Clair Brett's Blog

Favorite Fall Comfort Food

For my whole life I have lived in a place with four distinct seasons, so when people talk about having a crisp chill to the air when summer starts to make it’s exit, I understand that. With fall comes a lot of talk about food, apple picking, pumpkin spice, and the like are everywhere you turn. I think it is because like bears, what we all would like to do is settle in and hibernate through the cold unrelenting winter months. I know I do.Today on Romance Writers Weekly blog hop we are talking about our favorite go to fall recipes. For many people, I know early Sept. is too soon to be thinking fall anything, but up here there are even signs of the foliage soon to grace the landscape, so my mind is definitely on comfort food.I love the food of fall. Hearty soups, stews, and warm yummy casseroles, but since I must pick just one to share here today, I’m going to go with a bowl of chili and some yummy sweet cornbread.Chili is a good meal any time of year, because it is festive and basically a happy meal. You can’t really be in a bad mood when you are someplace where they are offering you chili. However, on a crisp fall afternoon there is nothing like walking into the house and smelling the pot of chili that has been slowly bubbling away on the wood stove all afternoon.I realize that last sentence may sound strange, but we still heat primarily with wood all year long and to be a frugal Yankee, yes that is a thing, I often will cook soups, or other things on the wood stove. I brings me back to my roots, I guess. Anyway, not that it tastes any different, but I like chili when it has simmered on the wood stove.As a culinary aficionado I am also aware that some of what I am going to say is controversial on many levels. You can forgo the hate mail. You do you, I’ll do me. Here we go, number one: My chili has beans, both light and dark kidney beans. There I said it! To me chili needs to be a hearty meal that can keep you warm and full on those cold nights. Not having beans to me, makes it more of a condiment.I also like my chili spicy, so if you don’t want so much spice, just cut it in half and you can always add a touch more, but it is deuced difficult to take it out if you add too much.Now, we have an ongoing debate about what to have with chili. Really the options are endless. I’ve made baked potatoes before, in in the wood stove if you need to know. If you don’t forget them it works out well. Lol. I always make rice for a base, which my husband and kids often don’t bother to use, but I like to pour my chili over some yummy rice. My husband always needs hot sauce and cheddar cheese to include as well. I think cheddar has a good flavor to go with the hearty chili. But, one thing my entire family can agree on, is cornbread.Here is the second thing that may raise some controversy, we like our cornbread on the sweet side. There, I admit it. I am well aware that there is an entire group of people who do not like sweetened corn bread, but those are not my people. Since I am gluten free, I am not going to include a recipe here because I usually just buy a gluten free mix, but I usually add a teaspoon of sugar to whatever mix it is, just in case it isn’t “sweet”. My biggest hint with corn bread, is to cook it in a cast iron skillet. Put a tablespoon of butter or so, more is not bad, into the skillet and pop it in the oven as it heats up. When you take it out, the skillet will be nice and hot and the butter melted, swirl the butter around to coat, then add the batter to the hot pan. You will get a yummy crisp crust around the outside that way.Fall Chili Recipe1 can dark kidney beans drained and rinsed1 can light kidney beans drained and rinsed1 lb. ground turkey or beef, or whatever ground meat you prefer2 14oz cans diced tomatoes1 bottle bloody Mary mix1 large onion diced1 large green bell pepper diced1 Tbsp minced garlic1 Tbsp chili power½ tsp. saltPepper to taste1 tsp. cumin1 ½ tsp. oregano1 tsp cocoa powder (you can leave this out, but I think it adds a depth of flavor to the chili)Instructions:In a large pot, brown the ground meat, season with some salt and pepper as you do. Drain meat and set aside.In same pot add some butter or oil and sweat the onions and peppers until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and stir until you smell the garlic.Add meat back into pot with beans, tomatoes, bloody Mary mix, and spices stir. Let simmer on low until all the flavors blend and it is hot and bubbly. It will thicken as it cooks.Test for spiciness and add more as needed.Serve with cornbread, shredded cheddar, rice, or baked potato. Enjoy!Now, I am craving a hot bowl of chili and some cornbread. I guess I know what I’m making for one dinner this week. Yum! I hope you all enjoy, and I would love to hear how you liked it. Do you have a go to fall meal? Let me know in the comments.Next up we have Phyllis ChubbHer debut novel A Soul Knows will be out September 21! You can read about it here

Why I Love Blacklist

Since March I have been hold up in my house. To be honest it isn’t as bad as it sounds. I am a full-time writer and work from home. So, it has been business as usually for the most part.That said, my husband and I were trying to find a show on Netflix that would last us for a while, so back in March I suggested we give Black List a try. I loveit! My writer brain is on overload with character development, story ideas, etc.Here is why I am addicted to the show Blacklist:James Spader. As an eighties girl I was already familiar with James Spader from all the movies in that decade. I mean the 80s was the best decade for movies. Hello, Breakfast Club… In Blacklist, Spader plays the FBI’s most wanted criminal, who out of the blue contacts them and offers to give them criminals on a blacklist, but only if he works directly with a new FBI profiler, Elizabeth Keen. Why, you may ask? Well, that is a good question. Spader is in all his glory in this series. He makes you root for him in every episode, even when he just walks up to someone and shoots them in the head. He makes you question your beliefs about right and wrong. To me the big question is, if you do the wrong thing for the right reason is that forgivable?The writer inside me devours every episode as a lesson in character development. All of the characters in this series have in depth complicated backstories and GMCs. As you watch you get glimpses of what is motivating each character. They do not do anything unless is moves them toward their end goal. The layers of these characters are amazing and draws you in.And, if James Spader doesn’t get your heart pumping a little, there are plenty of other characters that will interest everyone. From the blonde run by the book FBI agent, to the bad boy spy doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons.I don’t want to give any spoilers, so I’m not going to go into any more specifics than that, but if you are looking for a series that has more than 10 episodes; this has at least 7 seasons with 20 or more episodes in each. It is a series that is jam packed with suspense and rich characters.Have you seen Blacklist? I’d love to hear what you think!Next up we haveCaro Kinkead: Take it away Caro!

Reminiscing About Past Travel in the Time of a Pandemic

With a global pandemic keeping us at home, we are reminiscing today on Romance Writers Weekly blog hop about trips we have taken. The year we went on a cruise to Honduras was one of the most memorable trips ever.The picture I am sharing was of our family getting some snuggle time with a tiger that had been seized by the government and handed over to wildlife refuge. It was an amazing experience for my girls and us as well. The little girl was perfectly happy to be snuggled as long as she had her bottle. When it was my turn to hold her, the guide tried to switch out her bottle and let me tell you, I could see the adult tiger she would be one. The refuge did amazing work with all the animals they had.During that trip my youngest daughter was in 5th grade and it just so happened that she was doing her “country project” on Honduras. At one point we were in a place that had a native dance troupe. I convinced her to go up and talk to them, before I knew it they were dressing her in the traditional dance gear and snapping pictures with her. At one beach we went to, wewere assigned a waitress to our beach chairs, let me tell how much we adults loved that, and our waitress found out about her project. This woman spent the rest of the day trying to find objects for my daughter to bring home from Honduras. Most of them were flowers, seeds, and the like so we couldn’t bring them home, but we got pictures.I personally have never seen such picturesque views than from the top of the barrier islands of Honduras. We were at one side of the island and needed to go up and over to get to the other side for one of our adventures and once at the top, the views took your breath away.It was also a wonderful lesson for my daughters about the abject poverty in some places, because as we explored we were struck by people living in falling down shacks right on the edge of the road next to the water, and a school that was also one step from the road, and it had barbed wire around it for protection.I have always been jealous of those people who could go to an all inclusive resort on a tropical island, but for our family I was happy we didn’t go that route because we were all able to learn more about the culture and also the problems that we are often able to not pay attention to.I would love to visit Honduras again when life isn’t on fire. If you ever have a chance to visit, the people are warm, kind, and very proud of their country. The views are spectacular, and the beaches were amazing.If you would like to learn more about me and my books, please join my newsletter. We have giveaways, games, behind the scenes, and not to mention the first to know about upcoming releases and a chance to read excerpts first. Subscribe Here!Next up we have Leslie HachtelLeslie’s book Memories Never Die is available now. You can grab your copy here!

What are Writers Wearing During the Pandemic

Today on Romance Writers’ Weekly blog hop we are talking pandemic dressing. Now that many of us are working from home and having little to do with the outside world, to what level do we romance authors aspire to?I love this topic; it is just fun. You hear all the time about writers and how they never get out of their pjs to work. I have heard of writers who have daytime and nighttime pjs even. So, what do we really do behind the closed doors of our writing caves? Well I’ll tell you.I have been working from home for over five years now. My daughters are grown, one has flown the coup the other flits in and out and my husband has worked every day, even during our state’s quarantine, because his job is considered essential. Most days I am home alone with the dogs and cats. It would be easy for me to stay in my comfy pjs all day I know, but I don’t.Why? Well, first I am not a person who willingly goes without a shower every morning. In fact, I have to be so sick I can’t stand up to not force myself into a daily shower. Once you have taken a shower in my mind, you might as well get dressed. Also, I have always seen writing as my career and as such I have personal standards for how I present myself, even during a writing session. And lastly, which may make more sense than the last two neurotic excuses, I meet a group every weekday in a zoom room to sprint to get my word count in.Depending on my mood I may or may not wear makeup, but some days I do. Not that I leave the house often now that the world is on fire, but I never wore makeup to look good for other people. If I need a pick me up or want to feel more put together, I will paint up.I feel that the way you present yourself reflects how you feel about who you are. So, when Lounge around in my pjs, which I do, just not on workdays, it sets the tone for the day.I am also one of those people who can’t work in a mess environment. If there are dishes in the sink it drives me nuts and zaps my energy.Having said that, I am horribly jealous of the writer that spends the day on her couch in silky pjs with teddy bear slippers. Alas, I am not that writer.If you want to see what I dress up everyday to write, hop over to my website and check out my catalog. You can also read free chapters to get a feel for my writing. https://www.clairbrett.comNext up we have Jenna Da Sie hop over to see what she’s wearing during the pandemic.

Romance Writers Weekly--Flash Fiction Edition

This week at Romance Writers Weekly we are playing with flash fiction. We have 500 words to write a story and within that story we had to use the words Pickle, Looking glass, and letter. I am not very good at creating a story from only 500 words, so be gentle with me.Melanie hated nights alone. The castle was dark and foreboding. If only Benjamin would return soon. He left to ride into town as she had eaten the last jar of pickles earlier that day. If he didn’t get back soon, she would worry. The letter from her sister sat on her writing desk, she should answer it, but she was just so tired all the time now.Maybe moving would help her pass the time. She could walk for hours in the large hollow space and not know where she had gone. The servants were long in their slumber, so instead of turning toward that side of the house, she turned and wandered through to the portrait room. On her way her stomach growled. “He is on his way, don’t be so demanding,” she said to her grumbling stomach. She never liked pickles before, so her current need for them now surprised her.At the end of the long hall stood a massive floor to ceiling looking glass. She always felt small walking up and looking into it. Tonight, her rounded stomach made her feel anything but small. This child would be a giant if her size was any indication. She turned to see her side view, and that is when she felt the pain. It doubled her over. Then all of a sudden, she was standing in a puddle. She looked at the image looking back at her with a panicked expression. The baby clearly wanted pickles worse than she thought.Making her way back to her bed chamber alone, she rang the bell at her bedside table in hopes that the midwife Benjamin hired to be here wasn’t a light sleeper. Within minutes the woman came bustling into the room.“The baby may be on the way.”“Aye, and how do you know this? Tis only your first child.” She said sharply.Melanie never liked this woman, but he birthed Benjamin and he felt most comfortable with her, “Perhaps so, but I was with my sister when she gave birth, and every time before the blessed event she had water gush from her body.” It was crass she knew, but this was not the time to dither.“Very well then,” was her tart reply.Just then pain gripped her, and she cried out. The midwife moved to get a look and went white. “Well, this one is in a hurry, mi lady. I hope you are ready, now push.”In all the commotion, neither woman took notice of Benjamin who stood in the doorway, a jar of pickles in his hand forgotten. Before he could gather himself to leave them in privacy there was a great moan from his wife and a wail of epic proportions from his son. He was a father.The two women chose that moment to notice him in the doorway, but then didn’t bother. All their attention was on the heir. He just went to get pickles.Next up we have haveBrenda MargrietShe also has a sale in August: When Time Falls Still is $.99

My favorite "Comfort" read/watch

Welcome! Today with Romance Writers’ Weekly we are discussing our go to comfort read or watch. I’m hoping to grab a list of new options to give a tray.Lately, I have seen a lot about “comort” this or that on every social media outlet I belong to. In times of crisis or uncertainty we all fall back on those things that make us feel grounded and safe. That is why this topic is so timely.[image error]We are all looking for what will bring us some peace, even if it is just for a moment.For me, I am of two minds on the subject. First, when I think of cozy, comfort I think of a hot mug of tea, a comfy chair and a story that will take me away from the world I am in and transport me someplace that is nothing like my reality. When I consider what book to grab in this scenario I would have to say, I want a steamy historical romance. I’m not a big one for re-reading books, I’m kind of a “one and done” girl, but I will go for an author that I am familiar with and trust them to give me the ambiance and experience I am hoping for.Authors that are an auto buy for me just for this occasion are Eloisa James, Julia Quinn, Karen Hawkins, Cathy Maxwell, Hannah Howell. I could go on, but those probably have the biggest rotation for me. They all can create a story that transports me to a place so completely that my reality falls away if only for an hour or so.Now, as for viewing, I will watch a beloved movie over and over again. This drives my husband crazy. Here are my thoughts on why (why I do it, not why it drives my husband crazy). When watching a movie you not only have the story and visual effects, but you get the auditory sensation as well. That is important to me, because like your favorite song, the sound brings up memories and emotions from other times you watched it. I can have my favorite movie playing in the background and it comforts me because it is familiar and predictable.Also, you should know that my choice of movie or show is nothing like my choice of book when it comes to taking a day to lounge and binge watch. My go movie of choice is action adventure. Give me the Avengers or Marvel movies, or even episodes of Bones, the Black list, NCIS where the bad guy is caught at the end and there is proof that heroes still exist in our world and I’m happy.Don’t ask me why my choices are so different. I would like to think I’m not the only one. Can you relate to this? What is your go to?Before you hop on, today is release day for the Haute Ton Reader Group Anthology, Once Upon A Twelfth Night, I am in! Check it out!Now, to our next hopper, welcome Jenna Da Sie!

Yummy Summer Salad Recipe

Thanks so much for joining us this week! This week we are sharing our favorite summer recipes. This summer sure looks different from other summers, but where food is concerned we can still have our favorites.Today I am sharing with you a super simple pasta salad that no matter where I go or who I am serving I am asked to bring this, or for the recipe. Now, I have a degree in culinary arts, so I am more than capable to talk about something a bit more fancy, but you can’t ignore the love everyone has for this salad, and to be honest it is one of my favorites as well.So without further ado, I give you: Tuna Pasta Salad:Ingredients:1 box rotini pasta (this is good because the tuna gets caught in the folds of the pasta)Hellman’s mayonnaise (use what you like, but this is what my family likes)Yellow mustard1 large can of chunk white tuna, drained and rinsed1 cup frozen young baby peas (I put them in frozen, so don’t thaw)SaltPepperGarlic powderDillDirections:Cook pasta to just al’dente. (I hate mushy pasta). Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Once drained, transfer to a large bowl and cover with paper towels and refrigerate. You can skip the refrigeration process, but you will need to drain the pasta well to get out as much water as possible.With a fork break up the tuna after you strained and rinsed it. I do this right in the strainer, then add it to the pasta mixing to even distribute.1 tsp (or to taste) salt and pepper1 ½ tsp (or to taste) garlic powder1 tablespoon dill weedMix all the spices with the tuna and pasta to evenly coatAdd the mayo. (some people like a drier salad, but some like a creamier salad, so add enough mayo to your liking. I usually add a couple big spoonfuls, then mix and decide if I need to add more.)3 (or more to taste) big squirts of yellow mustard. I would say this equals for me about 1/8 of a cup of yellow mustard.Frozen peas. Mix the peas into the salad last. I do not like mushy peas, so I use the very small baby peas and I mix them into the salad frozen. That way as the salad sits they thaw and are nice and crisp.And that is it. You could absolutely add chopped onions, or green peppers if that is what you like, but this is the way I have always done it. I hope you enjoy!Next up we have Brenda Margriet with her favorite summer recipe. I see some cooking in my future after all this yummy food!

Come visit me in New Hampshire

Thanks so much for joining us today on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop. Today we are all giving you a glimpse into what there is to do around where we live. This is a great topic, since international travel isn’t available right now, especially if you are American like me. (Don’t worry EU, I would keep most Americans away from me right now if I could too.)So, I live in the United States in the northern part of the state of New Hampshire, NH. We are tucked up into the center of New England with Canada bordering to our north. We sit between Vermont and Maine. Many outsiders (flatlanders, as we affectionately call them) assume that the three states are similar, but in actuality they are vastly different. Out of the three, NH has a history based in industry, over farming and it shows in our infrastructure. Vermont seems to have taken much of its influence from those who went to Woodstock and didn’t want to leave, they just settled in Vt. And Maine, in general is populated by hearty souls that make their living farming in the north and fishing on the coast. Now, please keep in mind that this is a gross generalization, but as a person who grew up where I live, I think it is a good general description.Now, I said I live in the northern part of NH, or “above the notch”. This is a very rural area, with few urbanish areas. To give you can idea of population. When I graduated high school in, ahem, 1990 I had 30 kids in my class. My daughter who graduated in 2018 from the same school had 12 in her class. So, when I say rural you get the idea.I live in what is affectionately known by those who love the sport as “ski country”. We have several major ski resorts within a 30-minute drive of my house. One such ski area is in Franconia Notch, which is part of the Presidential mountain range. Along with skiing in the winter, Franconia Notch has endless hiking trails and natural attractions. We were home to “The Man of Mountain” natural rock formation that looked over Franconia Notch for decades, until it finally gave into natural erosion. There is still a viewing area, where they have a statute set up that can give you the idea of what it looked like to view the old man. Also, in the notch, but less famous is the Indian Head, which is also a natural rock structure that can be viewed.If you have little ones, you don’t want to miss visiting Santa’s Village in Jefferson, NH. It is a small local theme park dedicated to the big man himself. It is a day of Christmas overload. It starts when you enter the park, and Rudolf, sitting in a little shed, welcomes you and makes a point to make your little one feel special. You can feed reindeer, and decorate gingerbread cookies, and of course meet Santa. My favorite part of the whole day when I was young were the “elf cottages” that were set up like little playhouses, just the right size for me. I wanted to live in them with the elves.If you have always wanted to ride in a train, why not ride in a coal train up the side of the largest Mountain east of the Mississippi, Mt. Washington? Once at the top, you can walk to the summit, and enter the Mt. Washington Observatory, where some amazing weather records have been recorded and researched. Oh, and don’t forget to look for the resident cat, who is there to keep the meteorologists company through the long winter months, where they can only get in or out via snowcats. The Mt. Cog Railway is a must experience when visiting the “White Mountains” of NH.As much as I want to live somewhere tropical with a beach, I am very proud of where I grew up, and glad that I got to experience all there is to offer here. I wish you would come and visit and take in the sights!Before I send you off to our next local, I wanted to let you know I have a pre-order up for an anthology I am in with six other authors, called Once Upon a Twelfth Night (click for Pre-order link). It will be out in July and half of the proceeds are going to support the Humane Society (as chosen by the readers in our Facebook group the Haute Ton Reader Society)Next up we have Caro Kinkead, who is going to talk us through vacationing in her part of Cali.

Romance Tropes

Today we are talking romance tropes on the Romance Writers’ Weekly blog topic. We are talking about the tropes we love to read and to write.When I began reading romance and then writing it, I had no idea that such a thing as a trope existed. I just knew what books I liked to read, and therefore those were the books I wrote. Tropes have been given a bad wrap by some, claiming that they are a crutch that writers use to hide bad writing. I do not agree with that.I always go back to being a reader, and what as a reader helps me or doesn’t. To me a trope gives a reader a firm basis for what kind of stories they like. It gives a writer a way to say “Hey, you might like this story over here”. It is a tool so that readers and writers understand each other better.For me, one of my favorite tropes is reunited love. My story published book Dealing with theViscount is a reunited lovers trope and the one I’m working on now, Courtesan’s Wicked Desire is also a reunited lovers trope. I think bringing two people back together makes for such a rich canvas of possibilities for the conflict, everything from ruined expectations to showing how people change and grow over time. As a reader I love to find out things about the characters’ backstories from people who were there.As a lover of historical romance another trope I love to play with is the marriage of convenience. Marked for Love, the third book in my Improper Wives for Proper Lords series is a marriage of convenience. I think it amps up the conflict and the sexual tension simply with the unspoken expectations.Do you have a trope you like? I’d love to hear about it! Next up we have A.S. Fenichel

Ways to Feel Better When You are Feeling Down

Hey, thanks for joining Romance Writers Weekly blog hop. I’m glad you are here. Today we are all talking about the things we do to feel better when we are feeling down. Let’s be honest in our world right now, there is any number of things to feel down about, but there are also many things to lift us up as well. And, here is my disclaimer, I am not talking about depression or other mental health issues. Nothing can replace a good counselor or therapist.When I am having a bad day, or am upset about things going on around me, what I have learned is to first, take myself out of the situation to gain [image error]perspective. When I am too involved or too close to something, I can’t always see clearly. Go for a walk, get out in nature with sunshine and fresh air. Give yourself an hour to just be in nature. Watching a butterfly flit around in front of you or listening to birds chirping makes it had to stay in a bad mood.Now, if you know me, you know I am not a winter person, so the whole “go into nature” suggestion above, is out for me from October to some time in June. In the winter, I will make a hot cup of tea, and I might even put heavy cream in it, to make it even more decadent. If you haven’t tried that, you need this in your life! Then I will find a place in my house, which is away [image error]from where I became upset, this is important. You need a change of your physical space to switch your brain, then I sip my tea and think about all the things that have gone right, or that I am blessed to have in my life.Once I have calmed down, I then ask myself a couple of questions. The first one is; Is it in my power to change this situation today? We all have the power to affect change, but sometimes we need to understand that a problem is not going to be fixed today, and there are sometimes that we need to know that we have no control at all over whatever it is getting us down. In that case we need to release it, acknowledge that it sucks and that it makes you sad, but don’t dwell on things you cannot control. Another question I like to ask myself when I’m having a bad day is: In ten years is this even going to matter? A lot of time we are so engrossed in the here and now, we don’t step back and think about the big picture. I also like to remind myself that people have lost fortunes and come back from that. People have gone to prison and created lives after that. Nothing is ever as bad as it seems, and there is no situation that you can’t work your way back from.One last idea that ALWAYS makes me feel better is to cuddle with one of my fur babies. Many times, they already sense that I need love and will all cluster around me waiting for an invite. There is nothing like a wet nose and gentle paw on your arm to remind you of what is important.I’m so glad we had this topic today because we all get down and it helps to know that. Also, everyone had different ways to cope and it helps to see what other people do. I’d love to hear what your go to strategies are to get out of a funk.Next up with have A.S. Fenichel Click here to move to her blog.She also has a great contest going on. Click below to enter!