Sloane Taylor's Blog, page 134
August 30, 2012
TALK IT UP
“Hi, Liz. How are you today?”
“Well hi, David. I’m fine. How are you?”
“I’m just fine. It’s really good to see you.”
“Likewise. What’s new?”
HELLO! Time to wake up. I know you’re bored beyond relief with that less than scintillating dialogue, but the example was necessary. Why? To show you what kind of dialogue will irk your readers into book burning. As an aside, the only good thing about that above example is the punctuation is correct.
Yes, people really do talk in the mundane. It’s called idle chitchat and we use it all the time. As a writer you’d better not shovel that kind of crappy dialogue down your reader’s throat or the only sound you’ll hear is the toilet flushing away any future sales.
Your dialogue must;
• Push your story along
• Give insight to your characters
• Be active
You owe your reader a good story. They expect it. They deserve it. You had better deliver.
How do you write exciting dialogue? Good question and there’s no definitive answer.
Look at your manuscript. Read the dialogue out loud. Check for the following;
• Does each character speak in a specific voice? Or do they all sound alike?
• Are your conversations pertinent to what’s happening at that specific time? To the progress of the story?
• Does your dialogue carry emotion, good or bad?
• Does your dialogue make the reader want to skim and go onto the next section or read every word?
Again, read your written dialogue out loud. Listen to the sound and rhythm of the sentences. Correct or delete as the case may require. Next, and this is the important part, have someone else read the same passages aloud without knowing what’s happening before and after. That way the reader won't use inflections. Hearing your words from another person will help you pull it together and notice the weak spots.
If you’re writing erotica, please remember couples think and talk during sex. Even if one of your characters is shy, can’t say what they’re feeling, they are thinking. Turn their thoughts into short sentences. It will add more depth to your character and meaning to your story.
Another method to increasing your dialogue skill is to read one of the latest books by your favorite author. Take notes about what you like, and don’t, on the dialogue sections. See how and if those points will improve your own characters conversations. No cloning allowed, be sure you maintain your voice.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend. I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Writing!
Sloane Taylor
“Well hi, David. I’m fine. How are you?”
“I’m just fine. It’s really good to see you.”
“Likewise. What’s new?”
HELLO! Time to wake up. I know you’re bored beyond relief with that less than scintillating dialogue, but the example was necessary. Why? To show you what kind of dialogue will irk your readers into book burning. As an aside, the only good thing about that above example is the punctuation is correct.
Yes, people really do talk in the mundane. It’s called idle chitchat and we use it all the time. As a writer you’d better not shovel that kind of crappy dialogue down your reader’s throat or the only sound you’ll hear is the toilet flushing away any future sales.
Your dialogue must;
• Push your story along
• Give insight to your characters
• Be active
You owe your reader a good story. They expect it. They deserve it. You had better deliver.
How do you write exciting dialogue? Good question and there’s no definitive answer.
Look at your manuscript. Read the dialogue out loud. Check for the following;
• Does each character speak in a specific voice? Or do they all sound alike?
• Are your conversations pertinent to what’s happening at that specific time? To the progress of the story?
• Does your dialogue carry emotion, good or bad?
• Does your dialogue make the reader want to skim and go onto the next section or read every word?
Again, read your written dialogue out loud. Listen to the sound and rhythm of the sentences. Correct or delete as the case may require. Next, and this is the important part, have someone else read the same passages aloud without knowing what’s happening before and after. That way the reader won't use inflections. Hearing your words from another person will help you pull it together and notice the weak spots.
If you’re writing erotica, please remember couples think and talk during sex. Even if one of your characters is shy, can’t say what they’re feeling, they are thinking. Turn their thoughts into short sentences. It will add more depth to your character and meaning to your story.
Another method to increasing your dialogue skill is to read one of the latest books by your favorite author. Take notes about what you like, and don’t, on the dialogue sections. See how and if those points will improve your own characters conversations. No cloning allowed, be sure you maintain your voice.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend. I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Writing!
Sloane Taylor
August 28, 2012
It's Wednesday. So, What's Cooking?
Ragu Bolognese, Pasta, and Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Your weather may be a little warm to prepare this meal just yet, but it won’t be long before you’ll relish a hearty Italian dinner. In that case, please save the menu for a fall evening with friends.
Save time for future cooking and double the sauce recipe, then freeze the extra for up to three months, for when you have a time crunch.
Ragu Bolognese
Pasta
Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Dry Red Wine – Chianti or Beaujolais
Ragu Bolognese
Makes about 3 ½ cups
¼ pound smoked ham coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
¼ cup chopped carrots
½ cup coarsely chopped celery
5 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
¾ pound ground round or chuck
½ pound Italian sausage in chunks and removed from casing
¼ pound ground pork
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups beef stock
2 tbsp. tomato paste
Mushroom halves – quantity to taste I prefer the baby Bella
½ pound chicken livers
1 cup heavy cream
2 or three pinches of ground nutmeg
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Combine the chopped ham, onions, carrots and celery on a large cutting board, and chop them together into very small pieces. This mixture is called a battuto, which when cooked becomes a soffritto.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat in a heavy 10 -12 inch skillet. When the foam subsides, add the battuto and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is lightly browned. Transfer the soffritto to a heavy 3 – 4 quart saucepan.
Heat the olive oil in the same skillet. Add the beef, sausage, and pork. Lightly brown over moderate heat and be sure to break up any clumps. Pour in the wine, increase heat to high. Boil while stirring constantly until almost all of the liquid has cooked away.
Add the meat to the soffritto in the saucepan. Stir in the stock and tomato paste. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter over high heat in the original skillet. When the foam subsides, add the chicken livers. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until they are firm and lightly browned. Allow to cool on a cutting board a few minutes, then cut the livers into a small dice.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the original skillet. Add the halved mushrooms. Saute briefly. You just want to coat them with the butter, not cook them through.
10 minutes before the sauce is done, stir in the chicken livers and mushrooms.
A few minutes before serving, stir in the cream and heat through. Taste the ragu and season with nutmeg and pepper. Serve on pasta.
Pasta
Select your favorite pasta. I prefer a Barilla curly pasta as it captures the sauce best.
Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Do NOT add oil to the boiling water. Oil hinders the sauce from clinging to the cooked pasta.
Salad
Red leaf lettuce
Romaine lettuce
Head lettuce
Tomato chunks
Sliced cucumbers
Plan two or three leaves of each type lettuce and half a tomato per person. Include the amount of cucumber that looks appealing to you. Gently combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover with a damp paper and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Creamy Garlic Dressing
1 ½ cups mayonnaise – it must be real mayo, not Miracle Whip
½ cup vegetable oil
Scant ¼ cup white vinegar
3 tbsp. chopped onion
¾ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
4 big gloves garlic pressed
Combine all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Mix on high until smooth.
Keeps two weeks in the refrigerator. Store on bottom shelf.
To serve either toss with your salad or arrange the salad on individual chilled plates and ladle a dollop on top.
I'll be back Friday with a little more for aspiring authors. Until then...
Mangiare Bene!
Sloane Taylor
Your weather may be a little warm to prepare this meal just yet, but it won’t be long before you’ll relish a hearty Italian dinner. In that case, please save the menu for a fall evening with friends.
Save time for future cooking and double the sauce recipe, then freeze the extra for up to three months, for when you have a time crunch.
Ragu Bolognese
Pasta
Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Dry Red Wine – Chianti or Beaujolais
Ragu Bolognese
Makes about 3 ½ cups
¼ pound smoked ham coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
¼ cup chopped carrots
½ cup coarsely chopped celery
5 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
¾ pound ground round or chuck
½ pound Italian sausage in chunks and removed from casing
¼ pound ground pork
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups beef stock
2 tbsp. tomato paste
Mushroom halves – quantity to taste I prefer the baby Bella
½ pound chicken livers
1 cup heavy cream
2 or three pinches of ground nutmeg
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Combine the chopped ham, onions, carrots and celery on a large cutting board, and chop them together into very small pieces. This mixture is called a battuto, which when cooked becomes a soffritto.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over moderate heat in a heavy 10 -12 inch skillet. When the foam subsides, add the battuto and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is lightly browned. Transfer the soffritto to a heavy 3 – 4 quart saucepan.
Heat the olive oil in the same skillet. Add the beef, sausage, and pork. Lightly brown over moderate heat and be sure to break up any clumps. Pour in the wine, increase heat to high. Boil while stirring constantly until almost all of the liquid has cooked away.
Add the meat to the soffritto in the saucepan. Stir in the stock and tomato paste. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter over high heat in the original skillet. When the foam subsides, add the chicken livers. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, or until they are firm and lightly browned. Allow to cool on a cutting board a few minutes, then cut the livers into a small dice.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in the original skillet. Add the halved mushrooms. Saute briefly. You just want to coat them with the butter, not cook them through.
10 minutes before the sauce is done, stir in the chicken livers and mushrooms.
A few minutes before serving, stir in the cream and heat through. Taste the ragu and season with nutmeg and pepper. Serve on pasta.
Pasta
Select your favorite pasta. I prefer a Barilla curly pasta as it captures the sauce best.
Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Do NOT add oil to the boiling water. Oil hinders the sauce from clinging to the cooked pasta.
Salad
Red leaf lettuce
Romaine lettuce
Head lettuce
Tomato chunks
Sliced cucumbers
Plan two or three leaves of each type lettuce and half a tomato per person. Include the amount of cucumber that looks appealing to you. Gently combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Cover with a damp paper and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Creamy Garlic Dressing
1 ½ cups mayonnaise – it must be real mayo, not Miracle Whip
½ cup vegetable oil
Scant ¼ cup white vinegar
3 tbsp. chopped onion
¾ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
4 big gloves garlic pressed
Combine all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Mix on high until smooth.
Keeps two weeks in the refrigerator. Store on bottom shelf.
To serve either toss with your salad or arrange the salad on individual chilled plates and ladle a dollop on top.
I'll be back Friday with a little more for aspiring authors. Until then...
Mangiare Bene!
Sloane Taylor
August 26, 2012
Jumping Over the Edge
is exactly what Paul Stansfield, a talented author with a unique style and voice, did with great success. Paul's talents ran to mystery and suspense until now. With break out book KAISHAKU, a chilling horror book, Paul separates the gutless from the lionhearted. Below is a small sample to set the scene.
KAISHAKU
Paul Stansfield
ISBN: 978-1-61937-388-4
Musa Publishing
BUY LINK
When a sociopath is speaking, being a good listener can cost you your soul.
BLURB:
After receiving a DUI, Dustin Dempster is working off community service hours in a hospital. While there, he’s asked to do amateur counseling of difficult patients. He thinks this a waste of time, and reluctantly agrees.
One of these difficult patients is Levon Howard, a man paralyzed from the neck down because of a car accident. He’s initially uncooperative, but after being charmed by Dustin’s brutal honesty and willingness to break some small hospital rules, he agrees to participate. Soon he’s revealing his darkest secrets to Dustin…
EXCERPT:
Dustin pulled up his chair, and listened intently.
“For starters, my name is Levon, so call me that. Not big on ‘Mr. Howard.’ Fort is right in a way—I do want to talk. Just not to someone like him, or his flunkies, or a nurse. What I’m going to tell you I’ve never told anyone—but I figure, why not? My life—my real life—is over.
“You never told anyone? Why not?”
“Shut up and listen! You’ll see. But anyway, the most important thing in my life is that I’m obsessed with killing. With a catch—I’m not a murderer. I’ve never been arrested, never went to jail, and never even broke the law.”
Levon paused to catch his breath, and Dustin just stared at him, and resisted the urge to laugh. Come on! This guy’s gotta be fucking with me! Or was he? He looked pretty sincere—could he be serious? Maybe he would have been better off not talking to him. But, on the other hand, Levon could hardly attack him even if he wanted to, and besides, Dustin was a little curious. So he waited for the paralyzed man to resume.
BUY LINK
Learn more about Paul Stansfield on his entertaining blog .
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
KAISHAKU
Paul Stansfield
ISBN: 978-1-61937-388-4
Musa Publishing
BUY LINK
When a sociopath is speaking, being a good listener can cost you your soul.
BLURB:
After receiving a DUI, Dustin Dempster is working off community service hours in a hospital. While there, he’s asked to do amateur counseling of difficult patients. He thinks this a waste of time, and reluctantly agrees.
One of these difficult patients is Levon Howard, a man paralyzed from the neck down because of a car accident. He’s initially uncooperative, but after being charmed by Dustin’s brutal honesty and willingness to break some small hospital rules, he agrees to participate. Soon he’s revealing his darkest secrets to Dustin…
EXCERPT:
Dustin pulled up his chair, and listened intently.
“For starters, my name is Levon, so call me that. Not big on ‘Mr. Howard.’ Fort is right in a way—I do want to talk. Just not to someone like him, or his flunkies, or a nurse. What I’m going to tell you I’ve never told anyone—but I figure, why not? My life—my real life—is over.
“You never told anyone? Why not?”
“Shut up and listen! You’ll see. But anyway, the most important thing in my life is that I’m obsessed with killing. With a catch—I’m not a murderer. I’ve never been arrested, never went to jail, and never even broke the law.”
Levon paused to catch his breath, and Dustin just stared at him, and resisted the urge to laugh. Come on! This guy’s gotta be fucking with me! Or was he? He looked pretty sincere—could he be serious? Maybe he would have been better off not talking to him. But, on the other hand, Levon could hardly attack him even if he wanted to, and besides, Dustin was a little curious. So he waited for the paralyzed man to resume.
BUY LINK
Learn more about Paul Stansfield on his entertaining blog .
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
August 23, 2012
HOW TO HANDLE REJECTION
You’ve been hounding your postal carrier for weeks, begging for The Letter, the one that’s going to put you on the road to success. Another trip to the mailbox. You slide your hand in and CRAP!
Nothing.
Again.
But wait! What’s that stuck inside the newspaper advertisement you usually toss in the recycle bin without reading?
Holy Royalties, Batman! It’s from the publisher.
Correction.
It’s from your publisher.
With shaking hands you tear open the envelope and draw out the letter. Hey! Where’s the contract? You spread the envelope apart praying it’s stuck inside.
Nada.
Okay, okay, they’re probably going to send it after you accept their offer.
Grinning ear-to-ear you flip the letter over and read;
“Dear Author,
We are sorry to inform you…”
Yep, that’s pretty much how a rejection letter starts off.
So, what are you going to do about it? Sit there and cry? Gorge yourself on junk food until you’re ready to puke? Those reactions are typical. Very few writers entertain thoughts of suicide. And if you do, baby, you need some serious help.
This is the best advice I can give you on rejection; Get Over It. You're not the only one and no one likes a whiner.
Sure no one likes to be rejected, be it from a lover, friend, or an editor. But there’s ways to retain your rationale without going over the edge.
Read your rejection again, after you come back from your blue period. If it’s a form rejection, without a real clue as to why your book was deep-sixed, then you’ll need to talk with someone in your writer’s or critique group for insight. Forget family. They're either convinced you're the best writer since Shakespeare or they're so jealous, they're ecstatic you were rejected.
If you are fortunate enough to have an explanation of the rejection, study it. Learn from it. Editors are not evil. They don’t wake up every morning and plan which writers to destroy as they dress for work. Editors want talented writers with a fresh voice. They are all looking for that one author who can make the editor’s career. They want you to be the one.
Treat your rejection as a challenge. Frame it. Hang it right over your desk. Look at it everyday and promise yourself you will do better. Then, make it happen.
Read your story again, edit it again, fix the problem areas and make that baby shine. When you are positive it’s the best you ever wrote, ship it right back out the front door. It’s just like falling off a bike; you have to get back on to overcome the fear.
Folks, I’m always glued to my computer, so if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at sloanetaylor@comcast.net. I'm happy to help in any way I can.
Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back Monday with Paul Stansfield. Until then...
Happy Writing!
Sloane Taylor
Nothing.
Again.
But wait! What’s that stuck inside the newspaper advertisement you usually toss in the recycle bin without reading?
Holy Royalties, Batman! It’s from the publisher.
Correction.
It’s from your publisher.
With shaking hands you tear open the envelope and draw out the letter. Hey! Where’s the contract? You spread the envelope apart praying it’s stuck inside.
Nada.
Okay, okay, they’re probably going to send it after you accept their offer.
Grinning ear-to-ear you flip the letter over and read;
“Dear Author,
We are sorry to inform you…”
Yep, that’s pretty much how a rejection letter starts off.
So, what are you going to do about it? Sit there and cry? Gorge yourself on junk food until you’re ready to puke? Those reactions are typical. Very few writers entertain thoughts of suicide. And if you do, baby, you need some serious help.
This is the best advice I can give you on rejection; Get Over It. You're not the only one and no one likes a whiner.
Sure no one likes to be rejected, be it from a lover, friend, or an editor. But there’s ways to retain your rationale without going over the edge.
Read your rejection again, after you come back from your blue period. If it’s a form rejection, without a real clue as to why your book was deep-sixed, then you’ll need to talk with someone in your writer’s or critique group for insight. Forget family. They're either convinced you're the best writer since Shakespeare or they're so jealous, they're ecstatic you were rejected.
If you are fortunate enough to have an explanation of the rejection, study it. Learn from it. Editors are not evil. They don’t wake up every morning and plan which writers to destroy as they dress for work. Editors want talented writers with a fresh voice. They are all looking for that one author who can make the editor’s career. They want you to be the one.
Treat your rejection as a challenge. Frame it. Hang it right over your desk. Look at it everyday and promise yourself you will do better. Then, make it happen.
Read your story again, edit it again, fix the problem areas and make that baby shine. When you are positive it’s the best you ever wrote, ship it right back out the front door. It’s just like falling off a bike; you have to get back on to overcome the fear.
Folks, I’m always glued to my computer, so if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at sloanetaylor@comcast.net. I'm happy to help in any way I can.
Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back Monday with Paul Stansfield. Until then...
Happy Writing!
Sloane Taylor
August 21, 2012
It's Wednesday. So, What's Cooking?
Easy Baked Chicken Breasts, Rice, and Salad.
It’s hard to believe fall is a few short weeks away. Soon it will be time for chili and stew. I refuse to let go of summer and easy cooking just yet. This week we have a menu that is so easy you’ll want to repeat it during the holiday season to lighten your work load.
Easy Baked Chicken Breasts
Rice with Chicken Stock
Salad
Crisp White Wine - Chardonnay
Easy Baked Chicken Breasts
4 boneless chicken breasts
5 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Spray the baking dish with a light coating of Pam. Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
Mix the mayo and bread crumbs together in a small bowl. Spread onto both sides of the chicken.
Sprinkle the top of the coated chicken with the bread crumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes.
This is a mouth watering dish that freezes well.
Rice
Select your favorite brand of rice and make according to the package directions. Substitute half the water for chicken stock.
I like to make extra as rice freezes well then it’s handy when I’m running late on another day.
Salad
lettuce
zucchini peeled & quartered
tomatoes quartered
green onions sliced
your favorite bottled dressing
Use a variety of lettuces for more texture and taste. Toss all the ingredients, except the dressing, in a large bowl. Refrigerate until meal time.
Are you more occupied with working in the yard than cooking? Try this month’s selection and your family, or lover, will think you spent the day over a hot stove.
I'll be back Friday with a little more for aspiring authors. Until then...
Happy Eating!
Sloane Taylor
It’s hard to believe fall is a few short weeks away. Soon it will be time for chili and stew. I refuse to let go of summer and easy cooking just yet. This week we have a menu that is so easy you’ll want to repeat it during the holiday season to lighten your work load.
Easy Baked Chicken Breasts
Rice with Chicken Stock
Salad
Crisp White Wine - Chardonnay
Easy Baked Chicken Breasts
4 boneless chicken breasts
5 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Spray the baking dish with a light coating of Pam. Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
Mix the mayo and bread crumbs together in a small bowl. Spread onto both sides of the chicken.
Sprinkle the top of the coated chicken with the bread crumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes.
This is a mouth watering dish that freezes well.
Rice
Select your favorite brand of rice and make according to the package directions. Substitute half the water for chicken stock.
I like to make extra as rice freezes well then it’s handy when I’m running late on another day.
Salad
lettuce
zucchini peeled & quartered
tomatoes quartered
green onions sliced
your favorite bottled dressing
Use a variety of lettuces for more texture and taste. Toss all the ingredients, except the dressing, in a large bowl. Refrigerate until meal time.
Are you more occupied with working in the yard than cooking? Try this month’s selection and your family, or lover, will think you spent the day over a hot stove.
I'll be back Friday with a little more for aspiring authors. Until then...
Happy Eating!
Sloane Taylor
August 19, 2012
KARMA IS A BITCH
and Jack Gorman is about to find out just how much.
by Nancy DiMauro
Regardless of the time line, dealing with a jerk is a challenge. Adding beer to the jerk is a recipe for disaster. In Jack Gorman Got Cut By A Girl , Jack’s cursed after his drunken harassment of Goldie, a sword wielding-teenage girl. Then Karma drags Jack’s sorry ass from one universe to another, and several women show him the point of Karma’s lesson. Today, five of Jack’s women (doesn’t he wish?) meet at Goldie’s house to discuss their time with him.
Raven: Well ladies, I’m glad the Goddess gave us this time. I won’t go as far to say that she owes us for inflicting Jack on us, but . . . it’s nice to commiserate. When I’m not crossing dimensions for this little discussion, I’m a shield maiden tasked with protecting my world from inter-dimensional threats. How about the rest of you?
Teen Goldie: I’m the one whose fault this all is. It was my sword that did the first cutting. I normally sit at home, peacefully writing fantasy and science fiction, and I sleep with a sword under my bed. My story is the story of how I got to use it, and the scary thing is how little of it I had to make up.
Adult Goldie: I’m a parallel universe version of the kid. Lived in this house since I was a little girl, likely die in it as well, but that's still a few years off, assuming Death will humor this old woman.
Lashira: I’m a bartender at the Acme. It’s on the edge of the Two Feathers National Forest - a place of magic and monsters, of which I’m the Guardian. Like my Grandma before me. I love Two Feathers, and will never leave. My fiancé, Raz, and I care about the people here. And, well, the monsters, too.
Sonia: I've been piloting space ships since my second decade; originally I started on the little 47-553 engines, powering up every year with the usual pilots exams. This was my second run on a cloner ship, but the first with my own clone. I rather like Sonia#1, but she's evil when it comes to playing chess! I was born on dirtside in the Hellion Quadrant, which Mum says explains everything. I'm not entirely sure what she means.
Raven: Where I come from men are scarce. When Jack came through the stone circles, I wasn’t sure if the Goddess had blessed, or cursed me. I figured it out pretty quickly though. [Chuckles]. What about you?
Teen Goldie: The first time I met Jack, I was understandably alarmed. I had no idea if he was a serial killer, or a rapist, or maybe even a zombie! Now I’ve come to learn that he’s just a good-for-nothing that’s too fond of booze. Looking back, I’m amused.
Lashira: He's a giant pain in the ass. He's always in trouble, one of those people who thinks with every body part except his brain. He’s my best friend's brother. Didn’t miss him when he left town right after he turned eighteen. Only, he suddenly turned up again, moved into his mom's basement, and now my friend Petula has to deal with him.
Adult Goldie: I met Jack for the first time when I was five. He smelled like stale beer and didn't look too smart. Didn't realize it was the same dumb drunk that came around the house when I was a teenager. As teen-me said, I just wanted him to go away. The last time ... well, the last time I encountered Jack Gorman I knew exactly who and what he was.
Raven: He had a way of jumping on my last nerve and making me want to do violence to him. I was just defending myself when I cut him, but my sister, Maeg, cut him on purpose. Oh, and my mare. Jack could not get along with anyone female.
Teen Goldie: This is something maybe not everyone will believe, but I never actually wanted to cut him. I just wanted him to go away. But, as my story shows, he left me little choice.
Adult Goldie: Isn’t she sweet? [Pats Teen Goldie on the arm.] Jack’s a belligerent ass. And if someone as slight as myself stood up to him, three times no less, perhaps he'd have second thoughts about bullying someone else.
Lashira: I didn't want to cut him either, but the stupid idiot couldn't tell a sharp object when he held it in his hand. All I wanted was for him to back off!
Sonia: I did. The way he calls me “Captain” when he wants to get under my skin. The incessant lack of respect, and disinterest in working as a team. His inability to do anything right! Damn it, my fingers are itching again! Paperwork! Oh goodness the paperwork.
Raven: I managed to get him through the stones before I had to report his presence to the Council. But I swear he had a death wish, or maybe he’s just too stupid to live. What’s the worst or dumbest thing Jack did in your timeline?
Teen Goldie: I think it can safely be said that the biggest mistake Jack made was surprising me in the middle of the night.
Adult Goldie: I heard he hurt a coyote. As if he didn't court enough trouble, he had to go and kick Karma. Not smart, sonny, not smart at all.
Lashira: I can't even begin to list them. [Starts ticking items off on her fingers.] Going on a bender on my watch. Being drunk and running into the forest. It's difficult terrain even when you’re sober. Carrying a firearm into the forest. Shooting whenever he thought he saw his quarry, even though he was barely walking straight. I could go on. And on.
Sonia: I’d have to say that was stealing bananas from the chimps. What sort of a person does that? Really? The fruit and vegetables from the galley weren't enough?
Raven: Jack did have some good points though. Goddess knows, he was almost heartbreakingly vulnerable when he asked to stay with me. Was there anything endearing he did on your timelines?
Teen Goldie: Well, apparently at first he thought I was a gay man. That’s kind of cute, isn’t it?
[Laughter from the group.]
Adult Goldie: Don't know that I would call it endearing, but the look upon his face when I cut him on my porch was quite special. [Chuckles].
Lashira: Endearing? Well, I guess he didn't set the forest on fire. And he didn't die on me. I'd have hated to take Petula to the morgue to identify his body.
Sonia: ...Well... he... ah... he ... endearing is a rather odd word, isn't it?
Raven: One thing I found fascinating though was his colorful way of speaking. I learned all sorts of new words while he was traveling with me. What was your favorite Jack phrase?
Teen Goldie: I recall he kept calling me “sissy boy.” That was pretty funny, even at the time.
Sonya: “I'm outta here!”
Lashira: When I think of Jack, he's mainly going "Ow!" And "Fuck!"
Adult Goldie: "Whadda fuck?" That phrase alone gives you a clear picture of that boy's intellect.
Raven: That’s mine too. We didn’t have a comparable word to “fuck.” Now all the shield maidens use it.
[Green light shimmers in the room.]
Raven: I think that’s our signal to wrap things up. So, one last question; if you could change one thing about Jack, what would it be?
Teen Goldie: Oh, you know, probably the whole getting near-blackout drunk and bumbling around outside people’s bedrooms thing.
Lashira: Give him a sense of responsibility? If he'd just think about other people, that would fix everything else. Maybe he'll grow into one, not like it seems he's in any hurry.
Sonia: His presence on my ship.
Adult Goldie: You can't go changing people. They have to want to change themselves. If I had to guess, I'd say Jack isn't going to be changing himself any time soon, no matter what trouble he gets into.
Raven: I don’t know about that. When he realized the curse was taking him again, he was in full panic. I think he finally understood that he needed to change. And I’m not sure that the man young Goldie met would do what Jack did on Sonia’s ship either. [The green light gets brighter.] Looks like we’re out of time. Ladies, it was a pleasure to meet you.
SHING!
The women vanish in a flash of emerald green light, returning to their worlds and times.
See what they had to endure in Jack Gorman Got Cut By a Girl .
EXCERPT:
Two days later, the Sheriff’s Deputy came by our house. He is a big man, not easily flustered.
“I’ve got a few questions about the report you sent in,” he said, holding up a printout of my email.
“Yes sir,” I said, all cooperation, and launched into a recount of my misadventure. I had barely got to the part where I encountered the unfriendly drunk when he stopped me with a wave of his hand.
“Wait, wait, wait,” he said, shaking his head. “You mean to say this happened here?”
“Uh, yes?”
“And… it was you with the sword?”
“Yes…”
The deputy slapped the email printout against his thigh in frustration. Shaking his head, he said: “That Jack Gorman, I’m just sick of him. He came to me, you know, saying he was attacked by a gay guy with a sword outside the Waterwheel!”
I remained silent. The Waterwheel is a bar almost a mile away. And I am most definitely not a guy.
My mother, who had been listening from the front door, came out and stood behind me. “Um, no,” she said. “It happened here, on our front porch. I heard it.”
“Yeah, yeah, I believe you,” said the deputy, rubbing his face. “Look, clearly you did nothing wrong, but the fact that he filed a report—even if it’s a false one—means I may have to confiscate that sword as evidence. You’ll get it back,” he assured me, “don’t worry.”
“That’s okay,” I said, grinning. “I have two more as back up!”
Ultimately, even though my sword was confiscated, I had the last laugh. Walking the dog a few days later I was stopped by my neighbor and asked what the commotion was last Saturday night. I told them.
“Aw man, Gorman messed up bad,” he said. “He’s been going around bragging about how he got attacked by a man with a sword. I’ll never let him hear the end of this: he got cut by a girl!”
What I didn’t tell him, what got left out of the email and my official statement, is what I did after I wrote that original report.
Before I went to sleep that night (and it was a difficult thing to do), I cast a little spell. I had never tried to cast a spell before. I have a friend who is a witch and she tells me I am probably a witch too, just untrained.
So that night I cast a spell. A spell to make sure that if this Jack Gorman was ever going to cause trouble again, anywhere, any time, there would be a girl with a sword (or something similar) to stop him. I also imagined him going away—preferably far away. I imagined him, very clearly, walking away down a dark and deserted road, toward a door made of light, and a sound like a sword being wiped clean with a cloth.
Shing.
It probably won’t work, I thought as I went to sleep. But one can hope, right?
BUY LINK
To learn more about these terrific authors, please click on their names.
Heidi Berthiaume
Keyan Bowes
Nancy DiMauro
Goldeen Ogawa
Sarah Parker
Brandie Tarvin
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
by Nancy DiMauro
Regardless of the time line, dealing with a jerk is a challenge. Adding beer to the jerk is a recipe for disaster. In Jack Gorman Got Cut By A Girl , Jack’s cursed after his drunken harassment of Goldie, a sword wielding-teenage girl. Then Karma drags Jack’s sorry ass from one universe to another, and several women show him the point of Karma’s lesson. Today, five of Jack’s women (doesn’t he wish?) meet at Goldie’s house to discuss their time with him.
Raven: Well ladies, I’m glad the Goddess gave us this time. I won’t go as far to say that she owes us for inflicting Jack on us, but . . . it’s nice to commiserate. When I’m not crossing dimensions for this little discussion, I’m a shield maiden tasked with protecting my world from inter-dimensional threats. How about the rest of you?
Teen Goldie: I’m the one whose fault this all is. It was my sword that did the first cutting. I normally sit at home, peacefully writing fantasy and science fiction, and I sleep with a sword under my bed. My story is the story of how I got to use it, and the scary thing is how little of it I had to make up.
Adult Goldie: I’m a parallel universe version of the kid. Lived in this house since I was a little girl, likely die in it as well, but that's still a few years off, assuming Death will humor this old woman.
Lashira: I’m a bartender at the Acme. It’s on the edge of the Two Feathers National Forest - a place of magic and monsters, of which I’m the Guardian. Like my Grandma before me. I love Two Feathers, and will never leave. My fiancé, Raz, and I care about the people here. And, well, the monsters, too.
Sonia: I've been piloting space ships since my second decade; originally I started on the little 47-553 engines, powering up every year with the usual pilots exams. This was my second run on a cloner ship, but the first with my own clone. I rather like Sonia#1, but she's evil when it comes to playing chess! I was born on dirtside in the Hellion Quadrant, which Mum says explains everything. I'm not entirely sure what she means.
Raven: Where I come from men are scarce. When Jack came through the stone circles, I wasn’t sure if the Goddess had blessed, or cursed me. I figured it out pretty quickly though. [Chuckles]. What about you?
Teen Goldie: The first time I met Jack, I was understandably alarmed. I had no idea if he was a serial killer, or a rapist, or maybe even a zombie! Now I’ve come to learn that he’s just a good-for-nothing that’s too fond of booze. Looking back, I’m amused.
Lashira: He's a giant pain in the ass. He's always in trouble, one of those people who thinks with every body part except his brain. He’s my best friend's brother. Didn’t miss him when he left town right after he turned eighteen. Only, he suddenly turned up again, moved into his mom's basement, and now my friend Petula has to deal with him.
Adult Goldie: I met Jack for the first time when I was five. He smelled like stale beer and didn't look too smart. Didn't realize it was the same dumb drunk that came around the house when I was a teenager. As teen-me said, I just wanted him to go away. The last time ... well, the last time I encountered Jack Gorman I knew exactly who and what he was.
Raven: He had a way of jumping on my last nerve and making me want to do violence to him. I was just defending myself when I cut him, but my sister, Maeg, cut him on purpose. Oh, and my mare. Jack could not get along with anyone female.
Teen Goldie: This is something maybe not everyone will believe, but I never actually wanted to cut him. I just wanted him to go away. But, as my story shows, he left me little choice.
Adult Goldie: Isn’t she sweet? [Pats Teen Goldie on the arm.] Jack’s a belligerent ass. And if someone as slight as myself stood up to him, three times no less, perhaps he'd have second thoughts about bullying someone else.
Lashira: I didn't want to cut him either, but the stupid idiot couldn't tell a sharp object when he held it in his hand. All I wanted was for him to back off!
Sonia: I did. The way he calls me “Captain” when he wants to get under my skin. The incessant lack of respect, and disinterest in working as a team. His inability to do anything right! Damn it, my fingers are itching again! Paperwork! Oh goodness the paperwork.
Raven: I managed to get him through the stones before I had to report his presence to the Council. But I swear he had a death wish, or maybe he’s just too stupid to live. What’s the worst or dumbest thing Jack did in your timeline?
Teen Goldie: I think it can safely be said that the biggest mistake Jack made was surprising me in the middle of the night.
Adult Goldie: I heard he hurt a coyote. As if he didn't court enough trouble, he had to go and kick Karma. Not smart, sonny, not smart at all.
Lashira: I can't even begin to list them. [Starts ticking items off on her fingers.] Going on a bender on my watch. Being drunk and running into the forest. It's difficult terrain even when you’re sober. Carrying a firearm into the forest. Shooting whenever he thought he saw his quarry, even though he was barely walking straight. I could go on. And on.
Sonia: I’d have to say that was stealing bananas from the chimps. What sort of a person does that? Really? The fruit and vegetables from the galley weren't enough?
Raven: Jack did have some good points though. Goddess knows, he was almost heartbreakingly vulnerable when he asked to stay with me. Was there anything endearing he did on your timelines?
Teen Goldie: Well, apparently at first he thought I was a gay man. That’s kind of cute, isn’t it?
[Laughter from the group.]
Adult Goldie: Don't know that I would call it endearing, but the look upon his face when I cut him on my porch was quite special. [Chuckles].
Lashira: Endearing? Well, I guess he didn't set the forest on fire. And he didn't die on me. I'd have hated to take Petula to the morgue to identify his body.
Sonia: ...Well... he... ah... he ... endearing is a rather odd word, isn't it?
Raven: One thing I found fascinating though was his colorful way of speaking. I learned all sorts of new words while he was traveling with me. What was your favorite Jack phrase?
Teen Goldie: I recall he kept calling me “sissy boy.” That was pretty funny, even at the time.
Sonya: “I'm outta here!”
Lashira: When I think of Jack, he's mainly going "Ow!" And "Fuck!"
Adult Goldie: "Whadda fuck?" That phrase alone gives you a clear picture of that boy's intellect.
Raven: That’s mine too. We didn’t have a comparable word to “fuck.” Now all the shield maidens use it.
[Green light shimmers in the room.]
Raven: I think that’s our signal to wrap things up. So, one last question; if you could change one thing about Jack, what would it be?
Teen Goldie: Oh, you know, probably the whole getting near-blackout drunk and bumbling around outside people’s bedrooms thing.
Lashira: Give him a sense of responsibility? If he'd just think about other people, that would fix everything else. Maybe he'll grow into one, not like it seems he's in any hurry.
Sonia: His presence on my ship.
Adult Goldie: You can't go changing people. They have to want to change themselves. If I had to guess, I'd say Jack isn't going to be changing himself any time soon, no matter what trouble he gets into.
Raven: I don’t know about that. When he realized the curse was taking him again, he was in full panic. I think he finally understood that he needed to change. And I’m not sure that the man young Goldie met would do what Jack did on Sonia’s ship either. [The green light gets brighter.] Looks like we’re out of time. Ladies, it was a pleasure to meet you.
SHING!
The women vanish in a flash of emerald green light, returning to their worlds and times.
See what they had to endure in Jack Gorman Got Cut By a Girl .
EXCERPT:Two days later, the Sheriff’s Deputy came by our house. He is a big man, not easily flustered.
“I’ve got a few questions about the report you sent in,” he said, holding up a printout of my email.
“Yes sir,” I said, all cooperation, and launched into a recount of my misadventure. I had barely got to the part where I encountered the unfriendly drunk when he stopped me with a wave of his hand.
“Wait, wait, wait,” he said, shaking his head. “You mean to say this happened here?”
“Uh, yes?”
“And… it was you with the sword?”
“Yes…”
The deputy slapped the email printout against his thigh in frustration. Shaking his head, he said: “That Jack Gorman, I’m just sick of him. He came to me, you know, saying he was attacked by a gay guy with a sword outside the Waterwheel!”
I remained silent. The Waterwheel is a bar almost a mile away. And I am most definitely not a guy.
My mother, who had been listening from the front door, came out and stood behind me. “Um, no,” she said. “It happened here, on our front porch. I heard it.”
“Yeah, yeah, I believe you,” said the deputy, rubbing his face. “Look, clearly you did nothing wrong, but the fact that he filed a report—even if it’s a false one—means I may have to confiscate that sword as evidence. You’ll get it back,” he assured me, “don’t worry.”
“That’s okay,” I said, grinning. “I have two more as back up!”
Ultimately, even though my sword was confiscated, I had the last laugh. Walking the dog a few days later I was stopped by my neighbor and asked what the commotion was last Saturday night. I told them.
“Aw man, Gorman messed up bad,” he said. “He’s been going around bragging about how he got attacked by a man with a sword. I’ll never let him hear the end of this: he got cut by a girl!”
What I didn’t tell him, what got left out of the email and my official statement, is what I did after I wrote that original report.
Before I went to sleep that night (and it was a difficult thing to do), I cast a little spell. I had never tried to cast a spell before. I have a friend who is a witch and she tells me I am probably a witch too, just untrained.
So that night I cast a spell. A spell to make sure that if this Jack Gorman was ever going to cause trouble again, anywhere, any time, there would be a girl with a sword (or something similar) to stop him. I also imagined him going away—preferably far away. I imagined him, very clearly, walking away down a dark and deserted road, toward a door made of light, and a sound like a sword being wiped clean with a cloth.
Shing.
It probably won’t work, I thought as I went to sleep. But one can hope, right?
BUY LINK
To learn more about these terrific authors, please click on their names.
Heidi Berthiaume
Keyan Bowes
Nancy DiMauro
Goldeen Ogawa
Sarah Parker
Brandie Tarvin
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
August 16, 2012
THE TIME HAS COME TO STAND TALL
You have put your heart and soul into a well-edited novel and the time has come to send that baby out into the world. What do you do? Again, it’s time consuming and can get costly, so you must decide what you can afford.
First, I recommend you buy Formatting & Submitting your Manuscript by Jack & Glenda Neff, Don Prues published by the Writer’s Market. This book has all the right instructions, with examples, for your submission.
Following are some extra tips;
• By now you should know the publisher you want to target. Read their guidelines, again. Be sure you have the correct editor’s name and spelling. Call or email the publisher if you are unsure.
• Print your cover letter, synopsis, and manuscript on clean white paper. Don’t get cute. Editors don’t like cute.
• If you are a smoker, DON’T while you are printing and packaging. The smell will be absorbed by your paper and carry through to the editor bringing about a damned quick rejection.
• Be courteous in your letter, but by everything that is powerful, DO NOT suck up. You’re a professional. Act like a professional.
Speaking of professional, here’s a few more things you should do;
• Join writer’s groups online.
• Join local writer’s groups.
• Develop or join a critique group.
• Get a professional website
• Attend every conference you can afford and network. There are rules of etiquette you must follow;
Smile, be pleasant. No one wants to hear about your kid, the brat, or your other half, the jerk.
Don’t interrupt someone who is speaking.
Don’t gossip.
Dress professionally, which means look presentable not like you’re on an emergency toilet paper run.
• Produce a business card with the following info;
You name
A slogan to remember you which is called a Tag
Your email address
Your phone number, but only on cards for editors and friends
Fax number if you have one, but only on cards for editors and friends
The card would look something like this;
Author
Mary Johnson writing as Hot Mama
Hot Mama sets your world on fire
hotmama@sbcwhatever.net
www.hotmama.com
Dress your card in the same look as your web site.
Good luck to you all and please let me know how it goes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at sloanetaylor@comcast.net.
Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back Monday with Nancy DiMauro and her bad boy Jack. Until then...
Happy Writing!
Sloane Taylor
First, I recommend you buy Formatting & Submitting your Manuscript by Jack & Glenda Neff, Don Prues published by the Writer’s Market. This book has all the right instructions, with examples, for your submission.
Following are some extra tips;
• By now you should know the publisher you want to target. Read their guidelines, again. Be sure you have the correct editor’s name and spelling. Call or email the publisher if you are unsure.
• Print your cover letter, synopsis, and manuscript on clean white paper. Don’t get cute. Editors don’t like cute.
• If you are a smoker, DON’T while you are printing and packaging. The smell will be absorbed by your paper and carry through to the editor bringing about a damned quick rejection.
• Be courteous in your letter, but by everything that is powerful, DO NOT suck up. You’re a professional. Act like a professional.
Speaking of professional, here’s a few more things you should do;
• Join writer’s groups online.
• Join local writer’s groups.
• Develop or join a critique group.
• Get a professional website
• Attend every conference you can afford and network. There are rules of etiquette you must follow;
Smile, be pleasant. No one wants to hear about your kid, the brat, or your other half, the jerk.
Don’t interrupt someone who is speaking.
Don’t gossip.
Dress professionally, which means look presentable not like you’re on an emergency toilet paper run.
• Produce a business card with the following info;
You name
A slogan to remember you which is called a Tag
Your email address
Your phone number, but only on cards for editors and friends
Fax number if you have one, but only on cards for editors and friends
The card would look something like this;
Author
Mary Johnson writing as Hot Mama
Hot Mama sets your world on fire
hotmama@sbcwhatever.net
www.hotmama.com
Dress your card in the same look as your web site.
Good luck to you all and please let me know how it goes. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at sloanetaylor@comcast.net.
Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back Monday with Nancy DiMauro and her bad boy Jack. Until then...
Happy Writing!
Sloane Taylor
August 14, 2012
It's Wednesday. So, What's Cooking?
Honeyed Ham Steak with Peach Halves, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and Fresh Green Beans.
Time for a refreshing change of grilled meats. This lighter menu is great in hot weather and wonderful any time of the year.
Honeyed Ham Steak with Peach Halves
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Fresh Green Beans
White Wine – Chardonnay
Honeyed Ham Steak with Peach Halves
1 16 oz. can cling peach halves in heavy syrup
1 – 1 ½ lb. Ham steak about 1 inch thick
½ cup orange juice
1 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. prepared mustard
¼ tsp. ground allspice
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. cornstarch
Drain peach halves, reserving ½ cup syrup.
Trim a few pieces of fat from the ham steak. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fat chunks and fry until lightly browned, rubbing them along the bottom of the skillet to grease it. Discard fat. Add ham and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in orange juice, honey, mustard, allspice, and reserved peach syrup.
Add peach halves and heat through, about 5 minutes. Place only ham and peaches on a warm serving plate and tent with aluminum foil.
Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl until well blended. Stir into skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils, about 1 minute.
To serve, spoon sauce over ham and peaches.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
1 lb. sweet potatoes
¼ cup olive oil
Rock or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parsley to garnish – dried or fresh
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into large chunks. Toss in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Place into baking pan you can serve from. Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to roast uncovered for 30 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a toothpick. They should be golden brown.
Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley.
Fresh Green Beans
1 lb. fresh green beans trimmed
Water
2 tbsp. butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Bring large pot of water to a hard boil. A high heat setting is best.
Drop the beans in by the handful. Boil 10 to 15 minutes or until the beans are just tender.
Drain beans in a colander. Add butter to the hot pot and melt. Pour beans into pot. Toss with butter and coat well, then season with pepper to taste.
I'll be back Friday with a little more for aspiring authors. Until then...
Bon Appétit!
Sloane Taylor
Time for a refreshing change of grilled meats. This lighter menu is great in hot weather and wonderful any time of the year.
Honeyed Ham Steak with Peach Halves
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Fresh Green Beans
White Wine – Chardonnay
Honeyed Ham Steak with Peach Halves
1 16 oz. can cling peach halves in heavy syrup
1 – 1 ½ lb. Ham steak about 1 inch thick
½ cup orange juice
1 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. prepared mustard
¼ tsp. ground allspice
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. cornstarch
Drain peach halves, reserving ½ cup syrup.
Trim a few pieces of fat from the ham steak. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fat chunks and fry until lightly browned, rubbing them along the bottom of the skillet to grease it. Discard fat. Add ham and brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in orange juice, honey, mustard, allspice, and reserved peach syrup.
Add peach halves and heat through, about 5 minutes. Place only ham and peaches on a warm serving plate and tent with aluminum foil.
Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl until well blended. Stir into skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils, about 1 minute.
To serve, spoon sauce over ham and peaches.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
1 lb. sweet potatoes
¼ cup olive oil
Rock or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Parsley to garnish – dried or fresh
Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into large chunks. Toss in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Place into baking pan you can serve from. Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to roast uncovered for 30 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a toothpick. They should be golden brown.
Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley.
Fresh Green Beans
1 lb. fresh green beans trimmed
Water
2 tbsp. butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Bring large pot of water to a hard boil. A high heat setting is best.
Drop the beans in by the handful. Boil 10 to 15 minutes or until the beans are just tender.
Drain beans in a colander. Add butter to the hot pot and melt. Pour beans into pot. Toss with butter and coat well, then season with pepper to taste.
I'll be back Friday with a little more for aspiring authors. Until then...
Bon Appétit!
Sloane Taylor
August 12, 2012
The Birth of Jack
with Nancy DiMauro
It was the last night of the 2011 World Fantasy Conference. People were milling about waiting for the dog-end parties to start. While sitting around outside the (now former) hospitality suite, we started gathering in ones and twos, then pulling people in at the rate of threes and fours to go out to dinner. Finally we had a group of about fourteen women. We weren’t trying to exclude men, it just happened that way. Sick of the resort food and bad service, we decided to walk out to a little cafe nearby for dinner.
Over dinner, references kept being made to Grace’s, aka Goldeen Ogawa, “sword story.” We’re a group of writers, so, the chances of that story going untold for long weren’t high. After much prompting (really more than it should have taken given the aforementioned group), Grace told the story of the night she used a sword to fend off a drunk on her back deck.
When we'd finished wiping the tears from our eyes, someone said, "You know, Goldeen, when you tell a story like that at a table full of writers, you're going to see it in multiple forms over the next year!"
"Anthology?" murmured someone else.
One of the ladies at the table was Celina Summers - of Musa Publishing! Celina agreed that there should be an anthology, and heck, since she was a publisher, she was going to publish it. The Jack Gorman Project was born. Some of us were published writers, others weren’t. It didn’t matter. Celina set a submission deadline and laid down some very basic ground rules: (1) Jack must be cut by a girl in every story; (2) Jack could not get laid; and (3) Jack could not die. We changed Jack’s name and some of the details of the “attack” to protect the somewhat innocent. Then we were off and running.
Months later, the six of us saw the other stories for the first time. Even though we’d all started with the original story and the same broad guidelines, the stories were very different. Even better, there was a natural progression. Somehow, Jack was mostly the same across all the stories. We did some fine tuning to make sure Jack’s quirks were the same in all the stories and that the transitions were smooth. And following Jack across time periods, magical worlds and into deep space was fascinating.
Now it was time to pull the anthology together. Several Skype calls later, we had the theme:
Karma's a bitch, and Jack Gorman’s about to find out how much.
We hope you like reading about Jack and his exploits as much as we liked writing about him. Here is a little to entice you.
BLURB:
Jack Gorman would rather spend his time swilling brewskies, scoring with the babes, and watching football. Instead, he's been cursed by sword-bearing girl he harassed while on a bender.
Now, karma is dragging Jack's sorry ass across time, space, and alternate histories. The curse can be broken if Jack manages to learn his lesson, but Jack is nothing if not consistent. From small California towns to a steampunk past, a magical future, and a space odyssey of narcissistic proportions, Jack flirts and drinks his way across reality only to discover that girls with blades are everywhere.
Will Jack ever break the curse? Or is he doomed to an eternity of getting cut by girls? Regardless, Jack still can't get a break. As he learns the hard way, karma kicks ass in all timelines.
EXCERPT:
Two days later, the Sheriff’s Deputy came by our house. He is a big man, not easily flustered.
“I’ve got a few questions about the report you sent in,” he said, holding up a printout of my email.
“Yes sir,” I said, all cooperation, and launched into a recount of my misadventure. I had barely got to the part where I encountered the unfriendly drunk when he stopped me with a wave of his hand.
“Wait, wait, wait,” he said, shaking his head. “You mean to say this happened here?”
“Uh, yes?”
“And… it was you with the sword?”
“Yes…”
The deputy slapped the email printout against his thigh in frustration. Shaking his head, he said: “That Jack Gorman, I’m just sick of him. He came to me, you know, saying he was attacked by a gay guy with a sword outside the Waterwheel!”
I remained silent. The Waterwheel is a bar almost a mile away. And I am most definitely not a guy.
My mother, who had been listening from the front door, came out and stood behind me. “Um, no,” she said. “It happened here, on our front porch. I heard it.”
“Yeah, yeah, I believe you,” said the deputy, rubbing his face. “Look, clearly you did nothing wrong, but the fact that he filed a report—even if it’s a false one—means I may have to confiscate that sword as evidence. You’ll get it back,” he assured me, “don’t worry.”
“That’s okay,” I said, grinning. “I have two more as back up!”
Ultimately, even though my sword was confiscated, I had the last laugh. Walking the dog a few days later I was stopped by my neighbor and asked what the commotion was last Saturday night. I told them.
“Aw man, Gorman messed up bad.” he said. “He’s been going around bragging about how he got attacked by a man with a sword. I’ll never let him hear the end of this: he got cut by a girl!”
What I didn’t tell him, what got left out of the email and my official statement, is what I did after I wrote that original report.
Before I went to sleep that night (and it was a difficult thing to do), I cast a little spell. I had never tried to cast a spell before. I have a friend who is a witch and she tells me I am probably a witch too, just untrained.
So that night I cast a spell. A spell to make sure that if this Jack Gorman was ever going to cause trouble again, anywhere, any time, there would be a girl with a sword (or something similar) to stop him. I also imagined him going away—preferably far away. I imagined him, very clearly, walking away down a dark and deserted road, toward a door made of light,
and a sound like a sword being wiped clean with a cloth.
Shing.
It probably won’t work, I thought as I went to sleep. But one can hope, right?
BUY LINK
To learn more about these terrific authors, please click on their names.
Heidi Berthiaume
Keyan Bowes
Nancy DiMauro
Goldeen Ogawa
Sarah Parker
Brandie Tarvin
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
It was the last night of the 2011 World Fantasy Conference. People were milling about waiting for the dog-end parties to start. While sitting around outside the (now former) hospitality suite, we started gathering in ones and twos, then pulling people in at the rate of threes and fours to go out to dinner. Finally we had a group of about fourteen women. We weren’t trying to exclude men, it just happened that way. Sick of the resort food and bad service, we decided to walk out to a little cafe nearby for dinner.
Over dinner, references kept being made to Grace’s, aka Goldeen Ogawa, “sword story.” We’re a group of writers, so, the chances of that story going untold for long weren’t high. After much prompting (really more than it should have taken given the aforementioned group), Grace told the story of the night she used a sword to fend off a drunk on her back deck.
When we'd finished wiping the tears from our eyes, someone said, "You know, Goldeen, when you tell a story like that at a table full of writers, you're going to see it in multiple forms over the next year!"
"Anthology?" murmured someone else.
One of the ladies at the table was Celina Summers - of Musa Publishing! Celina agreed that there should be an anthology, and heck, since she was a publisher, she was going to publish it. The Jack Gorman Project was born. Some of us were published writers, others weren’t. It didn’t matter. Celina set a submission deadline and laid down some very basic ground rules: (1) Jack must be cut by a girl in every story; (2) Jack could not get laid; and (3) Jack could not die. We changed Jack’s name and some of the details of the “attack” to protect the somewhat innocent. Then we were off and running. Months later, the six of us saw the other stories for the first time. Even though we’d all started with the original story and the same broad guidelines, the stories were very different. Even better, there was a natural progression. Somehow, Jack was mostly the same across all the stories. We did some fine tuning to make sure Jack’s quirks were the same in all the stories and that the transitions were smooth. And following Jack across time periods, magical worlds and into deep space was fascinating.
Now it was time to pull the anthology together. Several Skype calls later, we had the theme:
Karma's a bitch, and Jack Gorman’s about to find out how much.
We hope you like reading about Jack and his exploits as much as we liked writing about him. Here is a little to entice you.
BLURB:
Jack Gorman would rather spend his time swilling brewskies, scoring with the babes, and watching football. Instead, he's been cursed by sword-bearing girl he harassed while on a bender.
Now, karma is dragging Jack's sorry ass across time, space, and alternate histories. The curse can be broken if Jack manages to learn his lesson, but Jack is nothing if not consistent. From small California towns to a steampunk past, a magical future, and a space odyssey of narcissistic proportions, Jack flirts and drinks his way across reality only to discover that girls with blades are everywhere.
Will Jack ever break the curse? Or is he doomed to an eternity of getting cut by girls? Regardless, Jack still can't get a break. As he learns the hard way, karma kicks ass in all timelines.
EXCERPT:
Two days later, the Sheriff’s Deputy came by our house. He is a big man, not easily flustered.
“I’ve got a few questions about the report you sent in,” he said, holding up a printout of my email.
“Yes sir,” I said, all cooperation, and launched into a recount of my misadventure. I had barely got to the part where I encountered the unfriendly drunk when he stopped me with a wave of his hand.
“Wait, wait, wait,” he said, shaking his head. “You mean to say this happened here?”
“Uh, yes?”
“And… it was you with the sword?”
“Yes…”
The deputy slapped the email printout against his thigh in frustration. Shaking his head, he said: “That Jack Gorman, I’m just sick of him. He came to me, you know, saying he was attacked by a gay guy with a sword outside the Waterwheel!”
I remained silent. The Waterwheel is a bar almost a mile away. And I am most definitely not a guy.
My mother, who had been listening from the front door, came out and stood behind me. “Um, no,” she said. “It happened here, on our front porch. I heard it.”
“Yeah, yeah, I believe you,” said the deputy, rubbing his face. “Look, clearly you did nothing wrong, but the fact that he filed a report—even if it’s a false one—means I may have to confiscate that sword as evidence. You’ll get it back,” he assured me, “don’t worry.”
“That’s okay,” I said, grinning. “I have two more as back up!”
Ultimately, even though my sword was confiscated, I had the last laugh. Walking the dog a few days later I was stopped by my neighbor and asked what the commotion was last Saturday night. I told them.
“Aw man, Gorman messed up bad.” he said. “He’s been going around bragging about how he got attacked by a man with a sword. I’ll never let him hear the end of this: he got cut by a girl!”
What I didn’t tell him, what got left out of the email and my official statement, is what I did after I wrote that original report.
Before I went to sleep that night (and it was a difficult thing to do), I cast a little spell. I had never tried to cast a spell before. I have a friend who is a witch and she tells me I am probably a witch too, just untrained.
So that night I cast a spell. A spell to make sure that if this Jack Gorman was ever going to cause trouble again, anywhere, any time, there would be a girl with a sword (or something similar) to stop him. I also imagined him going away—preferably far away. I imagined him, very clearly, walking away down a dark and deserted road, toward a door made of light,
and a sound like a sword being wiped clean with a cloth.
Shing.
It probably won’t work, I thought as I went to sleep. But one can hope, right?
BUY LINK
To learn more about these terrific authors, please click on their names.
Heidi Berthiaume
Keyan Bowes
Nancy DiMauro
Goldeen Ogawa
Sarah Parker
Brandie Tarvin
I'll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then...
Happy Reading!
Sloane Taylor
August 9, 2012
MOTIVATE YOUR MUSE
Editors and readers have asked where I get my inspiration to write erotic romance. It’s simple. I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled to some of the most romantic countries in the world. How could a word lover not be flooded with plot lines when looking at the gorgeous gondoliers of Venice?
St. Mark’s Square is filled with enough motivation for me to pick up a pen and scrawl everything I see and hear. There’s always a pair of lovers strolling through, wrapped in each others arms, with no outside world to interfere. You might even find them sharing a Cinzano while the soft strings of an orchestra fill the chilly night air.
Thanks for tolerating two of my travel photos. But how do they apply to writing tips? Glad you asked!
1 - Inspiration is all around you, every single minute of the day and night. Take the time to notice it, absorb it, feel it, then let your imagination soar.
2 – Always carry a pen and paper to record those scenes blossoming before you.
3 – Carry a disposable or digital camera to photograph anything of interest, no matter how trivial it might seem at the time. Drop the developed/printed pictures into a file for future use.
4 – I like to work with visual aids and compile images of location, people, clothing, maps, language, and anything else that lands me feel smack-dab in the middle of my story. Nothing is too trivial to Glue Stic to my poster board. It puts me in the mood, but I always make sure it’s hidden before company arrives. No need for them to have more proof I’ve lost my mind.
Here’s two websites to check out for great advice;
Beth Anderson
Beth has excellent tutorials, especially on Point of View and Writing the Tight Synopsis. Click onto Workshops to read the lecture.
Adrianne Lee
Adrianne’s site has the best for Conflict and Stupid Heroines. Look under her Writing Tips section on the header.
Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back Monday with Nancy DiMauro. Until then...
Happy Writing!
Sloane Taylor
St. Mark’s Square is filled with enough motivation for me to pick up a pen and scrawl everything I see and hear. There’s always a pair of lovers strolling through, wrapped in each others arms, with no outside world to interfere. You might even find them sharing a Cinzano while the soft strings of an orchestra fill the chilly night air.
Thanks for tolerating two of my travel photos. But how do they apply to writing tips? Glad you asked!
1 - Inspiration is all around you, every single minute of the day and night. Take the time to notice it, absorb it, feel it, then let your imagination soar.
2 – Always carry a pen and paper to record those scenes blossoming before you.
3 – Carry a disposable or digital camera to photograph anything of interest, no matter how trivial it might seem at the time. Drop the developed/printed pictures into a file for future use.
4 – I like to work with visual aids and compile images of location, people, clothing, maps, language, and anything else that lands me feel smack-dab in the middle of my story. Nothing is too trivial to Glue Stic to my poster board. It puts me in the mood, but I always make sure it’s hidden before company arrives. No need for them to have more proof I’ve lost my mind.
Here’s two websites to check out for great advice;
Beth Anderson
Beth has excellent tutorials, especially on Point of View and Writing the Tight Synopsis. Click onto Workshops to read the lecture.
Adrianne Lee
Adrianne’s site has the best for Conflict and Stupid Heroines. Look under her Writing Tips section on the header.
Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back Monday with Nancy DiMauro. Until then...
Happy Writing!
Sloane Taylor
