Erin Lark Maples's Blog

Why I write fantasy

Time is gold in my book. How we spend our time says a lot about who we are and what joy we want from life. It's why I read. It's why I write. Thank you for spending some of your time with me. Growing up, I loved nothing more than tucking into a good book. […]

A Pumpkin Cheesecake Break

I am a fan of celebration–life is short. Book 5 releases tomorrow and I think it’s time this household enjoys a sweet treat. If you love cheesecake, this recipe will not disappoint. It’s one I use whenever I want to extend the pumpkin-appreciation season.Ingredients:12 oz gingersnap cookies, crushed into crumbles½ cup unsalted melted32 oz cream cheese at room temperature1 ¾ cups white sugar3 large eggs at room temperature15 oz can of pumpkin puree 1 cup heavy whipping cream2 tsp vanilla extract or paste2 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp ground powdered (or 1-2 tsp fresh grated ginger to taste)½ tsp ground nutmeg½ tsp ground allspice¼ tsp ground clovesA few turns on the pepper grinder (my secret ingredient!)InstructionsPlace a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350F.Crush all gingersnaps until they are fine crumbs and put in a bowl.* Stir in the melted butter and mix until it begins to stick together.Press crust mixture into the bottom of a greased springform pan and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 225F and place a deep pan of water on the bottom rack.Using a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth, then add in the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until smooth.Add pumpkin and remaining ingredients, mix until smooth and there are no pumpkin streaks. Poor into crust.Bake 3-4 hours until the center is giggly but the outer parts are puffed. Your oven may need a little longer.Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool for an hour with the door cracked. Take a knife dipped in hot water and run it around the inside of the pan to release the cheesecake from the edge. Let it cool for another hour, then let it cool on a wire rack on your counter until almost room temperature.Lightly cover and chill in the fridge at least overnight.** Carefully release from the pan and serve!

*I use a food processor, but you could also put them in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin–let some stress out!

**I love baking cheesecakes ahead of time. I take the sides of the springform pan and then wrap the cheesecake, pan bottom and all, in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and pop it in the freezer. I think they taste better after aging a bit in the freezer! Then a day before you plan to serve, let the cheesecake defrost in your refridgerator.

Daily writing promptWhat’s something you would attempt if...

Daily writing promptWhat’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail.[image error][image error][image error]View all responses

Daily Prompt: What’s something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail?

I would start a new series in a new genre and knock it out of the park.

Oh wait, I’m going to do that in 2024, failure or not!

Daily Prompt

Daily writing promptIf you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?[image error][image error][image error]View all responses

If you had a million dollars to give away, who would you give it to?

I’d donate it to an animal shelter I love so they can improve their facilities.

How about you?

The Artist’s Way — A book review

When you go through a hellish time, it imprints as a journey.

We don’t typically (but maybe should) wax on the average drive to the store. Our Tuesday evenings. The 3,919th load of laundry. But we remember the bad times.

This last spring, I knew I’d been through something awful, something incredibly unjust, and rather than claim victimhood and carve that on my memory, I fought back.

I read a book.

Not just any book, though there’s certainly healing to be found in that act. I read The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Further, I started a morning pages habit and eventually got to artist’s dates (something I’m still working on). Over the three months I kept up with the prompts and directives, pairing the audiobook with the workbook, and laid claim to an artistic recovery. It worked. I still went through a hellish space and time, but then I did something awesome for myself and came out of it all the better. Stronger.

If you are an artist-type person and looking for something that may jumpstart you into a new phase, I recommend the book for a few reasons.

Discipline. Choose a time to start the “program” when you have twelve weeks to commit. Yes, some weeks will be harder than others. Yes, you may miss a day or two, but set yourself up as best you can and then following to the letter will feel good and give you back a sense of control. ProTip: Week 4 is hard. Read up on the experience ahead of time. Select your starting week based on this information. Put your finish date on the calendar an prepare to celebrate.Self-awareness. This is bandied about on the latests trends of social-emotional everything and mindfulness like candy. Ignore all that. Julia’s book existed long before all of this mainstream mush. When she tells you to connect with your inner child because it’s tied to your artist self that’s not lip service, it’s legit. You’ll remember who hurt you, who helped you, and loop all that in to the cool and capable person you are now.Generative. You’ll write a bunch. I will be the first to confess that for some of the prompts I skimped and wrote a few sentences. No one from the Guilt Police apprehended me and I’ve lived to tell the tale. Still, you will write three pages, daily for the duration. You’ll draft letters, essays, collages, and all sorts of visualizations to paint a picture of where you’ve been, where you are, and where you are going. If you haven’t been able to make or your making has been stymied, you have a solid chance of busting out of that mindset.

I could go on, but I’ve got more art to make. If you are in need of a shift, in search of something fresh, or just like a good-old-fashioned personal challenge, I offer this book to you.

Book 4 launches today!

Somehow in the midst of this season of upheaval, I managed to put out the 4th book in the Sheridan County Mysteries. I know I’m not alone when I say that sometimes we create in one area of our lives to give us the thinking space to sort out another.

I’ve always loved murder mysteries and car shows and in this book I get to combine the two. Elizabeth lands a catering gig for a local rancher and joins in for the evening’s theme. There’s a touch of romance, a twist or two, and the characters you’ve come to love in the series.

My next release won’t be until late fall as I need a month or so to rest and recuperate before it’s back to the typewriter–but that doesn’t mean the ideas aren’t flowing for my next series due out in 2024. I also start teaching at a new school this fall so I’m going to plan a gentle September for myself. On to new adventures!

Daily Prompt

Daily writing promptIf you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?[image error][image error][image error]View all responses

Writing prompt: If you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?

I would rock a pair of joggers and my sweatshirt from the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon with some allbirds. One of the reasons autumn is my favorite season is the ultimate coziness of the clothes!

6/28/23

Daily writing promptIf you were forced to wear one outfit over and over again, what would it be?View all responses

I would rock a pair of joggers and my sweatshirt from the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon with some allbirds. One of the reasons autumn is my favorite season is the ultimate coziness of the clothes!

Daily Prompt: Favorite emojis

Daily writing promptWhat are your favorite emojis?View all responses

I scrolled through my texts and discovered I prefer the following, in roughly this order:

Apparently I am in hysterics, more often than not I’m a professional listener, and in my lines of work, a grimace is necessary I also appreciate solid snark I try to send a lot of love Earning my Friday happy hours

As for those I love but don’t get to use as often:

What are yours?

On unicorns & trail ponies

There are some incredible authors out there who land six-figure deals and float along the best seller lists. We call those the unicorns.

I’m not one of them, and that’s totally okay.

This writer is one of those trail ponies. You know, the kind that will keep going, head forward, up that mountain. That’s me.

First, for those who are new to my site, I have a lovely day job as a teacher. Perhaps some years down the road when our nest is empty, I may consider other options (full time writing?), but until then, writing is a little side dream into which I put forth my night shift energy. You’ve got to start somewhere, right?

Something else to know is that for many (if not most) authors, whether traditionally or self-published, royalities are best spent in the marketing of your existing books and writing the next. It takes a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to generate and sustain income from writing.

Quick note: this isn’t a complaint post. Not at all! Like any artist, writers create because it’s a passion, a need, a delight. While getting paid for what you love is nice, it’s not a requirement.

I take all my royalities and put them right back into my business. Like the majority of my writer friends, I invest in my work through paying for editors and workshops, advertising so readers can find me, and all the little bits and technology bobs involved in drafting novels.

Well, I finally made a profit.

It was really tough to force myself to spend a little money, but I wanted to celebrate the third book out in my series.

So, I bought a t-shirt.

Not just any t-shirt, though. I was playing with designs and my kid helped me make one. We wanted to create a pro-reading design that didn’t have words on it (translation: cool enough for a middle schooler). You can see the design to the left. She loved the result, so I bought it for her.

Big spender, I know.

So now what?

I still need to put the majority of what I earn back into my business. This is the reality.

However, the joy on my daughter’s face when she opened the package was super cool. She then said, “but you didn’t get anything for yourself, mom.”

So, I started thinking. Is there something I could use for my business, something part necessity, part luxury, that would make sense as a savings goal?

Then I looked around.

Remote teaching was hard.

Hard on me, and hard on my home.

What I call my office is really just a beat-up IKEA desk crammed in the corner of our living room with a second-hand office chair and a tiny filing cabinet. I splurged in 2020 and bought myself a monitor and a laptop stand so I could better see my students and their work. My keyboard is a Christmas gift from my father. The rest is just what I could put together to make it work. I did (and still do) a lot with a little. All together I taught from home for the better part of a year and what was already rough-and-tumble furniture took a few more hits.

I’m totally fine with the nicks and dings. There is something to be said for hanging onto our belongings in this disposable day and age. My parents didn’t raise me to be wasteful and I’m trying to teach my daughter the same values.

Now though, my desk drawer regularly ejects items out the back and my chair is coming apart at every seam. Duck tape only took me so far.

I think it’s almost time to level up. Something just for me.

The goal

Okay, so I could actually use a new desk. A chair is probably a good idea, too.

But which ones? I’ve made a Pinterest board with ideas. An office all to myself is much further down the road but imagining the possibilities has been lots of fun. Dreaming of what will be (see, positive thinking!) helps me keep my eye on the prize. I can already tell I like darker woods, rich blues, and lots of plants. Major library vibes.

As I narrow down what I’d like, each month I’m going to carve out a small amount of royalties for an office sinking fund. My goal is to purchase a new desk by Christmas and a new chair within the year. I’ll track my progress and keep you posted!