Genevive Chamblee's Blog, page 54
December 20, 2017
Happy Holidays-Sweet Dessert
Five days until Christmas. I’m sure everyone is busy doing last minute shopping, preparing for travel, or planning their Christmas meal. There’s just so much happening at this time of the year—wrapping gifts, hanging tinsel, visiting family, trimming the tree, and kissing under the mistletoe. And what are the holidays without singing Christmas carols, even if you’re tone deaf—which I probably am? Also, whoever really get through all the verses of The Twelve Days of Christmas? Additionally, who in their right mind would gift all those birds unless planning to build an aviary? But I digress.
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a partridge in a pear tree. Well, I don’t have any partridges and a pear tree would be difficult to send in an email, but I do have a yummy substitution. Poached pears, also known by the French name, Poires Belle Hélène, has been around since about 1864. According to the history of the dessert, it was developed by Auguste Escoffier and named after Jacques Offenbach’s three-act opera, La Belle Hélène. Translated La belle Hélène means beautiful Helen. The opera is based on the Greek myth of Helen of Troy’s elopement with Paris, which sparked the Trojan War.
Poached pears have been a Creole and Cajun holiday dessert favorite for years. One reason is because it is an easy dessert to prepare. Another is because it looks amazing. It could impress kings of states. But mostly, it continues to be a favorite because it tastes so danggone good. Plus, I bet Santa will enjoy it more than milk and cookies. So, here’s what you need to go make a bill. But first, a couple of quick notes.
This recipe is for the preparation of 4-6 pears depending on the size of you. So, cooking more than that, this recipe will need to be modified.
The pears chosen need to be firm. Make sure they are nor overripe. For the best presentation, they also need to be unblemished.
When cooking, be careful not to overcook. Overcooking will cause the pears to collapse.
Core the pears before cooking. Use a sharp vegetable or paring knife to do this.
While coring, be careful not to bruise or spoil the fruit.
Leave the stems on the pears.
Got it? Okay, let’s proceed.
Ingredients
Pears (however many you’re going to cook)
1 cup sugar (granulated)
3 cinnamon sticks (whole)
2 ½ cups water (divided)
Chocolate syrup
Vanilla ice cream
Start by coring the pears. To do this, position the pear on its side. Make a thin, even slice at the bottom of the pear, creating a flat surface to stabilize the pear during cooking. This also will make the core visible. With the knife, cut carefully around the core. Try to cut as close to the core as possible. Use a small spoon to scoop out the core. After the coring, peel the pears.
Next, use the water, cinnamon sticks, and sugar to make the cooking syrup by combining half of the water, all the cinnamon, and all of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Allow to simmer for 2-5 minutes or until the mixture becomes thick. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the remaining water. Continue to whisk until the mixture is well-blended.
Add the pears into the saucepan by standing them upright in the syrup mixture. (Hint, this is the reason to be sure to make a nice even slice at the bottom of the pear.)
Allow the pears to simmer for fifteen minutes.
Prick the thickest part of the pear with a knife to test if they are done. The pears are poached when they are cooked through but not completely soft
Allow the pears to cool (while remaining in the syrup mixture) to room temperature.
After cooled to room temperature, use a slotted spoon to remove the pears from the pan.
Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Now, go impress people Creole style. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Stay safe and be blessed.
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors.
My new book, Out of the Penalty Box, a fiction romance is now available for pre-order at a bargain price at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be preordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.
Also, my paranormal romance short story “Under the Magnolia” in Haunted Hearts (Holiday Heartwarmers 4th vol.) is available for purchase. It can be read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Find it on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2Ab706S.
Copies of all my books are available in paper, eBook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page (http://bit.ly/2iDYRxU) along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories.
Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click on http://bit.ly/2zJjUdb and signup today.
If you enjoy reading this blog, please share it with your friends and family. There’s never too many people in the bayou.
December 13, 2017
Holidays & Traditions
A traditional Creole Christmas often focuses on family. Catholicism has played an equally important role in Creole history and culture and continues to be important until this day. Such tradition as meals of fowl and wild game, midnight mass, and bonfires can all be traced to holiday celebrations. So, here are some Creole/Cajun Christmas facts and traditions as well as places to visit to participate in the festivities.
One of the rules of the Catholic Church states that if a parishioner wanted to receive Holy Communion it is necessary to fast from midnight on Saturday night until after mass. This made for a little bit of a hitch in celebrating Christmas. However, this hitch was addressed in the middle ages by moving mass to midnight. Yes, this is where Midnight Mass originates. Hello Creole Réveillon.
In the 1800s, there were German and French traditions of lighting bonfires for the holidays. These bonfires were constructed from wooden planks that burned easily. This tradition continues today in Cajun and Creole cultures and can be seen today at the Festival of Bonfires in St. James Parish, where there is live music, carnival rides, and, naturally, great food. This year, the festival was held in Lutcher on 12/08/17 -12/10/17
Many of people know the story of The Night Before Christmas. But in Louisiana, more people probably are more familiar with Cajun Night Before Christmas. In this version, there are no sugar plums. It’s gumbo, of course. Santa does not wear a red suit trimmed in white fur. He’d fall out from heat exhaustion in Louisiana, even in the middle of December. Instead, Santa is clad from head-to-toe in muskrat pelts. Reindeer? Sleigh? Phiff! Santa’s ride is a skiff pulled by alligators.
Love seeing Christmas lights? Lafayette has lights—over 500,000 to be exact. And they blaze every night in the Noel Acadien au Village in Lafayette held 11/19/17 – 12/31/17. Be a part of caroling, local cuisine, art walks, symphony orchestras, shopping, zydeco music, and Christmas parades. And don’t forget taking a photo with Santa.
Want more lights? Visit the Annual Cajun Christmas Festival in Lake Charles. This festival lasts from 11/15/17 – 12/31/17 and includes the Twelve Days of Christmas in Sulpher with carnival rides, the Spectacle of Lights, holiday theater, a holiday market, concert performances, and a balloon parade. Also, participants can have breakfast with Santa at the Christmas Under the Oaks Festival. In downtown Lake Charles view Light Up the Lake Christmas Celebration that starts a street parade and ends with a lighting ceremony. There also is a Lighted Boat Parade with a fireworks finale!
All across the state, holiday festivities are found. Look in Monroe and West Monroe for Santa’s Christmas Village at the Children’s Museum. Here, children can decorate ornaments, mail letters to Santa from the Peppermint Post Office, and go ice skating. Later, the entire family can drive-through Christmas light display, which is a mile long, at Candy Cane Lane in Calhoun or visit Christmas Evenings at the Biedenharn Museum.
Natchitoches has the Christmas Tour of Homes, the 91st Annual Christmas Festival—300,000 lights illuminating downtown Natchitoches and 100 lighted set pieces along Cane River—and Northwestern Christmas Gala. All of these are a must see.
Not to be left out is Pineville and Alexandria’s & Pineville’s Alexwinterfete. This fun event hosts local choirs and performing groups. The CENLA Christmas Spectacular features yuletide entertainment from Lagniappe Theatre company and radio hosts. And for animal lovers, the Alexandria Zoo hosts the Holiday Light Safari. All good stuff.
Other awesome events happen in Bossier and Shreveport. Visit the Christmas in Roseland lights display, the Christmas on Caddo Lake Fireworks Festival, or the KCS Holiday Express train decorated full out.
For many, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a viewing of the Nutcracker ballet, movie, or play. So, if nutcrackers are your thing, here’s the event for you. In Minden, view hundreds of life-sized nutcrackers lining the streets. The Old World Christmas Lights Spectacular, which begins at every Saturday night through New Years Day in the historic downtown area, is an acknowledgment of Minden’s German heritage.
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors.
My new book, Out of the Penalty Box, a fiction romance is now available for pre-order at a bargain price at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be preordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.
Also, my paranormal romance short story “Under the Magnolia” in Haunted Hearts (Holiday Heartwarmers 4th vol.) is available for purchase. It can be read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Find it on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2Ab706S.
Copies of all my books are available in paper, eBook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page (http://bit.ly/2iDYRxU) along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories.
Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click on http://bit.ly/2zJjUdb and signup today.
If you enjoy reading this blog, please share it with your friends and family. There’s never too many people in the bayou.
Holiday Offer
Hello all! It’s the holiday season, and it’s time to get into the holiday spirit. Lots will be happening here in the bayou in the upcoming weeks, and I hope everyone joins in on the fun. Last week, I kicked things off with #TheNaughtyList. Today comes exciting news from Sexy Little Pages. (Nudge: Be real sure to check out Symphony Amore on December 22.)
Each day Sexy Little Pages will have a different anthology on offer at $0.99, selling at Smashwords:
14th Inked
15th Silence is Golden
16th Silver Desire
17th Love of the Game
18th Love & Lust in Space
19th Goodbye Moderation: Lust
20th Ticket to Ride
21st Rule 34
22nd Symphony Amore
23rd Myths, Moons, and Mayhem
24th Goodbye Moderation: Gluttony
And to finish off the twelve days, Sacred & Profane is on offer for all of December!
Please note that coupon codes expire at midnight (PST).
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors.
My new book, Out of the Penalty Box, a fiction romance is now available for pre-order at a bargain price at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be preordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.
Also, my paranormal romance short story “Under the Magnolia” in Haunted Hearts (Holiday Heartwarmers 4th vol.) is available for purchase. It can be read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Find it on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2Ab706S.
Copies of all my books are available in paper, eBook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page (http://bit.ly/2iDYRxU) along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories.
Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click on http://bit.ly/2zJjUdb and signup today.
If you enjoy reading this blog, please share it with your friends and family. There’s never too many people in the bayou.
December 8, 2017
Naughty or Nice – Part 2
Deck the halls … As promised, it is part two of #TheNaughtyList challenge. In my post yesterday (please read it if you haven’t) I explained that The Naughty List really isn’t a challenge. It’s a fun list that writer create which uses the characters from their books or works in progress. Since I have two releases (Out of the Penalty Box on February 3, 2018, and Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors date to be announced soon), I wanted to give each a chance to shine this holiday season.
The rules of The Naughty List are simple. Books with greater than fifteen characters cannot have the character used more than once in the answers. Books with fewer than fifteen characters, cannot have a character used more than twice. A brief description of the story, not to exceed five sentences, is required.
Life’s Roux has more than fifteen characters; so I’ll be using each character only once.
What is Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors about? It is a romance about a mechanic, Hubb, who goes on his first vacation. His vacation plans suddenly change when he opens his hotel room door to two beauties, Lexi and Melissa. One is trouble, and the other is more trouble.
#1 Which character is SO into the holidays, they nearly cause a street-wide power outage from all their Christmas lights? Hands down this is Melissa. Melissa is a socialite who loves bling and wants everything bigger and better. She is always the center of attention. With all the streetlights blown, the spotlight has to be on her.
#2 Which character attends the office new years party with ONE date…and goes home with someone else? I had to think about this for a while, but then, the answer was all too obvious: Drummond. Think of the biggest cad you know, multiply it by ten, and you’d get Drummond’s beta version. There’s nothing quite like him, and thank heavens for that. The world could use less.
#3 Which character is more than happy to steal Hanukkah gelt from poor, unsuspecting children? [Note: Hanukkah gelt = chocolate coins] Sandy. This piece of hedonistic work wouldn’t think twice about who she stole from until she got caught. She’s always in the center of the mix.
#4 Fill in the blanks: I saw ____[character] doing a whole lot more than ____[verb]____-ing Santa Claus. They were full on ____[action]____. Fill in the blanks: I saw Braxton doing a whole lot more than riding Santa Claus. They were full on tearing up a race track. I can’t say more here without introducing a spoiler.
#5 One of your characters decides to pregame before church and passes out in the middle of the Christmas service. Which character is it? There’s a couple who fit the bill here, but Daniel. Daniel has a relationship with partying, and booze is his favorite date. He’s still in college and lives in a fraternity house.
#6 Which character hasn’t been seen since winter began because they refuse to deal with the snow? I changed this answer several times, and finally, have concluded this would be Caroline. She’s from New England; so, snow wouldn’t bother her. But she might be bored with it and decided to spend her winter in Fiji. Why not? She can afford it–or at least, her husband can.
#7 Which character completely forgot about the holidays and ends up regifting to everyone? West, because West is never prepared for anything … EVER! In a way, it’s West’s procrastination and lack of caring that creates the clusterfudge of crap that has everyone else fishtailing. Gee, thanks for that West.
#8 Which character has such crappy luck, they only discover their potato allergy after pigging out on latkes? This would probably be Chelsea. She’s not a great fit for this answer; but out all of the characters, she’s the person who gets the short end of the stick a lot. Her heart is huge, and people used that to take advantage of her.
#9 The Krampus has arrived to punish your very bad characters. Which character is kinda into it? Lexi. She’s all about justice. With what she’s seen and has had to deal with, she’d enjoy seeing someone swoop in and kick butt. That would give her a break from having to do it.
#10 One of your characters should be on the naughty list but has convinced Santa to clear their name. Which character is it, and what was their means of persuasion? I don’t know about Santa, but Boone definitely could talk Mrs. Claus into deleting him from the list. Boone is suave and debonaire with an expansive vocabulary. If nothing else, he’d confuse the heck out of the Clauses.
And there you have it: The Naughty List from Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors. I have no idea how Hubb, the protagonist, avoided being on this list. And there’s another character suspiciously missing from this list. Anyhoo … I hope, you’ve enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing. Life’s Roux is in final production, and I’ll be listing more details on a release soon.
Until then, check out some of my other books. Copies of all my books are available in paper, eBook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories.
Out of the Penalty Box is available for pre-order at the following links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hXOJn8
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2hNaEcW
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2iJwYVo
iTunes: http://apple.co/2zXFie7
Nook: http://bit.ly/2AqIxvq
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2zrLBXR
My paranormal romantic short story “Under the Magnolia” in Haunted Hearts (Holiday Heartwarmers 4th vol.) is available for purchase. It can be read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Find it on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2Ab706S.
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors.
December 7, 2017
Naughty or Nice – Part One
‘Tis is the season … fa la la … Yes, I’ve decided to take part in the #TheNaughtyList challenge. Well, it’s not really a challenge. It’s this cool list that includes the characters from books (or works in progress). If you noticed, my title indicates that this is part one. Mais oui! The reason is because Christmas only comes once a year. (Duh!) But I have TWO upcoming releases. Most recently, I’ve been mentioning Out of the Penalty Box, which is scheduled to be released on February 3, 2018. However, also being released is Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors. These two works couldn’t be any more different from each other than the Atlantic and the Sierra. I’ll be discussing Life’s Roux more closer to its release date, but I don’t want to leave those guys out of the holiday cheer. So, I’ll be doing #TheNaughtyList for each. I’ll start with Out of the Penalty Box (#OotPB).
The rules of The Naughty List are that books with greater than fifteen characters cannot have the character used more than once in the answers. For stories with less than fifteen characters, the characters cannot be used more than twice in the answers. A brief description of the story is required and is not to exceed five sentences. So, here I go.
I’ve not counted, but Out of the Penalty Box probably has less than fifteen characters, but I’m going to try to use each character only once in case the cast does exceed that number.
What is OotPB about? (I can name that plot in three sentences.) It is a romance about a hockey player who has to prove himself to a new team after being injured and traded. As he is doing so, another event happens that once again sprawls him on the ice. He then finds himself on a path of self-discovery and falling in love.
#1 Which character is SO into the holidays, they nearly cause a street-wide power outage from all their Christmas lights? Christophe … kinda. Christophe is over-the-top this way, but he lives in the middle of the boonies with squirrels and possums as his neighbors. Unless they suddenly get power in their dens, there’s nothing street-wide about it. Oh, but Christophe does have that one “neighbor”.
#2 Which character attends the office new years party with ONE date…and goes home with someone else? Nicco. Nicco. Nicco. Nicco is a playa, and this is so up his alley. He has been caught doing this, and he has no shame.
#3 Which character is more than happy to steal Hanukkah gelt from poor, unsuspecting children? [Note: Hanukkah gelt = chocolate coins] That would be Semien. Semien is young and might think it pretty funny to see little kids squalling over something petty. Heck, he might squall if someone stole his candy.
#4 Fill in the blanks: I saw ____[character]____ doing a whole lot more than ____[verb]____-ing Santa Claus. They were full on ____[action]____. Fill in the blanks: I saw Irene doing a whole lot more than cooking for Santa Claus. They were full on grilling.
#5 One of your characters decides to pregame before church and passes out in the middle of the Christmas service. Which character is it? This is a toss-up between but I’ll go with Peters. One, because the other character who fits this likely is going to fit another question better and I only will use each character once. Two, because this isn’t the worst thing Peters would do. In fact, it probably is something that he has done.
#6 Which character hasn’t been seen since winter began because they refuse to deal with the snow? This one is tough because they are all hockey players and used to the cold. No one would have any real aversion to snow. I’d have to say Sonny only because he’s not a hockey player, has a laid-back personality, and is a southerner. He’d probably go on vacation.
#7 Which character completely forgot about the holidays and ends up regifting to everyone? Heath. Heath’s just a grouchy, old man. Enough said.
#8 Which character has such crappy luck, they only discover their potato allergy after pigging out on latkes? Marianna. She’s beautiful but not all there. She probably would think latkes are gluten-free crab cakes. Marianna is a smart, successful, and shrewd businesswoman, but her brain stops at business and spreadsheets.
#9 The Krampus has arrived to punish your very bad characters. Which character is kinda into it? Oh, this is my boy, Trey. He has a chip on his shoulder the size of the national debt and is a straight-up parasitic louse.
#10 One of your characters should be on the naughty list but has convinced Santa to clear their name. Which character is it, and what was their means of persuasion? Lesley. She’s an agent, and it’s her job to make deals. She probably offered to help Santa negotiate contracts with the elves’ union.
If you’re interested in reading Out of the Penalty Box is available for pre-order at the following links:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hXOJn8
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2hNaEcW
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2iJwYVo
iTunes: http://apple.co/2zXFie7
Nook: http://bit.ly/2AqIxvq
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2zrLBXR
This was fun. Tune in tomorrow to see who from Life’s Roux makes The Naughty List.
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors.
My paranormal romantic short story “Under the Magnolia” in Haunted Hearts (Holiday Heartwarmers 4th vol.) is available for purchase. It can be read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Find it on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2Ab706S.
Copies of all my books are available in paper, eBook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page (http://bit.ly/2iDYRxU) along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories.
Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click on http://bit.ly/2zJjUdb and signup today.
If you enjoy reading this blog, please share it with your friends and family. There’s never too many people in the bayou.
December 6, 2017
Quarter Goal (Dec. – Feb.)
As anyone following this blog knows, Creole Bayou is twofold. First, it is a place to be a source of information regarding Creole culture and heritage. Not only do I enjoy learning and writing about this topic, I strongly feel that there is a need to have an online channel for this information.
Creole Bayou also is the place to find the listing and updates of my novels. I write romantic fiction– supernatural/paranormal, psychological, contemporary, humor, litfic, mystery, super steamy, and the occult romances. All my romances include Creole or Cajun characters, and most are set in Louisiana. I mention this here, because last month, I decided to take part in the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (#IWSG). For those unfamiliar with what the group is about, the link is at the bottom of the page. The group makes a writing relating post the first Wednesday of each month and is a type of writing challenge. Since I regularly post on Wednesdays, my goal is to blend the two by creating writing related posts which includes Creole culture. However, that may not always be possible as those posts require a lot of research. Depending on what’s going on, I’m not always able to complete that research in time, and it’s my aim to only provide accurate and quality posts. I am working on a post for writing post for January that blends the two that hopefully everyone will enjoy. But today, I’m diverting from that plan in preparation for my upcoming releases and my inability to include all the topics needed in a single post.
Since I have two upcoming releases (Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors and Out of the Penalty Box), I decided to set some writing goals. I think nearly every writer does this, but it was vlogger Jenna Moreci (check her out on YouTube – she’s awesome!) that gave me the idea to post quarterly goals online. The beauty of this is that it increases the accountability in accomplishing goals that need to be done but also allows to connect with other writers. Additionally, it demands discipline, and it helps with achieving my ISWG challenge, which is a good thing.
Jenna suggests making 10-20 writing and personal goals to be achieved in three months. I don’t know if I’m as ambitious as all that and am certain I’ll likely be modifying and tweaking my goals and the way I measure them. To be considered successful for the quarter, at least half of those goals must be met. With that in mind, here are my quarterly goals from December to February.
Finalize my marketing plan for both Out of the Penalty Box and Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors (This qualifies as 1A and 1B).
Sales goals for Out of the Penalty Box and Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors
Work on my website (This is an ongoing process and recently I did major work on it. However, it needs more. One thing I discovered was two broken links. Plus, my newsletter/mailing page has always been a bit wonky. Which brings me to #4.
Fix my newsletter/mailing list page. (The signup should be working properly now but there still are some issues to be repaired.)
Maintain my weekly blog
Write daily (This should be a no-brainer but it doesn’t happen. I realize that idealistically I would accomplish this but likely won’t. But if I write more days in a week than not then I’m #WINNING)
Completing all my WiPs. (Here’s the rub. I have several WiPs, and two should be finished by now. I had a yearly goal to do this that I made last December, and of course, this was a big fat failure. So, it has to go back on the list and get done. No other options are acceptable. Since I won’t make it by December 31, maybe I can make it by February 28—or 29th if it’s a leap year.)
Edit the “beast” (One of my WiPs I have started to refer to as the beast because of its beastly word count. I’ve been chipping away at it for years. While it is getting better, it is far from getting done. It refuses to be tamed. Right now, it is resting, as the last time we wrestled, it bested me again. When we wrestle again, I aim to trim 15,000 words.)
Create a marketing plan for my “beast”. (I’ve already begun this and probably will complete this before completing #8.)
Learn about creating a book trailer.
Host a giveaway
Research publishing options for my fantasy stories. Over the year, I have written several fantasy stories that at present have no home. I’ve been toying with the idea of complaining them into an anthology. Since I have never self-published, I need to research this more.
Give my WiP a name. (I have a WiP that I just can’t find an appropriate name. It’s crazy that I can’t.)
– 20. Are personal goals that won’t be posted here.
Special thanks to Jenna Moreci for sharing this idea via vlog.
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads.
Copies of my books are available in paper, eBook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories.
My new book, Out of the Penalty Box, a fiction romance is now available for pre-order at a bargain price at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be preordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.
Also, my paranormal romance short story “Under the Magnolia” in Haunted Hearts (Holiday Heartwarmers 4th vol.) is available for purchase. It can be read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited. Find it on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2Ab706S. This makes for an excellent holiday gift.
Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click on http://bit.ly/2zJjUdb and signup today. With 2018 just around the corner, I have lots of exciting news to come.
If you enjoy reading this blog, please share it with your friends and family. There’s never too many people in the bayou.
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Insecure Writer’s Support Group
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November 29, 2017
Creole FAQ-1
Today, I’m answering some frequently asked questions about Creole. Some may seem like common sense, but others maybe not so much. So, wasting no time, let’s get to it.
Does everyone in Louisiana or all Creoles speak French?
Now ask yourself, how often does “all” apply to anything. The answer to this question is no. Not all people who live in Louisiana nor all Creole people speak French. It is estimated that approximately 6% – 10% of native Louisianans speak French, Cajun French, or Creole French (and yes, there is a difference between these languages) as a first or second language. These numbers are significantly lower than in previous years and are showing further decline. One reason the language is not as popular as it used to be is due to a mandate in the early 1900s that all residents of Louisiana learn to speak English. (For those who may have missed it, I did a previous blog of the differences between French, Cajun French, and Creole French. The post can be found on my blog page.)
Are all Creoles Roman Catholics?
Again, the “all” rule applies here. While a great majority of people of Creole heritage are Catholic (largely due to French and Spanish heritage), it is not all. As with most cultures, Creole people are diverse in their religions. Some are Protestant (e.g., Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Pentecostal, etc.) while others practice religions (e.g., Eastern Orthodox, Orthodox Catholic. Serbian Orthodox, etc.) which are very similar to Roman Catholicism. There are Creoles who are Jewish, Buddhist, Islamic, and non-denominal. Still others practice shamanistic (a religion characterized by belief in an unseen world of gods, demons, and ancestral spirits responsive only to a priest or priestess who uses magic for the purpose of curing the sick, divining the hidden, and controlling events) and animalistic (a belief that every natural thing in the universe has a soul) religions such as voodoo. Additionally, there are those who have no religious preferences or are agnostic or atheist.
Are Free People of Color and Creole people the same thing?
Nope. This answer is rather extensive, and I intend to dedicate an entire blog to this topic. But for now, the simple answer is no they are not the same. Free People of Color usually was a term to describe a person who shared both a European and African heritage, but not all Creoles have an African ancestry. Additionally, the term Free People of Color was used to make a distinction between “mixed raced” people and African slaves who had been freed. They were a separate class and held a special role in society. However, this changed following the American Civil War and created much controversy during the war.
By describing oneself as Creole a way of denying African heritage?
This question is tricky only because for some people that may be the case. However, for most, acknowledging their Creole heritage is to embrace all of their ethnicity and diverse roots. It is an acceptance and non-limitation of belonging or being a part of multiple groups. However, there is no denying that some people believe identifying as Creole is an act of denial. The following is an old saying regarding someone describing his/her race as Creole: “Saying one is Creole is a way of saying one is not Black.” For years, this has been an issue of much-heated debate and controversy. Why should a person have to dissect his/her heritage and pick just one? Shouldn’t a person have the right to decide how they want to describe himself/herself? Suppose a person has a father who is half Asian and half Native American and a mother who is half Cuban and half African. How should that person describe himself/herself? According to the “one drop” rule, a person with this heritage would have to describe himself/herself as Black. This would totally ignore the father’s ethnic heritage. Yet, Creoles find themselves in this (or a similar) position of having to choose a narrow classification instead of being allowed to embrace his/her entire background.
What are the Native American tribes of Louisiana that many Creoles can trace their genealogy?
Atakapa, Caddo, Choctaw, Chitimacha, Houma, Natchez, and Tunica. (These are not all-inclusive.)
What Acadian groups settled in Louisiana that many Creoles can trace their genealogy?
Novia Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. (These are not all-inclusive.)
What areas of France settled in Louisiana that many Creoles can trace their genealogy?
Aquitaine, Brittany, Île-de-France, Normandy, and Poitou, Rouen. (These are not all-inclusive.)
Where does the Creole Hispanic ancestry come from?
Brazil, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Spain, and Trinidad. (These are not all-inclusive.)
Where doe the African ancestry come from?
Angola, Bight of Biafra, Bissau, Cameroon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Gold Coast, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal. (These are not all-inclusive.)
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. Copies of my books are available in paper, ebook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories.
My new book, Out of the Penalty Box, a fiction romance is now available for pre-order at a bargain price at: http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be preordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit my special post made on Friday, November 24 at http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.
Also, read my paranormal romance short story “Under the Magnolia” in Haunted Hearts (Holiday Heartwarmers 4th vol.). It can be read for free Kindle Unlimited. Find it on Amazon at: http://amzn.to/2Ab706S. It makes a great gift for the holidays or while traveling.
If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or find me on facebook.
Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click on http://bit.ly/2zJjUdb and signup today. With 2018 right around the corner, I have lots of exciting news to come.
If you enjoy reading this blog, please share it with your friends and family. There’s never too many people in the bayou.
November 24, 2017
Revealed! Out of the Penalty Box
Yes, it’s Friday, and I’m posting. But this is a very special post. It’s Black Friday, and I’m thrilled to have my photo reveal happening today. Finally, it’s here and available for preorder: Out of the Penalty Box! Check it out.
TWO MINUTES IN THE BOX OR A LIFETIME OUT?
Author: Genevive Chamblee
Title: Out of the Penalty Box
Genre: Gay Romance
Series: Game On Collection
Designer: Soxsational Cover Art
Publisher: Hot Tree Publishing
Hockey player Aidan Lefèvre’s professional and personal life is on ice. Recovering from an injury and traded to a new team, Aidan is attempting to prove his viability to his coaches, fans, and teammates. Just when he believes he’s succeeded, another accident during the playoffs threatens to unravel all of his progress.
Having relocated away from family and friends, Aidan turns to his extroverted team captain, Christophe Fontenot, whose jovial nature lifts everyone’s spirits. But when Aidan discovers his attraction for Christophe changes the meaning of “body checking,” Aidan questions more than his hockey skills.
Should he deny what he feels or come out of the “box”?
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2hXOJn8
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2hNaEcW
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2iJwYVo
iTunes: http://apple.co/2zXFie7
Nook: http://bit.ly/2AqIxvq
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2zrLBXR
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon
Genevive Chamblee lives in the bayou country in the deep south where sweet tea, football, good music, and colorful family is gospel. When she is not writing, she can be found attending SEC football games, playing with her dog, sightseeing, or spending time with family.
Genevive writes contemporary romance, erotic romance, fantasy romance, the occult, Creole culture, and southern drama.
November 22, 2017
Creole Dressing
Gobble, Gobble. It’s the day before Thanksgiving, and I imagine mostly everyone in the U.S., is getting ready to celebrate and kick off the holiday season. I know I will be stuffing myself and watching good ol’ SEC football and marathon movies. If the weather is chilly, I’ll curl up under a fleece blanket with the mini-me and have a lazy day indoors with the rest of the family. And since it is Thanksgiving, what better way than to share a Creole stuffing recipe?
1 tsp salt (kosher)
½ cup diced bell pepper (green)
1 cup chestnuts (chopped)
1 tsp black pepper (ground)
½ cup diced bell pepper (red)
1 lb cornbread (crumbled)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
¼ cup jalapeño peppers (diced)
1 lb sausage (ground)
4 tbs butter
2 tbs garlic (minced)
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbs parsley (chopped)
1 cup celery (diced)
4 medium yellow squash (cubed)
3 tsp oregano
1 cup diced onion (yellow)
3 tsp thyme
1 cup diced green onions
4 tbs basil
1 cup carrot (diced)
Cooking Instructions
Spray a 4-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
In a cast-iron skillet, prepare a pan of cornbread. Crumble the cornbread and place in the baking dish.
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a large skillet, cook the sausage until brown. Drain and set aside.
In a second skillet, melt the butter.
Add green onion, yellow onion, garlic, celery, jalapeño, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, carrots, chestnuts, and squash. (This is the vegetable mixture.) Stir frequently. Cook until all are tender.
Add sausage to the vegetable mixture and mix well.
Add basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Mix well until all the seasonings have been blended throughout.
Pour ½ of chicken stock over cornbread in the baking dish and mix well.
Add in half the sausage and vegetable mixture into the baking dish. Mix well. Gradually add the rest of the chicken stock and vegetable mixture until all have been combined.
Spread evenly in the baking dish.
Bake for 45 minutes or until brown.
Have a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. Overindulge and be outright lazy. And if you’re participating in the commercialism of Black Friday madness, keep well hydrated and good luck in finding those bargain deals. I will be one less person you’ll have to stand behind in line.
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. Copies of my books are available in paper, ebook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor.
November 15, 2017
Heritage Importance
It’s been one of those strange days in the bayou. Like gumbo, there’s a whole lot going on, and it’s all jumbled. But the end product, hopefully, is good.
Today, I’m talking a topic that has been requested and asked by many. It’s why I write about Creole culture. My instinctive answer is, if I don’t, who will? That, of course, isn’t to suggest that I’m the only person writing about Creole culture. On the contrary, there are plenty. My point is: if everyone took the position that it’s someone’s else’s responsibility to write about it, then no one would be writing about it. Everyone would be waiting for someone else to do the job.
Also, for me, it’s a vehicle for learning. As a famous person once said: one must know where he’s been to get where he’s going. Roots are important. I’m one of the first to admit (shamefully) that for a long while I knew very little about my heritage. It wasn’t presented as something important or noteworthy. For many, it seemed a waste of time to investigate. For others, it was an exciting adventure, but never exciting enough for them to become involved in helping to research. Still, others were stunned that I wouldn’t know anything about my heritage further than a generation. It wasn’t like I’m from a broken home, nor were my parents. So, how did it happen? To answer, I needed to take a look at history.
Not every person of color who came to the early United States came as slaves. Some actually were slave owners. But my focus here is on the ones who did arrive as slaves and the role that has played in Creole heritage (as well as heritage in general). For those who dismiss slavery as something of the past and insist that it has no impact on persons today, I’m here to say, that is a gross misunderstanding. One role that slavery still impacts some persons of color today is that for some, it severely has disrupted the knowledge of heritages. When slaves were sold, families were split apart. Sometimes, contact was lost forever. New branches were unfamiliar with older branches. Slaves sold young may have never known their families or not remembered. Other slaves were forbidden by their masters to talk about their past and history. Thus, the stories of heritage weren’t passed through the generations. Still, others may have been embarrassing about slavery being in their past and refused to discuss it. And for others, they willfully hid or choose not to disclose their heritage for fear of discrimination or lack of opportunity. For these reasons and many others, plenty of people of color may not know their family tree.
But why is heritage something important to know? Here are seven reasons.
The first two reasons are very practical.
Medical history. When my father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the family was shocked and overwhelmed. Until then, I’d never heard of that type of cancer before, which is ironic. It’s ironic because once my father was diagnosed, I wanted to learn everything I could about it. In one article I read, it mentioned it was common in families. Once I started to dig, I found it wasn’t just common in my family but rampant. Fourteen relatives that I know have been diagnosed and died with this. And from scarce family records and history I uncovered, there’s an indication that these numbers may be higher. Records back in the early 1900s and before weren’t the greatest, especially for people of color. But from the verbal history, some of the symptoms reported surrounding the deaths of various relatives who died of unknown cause or natural death sounds suspiciously like cancer. Whether it is or not, the information I found is useful, as I’m now able to encourage my other relatives to get screened early. One of the primary issues with my father was that pancreatic cancer wasn’t something the doctors tested for. We lost valuable months where he may have been able to get treatment to prolong his life all because no one looked for it. He was tested for irritable bowel and stomach ulcers as well as a slew of other ailments and diseases. One physician even went as far as saying he believed my father’s pain was psychosomatic—that is, until the whites of my father’s eyes turned yellow. By then, almost eight months had passed. Eight months! If it had been caught then, who knows how long he may have lived?
So, you don’t marry your cousin. That’s not a pleasant thought, but that very easily could happen. Several years ago, I met a man who had two daughters the same age—not twins. The girls had different mothers and were a couple of months apart. Yes, seems their Papa was a rolling stone. The sisters knew about each other. What they didn’t know, what very few people knew, was they also have a half-brother approximately their same age. As fate would have it, one of the sisters accidentally met her brother at a party in another town. Long story short, this could have veered into an Oedipus Rex sequel. Fortunately, that didn’t happen. However, if the siblings had known their heritage from the start, it wouldn’t have advanced as far as it did.
Knowing your heritage can give you a sense of identity. For example, I have a brother who had red hair when he was younger and he didn’t look. No one else had red hair in the family that we knew. So, where did it come from? Was he adopted? Actually, the answer is found in the family tree several generations back.
Heritage can link you to likeminded people. When I think of this one, I think of the line from the Wizard of Oz. “There’s no place like home.” I moved to an area where the ideology and people were very different than where I had been raised. I often found myself feeling as if I didn’t fit and like an outsider. No one seemed to embrace the same values or share a common interest with me. Most had never met a Catholic, and it is amazing all the misconceptions they had.
And this leads to the next reason heritage is important. It can bring about an understanding of others and close the gap between two different culture. One can’t expect others to understand and accept someone else’s culture and traditions if that person doesn’t himself/herself know his/her own heritage. If I don’t know what Catholicism is, I can’t explain it to anyone else. Knowing one’s heritage can open communication channels and allow people to be able to live together with fewer conflicts.
The opposite is also true. Not only can it allow one to understand the differences in others, it may afford one to discover similarities. Image going off to college and not knowing anyone. One of the quickest ways to make new friends is locating other likeminded persons or persons who share a common interest. Sharing a heritage may form an almost instant bond for some persons. It establishes at least one point of common ground.
Just learning and researching heritage may be fun and rewarding. Not only will one learn a lot about self and his/her heritage, it may allow one to learn about history in general or a bigger picture. How did Creole impact the shaping of Louisiana, the U.S., the world? What about Creole history did other culture adopt or duplicate?
ANNOUNCEMENTS: I am happy to announce that I will be sharing my cover reveal for Out of the Penalty Box on 11/24/17. I’m so excited and happy to be extending my literary arm to embrace a new romance subgenre. It will be available online in February 2018.
Also being revealed soon will be my cover for Life’s Roux: Wrong Doors. This book has been long in the making and many hours have gone into making it possible. I
Finally, last but not least, I have the pleasure to announce my short story “Cargo” will be published in an anthology edited by the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author, Ms. Delilah Devlin.
Don’t forget to visit Creole Bayou again. New posts are made on Wednesdays. Copies of my books are available in paper, ebook, and audio on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. The links are listed in my Writing Projects page along with descriptions of each of my novels or stories. If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feels free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor.
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