Meet Nan D. Arnold

Who are your literary heros and why?

My reading is eclectic and I’ve enjoyed the exploits of many heroes, however, two stand out. Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy and Ian Fleming’s James Bond.

Tell us about your latest/upcoming release. What inspired it?

Coming out February 1st (from Champagne Books) is HITTING THE HIGH NOTES, a contemporary women’s fiction project with strong romantic elements. It’s about a nearly-fifty-year-old childless widow who meets by chance an opera star. His shenanigans bring a color-blind cop into her romantic sphere as well. Along the way she relearns life’s a song and though attracted to both men for different reasons, one wedges his way into her heart. She learns to hit her own high notes, too, and endeavors to do so from now on no matter what life throws at her.

Tell us five random things about yourself.

I bite my nails when nervous, can’t live without my daily Coke A Cola, love camels (the animal not the cigarette); hate summer (because of hurricanes); wish I could complete novels with the speed of Nora Roberts and the humor of Janet Evonovitch.

What type of writer are you—the one who experiences before writing, like Hemingway, or the one who mostly daydreams and fantasizes?

Easy one. With my ordinary life style, experience is out; so, mostly fantasy and daydreams inform my work.

From the moment you conceived the idea for the story, to the published book, how long did it take?

Two l-o-n-g years.


What is coming in 2010 from you?

Pesto Packin’ Mama, sequel to HITTING THE HIGH NOTES. It’s a contemporary romance with a secret baby twist and ties up all lose ends from the prequel.

When it comes to writing, are you an early bird, or a night owl?

Given those polar opposites, I’m a Goldy Locks writer. My most productive hours are between ten am and two pm. Good luck with that when life interferes. So, I squeeze in my quote whenever I can.

How was your experience in looking for a publisher? What words of advice would you offer those novice authors who are in search of one?

Answer to the first question; exasperating. I queried what seemed like a million agents and New York publishers to no avail except the occasional personal rejection, but without a revise and resubmit request. I subsequently submitted to e-publishers and HTHN found a home (at last) with Champagne Books. One of the problems was my work doesn’t fit neatly into any specific genre it straddles women’s fiction and romance. Champagne's editor had more leeway at the time and I'm glad she did! In answer to the second question; writing is not for the timid; thin-skinned, or indolent. Check out publisher's website and agent websites before submitting.

What book are you reading now?

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See and an old paperback I found in the “free” box outside my library. It's by Harold Robbins and Junius Podrug, The Devil To Pay. Can not put it down. But my step daughter couldn’t get into it. Just goes to show how diverse everyone’s tastes are. And how subjective editorial tastes in writing are.


Have you ever woken in the night with the need to write? If so, how do you deal with this urge?

Hmm, well writing has kept me up but not to the point of prying me out of bed and my sneaking off to the old PC. Instead, I prefer to toss and turn, curse my characters (silently, of course) and beg my subconscious to please get to work before I wake after a fitful few hours.

Where do you find ideas for stories?
Sometimes something I read in the newspaper will trigger an idea, or some visual prompt during the day will momentarily inspire me. I vow to keep a notebook handy to record all such notions but have procrastinated on that. Oh, dear, another New Year’s resolution blown.

Which is better: Beatles or Monkees?

Believe it or not, I was not (am not) a fan of either. Give me Simon & Garfunkle or Blondie.

Where can readers find you on the web?

http://nandarnold.com/

Read excerpts for HITTING THE HIGH NOTES in the BOOKS section of my website, http://nandarnold.com Here’s one for the impetuous.

Excerpt: from HITTING THE HIGH NOTES available FEB 1st 2010 from CHAMPAGNE BOOKS







Jupiter Beach was deserted as dusk fell. Competing with the rushing sound of the ocean was the blood rushing inside Maggie’s skull. Should she really be here with Lorenzo, as magnetic as his personality was.



As nervous as a lizard under the gaze of a stalking feline, Maggie said, “Tell me, Lorenzo, will I be no more than another conquest?”



The opera singer replied, “Not a conquest, a confection.”



Maggie coughed. “That’s all I am, a piece of…candy?”



“No, no. I meant a concession. We will enjoy a mutual granting of pleasure.”



He’d moved closer to answer and the words he’d whispered ignited fires within her. His tongue took little liberties, then larger ones. They kissed. A long, slow, exploration followed. His fingers expertly massaged her until she was wet, warm, and ready.



Problem was Bruce Herring’s visage intruded into Maggie’s fantasy zone. Why, now? She slowly pulled off her underpants as suggestively as possible before she fumbled with Lorenzo’s belt buckle, finally giving over to his more expert hands.



The big mount with Lorenzo was about to progress when another aggravating detour down memory lane interrupted: Bruce gently draping a blanket about her, leaving, and engaging the thumb lock on her front door after he did. Bruce possessed a give and take personality. Lorenzo merely took. Magnificently, but, he took.



Lorenzo offered her what? Sex. Okay, sizzling sex with an internationally known opera star. But. Was that all she wanted?



Wait,” she said.



“Wait?”



Confused, Maggie knew she was ready, willing, and waiting for an act of love, but with whom?

A Novel Romance 2010

More to come... but I have to go to bed... I'm pooped. :)

Head pieces, belt: Twigs & Honey
Models: Sarah Clements, Kathleen, Linda, and more names to come
Dresses: The English Dept.
Location: Ace Hotel
Flowers: Ink & Peat

The better half wearing a Pinkham Millinery custom fedora.
View more in my Flick folder HERE.

Meet Author Vicki Lynn

Can you tell us a little about how you started writing; was it something you have always wanted to do?

I never pictured myself as a writer. I have an art degree and pursued fine arts for years before I ever considered writing a story. It helped that I was an imaginative kid! In 2000 I wrote my first short story and the rest is history. I had a lot to learn and still do. But I hope I'm always improving on every story I write.

Who or what has been your biggest influence as a writer?

I would say my family since we've always been encouraged to read. My grandmother, Nonna Rose, took me and my sister to the library every couple of weeks to check out books. I have three sisters and they all are avid readers, and so is my mom. Even my dad who had worked all hours would pick up a book on occasion.

Your work is very popular with readers and reviewers; how does it feel to have such positive recognition for your work?

Wow, really? *blush* - ah, well, I've had my share of not so blissful reviews, too, but I love it when readers email me and let me know how much they enjoyed my books. It's my readers, not the reviews, that really make it all worth while.

What do you consider to be the key elements of a great story?

Characterization. I can forgive a lot about a story (plot, story line, pacing) if I fall in love with the characters.

Could you tell us a little about how you develop your characters? Who has been your favorite character to write? The most challenging?

I take the stereotype and try to tweak the personality and give the person a terrible decision to make, or fatal flaw he has to overcome. In Last Chance, Stuart Hamilton is the hunky dumb jock but is he?

With my M/M stories, my favorite character so far is Antoine Fortescue from The Tiger Within. I love his joy for life and his fear of living a lonely existence. And, well, I love a man with long hair and a slender build, deceptive in strength and intelligence. This is the shortest story I ever wrote for publication. It was challenge to develop a character with such a short word count. I was used to having 80K to 100K to fool around with!

My most difficult character is Ryan Adams. He's featured in Ryan's Harbor, a sequel to Blue Skye. Difficult because he's a womanizer and yet he falls for a man. Now, how to make that believable! He's sexually fluid but I know there are people who argue that you're either are attracted to men or women. I read a lot of yaoi, and this is a major theme - straight best friend succumbs to his not so straight best friend. LOL Well, Ryan's Harbor isn't like that, I promise. Although I love yaoi and all the ridiculous plots that are associated with this genre. *g*

Please tell us about the projects you are currently working on; what can readers expect to see in the coming months?

February 2 Loose Id is releasing Last Chance, my first M/M vampire romance. I am already writing the sequel, Second Chance. Aspen Mountain Press has just contracted my sequel to Blue Skye, Ryan's Harbor, and is slated for sometime this spring. It is a M/M contemporary romance set in Woodland Village. I also am plotting out a sequel to The Tiger Within that will feature Antoine and Jack and their enemy, Eidolon. This will continue the short story and will be longer than the first one, and hotter. I noticed the heat level of my books is increasing with every new release. And, lastly, I wrote a short free fic that is posted on my website. I received very favorable reviews from my readers who asked for more. This will be a M/M fantasy that involves a very uptight Commander and thieving bard with a shady past and a magical ring.

Where can readers find out what's new and how can they contact you?

A reader can join my Newsletter Yahoo Group or check my website for updates. I also have blog, twitter and Facebook accounts! It's wonder I find time to write. If you go to my website's main page, it's all there. Also, readers can email me at viki(@)vikilyn(.)com or viki.lyn.romance(@)gmail(.)com. http://www.vikilyn.com


Do you have a strict writing schedule? How do you balance your personal and writing time?

Heck no! I'm not at all disciplined when it comes to a schedule. I wish I were, then maybe I'd get more books published. I don't have an evil day job and that's a blessing. My personal life is full - spending time with family and friends. That's my favorite past time besides reading and watching movies. I also travel overseas at least every two years if I can. This year it's Japan.

What season is your favorite and why?

I love the fall season. I'm a native Northern Californian and the fall months were the best. Clean brisk air -- the leaves earthy reds and golds. I love wearing sweaters and jeans. Now I live in the desert and it's still a very nice time of year but more in the later months. The winters are outstanding.

What would we find on your bookcase if we looked? What is one of your favorite authors?

Oh boy, I'm a very eclectic reader! You'd see history books, art books, travel books, fiction, especially murder mysteries, reference books, New Age stuff, too. I don't have a favorite author, there's just too many good writers worth reading.


What was the last book you read (e or print) and did you like it?


Last night I stayed up and read The Long Way Home by Z.A. Maxfield and really enjoyed it. It's about a psychic ex-detective. He's called in to solve a case that is linked to his newfound friend's past. I don't want to give too much away!

What genre haven't you done yet but want to?

A murder mystery with romantic elements.

If you could meet any character of any book, who would it be and what would you do?

This is a difficult answer but I think Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. I would sit down and have a long talk with him over a pipe of Longbottom Leaf pipe tobacco as we discussed the state of the world.

Featured Book: Last Chance published by Loose Id. Release date: February 2, 2010


M/M vampire romance by Viki Lyn



Buy excerpt: http://www.loose-id.com



Excerpt:



Can a seriously smart almost-vampire find love with a seriously sexy jock bent on stripping him of his polo shirt and his secret?



“Hey, look out!”



Aric Christian looked up, but not fast enough.



Boink!



A bullet of pain shot between his eyebrows, and his hands flew to his head. He didn’t catch his fall; instead his body crumpled, his vision blurring, white pages raining down on him. Grumbling under his breath, he found himself on the ground, his ears ringing and his sunglasses half twisted off his face.



As his vision cleared, a blond Apollo came into view holding a…football?



“Hey, are you okay?” A broad hand pressed against his forehead.



Aric looked up, ready to complain, but gaped instead, his mouth flapping like a fish tail. He leaned back on his elbows and groaned.



The god hovering over him pushed down on his shoulder. “Hey, you better lay there for a sec. You really got pinged.”



Pinged? What kind of word is that?



Yet the guy was even more good-looking up close, and he smelled nice. Blond bangs fringed china blue eyes, and his lashes were made even more golden by the sunlight. Concern was evident in the downturn of his well-shaped mouth, a kind expression that made him seem generous.



“Hey, do you know your name? Where you are?”



Aric forced himself to look away from those startling blue eyes. By the look of this guy’s powerfully built physique, he had to be a jock. And even with Aric’s limited experience, he knew jocks weren’t the sharpest pencils in the pack. He liked a guy who had some brains, and this one’s vocabulary told Aric he didn’t have too much going on upstairs. Aric swatted the dude’s hand away, then ripped off his damaged sunglasses and waved them in the guy’s face. Showing anger was better than showing any kind of attraction.



That would be too humiliating. “These cost a fortune.”



That generous mouth now quirked up into a smile, making him appear not the least bit regretful. “Sorry, but you walked right between us.”



“You hit me with your fucking football, and you say it’s my fault?” Aric snapped. Then he gasped, eyeing his lab notes sailing across the glade. His stomach plummeted at the sight of all his hard work flying into oblivion. All his sexual attraction hurtled from his mind as he scrambled to his knees. “My papers!”



Another powerful shove on his shoulder and Aric plopped back down onto the grass.



“Stay put; I’ll get them.”



Aric watched in fascination as the god dodged flying Frisbees and leaped around barking dogs and students reading on the lawn, scooping the papers into his hands. His graceful movements reminded Aric of someone; he’d seen those moves before… Oh fuck! That jock happened to be the big man on campus and a Heisman Trophy candidate.



Stu Hamilton, the university football team’s wide receiver, certainly could move.

Aric stared at the rounded ass flexing so deliciously in snug jeans. A faded black T-shirt barely held in straining biceps and a well-defined chest. All lean, mean, and muscular. His mouth watered at the sight, and a spasm rippled across his groin.



He had one hell of a hard-on.



Not good. No, not good at all.

Meet Author Judy Griffith Gill

Were you an avid reader as a child? What type of books did you enjoy reading?

I certainly was. I learned to read as a four-year-old and by the time I was ten, had moved way beyond The Bobbsey Twins, Trixi Belden and the Hardy Boys. (I never liked Nancy Drew, though people tried to foist her on me.) I read everything from Marvel Comics to (truth!) The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire, I could find in my parent’s bookshelves.



Tell us a bit about your latest book, and what inspired you to write such a story.

My latest published novel, MOTHER LOVE, an electronic book from Mundania press/Awe-Struck, was a weird kind of reaction to my mother’s death, along with my guilt over not having been there for her or my older daughter during Mother’s last illness. The “mother” in the story is the complete antithesis of what mine was. The daughters of the central character are an amalgam of my daughters, nieces, friends of theirs—indeed, probably every young woman I ever knew well—myself included. Writing it was a catharsis of sorts, I believe, because in doing so, I learned to forgive my mother for many things, and forgive myself, as well.



How would you describe your creative process while writing this book? Was it stream-of-consciousness writing, or did you first write an outline?

I never write an outline. My books (50 to date) have all been stream-of-consciousness, what I refer to as seat-of-the-pants. Even when submitting three chapters and a synopsis, I finish the book first. If I don’t, having written the synopsis, something in the back of my brain says, “Okay, that one’s done. What’s next?”



Did your book require a lot of research?

That one did require some, due to one particular aspect, but not much beyond that. I usually write about places I know well and can envision even when thousands of miles away.



If you could have any vice without repercussions, what would it be?

The ability to read other people’s minds. If that would be a vice. It would be one I couldn’t resist.



What is the funniest/most embarrassing/scariest story from one of your books signings or events?

The funniest? First time I had to address a home-town SRO crowd. I got onto the stage with my knees knocking, and a fan of seven big silk flags cascaded all around and over me. Sure broke the ice. Embarrassing? Don’t recall one. Scariest? When a man in the audience somehow got my hotel room number and began stalking me by phone, saying he “knew” I was writing about him and me (together) that he was in love with me and wanted to meet for drinks. Luckily, hotel security moved me to another room, fast! and I never went anywhere alone until that conference was over.



If you could have been the servant to any famous person in history, who would that be and why?

Henry VIII. So I could have poisoned him, or Adolf Hitler, same reason. I know, I know, hindsight. But someone I would love to have learned from would be Pauline Johnson, writer& poet, though I doubt she’d have wanted a servant.



What so you see for the future of publishing and ebooks?

Right now, I think the entire industry is in a state of flux. When I got my first e-reader (a Rocket) lo, these twenty years or so ago, I thought that the time was right. I envisioned students no longer hunched over under backpacks stuffed with the weight of books, but carrying a single device that held all the world’s knowledge, all the texts, all their professors’ notes, and promoted that idea every chance I got. Now, after a long wait, I’m beginning to see it happen, but much more slowly that I ever imagined. The publishing, printing, shipping and reading of paper and ink books will be with us for many more years I’m sure, but I believe e-books have now come into their own and will eventually if not soon, outpace paper and ink books.



Which of your characters do you love/hate/fear/pity the most and why?

Since I write primarily romance of all stripes, I don’t hate, fear, or pity any of them as they all seem to be pretty upbeat characters. But the one I love most, after all these years, is still Bad Billy Culver, because he was needy and didn’t know it. That book, originally published by Bantam Fanfare, in hard cover and paper, is still available in electronic format, at www.belgravehouse.com .



Do you get along with your muse? What do you do to placate her when she refuses to inspire you?



My muse has never let me down. Sometimes she plays tag with me, wanting me to write two or three books at a time, but that doesn’t seem to matter much. If she wants Book A today, I give it to her. If she’s more into Book B or C, then that’s where we go.



Do you have another book in the works? Would you like to tell readers about your current or future projects.



As above, I always have another book in the works. Problem is, I can’t talk about them until they’re done, because it’s like writing the synopsis—it kills the story. Just this week, though, I finished a light-hearted humor romance entitled THE PRINCESS AND THE POPPER, about a rich woman pretending to be dirt poor because she grew up poor and having received an unexpected inheritance, discovered she didn’t like the kind of people who saw not her, but her portfolio, and takes a job with a man who sells popcorn on the street corner. Trouble is, he is also pretending to be poor because he wants to be a self-made man as was his great-grandfather, and has a year in which to prove his ability to his family, otherwise, he goes back to Boston and takes up his position in the family’s investment bank.



Have you ever experience weird cravings while you write? If so, what kind?



I don’t know how weird they are, but apples and celery are my favorite things to eat when I’m writing. I like the crunch and they don’t seem to attract as many ants as peanut butter and crackers, which I also crave. I live for half the year in Costa Rica, on the Caribbean coast, and ants are more plentiful than jungle trees or grains of sand on the beach.



What is the worst, best, most embarrassing or funniest situation your writing career has put you in?



The best? Walking into a car dealership and asking the man with whom I always dealt, “How much do those Chevy Lumina vans go for?” He chuckled, and said, “Hon, more than you can afford.” I smiled, said “Order me one. In blue,” and showed him my latest royalty check. The look on his face was priceless. Besides, I had two little grandbabies in car-seats and needed more room. I had my blue Lumina van the next day. I paid cash.

That’s satisfaction!



Mother Love, by Judy Griffith Gill http://www.awe-struck.net/books/mother_love.html


Joanna, divorced mother of two daughter, one grown and a single mom herself, and the other a resentful, difficult teenage diabetic, discovers she is pregnant by accident, certainly not by design. Her older daughter thinks its cool, her younger one thinks Jo’s done it purely to humiliate her, and her sometimes-lover thinks she should marry him, despite his being a ramblin’ man. Her own mother, as usual in a fog of pot smoke offers vague hippie-style bits of advice, which Joanna ignores. Her best friends suggests a permanent solution, from which Jo immediately shies away.



Then, her older daughter decides to get married and she knows her ex will be there for the wedding. What’s she going to do? She can’t hide from him forever, but nor can she bear to face him, especially in her condition. Which of the many options open to her should she choose?

Intense Lasagna

I forgot the photo showing a thick slice of this gorgeous lasagna with a ladled scoop of Grandma's sauce over the top, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmigiana and chopped parsley and basil. If taste buds could sing a thousand pictures!

This lasagna contains a mix on Bobby Flay's Bolognese Sauce, Ricotta Mixture, Grandma's Tomato Sauce, Bobby Flay's Mornay Sauce and Assembly Instructions. Takes about 3 hours total, including cooking the bolognese in the oven but once you sink your teeth into this heavenly lasagna, the time will mean nothing.

How many of us continue making the same ingredient combinations for certain comfort food dishes? Lasagna being one of those essential family comfort foods. I use too. Then I hooked up with a friend whose family is from Italy and my thinking on all things pasta changed. So happy to finally look outside the box for what I thought was everyday cooking. It was Not. My Mom use to cook what my parents were able to afford for a large family and she is my biggest influence for cooking today.

The Intense Lasagna has everything to do with layers BUT not piling the same layers over-and-over. Each layer is important on its' own. You will have multi cheese layers in a sauce form but your ricotta cheese layer will be 1 layer and your Bolognese sauce meat layer will also be 1 layer in this lasagna.

Intense Lasagna

Bolognese Sauce:

4 T. olive oil

2 ham hocks, preferably smoked

1 to 1 1/2 pounds bone-in beef rump roast

1 pound pancetta, diced

fresh ground black pepper

salt

1 1/2 c. finely diced sweet or yellow onion

1/2 c. finely diced carrot

1/2 c. finely diced celery

6 whole garlic cloves

1 c. dry red wine

3 cups homemade beef stock

1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes and their juices

3 fresh sprigs rosemary

4 fresh sprigs thyme

5 sprigs flat-leaf parsley

1 c. tomato sauce, recipe follows

Chopped fresh parsley leaves

Chopped fresh basil leaves

Ricotta Mixture:

3 c. ricotta, strained in a cheesecloth lined strainer for at least 4 hours

2 large eggs

1/4 c. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 T. chopped fresh basil leaves

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Grandma's Tomato Sauce

7 cans (16-oz) Tomato sauce, preferably Hunts

1 can Tomato paste, again Hunts preferable

2 cans 912-oz) Diced tomatoes

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiana cheese

3 T. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

4 garlic cloves thinly sliced

1/3 cup fresh Parsley chopped finely

1/3 cup fresh basil chopped finely

1 medium sweet onion finely chopped

2 celery stalks cleaned

1 whole carrot just peeled and cleaned

1 T. dried Oregano

2 Bay leaves, whole and dried

Mornay Sauce

2 T. unsalted butter

3 T. all-purpose flour

3 c. whole milk, heated

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3/4 c. fontina cheese

1/2 c. freshly grated Parmigiana cheese

Assembly:

2 T. unsalted butter

Mornay Sauce

1 pound lasagna noodles, (cooked in boiling, salted water until slightly under al dente, about 5 minutes)

Ricotta Mixture

Grated Parmigiana cheese

Fresh Basil Leaves

Bolognese Sauce

Directions:

For the Bolognese Sauce:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the ham hocks and beef rump roast with salt and pepper, place in the pan and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

Remove the shanks to a plate. Remove fat from the pan. Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden brown. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and lightly golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add the red wine, scrape the bottom of the pan and cook until completely reduced. Add the beef stock, diced tomatoes thyme, rosemary and parsley and bring to a simmer. Add the ham hocks and 1/2 of the pancetta back to the pan, cover and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender and falling off the bone, about 2 hours.

Remove the ham hocks to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and place in a bowl.

Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl. Place 3 cups of the cooking liquid into a large high-sided saute pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1 c. Add the shredded meat and the remaining cooked pancetta to the pan along with 1 cup of the tomato sauce, parsley and basil and stir to combine and just heat through.

For the Ricotta Mixture:

Stir together the ricotta, eggs, parsley, basil, cheese, salt and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.

Directions for Grandma's Tomato Sauce:

Use a large pot. Heat olive oil on medium-low heat. Put garlic and onion in oil and heat until it is tender. Put parsley, basil, oregano and bay leaves in and continue to heat for 3 minutes.

Open all cans of tomato products, add in sauce pot. Raise heat to medium-high. Make sure to occasionally stir sauce. Cook and stir sauce until hot. Once sauce is hot, lower heat to a simmer.

Add celery stalk and whole carrot in sauce, continue to simmer 15 minutes.

Add 1 cup of freshly grated Parmigiana cheese to sauce, continue to simmer 15 minutes.

Remove carrot and celery, cover sauce, continue to simmer. Make sure to occasionally stir sauce.

For the Mornay Sauce:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 3 cups of the hot milk and continue whisking until the sauce is thickened and loses its' raw flavor, about 5 to 7 minutes. Season the sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Whisk in the cheeses. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some more milk.

For Assembly:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Ladle a thin layer of mornay evenly over the bottom of the pan. Place a layer of lasagna noodles on top of the Mornay sauce and top the pasta with the ricotta mixture and spread evenly.

Spread a thin layer of Mornay over the ricotta, sprinkle with a few Tablespoons of Parmesan and some basil leaves. Top with another layer of pasta and spread the meat mixture evenly over the top.Ladle an even layer of Mornay over the Bolognese mixture, sprinkle with a few Tablespoons of Parmesan and some basil leaves. Place the final layer of pasta dough over the meat mixture and ladle the Mornay sauce over the top to completely cover the pasta and sprinkle with 3 Tablespoons of Parmesan.

Place the pan on a baking sheet and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees, remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and the filling bubbling, about 25 to 35 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

CUT into slices and top with some of the tomato sauce, more grated cheese, chopped parsley and basil.

**NOTE**: Remaking this week and will add final picture then =)

Friday out to lunch outfit

Indy wanted to "model" today too...

And then she got camera shy...

Tank tops: American Apparel and Old Navy
Vest: Anthropologie
Jeans: Anlo from Gilt Groupe
Shoes: Rosegold
Bag: vendor at the UCDavis Whole Earth Festival

New Sponsor :: Empire of Delight

I'm tickled to have Empire of Delight as a new Twigs & Honey blog sponsor. All their products look good enough to eat! They use luxurious ingredients in their products including shea butter, silk, and jojoba oil, which will leave your skin feeling soft and pampered. If the looks don't make you want to gobble them up, the fragrances will from grapefruit, ginger, amber, champagne and strawberry. Scents not your cup of tea? That's okay! They also carry unscented versions of their products including an unscented lavish soap and a whipped body butter. Empire of Delight products would make wonderful gifts for bridal parties, newlyweds, loved ones... or treat yourself!

Bubble Gum Bath Bomb

Energy Bath Bomb

Their luxury soaps sound like they are to die for:
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Miss Behaviour
White Tea & Ginger scented soap

Dazzling Citrus
Yuzu scented soap

Be sure to visit their site for more lovely products HERE. They also have a blog HERE.

Thursday out to lunch outfit

Headband: Twigs & Honey
Cropped jacket and tank: Anthropologie
Boyfriend jeans: DL1961 from Gilt Groupe
Heels: Kelsey Dagger from Gilt Groupe

Got my new bracelete by junghwa (my big sis)

I love them. So cute. So dainty. Yellow!

Get your own, HERE.

Oh, you know I love a good sale

I spy some lovely things at great prices at Anthropologie:

Muted Light Earrings

Shine on Earrings

Pavo Maillot

Late Afternoon Pullover

Painted Cottage Sweater
Speaking of Anthropologie, I just joined a fun new flickr group: Anthropologie: Personal Style

WRITERS WRITE... WRITING PARTNERS FEUD

Angelica Hart and Zi are writers published by Champagne Books.

A: Tie a yelling gibbon around the old folk tree? (She looks at Zi as if forty-six million brain cells instantaneously escaped...wondering where is the hole)
Z: Feghoot! (As if a middle line backer for the Philadelphia Eagles, Zi tackles Mo the Lab)
A: Your owl's named Feg? (The obscurity of Angelica floats amidst the fact that her response was sort of a feghoot. She wants to preen and giggle but wonders what the heck is Zi doing with the dog)
Z: (Straddling the cur, facing its rear, tail slapping face, Zi tries to multi-task) Remember the Fractured Fairytales of Rocky and Bullwinkle? Many of our canard tales are a homage to that style. Parody. False tales. Stories. (He begins to clip his dog's rear toe nails. The dog inadvertently leaves foul air in the direction of Zi's nose. Zi concludes the groomer can clip the nails!)
A: Our new series THE FABLE OF SIN-SIN-CINDERELLA is feghoot filled, ribald and naughty funny.
Z: (About to bore with a long dissertation, Zi looks professorial) The parody blanketed in its feeble and oft ridiculous effort to imitate a style or part of another author's work for the purpose of comic effect has been a staple in writing. The idea of touching something others can connect to, yet poking that pointer finger at the ribs of the readers, why, to tickle, silly.
A: The following is a excerpt that points this out.... Did something crawl up inside that dog and die? (Swiggles up her nose resembling a chipmunk as she waves her hand in front of her face)


ON THE TAVERN FRONT

So three tankards more later, in hobbled a three-legged dog. Eartha did the double-take because it was carrying a gun. The first thought was one tankard too many, then she thought robbery and considered ducking under the bar, but thought better when she noticed Aladdin, owner of a carpet company, laying Rug. Poor Jasmine, she adored the guy, and Rug was enjoying Aladdin. He knew things.

The bartender, wearing a dirty torn t-shirt shouted, "This is a peaceful establishment."

"Woof," responded the dog. The dog sat near Eartha, still scouring the room, looking at each person, studying them.

Eartha asked, "What are doing here with that gun?"

(Note to reader, this is a fairytale so giving latitude to reality is essential.... 'kkkkkkaaaaaay!)

The dog replied in a country drawl, "I'm looking for the man that shot my paw."
"A bowl of grog for my friend," ordered Eartha.

The keeper put the crock of suds on the floor, the tri-pod pooch lapped yet still surveyed the patrons.


A: (Grabs for a pen to make a note, it fails to inkificate [wordsmithing] itself, she discards the pen) There are many stories we all know. Many jokes that the punch line is apparent. Sometimes it is not the pay-off but the trip to that pay-off that can be entertaining. (Grabs a pen from one of ten cups of pens, it fails, discards, grabs another which fails)
Z: (Zi notices the three point shots by Angelia and surveys her discard, head in can, arse examining the ceiling fan, talking, sounds echo) Our model is that old joke where the punch line is they're the Aristocrats. If you are familiar with that joke it has virtually nothing to do with the punch. Every comedian who tries to tell it gives their own twist on the reason for the punch. (Rises with three pens in hand, echo ceases) Many of our tales are just that. It's all about the journey, that winding path full of detours, roadblocks, endless constructions, and delays. Once you reach the destination, the trip is over. Hmmmm, strange analogy on our part but we think it apt. (Puts the pens back in the cup unbeknownst to Angelica)
A: Wordy Wordsome from Wordville, Wordaware has just regaled us! (She grabs one of the retrieved pens, it fails, she heaves it into the can...sighs that cuss-replacing sigh)
Z: Ouuuucccch! That was a little cold. (Eyebrow, left, rose... [For clarification the eyebrow remained on the face, it was the left eyebrow] ...questioning her insistence on wastefulness)
A: You could have just said, these stories are sometimes called Shaggy Dog Stories or Feghoots. They are irreverent dances with inane frivolity, oft pointless and having absurd punch lines. The use of puns is almost a must.
Z: Smarty Smartypants from Smartytown, Smartconsin has re-frosted the cake.
A: Here's another excerpt. (She grabs a pencil...it was pointless...was about to throw it away when Zi sharpened it for her)


"Eartha, did you hear about the sex offender at Sir Lancelot's Home for the Criminally Insane and Snake Your Best Friend's Lady?"

"What?" She was pawed on her ample posterior, not by the cur, but by a drunk who was taking liberties. Beer brains. Or in this case grog brains, the medieval predecessor to beer brains. Well, Eartha the Pissed demonstrated why the nom, the Pissed, when she snatched the man's belt, he thinking he was about to get lucky, and chased him from the Pub, wiping his fleeing arse, oops, meant whipping his fleeing arse. She returned to her seat with a swagger in her step.

"Eartha...that was my best customer."

"Sorry. What about this sex offender?"

"He escaped."

"Oh!" Camelot was at least a three day trip by dragon, a fortnight by horse."

"The Daily Blab and Burp, our Pub blog, reports he went back to his old evil habits."
"Where?"

For one brief moment TB, the tender, though Eartha was going to seek the perv out, shook his head, and replied, "Here, you read the article." He turned the computer and there it was under the title, NUT BOLTS AND SCREWS.

Z: The afore was a play of words with Spooneristic styling as the design, many of our yarns are built in a like-lab that created Mr. Peabody's Improbable History.
A: Sherman was adorable.
Z: We hope you find our Groaners entertaining and maybe gently thought provoking. Zi pulls out the Staples catalogue to order refills for the pens)


KILLER DOLLS IS AVAILABLE: Unaware that bio-terrorists are using her handcrafted dolls to attack the innocent, Letti Noel finds herself falling for Taut Johnson, an undercover FBI agent. Even as deceit is a growing barrier to their love, it's the stalking terrorists that are a threat to their lives.

We'd love to hear from anyone interested in what we do. Anyone who writes us at angelicahartandzi@yahoo.com and leaves an s-mail address, we will send you a gift and add you to any future mailings.

Angelica Hart and Zi
KILLER DOLLS ~ September 2009
SNAKE DANCE ~ February 2010
CHASING GRAVITAS ~ July 2010
angelicahartandzi@yahoo.com
angelicahartandzi.com

KILLER DOLLS can be purchased at
Champagne Books
http://www.champagnebooks.com/

Meet Author Yvonne Perry

Why did you become a writer? I became a writer because I wanted a change in my life and to try something new. I had five years experience as an administrative assistant but I hated the rigid schedule of the corporate world. I wanted to work from home, so I came up with the idea of starting my own business. Although I had a plan with goals that took me about a year to accomplish before launching into entrepreneurship, I kind of morphed into a writer. I started out offering virtual administrative services as well as writing. The next thing I knew I was doing more writing than admin work, so I began to pursue more writing opportunities.

Was it a dream of yours since you were younger or did the desire to write happen later in your life? I have enjoyed writing all my life. This is a natural fit for my personal interests and career skill set, but I never dreamed of being a writer when I was young. I wrote songs and musical scores when I played keyboards and taught piano for more than 25 years, but I didn’t start writing for clients until 2003 when I started my free-lance writing and editing business. I wrote short stories for and about my children, but I didn’t attempt to publish any of my writing until 2004 when I self-published my first book, Email Episodes ~ A Hilariously Honest Look at Life.



What do you love about being an author? It’s hard for me to separate being an author from being a free-lance writer. I enjoy both but there is a big difference in writing for clients and writing my own material for publication. I love being able to share my knowledge with others—part of the teacher in me—and writing my own books is one of the ways I get to do that. Being an author gives me opportunity to be a guest on many talk shows. Getting feedback and reviews for my books is fun and it helps me grow personally.

Is there anything you dislike? There’s nothing I dislike about writing my own books. I’m very task oriented and I like to finish what I start, so I do get a little frustrated when my clients do not take their writing project seriously. Their reluctance to respond quickly to my phone calls or emails slows down the progress I could be making with new clients. Right now, I’m writing/editing four books—that’s a typical workload for me. I have people waiting for me to complete my current projects so I can start on theirs. Fortunately, I have a wonderfully competent team of writers and editors that I can send clients to so they don’t have to wait as long.

Please tell us about your latest release. What inspired it? My latest release is a full-color printed book called The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children (ISBN: 9780982572207). The Sid Series is a collection of 12 body-mind-spirit stories that give insight on some relatively mature subjects such as recycling, being who you really are, overcoming the fear of storms, helping others, listening to one’s inner guidance, caring for the body, accepting and appreciating diversity, dealing with family change, and coping with the death of a pet. See http://TheSidSeries.com

I began writing The Sid Series when my grandson, Sidney, was very young. The stories were inspired by things we did together. I typed the stories into a Word doc, and would later read the stories to him while he sat on my lap in front of the computer. He wanted pictures to go with his stories, so I attempted to illustrate them and bring them to life with colored backgrounds. When I had all twelve stories written and illustrated, I published them through Lightning Source. At almost nine years old, he has excellent reading and writing skills. He helped me write the last story in the series.

How do you balance your personal and writing time? I put in a lot of hours each week, but I’m very organized. I have always been able to set priorities and reach goals. I use a daily planner and Allison Maslan’s online goal tracking software (http://tinyurl.com/AFFBlast) to list everything I want to accomplish each day. I may take several breaks, go for a walk, or even babysit one of my grandsons, but my to-do list keeps me reminded of what I need to accomplish before I call it a day. Thankfully, my husband is very supportive of my goals and understands that my business requires a lot of my time and attention.



How do you write? Do your characters come to you first or the plot or the world of the story? Most of my writing is non-fiction so there are no characters unless I’m editing the fiction work of my clients. Those characters are already in place and I simply help develop them.



What genre(s) do you write? I write mostly non-fiction such as self-help, science, medical, and spirituality. I have written a humorous memoir (2004), a book on death and afterlife (2005) , a book on stem cell research (2007), an e-book about online marketing (2008), a children’s book (2009), and a book on bipolar disorder that I co-authored with Angela Grett in 2006.

Why do you write the stories that you write? I write on topics that I am passionate about. I was entrenched in religious dogma for many years. Now that I’ve broken free from it, I am happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I hope that my writing will help someone else break free from whatever belief system they have that limits them, and start living an authentic life of true joy and peace.



Do you have any advice for beginning writers in regards to writing a book? There is a lot of marketing and buzz building you can do while you are writing the book. I typically start a blog when I am writing a book of my own so I can begin to attract a following of target readers. It also offers the writer some accountability to know that readers of their blog are expecting progress reports. I am co-authoring a second book in a series with Angela Grett and we started a blog this week: http://sowhatami.blogspot.com . This should give writers an idea of how a blog can be used to build a platform and garner readership for the book before it is ever published.



What are you reading right now? My time to read for fun is limited. However, I have started reading two books for authors who are planning to be a guest on my podcast in a couple of weeks: Writing Down Your Soul by Janet Conner and Hostage of Lies by Maxine Thompson



If you could be anyone or anything that you wanted, who or what would you be? I am happy being who I am. I can’t think of another person I would want to be or trade places with.

Where can readers find you on the web?

Web site: http://writersinthesky.com

Writing blog: http://yvonneperry.blogspot.com

Marketing blog: http://onlinepromotionmadeeasy.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://Twitter.com/writersinthesky

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonneperry

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Yvonne-M-Perry/1223149713


Snippit of The Sid Series by Yvonne Perry:

Sid was able to communicate with me telepathically from the time he was born. He exhibited the gift of premonition at about age nine months, he channeled his higher self at age three, related his ability to see spirits and used a magic potion to heal a crippled dog at age four. When he would spend the night at my house, he would wake up with nightmares. From the descriptions he gave me, and from what my inner guidance was telling me, I was aware that his astral spirit was traveling to dark realms. Rather than discourage him from his astral travel, we created a mantra that we repeated before he went to bed: "Thank you, angels and guides for letting my spirit visit only the realms of highest light and love and travel only to safe places filled with loving beings." Sidney is still very much in touch with his inner guidance. He receives most of his messages through dreams now that he is in third grade. He related one of his dreams to me when I interviewed him on my podcast.




I knew I had a special child on my hands and I wanted to do everything I could to help him develop his spiritual gifts-the same gifts I was accustomed to that had been strangely unappreciated by the churches I had attended. Sid's spiritually-enlightened mother has been very encouraging to me and together we have taught Sidney how to use his gifts as a tool to help himself and others. I realize this is not the norm and that most psychically gifted children do not have this type of adult influence. In fact, many adults are afraid of the supernatural. That is my main reason for writing The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children.

I wrote the stories as much for parents as for the kids because a the time when most kids are at the peak of displaying their spiritual experiences, they are too young to read. Even though I used a lot of illustrations in The Sid Series, I wrote the text on a level that would require an adult to read the stories to their toddlers. The message would stir interest and help guide the adult, and the stories and illustrations would entertain the children. The Sid Series is my gift to the kids and parents of this special generation.



For more information about this book, please visit http://thesidseries.com/

Another biggie...

This one I shipped off to the east coast today for a shoot along with another piece.... but I ran out of time and couldn't photograph that one (rats!).

Featuring three large gold-ish handmade flowers, leaves and feathers.

My oh my!

You must read this beautiful article written by the super stylish and lovely Jen McCabe at OregonLive.com. She has done a very sweet write up on Twigs & Honey! Read the whole article HERE.

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