Sharon Wray's Blog, page 48

Sarah Munro’s Lavender Bath Milk

After a long day of working in the garden, I love to soak in the tub. I also love to add bath salts, but so many of them have food dyes that end up staining my white tub. So I cobbled together a few recipes to come up with this one that uses dried lavender from the garden (which adds anti-stress aromas to the bath) as well as dried powdered milk, oatmeal, essential oils, and salt. For this recipe both sea salt and plain Epsom salt works really well.

The milk and the oatmeal help nourish dry skin, and the scent of lavender oil can lower your stress levels. People have been soaking in salts for centuries as salt because it helps increase circulation, calms irritated skin, and can ease sore muscles, especially after working the garden. For this reason, Sarah Munro, (my PhD historian and heroine in book 2 of the Deadly Force series, ONE DARK WISH), has added this recipe her collection of DIY herbal recipes.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and are enjoying time in a garden, even if it’s not your own.

Sarah Munro’s Lavender Bath MilkIngredients:1 cup rolled oats1 cup powdered milk10 drops essential lavender oil1/2 cup sea salt or plain Epsom salts4 Tablespoons dried lavender podsClean glass jar with tight-fitting lidDirections:

Using a food processor or a blender, mix together the oats, powdered milk, and lavender oil.

Pour the salt into the jar. Add the oats/powdered milk mixture on top, making sure to layer the ingredients and not mix them. Add lavender flowers/pods on top for the final layer. Seal the jar. The bath milk with last in a sealed jar for up to six months. This makes a great gift!

TO USE: Run water in the tub and add the entire contents of the glass jar. Let the mixture dissolve and enjoy your bath!

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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Happy Memorial Day

May all of those warriors who’ve come before us, and those who will come after, walk with the angels and Rest In Peace.

Wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, I hope you all have a happy and safe Memorial Day.

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Carrot Cake

What a busy month it’s been! I’ve had two books release (Love’s Last Kiss, a full-length novel in my Deadly Force series & a short story in the Hope for Ukraine Anthology). My son also graduated from college, and we celebrated Mother’s Day. So with all of these things going on, including the upcoming holiday weekend, I decided to make my favorite cake for the graduation and book release parties: Carrot Cake.

I love Carrot Cake because it’s easy, tastes delicious (and isn’t too sweet), and I can count my dessert as a vegetable. The recipe below is one I’ve been using for years. It’s been adapted and re-adapted and I can’t remember where I found the original recipe. But it’s similar to all the other recipes out there. I hope you enjoy this last week of May, especially Memorial Day on Monday. Have a great weekend and I’ll see you next week!

Sharon Wray

Yields 1 cake

Serves Serves 12

0The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Carrot Cake

This cake isn't hard, but it does take some time if you grate the carrots yourself. I've purchased grated carrots but they always seem drier than freshly-grated carrots. This recipe can be made a day or two ahead, but I usually frost it the day I serve it. I have also made the cake layers and frozen them for future use. But this only works if I have room in my freezer!

40 minPrep Time

40 minCook Time

1 hr, 20 Total Time

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Ingredients

Cake2 cups flour2 teaspoons baking soda1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon1 ¼ cups grapeseed oil1 cup sugar1 cup lightly-packed brown sugar1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract4 large eggs3 cups grated peeled carrots (5 to 6 medium carrots)1 cup coarsely chopped pecans1/2 cup raisinsFrosting8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature1 ¼ cups powdered sugar1/3 cup heavy whipping cream1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, for topping cake

Instructions

CakePreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and grease the top of the paper.In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk until blended.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the grapeseed oil, sugars, and pure vanilla. Once it is all blended, whisk in the eggs one at a time.Make sure the batter is blended but do not overbeat the eggs.Using a rubber spatula, slowly scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl until the batter is in the canter of the bowl.With a large spoon, slowly add the flour mixture, about a cup at a time. Stir until the batter is smooth.Slowly stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins until the batter is thick and well blended.Divide the batter, pouring the batter Into the 2 prepared cake pans.Bake the cake about 40 minutes. Check the cake at 35 minutes but don't bake more than 45 minutes. Cake is done with the top of springy and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.Take the pans out of the oven and set on a metal baking rack. Let the cakes sit for 15 minutes.Turn the cakes out of the pans and allow to cool completely. Peel off the baking paper, if necessary.FrostingUsing an electric mixer, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese for about 1 minute until smooth and creamy.Slowly beat in the confectioner's sugar, about a 1/4 cup at a time. Beat until fluffy.Beat in the cream, using a medium speed, for 1 minute.Cover and chill the frosting until ready to use.Once the cake laters are cool, frost the top of one cake layer. Place the second later on top, and frost the top. I like to leave the sides unfrosted, but if you have extra frosting it's totally up to you if you want to frost the sides. Top with extra chopped pecans.7.8.1.2226https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-carrot-cake/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-carrot-cake\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Carrot Cake","description" : "This cake isn't hard, but it does take some time if you grate the carrots yourself. I've purchased grated carrots but they always seem drier than freshly-grated carrots. This recipe can be made a day or two ahead, but I usually frost it the day I serve it. I have also made the cake layers and frozen them for future use. 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Prep & Plan: Week Twenty-Nine

We’ve been talking about storing winter clothes and swapping them out for summer things, but I wanted to do a quick post about winter sweaters. Especially those sweaters that have become itchy over the season. As we wear wool and acrylic sweaters, the fibers break (even if you can’t see them) and the raggedy edges cause itching. But since it’s no fun to take out sweaters in the Fall and remember that they were itchy (and maybe dirty), it’s best to deal with the itchy problem now. The steps below might seem strange, but the white vinegar and hair conditioner soften the fibers and freezing the sweater prevents the shorter fibers from poking out and scratching you. I promise you this works!

Even the itchiest sweater can be saved, and I’ve outlined the steps below.Saving an Itchy SweaterFirst, make sure the sweater is clean and free from stains. If necessary, spot clean the stains and let dry.Turn the sweater inside out. Fill a clean sink or bucket with cold water and add a 1/4 cup of white vinegar. (don’t worry, the smell will evaporate)Submerge the sweater in the vinegar-water and soak for one hour.You’ll need four clean, dry towels. Lay one on a table or counter. Set the other three aside.Drain the sweater by rolling it as you lift it out of the water. Place the sweater on the towel on the counter or table. Beginning at the bottom, roll the sweater inside the towel, squeezing along the way. Do not wring the sweater or you will stretch it out. Roll the sweater a few times until most of the water is absorbed by the towel.Transfer the sweater to a dry towel and lay on the counter or table.Using a good hair conditioner (the cheap conditioner has extra fillers that you don’t want), squeeze a few blobs of conditioner onto the sweater and massage it into all the fibers, front and back. Make sure to get the sleeves and collars as well. You can’t use too much conditioner so don’t be shy about using it. Make sure you do this gently so you don’t break more fibers or stretch the sweater. So work slowly. Let the sweater sit for 30 minutes. Then place the sweater into another bucket or sink filled with clean, cold water. Gently squeeze the sweater to work out the conditioner. Be careful not to stretch the sweater. Rinse and squeeze for about ten minutes. Then roll the sweater as you lift it out of the water.Just like you did before, lay the sweater on a dry towel and roll it until most of the water is absorbed. Lay the sweater on the fourth dry towel and let dry completely, making sure to turn it over so both sides dry equally.Once the sweater is dry, fold it gently and place it in a large ziplock bag. Place this bag in the freezer (I am not kidding!) and let it sit for 24 hours.The next day, remove the sweater and lay it on a table or counter for another hour to make sure it’s completely dry. Once it’s dry, store it for the season.Subscribe

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A Day of Decoration

Memorial Day is coming up so I thought I’d write a quick essay on the history of the holiday. On May 5, 1868, three years after the Civil War ended, The Grand Army of the Republic (a group of Union veterans), thought that the country should have a day designated to cleaning up the graves of the war dead and placing flowers on the headstones. They decided on May 30th because it was a day when flowers would be blooming throughout most of the country.

The first event was held on the property around a mansion in Arlington, VA which had been the home of General Robert E. Lee. During the war, the Union began burying soldiers on the property and it eventually became known as Arlington National Cemetery. Anyway, there were dignitaries and speeches and both Union and Confederate soldiers laid flowers on graves.

Yet, while that is the official story, the idea for decorating graves of dead soldiers began a few years earlier in Columbus, Mississippi on April 25, 1866. A group of women visited a run-down Confederate cemetery for soldiers who’d died in the Battle of Shiloh. They cleaned up the leaves and brush left over from winter and laid flowers on the headstones. But they noticed a separate part of the cemetery that was even more neglected with many unnamed tombs. As they cleaned those up as well, they discovered graves of Union soldiers. By the time they were finished, all of the graves were cleaned and decorated with flowers and no one knew who fought for which side.

There are a bunch of other cities, including Macon and Columbus, GA as well as Richmond, VA, who claim similar stories. Where war widows decided to clean up Civil War graves and leave flowers, mostly in the south were the majority of the soldiers of both sides had died and were buried. By the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day was being celebrated all over the country. Many of these events were local and informal and they always included the cleaning of graves and the laying of flowers. Eventually, individual state legislatures passed laws marking the day as a local holiday.

After WWI, Memorial Day was expanded to honor all those who died in battle on behalf of the country. In 1971, Congress made Memorial Day a national holiday always on the last Monday in May. Some towns still call the holiday Decoration Day, and there are still some friendly disputes about where the idea originally came from. Although, technically, the idea of honoring false soldiers dates back to the Peloponnesian War (24 centuries ago) when Pericles, the Athenian leader, offered a tribute to his soldiers who’d died in the war: “Not only are they commemorated by columns and inscriptions, but there dwells also an unwritten memorial of them, graven not on stone but in the hearts of men.”

In December 2000, Congress passed a law called “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” P.L. 106-579″. This act created the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance whose charter is to “encourage the people of the United States to give something back to their country, which provides them so much freedom and opportunity” by celebrating Memorial Day with a National Moment of Remembrance. This moment of remembrance asks all Americans, at 3 pm, to offer a moment of silence in memory of those who’ve died for this nation. It is a way to remind us of why we celebrate Memorial Day.

Regardless of how you celebrate next week, I wish you all a safe and happy Memorial Day.

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Hope for Ukraine Release Day!

Today is the day that the charity anthology, Hope for Ukraine, meets the world! I’m so excited to be a part of this project and to have my short story, Forever and Always, included with other amazing stories of hope, courage, strength, and love.

My story, Forever and Always, is a prequel to Every Deep Desire (book 1 in the bestselling Deadly Force series). It takes place on the day Juliet Capel and Rafe Montfort get married in spite of a 17th century curse, her angry father, and the disapproval of those who live on Isle of Grace where Rafe and Juliet grew up.

She must fight against a 17th century curse

Juliet Capel, from a remote southern sea isle shrouded in history and secrets, has always feared the Capel curse. A centuries-old story that says a Capel woman will never find happiness with a man from the Montfort family. Yet, despite the threats of death and destruction, she’s determined to marry Rafe Montfort, the only man she’s ever loved. Except her father won’t walk her down the aisle, the people of the isle refuse to come to the wedding, and a missing package means she’s a bride without a dress. 

to save their happy ending.

Green Beret Rafe Montfort is determined to marry the woman he’s adored his entire life. But first he has to convince the people of Isle of Grace, where they both grew up, to support Juliet on her wedding day despite an accused witch’s curse and her father’s fear of strange bowing men who roam the isle. Then Rafe must prove to Juliet the 17th century curse isn’t real and that risking her heart is the only way to find a forever-and-always kind of love. Even if it means leaving the isle, and everyone she loves, behind forever.

From the Publisher ~ “The struggles faced by the Ukrainian people are grave, their situation heart-wrenching. But their bravery during these dark days has been a light that has captivated and won the hearts of the world. The stories compiled in Hope for Ukraine seek to capture the essence of resilience and courage that we see daily in the Ukrainian people. This anthology includes tales of perseverance, overcoming insurmountable odds, sacrifice, tenacity, and redemption from a variety of genres.
While no one knows what the future holds, one thing is clear: the road forward for Ukraine will be a difficult one. As such, all proceeds from sales of Hope for Ukraine will be donated to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, in the hopes that we, too, can be a beacon of light, love, and hope for those facing darkness and despair.”

List of stories and contributing authors:

* Forever and Always by Sharon Wray

* Sunflowers are Yellow by Kim Adkins

*Trust Your Instincts by Lauren Hanson

*Battle of a Lifetime by Lore Nicole

*Deep Roots by Kate Seger

*Sacrifices by Maria Delaney

*A Sunrise on Occupied Lands by F. Stephan

*Love Letter by Tracy Broemer

*Totally Stepped by Zoey Indiana

*Homecoming by Wren Michaels

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Hope for Ukraine Anthology

I’m so excited about tomorrow because it’s the day that Hope for Ukraine, an anthology of stories filled with hope and love, releases. This collection of short stories includes Forever and Always, my short story that takes places in the Deadly Force world. There are stories for everyone in this anthology from sweet to funny to quirky. A few stories tie in to existing series with favorite characters and there are some stand-alone stories as well.

Per the publisher: “The struggles faced by the Ukrainian people are grave, their situation heart-wrenching. But their bravery during these dark days has been a light that has captivated and won the hearts of the world. 

The stories compiled in Hope for Ukraine seek to capture the essence of resilience and courage that we see daily in the Ukrainian people. This anthology includes tales of perseverance, overcoming insurmountable odds, sacrifice, tenacity, and redemption from a variety of genres. While no one knows what the future holds, one thing is clear: the road forward for Ukraine will be a difficult one. As such, all proceeds from sales of Hope for Ukraine will be donated to the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, in the hopes that we, too, can be a beacon of light, love, and hope for those facing darkness and despair.”

In anticipation of tomorrow’s release, here are a few of the blurbs from the included short stories. We hope you enjoy the stories as much as well loved writing them!

Deep Roots by Kate Seger

Deep Roots by Kate Seger follows an unnamed woman and her four-year-old daughter as they embark upon a harrowing journey to flee their war-torn homeland. This tale embodies the spirit of refugees everywhere – forced to leave their homes and family behind with only the possessions they can carry in their arms – a testament to the strength of the human spirit. 

A Sunrise on Occupied Lands by F. Stephan

Freed Alonia is peaceful now. And how could it be otherwise when every caught opponent is booby trapped? When any dissident can be transformed, through wiring and remote control, into an agent of the occupying forces? What could Dom, a village’s doctor old and alone, do to fight back?

Love Letter by Tracy Broemmer

Love Letter by Tracy Broemmer is a contemporary romance about Hunter who is in love with his best friend; he has been for a while. She’s pushed him away each time he’s hinted at anything more than friendship. Tonight, Hunter lays it all on the line with a love letter. All she has to do is say yes. Sloane is afraid to lose her best friend if they try love and fail. But she’s running out of time. Hunter is moving across the country to start a new life—unless she says yes. Let him leave and lose him? Or gamble at love and see what happens?

Sunflowers are Yellow by Kim Adkins

Sunflowers are Yellow by Kim Adkins follows Doctor Stan Bubbles as he was eight and a half years before his debut novel. About a year and a half prior he had returned to Farysha, his home country, after spending most of his life studying abroad at the top universities. What he found was not what he remembered from his childhood; a totalitarian dictatorship that now had him trapped within the borders. Feeling that he has no other choice, he continues his work as a doctor under a different surname, slowly loosing hope in the world around him. That is, until a small refugee is flown in and needs his help.

Battle of a Lifetime by Lore Nicole

Battle of a Lifetime by Lore Nicole is a short memoir piece on Lore’s personal fight with endometriosis. She hopes to provide information, hope, and even solidarity to others that may also be struggling.

Trust Your Instincts by Lauren Hanson

Trust Your Instincts by Lauren Hanson is a short memoir piece on a mother and her young son’s battle with the unknown. This story is for those who see their children suffering but doctors shrug off their concerns. Lauren fought for answers and little Jr will now be five this July.

Forever and Always by Sharon Wray

Forever and Alway by Sharon Wray is about Juliet Capel, a woman from a remote southern sea isle shrouded in history and secrets, who has always feared the Capel curse. A centuries-old story that says a Capel woman will never find happiness with a man from the Montfort family. Yet, despite the threats of death and destruction, she’s determined to marry Rafe Montfort, the only man she’s ever loved. Except her father won’t walk her down the aisle, the people of the isle refuse to come to the wedding, and a missing package means she’s a bride without a dress. 

Green Beret Rafe Montfort is determined to marry the woman he’s adored his entire life. But first he has to convince the people of Isle of Grace, where they both grew up, to support Juliet on her wedding day despite an accused witch’s curse and her father’s fear of strange bowing men who roam the isle. Then Rafe must prove to Juliet the 17th century curse isn’t real and that risking her heart is the only way to find a forever-and-always kind of love. Even if it means leaving the isle, and everyone she loves, behind forever.

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The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Grilled German Bratwurst

For my Spring outdoor parties, especially those like grad parties that include a lot of young, hungry adults, I love to serve German Bratwurst. I simmer them first in a good German beer and then cook them quickly on the grill. I serve them on toasted rolls with a variety of mustards and sauerkraut. It also goes great with my favorite German Potato Salad!

For my son and his buddies, I allow 3 bratwursts per person. The women usually only eat 1 bratwurst, and a few people will eat 2. So I figure out how many people are coming and roughly double that number for the number of brats I will need. I always prefer to have extras because they reheat really well and make an easy leftover lunch to bring to work. The great thing about this recipe is that if you simmer the brats first, they only need to be grilled for a few minutes. And since it’s always raining here in Virginia in May, it’s easy to run out and grill in between rain showers.

I hope you all are enjoying this Spring, and that the weather is warm enough to spend outside!

Sharon Wray

Yields 6 servings

The Hungry {Romance Writer: Grilled Bratwurst

Finding great homemade brats can be difficult depending on where you live. I'm lucky that a nearby grocery stores offers a large selection of German meat products and their Oktoberfest brats, which they sell all year long, are my favorite. I serve these with a homemade German Potato Salad and lots of sauerkraut. If you choose not to simmer the brats in beer first, cook them on the grill for 20 minutes, until they are carmelized and reach 160 degrees F.

5 minPrep Time

20 minCook Time

25 minTotal Time

Save Recipe Print Recipe var print_b = document.getElementById('mpp_print_button'); var save_b = document.getElementById('mpp_saverecipe_button'); print_b.onclick = function(){ zlrPrint( "mpprecipe-container-224", "https://sharonwray.com/wp-content/plu...", "mpprecipe-design22", "1", "#" ) }; save_b.onclick = function(){ window.open('https://sharonwray.mealplannerpro.com...' + window.location.href); return false; }; My Recipes My Lists My Calendar

Ingredients

6 German Bratwursts24 ounces of your favorite German or dark beerSauerkrautVarious condiments like German mustardBratwurst Rolls

Instructions

First, make sure your grill racks are squeaky clean!Preheat the grill to 300 degrees F. (It doesn't matter if it's a charcoal, gas, or pellet grill)In the kitchen and while the grill is heating, pour the beer into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and lower the temperature.Add the bratwursts and simmer on low for 15 minutes.Put all of the brats on the grill. Cook them for 3-4 minutes, or until they are carmelized (do not pierce the sausage casings as they will dry out).As they cook, turn continuously so all sides of the brats are cooked. Be careful not to burn them.In the meantime, heat up the sauerkraut.Bratwursts need to reach 160 degrees F before they are ready to eat. Use a meat thermometer towards the end of the cooking time to make sure.Serve immediately on rolls with sauerkraut and your favorite condiments.7.8.1.2224https://sharonwray.com/the-hungry-writer/the-hungry-romance-writer-grilled-german-bratwurst/ { "@context": "http://schema.org/", "url": [ "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/the-hungry-writer\/the-hungry-romance-writer-grilled-german-bratwurst\/" ],"name" : "The Hungry {Romance Writer: Grilled Bratwurst","description" : "Finding great homemade brats can be difficult depending on where you live. I'm lucky that a nearby grocery stores offers a large selection of German meat products and their Oktoberfest brats, which they sell all year long, are my favorite. I serve these with a homemade German Potato Salad and lots of sauerkraut. If you choose not to simmer the brats in beer first, cook them on the grill for 20 minutes, until they are carmelized and reach 160 degrees F.","prepTime" : "PT5M","cookTime" : "PT20M","recipeYield" : "6 servings","datePublished" : "2022-04-19 07:44:14","recipeInstructions":[ { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "First, make sure your grill racks are squeaky clean!" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Preheat the grill to 300 degrees F. (It doesn't matter if it's a charcoal, gas, or pellet grill)" }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In the kitchen and while the grill is heating, pour the beer into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and lower the temperature." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Add the bratwursts and simmer on low for 15 minutes." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Put all of the brats on the grill. Cook them for 3-4 minutes, or until they are carmelized (do not pierce the sausage casings as they will dry out). " }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "As they cook, turn continuously so all sides of the brats are cooked. Be careful not to burn them." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "In the meantime, heat up the sauerkraut." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Bratwursts need to reach 160 degrees F before they are ready to eat. Use a meat thermometer towards the end of the cooking time to make sure." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "text": "Serve immediately on rolls with sauerkraut and your favorite condiments." }],"keywords" : "The Hungry {Romance Writer: Grilled Bratwurst","recipeIngredient" : ["6 German Bratwursts","24 ounces of your favorite German or dark beer","Sauerkraut","Various condiments like German mustard","Bratwurst Rolls"], "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https:\/\/sharonwray.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/8.png" }, "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sharon Wray" }, "@type": "Recipe"} Subscribe

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Prep & Plan Twenty-Seven

Now that Spring is moving into Summer, it’s time to put away the winter clothes and take out the warm-weather items. While this always sounds so easy, as a prepper and planner, I know that it’s not. One of the key things to stay aware of during this process is the idea of “sorting and listing”. Sorting means that as you go through the Winter clothes, you make the hard decisions about what to keep and what to give/throw away. Then, while you’re doing that, start a list of what you’ll need for next year. Are you donating a ski jacket? Great. Will you need a new one next year? Now is the time to look for sales. I know it can be tedious, but next Fall when you pull out all of your clothes, you’ll be grateful that you purchased new hats and gloves for the kids during a Spring sale with huge discounts.

Okay, so you’ve gone through everything. You know what you’re keeping and what you’re giving away and what you need to purchase. Now you need to make sure that everything that is going into storage is clean. It doesn’t have to be dry cleaned, but wool clothes, sweaters, blankets, & coats should be brushed outside to make sure there are no moth eggs. All the snow gear should also be washed so it’s free from dirt/salt that could break down the fibers. There are lots of reasons to make sure that the clothes are clean but one of my favorites is that it’s so nice to pull out clothes for the next season that are clean, that fit, and that you know you’ll use.

But today’s post is specifically about woolens, especially wool sweaters and coats. To make sure they make it through the next two seasons without getting eaten by bugs, and are ready for you when you need them next Fall, here are a few tips for storage.

Storing Wool ClothesMake sure EVERYTHING is clean. Wash the sweaters/blankets/socks etc. and allow them to air dry. Bugs will feast on the smallest amount of food stains or grime. Or, if you prefer, dry clean them. (but do not store them in the dry cleaning bags after you pick them up)Brush out the jackets and coats, especially around pockets, armholes, cuffs, and collars where moth eggs love to hide. Do this outside.Hang wool coats and jackets in cotton storage/hanging bags–individually. That way if one is infected it won’t infect the others. You can put them in any closet, as long as they’re protected by the cotton bags.Add a cedar block to the hanging bag for extra protection.Store all the other woolen items in airtight plastic bins or plastic bags. Add a cedar block to each bin for extra protection. I like to organize the bin by family member.If you have wool handbags or boots (yes, they are both a thing), clean them thoroughly. Then stuff them with tissue paper and put them into a bin with a cedar blocks. (cedar blocks can be purchased in bulk from both Walmart and Amazon).If you purchase any woolen items on sale, clean them well before storing them in separate bins or bags. You have no idea what they’re carrying on them from the store/warehouse.Store the plastic bins in a place without extreme temperature. Under a bed or in the back of a closet is ideal. Uninsulated attics and basements are NOT ideal.

Now that your Winter clothes are clean, organized, and put away, you can take out you Summer things. And, since you went through the same process six months ago when you stored your Summer clothes, they should be all set to go–even if the are a bit wrinkled. Good luck!

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To Defy the Fates

In Love’s Last Kiss, my romantic suspense novel that released yesterday, the hero and heroine (Kade Dolan and Rose Guthrie) are caught in a passionate, star-crossed love story where they believe the Fates are working against them. They have to fight like heck to protect each other and win their happily ever after. Time is–literally–running out for both of them, and Fate isn’t helping.

Like for most of my books, I did a ton of research for Love’s Last Kiss (the next book in the Deadly Force series) including reading up on Greek and Roman mythology. The Fates, aka The Moirai, were three weaving goddesses who assign unique and individual destinies to mortals at birth. Clotho is the Spinner. Lachesis is the Alotter. And Atropos is the Inflexible. In the Greek pantheon, they were the daughter of Nyx (the goddess of night) but in the Roman pantheon they are the triplet daughters of Zeus and Themis, one of the original Titans.

These three sisters had so much power that even their father Zeus, the king of all the gods, had no power to change their decisions. The Greek word “Moira” means “share” or “portion” and includes everything from food to beauty to wealth to victory in battle. The Moirai were “apportioners”, meaning that they gave each person their own portion of everything that life has to offer, including years living on Earth.

These three sisters each had a different “spinning” task. Clotho spun the thread of life, Lachesis measured out each life’s allowed length of time, and Atropos cut the thread with her shears. They were also each assigned a different time period in a person’s life with Atropos watching over a person’s past, Clotho handled the present, and Lachesis protected the person’s future. In Greek and Roman times, these three sisters were represented as beautiful young nymphs. Later on, especially during the Middle Ages, artists represented them as old hags–probably out of anger and revenge for a perceived lack of allotments.

Although their jobs were separate, together they were required to write everything down in the Book of Fate–a story about the life of each and every person ever born. But they were never allowed to intervene in human history–except for that one time. When a mortal named Meleager was born, they told his mother Althaea that her son would live only until the log burning in the hearth burnt to ashes. So she took the log out of the fire and kept it safe. Years later, Meleager killed his uncle’s (Althaea’s brothers) and she was so heartbroken that she burnt the log and killed her own son. Then, filled with despair, she killed herself, proving to the Fates that they should never get involved in the affairs of humans.

And only once were the sisters deceived–by a god named Apollo. Upon learning that his friend Admetus was to die, Apollo got the Fates drunk and convinced them to save Admetus. Because a balance must always be struck (something Rose learns well in Love’s Last Kiss), Apollo had to find another man willing to trade his life for Admetus. When Apollo failed, Admetus’ wife, Alcestis, agreed to give up her life for her husband’s and saved him.

I took this story of Alcestis and wove it into the end of Love’s Last Kiss where the hero, Kade, sacrifices himself for Rose, his heroine. (although I promise it has a happy ending!)

But the sisters of Fate also had a mother–Themis–who was Zeus’ second wife. Themis represented the law and undisputed order: The Divine Right. She created and protected divine laws that govern everything that all humans and gods must adhere to. As a goddess of natural order, she had many daughters, besides the Moirai, including The Hores (The Hours) who represented the seasons as well as the rotation of time until the end of the world. These goddesses were named Eunomia (the protector for Fair Order), Deke (the goddess of trials) and Erene (the goddess of peace). Themis, also a goddess of prophecy, also gave birth to the nymphs, oracles, and Astraea (a virgin goddess of stars from which we get the words “astral” and “astrology”).

Themis was so powerful that she could, if she wanted, stop time or bring and end to the suffering of all humanity. She is often portrayed holding a sword in one hand and a set of scales in the other. The sword represents her protecting humans from the whims of the other gods while the scales tell the world (both humans and gods) that everything in the world must be balanced. A promise for a promise. A death for a death. A life for a life. This is something that the Fianna, the villains in Love’s Last Kiss, take very seriously. It’s also the key to how Rose saves Kade in the end of the book.

A huge thank you to all who read and have reviewed the book already! Reviews are huge to the success of an author’s career. They don’t have to even be great reviews–it’s the number of reviews that get the bots going, not the number of stars. As long as the review is honest, that’s all that matters. I hope you all have a great week!

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