Spring Colored Candy Mints

Spring time means flowers, warmer weather, Spring showers, and Color! I came across a recipe for these cute little candy mints; so easy to put together and the flavor reminds me of the filling I used to make for my Mom's chocolate, mint fudge when I was growing up. I have not tasted this filling since then, and I do not even want to remember how long ago that was!

My photo-taking is a little off because the color did not come out crisp for me. The top photo is color true.

The little mint recipe is called Cream Cheese Mints and I actually found the recipe in one of Paula Deen's magazines so I thought I would share:

Cream Cheese Mints

(adapted from Paula Deen)

1 (3-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup all-vegetable shortening

1/2 t. peppermint oil - or flavor of choice

4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, shortening and peppermint (or flavor of choice) with a mixer until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until well combined. (Dough will be soft and elastic.) Roll dough into small balls, and place each ball on prepared baking sheet. Press fork into each ball to flatten. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and chill mints overnight.

Support the efforts of ARe and the case of Greene vs. County of Sonoma et al.

About Our Efforts

This story illustrates how strong and supportive our community has become. Time and again we're blown away by how generous our readers and authors are when it comes to supporting charitable efforts. The idea for this endeavor was sparked by TeddyPig of The Naughty Bits Blog fame. When he read about the case of Greene V. County of Sonoma et al., it bothered him. It really bothered him. Teddy went to the website of the organization representing Clay Greene in the case, the NCLR, and he made a donation. But he didn't stop there. He spent the next several days drumming up support for the cause, and one of his first steps was to reach out to us. 

The story of Clay and Harold made Teddy remember a book he'd purchased from us, Henry and Jim by J.M. Snyder. Teddy suggested that perhaps we might be willing to donate a portion of our proceeds from the sale of Henry and Jim we received a pledge of 25% of the proceeds on all JMS Book titles, and we agreed to match it. to the NCLR for the month of May. We contacted J.M Snyder and heard back within hours. Not only was J.M. willing to donate 25% of the proceeds from the sale of that title,

About the case- Click HERE

About the NCLR- Click HERE

What you can do to help-Click HERE to find out
 

Amazing shoot coming up...

I just love the style and colors of an amazing collaboration in the works. Here's one sneak peak photo of a piece I shipped off yesterday (along with a few others). Have I ever told you my favorite colors in the world are peach and mint? Not pink or orange.... not green or blue... both are inbetween, but I love them:

Twigs & Honey veil + Elizabeth Dye dress :: Just like heaven

It's no secret... I LOVE Elizabeth Dye's work. You know she made my wedding dress SUPER fabulous, yes? With gorgeous lace overlay, details, and detachable floral and chiffon bustle/train... So, I loved seeing this pairing from the amazing photographers, Sweet Little Photographs for their Lovely Bridal Shop shoot. A Twigs & Honey Soft Light Lace veil and Elizabeth Dye dress:

I love this photo... there's a Twigs & Honey mini bridal hat on her shoulder:

Photo credits: Sweet Little Photographs

shabd love

I LOVE shabd's designs and in particular, I love this new dress for the autumn/winter 2010 collection:

Craigslist awarded $1.3 million judgment in copyright infringement case

Last week, Craigslist sent a clear message to sites offering third-party posting software. Powerpostings.com, owned by one Igor Gasov, had been offering customers the ability to post (including multiple postings) and manage ads on Craigslist. Craigslist sued them for copyright infringement, referencing the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and trademark law. The defendants didn’t contest, and Craigslist was awarded a $1.3 million judgment.

In the past, other companies have offered Craigslist posting software, but Powerpostings took it too far. They also offered listing agents, who would post ads for customers, and they used false email addresses on Craigslist. No doubt there were several violations of Craigslist’s terms of use, in addition to the alleged trademark and copyright violations. Because Powerpostings didn’t appear in court, Craigslist didn’t have to prove anything. Craislist would have had to prove they registered parts of their Web site, and that Powerpostings copied those parts, for copyright infringement to have taken place. But considering all the allegations against them, it was probably a smart move for Powerpostings to accept a lesson learned the hard way.

WRITER'S WRITE...WRITING PARTNERS FEUD

MAY-DECEMBER RELATIONSHIPS
By: Angelica Hart and Zi

There has been a phenomenon that has existed whereas unattractive men hook up with attractive women, often older men, with an age difference wide enough that it risks social disapproval. It dates back to the movies of the 40s, 50s and 60s. Perpetuated by the recent movies that depict May-December relationships, such as An American Haunting, Get Smart, Bulworth, Lost in Translation, Me Without You, Sin City, or Whatever Works.

A: What was the May-December relationship in Get Smart?
Z: Great question. My research gave me these movies. And I also thought about Get Smart. The only moment that might have fit the description was the baker clerk and Agent 86. They might have missed it by thiiisss much. (Shows thumb and pointer gesture describing the distance not the size of anything else)
A: Do you like the premise of those movies? (Hikes up her chin in a lofty manner)
Z: Was that implying I'm old? (He pulls downward his hiked up pants, showing boxer top to look hip)
A: Ouch! Maybe I was. Mia culpa. (She curtseys respectfully... rises and juts tongue)
Z: Bronson Alcott once wrote, "As we grow old, the beauty steals inward." I think I believe that relationships are what they are. Pigeon-holing love into age groups fails the logic test for me. (Looks in the mirror, moistens pinkie, smoothes eyebrows... Strikes a bon vivant expression)
A: To quote Bernard Baruch, "To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am." (The two fist-bump in agreement... a gesture they both would not admit was stupid because that hurt)
Z: One older male friend who sadly was a widower for twelve years began dating and as the premise of this piece would indicate a much younger woman. (He adds three items to his Christmas list to be e-mailed as an amendment to previous Christmas lists)
A: Cradle robber?
Z: Not quite. When I asked him why, even though we were in the common room of church he replied, "The little head kept whining and whining that I have not taken him out in awhile."
A: Typical male behavior, but rephrasing Bob Dylan's lyrics, 'Everybody must get boned!'
Z: Angelica! Shame-shame. (He does the index finger over index finger tsk-tsk gesture) And the man used convoluted reasoning, he agreeing with the little head and realizing it only recognized younger women. That's all it knew.
A: What goes up and never comes down? (Offers a broad toothy grin)
Z: (Red faced thinking, something with Viagra in it) Ok, tell me.
A: Your age. (She laughs...he didn't) The Butler said it, "There's many a good tune played on an old fiddle." Maybe he needs music lessons, the classics are oft the greatest works. (Now she looks in the mirror and gives herself a thumbs up with a wink)
Z: You and Canetti get it. Elias wrote, "One part of him is old and another is still unborn." I think many men need emotional maturation.
A: Serrriousss overdoes!
Z: Sorry. The peanut went to the police station stating he was assaulted. Better?
A: Not much! Knowing men who have so engaged in this extension of a mid-life crisis, not being able to afford that Porsche, when asked, "Do you deserve such a trophy on your arm?" One fifty-five year old softball player I know replied, "Well... but I have arthritis, an enlarged prostate, and a receding hairline, and I don't deserve those."
Z: So I believe that relationships are hard to achieve. Life is far too short. My buddy Stanislaw Lec said, ""Oh to be old again," said a young corpse."
A: And this means what to me?
Z: I believe we should love who we love.
A: Proponents of the old man young woman dynamic argue that the man is bright and the women enhances his milieu. Rumor has it this was propaganda presented by old men and young women. And many have said that they will begat the perfect children. Having his profound mind and her stunning body.
Z: But what if, the child has his saggy body and her less than mature mind?
A: So I ask you, should people over fifty engage in physical relationships? (She thinks about the bald man who got a comb for his birthday and him telling his Granddaughter, "I will never part with it.")
Z: Whereas, for some fifty is the ultimate F word, I contend that a fifty-year-old is in fact an eighteen-year-old with thirty-two years of experience. To answer your question, yes, yes, a thousand times yes!
A: Should their partner be younger?
Z: Yes, no, maybe so. To quote one of my favorite authors Ogden Nash...
A: (Interrupts) "Candy's dandy but liquor's quicker."
Z: Same guy but this was more profound then profane. "How confusing beams from memories lamp are; One day a bachelor, the next a grandpa. What is the secret of the trick? How did I get so old so quick?"
A: We believing every boat has a right to float, and have chosen to be supporters of all relationship dynamics.

When writing this, we recalled a story told us at a party by some friends when we asked about role-playing for the purpose of spicing up their romance, and when we say romance we mean... well, you know what we mean. A husband related that one evening he asked his wife if she'd like to play boss and secretary. This was after the most noted movie with the title, Secretary, and if you haven't seen it, well, see it. James Spader was, well... you gotta see it. Back to the couple, she as he described found a huge smile on her face and responded with an enthusiastic, "Yes!" This husband related at that instant he knew role-playing would amp up what was becoming a little same ole same ole. But as we all know, life provides a twist or two and as the wife began to play out the script, she grabbed a prop and extended a hand to him and stated, "Here's your steno pad, dear."

A: In a recent manuscript, LOVE LETTERS, three of the relationships are in fact ones where the females are older. They were the most fun to create and provided much fodder for sensuality, motivation and some amusement.
Z: So the older woman gets the young hunky... wait a second... (Zi thought... MILF... shook his head cleansing offensive references... old woman-young guy, that was Angelica's idea... was I manipulated? I've some research to do. Be right back. Ah-ha, I have returned. She told me it was my idea, though Angelica really liked it. Thought so. I adore women and want them to be happy. Oops... far too much information.)
A: Old is a state of mind. Weaver wrote, "I'm not as old as I used to be."
Z: And Mark Twain gave us, "Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been."
A: Last year my birthday cake looked like a field fire.
Z: I remember it set off the smoke detector.
A: Stereotyping gender age?
Z: Yes, I am.

We'd love to hear from anyone interested in what we do. Anyone who emails 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
SNAKE DANCE
CHASING...CHASING...CHASING ~ July 2010
Champagne Books
www.champagnebooks.com

Who Makes the Best Fried Chicken?

We are on a plane flying down to my parents last August. The carry-on bags are packed full of reading material . . . okay cooking magazines to share with Mom and 1 Newsweek. Reading recipes seems Ho-hum (I know, shocking!!!!) so I open up the Newsweek and a Revelation happened. My Nemesis appeared in BOLD letters: The perfect fried chicken debate! The perfect fried chicken has eluded my kitchen and I have almost given up . . . until Newsweek . . . offering a brilliant solution for those of us still searching!
The article in question:

Heaven, Fried
Who makes the best fried chicken: a Michelin-rated chef or a Southern master?
By Julia Reed NEWSWEEK
Published Jul 9, 2009
From the magazine issue dated Jul 20, 2009

Click on the recipe title and you will be taken directly to the article that opened my eyes to a whole new definition of Southern Fried Chicken.

The debate, put in a nutshell, comes down to a battle between two cooking giants: The late Edna Lewis and the all-amazing chef Thomas Keller. Chef Thomas Keller " . . . is the only American-born chef with two restaurants (The French Laundry and Per Se) awarded Michelin's highest rating (three stars)." (Newsweek, 2009)

Edna Lewis is a well-published southern author out of Virginia who is known for her award-winning recipes.

The debate is between chef Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc Kit (for the perfect fried chicken)- SOLD AT WILLIAM SONOMA STORE or ONLINE for only 14.95 (if bought online, you will pay slightly more for shipping) and has been proclaimed by "New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni . . . as nothing short of "phenomenal" (Newsweek, 2009) The kit contains:
Two packets of brine and two packets of flour coating.
Each packet brines or batters 8–10 pieces of chicken; all four packets can be used to create a party-sized batch of 16–20 pieces.
2lb. 2 oz. total.

AND Edna Lewis's true southern chicken recipe found here:

The revelation: Both chef Keller and Edna Lewis BRINE their chicken! I have never done this but what a great way to not only create tender poultry but inject layers of seasonings.
After brining overnight (using the Ad Hoc kit), the chicken is rinsed, dried, dipped in dry batter, dipped in buttermilk and re-dipped in the dry batter mix and fried at 320 degrees for 13 minutes. Creating multi-layers of season packed flavor and moisture with a crispy crust. A person could easily just nibble on the crispy crust and be happy. Edna Lewis is next on my list to try but chef Keller gave me a new way of approaching fried chicken. The seasoning mixtures in the brine opens a whole new thought process for infusing flavor and now I am obsessed with fried chicken once again. Thank you Newsweek for printing an article that helped re-direct and inspire my mind in the world of cooking.

In addition to the fried chicken, the time has come to use another baking concept. Pre-made peach pie fillings. Last summer, 30 pound boxes of peaches were purchased off farms in Eastern Washington for canning purposes. Some of the over-ripe peaches were not fit for canning. These peaches were trimmed up and mixed with ingredients for pies. I froze the peach pie fillings in pie plates and once frozen, popped them out of the plates and inserted the fillings into Ziploc bags for future use. Now, all that was needed was to make a pie crust, pop the frozen filling in the crust, add a streusel and bake. Easy!The pie was pretty juicy but the flavors were wonderful!My daughter, Ashley, was going on her first real job interview today so I decided to also bake her favorite sheet brownies with a milk chocolaty frosting. Whether the interview went good or bad, she would have brownies. Ashley was offered the job so the brownies were part of her celebration!

Weekend outfit :: It has been busy!

So sorry for being so completely absent on all fronts. I've been juggling far too many things and it may be a little *quiet* on the blog this week. If you've emailed or convo'd me, please be patient and I'll try to get back to you sooner, or you can resend. I'm so sorry about the delay. I've been working non-stop and it's been a bit nuts.... thankfully, I'll be getting some help soon and more on that later. :)
Here was my outfit from Saturday. We had a touch of sun and that was enough for me to bust out the shorts (new CUTE ones!):

Hat: Pinkham Millinery
Jacket: Nordstrom Rack
Shirt: Anthropologie
Shorts: American Retro off Gilt Groupe
Shoes: Enzo Angiolini
Necklace: Twigs & Honey

An Editor Speaks Out

An Editor Speaks Out

by Judy Griffith Gill

            How to Kill Your Chances Without Really Trying

·      Don’t bother with a hook to grab the reader’s interest right away. If she’s bought your book, she’ll read beyond the first sentence, even the first paragraph and the first page whether it captures her imagination or not. She’ll think, This book was published. It has to get better sooner or later. Or, if she’s an editor, she’ll think, This writer cared enough to finish a whole three chapters and write a synopsis. She must have something good to say.

·      If your book has not been published, the word “writer” above applies also to agents and editors. If they’ve asked to see your work (or even if they haven’t) the fact that you think enough of them to share your work with them and offer them the chance to admire it

·      Don’t worry about internal and external conflict in the protagonists. Just tell the reader (agent, editor) that they have them. No need to waste time by demonstrating (showing) what they are and how they will be resolved. This applies to the synopsis, too. Don’t ever let the editor know how it comes out. Say something like: “If you want to know more, you’ll have to buy my book.”

·      Keep the reader guessing as to whose point of view you’re in. Go ahead and blend them, it keeps the reader on her toes. Write something like, She felt the wind whipping her long, glossy tresses  around her face and stinging raindrops pelting her camellia-like skin he as he thought, she’s beautiful, even when she’s soaking wet and her nose is red from cold.

·      Mechanical errors aren’t important. If your story is good enough, the agent or editor will ignore spelling and grammatical errors and poorly constructed sentences, so don’t bother taking the time to learn the basics of writing and self-editing before submitting. Just write. Don’t let the creative flow be stifled by attempts to get it right. Technique is of no value to the truly gifted writer.

·      Give lots of back-story information right up front. Use long, involved sentences full of  adverbs and adjectives that will impress the editor with your erudition. Don’t force the poor soul to keep turning the pages to find out why things are unfolding the way they are. Let her know right away and save her the time and effort of reading the rest of your story.

·      Keep things interesting for your editor. Make her open her eyes and gasp with astonishment when your historical character from the 1700s says, “Jeez, Louise, that’s cool!” Or have a four-year-old speaking like a short adult--that’s sure to get her attention: e.g. “Mother, I think the pink blouse would be much more becoming on you that the blue one. It brings out the color in your cheeks. The blue one gives you a certain, shall we say...sallowness?”

·      Remember to stereotype secondary characters appropriately: For instance, everyone knows that all Vancouver taxi drivers are East Indians who speak very little English, just as all New York taxi drivers are Iranians with secret plots to blow up something big and important.. All ships’ skippers are keen-eyed seamen accustomed to seeing long distances and they all have crinkly corners around their blue eyes. All grandmothers are chubby and gray haired and smell of cinnamon cookies. All grandfathers smoke pipes.

·      Don’t concern yourself with too much research. Historical accuracy is a waste of time. Most editors have no idea at all what went on in the American Civil War, or the War of 1812, or that Potlatches were banned in BC for many years. And if someone else notices, too bad. Blame it in the typesetter.

·      Just let yourself go. Write as it flows from your heart. If you wrote it, it must be good. One run through is surely enough. If you go over it again and again, you’ll start second-guessing yourself and probably screw up the next great novel that should be gracing the shelves of every home and library in the world.

Judy Griffith Gill, author of 50 published novels in both print and electronic format, edits for Champagne Books www.champagnebooks.com, offers free-lance, online editing services, and manuscript evaluation. Contact her through her editing site, www.editsbyjudy.blogspot.com

Judy appears on Twitter and Facebook, and loves to communicate with readers. www.jggbooks.com and editsbyjudy.blogspot.com You can find her latest e-books on Kindle www.amazon.com and Smashwords www.smashwords.com

Talking with Author April Ash

National Tell a Story Day – Make Mine a Romance!

Okay…so I stretched this a little. Actually, yesterday was National Tell a Story Day…but work with me on this!

As a child, I enjoyed books of adventure, and then as I grew, biographies caught my attention. In High School, I was fascinated by Shakespeare (no kidding!). I loved his “thee” and “thou” words, along with lines I sometimes couldn’t figure out. But, he intrigued me enough so that in college, I took 5 or 6 Shakespeare courses as electives.

Then, I discovered romance books and was hooked. I got started reading Barbara Cartland and Georgette Heyer books, and couldn’t find enough to keep me busy. From there I went on to read contemporaries and paranormals. Life is good as long as I have a romance book to read!

Tell me a story with a good plot to hold my interest, and a blossoming romance exploding with passion.  I want to “see” your story in my head, and “feel” the heroine’s emotions. I want to relate to her, no matter what her age is…or mine. Romance has no age boundaries.

Tell me a story of a hero and heroine who know each other already, or have just met. Unrequited love and the desire to have someone love you set the stage for many romance books. The chase is all part of the rocky road to love.

Tell me a story of an adversarial hero and heroine thrust upon each other because of some situation. That thin line between love and hate can be crossed, enough so that fighting ceases and lovemaking begins. Fighting a powerful attraction dissipates as passion takes control.

Tell me a story that has a “black moment”…that awful turn of events that split the hero and heroine, and their relationship appears to be doomed. Let me want to scream at them to settle their misunderstanding, mend broken hearts, and enjoy each other’s embrace once again.

Tell me a story of their first encounter/or having already met. Add what’s wedged between them to cause heartache, resolve their differences, and give me that “happily-ever-after” I want to read.

  

I pattern my books after these desires. I know what I want in a romance book, and use these elements in my books. In my two erotic romance books, I take the passion and lust to greater heights, adding graphic details of the hero and heroine’s journey to love.

Whatever your preference in reading…sweet, sensual, erotic, etc., romance books…choose books that tell YOU a story and transport you into the hero and heroine’s love affair!

Visit http://www.aprilash.net (erotic contemporary romance books)

“Sexy Games” available at: http://www.jasminejade.com/m-441-april-ash.aspx

5 HEARTS, reviewed by Diana Coyle, Night Owl Reviews, REVIEWER TOP PICK

“Strip Poker for Two” available at: http://www.jasminejade.com/m-441-april-ash.aspx

4.5 HEARTS, reviewed by Diana Coyle, Night Owl Reviews, REVIEWER TOP PICK

FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1683746739

NEW YAHOO GROUP: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancebooksrus

Blogs: http://romancebooksrus.blogspot.com and http://sevensexyscribes.blogspot.com

Photos: Flickr: Vanessa Pike-Russell, VB Library, and Sabrina Campagna’s photostreams

SMS - Strawberry Rhubarb (Mixed Berries) Cobbler Pie with Brown Sugar Vanilla Ice Cream.

Sweet Melissa Sunday for this week was chosen by Tracey's Culinary Adventures. Tracy chose a Spring time colorful and fun strawberry rhubarb cobbler pie that looked perfect for a little homemade Sweet Melissa brown sugar vanilla ice cream. I did change the recipe for the cobbler pie to a mixture of berries since we are not rhubarb people. Blueberries and blackberries with the strawberries! Fun, pretty and just what I needed for a little baking pick-me-up.Sweet Melissa's pie crust recipe does not have me jumping for joy when I roll it out. I am not sure why but I seem to fight it every time. Out of pure stubbornness, I tried the recipe again, freezing EVERYTHING like Melissa states in her pie dough section and the crust rolls out fine but transporting to the pie dish and crimping are not picture perfect. I do not think the pie crust recipe and me are compatible!

This was a LONG recipe when you think about the chilling times for the pie crust, making the dough for the cobbler and finishing assembly of the dessert. I did add making Melissa's ice cream, which includes making the ice cream mixture, chilling for 4 hours, making the ice cream in a machine or KA bowl and freezing for 4 hours to overnight. We did not wait till overnight because the ice cream was silky and delicious!I absolutely adore my Kitchen Aide ice cream bowl. I keep it in the freezer at all times so when I feel like throwing together ice cream, the bowl is already chilled and ready to go. I have made ice cream in an electric mixer for years where the machine takes at least 30 minutes and a LOT of noise is emitted from a tiny motor along with the mess of rock salt, ice water and a mess of ice.

This little bowl has None of that. Simple, quick, easy, efficient.For the recipe to this wonderful strawberry rhubarb cobbler pie, please head over to Tracey's site and get the recipe or buy Sweet Melissa's Baking Book.

I loved the flavors and the biscuits on top were a fun addition. When I was done assembling all 3 parts, I sat back and just looked at the dessert before putting the cobbler pie in the oven. You get this feeling of pride that you finished it and the dessert really looks pretty.

The Mechanics of Writing

“I have a story idea in mind and am psyched to begin writing. What’s the best way to get started? Should I outline the plot first, or just jump in and write?”


There’s no right or wrong method to use in plotting out your novel. The mechanics of writing is one of personal choice, so go with whatever method works best for you.

For example, Jeffery Deaver creates meticulous outlines for his novels, detailing each scene and key segments of dialogue on sheets of paper and sticky notes that fill the walls of his study. He admits that it takes him months to come up with such a detailed framework. However, when he sits down to actually write the novel, since most of the work is already completed, it doesn’t take him long to finish the manuscript.

I prefer a less structured method. When I’m plotting out my novels, I keep a stack of lined 3x5 cards handy and write scenes down as I think of them. On each card I include anything that I want to put into the scene, such as descriptions, plot points, or snippets of dialogue I don’t want to forget. Before I start writing, I arrange the cards in the order I want the book to flow. This allows me to outline the major themes in the plot, but allows enough flexibility that I can add or re-order scenes easily.

These methods represent two different concepts of organization, and most of you will use a method of plot outlining that falls somewhere in between. What is important is, no matter which method you use, be sure you have a firm grasp of the opening, conflict, and resolution of your story before you begin outlining/writing your story. You can always change those elements later. But if you don’t have a basic idea where your story starts and ends, no amount of outlining will turn it into a viable manuscript. Trust me on this one. I have several short stories taking up space on my hard drive because I wrote them based on a single scene, but have yet to find an effective way to start or end them.

“Thanks. This has been a big help. While you’re here, can you give me any tips on writing?”

Yes, I can. But this is not the blog series for that. There are thousands of books out there dedicated to instructing someone on how to write a book. They cover all the aspects of writing – plot, setting, character development, voice, etc. There are even books that tell you how to write in specific genres. Feel free to use them if you want. No one has ever become a bad writer by reading these works.

In my opinion, the best way for someone to become a good writer is to read in order to see how other authors write, and then start writing yourself. When I say read a lot, I mean it. Go through at least one book a week. Start with the classics. We’re still reading Twain, Hemingway, Austen, and the like not just because our English professors are sadists, but because those authors knew how to write compelling stories that have stood the test of time. Then read a wide variety of books and authors in whatever genre you’re writing in, as well as at least a few books outside your genre.

And don’t forget to read trashy books, whether they’re pulp novels meant solely to entertain and entice, or novels that are just horribly written. Figure out what those authors did to make their works so laughable or painful to read, and learn from their mistakes. Remember, it takes a long time and many published works to build up a fan base, but only one poorly-written story or novel to turn off readers forever.

So while I won’t offer writing tips in this blog series, I do want to point out that there are certain aspects of writing you need to pay close attention to if you ever hope to get out of the slush pile and get published. These points have been reiterated to me time and again by publishers and literary agents, all of whom said that when they see these types of mistakes in query submissions, they immediately take the work out of contention for publication.

The first is grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Over time you’ll find your own writing style and voice. But if you don’t have the basics down, you’ll find it that much more difficult to break away from the thousands of other authors bombarding publishers and agents with their works. As part of this advice, make sure you proof read your final work carefully. You may have written the next bestseller, but if your sample chapters are chocked full of spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and incorrect punctuation, good luck getting a publisher or agent to read beyond the first few pages. Even if they see the potential in your book, they’ll view you a sloppy author and will think carefully before taking you on. And if comes down between you and an author whose writing is solid, who do you think will get the contract?

Realistic dialogue is also very important to sealing that book deal. So of course, it’s one of the hardest parts to get right. If you write dialogue so that it’s grammatically correct, it sounds stilted and turns off the reader. If you write it to sound like every day conversations, you run the risk of making your characters sound like idiots. I trained myself to write decent dialogue by listening to others talk. This has the added benefit of letting people think you’re the silent, mysterious type (or they’ll just think you’re an introvert, which most writers are).

Finally, make sure you maintain the continuity of your story and characters. If your main character’s name is Ken Smith, always refer to him as either Ken or Smith throughout the story, and do not interchange the names. Keep your secondary characters straight as well; if you call someone Bob when he first appears in chapter three, make sure you don’t call him Bill when he reappears in chapter ten. If you describe your main character as being bald in chapter one, don’t have him run his fingers through his hair in chapter five. If your character is a devout Mormon, don’t show him/her drinking a cup of coffee without explaining why. If your story is set in Maine in the middle of December, don’t have the characters sunbathing three scenes later. If your story is set in Victorian-era New York, don’t have electric street lamps lining the streets. These are the minutiae that are easy to overlook. When publishers or agents catch them, they immediately get the impression that you’re a sloppy writer (see above). And if your readers catch them, you lose them quickly. I have had several authors who write historical dramas tell me that the worst criticism they receive from readers is when they get some historical fact wrong.

So consider yourself forewarned. Now get out there and start writing. Your public is waiting.

NEXT BLOG: Finding a publisher or literary agent.

Spicy Taco Salad with Lime Tortilla Chips and Dressing

The picture may not be food porn gorgeous but the flavors are jumpin!

This is an easy recipe, great for Spring/Summer, bright and cheerful with kick. The cucumber slices add a nice coolness to the heat. Take a bite and you will see what I mean!

Taco Salad with Lime Tortilla Chips and Spicy Dressing Recipe

Dressing:
8 ounces taco sauce, medium to hot
12 ounces salsa, medium to hot
3 T. sour cream
1/2 pkg. hot taco seasoning (you will use the rest further down)
SALAD:
1 head lettuce, chopped up
4 diced tomatoes (If using Roma tomatoes - Use 6)
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds lean hamburger, browned, drained and mixed with remaining taco seasoning
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
1 medium can sliced olives, drained
hot peppers, sliced (your choice)
Diced cucumber

Salad:
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Dressing:
Mix together, add all of dressing mixture to salad, toss salad thoroughly and top with a bag of crushed lime tortilla chips or Frito chips and serve.

Lovely list...

I cannot believe this amazing list of talent. *squeal* I feel SOOOOO lucky to be able to work with these talented women.... very soon! I will share much more in a few weeks!

German Apple Cake

Don't you love a moist, comforting dessert that tastes better the second and third day? Especially when the dessert makes enough for 12 people? A dessert that comes from years and years of tried and true baking with love in a Mother's kitchen?

I adore my German apple cake with a light cream cheese frosting recipe just for all those reasons. Stuffed with apple slices, the cake tastes amazing. Cinnamon floats throughout as a mild but definitely present flavor and the cream cheese is not thick; just a thin coating, adding a delicious end touch.The recipe came from my baking friend Janeen's 90 year old mother and ever since the recipe has reached my kitchen (I have no idea how long ago that has been now), has continued in the tradition of being baked with love.

German Apple Cake

2 large eggs
1 cup veg oil (beat with eggs until foamy), add
1-3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla (mix together), then add:
2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda (mix all together) add:
4 cups thinly peeled and sliced apples (about 4 – I use Granny Smith)
Frosting:
1 - 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
3 TBL melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Add vegetable oil to eggs in mixer and beat until foamy. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix. Now, add the flour, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Mix together. Add thinly sliced apples by folding in with a spatula. The batter will be very thick but this is normal and there will seem to be more apple then batter. Again, this is what you want.

Bake for 50-60 minutes.

Frosting:
Mix ingredients til smooth. Add a little milk if too thick.

Talking with author Ed Williams

“When I Have A Godzillian Level Urge For Candy I Eat…”

…the following, and these are in order of preference. They be:

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups - Man, talk about heroin converted into candy form, I’ve craved Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for years! Their texture is great, their chocolate is both kinda chunky and kinda creamy, and their peanut butter - if I could, I’d sneak into a Reese’s production facility, get buck naked, and then jump into a vat full of their peanut butter. I might end up getting covered up in it or even drown, but I’d be gobblin’ it down like a Linda Lovelace inspired turkey before my final chapter was written - Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups rock!

2. Atomic Fireballs - I love hot candies and I love cinnamon, so my addiction to Atomic Fireballs can only be deemed a natural. I first encountered them years ago in Juliette at my granddad’s general store (y’all have actually seen his store in the movies, it was used as the Whistle Stop Café in the movie Fried Green Tomatoes). Back then, you could get one for a couple of pennies and they were a lot bigger than they are now. So big, in fact, that you could barely get one in your mouth, and God when you did it would be hotter than a Times Square Rolex! Thing was, if you could get past that initial burst of hotness then it was all sugar the rest of the way. Today, their hotness technology has improved, so even though Atomic Fireballs are smaller they now have multiple layers of hot cinnamon built right into them so you get more of an “Atomic” experience as you’re happily consuming a fireball.

3. Sweet Tarts - I love sour candies too, and accordingly I’ve loved Sweet Tarts since day one. You can buy them in small or huge sizes, but one thing about Sweet Tarts really frustrates me. A few years ago I actually had some Sweet Tart Jelly Beans. They were the best jelly beans I’ve ever had in my life, y’all would not believe how good their flavor is! Unfortunately, I’ve discovered they’re pretty hard to find, so if anyone out there ever wants to suck up to me in a major way, then just get me some Sweet Tart Jelly Beans. The only thing that would make me happier than Sweet Tart Jelly Beans would be an Elvis concert, and we all know that can’t happen again. Sweet Tart Jelly Beans, however, can!

4. Sour Jelly Bellies - In line with my just professed love of sour candies is another fav, Sour Jelly Bellies! They are usually just a bit expensive, but believe me they’re worth every extra cent you’ll pay for ‘em. Whatever you do, don’t ever buy the store brand equivalents of these, because you’ll be even more disappointed than you’d be if you purchased store brand Captain Crunch. Sour Jelly Bellies taste good, and there are maybe six or seven flavors offered, so a hand full of them is a bit more focused than just regular Jelly Bellies. With regular Jelly Bellies there are just too many flavors, and some of them are grotesque. Cream soda? Chili mango? Dr. Pepper? Pomegranate? God, it makes my stomach spasm to even think about them, and even worse is the fact that you never quite know when you’re going to be biting into one of these pellets from hell. Stick to the sours and your glower will turn from dour to super powered!

5. Peppermint Life Savers - I love their taste, their consistency, and the fact that after you eat five or six of ‘em your mouth will be so cool that you’ll feel like you could use it for refrigeration purposes. They price ‘em reasonably and now they offer even bigger sizes, which is just all too cool (pun intended) with me. Eating a Peppermint Life Saver is kinda like having a Bachman-Turner Overdrive concert take place on your palate, and just how cool would that be if it were possible? Hmmmmm? (Don’t y’all like it when I get into abstract analogies that don’t make sense at all)?

So there y’all have it, my personal candy favs of all-time. But hey, this isn’t all about what my favorite commercial candy products are, I wanna know what y’all like, tell me about your own personal favs and why. That should start a really interesting conversational thread going here today. And, if anyone out there has any leads on where to get some Sweet Tart Jelly Beans, then please let me know if you’d like to have a new best friend for life! Now, with everything having been said, let’s talk candy, candy, and more candy below…..

"ChristmaSin'", my new Christmas novel, is now available for sale! Click this link below to order!

www.christmasinthebook.com

www.elwiii.gather.com
www.ed-williams.com
www.twitter.com/ELW3

TWD - Sweet Cream Biscuits with Turkey and Chardonnay & Herb Gravy

Tuesday with Dorie was a treat because we baked biscuits. Light, flaky, sweet biscuits that could go either way, with gravy and dinner or butter and jam. I choose dinner biscuits with roasted turkey breast in a Chardonnay and herb bath; used later for gravy.

The recipe was chosen by Melissa of Love at First Bite so click on over to her blog and check out the recipe and how she used her biscuits (somehow that does not sound right). They look delicious!

Very simple to make and only a hand-full of ingredients. The secret to truly tender, flaky biscuits is not over mixing or over handling the dough. Keep the process quick and simple. The sweet, creamy biscuits are unique because the recipe calls for heavy cream and a couple teaspoons of sugar. How could someone "not" like these?My camera and I are not cooperating together so some of our photos are dark. When a person carries a camera around as much as we foodies do, the camera and human clicker pretty much become CLOSE friends. I think my friend is getting slightly peeved over the food clinging to her outer parts. I wipe her off every evening, use special cleansers and cloth for the lens but the camera is still not amused!
See, when she wants to get along, the photo turns out nice and bright. The flash was on both shots and one was dark, and this one is great. Grumble, snort!Dinner was Turkey with Chardonnay and Herbs (for gravy later); smashed red potatoes, steam cauliflower and TWD sweet creamy biscuits. I am including the recipe for the Turkey with Chardonnay and Herbs because the meal with easy, practically roasted itself and the gravy was delicious!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried sage
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onions
1 6 to 9 pound turkey breast, boned or bone in (mine was bone in)
3 cups Chardonnay or other dry white wine
3 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
6 tablespoons all purpose flour

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Let stand 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350. Place carrots, celery and onions in bottom of large roasting pan. Rub herb-oil mixture over turkey breast. Season turkey with salt and pepper. Place turkey breast atop vegetables. Pour wine and 1 cup broth around turkey in pan. Bake until turkey breast registers 170°F on thermometer, basting occasionally with pan juices, about 2 hour 30 to 45 minutes. Tent turkey in oven when the breast starts to get medium brown. Transfer turkey to platter.

Tent with foil to keep warm.

Strain pan juices into large glass measuring cup. Spoon fat from pan juices. Add enough remaining broth to measure 6 cups liquid. Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in pan juices and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened to sauce consistency, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.