Sharon Wray's Blog, page 36

Love and Coffee and New Releases

It’s release day for Love and Coffee, a new limited edition romance anthology. And I’m so excited to share the next story in the Kingsmill Courtships series, His Wildest Sunflower. It’s a second chance romance with a runaway heroine and former bad boy biker that takes place in the fall, during the town’s lead-up to the annual Haunted House Tour. It’s poignant and funny with all the tension that comes from a couple in love who know they may win not their happily ever after–until they do.

Love & CoffeeA new limited edition romance anthology

This new anthology features meet-cutes that take place in a bookstore/coffee shop. The heroines are looking for their HEA but never expected it to happen while picking up a cup of coffee or picking out their next book boyfriend. Or, as in the case of Sophie (the heroine of His Wildest Sunflower), while she’s baking sunflower cupcakes and hiding out from the dangerous outlaw bikers searching for her.

Buy now!His Wildest Sunflower Sometimes first loves become forever loves… Available now! ↦

Sophie Sinclair, a grown-up runaway with a secret past, finds the refuge she’s always desired in the forgotten corners of Kingsmill, Virginia. Despite her homeless situation, the small town deep in the Shenandoah Mountains offers her anonymity and a chance to find a true home… until she discovers the bad boy she loved and lost ten years ago is not only alive, but is also the town’s sheriff.

For Sheriff Ben Mosby, a former outlaw biker, life changed when he traded in the roar of his motorcycle for the quiet duty of maintaining law and order. But when he meets the town’s newest arrival, he’s shocked to see the woman he loved–and abandoned–a decade ago. Memories of the one night he spent with the woman known as Sunflower, the girlfriend of a rival MC, have haunted him for a decade. And their time together affected him so much, he left his own outlaw MC to become a sheriff. 

Once he realizes Sunflower and Sophie are the same woman, it doesn’t take long to understand the secrets she’s running from are intertwined with his own. And when a rival motorcycle club invades Kingsmill, looking for something he can’t give them, he’ll have to face his own past while protecting the woman he’s never stopped loving and the town who depends upon him to keep them safe.

As the leaves turn red and and orange, and the air carries the crisp promise of the town’s upcoming Halloween Haunted Mansion Tour, Ben and Sophie find themselves entangled in a mystery that threatens their future happiness. Can they find a way to reconcile their shared history and build a future together, or will the shadows of two outlaw motorcycle clubs threaten to tear them apart once again?

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It’s September. And Love is in the Air.

Love is in the Air…. A Breast Cancer Research Charity Anthology

This limited edition romance collection features 20+ stories of hope, happy ever afters, and the second chances it took to get there.

All NET Author proceeds are being pledged to Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the highest rated breast cancer organization in the United States and largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide.

Buy your copy now!

I’m so excited to announce the release of Love is in the Air, a limited edition romance anthology where ALL net proceeds are pledged to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the highest-rated breast cancer organization in the United States and largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide. This is something I feel deeply about since, a few years ago, I lost one of my best friends to this awful disease. As a participating author in this romance collection, my hope is that the combined voices of these best selling romance authors can help BCRF find a cure for breast cancer sooner rather than later.

My story in this collection, One October Night, debuted last year in the Mister October limited edition romance anthology. After that anthology came down, I was asked to join Love is in the Air with a second-chance love story. Since all of the net proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Fund, an organization dedicated to eradicating breast cancer through advanced research, I wanted to be a part of this project. Except I didn’t have time to write a new story. So, since this anthology is a fall publication, I included One October Night. It’s a perfect fall and Halloween story for those warm days in the sun and colder nights by the fire. I hope you enjoy it!

One October Night

Can he betray the woman he loves… to secure their happily ever after? 

Jacob Mosby is no hero. He’s a hardworking, hard-playing man determined to make his small-town construction business a success. He’s also been bewitched by a one-night stand he had a year ago with Clara Wakefield. Although she left his bed without saying goodbye, and has barely spoken to him since, he’s decided to make her his wife before she runs away again. He just has no idea how until he learns Clara is running the Halloween Haunted House Charity Event…in his family’s abandoned mansion.

Clara Wakefield, a widow, mother, and successful event planner is filled with regrets. She married the wrong man and, after his death, slept with the right man. The right man who has other women on the side. Terrified of suffering another broken heart, and desperate to protect her teenage daughter from making the same mistakes, Clara takes one last job in her tiny town of Kingsmill, VA before moving to a large city. If her Halloween Haunted House succeeds, she’ll secure her future.

Yet when the teenage vampires are caught vaping in the woods, the high school witches curse the skeletons in the basement, and someone sabotages the Haunted House’s Headless Horseman, Clara must rely on Jacob to help make her event a success. Even if it means losing her heart to the man she’s always loved… again.

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Some Cravings are Good!

It’s mid-August and I’m craving fresh produce like watermelon and corn. Because I’ve been on constant deadlines for the past few months, I’m also constantly craving coffee. Okay. Let’s be honest. I’m craving caffeine. But there’s another kind of craving that can be temporarily appeased yet never satisfied. And that craving is for new books and new-to-me authors. Since I’m always looking to add to my TBR list, preorders are an addiction around here. Especially when it comes to my own preorders.

Although next summer is about a year away, we all know how quickly years fly by. That means it’s never too late to begin planning 2024’s summer reading list, and today I have a perfect book to add: Craving My Roommate Limited Edition Romance Anthology. Not only is this collection of contemporary romances only .99 now (the preorder price), there are over 30 authors participating. Some stories will be steamier than others, and some stories may refer to characters from current popular romance series. With over 30 stories to choose from, I’m sure there’s a perfect summer romance for every reader.

There’s also the added excitement that the authors in this anthology are hoping this book makes the USA Today Bestsellers List on release day. That means the next 11 months will be all about preorders on all vendor platforms. Hitting a list is a huge amount of work for everyone involved, and we can’t do it without the help of our beloved readers. But hitting the list is so much fun, it’s worth all the effort and tears (yes, there will be tears) along the way!

I can’t wait to share my story in this collection, A Room with a Groom, with you all! It’s a story in my Kingsmill Courtships Contemporary Romance Novella Series and includes a roommate debacle that may (or may not) ruin a much-anticipated wedding. The Craving My Roommate cover and all the other details will be coming soon. But for right now the preorder link is up and ready to accept all the happy clicks. And thank you in advance for helping us make the list!

Preorder Craving My Roommate Here! I can’t Wait!

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The Tears of St. Lawrence

Historians believe that St. Lawrence, the patron saint of libraries and librarians, the poorest of the poor, comics, and chefs, was martyred on August 10, 258 AD, give or take a day or so. That uncertainty meant that, during the Middle Ages, people celebrated this saint’s feast day over three days, August 9-11. But why did people spend three days, in the middle of the busy agricultural season, honoring this saint? Because, not only did he perform many, many miracles during the dark days of the early christian church, St. Lawrence is best known for his courageous actions in the face of a horrific death.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... © José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro

In case you’ve never heard of this saint, he has the distinction of being the first saint to be grilled to death over an open gridiron. (hence his devotion to/from chefs). St. Lawrence is also known as the father of comics because, supposedly, while he was being burned to death he said to the Roman soldiers standing nearby, “I’m done on this side. Turn me over.”

But let me back up for a bit. St. Lawrence was born on December 21, 225 AD and when he was 22 years old, he became a deacon in Rome under the tutelage of Pope Sixtus. At this time (according to the historian and Bishop of Carthage, St. Cyprian), Christians were being persecuted all over the Roman Empire. Their lands, property, and wealth were confiscated and they were murdered in the street. Because of the persecution, many Christians went into hiding with nothing to their name. When St. Lawrence became an archdeacon, he was given two jobs. The first was to hand out the church’s wealth to those most in need. So St. Andrew used the church’s money to buy and hand out food, clothing, and anything else these people needed. Since these christians were not allowed to use money (or risk getting caught and killed), St. Andrew made all the purchases and handed out supplies in secret.

His second job was to protect all of the written works the church was collecting at this time. These works would, eventually, form the core of the Vatican library. Rome wanted to burn every document the church had collected, but St. Andrew began hiding these documents. After a few months of this, Pope Sixtus (a man of great power and influence) died and the prefect of Rome went to St. Lawrence and demanded all the church’s money and every document they owned. According to St. Ambrose’s notes on this event, St. Lawrence said he needed …”three days to gather the wealth. He worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the indigent as possible to prevent it from being seized by the prefect. On the third day, at the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the prefect. When ordered to deliver the treasures of the Church, he presented the city’s indigent, crippled, blind, and suffering, and declared that these were the true treasures of the Church: “Here are the treasures of the church. You see, the church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor!”

As you can imagine, Rome’s prefect (who worked for Emperor Valerian) was not happy with St. Lawrence’s cleverness. St. Lawrence had spent all the church’s money and hidden all of the church’s documents. So the prefect had St. Lawrence arrested, imprisoned, and sentenced to death. After this, the history is a bit sketchy. According to legend, St. Lawrence was killed by being grilled to death on a gridiron. And, like I mentioned above, tradition has him joking about his death by asking the soldiers to turn him over. That quip made him an early church legend and is still talked about today. But in the early 20th century, a historian named Rev. Patrick Healy found a simple error in the historical texts. The church announced the death of a martyr with the words “Passus est” which means “He suffered“. But Rev. Healy found a mistake in the early texts describing St. Lawrence’s death. The P in “passus” was left off and the announcement read as “Assus est” which means “He roasted.” Was this a deliberate mistake? Or even a mistake at all? Was St. Lawrence beheaded like other martyrs at the time? Or was he roasted to death because of his cheekiness?

No one really knows, but tradition has kept the story of St. Lawrence being roasted instead of beheaded. And, honestly, it makes for a better story. Especially when you take into consideration the date and month that he died. Not long after his death, people began noticing something in the summer night skies, especially around the dates between Aug 9-11 — a cosmic display of meteor showers. Now we call this annual event the Perseid Meteor Shower. This event looks like falling stars are streaming outwards from the Perseus Constellation and across the entire summer sky–but only during those three days in August. Because of the timing of this event, and the fact most people didn’t understand what was happening, this spectacular streak of light was (and still is) called “St. Lawrence’s Flaming Tears”.

This event usually happens on August 10th, but this year you may still see cosmic dust moving at 130,000 mph across the sky tonight. And if you do, remember the tears of St. Lawrence–the real man who died to protect the poor and his library while at the same time keeping his sense of humor.

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Sarah Munro’s Herb Oil Cubes

The summer garden is in full swing, and the herbs have taken over the garden beds. So what’s a busy writer to do with all of these herbs (besides drying them)? She makes solid herb oil cubes with fresh herb leaves and extra virgin olive oil. Combining fresh herbs and olive oil in ice cube trays, and then freezing them into cubes you can later use for cooking, is an easy way to save and use all of those herbs before the first frost comes.

Because preserving herbs in oil was something done by the early American colonists, Sarah Munro, (my PhD historian and heroine in book 2 of the Deadly Force series, ONE DARK WISH), has added Herb Oil Cubes to her collection of DIY herbal recipes. 

Herb Oil CubesIngredients:3 branches rosemary3 branches thyme3 branches sage3 branches French tarragon3 branches oregano3 branches parsley1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil2-4 ice cube trays, depending on sizeDirections:Wash and dry the herbs in a salad spinner. Place the herbs on a towel to air dry for a few minutes while you prep the ice trays.Wash and dry the ice trays. Set aside.Remove the leaves from the stems. It’s okay if the leaves get bruised and ripped as that helps release their oils and aromas. Place the leaves in separate bowls, one for each herb, and set aside until you remove all the leaves from all the stems. Fill the ice cube tray squares 2/3 full with different herbs. Keep them separate or mix them together. It’s totally up to you. Fill each cube up to the top with olive oil, making sure to cover most of the herbs. But a few leaves will stick out and that’s okay.Set the trays in the freezer and freeze for 24 hours. The next day, pop the cubes out of the trays and put them into a large or small freezer bags, depending on your freezer storage. Mark the bags with the date and herb combinations. Freeze these bags as flat as possible and use as needed. I like to use the herb oil cubes for sautéing vegetables and meat. You can also melt the cube and use the oil to brush on meats and fish for the grill. Or use the melted oil on hot pasta or drizzle over fresh pizza or focaccia grilled sandwiches. The uses are endless! IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER ABOUT WILD PLANTS, FORAGING , AND MAKING HERBAL REMEDIES:

I am not a medical professional and nothing written on this blog is medical advice. None of my statements have been evaluated by the FDA (I am legally required to give you this disclaimer).

It is important to do your due diligence before foraging, harvesting, and/or consuming any type of medicinal plant.

If you are taking any medications, talk to your doctor about any potential drug interactions.If you are allergic to anything, make sure whatever you are foraging is not in the same family. Example: While dandelions are typically considered safe, those who are allergic to ragweed, latex, daisies, or any other plants in the same or similar families, may not be able to consume dandelion.

Always research potential side effects, dosage recommendations, and how to properly prepare and consume each medicinal plant.

Always make sure you are foraging what you believe to be. Fully prepare and study the anatomy before harvesting wild plants.

Always make sure your kitchen/work area is clean and that all materials are sterilized.

Do not forage plants from areas that have been sprayed within the past 2 years at the very least.

I am not legally or morally responsible for the health of any of my readers. Please do your own research!

The post Sarah Munro’s Herb Oil Cubes first appeared on Sharon Wray.

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That Which We Call a Rose…

An edited repost from the archives.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.

William Shakespeare , Romeo and Juliet, Act II Scene II

One of the most common questions readers ask is how do I (and other writers) come up with character names? Especially names that end up in our daily lexicon? Fictional names, if used properly, not only evoke emotion but can make permanent indentations in history’s timeline. Some are so famous we know them by single names: Hamlet. Juliet. Romeo. Gatsby. Odysseus. Brutus. Scrooge. Pip. Alice. Heatchcliff. Aslan. Frankenstein. Gandalf. Jekyll. Hyde. Voldemort.

Others need a surname or moniker, but are also instantly recognizable like: Holden Caulfield. Huck Finn. Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth Bennett. Jack Reacher. Harry Potter. Atticus Finch. Long John Silver. Catherine Earnshaw. Jane Eyre. Count Dracula. Hester Prynne. Mr. Rochester. Scarlett O’Hara.

I’m sure you could think of others. Then there are the YA novels who stole the concept of “shipping names” from the old soap opera message boards. Remember LUKA for Luke and Laura? In YA novels, the names (first or last) of the hero and heroine are melded together to form a relationship name unique to them. Some of my favorite examples are FOURTRIS (Divergent series), EVERLARK (Hunger Games series), ROMIONE (Harry Potter), PERCABETH (Percy Jackson series), DUNE (Legend series), and CLACE (Mortal Instruments series).

In Shakespeare’s famous quote above, he’s referring to the concept that names inherently have no meaning. They are used to label or distinguish people or things and only carry the meanings that we (or the reader) place upon them. Yet, when we name things or people we gain intimacy with them. The name eventually offers a shared history, familiarity, and becomes layered with emotions. So naming things, while a simple concept on the surface, threads subtext and themes throughout stories that the author may not even aware of while writing the book. And that just adds stress (and self-doubt) to an author’s life.

For me, choosing names has always been an issue. Since I was named after a waitress my mother worked with one summer, and not a family member, my name has always stood out in my Irish Catholic family. Sharon is not a typical Irish Catholic name, and I always felt like my first name fought with my maiden name of Brennan. Like the latter bristled when pushed up against the former.

Then I learned the name Sharon has an interesting history. In Hebrew, it means “plain” or “fertile valley”. It also refers to a flowering bush called The Rose of Sharon. But the name gained popularity in 1925 with the publication of a serial novel “The Skyrocket” by Adela Rogers St. Johns (fabulous name for an author) whose main character is an actress named Sharon Kimm. To be honest, I’ve never read the book nor seen the silent movie made in 1926. But, apparently, the story hit a nerve and the name Sharon took off for a while. Then, after WWII, the name lost favor and was used sparingly.

Although I’ve come to peace with my own uncommon name, and I have favorite characters whose names I will remember forever, I’ve always struggled with choosing the perfect name for all of my characters. For men, especially heroes, I like strong names with initial hard consonants. They carry a weight when spoken out loud and appear with sharp edges when typed out. (Jack, Alex, Pete, Nate, Rafe, Zack, etc.) My Sourcebooks editor also requires the first name of all heroes to be one-syllable names, and I’ve heard from other writer friends that other publishers have similar requirements for names within certain fictional genres like romance, sci fi, etc.

For female character names, I’m even pickier. Regardless if the heroine is an ex-intelligence agent or Smithsonian archivist, her name has to be the exact opposite of her hero’s in both tone and form. Heroines’ names can be multi-consonant and even hold up an accent aigu. (Sarah, Madeleine, Charlotte, Amélie, Samantha, Katherine, Elizabeth, Ygritte). All of the female names can be shortened to sound tougher, depending on the situation and what type of person she is at the beginning or who she becomes at the end. The funny thing is that after I go through all of this work, my characters will often introduce themselves to me with their own names perfectly suited to who the are.

So why all this angst over names? Why drag out my ancient, dog-eared copy of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Character Naming Sourcebook and spend hours studying all my options? Playing around with shipping names on the off chance someone will one day make my love stories canon? The answer is as simple as it is complex.

Names (and nicknames) tell us about a character’s culture, background, education, social status, where they come from, and where they fit into the world. They even evoke the genre and time period of the story. Most of all, names carry emotion. And a perfect name will give you an instant visual image of that character with all of the problems he or she is about to face as they begin their journey. A perfect name will make you worry about them. Make you cry for them. And make you cheer for them. That’s a lot of responsibility for a first and/or last name to carry. Even more responsibility for the author. But the stress of discovering the perfect character name is worth the work. Because, who knows, one day I may end up with a Pip or Scarlett of my own.

The post That Which We Call a Rose… first appeared on Sharon Wray.

The post That Which We Call a Rose… appeared first on Sharon Wray.

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Tarte au Citron

I can’t believe that it’s been over 40 years since I rewrote my grandmother’s recipe for her lemon tart onto this old index card. This was a recipe that my grandmother, who moved from New York to Florida when I was a kid, made all summer long. She had a mango tree in her front yard and would trade fresh mangos for fresh lemons and key limes with her neighbors who had citrus trees.

This recipe is so easy to make, and this 9″ round tart pan with a removable bottom is similar to the one I use. The hardest part is watching the crust to make sure it doesn’t burn. If you can’t eat nuts (or dont’ want to use them), you can eliminate the almonds for garnish and substitute 2 Tablespoons of flour for the 2 Tablespoons of ground almonds. I also know that this recipe can be adapted to be gluten free and vegan. Although I’ve never made those adaptations myself, I have friends who’ve made the changes and have been happy with the results. I hope you enjoy this summer dessert as much as we do!

PrintTarte au CitronThis tart recipe came from my grandmother who lived in Florida. She always made it with fresh lemons and would use the juice (which doesn't go into the recipe) to make fresh lemonade. Course DessertCuisine FrenchPrep Time 30 minutes minutesCook Time 43 minutes minutesResting Time 45 minutes minutesTotal Time 1 hour hour 58 minutes minutesServings 8 slicesCalories 252kcalEquipment1 fluted 9" tart pan with removable bottomIngredientsCrust2 Tablespoons almonds (unroasted and unsalted) ground1 cup flour (minus 2 Tablespoons)1/2 cup butter (unsalted) cold and cut into 8 pieces1/4 cup confectioner's sugar sifted1/2 teaspoon lemon extract1/8 teaspoon saltFilling3/4 cup sugar1 lemon, zested (use all the lemon zest you can get)2 large eggs3 Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed2 1/2 Tablespoons flour1 teaspoon lemon extract1/2 teaspoon baking powder1 pinch saltGarnish1/2 cup sliced almonds lightly toastedInstructionsPreheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Position rack in center of oven.In a mixer or food processor, combine all of the crust ingredients until they form a ball of dough. Pat the dough into the bottom and sides of the tart pan. Bake the crust for 18 minutes or until it turns a light golden color.While the crust is baking, use a mixer to blend together all the filling ingredients until the mixture is thick and light-colored. Once the crust is done, remove from oven and reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. Pour the filling over the hot crust and top with the sliced almonds.Bake an additional 25 minutes. Take out of the oven and cool for 30 minutes. Remove the tart from the pan and cool for another 15 minutes.Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.Notes28 grams carbohydrates per serving2.8 grams protein per serving15 grams fat per serving 

The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Tarte au Citron first appeared on Sharon Wray.

The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Tarte au Citron appeared first on Sharon Wray.

Get Saved by the Everyday Hero

In the Saved by the Everyday Hero …”limited edition romance collection, our characters learn that the blue collar, everyday heroes are the ones who will rescue their wounded hearts and sweep them off their feet. From the heat that’s felt being near a fireman, to the thrill of being with a police officer who knows their way around some handcuffs, this collection will have readers seeing that the real happily ever after might come from the hero next door.” ~ Amazon book blurb.

When I had an opportunity to jump into this anthology, I was so excited. I knew many of the authors (who are all wonderful writers), and I loved the premise of the everyday hero. Unfortunately, due to my tight editorial schedule, I didn’t have time to write a new story. And since I have always been intrigued by the idea of “Christmas in July” romances, I decided to reissue one of my bestselling Christmas novellas, Eve’s Christmas Kiss (a story from my Kingsmill Courtships series). So if you read Eve’s Christmas Kiss last year, this edition is exactly the same. But if you missed it, and would love to read this sexy Christmas reunion story, grab this anthology now while it’s still .99!

Order Saved by the everyday hero here!Eve’s Christmas Kiss

T o save his wife, he’ll have to let her go.

Kane Mosby, the former leader of an outlaw motorcycle club, is a sexy rebel with a cause. His unexpected return to Kingsmill, VA for his brother’s Christmas wedding has rocked the small town and caused a stir in the local MC. Except he doesn’t care about gossip and is counting the hours until he can leave. Until he discovers his estranged wife is involved with the man who betrayed Kane years ago, forcing him to abandon the woman he’s never forgotten.

Eve Crenshaw is a beautiful, brilliant accountant with a secret that could tear their tiny hometown apart. A secret with direct ties to her husband Kane. No one is more shocked than Eve when Kane appears at the wedding. But she’s even more distressed when she and Kane end up stranded together in a blizzard over Christmas and are forced to confront their past. A past that includes a failing marriage and a tragedy no parents should ever suffer. 

It doesn’t take long for sparks to fly and buried emotions to take over in a passionate-yet-tender way that will change both of their lives–until Eve’s secret drives Kane away again. And this time he may disappear forever.

Order Saved by the Everyday Hero for .99!

The post Get Saved by the Everyday Hero first appeared on Sharon Wray.

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Corn Soufflé

Because fresh corn is overflowing this season, I’m reposting this recipe from the archives.

It’s the third week of Pops Montfort’s dinner out on the Isle of Grace. Last week he prepared the Whole Wheat Molasses Bread while his sons Rafe and Philip, as well as his daughter-in-law Juliet, went swimming in the nearby river. But now that everyone is back at Pops’s place, they’re starving. And I think he’s just about to take the Corn Soufflé out of the oven.

Pops Montfort ~ “Hi, ya’ll. It’s been a busy time here this evening. My sons and daughter-in-law decided to go swimming while the bread baked, but now they’re back and changing in the bedrooms. The sun is going down and, despite that fact it’s August, the Isle of Grace is cooling down a bit. Although unusual for this time of year, the breeze off the water sometimes drops the temp here faster than in the city of Savannah.

While Juliet finds blankets so we can still eat outside, I’m taking the Whole Wheat Molasses Bread out of the oven, as well as the Corn Soufflé. This soufflé is one of my summer favorites. It uses the freshest corn I can find and is baked with cottage cheese and an egg white meringue. It’s the perfect side dish to the grouper I caught just this morning.

I hear my sons voices and, as usual, I’m not sure if they’re happy spending time together or annoying each other. But it doesn’t matter. We’re all together again. That’s what’s important.

Juliet has just appeared with a few sunflowers she found near the barn, and now I’m off to find her the vase my late wife always used for her wildflowers. I have few regrets about my life, but I do wish my wife was here to see her family together again. For so many years we both worried that our sons would never know happiness. And if she were here I know she’d be proud of all of them, just like I am. Look at me getting maudlin. I’m cranky, but never maudlin.

I hand Juliet the vase and go back to the stove. The soufflé is perfect and it’s now time to eat.”

Sharon Wray

Yields 4-8 servings

The Hungry {Romance) Writer: Corn Souffle

Years ago I found this recipe at a local pick-your-own farm and have made it--and altered it--more times than I can count. I usually use whole milk and whole milk cottage cheese, but you can substitute lower fat ingredients. I also took out the salt since the cottage cheese had enough salt to flavor the entire dish. This soufflé is great the next day, but doesn't last much longer than that since the solids begin to separate. It does need to be served hot from the oven and goes great with BBQ meats and fried fish. I almost always use fresh corn in this recipe, although you can use canned and frozen as well.

30 minPrep Time

30 minCook Time

1 hrTotal Time

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Ingredients

Cooking oil spray1 cup milk1/2 cup cottage cheese1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese3 Tablespoons flour2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg3 egg yolks1 1/2 cups cooked corn kernels (If using canned, drain the corn. If using frozen, defrost first.)4 egg whites

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.Spray a 1 1/2 quart baking dish (with at least 3" high sides) with cooking oil.In a medium bowl, blend together the milk, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, flour, oil, pepper and nutmeg.Transfer egg/milk mixture to a medium saucepan and heat gently for four minutes. Stir continuously. (do not walk away from the stove or it will burn!)Remove the egg/milk mixture from the heat and stir in the egg yolks. Beat quickly and then add in the corn.In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff.Pour one third of the cooked milk/egg mixture into the whites and blend.Very, very gently, fold in the rest of the cooked milk/egg mixture. Stir gently until it all forms a lumpy batter.Pour batter into the baking dish. Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the top of the souffle, leaving a 1" border around the edge.Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and puffy.Serve immediately. Nutrition Calories 3788 cal Fat 247 g Carbs 117 g Protein 262 g Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info 7.8.1.2105https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-corn-souffle/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-corn-souffle\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance) Writer: Corn Souffle","description" : "Years ago I found this recipe at a local pick-your-own farm and have made it--and altered it--more times than I can count. I usually use whole milk and whole milk cottage cheese, but you can substitute lower fat ingredients. I also took out the salt since the cottage cheese had enough salt to flavor the entire dish. This souffl\u00e9 is great the next day, but doesn't last much longer than that since the solids begin to separate. It does need to be served hot from the oven and goes great with BBQ meats and fried fish. I almost always use fresh corn in this recipe, although you can use canned and frozen as well.","prepTime" : "PT30M","cookTime" : "PT30M","recipeYield" : "4-8 servings","datePublished" : "2019-08-05 10:21:30","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Preheat oven to 375 degrees F." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Spray a 1 1\/2 quart baking dish (with at least 3\" high sides) with cooking oil." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a medium bowl, blend together the milk, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, flour, oil, pepper and nutmeg." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Transfer egg\/milk mixture to a medium saucepan and heat gently for four minutes. Stir continuously. (do not walk away from the stove or it will burn!)" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Remove the egg\/milk mixture from the heat and stir in the egg yolks. Beat quickly and then add in the corn." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Pour one third of the cooked milk\/egg mixture into the whites and blend." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Very, very gently, fold in the rest of the cooked milk\/egg mixture. Stir gently until it all forms a lumpy batter. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Pour batter into the baking dish. Using a sharp knife, cut a circle into the top of the souffle, leaving a 1\" border around the edge." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and puffy." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve immediately." }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance) Writer: Corn Souffle","recipeIngredient" : ["Cooking oil spray","1 cup milk","1\/2 cup cottage cheese","1\/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese","3 Tablespoons flour","2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil","1\/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper","1\/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg","3 egg yolks","1 1\/2 cups cooked corn kernels (If using canned, drain the corn. If using frozen, defrost first.)","4 egg whites"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/85.jpg" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "1 serving", "calories": "3788 kcal", "fatContent": "247 g", "saturatedFatContent": "86 g", "cholesterolContent": "7982 mg", "sodiumContent": "3145 mg", "carbohydrateContent": "117 g", "sugarContent": "32 g", "proteinContent": "262 mg"},"@type": "Recipe"}

The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Corn Soufflé first appeared on Sharon Wray.

The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Corn Soufflé appeared first on Sharon Wray.

Chasing Butterflies

I do not love butterflies. Don’t take this the wrong way. Butterflies bring happiness to everyone who discovers one. Their wings are so colorful, so delicate, light exposes nature’s version of stained glass. Everyone agrees they are the loveliest insects around. It’s just that butterflies and I have a tortured relationship. Their aloofness, which only adds to their mystique, encourages otherwise sane people to buy cameras with instantaneous shutter speeds and expensive zoom lenses. Not necessarily a bad thing in this economy. These nectar-seeking insects are sought after, studied, and collected, always the center of attention, yet humble enough to fly away at the slightest praise.

Butterflies are the epitome of grace, beauty, and humility. And it’s because of their perfection, the mirror they hold to my own life, that I don’t like them. Actually, it’s worse than that. I envy them. You see, I’m desperate to be a butterfly. But I am, in fact, a bee. Now, I’m not maligning bees. After all, bees are one of the most diligent, hardworking, and useful bugs in the Insecta Class. They’re also under-appreciated.  Still, despite their good qualities, they are ugly and they sting. And in my self-defeating quest for perfection, I’m a bee who constantly compares herself to a butterfly.

“That’s ridiculous!” said my 11-year old son one day while on one of our camera-laden hikes (a Friday after-school tradition). “Bees are awesome. How can you not love something born with its own weapon?”

While he had a point, I responded, “Butterflies are beautiful and graceful, bees just lumber around. And they’re noisy.”

He shrugged. “I think you’re pretty.”

I took the compliment, even though I was thinking more about my life in general than my physical appearance.

So I continued, “You have to admit that while people chase butterflies, they scream and run away from bees.”

“That’s not a bad thing,” he said. “Did you know Roman armies catapulted bee hives into enemy camps?” He grinned and took another photograph. “When the hives were smashed, the bees went crazy and killed everyone.”

(I doubted that until I looked it up on the Internet later that evening only to find out he was mostly right.)

“Still,” I insisted. “Butterflies go through a metamorphosis in a chrysalis, which comes from the Greek work crysos meaning golden, while bees are just another version of wasp.”

“Mom,” he said with a long suffering sigh. “”All that is gold does not glitter”.”

I’d forgotten. My son is a huge Tolkein fan. And since I didn’t want to get into a quotation war, which I’d surely lose, I sent him with my phone up the hill ahead of me. While I followed behind, I realized that my issue lay not in the difference between bees and butterflies, but in the darkness of comparison.

Thomas Aquinas described envy as “sorrow for another’s good”, while Dante defined it as “a desire to deprive other men of theirs.” One of the seven deadly sins, envy caused me to make endless comparisons, yearning to become like the thing envied, yet resentful when the becoming failed, and finally hoping for another’s pain. In Dante’s Purgatory, the envious have their eyes sewn shut with wire because they found pleasure in other’s bad luck.

As these thoughts ran through my mind, heat rising at memories of things I’ve said and thought in the past, I stumbled and sat on a bench overlooking the lily pond. Envy is an ugly emotion with even uglier consequences. But it’s real, debilitating, and humiliating to admit to. Once upon a time, I allowed envy to tunnel through me, without my noticing, until my foundations were threatened. Afterwards, I made a vow to keep track of my thoughts and emotions and to avoid certain situations which could send me into a downward spiral. And butterflies remind me of that dark time. Of what I lacked.

A few minutes later my son came running back, more photos saved into digital bits. “I got proof,” he said, waving the camera. “Bees are equal to butterflies.”

I waited for him to sit down next to me, and he dropped the camera into my lap. My shoulders relaxed and I smiled at what I saw, at the simple wisdom of children that never fails to astonish. At the realization that maybe the child guides the parent.

“Bees and butterflies both hang around pretty flowers. But look at this,” he said pointing to the phone’s screen. “They also both have wings.  And they both fly!”

The post Chasing Butterflies first appeared on Sharon Wray.

The post Chasing Butterflies appeared first on Sharon Wray.