Beth Cato's Blog, page 147
April 30, 2013
Writo de Mayo
It's Writo de Mayo! That means it's the month when
nanoljers
sets goals to get done what needs doing. Some people do a full Nanowrimo at 50k or even a solid 10k, others revise, or critique, or just... whatever. It's flexible. It's writing while being engaged in real life.
My goals are pretty straightforward:
- send out a gazillion poems. Okay, I should be more specific. I'll set a minimum goal of 20.
- do first round revisions on Breath of Earth. Need to plug the holes I know about and read the whole thing, then I can send to beta readers by the end of the month.
- do Write 1 Sub 1 with a story and a poem
- be flexible in case of stuff
- try not to lose my flippin' mind
Do you have goals for May?
nanoljers
sets goals to get done what needs doing. Some people do a full Nanowrimo at 50k or even a solid 10k, others revise, or critique, or just... whatever. It's flexible. It's writing while being engaged in real life.My goals are pretty straightforward:
- send out a gazillion poems. Okay, I should be more specific. I'll set a minimum goal of 20.
- do first round revisions on Breath of Earth. Need to plug the holes I know about and read the whole thing, then I can send to beta readers by the end of the month.
- do Write 1 Sub 1 with a story and a poem
- be flexible in case of stuff
- try not to lose my flippin' mind
Do you have goals for May?
April 28, 2013
Sunday Quote is a professional writer by this definition
"A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit." ~Richard Bach
April 26, 2013
Poem at Every Day Poets, and some thoughts on autism
My new publication for the week is a very short poem called "autism" over at Every Day Poets.
It's Autism Awareness Month, which makes me laugh because that's a daily thing in my household. My Critter is now 8 years old. He is completely in love with the Muppets and probably now knows more about late 1970s movie and theater stars than most people who were alive then. He also loves hockey, maps, teacher edition textbooks, anything involving numbers, and Legos.
Yes, he has bad days. Yes, sometimes he screams, rams his head into a wall, or when loud sounds set him off, punches classmates. He still has an extremely limited diet, has never used a fork or eaten meat, and largely subsists on peanut butter and crackers. But you know what? He's an awesome kid. We've come a long way, and I'm proud of him.
It's Autism Awareness Month, which makes me laugh because that's a daily thing in my household. My Critter is now 8 years old. He is completely in love with the Muppets and probably now knows more about late 1970s movie and theater stars than most people who were alive then. He also loves hockey, maps, teacher edition textbooks, anything involving numbers, and Legos.
Yes, he has bad days. Yes, sometimes he screams, rams his head into a wall, or when loud sounds set him off, punches classmates. He still has an extremely limited diet, has never used a fork or eaten meat, and largely subsists on peanut butter and crackers. But you know what? He's an awesome kid. We've come a long way, and I'm proud of him.
April 24, 2013
Bready or Not: Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars
I like chocolate.
I like macadamia nuts.
I like shortbread.
I made these nut bars and my husband came home from work and I pretty much shoved a Gladware container at him and said, "HERE. Take them. Get them out of my sight."
He looked down. "What, they didn't turn out well?"
"No. They turned out well. Too well. Take them away! Get them out of my fingers and mouth!"
Really, these replicate a really, really good candy bar or the sort of treat you'd get at a bakery or from a specialty catalog at Christmas. I'm drooling right now as I type and envisioning the perfect buttery-ness of the shortbread contrasted with smooth chocolate and the crunch of macadamia nuts.
Oh, good grief.
I should never prepare these blog posts when I'm starving before lunch.
Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars
originally found at Relish Magazine
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup to 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Caramel and Chocolate:
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate morsels
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
2) To prepare the crust: combine flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor or mixer, and mix. Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly. Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and press firmly to make a compact layer. Scatter nuts evenly over crust and press them in firmly.
3)To prepare the caramel layer: melt butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir well until thoroughly combined and smooth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until entire surface of caramel is bubbly. Immediately pour hot caramel over nuts and spread evenly with back of a metal spoon.
4) Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly.
5) Remove pan from oven. Wait 1 minute; sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over caramel. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes for chocolate to melt. Spread chocolate evenly with spatula or back of a spoon. Cool completely, then refrigerate 30 minutes to set. Cut into bars with a sharp knife. Keep chilled in the fridge.
OM NOM NOM.
I like macadamia nuts.
I like shortbread.
I made these nut bars and my husband came home from work and I pretty much shoved a Gladware container at him and said, "HERE. Take them. Get them out of my sight."
He looked down. "What, they didn't turn out well?"
"No. They turned out well. Too well. Take them away! Get them out of my fingers and mouth!"
Really, these replicate a really, really good candy bar or the sort of treat you'd get at a bakery or from a specialty catalog at Christmas. I'm drooling right now as I type and envisioning the perfect buttery-ness of the shortbread contrasted with smooth chocolate and the crunch of macadamia nuts.
Oh, good grief.
I should never prepare these blog posts when I'm starving before lunch.
Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars
originally found at Relish Magazine
Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup to 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
Caramel and Chocolate:
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate morsels
Instructions
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking pan.
2) To prepare the crust: combine flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor or mixer, and mix. Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly. Transfer crumbs to prepared pan and press firmly to make a compact layer. Scatter nuts evenly over crust and press them in firmly.
3)To prepare the caramel layer: melt butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir well until thoroughly combined and smooth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until entire surface of caramel is bubbly. Immediately pour hot caramel over nuts and spread evenly with back of a metal spoon.
4) Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until caramel is bubbly.
5) Remove pan from oven. Wait 1 minute; sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over caramel. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes for chocolate to melt. Spread chocolate evenly with spatula or back of a spoon. Cool completely, then refrigerate 30 minutes to set. Cut into bars with a sharp knife. Keep chilled in the fridge.
OM NOM NOM.
April 21, 2013
Sunday Quotes summons the wisdom of Alan Alda
“Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You cannot get there by bus, only by hard work, risking and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you will discover will be wonderful: Yourself.” ~ Alan Alda
April 18, 2013
107 Years Ago
This has been an awful, terrible week around the United States. The bombs in Boston. Ricin in the mail. The fertilizer plant explosion.
It's also an important week as far as historical disasters. Over a hundred years ago today, the Great San Francisco Earthquake occurred. The initial quake lasted for a minute, and was followed by more aftershocks and fires throughout the city. Afterward, the city was eager to rebuild and tried to dismiss most of the damage as being from the fire. They also claimed only 500 people died. The reality is, it was more like 3,000-6,000. The truth will never be known. So many bodies were buried and burned, or killed and covered-up.
When you think on the people who are suffering now, think also on the forgotten, and offer a prayer for what might have been.
Let's all hope for better news tomorrow.
It's also an important week as far as historical disasters. Over a hundred years ago today, the Great San Francisco Earthquake occurred. The initial quake lasted for a minute, and was followed by more aftershocks and fires throughout the city. Afterward, the city was eager to rebuild and tried to dismiss most of the damage as being from the fire. They also claimed only 500 people died. The reality is, it was more like 3,000-6,000. The truth will never be known. So many bodies were buried and burned, or killed and covered-up.
When you think on the people who are suffering now, think also on the forgotten, and offer a prayer for what might have been.
Let's all hope for better news tomorrow.
April 17, 2013
Bready or Not: Bailey's, White Chocolate, and Pistachio Fudge
Fudge is one of those evil, decadent things that tastes amazing but is in no way good for you. So heck, if you're going to go all-out, go all out. Let's booze up the fudge.
My husband keeps Bailey's around to add to coffee sometimes, and I confess, before making this fudge I had never tried it before. I have to say, it's an experience worth repeating. The fudge is silky smooth and the Bailey's adds an incredible richness atop the mellow white chocolate. Actually, I bet non-alcoholic coffee creamer would work here, too. The pistachios add a burst of color and texture, though I think you could substitute other nuts or even something like dried cranberries.
One of the things I liked best about this fudge is its staying power. It makes a 9x9 pan's worth, but that means a lot of fudge squares. A LOT. But if you have these sitting out at a party, as I did, they stayed solid and didn't get sticky even after several hours at room temperature. Kept sealed in the fridge after that, they were perfectly fine for a week and a half, and would likely keep even longer.
If you can resist the, of course. Temptation, thy name is fudge.
Bailey's, White Chocolate, and Pistachio Fudge
The Two Bite Club
Ingredients
1-14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
36 ounces white chocolate chips/candy melts
1/2 cup raw pistachios, chopped
Instructions
1) Line a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick foil. Or, if you don't have nonstick foil, lightly grease the pan.
2) In a saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate, condensed milk and Bailey's. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the pistachios.
3) Pour into the pan and let cool until set. Once set, peel off the foil and cut into one inch squares.
OM NOM NOM.
My husband keeps Bailey's around to add to coffee sometimes, and I confess, before making this fudge I had never tried it before. I have to say, it's an experience worth repeating. The fudge is silky smooth and the Bailey's adds an incredible richness atop the mellow white chocolate. Actually, I bet non-alcoholic coffee creamer would work here, too. The pistachios add a burst of color and texture, though I think you could substitute other nuts or even something like dried cranberries.
One of the things I liked best about this fudge is its staying power. It makes a 9x9 pan's worth, but that means a lot of fudge squares. A LOT. But if you have these sitting out at a party, as I did, they stayed solid and didn't get sticky even after several hours at room temperature. Kept sealed in the fridge after that, they were perfectly fine for a week and a half, and would likely keep even longer.
If you can resist the, of course. Temptation, thy name is fudge.
Bailey's, White Chocolate, and Pistachio Fudge
The Two Bite Club
Ingredients
1-14oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
36 ounces white chocolate chips/candy melts
1/2 cup raw pistachios, chopped
Instructions
1) Line a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick foil. Or, if you don't have nonstick foil, lightly grease the pan.
2) In a saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate, condensed milk and Bailey's. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the pistachios.
3) Pour into the pan and let cool until set. Once set, peel off the foil and cut into one inch squares.
OM NOM NOM.
April 15, 2013
Reasons to Celebrate
Breath of Earth is DONE. Well, the rough draft, anyway. The full version could be another six months yet. Final word tally: 86,729
The goal was 90k, so my estimate was pretty darn close. I figure the count will climb a good bit in the first rounds of revisions, and then reduce as I snip stuff. That tends to be the usual way of things.
---
My short story "Maps" on Daily Science Fiction has garnered my first positive review from the folks at Diabolical Plots:
“Maps” may be the most tragic story I have ever read on DSF (quite a claim for this publication). The story was like watching an accident on the side of the freeway, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. High marks to Ms Cato for her accomplishment.
The goal was 90k, so my estimate was pretty darn close. I figure the count will climb a good bit in the first rounds of revisions, and then reduce as I snip stuff. That tends to be the usual way of things.
---
My short story "Maps" on Daily Science Fiction has garnered my first positive review from the folks at Diabolical Plots:
“Maps” may be the most tragic story I have ever read on DSF (quite a claim for this publication). The story was like watching an accident on the side of the freeway, I couldn’t tear my eyes away. High marks to Ms Cato for her accomplishment.
April 14, 2013
Sunday Quote is glad the husband takes care of the taxes
"You fail only if you stop writing." ~Ray Bradbury
April 12, 2013
Onward!
Word count on Breath of Earth as of last night:
I'll be crossing over to 80,000 today. My Excel document is estimating that I'll make my 90k goal by next Wednesday at my current rate. I'm not really sure if I need that many words to wrap up this draft. Really, anything over 80k is fine, because I know I'll be adding in the next few drafts. I also may need to write slower this week because I don't entirely know what will happen. I know some things, sure, but not everything. I get to find out with my characters.
So far I'm 12/12 on the Poem a Day Challenge and there's only one poem I immediately chucked in the "Junk" folder. A few of them I really, really like. It is amazing how long it can take to write a 20 line poem, though, and how it eats into the novel writing time.
Getting these poems polished and submitted will be one of my big goals for Writo de Mayo. That, and doing a fill-in-the-known-gaps pass on Breath of Earth.
I'll be crossing over to 80,000 today. My Excel document is estimating that I'll make my 90k goal by next Wednesday at my current rate. I'm not really sure if I need that many words to wrap up this draft. Really, anything over 80k is fine, because I know I'll be adding in the next few drafts. I also may need to write slower this week because I don't entirely know what will happen. I know some things, sure, but not everything. I get to find out with my characters.
So far I'm 12/12 on the Poem a Day Challenge and there's only one poem I immediately chucked in the "Junk" folder. A few of them I really, really like. It is amazing how long it can take to write a 20 line poem, though, and how it eats into the novel writing time.
Getting these poems polished and submitted will be one of my big goals for Writo de Mayo. That, and doing a fill-in-the-known-gaps pass on Breath of Earth.
