Lyn Cote's Blog, page 48
May 10, 2015
I Remember Mama (Book Giveaway)
Honor, the mother
As usual I focus on mothers and daughters in the month of Mother’s Day.
This week several authors will be sharing memories of their mothers. And in the upcoming weeks of May I will ask authors and you readers to share little tidbits about your moms. Hope this makes you remember and hope you enjoy hearing other’s memories.
Here’s my take on I REMEMBER MAMA.
Do you recognize the title of this blog post?
If you do, you’re over 30 or an old movie or early TV buff. I Remember Mama was a book first, then a movie, then a charming TV series.
It was the story of a Swedish family that immigrated to San Francisco early in the 20th century. If you haven’t seen this move, rent it. It is all about how Mama–kind, good and wise–keeps her family together and loved.
I lost my mother a few years ago. Unfortunately the end of her life was nothing like the days I most treasure, the days when she was a young and loving mother. Dementia and its unpleasant side effects separated us at the end.
But today I want to remember Mama, the way I loved her.
My mother loved animals. We owned turtles, ducks, fish, cats, dogs, a baby robin. (The robin’s another story for another day.) Our house was always filled with animals–some ours; some of the neighbors. It wasn’t unusual to come home from school and find the house filled with all the pets on the block. (This was before leash-laws.)
One special memory is the cat from down the street who obviously didn’t trust her kittens with her owner. She birthed her kittens in her own home. But a few hours after delivery, she carried each kitten one by one up the hill to our house. My mother “got” what the mama-cat wanted and set up a box with an old blanket in it. The cat nestled all three of her mewing kittens to that box and moved in. Once or twice a day, she would go down to her house and visit her owners but then she would come back to our house.
Our neighbor downhill was not amused. But what could she do? When the kittens were old enough to give away, my mom found homes for them. And the mama-cat moved back to her owners.
One Christmas memory I have is of my first cat, a very large, a very loving tom who thought that we had put up the Christmas tree just for him. He climbed it every night!
And this was in the days of glass ornaments. Every night for three nights we woke up to CRASH!!!! We had to pick up the tree, sweep up the shattered glass ornaments and redecorate.
Now most moms would have banished the cat until the tree came down New Year’s Eve.
Not my mom.
She put a cup hook in the wall and tied a narrow rope to the tree. Then the cat could climb the tree and not knock it over. Now most moms would not have wanted a cup hook in her living room wall. But to my mom, the cat was more important than the wall.
This is how I REMEMBER MAMA. QUESTION: What do you most remember about your mother?
I will be giving away an advanced reading copy of my book HONOR and my book BLESSING which comes out July 1st both to one reader who leaves a comment. Hope you’ll share!–Lyn
Blessing, her daughter
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May 5, 2015
Author Sylvia Bambola & Anna’s Meatballs
My guest today is author Sylvia Bambola. She is offering a book giveaway of her newest book,THE SALT COVENANTS. And she is sharing her mother in law Anna’ Meatball recipe–WHICH SOUNDS SCRUMPTIOUS! Here’s Sylvia:
Anna’s Meatballs:
1 ½ lbs chopped beef
1 raw egg
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbs dried parsley
¼ cup milk
Salt/pepper
Mix above together and form into medium size balls.
Anna’s Pasta Sauce:
2 packages Italian sausage
1 recipe Anna’s meatballs
2 pig knuckles
Olive oil
4 cans Italian peeled tomatoes
1 can tomato puree
2 Tbs red wine
Salt/pepper
In a large pot add enough olive oil to thinly cover bottom. Fry sausages, pig knuckles, and meatballs until golden brown. Remove from pot. Blend cans of tomatoes, one at a time, in blender, and add to pot, cooking over medium heat until all the drippings and crusted meat on bottom of pot have blended with tomatoes. Add tomato puree and heat until mixture begins to bubble. Add wine, then add meat and simmer over low heat for about three hours. Oil will begin to float to surface when it is done.
Significance of Recipe:
My first dinner at Anna’s house, my future mother-in-law
It was during my first dinner at Anna’s house, my future mother-in-law (who I later happily called “mom”) that I discovered a can of Franco American Spaghetti and a loaf of French bread was NOT Italian food.
Anna served pasta, the kind that came out of a box and had to be boiled in water.
And sauce . . . the kind that bubbled for hours and contained meatballs made from scratch, and sausages, and pig’s knuckles.
In all my young twenty years I had never seen such a sight.
The large Bambola tribe and I sat around a big concrete table in the back yard where I shamelessly gorged myself, then pushed away the empty plate and thanked my hostess. Anna laughed in that sweet way of hers and said, “Dinner? Oh, no, dear, that’s just first dish. Now we’ll have dinner.”
Just first dish!
And out came breaded chicken, a roast beef, salad and several vegetables. We sat for hours talking, laughing and of course, eating. I can’t think of a nicer way to be introduced to Italian food.
After several years of marriage and watching my mother-in-law cook, I finally mastered the “sauce.” And this staple accompanied many Sunday meals where wonderful lasting memories of family and friendship were forged.
Food says so much about people.
In my recent historical novel, The Salt Covenants, food and meals were important elements in Isabel’s Jewish family. Their faith required them to followed strict religious laws, in what they could and could not eat, and even in how they prepared their food.
And meal time was an opportunity for the family to come together in unity and share events of the day as well as practice their faith, as during their weekly Sabbath meal. Also the issue of a lack of food comes into play, as Isabel endures the rigors of a new land as well as struggles to acclimate herself to the foreign foods. Though The Salt Covenants isn’t a story about food, it is remarkable how much food does play a part in it.”–Sylvia
To purchase, click here. The Salt Covenants
Book Blurb:
“But these plans they have laid out for me like an embroidered rug, showing me where my feet must travel, is to me an awful penance for sins I did not commit.” Isabel
Spain 1493: Isabel has broken her mother’s heart by becoming a sincere convert to Christianity. But when she is noticed by Friar Alonso at La Casa Santa, the Holy House, she is forced to flee the Inquisition by entering into a loveless marriage and sailing along with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World.
But all too soon Isabel is forced to struggle alone in her new life and new faith. With all the risks and hardships, her very survival is called into question. And how is she ever to find love in this strange land? And what of the dangerous Enrique Vivar? Will his hidden agenda cost her her life?
Publishers Weekly starred review called The Salt Covenants “transcendent” and “beautifully written”
Sylvia, I can’t wait to try your recipe. Sylvia is giving away a copy of her THE SALT COVENANTS so to enter the drawing be sure to leave an answer to the QUESTION: When you married or visited a friend for dinner, what new food did you discover?–Lyn
For more online:
website: http://www.sylviabambola.com/books
goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/83706.Sylvia_Bambola
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sylvia-Bambola/78754640991
twitter: https://twitter.com/sylviabambola
To purchase:
barnsandnoble.com: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-salt-covenants-sylvia-bambola/1120995842?ean=9780989970778
bookamillion.com: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Salt-Covenants/Sylvia-Bambola/9780989970778?id=6217838042591
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May 4, 2015
Mothers’ Favorite Sayings
May is the month I focus on mothers and daughters and I am asking one question each week related to this topic.
Here’s this week’s question:
Could you please relate your mother’s favorite saying or bible verse?
My mom’s was “Life’s great if you don’t weaken.”
I think she said this because it reminds us that we will all weaken and we’re not in charge of life, a reminder of humility.
Here are both of my guest authors this week and what their mothers’ favorite sayings were.
First author Lorraine Beatty, yesterday’s guest:
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
My mother was ill a great deal of her life and I think this passage sustained and comforted her greatly over the years.–Lorraine
Next Author Sylvia Bambola tomorrow’s guest :
“If you’re going to do something, do it right!”
Those words my mother spoke so often still roll around my head. They’re good words; words that teach an important lesson found in scripture: Do all as unto the Lord. They made me want to do my best, to cultivate a spirit of excellence, something I’m still working on.
Still, over the years I’ve decided that not everything needs to be done with excellence. I mean, you don’t have to move all those knickknacks every time you dust. You can just dust around them until you have more time. Right? Well, that’s my plan and I’m sticking to it!–Sylvia
I’m with you on that one, Sylvia. And Lorraine, that is a memorable verse for all.
So readers, what was your mother’s favorite saying or Bible verse?
Leave a comment and be entered into the drawing for an Amazon gift card of $5. –Lyn
BTW, my ebook HONOR is 99 cents this week as an ebook. If you haven’t purchased it yet, look to the left and click the cover and it will take you to Amazon.com.
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May 3, 2015
Author Lorraine Beatty & Bachelor to the Rescue
My guest today is author Lorraine Beatty who writes for Love Inspired Romance. She is going to share about her latest romance, Bachelor to the Rescue. Here’s Lorraine:
Lived inside my head for several years
“My current heroine, single mom Lainie Hollings, has lived inside my head for several years. I knew she was a brunette and she had two little girls. She comes to a new town to start a new job and a new life, but something prevents it, and she has to come up with a new plan.
I saw her as a determined, strong woman who would do whatever it took to provide for her girls, even to working with a man she disliked. That idea went through many changes before finding it’s foundation in a book for Bachelor to the Rescue.
Lainie is no stranger to adversity.
As a young wife and mother, pregnant with her second child, she loses her husband in a construction accident, something that could have been prevented if the foreman, Shaw McKinney had been doing his job. She moves back home with her mother, gives birth to her child and goes back to school to earn her degree, landing the position of Head librarian at the new library in Dover, Mississippi.
Nothing in Lainie’s life comes easily. Robbed at gun point she and her girls are left broke stranded and the only one she knows in town is the man who made her a widow. But she’ll do whatever necessary to take care of her girls, even taking help from Shaw.
Loyal to the memory
Lainie is loyal to the memory of her husband, but that loyalty blinds her to the truth about him and stokes an old fear that keeps her from risking her heart again. It’s not until she stops and faces her past that she’s free to step into the future with a man who will love her and her girls completely.
Humorist Erma Bombeck
We all do this sometimes, get memories wrong. This is a funny antidote Humorist Erma Bombeck shared which points out what happens when we simply accept things at face value. When she was growing up Erma’s mother always hosted Easter dinner and she would cut the ham in half and bake the pieces separately.
When Erma had her own family she continued the practice. One day her husband asked her why she cut the ham in half. Unable to answer she called her mom who told her it wasn’t some special baking method, she simply hadn’t owned a pan big enough to hold the whole ham so she…cut it in half.
Lainie never bothered to learn the truth.
She simply accepted her husband’s explanation for things. She is a strong, accomplished and intelligent woman, but even the strongest of us have fears that keep us bound up. Maybe Lainie’s story will help someone stop, turn around, and confront an old fear so they can be free to move forward.”–Lorraine
To purchase, click here. Bachelor to the Rescue (Home to Dover)
Blurb
Young widow Lainie Hollings will do anything to protect her daughters—even if it means accepting help from Shaw McKinney. Though she blames Shaw for her husband’s death, he’s the only one she can turn to when a robbery forces her to take shelter in his home. Soon she’s surprised by the handsome contractor. He’s kind, charming and determined to protect her and her girls. Being with Lainie makes Shaw want to give up his bachelor life and become a family man. But he’ll need to win over the pretty librarian and prove to her he’s the right man for her future.
That’s a great point, Lorraine. Not taking what we are told for granted even from someone we love is a good idea. QUESTION: Have you ever had to change your mind in light of new information?–Lyn
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HONOR on Sale –This Week Only!
The first E-book in my QUAKER BRIDES series is on sale this week only for 99 cents! Normally $14.99. So don’t miss this sale!
(Click covers to purchase.)
The prequel to the series. “Where Honor Began” is on sale for 99 cents also.
The second book in the series BLESSING will be released July 1st.
Hope you take advantage of this sale!–Lyn
Send to Kindle 
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April 28, 2015
Author Beth K Vogt & Can’t Buy Me Love & Ebook Giveaway
My guest today is author Beth K Vogt and she is going to introduce her May 5th novella “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
(SHE IS OFFERING TO GIVE AWAY ONE ECOPY OF IT so don’t forget to look for the QUESTION and leave a comment)
And she’s also about to define a writing term, Character Arc. Here’s Beth Vogt and
Can’t Buy Me Love: Bellamy Hillman and Character Arcs:
“You are the only person on earth who can use your ability.” Zig Ziglar 1926-2012), motivational speaker
A character arc
is a crucial part of writing a novel – it’s how your character changes as the story unfolds.
New destination wedding series
In my upcoming e-novella “Can’t Buy Me Love” (May 2015) that launches my destination wedding series, my heroine Bellamy Hillman desperately needs to embrace her character arc. At the beginning, Bellamy isn’t sure who she is – well, except that she’s evidently going to marry Reid Stanton in a one-of-a-kind Manhattan destination wedding. And there are times she’s not even sure how she got to be so lucky to be Reid’s fiancée.
impulsive choices
Bellamy’s life overflows with impulsive choices that have caused her to end up exactly where she never planned on being. Her happily ever after is more than she ever imagined – but does she deserve it?
And then one more choice – the grandest of all impulsive actions – causes life to fall apart. Bellamy’s at the end of her rope – and there’s not even enough left to tie a knot in it and hold on. But even more than that, Bellamy’s at the end of herself.
New Beginning
And that’s when Bellamy begins to discover who she is. She’s not just a bunch of impulsive choices. She has abilities and strengths that make her valuable. They’ve been there all along – not because someone else said so, but because God said so. And God trumps all her self-doubts.
To purchase, booksbylyncote.com.
April 26, 2015
April 21, 2015
Love Inspired Suspense Author Terri Reed & 2 Recipes for Baked Zucchini
My guest today is Love Inspired Suspense author Terri Reed. She is offering TWO copies of her latest book to one commenter so don’t forget to look for the QUESTION. Here’s Terri:
As an American Field Service exchange student
“Thank you Lyn for hosting me today. I hope your readers will enjoy my recipe. The story behind which starts three days after I graduated from high school. As an American Field Service exchange student, I went to Italy for three months, living with an Italian family. It was one of the most exciting and scary times of my life. I studied the Italian language for several months prior to leaving the small town where I grew up in the foothills of the Sierra-Nevada Mountains. However, I retained little of the language by the time I boarded a plane to fly from California to Europe. We stopped in New York first and I met other American kids from all over the country who were heading aboard. But none of us were going to the same cities so we said our goodbyes and boarded our respective planes.
I headed to Rome
and was put on a train bound for the town of Fabriano. My Italian family welcomed me with open arms and made me feel comfortable. The daughter, Leticia, spoke English and helped me to communicate while I was in Italy. It was a fun summer and I fell in love with Italy. Before going to this fabulous country I didn’t eat vegetables. I was an average American teen who preferred french-fries and hamburgers to anything green. My Italian mother, Malfalda, coaxed me into trying her baked stuffed zucchini.
Coaxed into it
Amazingly, I loved it. I watched her make the dish several times over the next three months and when I returned to my home in California, I was able to reproduce her recipe. It was simple yet delicious. Over the years I have made adjustments, like adding in Marsala wine to the filling mixture for added flavor.
When my children came along
I tried to coax them into trying the bake stuffed zucchini but no go. My sister-in-law showed me a different way of baking it with only cheese as the topping and my kids ate it. I’m still hopeful one day they will like the bake stuffed zucchini that always reminds me of the summer I spent in Italy.
my very first art museum
It was in that I went to my very first art museum. I was too young and ignorant to appreciate the great works of art on display and I hope one day to return to Italy with a deeper appreciation of art.
To purchase, booksbylyncote.com.
April 19, 2015
Author Jessica Nelson & Being a Woman is Hard
My guest today is author Jessica Nelson who is going to share about her upcoming Regency romance, The Matchmaker’s Match. She will be offering a copy of FAMILY ON THE RANGE to one commenter. Here’s Jessica:
“Being a woman is hard work.” Maya Angelou
I’d have to agree with Ms. Angelou, especially regarding women who lived in societies that limited their rights and abilities. That’s why strong historical women fascinate me. Their quest for independence, their admirable ability to maneuver around the constraints of their culture, is an inspiration in my own journey to becoming a strong woman.
In my upcoming release, The Matchmaker’s Match, Lady Amelia Baxley is very involved in prison reform. I noticed, Lyn, that you havebooksbylyncote.com.
April 14, 2015
Wisconsin Author Carol Voss & My Mom’s Cornish Pasty Recipe
My guest today is Wisconsin author Carol Voss. I’ve met her at conferences and she is FUN! Carol is offering either an ebook or a print copy of her newest book A Baby for Sarah (that US Only) for a book drawing. Don’t miss the QUESTION.
Since I’m acquainted with the pasty (said with the British ah sound), I was eager to read & share Carol’s mom’s recipe for Cornish pasties. The Cornish miners from Cornwall, a region of the British Kingdom were the inventor of the pasty. Here’s some backstory on this delectable treat.
“The Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In some areas, pasties are a significant tourist attraction,[47] including an annual Pasty Fest in Calumet, Michigan in late June. Pasties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan have a particularly unusual history. Many ethnic groups adopted the pasty for use in the Copper Country copper mines.[48][49] The pasty has become strongly associated with all cultures in this area, and in the similar Iron Range in northern Minnesota.
Mineral Point, Wisconsin was the site of the first mineral rush in the USA during the 1830s. After lead was discovered in Mineral Point many of the early miners migrated to this south-western Wisconsin area from Cornwall. Those Cornish miners brought their skills working in the deep underground tin mines of Cornwall. They also brought their recipe and appetite for the pasty.” From booksbylyncote.com.
