Gail Ingis's Blog, page 8
July 5, 2018
My long lost roller skates
I loved roller skating when I was a girl. I had a pair of white leather roller skates with long white laces and wooden wheels. I don’t know what happened to all my Brooklyn buddies that I used to skate with, wouldn’t I love to meet up with them again. One name stands out though, Gloria. I’ll never forget her. Gloria did not love me and showed how much by burning a hole in the leather boot of my skates. I never did find out why. I didn’t retaliate because Mama said I had to always be nice to everyone. So I was nice to her. She didn’t know I knew it was her, my skates were on the bench and I had to get something, so I wasn’t there when it happened, but I have an image in my mind of her holding her cigarette to my boot.
How come she was smoking? I didn’t smoke, I tried, but it gave me a tummy ache. All my friends were smokers, I felt left out. Wasn’t I blessed not to be able to smoke?
And oh my, I sure loved those skates. I danced my heart out to the live organ music. I had lots of talented partners. I especially loved to skate backward until my partner spun me around or he went backward. It was beautiful. The speed made it feel like you were flying.
Those precious skates with the hole in the boot stayed with me until they got moldy in a move. I had 
another pair and recently found them in a box in my basement. Unfortunately, they have urethane wheels, which is good for skating on the sidewalk, or pavement – not in a roller rink. For that, you need wooden wheels. So I’m going to track down a pair and switch them out.
I’ll keep you posted.
Gail Ingis Claus is an author, artist/painter and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in the fall of 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.
June 28, 2018
You want to be a writer? Now what?
How do you do this writing thing?
I kind of fell into writing fiction by accident. You see, I’m an artist (a painter) and for many, many years I was an interior designer and taught design and architecture as well. I was always an avid reader. But a writer? No way! Until I was inspired by painter Albert Bierstadt and I wanted to tell a story inspired by his life.
I know, I said to myself, I’ll write a book. After all, I had written a chapter for a history book and been wooed by a publisher. I wrote up school catalogs, wrote course curriculum, wrote up interior design and architectural history lectures, proposals for jobs, poetry and love letters. Surely writing a book would be a piece of cake. Sure, right.
I sat down, pen in hand, put pen down—booted up my trusty Mac, surely that would inspire me . . . but that didn’t help. This is not going to work. What do I write first, the end? What words do I use? How do I find my characters? Where does all this come from? It shouldn’t be any different than giving a lecture. OK, I though smugly, I’ll approach it like a lecture. I could talk for hours about interior design, lighting, space planning, history, architectural anything. Still nothing. I remember the emptiness, the confusion, the lack of words. I didn’t think I had this gift to tell a story, never mind, writing one.
Tommy the train to NYC
Then I met Brenda on a train ride into New York. We were both on our way to a Michael Hauge workshop. Hauge is a screenwriter who teaches writing courses. Brenda and I became friends after that class. I learned a great deal from Hauge but also from Brenda who helped me get my thoughts together and helped me formulate my story. But Brenda was busy with her growing family and her full time job as an attorney, so I had to continue my search for help. During a CTRWA Fiction Fest, in 2009, “Inspiration for Writers” offered free editing service for the auction. I bought enough tickets to win it. Yay, That’s how I found Charl, who is an editor for them.
Creativity is a right brain activity. Have you explored your creativity? Do you remember being creative as a kid? I sure do. Comic books were the rage when I was growing up. (They still are). I would sit at my desk and draw what I saw in the comic books. Wonder Woman was my hero. As I got older, I drew all kinds of things. I played the piano, I took dance lessons, voice lessons, sang in school shows, sang in school choir, took my mother’s dresses apart and remade them. Took my radio apart and my clock apart and put them back together, well, with Daddy’s happy help, it was my curiosity that pushed me to explore. The list goes on, and I wrote little poems and notes to friends and family. I realized that I had always had that passion for storytelling inside me all along. I had just been using different mediums to tell my stories.
I didn’t just want to think of a story, I wanted to write that book, and in spite of myself, i did. I took enough workshops and writing courses to earn a PhD in “workshop-taking”. And with the help of Charl I was able to complete my very first book, Indigo Sky. I am a member of the Connecticut Chapter of the Romance Writers of America, where writers gather and help each other. Being a member of the CTRWA, I was exposed to many different publishing companies, big and small and with Jamie S’s help where to submit. I landed a publishing contract with Soul Mate Publishing. With the help of my editor, Tammie, at Soul Mate, who worked very hard with me, I completed the re-writes and the book was published in 2015.
My book can be found in three formats, paperback, eBook and Audiobook. I even have a book trailer! Two things have changed in my life since that fateful day I decided to start writing: 1. I became a published author. 2. I have made so many wonderful friends along the way. I wish you all the same creative journey.
Gail Ingis Claus is an author, artist/painter and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in the fall of 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.
June 21, 2018
Why Tennis Matters
Grand Slam in Melbourne, AU
Celebrating two great champions
Tom and I love tennis so much that we were willing to get up at 3:30 in the morning to watch this year’s Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the year. There’s a sixteen-hour time difference between Melbourne and Connecticut. The afternoon matches started at 9 pm our time, while the evening matches started at 3:30 a.m. It was a two-week tournament, and let me tell you, getting up at 3:30 am was a challenge. I’m no spring chicken anymore. But it was worth it. The caliber of play was amazing. The dedication and commitment that these athletes have to raise the bar each and every time, was inspiring. I’m no stranger to the game of tennis, I played for many years, and I coached. It was one of my true passions. Tom was an excellent player as well, and we loved playing together. Tennis is a great way to communicate with your spouse or partner whether through a gentle lob or a fierce serve.
Simona Halep
Caroline Wozniack
The women’s final was played at 3:30 a.m. last Saturday. Simona Halep and Caroline Woznicaki played the best women’s final I’ve ever seen. And I’ve watched many. The rallies were long, the balls were struck with force, and the timing was impeccable.
Each point was a challenge. The three sets went on for almost three hours. Both women were magnificent and either could have won. In the final set, Simona found herself one point away from losing the match at 4-5, 15-40, but she won the next 2 points to even the game at deuce; the rallies were long and magnificent for each point. Both players were running from side-to-side chasing outstanding well-placed balls.
Caroline Wozniack & the Cup
Caroline won the next point set up by an awesome backhand crosscourt shot, giving her another match point. The next point was another extended, long rally, ending when Simona hit a short backhand into the net, giving Caroline her first Grand Slam victory.
The Men’s final on Sunday morning between Roger Federer, a 19-time Grand Slam winner, and Marin Čilić, a one-time winner, was also exciting and entertaining. Roger could have won in 3 straight sets AND he could have lost in 5 sets. He won 2 of the first 3 sets and was leading in the fourth, 3-1, when Marin won 5 straight games to even the match at 2 sets apiece.
Marin Chilic
Roger Federer
The momentum was clearly favoring Marin, starting in the fifth set, but he lost his serve in the first game of the 5th set and never really recovered. The next few games were very close, but in the end, Roger prevailed 6-1 for his 20th Grand Slam victory.
So we send our congratulations to two great champions, one winning her first Grand Slam and the other continuing to set the all-time mark for Grand Slam wins by a man. Besides being champions, both are great people and wonderful ambassadors for the sport of tennis. May they continue to be both for years to come. We love watching them play and look forward to watching them at the other Grand Slam events this
Roger Federer
year. Tennis is considered an “individual” sport but it brings us together – lovers of the game – who admire the amazing talent of these fine athletes. With the Olympics around the corner, we look forward to rooting for our own country’s athletes while still cheering on the extraordinary achievements by athletes from around the world. Watching and learning and being inspired. And isn’t that what matters?
Wimbledon Tennis on grass is coming in July!
Gail Ingis Claus is an author, artist/painter and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in the spring 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.
June 14, 2018
A Romantic Summer Read
Sea Lust
I was fortunate to receive an ARC of the contemporary romance, Sea Lust by Joy Smith in exchange for a review, and I devoured it in one night. Joy Smith’s writing is dramatic, descriptive and tight. She wastes no words—each one carries the story forward. Marty, aka Martha Chase, was a strong, independent woman but life had cheated on her. Known for her excellent reputation as a seafaring captain, she temporarily worked in a shipyard as a painter until someone discovered her availability. Joe Carella had his own set of issues to be a proper sailor. His father, Gino, and his woman lost their lives when on their yacht a squall came up and pitched his father into the ocean, and the woman dived in to save him. Joe was desperate to get his father’s yacht out of a Miami boatyard. A skilled seaman was needed to take charge. He knew of Marty but wasn’t sure a woman was the right person. At the time there was no other skilled sailor available, so Joe hired her. I cheered for Marty as she went about doing her job as captain with great perseverance. Nothing ran smoothly from the get-go. On the open waters of the Atlantic, they were vulnerable to evildoers and were left in a raft in open waters. A beam of light, apparently help from the great beyond, was the alerting factor to the coastguard. Each step of the journey was thrilling as Marty and Joe grew together in compassion and understanding. I loved this book. WOW!
Joy Smith
Joy’s writing is inspiring and upbeat. Her work has a contemporary, twenty-first-century rhythm. I finished the book lickity split, I keep going back to read sections that are dripping with creativity.
Tagline: To prove their worth, the cowardly son of a famous yachtsman and a shunned female sea captain set out on a boat delivery traversing the dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean, not realizing they might never make it back.
Back Cover Copy: Time is of the essence. During the busiest boating season of the year, Joe Carella needs a delivery crew to transport his dead father’s prize sailing yacht home to Mystic, Connecticut from Florida, traversing one of the most dangerous areas of the Atlantic Ocean. Desperate, he hires a captain with an iffy reputation. Despite his lack of skill, confidence, and courage, Joe, who has always lived under the shadow of his famous father, feels obligated to go along to prove his worth.
Fishing boat captain Marty Chase’s career sank like the Titanic when she was made the scapegoat for a boating accident in Mystic. Determined to restore her tarnished reputation, she accepts Joe’s offer to captain the Carella’s boat home, despite her inexperience with sailing a large yacht in deep ocean waters.
They set sail just ahead of a hurricane brewing in the Caribbean, not realizing that the weather and seas will be the least of their worries. As they fight to survive, the fisherman’s daughter and the privileged son find strength in each other.
Teaser: The timid son of a famous yachtsman and a shunned female sea captain set out on a perilous sea voyage to prove their worth and must fight to survive.
Joy fixing lunch in the galley
About Joy: An experienced sailor, Joy Smith has cruised the same waters as her characters, and has an in-depth understanding of what it’s like to be on an ocean passage. She has published eight books, including several non-fiction how-to boating books. To buy Sea Lust, click here.
www.joysmith.net
Writes books to learn from and enjoy…
Fiction: Green Fire, Seagulls Don’t Eat Worms, Hear Me Roar, and Sea Lust (forthcoming)
Nonfiction: Oh, No, They’re Engaged!, The Empty Nest Cookbook, The Perfect First Mate, Let’s Go Cruising, Kitchen Afloat.A work of art
June 7, 2018
New York City’s Grid
René Rivera, lives in New York City 2017It’s easier to determine in Manhattan since all the blocks here are designed on a numbered grid. From Street to street, it’s 20 blocks to a mile. So from say, 40th and 3rd avenue to 60th and 3rd, it’s one single mile. Avenue blocks don’t follow that sort of conformity, are much longer, and so miles divided by avenues tends to be problematic, depending on through which part of town you’re walking or running.
A good way to determine is how I was taught in the Marine Corps. Find a distance of 100 meters and measure out how many average paces it takes for you to cover that distance. Then count that number of paces 16 times in one direction. That’ll give you a mile. See more below.
Love, Gail
This was posted in 2010, but these are the basics. While writing my new book, The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin, my characters move about in New York City often. I find myself explaining to those who ask, so here’s some helpful information. Avenue blocks are longer than street blocks. Generally 10 blocks between the avenues equal one mile.
No matter where you are from, your hometown has streets. Maybe some avenues, parkways, calles, boulevards, roads, lanes or rues. In most cases, there is no real rhyme or reason behind why a road has a particular classifying name, it’s simply thrown up there by whoever happens to be planning the surrounding construction. In New York, however, the difference between streets and avenues is very critical and it’s definitely something everyone needs to understand. This post is focused mainly on navigating and understanding Manhattan because it’s very standardized. Let’s hit the pavement.
The Basics
The most basic thing to remember is that avenues run north and south while streets run east and west (…ish, Manhattan does not a perfect compass make, but don’t try telling any New Yorker that). Most streets and avenues only accommodate one-way traffic, but there are some thoroughfares (14th, 23rd, 42nd, etc…) that do have two-way traffic and are a bit bigger (I’ll fill you in on the history in my next post). This might not seem all that important now, but eventually, you will be sending a text, reading a book or just generally not paying attention as you walk down the street and suddenly find yourself in the middle of two-way traffic because you only glanced down one direction. It happens.
Also, in case you don’t know already, most of Manhattan is a giant grid, so people will give you directions like “it’s on 52nd Street between 5th and 6th”. From that you know the exact block you are going to: the block of 52nd Street that falls between 5th and 6th Avenues. Having a grid is also pretty handy for measuring distance: . So, if you are on 50th Street and 6th Avenue and need to go to 30th Street and 2nd Avenue, you have about 1 mile to walk south and 1 mile to walk east. Remember this when judging whether or not a subway ride is worth it.
Gail Ingis is an author, artist, and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in summer 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.
May 31, 2018
What’s in the Garden?
Palais de Versailles
Sunlight filled the palace’s cavity, shimmereing on the decorative gold moldings. A distant sound, barely perceptible, echoed. Marie Antoinette, in her flimsy nightdress, caught her breath. What could that be? The sound came again.
Secret column
She looked around, she saw no one, nothing, but for her reflection. Tall mirrors, short mirrors, wide mirrors, all framed in glittering gold. Her widened eyes caught the light as she turned to the sound. The sound of a muffled laugh. She bit her lip. But there was no one there. She called, “Hallo, hallo . . .” She walked toward the sound. It bounced off all the hard surfaces, mirror, wood, moldings, it got louder. She clasped her hands over her ears, but the sound boomed like she had an ear trumpet. Her nightdress caught at the bottom of the column, she fell forward and stumbled then gathered herself up, her heart pounding too many beats.
There it was, the laugh, coming from the column. She put her ear to it. Nothing. She swallowed her fear and slid her hand over the column’s edges. There it was again, that muffled laugh. Bang, a door smashed open right in front of Marie’s face. “Yikes.” Out popped her husband, a small jeweled box in his hand, he in his night dress, void of his powdered wig, lean of build, just the right size to squeeze into the boxy column.
She gasped, her hand over her heart, “Oh Louis, I will whip you for this.” He stuck out his hand and grabbed hers. He pulled her to him, so close their lips almost touched.
“My sweet wife, how could you be so crass? Might my peace offering dissuade you?”
She pulled away from his hold and held out her hand for the jeweled box.
He placed it in her palm and she looked inside. A fresh chocolate from Paris. “Yes, I can be dissuaded.”
“But wait my darling, can you save the delicacy for later?”
“If I must . . .”
His gaze lingered on her lush lips. “Marie, did you remember this day? It is the yearly celebration of our marriage. Will you permit me to take you to our garden? Something unexpected waits for you there.”
Marie glanced with apprehension at Louis. Her mouth was dry. “What would you like to have then, Louis?”
He tilted his head to one side and offered a smile that reached his eyes. “I would like to have you say yes.”
“This one time Louis, I will be what it is you like.”
When they got to the garden, four puppies jumped and greeted Maria. “Is this my anniversary present, Louis?”
“It is my darling, are you pleased?”
Marie wrapped one arm around Louis, and with her other arm, she held one of the pups. Her eyes glistened and as a tear escaped, she kissed her husband and whispered thank you in his ear.
Corgi puppies
Princess and her puppies
A brief history of Versailles from Wikipedia:
The Palace of Versailles or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles.
When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a wealthy suburb of Paris, some 20 kilometres southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.
A work of art
May 24, 2018
Those Bumpy, Tumbly, Cobbly Cobblestones
If the shoe fits (into the cobblestones) wear it.
Women do it in Italy, in France, in Canada and in the USA. In fact, I saw them do it in Portugal last summer. They do it all over the world. Yep. Women walk in high heels on cobblestones.
My good friend, Gigi, grew up in Portugal, and her Mama and family are still there. So I asked what it was in her feet that kept her from twisting her ankles when I, even wearing sneakers, couldn’t keep my ankles from turning and bending to the bumps and lumps of the cobblestone streets.
Gigi’s said, “All the streets are paved this way, I don’t even think about can I or can’t I.” I even watched her run on those historic cobbled hills. The whole situation seemed odd to me, but she took it in stride, her heels never once caused her a tumble on the cobbles or in the spaces between.
London Cab 1823
You probably know that cobblestones replaced the dirt and muddy streets here in the U.S. in the 19th century. The idea was for the horses to get a good hoof hold.
Later, at the beginning of the 20th century, asphalt became the norm. In the East where the fluctuating temperatures cause freezing and thawing, the roads develop unbearable pot holes, upkeep is messy and expensive.
Boston has the top spot in cobblestones on Acorn Street, measured in terms of cattle—in this case, two cows wide—this is paved with true, ankle-breaker cobblestones and lined with vintage red brick row houses. The beacon Hill neighborhood in general is known for its well-preserved architecture and romantic gaslit streets, the most expensive and desirable area in Beantown.
But cobblestone streets were not meant for cars and trucks. Yet some of our big cities still sport those cobbles, they add a charm.
Should we repave with those stones and bring back the horse?
For more history about these stones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobblestone
For 10 most adorable cobblestone streets in the U.S. take a look:
https://www.oyster.com/articles/55243-the-10-most-adorable-cobblestone-streets-in-the-u-s/
If you are curious about the name Beantown—Boston’s Beantown earned its name from molasses, rum and baked beans.
Here’s a link: www.celebrateboston.com/culture/bean-town-origin.htm
Gail Ingis is an author, artist, and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in summer 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.
A work of art
May 17, 2018
Revolutionized Boston
ChartHouse from our room in CustomHouse (Marriott)
It’s been two-hundred-and-fifty-five years of ChartHouse’s existence in the Gardiner Building on Long Wharf in Boston harbor. It’s been one week since Tom and I dined there—and we can’t wait to go back. ChartHouse originally served as the office of Thomas Hancock and subsequently, his nephew, John Hancock. Once referred to as “Hancock’s CountingHouse,” it’s the oldest building on Long Wharf.
staircase to 2nd floor
Over the past two hundred years, while Boston evolved, Long Wharf and its granite and brick warehouses fell into neglect. In the 1960s the Boston Redevelopment Authority acquired the wharf with the aim of revitalization, encouraging private rehabilitation of the Gardiner building and CustomHouse Block, another historic building now dedicated to guests of Marriott.
After a four-month-long renovation in 2011, the Gardiner Building was preserved for years to come. The vibrant and refreshing new décor still boasts many original elements such as Hancock’s safe, broad-wooden beams, red-brick walls, and the original staircase.
Lava cake
Coconut shrimp served with a fan made of rice.
I don’t want to leave out ChartHouse dining experience. The food rated in the five-star category with the coconut shrimp, and lava cake topped with ice cream and fudge. The complimentary dessert was a perk of our stay at the Marriot CustomHouse.
I love New York. It’s my hometown. But I think Boston is now a big contender for my favorite city. It’s easy to get around on foot, little Italy (the North End) our fav. Until next time, Love, Gail.
Gail Ingis is an author, artist, and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in summer 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.
Little Italy
G&T and the tallest building CustomHouse
A work of art
Thank you to ChartHouse’s Legendary Dining (scroll publication). On the front of the scroll is a brief history of ChartHouse and on the back our constitution. ChartHouse is located at 60 Long Wharf, Boston, MA. Chart-House.com.
May 10, 2018
Beating Heart of the City
New York City Hall, a beauty in classicism with its touch of Palladio! I studied interior design and architecture many moons ago, but my passion has not wained. New York City Hall is featured prominently in my upcoming book The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin. The cornerstone of City Hall was laid in 1803. Construction was delayed after the City Council objected that the design was too extravagant. Imagine something like that today. In response, architects, McComb and Mangin reduced the size of the building and used brownstone at the rear of the building to lower costs. Labor disputes and an outbreak of yellow fever further slowed construction. The building was not dedicated until 1811, and opened officially in 1812.
Although Mangin and McComb were the original designers, the building has been altered numerous times over the years, by various well known and respected architects:
1860: Leopold Eidlitz
1898: John H. Duncan
1903: William Martin Aiken
1907, 1912, 1915, 1917: Grosvenor Atterbury
1956: Shreve, Lamb & Harmon
1998: Cabrera Barricklo
Step of City Hall
The steps of City Hall frequently provide a backdrop for political demonstrations and press conferences concerning city politics. The heroine in my book meets the hero on those steps while attending a suffragette rally in 1886.
Rotunda
On the inside, the rotunda is a soaring space with a grand marble stairway rising up to the second floor, where ten fluted Corinthian columns support the coffered dome, which was added in a 1912 restoration by Grosvenor Atterbury. The rotunda has been the site of municipal as well as national events. Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant lay in state there, attracting enormous crowds to pay their respects. City Hall is a designated New York City landmark. It is also listed on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.
The area around City Hall is commonly referred to as the Civic Center. Most of the neighborhood consists of government offices (city, state and federal), as well as an increasing number of upscale residential dwellings being converted from older commercial structures. Architectural landmarks such as St. Paul’s Chapel, St. Peters Church, the Woolworth Building, Tweed Courthouse, the Manhattan Municipal Building, the Park Row Building, One Police Plaza, and the Brooklyn Bridge surround City Hall. If you’ve ever watched an episode of Law and Order, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Until next time, Gail.
Thank you Wikipedia for the facts and links.
City Hall Park
Gail Ingis Claus is an author, artist/painter and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in summer 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.
May 3, 2018
Chocolate is Never a Mistake
It was a perfect plan, or so I thought. Last week, I sent out a newly revised newsletter to my subscribers. So many of you emailed me that you, “love the new look.” Thanks for that!
After proofreading several times, the newsletter looked pretty good. New logo, new banner, new images. And I included a fun, little quiz asking my subscribers what kind of chocolate they preferred: dark, milk, or white. As a treat, I would draw a name and send that person a $10 Amazon gift card.
We decided on Monday, April 23rd, midnight for the deadline to the quiz. And the draw on Tuesday, April 24th. Then we decided to change it to the 19th and 20th, but forgot to change the dates in the newsletter! Big sigh. So this is what I did: instead of one winner, we had two winners: one from Friday, the 20th, and one from Tuesday, the 24th. No way would I leave anyone out. Mistakes happen, every day, in every way. Whether big or small, I was happy to have two winners, that date change turned a mistake into a double delight. Love Gail.
By the way: here are the results of the chocolate survey: It was pretty even between those who preferred dark chocolate (40%) and those who preferred milk chocolate (40%), with a smaller group who preferred white chocolate (20%).For Tom and me, we prefer dark ’cause ‘they’ say it’s good for you. Right?
And of course, it’s never a mistake to enjoy a piece of chocolate: dark, milk, or white.
I post here every Thursday morning at 5 a.m. Hope you’ll stop by.
Here’s another delight for you, Trader Joe’s Cowboy Bark, or their imported Belgian big bar with or without almonds, or from Phoenix, AZ, Cerreta French Mint Truffles. Yum! Cerreta.com. 
Gail Ingis Claus is an author, artist/painter and interior designer. Her upcoming romance The Unforgettable Miss Baldwin will be released in summer 2018. Her current historical romance, Indigo Sky can be purchased on amazon.
