Sharon Wray's Blog, page 47

Let’s Get Ready for Camp NaNo

In about two weeks, on July 1, Camp NaNo will begin! Like the last Camp NaNo in April, I’m not worried about beginning on time or how many words I write this month. I have so many deadlines looming that every day feels like Camp NaNo! But since I’ll be writing anyway, I’m going to participate so I can keep track of my word count. That means I’m going to work with the same kind of mindset that I have during NaNoWriMo in November. To do that, I need to make sure that I’m taking care of myself and have set in place ways to care for my family as I try to meet my goals. It’s also summertime with all the travels and entertaining that happen in July so I need to do some early planning to make sure I don’t forget anything or anyone, including the dog!

So what is Camp Nano? It’s a month-long virtual writing retreat. Pretend you are hidden away in a cabin in a beautiful location (beach, mountains, etc) and all you have to do is write. You can join virtual cabins with friends who help keep you accountable. You can write whatever you want this month–a novel, short story, script, or finish your dissertation. The entire point of joining this community and expressing your goals publicly is to encourage you to write. The world is in a desperate place and needs all of our stories. But writing 50,000 words (which is the standard goal) is hard work. So, below, I’ve laid out my favorite tips that have helped me in the past to have a successful Camp Nano. And I hope they help you too!

And here’s a free printable coloring page to help you keep track of your daily word count. Just click on this link to download.

Tips for a Successful Camp Nano

DECIDE ON YOUR PROJECT & GOALS
The first thing you need to do is choose your project and your writing goals and then head over to the NaNo website. Once there, add your project to your account (or make a new account and add your project) and let the world know what you are working on for the rest of the April.

CARRY A NOTEBOOK EVERYWHERE
You will still have a life in between all the writing you hope to do. And since the greatest ideas often come while you’re driving or grocery shopping, bring a notebook everywhere. That way when those ideas pop up, you can jot them down quickly so you won’t forget. A notebook is also great for those times when you’re waiting for an appointment (I’m looking at you, DMV!) or stuck in a Kiss & Ride line. This way you’ll never miss another great plot twist again.

TELL YOUR FAMILY
Let your family know about your project and your word count goals. They may or may not be supportive, but if you let them know you can set some boundaries about your defined writing time and family time. That way everyone knows what to expect when it comes to your time and attention.

SET A DAILY WRITING TIME
Choosing a time, each day, that you’re going to write sets you up for success. It also helps get your family on board if they know that not only do you want to finish a project but that you have a defined plan–with specific times–to get it done. Boundaries really help you and your family set expectations for the month. 

SET SMALLER WORD COUNT GOALS
You don’t have to write 50,000 words. You can write as many or as few words as you want. Although 50K is the standard that Camp NaNo sets, they are not in charge of you! Look at your project, and your available time during the month, and set a realistic goal. A few words are better than no words. And remember that famous line…”you can’t edit a blank page.”

CHOOSE WEEKLY GOALS
Camp NaNo can be hard on the ego and the muse. So instead of just thinking about the looming word count goal, choose smaller word count goals for the week, or decide on different goals. The whole point of Camp NaNo is to train yourself to build a writing habit. So maybe set a weekly goal of sitting at your desk every day for 30 minutes. Or another goal could be to spend some “thinking time” every day with your characters. It doesn’t matter what the goal is, as long as it helps you move forward with your writing–whether it be actual word count or just building new habits.

SET UP WRITING SPRINTS WITH FRIENDS
In Camp NaNo, you can set up virtual cabins with friends. Then you can decide on dates and times to do writing sprints for however long you want. My friends and I tend to do 45 minute sprints, but others prefer 25 minute sprints (like the Pomodoro Method). Regardless of the time you write, or for how long, it’s always so much more fun to do it with friends. 

BUILD YOUR OWN CABIN IN THE WOODS
Before beginning a big project, it’s always nice to have a clean desk and surroundings. So a few days before I begin a NaNo project, I take the time to clean out my desk, wipe down my screen, dust around my computer, pick up books, journals, notes, etc. I even decide which notebook I’m going to use and sometimes I’ll set up a calendar so I know exactly what my family and other obligations are so I know when I can write.

JOIN CAMP NANO EVENTS
Check out the NaNoWriMo website for more details. The website has dates and times for virtual writing events, discussions with authors and other publishing professionals, and events with lots of emotional advice. There are “camp counselors” who run these events, and you’re welcome to reach out to them at anytime if you need help.

DON’T FORGET YOUR FIRST AID KIT
Writing for hours is hard on the body and the mind. So before I sit down, I do a few things to set myself up for success. First, I make sure I have my favorite healthy snacks, tea blends, coffee, and even water enhancers because it’s very easy to get dehydrated while you write. I also take a day before Camp NaNo begins to buy and organize my office supplies. Sometimes new markers, post-it notes, index cards, etc. can really help set the creative mood for a new project. I also purchase a few small gifts for myself that I can only open when I hit my weekly goals, regardless if they are word count goals or other habit-forming goals like I mentioned above.

PICK A WAY TO CELEBRATE
Before you begin, decide on how you want to celebrate at the end of the month. For me, I always make a dinner reservation for myself and my husband at my favorite (and inexpensive) restaurant. I have friends who meet for a celebratory lunch, and others who buy themselves something special. But choosing it at the beginning so you have something to look forward to can be so motivating when you’re stuck in the middle of the month with a bunch of messy scenes. Visualizing yourself at the end of the month, doing something you can look forward to, may just get you out of that messy middle.

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When the Best Comes Out Last

An edited essay reposted from the archives.

“Monkey buttshine!” my son screams at his sister.

“Rat hag!” she yells back.

I drop the laundry basket and head downstairs. They know the m-b word is not allowed. To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what a monkey butthshine is, but to my twins, it’s the worst thing they can call each other. In their odd twin language, rat hag is the second-worst. So the one who starts the fight, the one who says “monkey buttshine” first, always wins.

“Take it back!” As usual, they speak at the same time, in the same false tone, with the same heavy breathing. Faced off like two cage fighters, they circle each other.

My daughter has on the ugly face, my son’s fists are clenched.

And my mother’s heart breaks. “Why do you speak to each other like that?”

They both turn and look at me, two pairs of blue eyes wide, as if noticing me for the first time.

My son answers first. “Because she tricked me. She’s always tricking me.”

“Am not!” my daughter replies.

“Are too! It’s why you’re the oldest,” he pauses for affect. “Monkey buttshine!”

Good grief. Not this again. “Your sister was born first because she was lowest. There was no grand conspiracy to make you younger.”

“By eleven minutes,” my daughter adds with a wonderful teenage sneer. “But mom said it felt like eleven hours!”

Did I mention my twins are thirteen?

“Go finish your chores.” I pick up the laundry basket with a heavy sigh (I can add drama to any situation as well). “And I don’t want to hear those words again.”

“Why not?” my son asks as I leave the room. “I’ve heard you say worse things to yourself.”

Without responding, I stumble up the steps and make it to my bedroom. My heart races and everything blurs. I’ve heard you say worse things to yourself. Those words cut me as surely as if I’d taken the sharpest knife to the softest skin on my forearm. Not only because I’m horrified that they’ve heard me, but because they’ve spoken the truth. I drop the basket in front of the window, the morning light highlighting the folded white laundry, and I see all the variations in the white cotton, where the bleach never penetrated. Perfection is a self-defeating behavior, but self-destruction by words is far worse. Especially when one is a writer with an entire arsenal of rhetorical devises armed and ready.

I am, and always have been, harsher on myself than anyone else. Usually I keep the brutal self-talk inside, but I have a tendency to mutter when I’m upset. I just figured no one else was listening. But, apparently, I was wrong. As I reach down to start putting away the yellowed whites, my cell phone vibrates. A text from one of my CPs.

My book releases next week and I already have two-star reviews on Goodreads.

I take a deep breath. Those words carry so much emotion, and I remember her disappointment when she didn’t get that last contract. I remember her smiling on Facebook and cheering on her fellow writers who signed with other publishers with the grace and humor she’s known for. I also remember the horrible things she and many of my published/yet-to-be published friends confided to me about themselves and their own manuscripts while others celebrated online. And I don’t know how to respond. Yes, I’ve sold books traditionally and am also an indie author. I know the disappointment of rejection well and can still taste the tears, but I hesitate to type back. How can I encourage her when I treat myself with the same kind of contempt? With a kind of harshness I wouldn’t shower on my worst enemy?

As I put away laundry and struggle with what to say to my CP, I hear the kids downstairs negotiating whose turn it is for dog doo-doo duty. In the midst of back-and-forth promises and threats, my son says, “I’m sorry I called you a monkey buttshine. You’re prettier than a monkey’s butt.”

“I know.” My daughter quickly responds, “And I didn’t come out first on purpose. I was at the right place at the right time. But sometimes the best comes out last.”

My heart skips. Sometimes the best comes out last.

“At least we have each other,” my son says. “Can you imagine how hard this would all be if we had to do everything alone?”

And, again, I’ve learned from my children. My twins were born with a confidence I’ve always envied. Everything they’ve ever faced from speech therapy, entering middle school, to getting braces, they’ve had a sibling. A friend. A partner. I stand by the bedroom window and watch them outside. In yellow puddle boots and arms wrapped in plastic newspaper bags, they work together to clean the yard while the dog chases them. And I smile. They’ve shared everything. Haircuts at the scary cartoon place. Death of the beloved hamster. Whispers in the dark. Birthdays. They may argue, but they don’t fear because they are never truly alone.

Suicide by words is just plain old fear wrapped in vivid imagery and clever metaphors. 

And isn’t it my job as a CP, as a friend, as a colleague, to stamp out this fear in both myself and those I love? It’s my privilege to encourage in the face of trials and disappointments. To celebrate in times of joy. To sit by quietly, just holding her hand, as she struggles. And even though I’ve failed myself doesn’t mean I can’t do better, can’t try again. Maybe by helping her, by not letting her face her fears alone, I can help myself.

I reach for the phone, but I don’t text. Instead, I compose an email for her and all the other brave writers who have dared to scratch out words in the dark.

“Dear Friend, Let me take your hand and whisper softly. Regardless of what happens with your release next week or in two months or next year, I will not let you listen to the words of the serpent. Regardless if that editor reading your newest manuscript offers you a contract or rejects you, I will not let you hide. Regardless of the path your publishing career takes, you are still a writer. Your words still matter. Your words aren’t meant to draw blood. Your words are meant to change peoples’ hearts. And isn’t that the most important thing? Isn’t that why you became a writer?” Whether or not you hit a bestseller list on release day, please remember these words for they come from my heart. Sometimes the best things come out last. And the best is always worth waiting for. Just ask the teenagers. They know everything.

P.S. You are not a monkey buttshine (whatever that is) 

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Tuna Salad

Today we’re continuing with the recipes from Love’s Last Kiss, my newest release in the Deadly Force series. The heroine Rose Guthrie is under tremendous pressure to save her brother, her lover Kade Dolan, and her own life. So what’s a woman, who’s being hunted by deadly assassins, to do with all that stress? She cooks and bakes for those she loves.

And today she’s sharing her recipe for tuna salad that can be served on a sandwich, on top of a salad, or just right out of the bowl. It’s that good! Even Kade Dolan, the hero of Love’s Last Kiss who doesn’t like tuna, loved these sandwiches so much he at two. But he also needed tehe calories because he was about to head off his referee job at Doom, Savannah’s illegal fight club where… lots of things go wrong.

Sharon Wray

Yields Serves 3-4

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Tuna Salad

I prefer solid white tuna canned in water instead of oil, but any kind of canned tuna will work in this recipe. I have found that if you use canned tuna in oil that the mayonnaise works better than the Greek yogurt. And you may need to adjust the seasoning by decreasing the Old Bay and adding a dash of freshly-ground pepper.

10 minPrep Time

10 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

2 cans white tuna in water1/2 - 3/4 cupMayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt (personal choice)5 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

Instructions

Open the cans of tuna. Drain and rinse twice. Dump the tuna onto a plate layered with paper towels and dry the tuna the best you can.In a large bowl, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce until well blended.Blend in the Old Bay seasoning.Serve on a salad, on a sandwich, or any other way you like to eat it.7.8.1.2228https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-tuna-salad/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-tuna-salad\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Tuna Salad","description" : "I prefer solid white tuna canned in water instead of oil, but any kind of canned tuna will work in this recipe. I have found that if you use canned tuna in oil that the mayonnaise works better than the Greek yogurt. And you may need to adjust the seasoning by decreasing the Old Bay and adding a dash of freshly-ground pepper.","prepTime" : "PT10M","recipeYield" : "Serves 3-4","datePublished" : "2022-04-25 12:26:14","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Open the cans of tuna. Drain and rinse twice. Dump the tuna onto a plate layered with paper towels and dry the tuna the best you can." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a large bowl, mix the tuna, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce until well blended." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Blend in the Old Bay seasoning. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve on a salad, on a sandwich, or any other way you like to eat it." }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Tuna Salad","recipeIngredient" : ["2 cans white tuna in water","1\/2 - 3\/4 cupMayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt (personal choice)","5 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce","1\/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/My-winter-fat....-8.png" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "1 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"} Subscribe

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Prep & Plan: Week Thirty-One

It’s that time of year–again. It’s time to travel! Last week I discussed the value of TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. So today I’m offering some of my favorite packing lists from my favorite travel blogs for all different kinds of trips.

I usually scratch out my own packing lists on the back of an envelope, but I do use the lists below for reference so I don’t forget anything. The different lists are for every type of traveler from backpackers to high-end travelers, from a short weekend to a weeks-long stay. I’ve divided the lists up for travel to Europe, the Caribbean, and the U.S. While I’ve traveled in Asia, I will do a separate post on that since I’m still trying to figure out the ever-evolving Covid restrictions.

My FavoriteEuropean Packing ListsRick Steves’ European Packing ListThe Savvy Backpacker Package ListAsher Fergusson’s Packing ListSchengen Visa Packing ListThe World was Here First Packing ListOur Escape ClauseTravel Fashion GirlWorld on a Whimmy FavoriteCaribbean Packing ListsSmarter Travel Packing ListTortuga Backpacks Packing ListFueled by Wanderlust Packing ListAsher Fergusson Packing ListTrip Savvy Package ListMelting Pot Travel Packing ListMy FavoriteU.S. Travel Packing ListsTrafalgar’s Packing ListAuthentik USA Packing ListUpgraded Points Packing ListEagle Creek’s Packing ListContiki’s Packing ListHeadout’s Packing List

Wherever you go this summer, I wish you Bon Voyage and safe travels!

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Irish Myths & The Deadly Force Series

An edited repost from the archives.

I’ve recently written two blog posts about the history of the Fianna (here and here), the semi-mythical group of Irish warriors who inspired one of the villains in my contemporary Deadly Force romantic suspense series and introduced in my debut romance novel Every Deep Desire. My current release in the series, Love’s Last Kiss, gives readers an even closer look at how the Fianna work in the contemporary world.

All of the heroes in the Deadly Force series, all sexy Special Forces soldiers, are desperate to redeem their honor and reclaim their lives. Yet in order to do so, they must defeat two enemies, one of whom is the leader of the secretive and brutal current-day Fianna army. Since I have a new release in this series, I thought I’d give you a brief background on the mythic Gaelic warrior who led the Fianna long, long ago. Before Rome even invaded Britain. This warrior’s name is Fionn MacCumhaill.

Fionn was the son of Cumhaill, the leader of the Fianna. The Fianna, a rogue group of young mercenary noblemen didn’t own lands and lived on the edges of Irish civilization. They were nomadic warriors who traveled the country, often giving generously to those who had less than they did. Historians also suggest the Fianna knew the entrances to the Otherworld where the Faeries lived.

Fionn was born into violence. His father Cumhaill wanted to marry his mother Muirne who was a Druid. When her father refused, Cumhaill kidnapped Muirne. The High King of the time (Conn of the Hundred Battles) raised a huge army to save Muirne from the Fianna army. After many battles, a warrior named Goll MacMorna killed Cumhaill and took control of the Fianna. Muirne, who’d  given birth to Fionn, left her son in the care of the Fianna warrior Liath Luachra. She instructed Liath to care for Fionn and instruct him in the ways of the Fianna and warfare. She expected Fionn to grow up and take over control of the Fianna. After kissing her son goodbye, Muirne disappeared and was never heard from again.

As Fionn grew, he had a tutor named Finnegas. Finnegas was a Druid poet who’d searched the world for wisdom that he believed could only be found in the “Salmon of Knowledge.” One day, while teaching Fionn to fish, Finnegas caught the magical salmon. But as Fionn cooked it, Fionn touched his fingers to his lips and was imbued with the knowledge Finnegas had spent his life searching for. Finnegas was not happy and curses followed. Now armed with the wisdom of the world, Fionn was ready to fight Goll MacMorna and take over command of the Fianna. But first the Faeries who ruled the Gaelic Otherworld had to put Fionn through many tests. So Fionn traveled to Tara, the High Seat of the Kings of Ireland. There, he met a fierce female faery named Aillen. For 23 years, on every Samhain, Aillen scorched the earth and killed all of Tara’s guards. Aillen lured the guards with drink and her singing voice until they slept. Then she’d destroy everything around her.

One of Fionn’s tasks was to stop Aillen. Instead of listening to her voice, he pricked his hand with his sword, using the pain to keep himself awake and alert. When the guards fell asleep, and Aillen began to burn things, Fionn attacked and defeated her. After this huge victory, Fionn returned to the Fianna and challenged Goll MacMorna. Goll knew that only a true noble–the true son of Cumhaill–could defeat Aillen and he stepped aside. Goll even returned Cumhaill’s castle (the Hill of Almu) to Fionn.

Fionn and his Fianna army had many adventures, most of which included saving Ireland from invaders such as the Romans, the Picts, and the Vikings. They returned tax monies to the poor, and also demanded protection monies from the nobles. The Fianna army was loved, feared, and hated. But (not surprisingly) most of the recorded stories are about Fionn’s love life. His first love, Sadbh, argued with a Druid priest who turned her into a deer. Years later, while Fianna and his hounds were hunting, the dogs recognized the deer. In return for not killing the deer, she transformed back into his wife Sadbh and bore him a son named Oisin. (After Fionn’s death, Oisin would become an even more famous Fianna warrior.) Unfortunately, the Druid priest learned that his spell had been broken and returned. He turned Sadbh back into a deer and she disappeared forever.

Fionn had little luck with women. Years later he was supposed to marry the daughter of a High King except she eloped with one of Fionn’s Fianna warriors. Fionn found the lovers and allowed them to live. Yet, when the warrior was wounded by a boar, Fionn refused to use his healing powers and let the warrior die. Fionn had forgiven but not forgotten the insult. The lives of Fionn and his son Oison were originally told in the Fenian Cycle of Irish Poetry (the third cycle of Irish Mythology) most of which is narrated from Oisin’s POV.  One of my favorite translations is Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry/Cuchulain of Muirthemne by William Butler Yeats. (Yes, that Yeats!)

Fionn’s death is still unexplained and many poets believe that he was buried near Dublin and is waiting to rise again to save Ireland from any enemies who may invade. Regardless of whether or not one believes Fionn MacCumhaill was real, his tales are fun to read.

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Sarah Munro’s Herbal Ice

It’s summertime so that means it’s time for lemonade and iced tea and other iced beverages. To make things more festive on the weekends, after a long day of working in the garden, I love to serve iced tea with ice that has been frozen with a sprig of mint. Adding herbs and flowers to ice has been around for centuries as a way to flavor less-than-flavorful drinks.

This is why Sarah Munro, (my PhD historian and heroine in book 2 of the Deadly Force series, ONE DARK WISH), has added her recipe for Herbal Ice to her collection of DIY herbal recipes. My favorite combinations are mint ice with iced tea, lemon balm ice with lemonade, and chamomile ice with decaf herbal iced tea. I also love to use lemon thyme, rosemary & sage, rose hips, and violets. You can be as creative as you want, and the combinations are endless!

Sarah Munro’s Herbal IceIngredients:Filtered waterFresh herbs or flowers of your choice, picked over and rinsedsilicone ice trayDirections:

Rinse and pick over the herbs and flowers to make sure there are no bugs or extra leaves or pollen on the plants.

Cut the herbs and flowers into small pieces and place them in the ice cube tray squares. Fill the ice cube squares with filtered water to the top of the tray. As you pour in the water, press down the herbs and flowers.

Freeze for at least 4 hours. Use however you wish!

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!

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The Boy in the Woods

An edited essay reposted from the archives.

Although my twins didn’t return to school until September, they had summer homework. And for some reason Labor Day weekend seemed like the best time to do a book report with plot graphs, essays on theme and conflict, and a hand-drawn color picture of the scene they felt best summed up the entire book. While my son wrote about an underground prison where a post-apocalytic world sent teenage boys to fight to the death with zombies, my daughter announced she was going to write her own book. After all, it had to be easier to figure out your own book than someone else’s.

Really? But keeping my sarcasm to myself, I asked, “What are you going to write?”

“A YA romance,” she said. “With a boy in the woods held by a witch in a big castle guarded by a moat and a dragon.”

“So the Boy will be in danger? Sounds like great conflict.”

“Yes. Lots of danger. And the heroine will have to eventually save the Boy. Maybe. In the meantime, they’ll be thinking about each other. It will be very romantic.”

Not sure what she meant by “eventually” and “maybe”, I asked, “If the heroine doesn’t save him until the end, what will she be doing in the story?”

“Dancing to TikTok videos with her girlfriends,” she said. “And trying on cute shoes with lots of talking about the Boy. But thinking about the Boy is the best part.”

“The heroine doesn’t want to save the Boy?”

Cue the teen eyeroll.  “Mom, what would she do with him?”

To be honest, I have to admit I loved this answer. Still, she was writing a story and I felt obliged to help her fix the sagging middle. “The heroine could talk to him.”

“Ugh!” she said. “I have a brother. He doesn’t talk. Except to tell fart jokes.”

So true.

“Besides,” she continued, “the heroine likes thinking about the Boy. Just not as much as dancing or trying on shoes. But knowing he’s there in the woods, waiting for her to save him as she dreams about him–that’s what I like to read. I don’t need them to actually see each other.”

And the truth startled me. It had never occurred to me that a twelve-year old would be seeking out books for such a powerful emotional experience. I was so excited, thinking about all of the unread books she still had in front of her, but then I blew it.

“You read for the ‘longing’,” I said. “And the tension the ‘longing’ brings to the pages.”

She handed me the pages of her story and walked away. “Whatever.”

As the skinny girl left in a huff, the big black blog of maternal insecurity sat on my shoulders. Donald Maass defined micro-tension as “the moment by moment tension that keeps the reader in a constant state of suspense over what will happen, not in the story, but in the next few seconds.” And I wondered if Mr. Mass realized that definition applied to raising young teens as well.

I spent the next ten minutes reading her pages and the outline, proud of the fact it included turning points and an inciting incident, knowing I could never tell her that without her stomping out again. Or maybe she’d hug me. It was hard to tell.

But suddenly she ran back. “Mom! There are frogs in the pond. Let’s go look.”

As we headed for the pond, she took my hand and tugged hard. “Mom. My story. Is it good?”

I glanced down at the girl on the verge. So many things I wanted to say, so much advice I wanted to offer, but all I said was, “It’s good. Really good.”

She grinned, then whispered, “What about the sagging middle?”

“The heroine should dance with her friends and try on cute shoes.” Then I squeezed her hand, knowing things would soon change. “And I agree about the Boy. He can stay in the woods.”

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Blueberry Sour Cream Cake

I am so excited that Love’s Last Kiss, the next book in the Deadly Force series, has released this week. This book took me a long time to write and I’m just so happy that it’s out in the world! This month on The Hungry {Romance} Writer I want to share some of the recipes from the book. Rose Guthrie, the heroine of the story, is a young woman struggling against the world to save her brother and simply survive. And one of the way she deals with stress is to cook and bake–something that the hero, Kade Dolan, truly appreciates.

This week I’m sharing Rose’s recipe for her Blueberry Sour Cream Cake which she makes for Kade the morning after a traumatic-yet-romantic evening. She serves this cake with cheesy eggs and fresh coffee and it is one of the best coffee cakes I’ve ever had. It’s also a versatile recipe that can be made into a bundt cake, a traditional coffee cake, and muffins of all sizes.

Sharon Wray

Yields 1 cake

Serves Serves 12

0The Hungry {Romance Writer: Blueberry Sour Cream Cake

This is a wonderful and easy cake to make for a summer picnic or a breakfast for company. It is best with fresh blueberries as frozen berries get too mushy and watery. It can be made a few days ahead if company is coming. I always serve it sprinkled with sifted confectioner's sugar, but you could make a sugar glaze as well.

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Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened2 cups white sugar2 eggs1 cup sour cream1 teaspoon vanilla extract1?? cups flour1 teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon salt1 cup fresh blueberries, washed and picked over½ cup brown sugar1 teaspoon ground cinnamon½ cup chopped pecans (optional)1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt pan.In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Slowly, blend in the eggs one at a time.Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the sour cream and vanilla.In a separate large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well until all the dry ingredients are blended.In another smaller bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans (if using). Set this bowl aside.Using the electric mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar/egg/sour cream mixture. Add the flour mixture about a 1/2 cup at a time and blend on low until the batter is just mixed. Do not overheat.Using a large spoon, fold in the blueberries.Pour half of the blueberry batter into the bundt mold.Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture over the batter. Top with the remaining batter. Then sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture over the top.Use a knife to swirl the batter and brown sugar mixture until slightly mixed. (just slightly!)Bake for 1 hour in the pre-heated oven. Check to see if it's done with a knife inserted into the center. If it comes out clean the cake is ready to come out of the oven.Cool on a metal baking rack.Once the cake is cool, invert and pop the cake out onto a cake plate. Garnish with sifted confectioner's sugar and extra blueberries.7.8.1.2225https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-blueberry-sour-cream-cake/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-blueberry-sour-cream-cake\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance Writer: Blueberry Sour Cream Cake","description" : "This is a wonderful and easy cake to make for a summer picnic or a breakfast for company. It is best with fresh blueberries as frozen berries get too mushy and watery. It can be made a few days ahead if company is coming. I always serve it sprinkled with sifted confectioner's sugar, but you could make a sugar glaze as well.","recipeYield" : "1 cake","datePublished" : "2022-04-19 12:38:39","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt pan." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Slowly, blend in the eggs one at a time. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Using a large wooden spoon, stir in the sour cream and vanilla." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In a separate large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well until all the dry ingredients are blended." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In another smaller bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans (if using). Set this bowl aside." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Using the electric mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar\/egg\/sour cream mixture. Add the flour mixture about a 1\/2 cup at a time and blend on low until the batter is just mixed. Do not overheat." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Using a large spoon, fold in the blueberries." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Pour half of the blueberry batter into the bundt mold. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture over the batter. Top with the remaining batter. Then sprinkle the remaining brown sugar mixture over the top." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Use a knife to swirl the batter and brown sugar mixture until slightly mixed. (just slightly!)" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Bake for 1 hour in the pre-heated oven. Check to see if it's done with a knife inserted into the center. If it comes out clean the cake is ready to come out of the oven. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Cool on a metal baking rack. " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Once the cake is cool, invert and pop the cake out onto a cake plate. Garnish with sifted confectioner's sugar and extra blueberries." }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance Writer: Blueberry Sour Cream Cake","recipeIngredient" : ["1 cup butter, softened","2 cups white sugar","2 eggs ","1 cup sour cream","1 teaspoon vanilla extract","1?? cups flour ","1 teaspoon baking powder","\u00bc teaspoon salt","1 cup fresh blueberries, washed and picked over","\u00bd cup brown sugar","1 teaspoon ground cinnamon","\u00bd cup chopped pecans (optional)","1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar for dusting"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/18-1.png" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "nutrition": { "@type": "NutritionInformation", "servingsize": "0 serving"},"@type": "Recipe"} Subscribe

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The post The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Blueberry Sour Cream Cake appeared first on Sharon Wray.

Prep & Plan: Week Thirty

We’re coming up on travel season and many of us are going to Europe, maybe for the first time in years. So I wanted to do a quick post on two things that will make your international travel easier. I’m talking about the federal programs known as Global Entry and TSA PreCheck.

While there are other services out there now (like Clear and the new digital passports that are in beta testing), I’m just going to talk about these two programs because I’ve used them successfully for years and they are less expensive than offers from private companies. Also, there is a discount if you sign up for both at the same time.

TSA PreCheck

TSA PreCheck is a program that allows you to get through U.S. airport security more quickly without taking off your shoes, belts, etc. or putting your liquids in quart-sized bags. Because you are pre-screened for security, the TSA lines move much more quickly and can help you make your flight on time. Some TSA lines also don’t require that you take out your electronics for the X-Ray machine.

So who’s eligible for TSA PreCheck? (info below comes from the TSA.gov website)

Citizens of the United States of AmericaLawful Permanent residents and U.S. NationalsMembers of other Trusted Traveler Programs ( G.E., NEXUS, SENTRI) and select foreign nationals who have been approved membership to these programsIf traveling with a minor aged 12 and below they may receive these benefits as long as the member they are traveling with is their parent or legal guardian.

How much does TSA PreCheck cost?

$85 dollars for each person applying for TSA Precheck (as of May 2022). If you also combine it with Global Entry, the combined fee is $100.

How long is TSA PreCheck good for?

Five years and the renewal fee, which can be done online, is $70 as of May 2022.

Click here for more information on tsa precheck.

Global Entry

Global Entry is a pre-screening for U.S. immigration. If you have Global Entry and return to the U.S through any port of entry, you can use the electronic machines to scan your passport. You will receive a receipt that allows you to bypass the long immigration lines, especially those at larger airports. This service is invaluable if you are trying to make a connecting flight as immigration line waits can be as long as 90 minutes.

So who is eligible for Global Entry? (the information comes from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website)

U.S. citizens, U.S. lawful permanent residents and citizens of the following countries are eligible for Global Entry membership:

Citizens of Argentina Citizens of BrazilCitizens of IndiaCitizens of ColombiaCitizens of United KingdomCitizens of GermanyCitizens of PanamaCitizens of SingaporeCitizens of South Korea Citizens of SwitzerlandCitizens of Taiwan Mexican nationals

Canadian citizens and residents are eligible for Global Entry benefits through membership in the NEXUS program.

If you are under the age of 18, you must have your parent or legal guardian’s consent to participate in the program.

Can I apply for Global Entry online?

Yes and no. You can fill out the paperwork online, but you will have to undergo an in-person security screening where they will take your fingerprints. Most airports now have GE offices for these screenings and in more rural areas, it may be done by appointment at some post offices.

How much does it cost?

$100 per application. (if you are applying for TSA PreCheck at the same time, you can save money as it’s $100 for both per application). (prices as of May 2022)

How long is Global Entry good for?

Five years, but it expires on your birthday of that year. It can be renewed online. It costs $100 to renew (as of May 2022).

CLick here for more information on Global Entry.

I hope this information helps. During the pandemic, the government wasn’t taking any new applications but from my research it appears they are operational again. If you think applying for these services is worth it, I suggest you give yourself enough time to apply and get your interviews. Depending on where you live, the process could take months. Good luck and Bon Voyage! I hope you all have a great summer of travel and fun.

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How Myths, Fairytales, and Legends Created the Deadly Force Romantic Suspense Series

An edited repost from the archives.

Now that Forever and Always, the prequel to Every Deep Desire is out in the world (in the Hope for Ukraine Anthology), I want to talk about the myths/fairytales/legends that inspired my Deadly Force romantic suspense series, including my debut novel Every Deep Desire. The first four myths discussed pertain to the heroine, Juliet. Rafe, the hero, is based on the fifth one.

Although Every Deep Desire is a contemporary romantic suspense with a sexy, ex-Green Beret hero, the story’s protagonist is his wife Juliet, a beautiful landscape architect. Rafe has a tortured backstory, but Juliet has the harder job. She must learn to love again. Early in their marriage, Rafe abandoned Juliet and, although she rebuilt her life, she never recovered her heart. Juliet’s character arc from a woman betrayed to a woman who chooses love draws from two myths, one fairytale, and a play. The two myths are the Greek stories of Ariadne and Persephone who overcome their tragic love stories to win their HEAs.

Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, fell in love with a prisoner named Theseus. When Theseus faced the Minotaur in the labyrinth, Ariadne offered Theseus a sword to kill the beast and a ball of string to help him return. Theseus succeeded, took Ariadne to Naxos, and abandoned her. After years of sadness, and helping the people of Naxos by building gardens and growing food, Ariadne fell in love with the god Dionysus. They married, had five sons, and lived happily ever after.

Persephone was abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld until her mother Demeter complained. Persephone was allowed to leave but, since she’d eaten three pomegranate seeds, she had to spend three months (winter) of every year with Hades. Despite disliking the arrangement, Persephone became queen of the underworld and helped souls—dead and alive. And every spring she returned, filling the world with beauty and fragrance.

In both stories, neither heroine has a point of view. Ariadne’s story is told in Theseus’s tales. Demeter and Hades speak for Persephone. Yet, this lack of voice reveals these goddesses’ courageous choices, selflessness, and grace when faced with heartache. We see them through their actions, not their words. And that’s what I wanted for my heroine Juliet Capel. She was traumatized by an early love and suffered before becoming a landscape architect in Savannah, GA—the city of gardens and labyrinths. She, too, has no voice in the beginning. Yet, as she changes, her voice—and her actions—are the only things that can save those she loves.

My third inspiration for Juliet is Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault in La Belle au bois (Little Briar Rose) in 1697. While other sources portray Briar Rose as a passive victim of fate, Perrault offers something new. Briar Rose, cursed by an evil fairy, pricks her finger and falls asleep until a prince wakes her with a kiss. Although they’re in love, she convinces the prince to marry in secret. His mother is an ogress and Briar Rose is concerned about the evil fairy. They hide in the woods until her mother-in-law/ogress tries to kill their two children and serve them for dinner. But Briar Rose outwits the ogress and saves her children.

What I love about Perrault’s version is that the heroine falls asleep a cursed, young princess and wakes up a strong-willed queen who’ll do anything to save her family. In Every Deep Desire, Juliet believed in love, had her heart broken and shut down her emotions, only to be reawakened as a woman who does things she never thought she’d do—like stand up to a group of ex-Green Berets and the leader of a secret army of assassins in order to protect those she loves.

The fourth inspiration is Romeo and Juliet. Every Deep Desire is a redemption of Shakespeare’s tragic love story. I’ve always wondered what the lovers’ marriage would’ve been like had they lived. If their passion would’ve dissipated or increased with maturity. When Juliet’s young marriage died a metaphorical death, fulfilling her father’s warnings, she shut down emotionally. It’s not until Rafe returns and forces her to face her life (an awakening) that she realizes, in order to truly live, she must risk her heart again. I was also inspired by the original source material Shakespeare based his play on the narrative poem by Matteo Bandello called Giulietta e Romeo. In this original version of the story, the protagonist is Juliet—not Romeo or any of male relatives. She drives the plot and the decisions straight to the tragic end.

The fifth story—a legend—is about the hero. Rafe is an ex-Green Beret who left his A-team and abandoned his wife to join the Fianna—a secret army known for its brutal training and covert assassinations. The idea of a secret army of assassins is based on the stories of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the hero of the Fenian Cycle of Celtic Poetry. Fionn and his men lived in 1stcentury AD Ireland. When Rome invaded Britain, Fionn gathered men, trained them hard, and attacked Rome’s legions. The key thing about Fionn’s men, and the Fianna army in Every Deep Desire, is that they had to give up everything tying them to this world, including everyone they loved. In Rafe’s case, he gave up the men in his unit and his beloved wife.

When Rafe returns to protect Juliet from an enemy of the Fianna, he finds a woman so shut off from her emotions that she’s only half living. His goal is to take down the enemy and teach her that if she wants a full life, she must open her heart. Except Rafe has been gone a long time and, despite the fact he’s returned a sexy man who still loves her, she can’t return his love. As she helps him find his enemy, and begins to open her heart, she doesn’t discover until the end that their success means they’ll be separated forever. Juliet then has to decide whether or not she cares enough about Rafe to outwit a unit of ex-Green Berets and the leader of the Fianna—not with violence or weapons, but with grace, dignity, and a fierce, feminine courage. A courage modeled by Ariadne, Persephone, and Briar Rose. A courage driven by an epic, forever kind of love.

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