C.H. Admirand's Blog, page 6

Learning New Software vs. Baking by C.H. Admirand

Yesterday I spent 8 hours trying to learn new software before taking a break and then trying for another 3 hours, but ended up totally frustrated and not really figuring it out. In the back of my mind our Purcell ancestor’s family motto whispered: Aut Vincam…Aut Periam, translation: I will either conquer or perish!

So today my outlook is much brighter. I took what I learned from yesterday’s experience and added my own spin on the family motto. Maybe I’m not meant to learn the new software easily (scratch that and insert at all) BUT I can bake! This morning I got up and remembered I’d grated up a bunch of baby carrots yesterday and had the cream cheese softening overnight. Yep in my haste to conquer the software, I forgot I was going to bake Paula Deen’s Super-Yummy Carrot Cake yesterday. I’d purchased her cookbook Paul Deen and Friends Favorite Family Recipes back in November and baked her really decadent carrot cake first thing, then the Pumpkin Cheesecake and the Double Chocolate Pie…*sigh*

The moral of this learning experience, isn’t what I’d initially thought, which was you can’t teach this old dog new tricks. Instead, I’m going back to what I’d always believed when I started writing and submitting my books to editors and agents: Never give up! Even though it didn’t work out as planned, I did learn a few things from the software, not sure when I’ll try to tackle it again, because it takes away from valuable writing time. And I’ve got a bunch of stories that have been sitting on the back burner, just waiting for me to get back to writing them ;)

Hmmm maybe I should write a cookbook next. LOL A bunch of workshops I attended over the last 23 years preached that you should “write what you know.” I’m more of a fan of keeping the old gray matter going by researching and trying new things. So today, I tried a new thing…baking the carrot cake in my favorite spring-form pan instead of the 13 x 9 pan. LOL. Hey, it’s a start.

Oh! I’m trying something really new that I haven’t done in a number of years, so more on that in my next post.

Have a wonderful rest of the day…and remember, when life gets tough…eat cake!

 

And Now For Something Completely Different: Jameson’s BIG Backyard by C.H. & J.L. Admirand

When our daughter and son-in-law announced that they were expecting, we were thrilled for them, and for ourselves at the prospect of becoming grandparents for the first time. But as an author, my brain started thinking of books that might appeal to our darling grandbaby-to-be.

We’ve always loved walks in the woods and being surrounded by Nature in all her glory. One thing led to another, and I started thinking that little ones need to spend more time outside and to get to know the creatures living in their own backyards. Birds, bees, bunnies, bears (yep we do live in the woods…LOL), frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes, creepy-crawlies, etc. 

Once I started thinking of backyards, I started thinking about the puppy we’d rescued when our grandson was two months old. Then life got crazy-busy–fast forward a few years, and we now had two grandsons and another puppy that we’d rescued. What were we thinking? We’d only ever had one dog at a time. In my own defense, I really did think Jamie was lonesome and that Reilly would be a great little puppy brother for him. LOL. Which is why I am now surrounded by men…two of the furry kind and three of the non-furry kind ;)

J.L. and I decided it was time to finish the children’s picture book we’d worked on and talked about. But we wanted it to be more than just Jameson’s story of finding his way to our house, we wanted to encourage parents and their children to learn about their own backyards, Nature, and the importance of opening your home and your hearts to puppies and kittens in need of fur-ever homes.

Jameson’s BIG Backyard is available in print (the best way to read it, IMHO) and in e-book format.

We’ll be releasing the companion coloring book mid-October, so stay tuned for that and Jameson’s next BIG adventure in his BIG backyard ;)

 

 

 

Pics from Lori Foster’s #RAGT17

I’ll admit to being a homebody and panicking whenever I have to leave the comfort of our little cottage in the wilds of northern NJ, but the benefits of attending Lori Foster’s #RAGT17 outweigh the panic attacks. By the time I’ve got the car packed, the checklists checked off, and said my goodbyes, I have second and third thoughts and then my heart starts to race, and…well you get the picture.

BUT, I’m okay once I get in the car and start driving. This year I began the journey with The Kingston Trio and the Everly Brothers, childhood favorites of mine. Dad would always play his Kingston Trio and Everly Brothers records for us…we’d sing along and dance. Dad had a beautiful voice, and I never knew he always wanted to pursue music as a career. The choice wasn’t really his to make, so he became a Chemical Engineer and later a P.E. Growing up he sang whenever there was music to sing-along-to: in the living room, in the car, in church LOL. Now me…I always wanted to be the dancer with the ankle-high-zip-up-the-back-go-go-boots…but that’s a story for another time. Anyway…Music kept me going and from the Everly Brothers, I played Alabama’s Greatest Hits, so the driving seemed to go smoothly. 

Just had to try the fried dill pickle chips when I stopped at Sheets in Ohio…check it out!

When I arrived, I had the greatest surprise of my life…our good friends Sharon and Artie Harbaugh were in the lobby…waiting for me! I’d hoped to see them when I got there but didn’t expect that they’d be waiting up for me to arrive and then help me with two cart-loads full of goodies for the Readers attending the event. Good friends are priceless, and I have been blessed with Sharon and Artie’s friendship. I didn’t get a pic with Art and Sharon this year, but I make sure I do next year.

 

Kudos to the FAB Lori Foster and her team of volunteers for organizing and making sure the event runs smoothly every year. This is no small task for those of you who haven’t been on the other side as I have been…running a conference is hard work! The event is well attended every year with so many familiar faces–I am terrible with names, but remember faces! I love having the opportunity to sit and chat with Reader-friends over breakfast, coffee, during panels and chats.

This pic is with my friend Teresa Kleeman

This pic is with my friend Pilar Cruz…who was so generous bringing a pair of LuLaRoe Leggings for all of the attendees. It’s my first pair…digging the comfy fit and the hearts ;) Thank you Pilar! (oh and PS, yes I did buy a few more pair the other day…can’t wait for Pilar’s package to arrive ;)

The handsome man in the background is my friend, Art Harbaugh ;) 

Check out my friend, Pat Sheppard and me in this pic…yep am painting her nails. She’d done a few, but not all of them, so I just had to ask why and then scooted my glasses closer to my eyes and painted the rest. And yes, I did use a paper towel so I wouldn’t get any on the marble top table ;)

As I mentioned in my previous blog, this year along with being one of the Barnes & Noble Gift Card Sponsors, I co-sponsored the Friday Breakfast with author Victoria Danaan. We held a raffle with the proceeds going to Friends of Animals and…drum roll please, we raised $873 from the generosity of the Readers attending!

The FAB Kathy Andrico took all of the pictures at RAGT17 and sent copies to me as well as posting them on FB. Maybe next year, I can pin her down for more than a few minutes (in between her picture-taking for Lori) and catch up. ;) 

This pic is with my co-sponsor, Victoria Dannan.

My winner is from Michigan, but I was so busy, I neglected to get her name or email address, but she did find me Saturday morning and tell me she stayed up til 2:30 am reading One Day in Apple Grove and loved it, then debated starting another book or getting a little sleep before the 7 am breakfast. I was so touched and thrilled that she enjoyed reading one of my Small Town USA: Apple Grove, Ohio books ;)

Everyone had the option of wearing something animal-themed to breakfast, we gave away an adorable stuffed elephant toy and extra raffle tickets for those that did. Check out these great pics! 

 

  

 

 

After looking at the pics, I wondered if I had a “good hair day” while I was there and realized every day I have hair IS a good day! So shame on me for being picky. Anyway…as the saying goes…and a good time was had by all. A picture’s worth a thousand words, so look closely at all the smiles in the pics. Priceless ;)

Coming home I stopped at a beautiful rest stop and had to snap a pic

And look what pulled in as I was filling my gas tank! I’ve never seen an Edsel this closeup before. What a beauty of a car…all the way from Las Vegas! ;)

And finally the first thing I see as I pull into the driveway…Peonies! Home never looked so good ;)

Thank you to everyone who made this event a huge success again this year. I’m signed up already to sponsor another breakfast at #RAGT18 and cannot wait to attend next year!  

Until then…Happy Reading!

 

Lori Foster’s RAGT17–Are You Going?

I’m delighted to be one of the sponsors for the Lori Foster Reader/Author Get Together again this year. Like last year, I’m one of the Barnes & Noble Gift Card sponsors, and this year, I’ll be co-sponsoring the Friday Breakfast with Victoria Danann.

We’ve got two mega-raffle prizes–raffle tickets just $1 each–the proceeds will go to Friends of Animals, a non-profit international advocacy organization working to free animals around the world from cruelty and institionalized exploitation. For a chance to win the centerpiece at your table, wear something animal-themed, like leopard print, mouse ears, cat whiskers…or like me…a t-shirt with pics of our rescue puppies on it that I made at VistaPrint ;)

 

For the first time, I’ll be bringing books to sell at the Saturday booksigning. I’ll be ready with my tablet, chip reader and magstripe reader. I’ll be signing two of my short stories: Ranbow of Destiny and So Others May Live, and will have one set each of the large print editions of my Irish Western Series and my Medieval Trilogy along with Fear Not the Tarot. 

Looking forward to spending time with Readers at RAGT17!

Writing from the heart about the things I love most: Family, My Irish Ancestry, Baking, and Gardening.

 

 

 

Carolyn Brown's NEW Kindle World: Blame it on Texas by C.H. Admirand

Break out the bubbly and raise your glass with me as I toast the totally FAB Carolyn Brown and congratulate her on the launch of her NEW Kindle World: Blame It On Texas! Here's the link to read all about this fabulous new world Carolyn Brown's KW: Blame It On Texas
I was surprised and delighted when Carolyn invited me to be one of her authors. This is a new platform for me, and I'll admit to being skeptical at first, but after learning more about KW, I knew I wanted to be a part of her world. After all, I'm a fan of Carolyn's and love spending time in her worlds. I fell in love with her Daisies in the Canyon and Long Hot Texas Summer...what's not to love? But the raw beauty of the Palo Duro Canyon and the characters that live, breathe and carve out a living there captured my heart, and I knew I wanted to spend some time there.
After reading Long Hot Texas Summer, I wondered what if two of Waylon Calhoun's rodeo buddies came to stay at his ranch for a few weeks to recover from getting stomped by a bull...well only one of them got stomped by a bull, the other one got his heart and his pride stomped on by a buckle-bunny. 
And since life is full of choices and second chances, I wondered what if my heroine pointed her car west and started driving. Was it fate, chance, or God's Will that her granddad's F-100 pickup died right outside the diner in Claude, Texas...next to the help wanted sign. Wasn't it just her luck that she was a cook, and they needed a waitress. But a job was a job and the Lord helps those who help themselves.

The Second Chance Ranch is a story of life's twists and turns, second chances, and happily ever after. 
Second Chance Ranch buy link




Here's the blurb: 
Tom McNally was a mean son-of-a-bitch when riled. Widowmaker, the last bull he drew, tossed him at seven and a half seconds, then stomped him into the dirt. His broken ribs and sprained wrist need time and a place to heal while he contemplates retirement or getting back up on another bad-tempered bull, and his bull-riding friend needs a place to heal his pride and broken heart. One of their rodeo buddies, Waylon Calhoun, has a ranch with an open invitation for fellow bull-riders to stay in starkly beautiful Palo Duro Canyon, Texas. But Tom's not quite ready to work the ranch alongside his friends, and cooking and keeping house isn't quite what this cowboy is cut out for. His friends hatch a plan to sweet talk one of the local diner owners into coming down to the Second Chance Ranch to cook for them.

Emily Griffith is looking for a new start after the death of her mother, and finds it in Claude, Texas at the Peabody Diner when her car dies right in front of their help wanted sign...too bad the Peabody sisters didn't need a cook...but the waitress job will help pay the bills until she can find a job cooking. Chance walks through the door in the form of Tom McNally, a tall, dark and handsome cowboy. Emily isn't going to let him walk away before she has a chance to convince him that although her bosses at the diner may have passed up the opportunity to cook for the men at the Second Chance Ranch, but she won't. Small minded gossips and a hard-headed cowboy threaten her new life in Palo Duro Canyon, but love will triumph in this sweet tale from C.H. Admirand.
Happy Reading!Slainte'
C.H.

RT Convention 2016 Las Vegas Sweet Sassy Spicy Author/Reader Meet & Greet

Back to finalizing details for our Sweet Sassy Spicy Author/Reader Meet & Greet at ‪#‎RT‬ 2016 Convention...Friday, April 15th in Amazon L 1:30-2:30pm  wink emoticon featuring these fab authors: Åsa Maria Bradley, Tina DeSalvo, HelenKay Dimon, Christine Feehan, Rachel Hauck,Sara Humphreys, Amanda McIntyre, Paige Tyler, Sabrina York.Collect your tote bag filled with goodies, pick up your raffle tickets, and be sure to pick up your mini-mimosa shot and dessert shooter before heading to the reader circles where we will be waiting to "speed-date."Remember to hang on to your raffle tickets because we're giving away 2 to 3 signed books from each of the authors along with 2 Kindle Fires (7") with SSS skinits at the end of the speed-dating  wink emoticon Leaving you with a pic of one of our SSS bouquets...looking forward to meeting everyone in Las Vegas!

One Year and Two Days Being 21-Day-Fixed and Counting by C.H. Admirand

It is hard to believe that I've actually made it this far on my road to a healthier me. For those of you who know me, you know how hard it is for me to just pass by the opportunity to indulge in something deliciously loaded with carbs and sugar :)
Take this Butter Cake that I'd turned into a Whiskey Butter Cake last month...Yes it was delightfully yummy...and no I did NOT pass up the chance to have my share. I just made sure to add more umphf into my daily workout.
So separated the eggs, whipped up the egg whites ...I don't always do this if I'm pressed for time...fyi..., milk ready to go...Whiskey to be added, too. 
 

Whipping the butter using a mixer was a real treat because I usually do this by hand with my favorite yellow pyrex bowl and wooden spoon...

Sifting the dry ingredients...I don't always do this...just as an FYI :)


There's a lot to be said for the time-saving speed of the mixer :)

Gotta taste the batter... 



Adding in the whipped egg whites...fold gently by hand...


Looks great...letting it cool before I try to loosen the bottom of the spring-form pan...


Ohhh...I just love it when the right amount of margarine and flour make for a perfectly perfect-looking cake :)


Whiskey Glaze/Icing...


Sliced and served up on my favorite cake plate :) 

Okay, sooo this blog post turned out to be a how-to in pictures for my favorite Butter/Whiskey Cake Recipe. Funny thing, after I had two pieces, I realized that it didn't need the glaze at all, because of the Whiskey in the cake batter.
Now, back to the nitty-gritty...I really, really hate having my picture taken, that being said, I did it because I figured if I was brave enough to post the pic that started me on my journey to a healthier me, I could grin and try to do the selfie-thing. Sooo here's me post workout, in desperate need of the new eyeglasses (can't wait til they arrive so I can stop squinting) and of course the all important double-dose of caffeine!!!

And while I have gained back six pounds since July when I stopped measuring every mouthful, this is a happier me who does eat salt, sugar, brown sugar, potatoes, etc. (nope gonna tell you all of what the etc. actually is LOL) and yes--sweet baked goods. Once a carb-a-holic, always a carb-a-holic :)
Slainte' C.H.

Website or Blog Which One Should An Author Call Home by C.H. Admirand

The title of this blog says it all today. There are days when I'm so conflicted and confused as to where readers would prefer to go...an author's website, their blog(s), Facebook, Twitter, or their author page at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.
I played around with creating a new blog that might take the place of my website, but then had trouble repointing the DNS info etc. to my domain...yes technology isn't always my friend. Long and gory story. LOL!
Sooo, then I refreshed my website when doing an update and was surprised when my DH asked if Facebook wasn't the first destination for Readers. I honestly couldn't answer him, since social media isn't exactly my forte. Those of you who know me, are laughing right now...and so you should. :)
In the hopes of getting the word out to Readers in a timely and efficient manner, I'd love your input. 
Where do you go to get release dates/info for your favorite authors?
Thanks!!!
Slainte'
C.H.

Large Print Edition Book One in my Mo Ghra', Mo Chroi, Go Deo Series by C.H. Admirand

As most of you know, I really love releasing my backlist in large print editions. It is oh so easy on the eyes and wonderful to have yet another option available to my readers.
The fabulous Ms. Sahara Kelly, author extraordinaire, and fabulous cover designer with P and N Graphics, LLC has designed the covers for all of my backlist. She's been working closely with me on this latest trilogy, and I'm delighted to be able to announce that the first book in this series is available on CreateSpace and Amazon, and coming soon to Barnes & Noble and Indiebound.



Stay tuned for release information for books 2 and 3 in this Medieval series :)

Happy Reading!!

Slainte'

C.H.

Inkitt and Rebecca Friedman Literary Agency Romance Writing Contest

I received this information yesterday from Inkitt and was asked to blog about this info, passing it along to any authors interested in submitting. Good luck!
Slainte'
C.H. 

Romance Writing Contest: Win a Publishing Deal and $500USD
Inkitt and The Rebecca Friedman Literary Agency are looking to find the next ‘50 Shades of Grey’! 
The pair are running a new romance writing contest from Jan 12 ­ Feb 23, where the winner gets published and receives $500USD! The judges are best­selling authors Laurelin Paige and Melody Grace, as well as literary agent Rebecca Friedman herself. The trio will work closely with the Inkitt analytics team to pick the most engaging stories of the contest. 
The judges are looking for romantic stories that engage the reader, with dynamic characters, fresh story­lines and any level of heat.  All works over 40k words are welcome! Find out more below. 
Rules: ●     Starting: 12th of January at 13:00 PST ●     Ending: 23rd February 23:59 PST with voting continuing for an additional week.  ●     Novel Length: 40,000 words or more at time of submission.  ●     Entries must be posted on the Inkitt contest page to participate ●     Stories in the top 10% of the "most voted" and "most popular" categories get the opportunity to be picked for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.
Prizes: 1.    Publishing Deal + $500USD 2.    $100USD 3.    $50USD

Submit your romance novel here!