Aurora Rey's Blog, page 6

Lia’s Praline Sweet Potatoes

“I don’t mean to pry, but what are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Alex didn’t know what possessed her to ask, but it was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
Lia looked away. She answered without making eye contact. “I’ll just make a small dinner here. My family tried to convince me to come home, but I’m not a huge fan of flying. Trying to do it during the busiest travel week of the year isn’t worth the toll on my psyche.”
“You’ll come for dinner at my place.” It wasn’t phrased as...

There’s a Pin for That

When I first drafted my author bio, I referenced my love of the South, my longing for a farmhouse (complete with goats), and my mild addiction to Pinterest. Lately, I’ve been so busy writing (and day-jobbing) that I’ve hardly had time for Pinterest, much less goats. I’ve decided this needs to be rectified, stat.

Sure, Pinterest has the potential to create unrealistic expectations of awesomeness. But it’s also full of fun ideas, delicious things, and hot lesbians. (I only discovered the latte...

For Daisy

Daisy was my second foster dog, the first I chose myself and the first I adopted. She was the saddest, most pathetic thing on the Bowling Green, KY SPCA website–a stray whose eyes were practically matted shut when she was brought in. She had intestinal parasites, terrible teeth, and they had no idea if she’d ever been house trained. I had a long talk with the director of the rescue group I worked with and accepted that I might be signing up for doggy hospice.

The first night I brought Daisy...

Lia’s Red Beans and Rice

If you found Alex’s chocolate croissants too fussy, or if you lean to savory over sweet, I’ve got another recipe for you: Lia’s red beans and rice.

Red beans and rice are a Cajun tradition. As Lia explains to Alex, it’s a dish traditionally cooked on Mondays. When money is tight, it’s a great way to stretch a little bit of meat a long way and use up whatever you have around–a ham bone, smoked turkey necks, a few piees of sausage. It’s also something you can put on the stove and leave untende...

Alex’s Chocolate Croissants

To celebrate the release of Winter’s Harbor, I thought I’d do a series of recipe blogs. First, because I love recipes. Second, because there is a lot of cooking and baking in the book. A lot. To kick things off, it really has to be chocolate croissants…

I didn’t set about to make chocolate croissants a recurring theme in Winter’s Harbor. It just sort of happened. Not like that’s a bad thing. Although I’m technically partial to almond, chocolate croissants are the ultimate bakery treat. Despi...

Those Are My People

Last night, the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival sponsored a screening of Love Between the Covers, a documentary about the romance novel industry. After, I had the opportunity to participate in a panel of local romance authors answered questions about the genre, our work, and the business of writing.

Although excited to see the film, I went into the evening with my focus on the panel. Public speaking and all.

But the screening was first, so I settled in with my Diet Coke and let myse...

Countdown to Provincetown

In ten days, A and I will be en route to Provincetown for Women’s Week. General excitement has given way to complete giddiness. Why, you ask? Let me count the ways…

1) I adore Provincetown. It might be my single most favorite place in the world.

2) In anticipation of Women’s Week, we did not do our annual week in P-town this summer. I’m seriously overdue for ocean air and more gayness than I know what to do with.

3) Women’s Week is like the largest assemblage of lesbians anywhere.

4) I get t...

All In on Woo Woo, or My Philosophy of Marketing

Disclaimer: I am not a business person. I am an English major turned business school administrator who moonlighted as a baker and is now a writer. Take my advice at your own peril.

A couple of months ago, Adobe Marketing had this great commercial about the hot new thing–Woo Woo. A company scrambled to put all their ducks in a Woo Woo row, but by the time they pulled it together, the hip guys were already on to something else. Quoth the cool guy, “Naw, man, my mom’s on Woo Woo.”

It was funny,...

One of These Nights, or Things I Learned while Listening to the Eagles

They say that all the stories have been told. For a writer–or reader for that matter–this is intrinsically depressing. Why do we even bother?

We bother because it’s not so much the story we’re after. It’s the telling. Now before you your get your knickers in a twist, hear me out.

When I say story, I mean the basic arc of a narrative. The archetype, if you will. Sure there are some crazy twists and new takes, but it’s pretty rare that something entirely new will pop onto the scene.

This isn’t...

Lessons in Compassion

I’m pretty big on compassion. It drives my political leanings, shapes my world view. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve still got a sarcastic streak a mile wide. But I try to make kindness a driving force in my life. That means being kind, and also striving to surround myself with people who strive for the same.

The second part can be tricky. There are the relatives whose politics make my blood boil. There are the friends who would prefer to feel slighted than give someone the benefit of the doubt. Som...