Jennifer Melzer's Blog, page 12

Recipe for Life by Mary Berry

Ever since the Great British Bake Off swept into our lives, it’s rekindled a love for baking I’ve held onto since I was a child. My mother was always in the kitchen when I was growing up, prepping, cooking, baking, and as soon as I had my own kitchen at 20, I embraced the tradition whenever I had the time and ingredients to do so. Cakes from scratch, breads, cookies, you name it, I loved baking it, and I even enjoyed laughing at my own failures and disappointments. But sometimes life gets in the way, and we find ourselves moving away from the kitchen and toward simpler means of filling our bellies. Tragic, yes, especially considering how often that convenience means shoving food into our bodies we may not know that much about simply for the sake of eating.

My husband, James, discovered a couple years ago how much he enjoys cooking, something he hadn’t experimented with a whole lot over the course of his life. He fell in love baking cakes from scratch, making unique dinner dishes he’d never tried before, and seeing his enjoyment was an inspiration in and of itself. We started thinking about the food we put into our bodies in a whole new way, especially considering that James has Crohn’s Disease, which means he has to be incredibly careful about what he eats or he gets violently ill. 

When we started watching the Great British Bake Off a couple years ago, and the Masterclass show Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry did together to break down some of the recipes they assigned on the show, it only continued to add fuel to the fire of excitement, and these days we’re always in the kitchen whipping something fun together, thanks to the confidence instilled in us by those shows, we found ourselves tackling things we might never have considered before, like plaited breads, Chelsea buns, simple Victoria sandwich cakes, and so much more. 

I admire Mary Berry a great deal because she’s been at this baking and cooking business for decades in more capacities than you can even begin to imagine, so when the opportunity to check out her 2013 autobiography and learn more about her popped up, I jumped at the chance. 

Covering the moments of her life right up until she departed from the Great British Bake Off, it was such an endearing story. She spoke candidly about her family, their life during WWII and the Depression, her attitude toward education as a child, the polio she was fortunate enough to survive, the friendships she forged on her path, her pioneering days as a business woman who chose to continue her budding career rather than staying home to be a full-time housewife and mother (as was expected of women back in those days,) and how she made it through the loss of one of her children. 

Between each chapter, she included tried and true recipes she uses in her own kitchen, everything from traybakes and cakes to dinners and side dishes. It increased my admiration for her even more, though I can’t imagine how because I already adore her more than words can say. This was the first book I finished reading in 2019, so I’d say I’m off to a delicious start!

If you’re a lover of biographies, I definitely recommend Mary Berry’s Recipe for Life, as it covers a great deal of ground in a friendly and informal tone that makes you feel as though you’re sitting right there at the same table with her, having a cup of tea and listening to her share her life story.

Five out of five stars!

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells

I have always been fascinated with Artificial Intelligence, a future wherein androids dream of electric sheep and so much more, so when I came across Martha Wells‘ Murderbot Diaries series of novellas at the library I knew I was taking them home to indulge. 

A corporate future demands the Company be party to all space-faring missions, including the accompaniment of one of their security-androids. Enter Murderbot. A sec-unit comprised of human DNA and robotic parts, he was programmed to experience emotions, not the least of which being despair. 

After hacking his government unit, and spending countless hours watching media entertainment, Murderbot believes he understands the nature of humanity, perhaps better than humanity itself, and though a part of him deeply longs for freedom, he finds himself uncomfortably attached and longing to protect the human team he was commanded to watch over on his mission. 

When that mission goes horribly wrong, guilt follows him everywhere he goes, his paranoia about being reported and caught niggling always in the back of his mind. Realizing he must go back to the system everything went awry, he finds himself on a transport ship with an attitude, sole passenger to the whims of the transport, who knows his secret. Despite their banter, and the constant butting of their attitudes, they form a partnership in order for Murderbot to get to the bottom of things.

Each novella unravels a new piece of his mystery, lending credence to his paranoia and reaffirming his internal dialogue, which is delightfully sarcastic and snarky in ways most humans wish they could be but can never quite carry off without needling the patience of everyone around them. 

I adored his voice, and found myself laughing out loud so many times while reading, and though I enjoyed the stories I had one minor complaint. The story itself played second-fiddle to his personality, and while it’s not a massive complaint I found myself becoming so accustomed to his voice and his inner-dialogue that when story bits cropped up I felt myself getting a little bored. I wanted to hurry on to the next bit of internal rationalizing and dialogue because as a character Murderbot was just that good. 

The story itself isn’t boring, it’s just that his personality overwhelms the plot sometimes.

All in all, these are very fun novellas, a quick afternoon read, and I definitely recommend them. I give the overall series (of which I only read three books so far: All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, and Rogue Protocol,) 4 out of 5 stars.  

Flashy Friday: The Lost City of Dagon

Even with the strange breathing apparatus, Dr. Yuna Song was sure she would hyperventilate. Excitement quickened her heart rate; her whole body trembled. The stream of bubbles escaping her air tube obscured H’tkeh’s strange, alien face when she turned to them and tried to smile around the the cumbersome mouthpiece.

H’tkeh reached out and took her hand, then they signed into the doctor’s palm: In all your years teaching such things at the University, did you ever believe you would actually walk the streets of the lost city of Dagon?

She started to nod, certain she had always believed, but as she scanned the endless city stretching for miles in front of her, she knew that would be a lie. She’d expected to die unsatisfied, like so many of her Miskatonic colleagues before.

Vicious (Villians #1) by V.E. Schwab

I know I am super late to the party on this book, but after all the hype surrounding the release of V.E. Schwab’s Vengeful last fall, I knew it was time to get on board and find out what all the delicious fuss was about. And, of course, the fuss was definitely on point, as usual, when it came to Book One in this series: Vicious.

Being in my forties, one of my favorite movies as a kid was Flatliners, starring Keifer Sutherland and Julia Roberts. Med students messing around with the fine line between life and death, only to discover toeing that line is far more dangerous than death itself, that movie haunted me for years. So, when I started reading Vicious only to discover two med students, Eli Cardale and Victor Vale, toying with the line between life and death because they’ve surmised that death creates ExtraOrdinary people with unique superpowers, I was immediately drawn into the plot.

As Eli and Victor begin experimenting with death in hopes of becoming ExtraOrdinary themselves, the results are as devastating a they are promising. Victor’s first attempt fails, making him look suicidal, but Eli learns from this mistake, vowing to perfect his death and revival in the most meticulous manner. As success looms on the horizon, Eli’s newfound powers to self-heal drive a wedge between the friends. He’s seen the light, in a sense, and he now believes they made a mistake. It’s unnatural, and he doesn’t want Victor to go through with his next attempt, but Victor has other plans. Going behind Eli’s back, Victor devises a plan involving electricity and Eli’s girlfriend, Angie. You can imagine how that wound up… And if you can’t, let’s just say Angie’s sort of dead, thanks to Victor’s foray into second-life, and Eli’s lust for vengeance has only begun to smolder.

And that’s just the beginning, readers. There is so much to this book, exploring a decade of brooding vengeance and a variety of ExtraOrdinary powers, the nature of their existence and the circumstances that brought them into fruition… And the things these two men are willing to do in their effort to extinguish one another is unbelievably dark. Ten years spans this epic revenge plot, and Schwab did an amazing job weaving it all together as she jumped back and forth between timelines effortlessly. 

I finished this book just before the holidays, and felt my jaw drop as I realized I’d have to wait until after the holidays to get back to the library and sink my claws into Vengeful in order to find out what happened next. 

And the thing is, as much as I love a good hero, I’ve felt myself getting a little burnt out on all the superhero media over the last few years, and in truth that is probably why I didn’t pick this book up over the course of the last few years, but the thing is… This isn’t a superhero book. It’s about villains and their motivations, that self-righteous longing to do what they feel to be the right thing and their inability to step outside that path and take a long, hard look at their motivations in order to see the flaw in their plan.

I’m pretty sure just about everyone on the planet has already read this book, but if you’re like me–one of the few who hadn’t for one reason or another–I definitely recommend you give it a shot. 

Five out of five stars, and I can’t wait to read Vengeful!

Flashy Friday: A Mother’s Vengeance

Consumed by the rage of separation from their children, the mothers on the other side of the tyrant’s wall let that rage devour them until they were nothing more than a foul, poisonous mist light enough to rise above it, but heavy enough to destroy anything that stood in their way.

Welcome 2019

As each new year rolls in, I find myself giddy at the prospect of a clean slate stretching out before me. Yes, there are still lingering remnants of the previous year, moments and activities clinging to the future as they long to be a part of it, but with a whole new year ahead of me I see possibilities, and they are infinite. 

I spent my evening ringing in the New Year as we have done for the last several years: quietly at home with my beloved family, a spread of snacks large enough to feed a small army laid out before us, and the extended Lord of the Rings trilogy on TV with Lady Galadriel reminding me that “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future, while Samwise Gamgee offered strength to his defeated best friend by holding onto the light for him, reminding him that even when things feel most dire, there is good in the world, and it’s worth fighting for. 

I feel like we forget that sometimes, quite often, actually, lending ourselves to hopelessness as we peer through darkness and into a future we cannot quite see. 

We face multitudes of decisions every single day, many of them terrifying as we contemplate how they will affect the overall course of our lives, the people around us, the world itself, but in the end it comes down Gandalf’s reminder to Frodo, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.” 

And that is why I start every new year watching those films with the people I love the most. So I don’t forget, in the hope they won’t forget either.

My hope for the upcoming year, not just for myself, but for all of you, is that you remember Sam’s words, Galadriel’s encouragement, when everything around you feels dark. And when you feel small or insignificant, you remember you matter; when the darkness feels overwhelming, you remember it isn’t permanent; and always, always, always remember life is worth fighting for.  

Wishing you all the very best in the upcoming year. 

Year End Thoughts

It’s been an interesting year for me. Though it started out a bit on the slow side writing-wise, as the months progressed I found the pace quickening as I began indulging again in things I had begun to think had gotten lost somewhere inside me.

I participated in NaNoWriMo this year, something I strive to at least partake in each year, whether I finish the challenge or not, and even though I didn’t finish the challenge, I did manage to put more than 30,000 words into a new project that even a month later I am still incredibly excited to be working on.

I also wrote about eight short stories during the second half of the year and shopped them around to various markets–something I hadn’t done very actively in more than five years–the shopping around of short stories, not the writing of them. I manage to write short stories from time to time, and I’m looking to do more of that in the upcoming year. There’s something about short stories that feels incredibly satisfying, like dipping your toe into the pool on a hot day and then deciding a quick lap around is all you need to cool off. I find it so much more manageable at times to write and finish short stories than to focus on longer projects, but I’m hoping I can do more of both in 2019. I have so many projects I want to see completed. I also released two short stories, and if you haven’t checked them out yet but want to see what they’re about, take a look around the blog.

I’ve also rediscovered how much I love getting crafty. I used to craft a lot when my offspring was smaller, but over the years I didn’t craft nearly as much. This year, I let myself indulge, managing to complete a number of really rewarding projects. I made a doll for someone I love dearly, and realized I can paint space and the cosmos on just about anything with a paintable surface. Imagine everything I own painted like deep space, and you’ll get the picture. And I get really excited every time I think about the things I have planned to craft in the future.

We gardened this year, somewhat successfully, and managed to get over to the local berry farm a few time to pick strawberries, blueberries, black raspberries. I then came home and made jam from all three, sometimes separately and other times all mixed up into a triple berry deliciousness that goes well with just about everything, including Victoria sandwich cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar. In the fall, I made several jars of concord grape jelly, a favorite in our house that doesn’t usually last long because it’s too good. Though, sadly, there were no apples this year to make apple butter, apple sauce, and apple pie filling, but there’s always next fall. And while it hardly takes the place of apples, we were fortunate enough to land a couple bushels of fresh sweet corn that we carved off the cob and boiled down a bit with a dash of sugar for freezing. I cried a little when we used the last of the corn because it made amazing creamy chicken corn chowder.

As you can imagine, I spent a lot of time in my favorite place: the kitchen. Canning, cooking, baking, you name it, I had my hands in multiple glorious pots and pans of it over the last year, and I can’t wait to see what we cook up in 2019.

Despite spending so much time in the kitchen, I managed to stay active outside of the kitchen, and shed about fifty pounds these last few months. It’s been so rewarding, seeing hard work pay off, and I’m excited to reach the goals I set for myself in the next year.

James and I joined the So Many Levels campaign, which has been an absolute blast. From time to time I add updates here about the game and link you guys to the video from the Twitch stream. Things in that campaign are coming to a head, so you’ll definitely want to stay tuned in the upcoming year to find out what happens.

All in all, it was a really good year, and I’m beyond grateful for all the amazing things I got to experience and the people I was fortunate enough to share those experiences with. Thank you to everyone who was a part of my journey this year.

I’m really excited to see what 2019 has to offer. In the meantime, here’s a glimpse of all the fun and wonderful things I got to do in 2018.

blueberry sconeschocolate and peanut butter cake popscandy cane cookieschelsea bunsorange cranberry sconesconcord grape jellywe are grootkransekakemolasses cookieschocolate orange shortbread cookiesChocolate orange tartPapa Emerituscandy cane barkmy planetary holiday treeblack raspberry Victoria Sandwich cakethe cosmosthey have pumpkins in space, right? turkey and stuffing pastiesunicorn curtainsSometimes I’m a tabaxi ranger on So Many Levels

Flashy Friday: War – Everyone’s Providence

Husbands and fathers told them they could not go to war because it was not a woman’s place.

When none of the husbands or fathers returned after the last battle, Sakura told Ichika that the only way their children would survive when the Oda came was if they picked up swords and proved those dead men wrong. War was everyone’s providence, though she was sure it belonged to those who wanted to survive far more than it did those who simply wanted to conquer.

Flashy Friday: Rebellion

Uniforms were to be worn at all times, most especially on the march. A single body out of line subjected itself to punishment. A button undone, a boot unpolished–some said these were infractions severe enough to incur death.

Every day Iris tested the water to see how much she could get away with. Monday she put her undershirt on inside out and backwards, a hint of white tag peaking out of her coat. Tuesday she left one of her shoes untied. Yesterday the second button of her cloak was missing entirely. Taking off her gloves was far braver than any of her other attempts at rebellion, but so far no one seemed to notice.

If she was still alive on Friday she would take off her mask and dare them to execute her on sight.

Shiv is Now Available

Harm none and do what ye will.

Not even if they harmed you first. Not even if they destroyed the other half of your soul and left you empty inside. “Harm none,” Mother said,” lest you risk bringing that darkness back upon yourself threefold.”

Everyday Siobhan asks herself what harm the darkness could possibly do. She’s already dead inside. She died with her sister, and she’ll be damned if she’s going to let Maeve’s killer get off scot-free. Even if it means an eternity of torture, her soul damned to suffer, she will avenge her sister and make Alejandro Tapia rue the day he was born.

“Shiv” is now available everywhere ebooks are sold for just $.99! This is one of my favorite short stories I’ve written, and I’m so glad I can share it with you outside the Witches, Warlocks, Demons and Other Evil Doers anthology, where it originally appeared in the summer of 2017. 

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