Sloane Taylor's Blog, page 139

To Comma, or not to Comma? That is the Question

Webster defines a comma as a punctuation mark, used especially as a mark of separation within a sentence. Doesn’t that definition just clear it all up for you? If so, you’re lucky because it never did for me. Back to my Writer’s Bible, “The Elements of Style”.

Here’s the skinny; there are seven comma rules. We’ll take them out of order for simplicity.

1 – Dates are written as;

• Jan. 24, 2006.
• 24 Jan. 2006.
In the second example no comma is used.

2 – In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, the commas are placed as follows;

• I enjoy tennis, skiing, and books.
• Jason, Fred, and Esther went to the farm.

You can’t drop the last comma. I don’t know, maybe the Punctuation Police force you to repeat English 101 for eternity if you do.

The exception is if you’re writing a business name. The last comma is omitted.

• Jefferson, Clemmons, Blake and Company

3 – Use a comma before and/or after a proper name or place;

• “Hi, John.”
• “Hey, John, did you see the dog?”
• Munich, Germany

4 - A comma is inserted before a conjunction introducing an independent clause;

• She was in a situation which should have scared the hell out of her, but didn’t.
• In no time the airplane landed, and the passengers clapped with joy.

5 – Don’t use a comma to join independent clauses. If the clauses are grammatically complete and not joined by a conjunction, it’s the semicolon’s time to come out and play.

• It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.

6 – Don’t break sentences in two. Meaning, don’t use periods when you should use a comma. “The Elements of Style” have the best examples;

• I met them on a Cunard liner many years ago. Coming home from Liverpool.
• She was an interesting talker. A woman who had traveled all over the world and lived in half a dozen countries.

The sentences don’t make sense as written. In both examples a comma should replace the first period.

If you want more dramatic effect in your sentence do the following;

• He yanked the cell phone from his pocket and punched in the number. The phone rang. No one answered.

Don’t use the above example often in your story, it has a choppy effect and the editor won’t like it, let alone the reader. Clipped sentences, as the above example, are more often used in dialogue.

7 – Enclose parenthetic expressions between commas. A parenthetic expression is a word, phrase, or sentence inserted in a passage to explain or modify the thought. Again from “The Elements of Style”;

• The best way to see the country, unless you are pressed for time, is to travel on foot.

In a nutshell here’s how it works for the author;

• The eight rules are standard and must be followed so you look like a professional writer.
• My guru Beth Anderson taught me to listen to the flow of the words. Use the commas when you need the reader to pause and give them a little time to prepare for what’s next.
• Use common sense. As you apply the rules they will become second nature.

Have a terrific weekend. I'll be back Monday with Cornell DeVille, author of chilling young adult books. Be sure to stop in. Until then...

Happy Writing!

Sloane Taylor
www.sloanetaylor.com

It's Wednesday, so What's Cooking? Italian!

Tomato and Garlic Sauce
Pasta
Italian Sausage
Salad
Parmesan Cheese
Italian Bread
Red Wine – Ruffino Chianti or Bella Sera Pinto Noir

Tomato and Garlic Sauce
Makes about 3½ cups

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onion finely chopped
1 tbsp. garlic pressed or finely chopped
3 cans 14.5oz. each diced tomatoes – Red Gold is my favorite
1 can 6oz. tomato paste – Contadina is my favorite
¼ cup chicken stock
¼ cup or less red wine
1 tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. dried basil
2 medium – large bay leafs
1 ½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a 3-4 quart saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, but not brown. This will take 5 – 8 minutes. Stir frequently. Add in the garlic and stir constantly for 1 or 2 minutes. Again, make sure nothing browns or the sauce will be bitter. Blend in the tomatoes and their liquid and all the other ingredients. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 – 1 ½ hours.

The sauce should be thick and fairly smooth when finished. Remove the bay leafs. If you prefer a smoother texture, puree in a food processor.

Italian Sausage
5 Italian sausage links – mild or hot
½ cup chicken stock
Red and/or yellow peppers cleaned and cut into strips
Olive oil
Oregano

Preheat oven to 350F

Pour the chicken stock in a baking dish. Nestle the sausage in the stock. Bake for 30 minutes.

Turn the sausage, then lay the pepper strips on top. Sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook for 30 minutes.
Leftover sausage freezes well. Later, use them for sandwiches on crusty rolls and smothered in the tomato sauce. Serve with French fries for an easy meal.

Pasta
Select your favorite brand. Mine is Barilla and I prefer rigatoni for this meal.

Cook according to package directions. Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the cooking water to help the pasta not stick together.

Make sure the pasta is al dente and not too soft. Drain well.

To serve, empty into a bowl with the Parmesan cheese on the side.

Salad
¼ olive oil
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice – Minute Maid makes frozen lemon juice that keeps for 8 weeks in the fridge. It’s cheaper than fresh lemons and just as good.
Coarse salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Lettuce - Romaine and Red Leaf make a wonderful combination
1 tomato quartered then cut into pieces
2 green onions cleaned and
10 black olives
4 Pepperoncini

Beat the oil, vinegar, and lemon juice together. Season with salt and pepper.

Tear lettuce into bite size pieces. Add tomato and onion. Gently toss with the dressing.

Spoon the salad into a glass bowl. Lay the olives and Pepperoncini. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

I'll be back Friday with more writing tips. Until then...

Happy Cooking!

Sloane Taylor
www.sloanetaylor.com

FALL INTO THE MAGIC

Raine Delight is in the house with RED HOT MAGIC, book two in her awesome, paranormal Devon Falls series. If you haven’t read any of Raine’s work, you’re in for a great treat of sexy pleasure. See for yourself on YouTube and enjoy the steamy trailer for RED HOT MAGIC.

Four of the books in this outstanding series are released and waiting for you to catch the magic. There are six more in the works. Sheer joy to this Devon Falls fan.

RED HOT MAGIC
Devon Falls Book 2
Raine Delight
Secret Cravings Publishing
Paranormal/Light Bondage Scene




BUY LINKS
Secret Cravings
ARE
Amazon Kindle
Bookstrand

BLURB:
Raven Demarco has sworn off men after one too many disastrous dates and soon begins dreaming of a mystery man who makes her feel things that she never expects to feel again. When the auction comes closer, her sensual dreams become more than she can handle and she finds herself wishing her dream man would show up and sweep her off her feet. What will she do when the man himself comes to claim her: Heart, body and soul?

Jean-Claude LeFever is a dream walker and has searched for years for his mate and finally found her in Raven. With his seduction of her in her dreams driving them wild, he makes sure to come to Devon Falls and make her his for all time as time is running out for him and their love. If she doesn’t fall in love with him by midnight, Jean-Claude is destined to walk the planes of dreams for the next hundred years before finding his love again. Can he be able to steal her heart and make her his for all time? Or will it be too late for them?

EXCERPT:
Soon it was time for the man of the hour. It seemed the energy in the room went up a hundredfold. The women looked as if they eagerly awaited a rock star.

Raven saw from the corner of her eye, Jenna smiling at Marc craftily. They were up to something, but what was beyond her grasp at the moment. Raven turned her full attention to the stage where the most magnificent man walked amid the catcalls and cheers, so supremely handsome that he took her breath away.

That chiseled face and those bright eyes…the rock-hard body in a tux tailored to look as if made just for him…the way he walked… sex on legs, all hot and molten.

God, when he turned around, the room went in a tizzy with screams. Man, did he have a nice, tight ass. Raven almost came right then and there when she thought about how her hands would feel holding on to those cheeks. It was a perfect ass in her opinion—perfect to grab, wrap her legs around, and never let go of.

The bidding started with a furious passion, and soon it soared over a thousand dollars.

“Go ahead, honey, bid on the man!” Jenna encouraged as she practically climbed out of her seat with excitement. “The dog is so cute, with its scrunched face. The colors are amazing on the Boxer. I know how you like that breed.”
Raven blinked. The man looked right at her from the end of the runway. Gulping quickly, she raised her paddle to bid twelve hundred dollars on him.

Before she knew it, she was in a bidding war with Hailey Meredith.

“Two thousand,” Raven called out.

The crowd roared as each bid went up even more.

“Two thousand five hundred!” Hailey’s voice called out.

Raven gulped and bid the last amount she knew she could afford and prayed as hard as she could, never taking her eyes off this man. “Three thousand dollars!”

The crowd groaned as no one bid again. As the gavel went down once…twice…three times, Raven almost fell off her chair in shock. The gavel rang down as sold…to her!

Stunned disbelief raced across her face as Jean-Claude came down the stairs, with Jeb. He looked at her and smiled a slow, sexy grin all too familiar…yet he was still a stranger.

Oh my god! I just won that sex god!

BUY LINKS
Secret Cravings
ARE
Amazon Kindle
Bookstrand

Learn more about Raine Delight on her website and her blog . Keep in step with her on facebook and her Author/Reader Loop . It’s one you’ll enjoy.

I’ll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then…
Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey...Hotter than Hell

Emphasize Your Written Words

“The Elements of Style” written by Wm. Strunk Jr. and E.B. White is a must for any writer. I don’t get royalties on it, but without it I won’t get royalties. I strongly suggest you buy a copy.

We all know a period is the mark at the end of a declarative sentence or an abbreviation and a question mark is used at the end of a sentence to indicate a direct question or inquiry.

But there are other punctuation marks which may be a bit confusing. Today we’ll try to clear it up.

The common usage of QUOTATION MARKS is in dialogue;

“Martin can you swim to the other side?” asked Leslie.

If the quotation is the direct object of a verb it’s preceded by a comma and enclosed in quotations marks;

“Mark Twain said, “A classic is something that everyone wants to have read and nobody wants to read.”

The EXCLAMATION POINT is a punctuation used after an interjection or exclamation. Be sure to use it sparingly in your writing. It’s very jarring to see a multitude of ! on a page.

Not too long ago I had to review a category romance by an established author. The story was excellent, but the exclamation points drove me crazy. Every page in the first chapter had a minimum of fifteen irritating !. I was not a happy reader. Over-usage of exclamation points loses their effect and really piss off a reviewer, let alone a reader.

APOSTROPHES show possession no matter what the final consonant;

Claus’s problem
Benny’s bicycle

Hers, its, theirs, yours, and ours do not need an apostrophe. But you do need the punctuation for;

somebody else’s dish
one’s livelihood

Be careful when writing its the possessive or it’s the contraction;

Its author is well-known.
It’s the hottest new book on the shelf.

PARENTHESES are used around a word, phrase, or sentence inserted in a passage to explain or modify a thought. The following examples are taken from my bible “The Elements of Style”;

I went to her house yesterday (my third attempt to see her), but she had left town.
He declares (and why should we doubt his good faith?) that he is now certain of success.

In my writing I avoid all use of parentheses for two reasons.

• I don’t like the look of the completed sentence.
• I don’t really understand why a comma wouldn’t be used in example one.

To work around my dilemma, I rewrite the sentences to work with the punctuations I know and love.

A DASH is a stronger punctuation mark than the comma and should also be used with discretion. It does give your reader a longer pause to gather their thoughts before you impart a pertinent phrase.

Again, from “The Elements of Style”;

Violence – the kind you see on television – is not honestly violent – there in lies its harm.

Using commas or writing as separate sentences doesn’t give the same dramatic effect as the dash. You must use it sparingly or the effect is lost.

Webster’s definition of the SEMICOLON was about as good as the horrid chop suey I made for dinner last Saturday. So it was back to “The Elements of Style” for a clearer understanding;

If two or more clauses grammatically complete, and not joined by a conjunction, are to form a single compound sentence, the proper mark of punctuation is a semicolon.

Mary Shelley’s works are entertaining; they are full of engaging ideas.

It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.

Both examples could be written as two separate sentences.

You can also use a comma in place of a semicolon if a conjunction is used;

Mary Shelley’s works are entertaining, for they are full of engaging ideas.

It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark.

Romance writing is mood type writing. We are creating a world of love and beauty as it pertains to our hero and heroine. Therefore semicolons seem stark and/or jarring on the page.

Next up is the COLON. Sorry not the organ, which I understand much better. This colon thing is another form of punctuation I avoid as much as a drunk at a bar.

According to “The Elements of Style”;

A colon tells the reader that what follows is closely related to the preceding clause. The colon has more effect than the comma, less power to separate than the semicolon, and more formality than the dash. It usually follows an independent clause and should not separate a verb from its complement or a preposition from its object.

Incorrect
Your dedicated whittler requires: a knife, a piece of wood, and a back porch.

Correct
Your dedicated whittler requires three props: a knife, a piece of wood, and a back porch.

For me a colon means rewrite.

The last punctuation mark is the COMMA. In my humble opinion this much used symbol deserves its own lecture. Another day we’ll uncover the mystery; To comma, or not to comma, that is the question.

Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back Monday with thigh squeezing author Raine Delight. Until then…

Happy writing!

Sloane Taylor
www.sloanetaylor.com

It’s Wednesday, so What’s Cooking? Breakfast

After a busy week with breakfast on the run, the weekends are a perfect time to treat yourself to a leisurely morning meal. Grab your favorite newspaper or, preferably, your soul mate and enjoy!

Breakfast Frittata
Hash Brown Potatoes
Fruit Salad
Italian Bread with Butter
Mimosas

Breakfast Frittata
4 strips bacon diced
¼ lb ham diced - leftover from a ham steak is good
1 tbsp. onion chopped
½ tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. and ½ tbsp. butter
4 large eggs
Fresh ground pepper to taste
3 slices provolone cheese torn into pieces
Fresh grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350F

In a medium frying pan, fry bacon pieces until almost done. Drain in a colander.

Add olive oil to the same frying pan and 1 tbsp. butter. Over medium heat, melt while swirling pan to coat sides. Add ham and onion. Sauté until the excess moisture from the ham is removed, about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk eggs well in a bowl. Break off bits of the remaining butter and drop into the eggs. Add pepper and whisk again. Pour eggs into hot skillet, then stir gently to distribute ham evenly. Top with bacon. As the edges cook, gently lift them and tip pan to allow raw mixture to flow beneath. Continue cooking until eggs begin to set.

Place frying pan in hot oven about 3-4 minutes to complete cooking. Remove pan and scatter provolone cheese across the top of frittata. Grate parmesan over the frittata. Return to the oven until provolone is melted.

To serve cut into wedges like a pie.

Serves 2

Hash Brown Potatoes

I admit I make the worst from scratch hash browns in the world. After years of trying, I finally gave up. The best brand we’ve found is Mr. Dee’s. They fry up quick and crisp without oil. A little pepper sprinkled on each side as the cook is great. If you don’t have it in your area, then use any frozen or fresh brand and follow the package directions.

Fruit Salad
1 pear sliced
1 banana peeled and sliced
Lemon juice
15 red grapes cut in half
1 kiwi peeled and diced


In a glass bowl, combine the pear and banana. Sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown. Gently, add in the grapes and kiwi.

To serve, spoon the fruit salad into pretty dishes.

This can be prepared first and set in the refrigerator to chill.

Mimosas
1 bottle Cook’s Grand Reserve Champagne or Korbel Brut Champagne chilled
Orange juice
Stemmed glasses

Fill the glass half full with champagne. Pour in orange juice. Do no stir. The juice will mix into the champagne nicely.

I’ll be back Friday with another addition to So You Want To Be An Author. Until then…

Happy Cooking!

Sloane Taylor
www.sloanetaylor.com

A Good Read is NOT Hard to Find

Readers love to lose themselves in a good book. In today's market, horror and paranormal are among their favorite choices. Add a romance and you have the ideal read. Musa Publishing has a dedicated line, Thalia, you’ll want to check out on their easy to maneuver website for excellent books.

Among their talented authors is award-winning Lauren Hunter. Her new release is THE COFFEE SHOP has an impressive collection of rave reviews. This compelling novel is one you don’t want to miss.

For those of you not familiar with Lauren, she writes Regency and paranormal romance novels, with plans to expand into a variety of other genres, including time travel, angel, ghost, and contemporary romance.

Besides novels, Lauren also writes poetry and short stories. Her poems appear in anthologies from England, Holland, and the US. Showcased in The International Library of Poetry's anthologies, she received the Editor's Choice Award and was published in The International Who's Who of Poetry 2004.

THE COFFEE SHOP
Lauren Hunter
ISBN 978-1-61937-002-9
Musa Publishing


MUSA BUY LINK
AMAZON UK
AMAZON GERMANY
AMAZON FRANCE
AMAZON ITALY

BLURB:
Meeting and falling in love with Annie Maddock was more than Derrick Sloane could ever hope for---too bad it was only a dream...or was it.

If Derrick thought experiencing alternate timelines and glimpses into the future was strange then he had no idea it was about to get far more strange than he ever imagined.

Meeting and falling in love with Annie Maddock was more than Derrick Sloane could ever hope for. Too bad it was only a dream. So you can imagine his shock when he literally meets the girl of his dreams in the very same coffee shop. Realizing that dream foretold their relationship five months into the future, and that every time he meets her while awake he alters that perfect future, he tries to fix it.

Can he fix what he has changed? Should he even try? Given the opportunity to see two alternate futures can he choose one over the other? Could you…?

EXCERPT:
There was a rap at the door. “Your hot chocolate is ready.”

“Thanks, I’ll be right down.”

There was a pause. “You sure you’re all right?”

“Why do you keep asking me that?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I can hear something in your voice.”

“In my voice? What are you, part dog or something?”

Derrick chuckled. “There might be a girl from college that may just agree with you on that.” Again there was a pause. “May I come in?”

“Actually, I was about to get dressed.”

“So, you’re saying you’re not decent?”

“No, I’m wearing a bathrobe.”

“Well good, because I’m coming in.”

“No, Derrick…” But he had already opened the door, and setting the cocoa
aside he came over standing before her as she sat on the bed.

“Okay, now I know something’s wrong. Annie, why didn’t you tell me how bad you hurt yourself?”

“It’s not that bad. I’m not about to make a big deal out of nothing.”

“You don’t need to be brave for me. If anything it’s really important that you be as honest as you can, with both yourself, and me, about this. I don’t want you doing any more damage because you are trying to force yourself to do something you shouldn’t be.”

“All right, I’ll admit, my ankles are a little sore. I must have stretched the muscles or something.”

“It looks like they are a lot more than a little sore.”

“Well you know what they say. A sprain is a lot more painful than a break. Although that would obviously depend on the break. But I’ve sprained something, and I’ve broken something, and I’d have to agree with that assessment, the sprain was much more painful. But as far as that goes this isn’t even that bad.”

“Pain is our body’s way of telling us we are hurt.” Derrick looked concerned.

“You do realize you sound like Mr. Rogers?”

“Those people that feel you have to be in pain to accomplish something.” He shook his head.

“Well, I’ll agree with you on that score.”

“If they hurt you need to stay off them. You don’t want to make it worse.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Well, look at it this way, by using them while they’re sore you will probably lengthen the time it takes for them to heal.”

The idea of experiencing what she was now for any longer than she absolutely had to, was not an appealing concept, to say the least. “I’ll try to take it as easy as I can.”

“Try?”

“Well I am not going to spend the remainder of the weekend in this bed.”

“No need.”

“What are you saying?”

Before she had a chance to reply, Derrick had slipped one arm beneath her knees, the other around her back and under her arms.

“Whoa! What are you doing?”

“Well, I would have thought that was obvious.”

“Oh, you have to be kidding me.”

“What makes you think that?”

“You are not serious.”

“Completely.”

“What? So, you’re going to carry me everywhere?”

“Pretty much.”

“Oh now that’s just too much!”

He was already lifting her into his arms as though she was nothing, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her out the door and onto the balcony. He was wearing a sweater but she could still feel his taut and rippling muscles beneath it. The muscles in his arms flexing against her as he carried her carefully down the stairs. The heat from his body reached through her bathrobe as she held her face close to his, the scent of soap and aftershave wafting up around her as he grasped her tightly to him. Setting her on the sofa next to the fire, he turned his face to hers. For a moment they just stayed like that, holding each other, their lips close as his eyes moved down her face to her mouth.

MUSA BUY LINK
AMAZON UK
AMAZON GERMANY
AMAZON FRANCE
AMAZON ITALY

Learn more about Lauren Hunter on her website and her blog . Lauren is also on facebook and has a Fan Page . If you Tweet, it’s easy to catch up with Lauren on Twitter .

I’ll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey...Hotter than Hell

Time IS on Your Side

Time Management is an important element every writer must conquer. It doesn’t matter if you have plotted the best novel mankind will ever read, because if you can’t get the damned thing finished – who cares?

So what if your day job takes all your extra time, or the kids are whining, and your husband is just being a shit. Here’s a cyber phone card. Go call someone who cares because, obviously, you don’t.

No one has ever procrastinated more than me. I am the Queen of Procrastination and have ruled my domain with an iron broom. That was until I figured out I would be a wannabe for the rest of my life. Do you?

So as you sneer and grab for the mouse to click off what you can’t bear to read, let me tell you STOP! Baby, unless you pull yourself together, you’re never going to make it in this tough industry.

The solution is so damned easy it’ll make you wonder why you never figured it out.

Set a daily writing goal. Sounds good, right? It is.

1 – Make a to-do list every morning, i.e. Today I will write 100 words on chapter five.
Don’t be stupid, list out what is feasible for your life pattern. So you only have ten minutes before work or dropping the kids at school, think about your manuscript while you’re driving. Well, not so in-depth you wrack up the car but enough to keep your mind flowing. Every moment you spend thinking, plotting, doing a characterization, is time spent on writing.

2 – You can’t write and drive, you snidely say. Correct, and remember, you can’t text either. Buy a pocket tape recorder and talk your story. How tough is that?

3 – Carve out a specific time in the day or night to write. I don’t believe in getting up an hour before the family to work. My mind isn’t ready, my body is too tired, and my meager attempts suck, but it just might work for you. You’re the only one who knows the best time for you to pull it all together and write your hundred words.

4 – Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t meet your schedule because you have to attend Aunt Bertha’s funeral. Do feel guilty if you blow off the day by watching TV or napping. The longer you stay away from writing the harder it is to go back again. Trust me, I know this for a fact.

Learning the art of writing is an on going process. Please email me sloanetaylor@comcast.net with any suggestions or favorite websites you want to share.

Speaking of great websites, here's one you should check out The Black Phoenix Band . Award winning, romantic suspense author Sarah Grimm, yes she's related to the Brothers, built this site to promote her new series of novels. Ingenious and has proven successful. We'll discuss promotion in the near future.

Have a good weekend. I'll be back Monday with paranormal author Lauren Hunter and her latest release The Coffee Shop, a book you need to read. Until then...

Happy Writing!

Sloane Taylor
www.sloanetaylor.com

It's Wednesday, so What's Cooking? Turkey Breast on the Grill

The spring weather makes me think of easier ways to cook dinner. This week I'm sharing one of our favorite meals. It's easy, not expensive, and clean up is a breeze. Hope you enjoy it.:)

Turkey Breast on the Grill
Baked Potatoes on the Grill
Sautéed Broccoli
White Wine – Riesling

Turkey Breast on the Grill
1 leek - chopped
1 large onion - chopped
10 baby carrots - chopped
3 tomatoes - chopped
Turkey Breast
Bacon strips to cover breast
Chicken stock

Disposable pan
Cooking rack
Cookie sheet – for stability and to prevent pan from burning

Thaw turkey breast in refrigerator for at least one day. Dispose of packet inserted in breast. If not completely thawed, set in a large pot of cold water to complete. Rinse well.

This method is for a gas grill. Preheat grill, both burners, on medium for 15 minutes. Total cooking time is 2 to 3 hours.

Set disposable pan on cookies sheet. Insert cooking rack. Add chopped vegetables. Pat turkey skin dry then place on rack breast up. Lay bacon slices over breast to cover well. Pour in enough chicken broth to cover the pan bottom at least 1 inch. Cover the turkey and pan edges with aluminum foil, crimping the sides well.

Place pan in the middle of the grill. Close lid.

Check the liquid level every hour of roasting. Add water as needed.

Remove foil after 1 ½ hours to allow turkey to brown a bit.

Remove from heat when done. Allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.

Baked Potatoes on the Grill
1 russet potato per person
Olive oil
Aluminum foil
Butter
Sour cream
Chives
Pepper

Wash and dry the potatoes. Rub a little olive oil over each potato to moisten the skin. Rip off aluminum foil square large enough to wrap each potato separately.

Place potatoes on upper shelf of grill or, if you have enough space, alongside the turkey pan. Grill for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Test if done by poking a potato with a toothpick. It should insert easily.

To serve, remove foil, slit potatoes open, press the sides together to allow potato to mound. Top with the butter, sour cream, chives, and pepper.

Sautéed Broccoli
1 fresh broccoli
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 glove garlic pressed
¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Cut broccoli segments from the stem. Discard stem.

Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. Pour in olive oil, then add butter. When the foam subsides, add the broccoli pieces, turning them to coat well with the oil and butter. You may need a little more oil. Be careful not to add too much.

Add the pressed garlic over the top of the broccoli. Sauté until just tender, about 6 minutes.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

I'll be back Friday with another writing tip. Until then...

Happy Eating!

Sloane Taylor
www.sloanetaylor.com

Are You into Speculative Fiction?

Or are you not quite sure what that is? This genre includes science fiction, fantasy, steampunk and more. Musa Publishing has a dedicated line, Urania, you definitely want to check out on their easy to maneuver website .

Among their noted authors is award-winning, multi-published, Mary S. Palmer. Her new release is TIME WILL TELL. This outstanding novel is destined to be a best seller.

For those of you not familiar Mary, she writes beautiful poetry along with fiction and non-fiction books and short stories. Mary makes her home in Alabama and currently teaches English at Faulkner State Community College and Faulkner University.

Mary holds a BA (Cum Laude) in English and an MA in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing from the University of South Alabama.

Among her many awards, she was also selected for Marquis’ Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2002 and in 2005 also for Who’s Who in America (2005)

TIME WILL TELL
Mary S. Palmer
ISBN 978-1-61937-107-1
Musa Publishing



BUY LINK

BLURB:
Reporter Mona Stewart finds herself in another world of warring factions and one of them holds the key to immortality and cures for fatal diseases.

In the inner space of outer space, an earthling, reporter Mona Stewart, discovers that living almost forever in idleness, and without challenges, is much worse than having too much to do. The only reprieve from boredom for the Svarians is outwitting the Aliens.

EXCERPT:
The car skidded, swerved sideways and spun around three times before cascading into the gully below. There were no houses on this stretch of the sparsely populated road in west Mobile County and traffic was light at one a.m., so no one saw the accident happen. The driver lay critically injured at the bottom of the ravine.

Mona Stewart was motionless. Life was rapidly oozing out of her twenty-eight year-old body. The thirty-foot drop had left the little red Volkswagen bug in one piece but all sides were damaged. It landed right on top of Mona and threw one sharp piece of window glass directly through her abdomen. The heavy rainstorm, which had contributed to the accident, continued. Blood and water formed a puddle of red liquid. Pep, her little Beagle who was also in the car, revived and staggered over to his mistress, sniffed around and began to lap at the puddle. It did not suit his taste, so he crawled under the car, snuggled as close as he could to Mona and lay down on the ground to stand guard.

In her unconscious state with her life ebbing away, Mona’s mind reviewed her existence. In flashes she relived the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, her parents’ untimely death in a plane crash, her marriage and divorce. A couple of dateless years for fear of having a failed relationship. Now, in the last hour, she had to face the discovery that her current boyfriend was no longer interested in her. He had even laughed when he left her apartment saying, “What did you expect? I promised you nothing and that’s exactly what you’re getting. There were no commitments.” She should have known this would happen. The notoriously fickle Lee Black, III, was chased by girls because of his rugged good looks and his charming, though superficial, personality. He had never been noted for his loyalty.

Nevertheless, Mona was crushed and outraged. Feeling that she had to get out of that apartment, she’d hopped in her car and sped away into the humid summer night, roaming around aimlessly, not even knowing or caring where she was. When an announcer’s voice blared out of her radio that “Hurricane Dennis is on a path headed directly for Mobile, Alabama bearing one hundred and thirty mile per hour winds; please take heed and go to a safe place—shelters are open now,” thinking that it was no match for the storm going on within her, Mona clicked off the radio. She couldn’t run from either one. Then a sudden downpour made driving hazardous. She’d never been on this road before and did not even see the curve.

Now, strangely enough, as she relived the experience in her mind, she no longer felt resentment toward Lee or anyone else who had ever wronged her. Instead, she felt a sense of forgiveness toward them. A bright light seemed to hover over her. With it came a complete sense of peace.

“Gr-rrr,” Pep growled. Then he emitted a bark that sounded more like a frightened yelp than a threat. But when two people came over to his mistress, raised the car up and lifted her out of the pool of blood, the dog instinctively knew they were trying to help her. He backed off, following as they carried her to a shelter.


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Learn more about Mary S. Palmer on her website and her blog .

I’ll be back Wednesday with a new menu. Until then…

Happy Reading!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey...Hotter than Hell

THE SHOW AND TELL GAME

Show don’t tell is a confusing phrase that has many new writers yanking their hair out. What does it mean? How do I do it? Leave those Clairol locks in place because the explanation is simple.

Showing is action. It is what your character is doing at that moment. Telling is passive writing, a weak way to explain what your character is doing. It can also be considered author intrusion, a big no-no to editors.

Here are a few examples;

Telling – Liz had on a red suit with a white rose in the lapel and a white linen blouse.

Showing – Liz plucked a white rose from the bouquet on the coffee table. Carefully, she slipped the thorny stem into her lapel. She glanced in the mirror and smiled at how perfect the flower’s creamy color looked against the red jacket. With a tug on her blouse cuff, gently so as not to wrinkle the linen, Liz headed for the door.

Telling – There was shouting from the balcony.

Showing – Shouts echoed from the balcony.

Telling – The dog show was judged by Frank.

Showing – Frank judged the dog show.

Telling – Mary was sad.

Showing – Mary turned toward Joel. His heart broke when he saw her lips tremble and the pain in her eyes.

In many cases, showing requires more words to paint the right picture and that’s a good thing if they enhance the scene.

To easily locate the places where you "tell", hold down the Control key while you press the letter F key. It will bring up a Find and Replace panel. Type in a word not used in your book, then click ‘Find Next’. Read each sentence and/or section that appears. Should it or could it be more active? You may be surprised at how your novel will improve by this simple exercise.

Have a wonderful weekend. I'll be back Monday with Mary Palmer and her new book TIME WILL TELL. Until then...

Happy Writing!

Sloane Taylor
www.sloanetaylor.com