Shail Rajan's Blog, page 7

New Cover & A New Series!

I'm so excited to share this news!! When I first published my debut The Summer Breeze, I released it with a homemade cover (thereby breaking one of the basic rules of publishing!) and without any expectations on how well the book would do. But now, here I am a little over two years since that day, and I am still finding new readers who enjoy the book and want more! So much so, that what I knew in my heart was just the beginning of the journey for these characters is now officially just that - the beginning!

I’m thrilled to share the launch of The Summer Breeze SERIES with a brand new book cover for Book 1 - The Summer Breeze Bed & Breakfast! If you're a fan of heartwarming stories with a dash of humor and a dollop of romance, you're going to love this series!

Book 2 cover & title reveal coming soon! Which means there’s still time to read Book 1! It's available in both eBook and paperback, and you can read it for FREE on Kindle Unlimited by clicking on this LINK.

Cover RE-Reveal for The Summer Breeze!

Yup, you read that right! It's time for a cover RE-reveal! I’m so excited to share the launch of The Summer Breeze Series with a brand new cover for the first book in the series, The Summer Breeze Bed & Breakfast!

When I first published my debut novel The Summer Breeze, I had zero expectations on how it would do. I wasn’t sure whether it would flop or hit the bestsellers list (it did neither!). But here I am a little over two years later, and I’m still finding new readers who enjoy the book and want more! So much so, that what I knew in my heart was just the beginning of the journey for all my characters is now officially just that, the beginning!

“Utterly Delightful! This is a new author for me and I can't begin to tell you how very much I enjoyed this book. It is very well written and engaging throughout the book. I can't wait for her next one!”

5 ⭐ Amazon Review

"Loved it. I really enjoyed this novel. The descriptions are detailed and vivid, and I loved the characters. Ready for the next book!”

5 ⭐ Amazon Review

So, without further ado, here's the new cover!

I had my first book signing and...

I had my very first book signing event at a major retail store this past weekend! I can't even tell you how nervous I was in the days leading up to it, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would people dismiss me? Would they avoid making eye contact? Would they be friendly and want to learn more about my author journey? Would I even be able to step out of my comfort zone to try to get complete strangers to talk to me? These questions buzzed around in my head all week, but what actually ended up happening caught me completely off guard.

I met so many lovely readers who were genuinely excited to read a book by an unknown-to-them author...people who returned my smile and were happy to spend a few moments learning about me and the book I was signing. And you know what else happened? I sold out of every single copy of The Recipient. Including the few extra the staff brought out at the very end. Every. Single. Copy.

Check out these photos of some of the new friends I made!

[image error][image error][image error][image error]

As always, I'm wishing you happy reading

RECIPE: Creamy Campanelle With Sweet Corn, Green Peas & Parmesan

I'm lucky enough to have an amazing farmer's market nearby, and even more lucky to have one particular farmer who texts me a list of the fresh fruit and veggies she'll have at her stand every week. Saturday mornings for me are a feast for the eyes as I plan out the dishes we'll be eating over the next few days - many of which will end up making their way into my writing! I love weaving in food throughout my stories, and readers of The Summer Breeze series and my new release The Recipient seem to enjoy the "food porn" as much as I do! If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it!

Since sweet corn and shelling peas are in season, I put my own spin on a recipe that combines both with my children's new favorite pasta shape, Campanelle.

Start by cooking the pasta according to package directions. When there 3 minutes left, add 1 cup of fresh peas. Finish cooking, drain, and set aside being sure to reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water. While the pasta is cooking, melt 3 Tbsn butter in a large skillet. Sprinkle in 3/4 Tbsn flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes on medium-low heat. Don't let it burn. Add 2-3 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 cup of vegetable broth, 1 Tbsn lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning mix. Simmer on medium-low for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of heavy cream and 3 cups of fresh corn. Let it simmer until it reaches the consistency you like. Stir in as much freshly grated Parmesan as your heart desires. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Remove from heat and toss in pasta and peas. Adjust the sauce by adding the reserved pasta water as needed. Sneak in a few bites and adjust the seasoning as needed.

As always, wishing you happy eating and happy reading!

New book launch & that little orange flag

Life has been crazy hectic these past few months with ups (Li'l Bug - my new baby nephew, an amazing trip to Maui), downs (we were the victims of a vehicular hit and run!) and everything in between (work, kids, volunteering). You know how that story goes.

BUT...I am so excited to share that I finally launched my new emotional suspense novel The Recipient! I started working on this book back in December 2020, soon after I hit the publish button for The Summer Breeze. I know many of you are waiting for book 2 in that series, and I promise it's coming soon! But the characters in this book got a hold of me and wouldn't let me go until I told their stories.

AND...I decided to try a couple of new things this time around.

First, I worked with a professional cover designer, and I couldn't be happier with the results!

I'd love to hear what you think. What emotions does the cover evoke? Did it entice you to read the book? Does it reflect the vibe of the book?

The second new thing I tried was "going wide." Sounds funny, right? Basically, what it means is that instead of publishing exclusively through Amazon, I chose to have both the ebook and paperback versions of The Recipient available across multiple retailers - like Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Google Play, etc. Do you have a preferred retailer when you go to buy books? Do you like to physically flip through the pages before deciding?

While things with the launch didn't go quite as smoothly as I had hoped (and really, does anything ever go smoothly?), I have learned so much and can't wait to apply it for my next release. And the next one after that. And the next

The one thing that went better than expected was getting the coveted little orange Amazon flag next to my book when I hit the top 30 in a category! I was completely unprepared for the thrill it would bring me, and I have you to thank for it!

RECIPE: Vegetarian Cubanos

I'm a sucker for all food-related entertainment. Shows, movies, photos, TikTok videos, you name it! If someone is cooking, you can bet I'll be watching! And I'm always - ALWAYS - trying to figure out if I can find a way to put a vegetarian twist on a dish. This is one of the new go-to favorites at our house inspired by the movie Chef starring Jon Favreau and Sofia Vergara. If you've seen the movie, you know that most of the dishes involve lots of big chunks of meat, but, since we're all vegetarians, I had to come up with an alternative that would still pack a flavorful punch. I think I've finally got it! I'm telling you, you have to try it! So gooooooood!

PS: I got so excited to sink my teeth in that I forgot to take the photo until after I had my first bite!

I think it's best to prep all the ingredients in advance.

French rolls cut in half Fried eggs (1/sandwich) Yellow mustard Swiss cheese (1 slice/sandwich) BBQ tofu warmed up (I like Hodo brand BBQ tofu. If you can't find it, just drain & dice some firm tofu, lightly sauté it, and add your favorite BBQ sauce) Kosher dill pickles (sandwich slices work best)

Once you've got all these items ready, it's time to assemble the Veggie Cubano. I don't have a panini press, so this is how I made mine.

Pre-heat a griddle on med-high heat Spread butter on the griddle Place the bottom half of a French roll on the butter and press down on it with a spatula until it is nice and flat Spread yellow mustard on top, add a heap of tofu, a fried egg, a slice of Swiss, a slice of pickle and the top half of the roll Press down on the sandwich again Butter the top of the sandwich and flip over with a spatula. Press down again. Once the roll is golden brown on both sides, you're ready to enjoy.

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, a little sweet, a little savory, a little tangy. Just delicious. You can thank me later.

RECIPE: Veggie Cubanos

I'm a sucker for all food-related entertainment. Shows, movies, photos, TikTok videos, you name it! If someone is cooking, you can bet I'll be watching! And I'm always - ALWAYS - trying to figure out if I can find a way to put a veggie twist on a dish. This is one of the new go-to favorites at our house inspired by the movie Chef starring Jon Favreau and Sofia Vergara. If you've seen the movie, you know that most of the dishes involve lots of big chunks of meat, but, since we're all vegetarians, I had to come up with an alternative that would still pack a flavorful punch. I think I've finally got it! I'm telling you, you have to try it! So gooooooood!

PS: I got so excited to sink my teeth in that I forgot to take the photo until after I had my first bite!

I think it's best to prep all the ingredients in advance.

French rolls cut in half Fried eggs (1/sandwich) Yellow mustard Swiss cheese (1 slice/sandwich) BBQ tofu warmed up (I like Hodo brand BBQ tofu. If you can't find it, just drain & dice some firm tofu, lightly sauté it, and add your favorite BBQ sauce) Kosher dill pickles (sandwich slices work best)

Once you've got all these items ready, it's time to assemble the Veggie Cubano. I don't have a panini press, so this is how I made mine.

Pre-heat a griddle on med-high heat Spread butter on the griddle Place the bottom half of a French roll on the butter and press down on it with a spatula until it is nice and flat Spread yellow mustard on top, add a heap of tofu, a fried egg, a slice of Swiss, a slice of pickle and the top half of the roll Press down on the sandwich again Butter the top of the sandwich and flip over with a spatula. Press down again. Once the roll is golden brown on both sides, you're ready to enjoy.

Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, a little sweet, a little savory, a little tangy. Just delicious. You can thank me later.

RECIPE: Potato & Onion Bourekas

As the weather starts to get cooler and the leaves begin to change color (and new episodes of the Great British Baking Show start up again!), I love the idea of baking savory treats and having the aromas fill my kitchen. I think that's exactly how things would be in the kitchen at Bertha's Bakery on Main Street in the heart of Seneca Springs (the fictional, lakeside town where portions of The Summer Breeze take place). Nothing too fancy or fussy, just warm and hearty, like these easy to make bourekas - crispy and flaky on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside. Just delicious and incredibly easy to make, as long as you don't mind some imperfections in size and shape. I like to think of it as rustic. I first tried Bourekas at a local patisserie several years ago and have enjoyed them ever since. The best thing about them is that you can pretty much fill them with whatever stuffing you like. I had potatoes and onions on hand, so....I've also made them with spinach and feta and an assortment of cheeses.

Thaw 2 sheets of puff pastry according to package instructions. Preheat oven to 350 and prep two sheet pans with parchment paper. Peel and dice two medium sized potatoes. Boil in salted water until tender. Caramelize 1 thinly slice yellow onion in olive oil. Salt & pepper to taste. Drain the potatoes and let cool. Mash in a small bowl. Add caramelized onions. Season with Italian seasoning mix. Adjust salt & pepper as needed. Beat one egg and add to the potato mixture. Stir to combine. Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to 12"x12". Cut each sheet into 9 equal squares. Place a spoonful of the mixture in each square and fold to make a triangle. Crimp the edges with a fork. Mix one egg yolk with 2 tspn cold water and brush over top of triangles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 35 minutes.

Halloween & Imposter Syndrome

I had stopped dressing up for Halloween a long time ago...but I picked it up again when my kids were young and have been doing it every year since - who knew it could be so much fun to dress up like a chef, a rock star, the elementary school principal? But the good thing about Halloween is that it's just one day of pretending to be something you're not.

It's not at all what I feel like I've been doing since December 9, 2020 when I declared to my family, friends, and perfect strangers that I had written a book - that I was a writer. An author. I still have trouble saying it. I wish there was the option of calling myself a "storyteller" and leaving it at that. But it's not that easy, and after all these months, I still struggle with saying the words "I'm an author." Instead, I settle for "I just published my first novel." As if I had nothing to do with the writing part of it. I mean, let's be honest. I haven't won any awards, I'm not on any bestseller list. I'm not (gasp) traditionally published. But strangers have paid real money for my books. They have read tens of thousands of pages written by me. They have enjoyed my story. Maybe those are the things that define me as a writer.

And, oh man my friends, do I love writing! The process of creating characters and bringing them to life is one of my favorite things to do. It brings me so much joy to give them relationships to navigate, obstacles to overcome, idiosyncrasies to make them relatable, and plenty of food to eat. All these years I've been writing, I never imagined I'd ever put myself out there - put my stories out there - for others to read. But I did it. And I'm going o do it again. And again. Because, I am not a professional chef or a rock star or an elementary school principal. l am a writer. An author.

[image error][image error][image error]

RECIPE: Cumin & Lime Chopped Salad

I imagine Callie making this for lunch on a quiet Sunday afternoon when all her guests are out enjoying everything the Finger Lakes has to offer. It’s just her and Lynette at The Summer Breeze...I can't tell you how often I wish I could join them for some quiet conversation and companionable silence. We would go outside to eat on the back porch steps, looking out at Cayuga Lake and the beautiful greenery all around. I suppose some of the leaves are probably turning towards the vibrant colors that signal the coming of autumn. Close your eyes for just a moment and imagine yourself there with us.

To make this easy, flavorful salad:

Drain and rinse one can of black beans and one can of whole kernel corn. Heat 1 Tbspn of olive oil in a skillet and add red pepper flakes to taste. Season with salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of cumin powder (or more to taste). Sauté for just a few minutes. Set aside. Dice 3-4 tomatoes, 1/2 red onion, red chili (make it as spicy as you like). Add to a large bowl. Wash and mince a generous handful of cilantro. Add to bowl. Wash and thinly slice romaine lettuce. Add to bowl. Season lightly with salt. Add black bean and corn mixture to the bowl. Dice 1 avocado and add to bowl. In a separate, small bowl add 1/4 cup of sour cream, juice of 1/2-1 lime, and a teaspoon of cumin powder (more to taste). Toss the salad together and let sit for a few minutes before serving.