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.
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Monday, August 8, 2011
Monday, February 8, 2010
Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
This recipe is sure to get your creative juices flowing. Digestive juices for certain. How about picking up a copy of my book to read while you wait for it to cook? Several times over, since my novel will take more than 30 minutes to read? http://www.nexuspoint.info
Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
1 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
2 1/2 c. really hot tap water
Heat oven to 350. Mix flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in mixing bowl. Add milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Spread in 9x13 cake pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and cocoa over the top. Pour water over everything. DO NOT MIX IN. It looks weird, but it will turn out. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Serve hot. Cake will be on top with hot fudge sauce underneath.
Really yummy with peppermint or strawberry ice cream.
Hot Fudge Sundae Cake
1 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
2 t. vanilla
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
2 1/2 c. really hot tap water
Heat oven to 350. Mix flours, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in mixing bowl. Add milk, oil, and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Spread in 9x13 cake pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and cocoa over the top. Pour water over everything. DO NOT MIX IN. It looks weird, but it will turn out. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Serve hot. Cake will be on top with hot fudge sauce underneath.
Really yummy with peppermint or strawberry ice cream.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Origin of Nexus Point
Nexus point - in math, the zero point of an equation, a beginning or point of origin.
So why name my novel that? It's the beginning of the series. The events that happen on Dadilan are the origin of the rest of the series. Some of them come back to haunt Dace with a vengeance. I don't want to say more lest I spoil future stories. Many of the characters in book one become important later in the series.
As far as the actual origin of the book, it wasn't the first. I started writing a novel, then realized it wasn't the beginning of Dace's story. So I went back and wrote the first novel, the beginning of her story. That was fifteen years ago. It's been a long journey to publication involving at least two major rewrites and countless editing sessions BEFORE I ever landed a publisher.
Teaser time - I'm almost through the initial edit of book two. How much should I say? More action, more villains, more friends, more Dace. And yes, Tayvis is involved. He's supposed to recruit Dace into the Patrol, but she has serious trouble of her own. I forgot how much fun I had writing this book.
Tentatively titled "Priestess of the Eggstone", book two won't be out for about a year. So buy a copy of book one and let Dace introduce herself and her story. For those of you hesitant to buy a series book one, each book is a complete story. Not entirely stand alone, but I promise not to drop you off a cliff then make you wait for a year to find out who survived.
So why name my novel that? It's the beginning of the series. The events that happen on Dadilan are the origin of the rest of the series. Some of them come back to haunt Dace with a vengeance. I don't want to say more lest I spoil future stories. Many of the characters in book one become important later in the series.
As far as the actual origin of the book, it wasn't the first. I started writing a novel, then realized it wasn't the beginning of Dace's story. So I went back and wrote the first novel, the beginning of her story. That was fifteen years ago. It's been a long journey to publication involving at least two major rewrites and countless editing sessions BEFORE I ever landed a publisher.
Teaser time - I'm almost through the initial edit of book two. How much should I say? More action, more villains, more friends, more Dace. And yes, Tayvis is involved. He's supposed to recruit Dace into the Patrol, but she has serious trouble of her own. I forgot how much fun I had writing this book.
Tentatively titled "Priestess of the Eggstone", book two won't be out for about a year. So buy a copy of book one and let Dace introduce herself and her story. For those of you hesitant to buy a series book one, each book is a complete story. Not entirely stand alone, but I promise not to drop you off a cliff then make you wait for a year to find out who survived.
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