Kristin Harmel's Blog, page 3

A Holiday Gift for You: A Free Short Story!

Hi friends!

My readers all over the world have been so kind to me this year, embracing THE SWEETNESS OF FORGETTING (otherwise known as Finché le stelle saranno in cielo in Italian, Solange am Himmel Sterne Stehen in German, and a dozen other around-the-world translations) in a way that warms my heart. So to thank all of you — and to give those of you who haven’t read the book yet a little preview — I’d love to present an absolutely free Christmas gift to you, courtesy of Quercus Books, my publisher in the UK.

Below, you’ll see the cover for THE SNOW GLOBE, the short story I wrote to go hand-in-hand with THE SWEETNESS OF FORGETTING. In the UK, readers can visit Amazon.co.uk for a free Kindle download. But for the rest of you, those of you who live outside the UK, please click on the cover below to be taken to a special Quercus Books flip book, where you can read the 18-page story now.

Thanks to all of you for all your kindness in 2012. I truly hope you enjoy THE SNOW GLOBE. Happy reading, and happy holidays!

xo, Kristin

From the publisher: From the author of The Sweetness of Forgetting comes a poignant holiday tale set in Paris about young love and the enduring power of hope….. Christmas Eve, 1942, Paris. A boy stands beneath the statue of Liberte in the Jardin du Luxembourg, awash in a flurry of snowflakes, on the eve of his sixteenth birthday. Time is running out – the curfew means he needs to get home, this is a dangerous time to be on the streets. But then he catches sight of a young girl called Rose, and his fate is sealed… The Snow Globe is a beautiful Christmas short story to complement the wonderful novel The Sweetness of Forgetting, coming from Quercus in March 2013.

*American readers can get the book here.

Style Thursdays: Holiday Visits

I live in Orlando, so during the holidays (and the summer too!), relatives and old friends tend to descend on my city. I suspect it’s the siren call of the theme parks (especially now that the new Fantasyland has opened at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom), but whatever the reason, I’m thrilled to have visitors from all over the country (and, in fact, from all over the world).

Just last week, my friends Robin and Brian dropped in from Atlanta with their adorable two-year-old son, for his very first trip to Disney World. They invited us over for lasagna and wine the night before they hit the Magic Kingdom, so I wanted to put together an outfit that was stylish (Robin is, after all, a world-class photographer!) but also comfortable enough to lounge around their rented condo in. Voila! Here’s what I came up with: a reliable outfit of skinny pants, polished boots, a drapey cardigan and a blouse roomy enough to conceal a penchant for going back for seconds on lasagna night.

 

Sheer top / V neck sweater / Skinny jeans / Dorothy Perkins wedge heels / All Edges Lasagna Pan / Iittala Essence red wine, clear, set of 2, $39

What I Want Wednesdays: Let’s Go Ride a Bike

This year for Christmas, Jason and I are giving each other cruisers to ride around the neighborhood. Jason’s an avid cyclist, but the bikes he already owns are expensive and specific; he has a triathlon bike, a mountain bike, etc. It’ll be nice to have a pair of inexpensive bikes to ride to dinner (at places like Maxine’s on Shine) or happy hour (at places like Cityfish). Here’s what I’d wear with mine!

Classic black dress / Jigsaw slouchy top, $110 / Tory Burch ballet shoes / Schwinn Women’s LuLu Rigid 26″ Cruiser Bike Pink

Travel Tuesdays: Making Holiday Travel Easier

Once a month, I appear on the nationally syndicated lifestyle show Life Love Shopping to chat with hosts Michelle Yarn and Andrea Jackson about travel, one of my great passions. Here’s what we discussed this month! (You can also watch the clip from the show here. Just move the cursor to the 8:55 mark to watch my segment.)

The holidays: they’re supposed to be a time for relaxing, but somehow, for many of us, this time of year is full of go-go-go travel without a moment to catch our breath. But whether you’re visiting family or trying to escape them for a bit, there’s an easier way to travel. Here’s how:

When you’re laying out your holiday schedule, make a plan and stick to it. Many of you – like me – generally prefer to enjoy a trip as it comes. But when it comes to the holidays, so many unexpected twists and turns can pop up that having a handle on your schedule will make everything easier. So sit down and map out all your obligations. If you’re driving, leave ample room in your schedule for holiday traffic, especially on Dec. 22, 24, 25 and 26, and if you have multiple locations to hit, decide now when, where and how you’re getting there. And remember: You can’t please all the people all the time. In other words, don’t expect to show up at six families’ houses in four different cities in two days. Choose where you’re going, explain and apologize to the others, and move on. If you spread yourself too thin, you’ll have a miserable holiday.
If you’re flying, pack light and carry on, if you can. The U.S. Postal Service is actually quite inexpensive if you plan ahead; it’s much better to buy your gifts and ship them to your destination ahead of time. Ditto for shipping presents back home. Otherwise, you might waste valuable time waiting for your baggage to come off the carousel, and most airlines charge a fee for checked bags anyhow (with the notable exceptions of Jet Blue and Southwest). And remember all the quick-through-the-airport rules: No bottles over 3 ounces, everything liquid must fit in a quart-sized zip-top bag, wear shoes that are easy to take on and off. Carry your coat on, pack no more than two pairs of shoes, two pairs of pants, three shirts, and a dress or skirt. The more you pare down, the easier it will be to get ready and to get from place to place.
If you’re driving, start off with a full tank, pack snacks and drinks (such as baby carrots, chips, cookies, water or a thermos of coffee), bring entertainment (a playlist, an audiobook, DVDs for backseat passengers, etc.), and have a traffic app like Beat the Traffic handy on your smartphone to avoid traffic jams. Looking for a fun way to pass the time as a family in the car? This list from Disney and FamilyFun.com might just make your road trip fun.
Before you hit the road for the holidays, don’t be afraid to give yourself a bit of R&R. Christmas is still a couple weeks away, and my house looks like Santa’s workshop gone wrong. It’s filled with books, toys, gifts, wrapping paper and a to-do list a mile long. For me, being at home this time of year isn’t necessarily going to be relaxing. If you’re anything like me, this is a great time to plan a staycation. Why now? Why stay-cate when you have a ton of travel coming up? Because it’s cheap, it’s easy, and it will help you maintain your sanity. And darn it, don’t you deserve a gift for yourself? First of all, figure out what’s most relaxing or refreshing for you, and plan around that. It doesn’t have to be an expensive weekend; you can stay one night in a hotel and do something you love without breaking a hundred dollars. Find a great hotel rate with Priceline or Hotwire. On Priceline, you can bid for the possibility of 60 percent savings or go for an Express Deal, which is up to 45 percent off the standard rate. On Hotwire, the equivalent is the Secret Hot Rate; you pay for a hotel of a certain star level, save a ton of money, and find out the name after you’ve booked. If the hotel is nice enough, you may even choose to just stay in and order room service and a movie. Or order a pizza and bring your own wine!
Even if you’re not interested in a hotel stay, have a mini-staycation by going to a great local event – a Broadway show, a sporting event, a concert, the ballet, whatever – without breaking the bank by scoring last-minute tickets on StubHub.com. Or if you’re in a holiday celebration mood, check out what your area has to offer to get you in the holiday spirit. Maybe it’s seeing the Nutcracker or doing a Christmas lights drive. In Orlando, for example, head over to Epcot for the magical Candlelight Processional, to Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, or to Universal Studios for the Macy’s Holiday Parade. In other parts of the country, google your city’s name along with “Christmas party” or “Christmas event” to see what’s going on. And for a simple dinner out, check out Living Social, Groupon and Restaurant.com for some awesome deals at nice restaurants in your area. You can stick to your holiday budget while still indulging yourself – right there in your hometown.

Writing Mondays: Formulating an Idea

When I meet readers at book signings and during book club chats, one of the questions I get most often is, “How do you actually go about writing a book?” So I figured I’d begin sharing some basic tips on Mondays on my blog.

If you’re interested in a more intensive education, I’m currently teaching eight-week online “How To Write A Women’s Fiction Novel” classes through Mediabistro, so feel free to sign up for my next session, beginning Feb. 19. (I also have another class beginning April 29.)

But for now, let’s begin at the beginning:

Step 1: Coming Up With a Basic Idea

Ideas can come from anywhere, and for me, they often do. My first novel, How to Sleep With a Movie Star, was largely drawn from my experiences as a celebrity magazine reporter (although for the record, I have not, in fact, slept with any movie stars!). My second, The Blonde Theory, stemmed from conversations I’d had with my friends about how it was sometimes difficult to date if you were a strong, successful, intimidating woman. The idea for writing The Sweetness of Forgetting, which of course centers around the Holocaust, stems both from my own childhood (during which I was enamored with The Diary of Anne Frank) and from an article I wrote a decade ago about the founder of the charity Give Kids The World, who also happens to be a Holocaust survivor.

So if you want to write a novel, get used to thinking like a novelist. That means filing every conversation and experience you have into that little closet in the back of your brain where ideas take shape. When I talk to a friend, I’m never consciously thinking, “Hmm, this idea could lead to a novel one day.” But I try to think long and hard about the things that are bothering people, the things people are wrestling with, the issues that keep coming up again and again. If an idea keeps resurfacing, or if you find yourself thinking a year later about a conversation you had with a friend, it’s worth jotting down. I keep an “Ideas File” on my computer for just that purpose.

Other novelists often draw ideas from newspaper and magazine articles, or from things they see on the news. So read often, and stay up to date on what’s going on in the world. You never know what will trigger an idea that stays with you.

But books are more than just basic ideas. Once you have the seed, you have to water your garden and wait for it to grow. Sometimes an idea you jot down won’t stick around in your head for long. That’s okay; if it vanishes, it wasn’t meant to be the basis for your book. But other ideas stay with you and haunt you. They’re the ones that keep you up at night. They’re the ones that you think about while you drive, while you’re in the shower, while you do your dishes. Those are the ideas that are meant to become something. But in order for them to become something, you have to begin to focus on them. Think about them consciously all the time. Think about what kind of story you frame around a central idea.

Eventually, your idea should turn into a “What if.”

What if a magazine reporter like me got involved in a situation in which the whole world thought that she was having an affair with one of the Hollywood stars she’d interviewed, whereas in reality, her love life was a complete disaster? (This became How to Sleep With a Movie Star.)

What if a strong, successful attorney decided to try to change her dating luck by pretending to be a dumb blonde, with the help of her friends? (This became The Blonde Theory.)
What if a woman who lost everyone in the Holocaust began remembering things seventy years later, as she succumbed to Alzheimer’s, and those memories changed everything? (This became The Sweetness of Forgetting.)

This is how books are born. In the next “Writing Mondays” segment, we’ll talk about how to turn those ideas into the solid concept for a book. Happy writing!

Foodie Fridays: Easy Pantry Pasta

Last night, I told my boyfriend I’d make dinner at his new house, but when I arrived, I realized we hadn’t yet unpacked his boxes of spices (which are, in fact, sitting in a corner of my kitchen at the moment). So I had to make do with what we had on hand. I didn’t expect much, but the results were pretty great…. and in fact Jason raved about the pasta! It couldn’t have been easier…. and I’d be willing to bet that you have almost all of these items on hand anyhow. If not, they’re easy and cheap to pick up. Serve with a salad, crusty bread, and a nice bottle of red.




Simple Penne with Vodka Cream Sauce



Print





Recipe type: Entree
Author: Kristin Harmel
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 20 mins
Serves: 2-3
A couldn’t-be-easier Italian meal

Ingredients

One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian-style or with roasted garlic & onion)
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce (I used Hunt’s Basil, Garlic & Oregano)
One or two pinches crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup cream (I used fat-free half and half)
1/4 cup vodka
8 ounces (half a box) penne pasta (or whatever pasta you have on hand)
Parmesan cheese (optional)



Instructions


Boil water and prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain one minute before pasta is al dente.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring diced tomatoes (with their juices) and tomato sauce to a boil. If you’re using plain diced tomatoes, sautee some garlic in olive oil first (if you have them on hand), and add a teaspoon or two of Italian spices (basil, oregano, etc. — whatever you have in the pantry).
Add a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes (more or less according to taste).
Once tomatoes are boiling, add cream and vodka. Return to a boil and continue boiling over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes (while the pasta cooks).
When pasta is ready and drained, add it to the sauce. Cook for two minutes, stirring constantly.
Serve with parmesan cheese (optional) and enjoy!




2.2.6

 

Style Thursdays: The Writing Life

As a novelist, I work from home most days, when I’m not traveling for book signings or research. When I meet people, and they realize that my office is literally in my kitchen, I know they often visualize afternoons spent lounging in pajamas. Admittedly, there are days when I don’t change out of sweats until noon! But most days, I try to put something cute, comfortable and snuggly together, so that I’m both fashionable and comfortable while I write. A typical day’s outfit might look a bit like this:

The Writing Life 



H&M zipper dress, $24 / MICHAEL Michael Kors ballet flat, $105 / Knit shawl / Madewell MADEWELL Delfonics® For Top Hat Pens / Rob Ryan Believe in People – Mug, $14

What I Want Wednesdays: Holiday Shopping Edition

In the last two weeks, I think I’ve logged more time at the mall than I have in the entire last quarter combined. As I shop for my friends, family and boyfriend, I can’t help but ogle the things I’d like to buy myself in the after-Christmas sales this year. Here’s just a sample of what’s on my wish list. What’s on yours?

Kate Spade peter pan collar dress / Tory Burch Reva flats / Tory Burch bag, $530 / MICHAEL Michael Kors watch / Mango aviator sunglasses / Apple – iPad mini

What I Want Wednesday: Holiday Shopping Edition

In the last two weeks, I think I’ve logged more time at the mall than I have in the entire last quarter combined. As I shop for my friends, family and boyfriend, I can’t help but ogle the things I’d like to buy myself in the after-Christmas sales this year. Here’s just a sample of what’s on my wish list. What’s on yours?

Kate Spade peter pan collar dress / Tory Burch Reva flats / Tory Burch bag, $530 / MICHAEL Michael Kors watch / Mango aviator sunglasses / Apple – iPad mini

Book trailer for the Italian version of my book!

I know Fridays are supposed to be for recipes or food talk on here, but I just saw this lovely book trailer last night and couldn’t resist sharing… It’s for the Italian version of THE SWEETNESS OF FORGETTING! In Italy, they’re calling it, AS LONG AS THERE ARE STARS IN THE SKY. I absolutely adore this one-minute trailer!