Beth Cato's Blog, page 99

Sunday Quote isn’t ready for October

“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly — they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.”

~Aldous Huxley, Brave New World

Happy Links to Start October

Let’s start off the month with a bunch of happy links!

I had two new poems published this week:

– a YA poem with a magical take on bullying and abuse: “Obsidian” at Kaleidotrope

– a somewhat creepy steampunk poem called “The City” in Mythic Delirium

Then my poem “Sorry,” published earlier this year at Mobius Magazine, was nominated for Best of the Net.

Then there’s the cool miscellaneous stuff…

– a three minute on-camera interview with The Daily Quirk, recorded at San Diego Comic-Con

– Amy Sisson reviews my story from Nature, “Bread of Life,” and says nice things!

– I was name-dropped in the Functional Nerds Podcast at about the 34 minute mark. This tickles me to no end because of Patrick Hester talks about my cookies. Also, buy Fran Wilde’s book Updraft. It’s awesome.

Bready or Not: Pumpkin Praline Cake

If you love quick and easy dump cakes, let me introduce you to one that is full of pumpkin goodness.

Last year I went through a stack of old issues of Betty Crocker magazine. I sliced out recipes that looked promising. This was one of them.

I was amazed at how easy this recipe was. It literally came together in the time it took for the oven to preheat. The flavors and texture are amazing: you have a cakey base topped with spicy pumpkin custard, with a nutty-crunchy layer atop.

Plus, you can cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for days! It tastes even better after a day or two. The spices meld with everything.

My husband took this cake to work. He returned with an empty dish. The guys raved about it.

If you like pumpkin, if you like cake, this is the way to start your fall off right.

Bready or Not: Pumpkin Praline Cake





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This super-fast dump cake recipe is perfect for autumn with its spicy pumpkin custard and praline crunchy top. Make it days ahead of time–it keeps very well in the fridge!

Modified from Betty Crocker Holiday Easy Entertaining Magazine, November 2002

1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 heaping teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans and/or walnuts
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Prepare a 13x9-inch pan by lining with foil or parchment and then greasing it well with Pam or butter.

In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. It should be smooth. Pour it into the pan.

Sprinkle the dry cake mix over the pumpkin goop. Sprinkle the nuts all over the top. Pour the melted butter evenly over everything.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a knife in the center comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Cut and serve from the pan; warm slices in the microwave, if desired, or eat cold.

OM NOM NOM!

Cover Reveal: Wings of Sorrow and Bone

I’m happy to share the cover for my Clockwork Dagger novella, Wings of Sorrow and Bone!

Wings of Sorrow and Bone novella

Release date: November 10th 2015

Price: 99-cents

Format: ebook

Available for preorder everywhere!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Google Play | iTunes

What’s it about? Well, it takes place a few months after Clockwork Crown…

After being rescued by Octavia Leander from the slums of Caskentia, Rivka Stout is adjusting to her new life in Tamarania. But it’s hard for a blossoming machinist like herself to fit in with proper society, and she’d much rather be tinkering with her tools than at a hoity-toity party any day.

When Rivka stumbles into a laboratory run by the powerful Balthazar Cody, she also discovers a sinister plot involving chimera gremlins and the violent Arena game Warriors. The innocent creatures will end up hurt, or worse, if Rivka doesn’t find a way to stop Mr. Cody. And to do that means she will have to rely on some unexpected new friends.

Sunday Quote is homeward bound

“Keep reading. It’s one of the most marvelous adventures that anyone can have.”

~Lloyd Alexander

Bready or Not: Maple Nut Butter No-Bakes

When you need maple goodness whipped up quickly with no baking involved, here’s your go-to recipe: Maple Nut Butter No-Bakes.

I had PB & Co Mighty Maple Peanut Butter, so I went with that to add some maple oomph. You can use various nut butters here, but avoid the natural kind where the oil separates. That would make these too dry and probably make it turn out weird.

I made these because I needed to create goodies on a quick timeline, so I put them in the fridge straight away, chilled them for an hour and a half, then sliced them. The bars crumbled some, I think because I didn’t chill them long enough. They were still mostly intact, though, and tasted fabulous.

Therefore, I highly recommend these get to cool down at room temp and then have a few more hours in the fridge, just to solidify things and make the end result a little prettier.

The taste is what matters most, though. If you love maple, you must make these bars. It’s maple candy. Sweet, chewy, maple candy. With autumn nigh, these are perfect to whip out for any of the forthcoming holidays!

Modified from Maple Almond No-Bakes at Lovely Little Kitchen.

Bready or Not: Maple Nut Butter No-Bakes





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These no-bake bars come together in about ten minutes to create a candy that’s a fusion of maple, nut butter, and oats! These things are seriously sweet and delicious, and will keep for weeks if sealed in the fridge.

1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup almond or peanut butter (not natural; it's too dry)
1/4 cup milk (almond milk works)
1/2 teaspoon maple flavor
3 cups old fashioned (rolled) oats

Prepare an 8x8 or 9x9-inch baking dish by lining it with foil or parchment paper then greasing it. Measure out the maple flavor and oats so they are ready to add quickly.

In a medium pan, bring the butter, sugar, almond butter, and milk to a boil over medium high heat. Stir frequently. Bring the mix to a full boil for one minute, stirring constantly, and then removed from the heat and stir in maple extract. Immediately add the oats and stir thoroughly to coat everything.

Glop the mixture into the baking dish. Cool at room temperature and then chill in fridge for several hours until it is firm.

Use the foil or parchment to lift out the bars for easy cutting. Best served chilled.

OM NOM NOM!

I’m Horrific!

I was pleasantly surprised yesterday to find that my name was listed on Ellen Datlow’s full recommended list from Best Horror of the Year Volume Seven. She singled out my poem “Bird Girl” from Niteblade Magazine issue 27.

I find this especially meaningful because Niteblade’s most recent issue was their last. It’s wonderful to see the magazine garnering recognition like this.

Accessibility FTW

Reading accessibility is a personal issue for me. I have worn glasses since I was twelve, but in my family, sight problems go deeper than mere near vision. I’m well aware that genetic eye diseases could very well make me go blind as I age.

The question comes up every few weeks about if my books will be produced in audio by my publisher. I don’t know. Since it may not happen, it makes it all the more important that other options are available!

First of all, there is a paid subscription service called Book Share that lists Clockwork Dagger, Clockwork Crown, and my story “The Deepest Poison.” (Thanks to Dianna for letting me know about this!)

If you’re in the United States, there is also a service called BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS). Book lovers can download books from a database of 65,000 titles. The Clockwork Dagger is available for download for approved NLS devices, and The Clockwork Crown is in process. They can also mail some materials. Here’s where you can find out more about the program and how to enroll.

Do you know of other resources in the United States or beyond? Let me know!

Sunday Quote wishes her husband a happy birthday tomorrow

“Don’t lament so much about how your career is going to turn out. You don’t have a career. You have a life. Do the work. Keep the faith. Be true blue. You are a writer because you write. Keep writing and quit your bitching. Your book has a birthday. You don’t know what it is yet.”

~ Cheryl Strayed

A Year

A year ago, one of my lifelong dreams came true.

Happy birthday, Clockwork Dagger!

I think it has aged pretty darn well, too.

Thanks for your support through the release of both books over this past year. The comments, cat gifs, retweets, likes, and most especially those emails that seem to arrive just when I need them the most.

You guys are the bestest.

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