:

PB&J - 2 c. strawberries, 1/3 c. peanut butter, 2 T. strawberry jam, 2 c. rice milk, 1/4 c. chocolate drink mix powder (optional)

Banana Surprise - 1 really ripe banana, 1/4 c. peanut butter, 1/3 c. chocolate chips, 2 c. rice milk, 1 c. ice cubes. Blend everything but ice cubes. Add them one at a time until the shake is smooth and creamy.

Tropical Fruit - 1 13 oz can tropical fruit salad (do not drain), 1 c. orange juice, 1/2 c. crushed pineapple with juice, 2 T. shredded coconut, 1 c. ice cubes. Dump everything in the blender and run until smooth.

Strawberry Banana - 2 really ripe bananas, 2 c. frozen strawberries, 2 c. rice milk, 1 t. vanilla

Berry Smooth - 1 c. frozen blueberries, 1 c. frozen strawberries, 1 c. mixed berries, 1 really ripe banana, 2 c. apple juice

Just Peachy - 2 c. fresh peaches, 1 c. apple juice, 2 c. ice cubes, pinch of nutmeg

Pina Colada - 2 c. pineapple, 1 c. pineapple juice (or use one 18 oz can pineapple in place of both), 1 c. lowfat coconut milk, 1 t. rum flavoring, 2 c. ice

Mint Julep - 2 c. strong lemonade, 2 c. ice cubes, 2 fresh mint leaves, 1 c. lemon lime soda. Blend lemonade, ice, and mint leaves until smooth. Stir in soda. Garnish with more mint.

Berry Blueness - 1 packet blue punch mix, 1 c. sugar, 2 c. water, 2 c. mixed berries, 1 c. ice, 1 t. lemon juice. Mix punch mix, sugar, and water. Stir until sugar dissolves. Pour into blender with the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Things I've Been Meaning to Do

2011-07-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

I ran across Lazy Mom's blog a while back. She's hysterical. You should go check out her blog. I sometimes kick myself that I didn't write her blog. She and I have a lot in common. Her challenge today was to write a list of things you've been meaning to do. So, here's mine:

1. Find the camera cord so I can download all those pictures I've been saving up on the camera.

2. Post pictures on my blog. Wait, gotta do #1 before I can do #2. (Somehow that doesn't quite sound right.)

3. Clean up the nuclear disaster zone in my sewing room. I'd post a picture but I'd have to put a warning label on it. And, oh yeah, I can't find the camera cord.

4. Clean off my desk, again, and the coffee table that has become my desk because my desk is full, and the end table that doubles as my other desk.

5. Condemn all the rooms in my house. Or get my kids to start doing chores again. Anyone have a remote control car I can mount a cattle prod on?

Why don't I just do the chores? I'm lazy. And I'm supposed to be working on my computer. I should write a review for Plants vs. Zombies and Zombie Farm and Age of Empires and Sudoku so I can justify the time I spend playing them. Wait, that requires real work.

6. Get my son to bale the front yard. It's deep enough we could sell it for cattle feed.

7. Weed the flower beds. I think it was 2008 the last time I did that one.

8. Get my kids to change their sheets. It's been at least a month. I need to buy industrial strength disinfectant to wash them in.

9. Wash windows. Last time that happened was 1997. I paid someone to wash them for me. No one has offered to since. But we're also a Mac house. We don't do Windows.

10. Kill the wasps under my neighbor's mailbox. It's right next to mine. That involves spray cans of chemicals. I think I even know where they are. Shouldn't take more than five minutes. But then I'd have to get off the couch, put my shoes on, find the wasp spray, go outside and spray them. Too much work there.

11. Condemn my husband's office and work area in the garage. Who needs fifty pounds of rusty, bent nails? He inherited them from his grandpa. I think there's a sentimental attachment.

12. Write three or four short stories that have deadlines coming up really fast. I've been meaning to do that. I've got them all plotted out and everything. I'll do that right after I watch another rerun of NCIS.

13. Cook lunch. This one I can do. Give me just a minute while I surf over to the pizza delivery website...

14. Read more of Lazy Mom's blog. I feel so much better about myself when I do.

Thursday Recipe - Bladder Bug Pods and Alien Larvae Paste

2011-06-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell the same. If I call normal food dishes by weird and unusual names, it still tastes fine. Except for the psychological bit of your brain that is grossed out by the sicko description.

I've been at work for the last four days, serving food and washing dishes and cleaning the cafeteria. I have to have my fun somewhere. My boss challenged me at the beginning of the summer to create weird alien food to serve to the campers. Not as a main dish but as a side. So far I've served:

Targ Litter Cake (aka Kitty Litter Cake) - Delicious crumbled cake and pudding with just enough crushed oreos to make it look authentic and artistically shaped tootsie rolls. Use your imagination. The kids loved it.

Eyeball jello - Peach jello with lychee and blueberry "eyes". I posted the recipe a while back.

Bajoran Fruit Salad - Lots of fresh fruit topped with fresh figs. If you want to serve a really weird looking fruit that most people haven't eaten before, find some fresh figs.

Alien Larvae Paste - aka Hummus. My boss had never tasted hummus before. He is now in love with a new food. Most of the staff had never tasted it either. I was surprised by how many campers knew what it was and liked it. Healthy and nutritious, it's a staple at my house. (I thought I'd posted the recipe. I'll have to do that here.)

Bladder Bug Pods - aka Hot Dogs. I serve BallPark all beef franks. I'm not a fan of hot dogs, but these I like, especially smothered with sauerkraut and mustard. Yep, I'm serving sauerkraut. Exposing kids to new foods.

I also serve them sausage sandwiches with PROVOLONE cheese. It isn't cheddar. Most kids have never tasted cheese other than cheddar. Sad. Very sad. Maybe I'll bring down my wonderfully funky smelling blue cheese for the next camp. Call it alien foot fungus or something disgusting like that.

Try something new. Branch out. Try a new spice or a new vegetable or fruit. I like to play the game "stump the checker" at the grocery store. I find the weirdest produce I can and see if the checker knows what it is. Those little stickers with the codes are taking the fun out of the game, though. I buy the stuff because I like it and I know how to cook it. The one vegetable I refuse to ever touch is a Jerusalem artichoke. Ick. And canned peas, but those aren't even food. Everything else is free game. Just for fun, go to an oriental market and check out their produce. I found the most delicious melons there a few summers ago. Weird looking, but so sweet.

And since it's recipe Thursday, here's my recipe for basic hummus.

Hummus

1 18 oz can garbanzo beans
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 T. sesame seeds
2 t. oil, optional

Open the beans. Don't drain them. Dump everything in a blender and run it until you have a smooth paste. Scoop into a covered container and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Serve with chips or crackers.

Things to stir in: (Just don't add them all at the same time)
1 t. dried parsley
1 t. dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano) or 2 T. fresh
1 t. dried rosemary
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. cayenne powder
2 T. finely minced onion
2 T. finely minced pimento peppers
2 T. finely minced sun-dried tomatoes
3 T. pine nuts (add to the blender)
2 T. chopped fresh mint
1 t. curry powder
1 T. rice vinegar

You can add pretty much any seasonings from Italy, Greece, Persia, Israel, any middle Eastern country, clear over to India.

Writing a Serial Story

2011-06-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

For the last few years I've been playing with a serial blog story. It's just for fun, Star Trek fanfic sort of, based on a character I play at work. Read it here, if you want. It's a different exercise than writing a short story or novel. Those I plan out. I know what's going to happen and where the story is going. With a serial story, I make it up as I go along. I have no idea where the story is going to end when I start writing. Each week or so, I sit down and write another episode. I guess it's like writing a tv show, but I wouldn't know. I only watch those, I've never written one.

For those who like to write by the seat-of-their-pants, this process will sound very familiar. From what I understand, those authors make it up as they go. I respect them for that. It's a tough process when you give yourself that much freedom. I write from a loose outline, nothing too specific, except for my serial story. That is truly seat-of-my-pants.

It's a weird feeling and more than a little scary to write an episode at a time and post it before you write the next one. What if the writing isn't polished? What if I made mistakes? What if I change my mind and want to rewrite to take the story in a new direction? What if it isn't any good? What if no one reads it? Wait, that last one is a good thing. Sort of.

So why do we write stories if not to share? And what's more fun than sharing that scary but exciting first exploration draft? Serial stories can be lots of fun to write and read. You have a new chapter every week, if the author sticks to a schedule (sorry, I don't do that very well with my story. I post as I write which can be very hit and miss but the first two stories are up and story #3 is started). Writing them is usually done just for fun. There is no real plotting or planning, at least the way I'm writing. The story is free to wander wherever it wants. Scary, but exciting. The story and characters can take surprising twists. For those who believe that the author is in charge and decides everything, you've never really written stories. The characters come alive and do things different than the author may want. The story may wriggle itself in brand new directions. Ideas rise from your meta-consciousness like the kraken from the deep, mysterious and unexplained.

Do you write a serial blog? Post a link and share! For those of you who've never read one, go try one.
Adrian Stevens, Quartermaster

Thursday Recipe - Seafood Salad

2011-06-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and the temperatures are finally feeling like summer. Time for cold salads and picnics and lots of chilling in front of the AC. Most of my favorite summer dishes are simple like this one:

Watermelon

Buy a big watermelon that sounds hollow when you thump it. Chop it up and serve it. Refrigerate it if you like it cold.

Or this one:

Berries

Buy some really nice looking berries. Wash them and serve them nice and cold.

My kids nibble of fresh fruits and veggies all summer. Most need nothing fancier than ranch dressing or maybe some snort (whipped topping in a can). I really don't cook that much in the summer. This salad was what we served for dinner tonight. Quick and easy and tasty.

Seafood Salad

1 12 oz package of Krab meat, or crab meat if you're rich or live on the coast
1/4 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped small
1/3 c. red bell pepper, chopped
2/3 c. mayonnaise
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1 t. paprika
salt to taste

Use a fork to break the krab meat into small pieces. Mix everything together. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve with crackers or rolls.

Author Interview - Marva Dasef

2011-06-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Today I welcome author Marva Dasef to the Far Edge of Normal.

Bio: Marva Dasef is a writer living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and a fat white cat. Retired from thirty-five years in the software industry, she has now turned her energies to writing fiction and finds it a much more satisfying occupation. Marva has published more than forty stories in a number of on-line and print magazines, with her stories included in several Best of anthologies. She has eight published books.

She can be found at the following sites:

Website: http://marvadasef.com/
Blog: http://mgddasef.blogspot.com/
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/MarvaDasef?ref=profile
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Gurina

You can find all of my published work on Amazon and Smashwords.

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B002BM4DM6
Smashwords Author Page: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/mgdasef

Current Titles:
The Tales of Abu Nuwas: Featured Book
Tales of a Texas Boy
Quest for the Simurgh
Eagle Quest
Ultimate Duty
First Duty (the short YA version of Ultimate Duty)
Mixed Bag
Mixed Bag II

Coming from MuseItUp Publishing: http://tinyurl.com/MIU-MarvaDasef
Missing, Assumed Dead, July 2011 – Mystery/suspense set in Eastern Oregon
    Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDa0LT7EhZg
The Witches of Galdorheim Series
    Bad Spelling, October 2011
    Midnight Oil, January 2012
    Scotch Broom, April 2012

Interview

Q: What genres do you write?

A: As you can see from my titles list, I write just about everything. In my short story anthologies, “Mixed Bag” and “Mixed Bag II,” I have fantasy, science fiction, horror, humor, romance, alternate history, children, and literary fiction.

The only thing I do not write is erotica, although I have some pretty adult stories, especially in the horror genre. My science fiction romance/space opera, “Ultimate Duty,” has some hot sex scenes, but doesn’t classify as erotica. I originally wrote the book as a YA science fiction under the title “First Duty.” It was published by a very small publisher in 2008. When I got back my rights, I published it independently. Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring along my very cool cover. The publisher, Sam’s Dot Publishing, still has copies of “First Duty” and one other of my books, “The Seven Adventures of Cadida.”

Q: What inspires your stories?

A: News articles, internet research, dreams, or titles just coming into my head wanting to have a book written for them. For example, the first book in my upcoming YA fantasy series developed from the title “Bad Spelling.” Something brought that to my mind, and I had to write a book to go with it. It was too good a title to pass up.

Q: What is your current WIP?

A: Alas, I’ve been too busy publicizing my recent releases, I haven’t done much writing. I have an outline for another book in the Witches of Galdorheim series, and I hope to get back to work on that after the release of my mystery/suspense book, “Missing, Assumed Dead.”

Q: Did you always want to be an author? Who inspired you?

A: It depends on what you mean by author. I spent many years writing technical documentation with only a few fiction stories which I never submitted for publication at the time.

When I retired from my job with the State of Oregon, I hauled out those stories and worked them over. I was fortunate to get some quick sales and I became an author in the sense of a writer of fictional works.

I only wrote short stories for a long time. I swore I just didn’t have any long works in me. However, in 2007, I decided to try Nanowrimo, the November month-long novel writing event. I wrote the required 50K words to ‛win’. That showed me I could write longer works. That book was heavily edited down to the 25K “Eagle Quest.” Everything else followed from that.

Q: What characters are your favorites from your books?

A: Rune from the Witches of Galdorheim series is my favorite. He’s also the favorite of many of my beta readers. He’s the half-brother of the main character, Kat, the girl witch who can’t cast a spell. Rune happens to be a very talented spell caster, despite the fact he’s two years younger. He goes along with Kat on her search for her mundane family. He’s a great protector for his spell-less sister, but has a somewhat cocky but charming attitude. Did I mention he’s half vampire? That’s his inner demon he has to tame.

Q: If you could meet one historical person for dinner, who would it be and why?

A: Leonardo DaVinci. I suspect he was an alien. What else explains all those impossible (at the time) inventions and his general brilliance.

Q: If you could travel anywhere on Earth, where would you want to go? If you could travel anywhere, fictional or real, where would you go?

A: While my hubs and I plan on a Grand European Tour in the next couple of years, we won’t get to everywhere. If I had the money and time, I’d go to Australia and New Zealand. Both as real and fictional destinations.

Q: If you could time travel, what is one event you would want to see in person, either future or past?

A: Not only would I want to see this event, I would kill to participate in the first spaceship to leave the Solar System for another star. I know it will be a heckuva long trip, but it’d be worth it. In the shorter term, I’d love to take at least an orbital flight.

Q: What's your favorite color? Food? Reading spot?

A: Color: Green, and I’m not even Irish.
Food: Pizza, but I shouldn’t ever eat it. Way too much fat. Still, crispy pepperoni, melty cheese...yum!
Reading spot: In bed, all propped up with pillows with my Kindle in hand.

My Giveaway of the Day is “The Tales of Abu Nuwas,” a MG/YA fantasy in the tradition of 1001 Arabian Nights. Find it at Smashwords (https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/35634) and use coupon code VY32L at checkout (good until 6/30/2011).

Blurb:
Abu Nuwas sits in the bazaar telling stories to the passersby he can tempt to pay. When Najda, a poor girl, offers him a packet of spice for a story, Abu Nuwas launches into a tale about a girl named Setara and her genie. As did Scheherazade, he leaves the girl hanging in the middle of each yarn to keep her coming back for more. While relating the fantastical accounts, Abu Nuwas learns more of the spice girl's life, then finds a way to save her from a forced marriage and find a better life.

The teller of tales relates the adventures of a girl and her genie as they encounter the creatures of legend and folklore: a lonely cave demon seeking a home; a flying, fire-breathing horse who has lost his mate; a dragon searching for his family; an evil genie hunting for the man who bottled him; and a merboy cast out of his undersea kingdom.

Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vhzWTXsqtU

Excerpt:

Setara slumped to the cave floor. What, she wondered, could these superstitious tribesmen think was a mountain demon? Cloistered she may be, but she was well educated and did not believe in demons. These were old men’s tales to frighten children. It made no difference, really. Dead was dead, whether by a demon’s talons or a mountain cat’s fangs.

She smacked her head against the rock wall and realized she had dozed off. How stupid of me. I’m waiting here for something to eat me and I take a nap! She edged toward the entrance, kicking herself mentally. Why hadn’t she simply tried to push the bushes aside and get out?

She found the answer in the inch-long thorns on the shrubs, tied down so she couldn’t move them. When she had pushed on them with her tied hands, she got a gash for her effort. Now, the mountain cats would smell blood, and it would be all over.

Backing away from the thorns, she pushed her body into the wall. At least she could face the lions when they came.

A loud crash, followed by a slither of loose gravel sounded no more than twenty feet from where she crouched. Setara pressed herself harder into the cave wall, closed her eyes tight and clenched her teeth.

Her eyes and mouth popped open simultaneously at what she heard next.

“Why can’t they clean up these blasted caves?” a deep voice rumbled.

Suddenly, a torch flared, and Setara could see the source of the voice. An eight-foot tall figure loomed in the light. A turbaned head nearly touched the now visible cave roof. Setara gaped at the man. Or was it a man? While his features were man-like, the three-inch fangs, sharp talons, and beastly snout belied his humanity. Dressed in the old style, with ballooning trousers tied at the ankles, a brocaded vest opened to reveal a broad, hairless chest.

The creature held up the torch, which Setara could now see was a flame jetting from his upraised index finger. The monster glanced around until his gaze rested on Setara.

“Ah, a bargain made, goods delivered.” A deep voice chuckled sounding like the beat of a drum. Huh huh huh. “Good evening, my dear. Please, come out into the light. Nothing to be afraid of, I assure you.”

Despite his words, she did not feel reassured. She could only whimper as she continued to try to melt into the stone wall. This was the demon! How could such a thing be? Demons and ogres were only legends and fairy tales, yet here one stood before her. In the flesh, so to speak.

The demon grinned, a most disconcerting grin, exposing his fangs to their full length. “Come, come, my little lady, don’t be afraid. I’m not an ogre, you know.” The beast’s fangs and nose shrank back to a more normal size.

“You . . . you’re a demon,” Setara barely whispered.

“A what? Oh, good heavens, what kind of nonsense have they been filling your head with? I most certainly am not a demon. Why, the very idea! Any fool can see that I’m a genie. You know, a djinn.”

“If you’re a djinn, where is your lamp?” Setara managed to ask.

“Lamp? Oh, that was just Aladdin’s genie, Shairan. Most of us don’t hang around in lamps. Old Shairan was tricked into that one. Evil as the devil, but not too bright, I’m afraid.”

Thanks for joining me, Marva. It's been fun getting to know you.

Thursday Recipe - Hogwarts Cherry Tarts

2011-06-15T16:25:00.000-07:00

Just in case someone calls about it, I'm not affiliated in any way with JK Rowling or her book series. I just liked the idea of creating a mini-Hogwarts university course for my children. I've been posting recipes for the last few weeks from this. These cherry tarts are the last I've got for this particular theme. They are luscious and rich and creamy and I really really REALLY want some right now but I don't want to make them even though they are easy. I'm just that lazy today.

Hogwarts Cherry Tarts

4 c. powdered sugar
2 c. cookie crumbs (vanilla wafers or chocolate sandwich cookies, smashed and smooshed into crumbs)
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 c. milk
1/3 c. cream cheese
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. almond extract
1/2 c. candied cherries, cut up

Mix 2 c. powdered sugar, cookie crumbs, and cocoa. Sprinkle milk over and stir just until it holds together. Press crust mixture into paper lined miniature muffin pans, it should make about 24. Beat cream cheese with vanilla and almond extract. Gradually add the other 2 c. of powdered sugar. Beat well. Stir in cherries. Spoon into the shells. Chill until firm.

What Really Matters in a Story

2011-06-13T12:37:00.000-07:00

I've been involved in too many discussions over the last months, mostly with other authors. One question I've never resolved to my satisfaction is, "What matters in a story? What do the readers want?"

Authors will tell you that point of view matters. Sentence structure is very important. Grammar is necessary. Rhythm and pacing are important. Character, setting, and plot and all sorts of other technical aspects matter. And they're right. All of it is necessary. Good writing is the foundation and structure where you hang your story. If the writing is flawed, it's harder to create a strong story.

But one aspect I think gets lost in the discussion is that the main thing readers want is a story. They want characters they care about to take action and resolve problems. They want a story to carry them away. Most people read to escape. They don't care if a book is technically flawless. They care if the characters are likeable, if the story is entertaining.

Authors love to pick apart other books especially best selling books, pointing fingers at the flaws, at the terrible prose and weak descriptions and wandering dialogue. Readers don't seem to care about the technical flaws. If they did, the books wouldn't sell like they do. The authors wouldn't have rabid fans mobbing them.

So what do readers really want in a book? Am I completely off base in my assumptions? Do typos make you quit reading or can you overlook them if the story is good enough?

Here's the incentive to participate in the discussion: If I have more than twenty people commenting on this post in the next week or so, I'll pick a random commenter to win their choice of one of the books I've got on my shelf - Nexus Point (my SF adventure novel), Rotting Tales (a collection of mostly silly zombie stories), Wretched Moments Anthology (celebrate those moments no one wants to ever remember), How the West was Wicked Anthology (weird western horror stories), or Leather, Denim, & Silver: Legends of the Monster Hunter Anthology.

Comment away and tell me what you as a reader look for in a book.

Thursday Recipe - Hagrid's Thumbprints

2011-06-08T18:54:00.000-07:00

Continuing on with Hogwarts, this is a fun cookie. It is rich, decadent, and looks much more difficult than it is. If you like pecan sandies and caramel filling, this is the cookie for you. I named them Hagrid's Thumbprints because you need a really big thumb to make the hole big enough to hold the filling.

Hagrid's Thumbprints

1 c. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
2 c. flour
1/2 c. chopped nuts, pecans preferred
1 T. vanilla

Cream butter and sugar. Blend in vanilla. Add flour and nuts. Stir just until mixed. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Press thumb into each cookies to make a hole for the filling. The hole shrinks a bit when cooking so make sure you make it large enough without pushing through the bottom. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Cool.

Filling:
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
dash of salt
1/4 c. evaporated milk, NOT sweetened condensed milk
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and salt. Bring to a boil. Boil and stir for two minutes. Remove from heat and stir in milk. Bring back to a boil; boil and stir for another two minutes. Remove from heat. Cool for 15 minutes. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Fill each cookie with about 1 t. of filling. Let cool and set up for at least one hour.

Basket of Book Reviews

2011-06-07T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here's another sampling of book reviews. I'm trying to catch up on what I've read but time keeps escaping. I think we all deal with that. Kids, jobs, family, yard work- everything conspires to interfere with my reading and writing time. If a book doesn't catch my attention and keep it, I don't finish it. I used to finish everything I started reading, but not anymore. Maybe I'm pickier, maybe I just have a lot less free time to spend with mediocre books. The ones I review are ones I read, finished, and enjoyed. They may not be great literature, but they were fun to read. So, for what it's worth, here's my opinion. Disclaimer - nobody paid me or asked me to review or read these books. I read them because I wanted to.

And I include links to Amazon product pages because it's the easiest way to find things, not because I love Amazon. Well, I do, mostly. You can usually find whatever you need there.

Moth in Darkness, Frances Pauli
http://www.amazon.com/Moth-Darkness-Frances-Pauli/dp/1594263744/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307468436&sr=1-1

The boundaries between the worlds have fallen. Forced to integrate the creatures of fantasy into real life, humanity struggles against its disillusionment, prejudice and an inevitable feeling of inadequacy. Once an agent for the embassy that mediates between the worlds, Elizabeth Larson has abandoned her past and slipped into a world of nostalgic addiction to fairy revels, dancing, and the dark lure of her own memories. But when Lockland Sheen, her former partner and lover, goes missing, she is pulled reluctantly back into service. She must venture once more across the borders, into the land that haunts her, facing a string of gruesome murders, the imposing Sidhe rulers and her own addiction in the process. While the Embassy's agents attempt to soothe tensions between the races, Liz and her new partner search the fairy realm for Lockland. Fighting the constant temptation of the revels, they piece together the trail of an unknown enemy. But the longer they follow it, the more it appears that the man they came to rescue is more villain than victim. And the more they rely on Elizabeth's ties to the fairies, the closer she inches toward the madness that lurks behind her fantasies.

I loved this book. I can't wait for the sequel. It isn't light and happy dancing fairies and kittens. It's dark urban fantasy. The fey are alien, but still human in so many ways. They present themselves as perfect, but they're flawed. Elizabeth retreats into the revels as a way to escape the truth she discovered. Just go read it. It's a great book.

Five stars, PG-13 for violence and adult topics (addiction mostly)

Birth of the Firebringer, Meredith Ann Pierce
http://www.amazon.com/Birth-Firebringer-Meredith-Ann-Pierce/dp/0142500534/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1307468996&sr=1-1

Jan, the prince of the unicorns, is high-spirited, reckless-and the despair of his mighty father, Korr. Reluctantly, Korr allows Jan to accompany the other initiate warriors on a pilgrimage. Soon Jan's curiosity leads him, along with his friend Dagg, and their mentor, the female warrior Tek, into the greatest dangers-deadly gryphons, sly pans, wyverns, pards, and renegade unicorns. Yet time after time they are rescued, leading Jan to wonder: Am I the heir to a special destiny?

This is a kids' book. I rolled my eyes at the idea of talking unicorns and a whole unicorn culture. But I found myself intrigued enough to keep reading. The story is a bit predictable, full of angsty growing up scenes and angry teenager scenes, but there are enough twists and turns that I kept reading. The world is interesting. I was a bit bothered by unicorns being the only good creatures, all others are evil, but the author hints that it is the limited view of one tribe of unicorns that are bigoted. Jan learns that not everything he has been taught is true. Renegade unicorns aren't the evil his tribe believes.

Four stars, PG for mild violence

Ribbonwork, The Complete Guide; Helen Gibb
http://www.amazon.com/Ribbonwork-Complete-Guide-Technique-Trimmings/dp/0873497503/ref=tmm_other_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1307469446&sr=1-1

Ribbonwork comes to life in this appealing guide, featuring 5 beautiful projects to craft for heirlooms or gifts. Materials overviews, a "Ribbon Length Guide", easy-to-follow directions and an inspirational gallery are included.

I sat through a panel on early 20th century ribbonwork at Norwescon. The idea fascinated me. This book is the one most highly recommended for beginners. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Helen Gibb starts with simple flowers and moves into progressively more difficult techniques. I haven't started creating ribbon flowers yet, but it's on my list of new hobbies. I just need more hours in a day.

Five stars, G with a warning that the pictures are so pretty that you'll want to rush out and get some ribbon and make your own ribbon flowers.

Soapmaking the Natural Way, Rebecca Ittner
http://www.amazon.com/Soapmaking-Natural-Way-Melt-Pour/dp/1600596010/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307469919&sr=1-1

Here's where simple techniques meet 100% natural soaps that please the eye, the nose, and the environment!
Made with the safe and simple melt-and-pour method, these projects feature a delicious range of eco-friendly and animal-free ingredients-from oatmeal and lavender to honeysuckle and clay. The ins-and-outs of soap bases, colorants, and essential oils all received detailed attention.
Soapmaking the Natural Way is an affordable, informative, and inspiring resource.

Yet another hobby I want to explore. The book presents lots of really fun looking soaps that use melt and pour glycerin bases. Since most of my family has sensitive skin and lots of allergies, I would love to make soaps that smell good but won't irritate their skin. Glycerin soaps can be hard to find in the store. I'm planning on making several of these for my own family and to use as gifts.

Five stars, G with another warning that hobbies can be addictive

Thursday Recipe - Transformation Dough, aka PlayDough

2011-06-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

Continuing the Harry Potter theme (and apologies for missing posts the last couple of weeks), this is one of the best recipes I've ever discovered. It tastes horrible, but that isn't the point. If you have small children, they love to play with messy icky stuff like Playdough, the real stuff. With this recipe, you know exactly what's going into it, so if they do eat it, you know it's safe. It's also cheap and easy to make. Colored or not, the dough cleans up better than the commercial stuff.

This recipe came from a cookbook I inherited from my mom. It's been around since the 1970s and I can't remember the name or anything else. But I still have this recipe.

Transformation Dough (AKA play dough)

1 c. flour
1/4 c. salt
2 T. cream of tartar
1 c. water
1 t. food coloring, optional
1 T. oil

Measure everything into a 2 quart saucepan. Stir it together. It looks like a mess but trust me, it is supposed to at this point. Cook over medium heat until the mess consolidates into a ball and looks a bit rubbery. Dump it out and let it cool until you can handle it without burning your hands. Knead it until it's smooth and pliable.

Store in a ziploc baggie or air tight container. It will keep for months. When it gets crusty or grows fuzzy bits, toss it and make another batch or three.

Lessons Learned at ConDuit

2011-05-30T12:18:00.000-07:00

ConDuit is an annual science-fiction/fantasy/horror convention in Salt Lake City. It's not a huge con. But the quality of guests and attendees is incredible. And the friendliness is unbelievable. Maybe it's because I'm local and I know most of these people. Maybe it's just Utah grows positive attitudes in its SF/F/Horror community. Either way, I had a fabulous weekend.

We took our horde with us this year. I was a bit nervous. My kids have never been to a con. I wasn't sure how they'd react. They had a blast. Even the 8yo and 10yo were happy and busy all weekend. The hotel bill was a bit steep, but 8 people in a nice hotel for a weekend eating in the restaurant isn't cheap no matter how you slice it. Every one of my kids wants to go back. Kudos to the committee and gaming people for keeping ConDuit very family friendly and inclusive. And a huge thank you to my hubby who ran the track for the kids. He had some great panels and demonstrations lined up. The kids at the con loved it.

I loved seeing all my friends from past years and meeting new ones. ConDuit has great regulars who come and hang out. The authors who come are very accessible and willing to share advice and stories with us newbies who haven't been authors for that long. The artists who come are just as much fun to talk with. I'm not sure about the gaming gurus because I don't hang out in that end of the con much. Not enough time to do it all or I would. I'd start naming names but I'm afraid if I miss someone they might think I don't like them anymore. Which isn't true. I love seeing these people. I miss the ones who didn't make it this year.

This year, I got to see a Nebula award up close and personal. It's awesome. I want one for my award shelf. Congratulations to Eric James Stone for winning it. They couldn't have awarded it to a nicer person. If you haven't read his stories, you really should. He oozes talent. And most of them are funny.

If you've never been to a convention and you like science fiction, fantasy, superheroes, horror, or just like having a good time, check out ConDuit. Come join us next Memorial Day weekend. The costumes are fun, the conversations intriguing, and the people very friendly. It's a great place to discover new authors and stories to read, new artists to decorate your walls, and make new friends.

Sorry, no pictures. I keep forgetting I own a camera. But if you search for ConDuit Convention, I'm sure lots of other people have posted pics.

Genre Differences

2011-05-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

I promised this essay two weeks ago. That was before the flu and a whole lot of hairy deadlines. I've put a lot of thought into this topic. After Nexus Point came out in 2009, I struggled with defining what genre it fit in. Science fiction, yes, obviously. Maybe not. The only spaceship happens in chapter one, where it blows up, and the last couple of chapters. The whole middle of the book takes place on a low-tech world. So what sub-genre did it fit in?

There's also romance in the book. Does that make it Romance? Science Fiction Romance? I've spent time hanging out with Science Fiction Romance authors trying to decide if I fit in their genre.

Romance, of any subgenre, is a very different kind of writing. It's hard to describe because the differences are subtle. It has to do with where the emphasis is in the story, how characters are introduced and described, word choice, and sentence structure. Read enough romance novels and you can understand what I mean. Compare them with straight science fiction, murder mystery (not romance mystery), or fantasy. The fundamental structure is different. Romance puts the relationship, whether physical or emotional, at the forefront. Nothing else takes precedence over the romance.

Nexus Point is not Romance. Romantic, yes, a little, but not Romance. The story structure is wrong for a romance. Romance readers tell me it feels off. They like it, yes, the story is good, the characters are great, but the story itself is just not right. They're expecting the book to be structured and built like a Romance. Those who like science fiction tell me my story is fluff. It's not hard science fiction, it's not about the Great Idea or Science. They like it, but it's not "serious". It's too much romance, not enough science fiction.

If you look at readers of Romance, they are overwhelmingly women of all ages. Readers of science fiction, especially the hard stuff, tend to be men who don't like romance in their books. Look at the classic SF - characters are mainly men. Women are mostly decoration or set dressing. The audiences for these two genres are very different.

Is it possible to mix Romance and Science Fiction? Sure. Lots of authors do it. But who is your audience? Not hard core Romance readers, unless you write Romance with a few rockets and aliens and even then, most Romance readers won't pick up an SF book. Not hard core SF fans. No matter how good your rocket ships and aliens are, the heart of the story is a romance.

After much soul searching, deconstruction of genre, and lurking on websites, I've come to the conclusion that I write Space Opera. It's like summer beach reads for science fiction readers. Lots of action, lots of adventure, a touch of romance. Yeah, it's fluff, but entertaining fluff. So whatever genre you read, step out of your comfort zone this summer and try some space opera.

Nexus Point can be purchased from lots of online sites in many formats, including print. Check www.nexuspoint.info for a full list.

Thursday Recipe - Wizard Corn

2011-05-19T13:17:00.000-07:00

Another recipe from my Hogwarts mini-course. This is my favorite candy popcorn recipe. Have fun playing with flavorings and colors. Theme it for whatever holiday you want to celebrate. For Christmas, I like to make three big batches, yellow with rum, red with peppermint, and green with almond. After they set up, break the popcorn apart and mix all three in a bag to make a festive present.

Wizard Corn

8 quarts air-popped unseasoned popcorn
1 c. butter
1/2 c. corn syrup
2 c. sugar
1/8 t. salt
1 t. extract or flavoring or 1/4 t. oil flavoring
food coloring as desired

Melt the butter in a 2 or 3 quart saucepan. Stir in corn syrup, sugar, and salt. Cook to just past soft ball stage. (A little bit dripped into a bowl of ice cold water should form a soft ball that's just a bit chewy. It's just over 220° F.) Remove from heat. Stir in flavorings and colorings. Pour over popcorn. Stir gently until evenly coated. Spread out onto waxed paper to cool. Break into chunks and store in a loosely covered container.

Some of my favorite flavors are rum, peppermint, almond, anise, coconut, cinnamon (oil only), and vanilla. Fruit flavors will also work. The oil flavorings can be a lot stronger than the regular extracts, so if in doubt, add less. You can always use more next time if the flavor isn't strong enough.

For a fun eggnog flavor, add 1/2 t. rum extract, 1 t. vanilla, and 1/2 t. ground nutmeg to the syrup just before pouring over the popcorn.

For a fun experiment, instead of extract and colorings, add a packet of unsweetened Koolaid drink mix to the syrup. Flavor and color all in one.

You can also stir in fun things like marshmallows, red hot candies, gumdrops, M&M's, nuts, coconut, or whatever else catches your fancy. Just add them to the popcorn before you add the syrup. Be careful with chocolate candies. They may melt from the heat. You can always press them on top of the popcorn before it's cool.

Thursday Recipe - Chocolate Frogs

2011-05-13T14:01:00.000-07:00

Today's recipe comes from a miserable failure of an activity. I thought since my kids were going to be home for two weeks over Christmas, I would set up a mini-Hogwarts school. They were big into Harry Potter at the time. I had all these great ideas for activities and cool things to do. The only parts that worked were making fancy wands out of pencils and cooking up the fun recipes I found.

These cookies are the big, soft chocolate cookies with powdered sugar. I usually call them Plate Tectonics Cookies, because they look like the big plates shifting around on the earth. It's a sneaky way to reinforce science concepts. Cookies lend themselves so well to teaching geology concepts. I should market an entire basic geology course mixed with a cookie baking course.

Chocolate Frogs were a hit with my kids. They still are.

Chocolate Frogs

2 c. sugar
2/3 c. oil
3/4 c. cocoa
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
2 c. flour
3/4 c. powdered sugar

Mix sugar, oil, and cocoa. Beat in eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Stir in flour just until cookies are mixed. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 350°. Scoop dough into balls. Roll in powdered sugar and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes until set. Cool before eating.

The dog ate my essay. Cross my heart.

2011-05-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

I had a great post all planned on the differences between Romance and Other Genres. It's still waiting for me to write it. The weekend turned into a lot more work than I planned.

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Two weeks ago, my 18yo daughter brought home a giant hairball of a dog. Wookie is a chow-lab mix, as close as we can figure. He has a calm, sweet personality with a big stubborn streak. He also doesn't smell much like a dog. He's the perfect pet for my daughter. I'm not a dog person. I've never been one. Wookie convinced me that there are dogs I can live with. So, when she moved to another city last Saturday, I was prepared to get our family a dog.

Friday, we took our two youngest to the animal shelter to look at dogs. My 10yo son threw a massive fit. He did NOT want a dog in our house. He hates dogs. He tolerates them when we're housesitting, but he did not want one to move in permanently. He got overruled. We found the sweetest little black lab. Sasha is very quiet, polite, and gentle. She's the perfect dog for us.

The 10yo got so upset, he stole all the pillows off my bed and hid them. He threw a tantrum of massive proportions, at least for him. After a long discussion, we agreed that he could have the cat he fell in love with at the shelter if he would tolerate the dog. We now have a massive cat named Chunkalicious Rex. The picture does not do justice to the size of this beast. He's a big pansy, though, very friendly and sweet.

Saturday afternoon I spent mediating between the kids, the dog, Chunkalicious, and our geriatric toothless cat who's been in our house for over 15 years. It was quite the day. So nothing I planned for the weekend actually happened. I'm sure you wanted to know all that. Next week, I'll write that article about writing romance versus writing science fiction. Promise. Unless something else explodes in my life.

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Thursday Recipe - I got nothing. Whatchagot?

2011-05-05T22:31:00.000-07:00

It's been very hectic the last few weeks. I'm plum out of ideas and it's an hour away from midnight and my self-imposed blogging schedule is about to die. So...

What do you feel like cooking tonight? Nothing? Same here. In fact, I came *this close* to just ordering pizza online and having it delivered. Except I have a couple of children that can't eat pizza. Food allergies. So we ate leftovers. Again. Problem is, the leftovers are getting old and the ones that are left are the ones that weren't that great in the first place.

It must be time to make that wonderful standby Whatchagot Stew. There are several variations of this soup.

Variation #1:
Open the fridge. Remove any leftover cooked meat; beef roast is the best but any meat will do in a pinch. If you have leftover gravy, it's happy dance time.
Dig through the back recesses looking for leftover cooked veggies. Canned beans of any sort, cooked carrots, leftover potatoes of any variety as long as they're cooked, etc.
See if you have half an onion. (BONUS: If you know why I'm laughing over the half-an-onion quote, give yourself a pat on the back. If you have no idea why half an onion is funny, go read Terry Pratchett's Monstrous Regiment.)
Root through the drawers to see if there are any raw veggies that would go in soup. Don't overlook spinach, chard, or kale.

Now the fun part happens. Cut the meat and cooked veggies into soup size chunks, if they aren't already. Chop up any raw veggies you have along with the half an onion. Sauté the onion in a tablespoon of butter until soft. Add any raw veggies that need cooking. Add enough water to cover. Simmer until the veggies are tender. Add in the meat and cooked veggies and any gravy you have around. Stir to mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you didn't have gravy, add some boullion, chicken flavor is the best because it goes with any meat. Cover and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, until it boils for at least a couple of minutes. Taste again and add more seasonings if needed. Serve with plenty of croutons or garlic bread.

The only thing you need to watch with this soup is that your flavors are at least mostly compatible. Try leftover ham with carrots, potatoes, and green beans or chopped kale. Beef goes with just about everything. Chicken is a little more picky, so choose milder flavored veggies to go with it. Cucumber just doesn't work in soup. Fresh zucchini goes with everything. Don't be afraid to experiment. They're leftovers. You were going to chuck them anyway, weren't you? If it taste horrid, the pizza place is only a few mouse clicks away.

Variation #2
Stone Soup is a fun story. Short version: A guy enters a village. He's starving but no one is willing to share. He sets up a big pot in the center of town, adds water and a big stone. He tells everyone he's making stone soup and it's wonderful. Curious neighbors offer him vegetables/meat/seasonings to add to the soup after he suggests that "___" would really make it better. Villagers and hungry guy end up with a big pot of soup, everyone loves it, he leaves them his magic stone, life is groovy.

Try stone soup at a party sometime. Everyone brings something to add to the stew, whatever they want, no planning ahead here. Mix everything together and let it cook. We ended up with potato and onion soup once, because that's all anyone brought. Another time we had a real wild soup with canned tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, shrimp, and an assortment of other vegetables including corn, green beans, carrots, and chard. Different but tasty.

The trick with this soup if you do it out of your own pantry is to collect all those odds and ends that aren't enough to do anything with; like the stray potato and that one old carrot and the handful of green beans and that freezer-burned steak or that handful of wilted veggies from the dip tray you had at a party three days earlier. If you have enough odds and ends, you end up with a large pot of stew that is never quite the same.

Variation #3
Minestrone is Italian for whatchagot stew. So open the fridge and the pantry and see what 'cha got. Here's a basic recipe, in case you've never made minestrone before.

Necessary ingredients:
1 big can spaghetti sauce
1 medium can tomatoes, whatever variety you have
1 c. dry pasta, whatever is lying around in your cupboards
1 can beans, kidney or pinto preferred, but any bean type will work
1/2 lb hamburger, browned and drained
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 t. dried garlic or garlic powder or use 4 cloves fresh, smashed and chopped
1 t. dried oregano or 2 T. fresh
1 t. dried basil or 2 T. fresh, chopped
2 c. water

Necessary but not particular
2 c. green vegetables - green beans, zucchini, celery, bell pepper, peas, lima beans, or all of them, mix and match to your heart's content
2 c. other vegetables - yellow squash, carrots, eggplant, mushrooms, kale, cabbage, daikon, turnips, potatoes, whatever you've got lying around that needs used

To start: Chop everything into bite size bits. Separate things into three groups: Those that need cooked like raw meat or carrots or potatoes, those that cook very fast like zucchini or mushrooms or daikon or cabbage, and those that are canned or frozen and just need heated like the canned beans or the frozen peas.

Brown the hamburger with the onion and any other vegetable you usually sauté such as fresh garlic, celery, or bell pepper. Don't have hamburger? Use sausage or leftover beef roast or pork chops or anything except fish. Chicken will work in a pinch, but I prefer beef. Make sure it's cooked, or cook it now.

In a large pot, mix the spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, pasta (if it's a sturdy variety like elbow noodles or rotini), and water. Add any veggies that need longer cooking time like raw carrots, potatoes, or turnips. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or so, until the veggies are mostly done. Stir in the meat mixture, spices, and the fast cooking foods (delicate pasta like angel hair can be added here). Cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add anything else that just needs heated. If you add spinach, use raw and add it very last. Cook for another 5 minutes until it's hot through. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If the soup is too thick, add more water to thin it out.

Garnish the soup with parmesan cheese, croutons, garlic toast, crackers, whatever you got that would go with the soup.

That's the basics of whatchagot cooking.

Book Review - mixed bag of ebooks

2011-05-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

First off, some of these were given to me free by the authors. Others I found for free. A few I bought. None of these were acquired for the purpose of reviewing. I got them because they sounded like good reads. And they were, or I wouldn't be reviewing them. My whole reason for reviewing books is to share books I enjoyed with you. It's all my opinion, of course.

Rebel Spurs, by Andre Norton

No rockets, no aliens, no magic, no alternate reality, Rebel Spurs is the story of Drew Rennie after the American Civil War. He drifts west, looking for a place to belong and a future. His belongings include two beautiful horses and a letter proving who he is. His father, that he's never met, owns a spread in Arizona beset by Apache raiders, a band of rogue Confederate troops, and a wild stallion that kills his rivals.

With a few broad strokes of her pen, Andre Norton paints a vivid landscape of the American Southwest in the 1860s. She has a gift of words that shines in this novel. Action and suspicion and betrayal, all great themes of any good story, all are present in Rebel Spurs as Drew wrestles with his future and whether to reveal his identity to his father.

This is the sequel to Ride Proud, Rebel. I didn't realize it until I'd already gotten involved in the story. I'm halfway through Ride Proud and enjoying it just as much. I'm not one for westerns, but these are Andre Norton westerns. I love her stories, her characters, everything about these books. I found both free for download through Stanza on my iPod.

Rating: 5 stars (yeah, I'm a fan girl), G (no swearing, some mild violence, great story)

The Watchers from Within Moments, by Mark Paul Jacobs
Smashwords, $0.99 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/12501
Short story (10k words)
Jim Vedder, chief engineer at California’s FastTech Corporation, has developed the world’s fastest camera. But exploring the bizarre universe of the super fast, soon uncovers horrific entities that captivate the world’s consciousness. And FastTech is quickly, and somewhat unwillingly drawn into a quagmire of politics, fate, and the unforgiving press.

Creepy and shivery, this story left me huddled under the blankets. If you like sunshine and happy flower stories, don't read this one. If you want something to leave you thinking and wondering what is really between moments of reality, and you don't mind being scared and a bit depressed by the ending, read this story. Mark is one of my friends I ran into on BestsellerBound, a great forum for writers and readers and anyone who enjoys discussing writing and reading. He has a gift for twisting words into stories and leaving images in my head. Well worth the ninety-nine cents.

I reviewed his short story, Incident at Walter's Creek, not long ago. Fun scary story, too, although lighter in tone than this one.

Rating: 4 stars, PG for mild language and disturbing images

Tears for Hesh, by Michael Radcliffe
Smashwords, $0.99 https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/32308
Short Story (3250 words)

Set in the world of The Guardian's Apprentice, this is the story of Hesh, a young man who works for a conniving, power-hungry wizard who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Hesh is a gentle giant, towering above others, but soft spoken and afflicted with a stammer when he gets nervous. Sent on an errand for his master, he uncovers a terrible secret and must face the consequences.

Okay, another creepy one but with a different tone than the other two. This one deals with magic and a ruthless wizard who will keep his secrets no matter the cost--to others. I enjoyed the story enough that I am going to have to buy The Guardian's Apprentice, the novel that explains more about the world and the wizards. Michael is another friend from BestsellerBound. You really should check them out here: http://quietfurybooks.com/messageboard/index.php

Rating: 4.5 stars, PG for mild language and creepy wizards

Sui Generis, by Sharon E. Cathcart
Smashwords, FREE https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15991

Author Sharon E. Cathcart ("In The Eye of The Beholder," "Les Pensees Dangereuses") presents a sampler of essays and short fiction. The collection features "Heart of Stone," a short story never previously published.

The first part of this collection are several essays written by Sharon. She expresses her opinions beautifully. Though I may not agree with her political or moral stance, I appreciate her viewpoint and her clarity of vision. She writes without rancor or hatred, a voice of love and tolerance that is needed in our world. If we could all discuss things as she does, we would not have the outrage and anger that marks so many of our political "debates". Even when we don't agree, we can show respect for each other.

The second half of her collection are short stories. I love Heart of Stone. The second story is just as romantic but a lot more cynical in tone.

Try Sharon's writings. You won't regret the time spent with her. And yes, you can find her on BestsellerBound, too.

Rating: 4.5 stars, PG for adult themes

Thursday Recipe - Mud Pie

2011-04-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

Remember those summer days when you made mud in the backyard and patted it into pies? We got gourmet in my yard. Some of the dirt would make dark black mud. The sandier stuff made lighter mud pies. We mixed and twisted and patted and shaped and made lots of messes. Ah, to be a child again when mud under my nails was perfectly acceptable.

I'm watching another snowstorm moving in and wishing for spring to stay for more than an afternoon. Our weather tends to switch from freezing to roasting in just a few days. The sweet warmth of spring lasts for only a breath. Then it's mud pie season again.

This recipe is a fun one. Mix it up, switch it around, add what you and your family like. It's a cool and creamy dessert or snack perfect for those lazy summer days that are just around the corner.

So hose off your children and serve some up.

Mud Pie

2 large boxes of instant pudding mix, the 6 serving size
4 c. milk
2 c. smashed cookies, oreos or ginger snaps or vanilla wafers or whatever crunchy cookie you like
Assorted add-ins - gummy worms, chocolate rocks, jelly beans, marshmallows, nuts, chocolate chips, chopped candy bars or mint patties, toasted coconut
Assorted garnishes - gumdrop flowers, colored or toasted coconut, extra cookie crumbs or bits, teddy grahams, gummy bugs

Mix the pudding with the milk. Whisk until smooth and starting to thicken, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add the cookies and up to 1 c. of add-ins. Stir gently just to fold in. Scoop into serving dishes or a big serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to one day. Garnish as desired and serve.

Suggestions:
Chocolate pudding, oreos, chocolate chips, nuts, and marshmallows for cookies'n'cream rocky road special. Garnish with teddy grahams.
Vanilla pudding, ginger snaps, and coconut. Top with chopped pecans, toasted coconut, or smashed pecan sandies.
Chocolate pudding, grasshopper cookies, chopped mint patties, and chocolate chips. Top with spearmint leaves and junior mint candies.
Butterscotch pudding, vanilla wafers, butterscotch chips, mini marshmallows, and chopped butterfingers. Top with gummy bugs or gumdrop flowers.

And the traditional mud pie: Chocolate pudding, oreos, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and enough gummy worms to make it look like dirt. Make flowers by rolling gumdrops flat for petals and leaves. Scoop pudding into ice cream cones. Sprinkle extra oreos on top to look like potting soil. Garnish with gumdrop flowers and an extra gummy worm.

Enjoy!

A Day Late...

2011-04-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

But not a dollar short. Not yet, anyway.

I spent last weekend at Norwescon, a great SF/F convention in Seattle. I'm just now digging out from under the mound of stuff that backed up while I was gone. So my blog post is a day late. (And no pictures because I misplaced my camera before I left. Urg.)

Last year, I wrote a convention etiquette guide for various groups after I returned from a con, groups like zombies, vampires, and fairies. This year I think I'll take a different twist and maybe post something more useful, like why attend cons and what to do when you're there.

Why attend a con? It costs money to get in, money for the hotel room, money for travel, money for food, lots of money. It takes time away from work and family. It can be nerve-wracking if you're an introvert or hate large crowds. The people can be very weird, especially at an SF/F convention. Those are all reasons not to go. But those same weird people are fun and very interesting to talk to. The money really isn't that much for most cons and there are ways to reduce the bill by sharing with friends. The crowds can get to be a bit much, but it's only for a few days. Norwescon had well over a thousand people attending. But even with that number, there were enough different things to do that the congestion never really got too bad. If the crowds got too thick, I found somewhere else to hang for a while. I split my room with two friends, and we stayed up way too late talking and pretending we were on an extended slumber party. Yes, even middle-age grown-ups need to get in touch with their inner child at times.

Why go? To meet up with friends you don't see very often. To make new friends, sometimes with people you would never cross paths with in your normal life. To learn new things. The panels and presentations can be very entertaining and informative. I loved the panels on art aerobics (stretching your creative muscles in new and fun ways) and early 20th century ribbon work. I talked with people about costumes, writing, space travel, horror novels, needlework techniques, therapy dogs, children, books, and lots of other things.

A convention can renew your inner fire and spark new ideas. A convention can introduce you to new areas to explore in your writing or hobbies. A convention can connect you with new friends from all over.

A convention can also help readers find you and your books. I sold a few copies of my books and handed out a lot of bookmarks, but I wasn't there to be a pain-in-the-butt marketing idiot. I was there to relax and enjoy and stretch my mind. I was there to meet new friends and connect with old ones.

I was also there to escape from my job and my kids for a weekend, but that's another story. Norwescon was a much needed vacation from my normal routine.

If you haven't ever thought about attending a con, why not do some research and see what your area has to offer? SF/F cons are loads of fun, even for those who are only casual readers or costumers.

Thursday Recipe - Not-so-hot Wings

2011-04-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting in a motel in Seattle, waiting. I don't have access to my cookbooks-of-inspiration. I'm also freezing, but that's beside the point.

My 8yo daughter loves chicken wings. Not hot wings, though, which is all I seem to be able to find. She can't have wheat, so they have to be real bone-in wings with no breading. Nobody does those in any flavor but HOT, not the Wally's World deli, or Papa John's (which lets me buy online and get it delivered to my door, how convenient, but they have NOTHING on their menu she can eat besides super-spicy hot wings), or any other take-out joint that sells wings. So I started a hunt for wings in the grocery store figuring I can cook up my own batch. Strike out at the grocery stores. Score at Wally's. They're good for some things.

She was excited when I told her I'd cook her wings. It's been years since I fried chicken. I winged it. Ba-dum-dum-DING. Anyway, they turned out very tasty. She was very happy.

Not-so-hot Wings

1.5 lbs wing pieces, skin on and bones inside (They cook better and they have great flavor, and they're usually cheap. If you can find whole wings, you can chop them up yourself. Find the joints in the wing. Use a big sharp knife to chop the joints apart. Discard the wing end, the part with no meat. The other two pieces are a wingette and a drumette, cause this one is shaped like a little drumstick. Leave the skin on.)
Seasoned salt, about 1 T.
1/2 c. oil
1 c. barbecue sauce, your favorite brand and flavor, or make your own. I still haven't mastered that art.

Arrange chicken on a plate or in a pan or whatever. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Set aside. Heat oil in a heavy cast iron skillet over medium heat. You can use another type of skillet, but cast iron really does work the best. You want the oil hot enough to sizzle when you add the chicken, but not so hot it smokes. CAUTION: hot oil is HOT. It will spatter while you cook. If you have a large metal saucepan lid handy, you can cover the pan to reduce the amount of spattering. Don't use a glass lid. Not a good idea. I have a big stockpot lid that works great.

Add the chicken to the skillet. You may need to cook two batches. You don't want to crowd it. You want the oil to stay hot and sizzling to get a nice crispiness on the skin. Cover the pan and let it sizzle for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the chicken wings to the other side, cover and cook another 5 minutes or so. Remove the lid and check your chicken. If it's getting crusty, you may want to reduce the heat a bit. If it's still pale, cook it a little longer. It usually takes about 12-15 minutes to cook wingettes. Drumettes take a teensy bit longer because the meat tends to be thicker. If you want to test, take out one of the medium thick pieces and cut it down to the bone. The meat should no longer be pink inside.

Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oil and set it on a paper-towel lined plate to drain for just a couple of minutes. Put the chicken pieces in a bucket, I used a margarine tub (empty and clean, of course, we recycle at my house) and pour the BBQ sauce over the top. Use tongs or whatever you have to stir the pieces around until they are all coated. Let them sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Definitely finger licking time.

Monday Musings

2011-04-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

I was going to write a whole slew of reviews for ebooks I've read recently, but... (and it's a couple of biggies)...

First, I had a week off work. The mail piled up. I spent too much time clearing the desk again today. Then, my daughter needed my huge van to run a couple of errands. That's where the rest of my day went.

Second, my allergies were acting up so my head felt like someone was poking hot pokers up through my sinuses.

Third, My zombie farm needs my attention on my iPod so I can't check what books are on there that need reviews.

Fourth, I don't want to think. About anything. It is time for mind-numbing tv watching.

Fifth, I'd really rather write another chapter of my WIP.

Sixth, if I review these books, I just might get abducted by Zarkinoids from the Blemthul Nebula. They would throw me in a room in the starship and make me watch space as we travel FTL. Hey, it *could* happen. Somedays I wish it would.

Seventh, I still need to fix dinner and feed my horde of children who are apparently helpless, except when it comes to defeating the evil hordes that threaten MarioWorld or Hyperion (or wherever it is that Link lives). Or in running the tv remote.

Eighth, since I'm an author, I'm not supposed to review books anymore. And because I do it for the love, my opinion doesn't matter. I'm not a professional. The next person who tells me that is going to get a dangling participle shoved up where the sun don't shine. My reviews are my opinions. Take them or leave them. My taste in books may not be the same as yours. That's one reason why there are so many books out there in such a wide variety of styles, subjects, and genres. Yes, some of the authors I spotlight are my friends. Yes, some of the books I review are their books. Does that influence my review? Possibly. Does it matter? I still won't review, or even finish, a book I don't like no matter who wrote it, whether it's a self-pub friend's book or a NY bestseller list book. But then aren't all reviews a matter of opinion?

Ninth, I could do this all night. I'm a writer. I'm good at making stuff up. Except I still have to get dinner on the table.

Thursday Recipe - Goat Cheese Spread and To-Die-For Frosting

2011-04-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

(I was going to add pictures, but my daughter has my camera. By the time I get it back, I'll have to make everything from scratch all over again. Maybe pictures later, if I don't forget.)

It's spring break. I should be writing, but I need some time to play, too. I've been playing in the kitchen. These two recipes DO NOT go together. Ew. But both are awesome in their own way.

I promised my 7yo that I would share her cheese spread recipe. 7yo and goat cheese? Weird, yep. She's allergic to cow's milk in all its forms. She's learned to love goat cheese instead. Costco sells some good goat Chevre. My daughter loves their sushi, too, but that's another story. A while back, Costco had a cinnamon-cranberry goat Chevre on sale. My daughter fell in love with it. She keeps begging me to buy it, but it was a seasonal item. So we got creative and made our own version. She tells me it's much better. I have no idea because I found I'm allergic to goat milk. I've never tasted the spread, so you'll have to take her word for it.

The frosting was an experiment that turned out awesome, to quote my 15yo son. The cake, an outdated carrot cake mix, was pretty bleh, but the frosting turned out incredible. I thought about cream cheese frosting, but most of my kids are allergic to milk, not just the youngest. So I played and came up with this. It's kind of a caramel flavor, but not. It would work well on carrot cake, spice cake, yellow cake, or white cake; but not on chocolate cake.

Goat Cheese Spread

1/2 c. goat Chevre cheese, or other soft, mild cheese
2 T. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. allspice
pinch of cardamom
3 T. dried cranberries, chopped small
1/4 c. finely chopped nuts, optional (my daughter loves cashews, but pecans would work, too. Use the ones from a roasted and salted nut mix for best flavor.)

Mix sugar and spices together in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the cheese. Add the cranberries, then gently smush with a spoon until the mixture is mostly blended. Gentle is the key when working with goat milk or goat cheese. The more you handle it, the stronger the goat flavor gets. Don't use an electric mixer on this one. Just be patient and mash it around with a spoon. It doesn't have to be thoroughly mixed, just enough to swirl everything through the cheese. Put the mix into a tightly covered container and refrigerate for at least two hours to let the flavors blend. Serve it with breads, crackers, or sliced fruit.

Optional: Turn it into bite-size cheese balls. Scoop the cheese into rounded teaspoonfuls. Roll each ball in chopped nuts to coat. Set on a serving platter and serve immediately.

To-Die-For Frosting

1/2 c. real butter, don't use margarine in this one
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 T. mayonnaise
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. coconut extract
1/4 t. almond extract
3 - 4 c. powdered sugar
3 T. water

Stick the butter in the microwave to soften, but accidentally put it in too long so it comes out half-melted. Scrape it into your stand mixer bowl anyway and add the brown sugar. Cream it for at least three minutes to dissolve the brown sugar as much as possible. Add the mayonnaise and the extracts. Cream for another three minutes. It should be pale brown and very silky at this point. Add 2 c. of the powdered sugar and the water. Cream for, you guessed it, another three minutes. Add enough of the remaining powdered sugar to make a soft frosting. If you get it too stiff, add a little bit more water. Then, cream it again for at least a minute. Creaming the frosting makes it very soft and fluffy as well as dissolving the brown sugar to remove any grittiness.

Frost the cake of your choice, or spread the frosting on graham crackers and eat it immediately. Or just eat it with your fingers. It's that good.