Zelda Benjamin's Blog, page 3

Snippet Sunday

Weekend Writing Warriors



On Snippet Sunday, authors from a variety of genres post snippets from a work in progress, a recently published work, or a soon-to-be released novel. The snippets are fun to read and a great way to discover new authors.
Check out the link  www.wewriwa.com
Chocolate Couture Lily accepts an invitation to the grand opening for Noah's restaurant.

Snippet   “It’s a welcome to the neighborhood gift.” Maybe she had been a bit too presumptuous, assuming he would see her cake as the friendly gesture she had meant it to be.    Pointing to the delicate pearls Noah said, “The cake looks like it would be more comfortable surrounded by champagne and caviar, not burgers and fries.”    “I thought you might like to add some class to the event.” She hadn’t meant for her comment to sound so harsh.  If she hadn’t decided at the last minute to accept the invitation, she might have considered designing a more compatible cake to go with the food. Something resembling a burger, or cowboy boot, or maybe even a loud, towering, slightly trashy red velvet cake would have been more suitable.



To find out more about Chocolate Couture and the other books in my Love by Chocolate series go to my websitewww.zeldabenjamin.com

Snippet Sunday

Snippet SundayWEEKEND WRITING WARRIORS





Sunday weekend writing warriors post 8 lines of something they are writing, something they are editing, or something that is already unleashed on the public. The snippets are fun to read and a great way to discover new and exciting authors. Reading as many snippets as I can has become a Sunday routine .
Check out the link
http://www.wewriwa.com


Chocolate Couture 
Lily and Noah  discover a secret compartment in the vacant store between her pastry shop and his soon to open restaurant. A hidden letter could hold the secret to the success of each of their businesses.


Sunday Snippet    “Don’t worry about me.” Noah shrugged. “I’m just a burger jock. I have no interest in secret compartments.” 
     She narrowed her eyes and looked up at him. “Be warned, I’ve got an arsenal of recipes that will increase my sales beyond your imagination.”
    “You have no idea what I’m imaging right now.” His confident smile and sexy voice soaked into her like her apricot rum sauce soaking into dry sponge cake. 







Visit my website for more info about Chocolate Couture and the other books in my Love by Chocolate series.www.zeldabenjamin.com
Keep life exciting, eat dessert first.

Snippet Sunday

Snippet SundayWeekend Writing Warriors




Sunday weekend writing warriors post 8 lines of something they are writing, something they are editing, or something that is already unleashed on the public. This is my second weekend post for Snippet Sunday.  Check out this link and read the snippets from new and exciting authors.  http://www.wewriwa.com
Here's my snippet
Last week, pastry chef Lily Peradou discovered a man roaming the alley behind her shop.

"Why are you snooping around the alley?”
“I’ve been meaning to stop in and introduce myself.”
“Why would you want to introduce yourself?” She was strangely flattered by his interest. Perhaps he had heard about her elderflower or chocolate cherry cordial cupcakes. Her ego slipped away as she thought of the risk of speaking to a stranger in a deserted alley— especially, a handsome stranger with a charming smile.



Time for me to check out the other snippets. Last weeks snippets were exiting and thought provoking.

Check out my website for more info about the other books in my Love by Chocolate series.
www.zeldabenjamin.com

Peace, love, and chocolate.
Zelda

Discovering Twitter

 Zelda Benjamin Where to StartIf you're Twitter savoy this blog post is not for you. There are still many people out there who just don't get the whole Twitter thing. The first thing they need to do is create a Twitter account. 
There are lots of reasons people use Twitter. I'm not a celebrity junkie so I don't follow any stars, but that could be a reason you want might want to Tweet. Do you like to hear the news as soon as it happens?  Do you have a book or product you want to promote? Do you want to help your friends promote a product or book? Once you follow someone you can just click retweet and their tweet will retweet to your followers. TweetsThe best part of a Tweet is that it is short and sweet. Each Tweet is limited to 140 characters including punctuation and spaces. Twitter will automatically shorten any link you include. As you Tweet the number of characters you have left appears in the bottom left corner. Did you bake a cake, review a book, or have a cover reveal. Tweet the info and include a link if you want to. No need to try and condense the entire recipe into 140 characters just add the link:) You can pre-schedule Tweets just like you do a blog. You can also pay Tweeting companies  to put your Tweets out there. I've never done this so I can't say if it works or not. Many of my writing groups are very supportive and we retweet often. Here's one of my Tweets from this morning.
Zelda Benjamin @benjaminzelda · 8h
#Fashion is not necessarily about labels. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H0L1HAO  #kindle #romanceFollowersIn the search box put in a name or email of someone you're interested in following. Start with mine if you'd like. My Twitter name is benjaminzelda. If you want to mention me in a tweet you would type @benjaminzelda. People will follow you, but you don't have to follow them back.
HashtagsThose words preceded by a # sign are hashtags. They are used to categorize keywords and topics. Chocolate Couture is a story that has a fashion component. I want people with a kindle, and romance readers as well as someone interested in fashion to check out my book.  Step out of your comfort level and use different hashtags.
Analytical DashboardThis is something new. Twitter is allowing you to see your Twitter activity. Don't panic if you're just getting acquainted with Twitter. You don't have to do this.  It's not on your Twitter page. You have to go to analytics.twitter.com to find the info.What I like about this feature is that I can check to see if certain hashtags are engaged more than others. I can correlate the number of impressions and engagements with the sales number of my Montlake books on my Author Central page. Do weekends get more impressions and engagements than weekdays? Does the time of day that I Tweet make a difference?
Read Tweets to see what engages you. Which hashtags get your attention. I've found that starting my Tweet with a quote related to the subject of the book I'm promoting gets more engagement than just Tweeting the link.
Happy Tweeting.
Peace, Love, and Chocolate.Zelda

Snippet Sunday

Weekend Writing Warriors

 Sunday authors post 8 to 10 lines of something they are writing, something they are editing, or something that is already unleashed on the public. Visit this site to read their snippets and discover some exciting new writers.    Weekend Writing Warriors



Background to my snippetPastry chef Lily Peradou steps into the alley behind her shop and discovers she is not the only one interested in the vacant shop next door. Snippet from Chocolate CoutureThe man jiggled the door handle. It was locked, of course.Maybe he was a relative of Sally’s. If he were related, she would like to talk to him and make an offer for the store. The perfect solution for her space problem was 5 Smith Street.
Dwarfed by the giant metal container, Lily felt a temporary sense of security. She used her advantage to assess the situation and the stranger. He didn’t look like a tourist. There was no sign of a camera or guidebook. He didn’t walk with a leisurely stroll of someone sightseeing. His stride was with purpose.
Hope you enjoy these snippets and follow the wonderful authors who wrote them.
Peace, Love, and ChocolateZelda

Meet My Character Blog Hop

Everyone loves a Character. Are you ready to meet some interesting ones?

I'd like to thank Ariella Moon for inviting my to take part in this fun blog hop. I've been introduced to some fabulous authors and their great characters.


Ariella Moon is the author of the Teen Wytche Saga, a sweet Young Adult paranormal series. Ariella writes about magic, friendship, secrets, high school, and love in Spell Check, Spell Struck, and Spell Fire from Astraea Press.Ariella spent her childhood searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia. Extreme math anxiety, and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred her youth. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. Ariella is a Reiki Master, author, and shaman. She lives a nearly normal life with her extraordinary daughter, two shamelessly spoiled dogs, and an enormous dragon.
Connect with Ariella Moonhttp://www.ariellamoon.comAre you ready to meet my sassy New Yorker? What is the name of your character? Is she fictional or historical?


In my mind I had a vivid image of Lily Peradou. She's a fictional character, but reminds me of so many talented women determined to prove they can make it on their own. My cover artist did a fantastic job of portraying her image exactly as I imagined Lily.



When and where is the story set?

The story is set in Brooklyn, NY . Most of the story takes place in Lily's tiny shop, Pastry Art at 4 1/2  Smith Street.



What should we know about your character?Lily is daring, independent, and loyal to her friends. She has just enough New York sass to get the job done. She is the equivalent of chocolate royalty, but has chosen to make it without help from her family of chocolate snobs. When life takes a sudden turn, she steps back and re-evaluates what's really important.

What is her main conflict? What messes up her life?

Lily's problems are compounded when she meets a former lawyer, Noah Adler in the alley behind her shop. She discovers he's the new owner of the burger place on the other side of the vacant store she inherits. Noah's interest in the shop between them makes Lily cautious. When Noah offers to help her with her legal battle against the heirs of the vacant property, she knows it will come with a price. Lily refuses his help, insisting she can defend herself against their ridiculous claim. Determined to prove that her chocolate cherry cordial cakes did not influence the late dress designer's will, she soon finds herself over her head in a melting pot of chocolate complications and love.

What is the personal goal of your character?

Lily is determined to make her business a success by following her own ideas and passion. If she finds the right man to share her dreams - why not.


Is there a working title for this novel, can we read more about it?To read more about Chocolate Couture and all the other books in my Love by Chocolate series visit my website 
Available on Amazon
                      Nook




Next fun and fabulous tour - September 1

Tara FairfieldDr. Fairfield is a licensed psychologist and author with her doctorate from Northern Arizona University. She released her first YA fantasy novel, Makai Queen, in Feb. of 2013 and the sequel, Makai King, splashes onto the scene September 1st! She has been a featured guest on Teen Talk and Parent Talk radio with Nicole O’Dell (ChooseNOW Ministries) and writes a monthly column for parents of teens. Tara loves spending time kayaking, romping with her dogs or just hanging out with her grandchildren. She currently lives in Washington State where she can be close to her family and still smell the salty air of the Sound. 
Amazon: Websites:  http://tarafairfield.comFacebook:  Twitter: 

D.B. Schaefer
D.B. Schaefer is the author of Me & Georgette, a quirky time-travel to famed Regency historical fiction writer Georgette Heyer. A former journalist, she was born and raised in the American Midwest, but headed to more exotic locales after university. Me & Georgette is her first novel.
Amazon


Mary King My name is Mary King, and I'm a mature writer with decades of life and work experience. The youngest of three children, I was born in 1956, in Jacksonville, FL. I was fortunate to grow up during a time when some of the most profound and exciting historical events changed the world. English grammar and composition were favorite school subjects, as was music. By the time I reached my teens, I was a church organist and worked to become a violinist in the Jacksonville Youth Symphony. I also became a caregiver at a very early age, surrounded by family members with physical and cognitive disabilities. I attended Jacksonville University (FL), graduating with a BS in psychology in 1979.I've held numerous employment positions, some of which I combined with my passion for driving. Driver education was my starting point. From there I became a defensive driving classroom instructor, and then finally, a driver for Greyhound Bus Lines. By a stroke of luck, I eventually came to work in a spinal cord rehabilitation center, where I developed the first state-licensed driving school that specialized in adaptive driving for persons with disabilities.In 1996, I began to pursue my passion for writing fiction. My greatest achievement thus far (besides raising my kids) is creating The McFadden Series, a self-published saga featuring an adoptive family of teens with disabilities and the professional couple who cares for them. In addition, I write nonfiction material, having published online over two hundred informative articles. I've covered everything from caregiver support to southern living, environmental issues, senior topics, hurricanes, health issues, teenage topics, recipes, human interest stories and more. At present, I have fifteen Editor's Choice awards.Some of my other interests include reading, writing book reviews, work-related research, listening to classical music, gardening, photography and cooking. I don't have much time for anything else, but in my leisure time, I enjoy reality TV shows, especially DIY-related programs.My future goal is to move to the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts, where I can indulge in a lifestyle filled with the arts and music. Of course, I plan to continue writing my novel series and nonfiction articles. Currently, I live in northwest Florida, on the gulf coast.
Amazon:  http://goo.gl/Z8PwT4Kindle: http://goo.gl/iexE4nBarnes and Noble: http://goo.gl/vrdDJM 

Amanda Kay
I am a Paranormal/Fantasy Adult Romance AuthorI am a Navy Wife and a mother of two. My daughter was born December 4, 2010 and my son was born July 18, 2013. My husband and I have been married for almost seven years, but we have been together since our junior year of high school and we have known each other since 8th grade, yes a long time.I am a Florida girl at heart, but since getting married I have lived in Washington, South Carolina, and our latest move Connecticut. I hold a B.A. in Multimedia Journalism with a minor in Political Science from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.My Motto: Not your average Fairy Tales
Book Trailer: 
 iBooks: 
Amazon:  
B&N:
Kobo: 

Venice - The Doge Palace, Mask Making, and a Farewell Cruise

MasksMask making was right up there with pasta making as one of my favorite Italy experiences. At Tragicomica we met the artists who create these wonderful masks. The Mascareri, the mask makers have practiced their craft since 1436. In the shop we got a brief introduction to this special art. After choosing a mask we sat down to create a masterpiece of our own. With a little help from the experts the results were amazing.

   Before and after - not bad.

DogeLunch on our own was followed by a visit to the Doges Palace. The junior adventures set off with our Disney guides for a treasure hunt while the rest of group explored the grand halls, glided staircases, and frescoed walls.


                                         
The palace was the headquarters for the Venetian Republic with an elected official, the Doge. The Doge, elected by the city's aristocracy held the position for life.


Citizens were given the opportunity to report neighbors by dropping a
note in the wall. The note fell into a box on the other side where the decisions were made. If the accused was found innocent the accuser was sent to prison.


Prison VisitPrisoners walked over the Sigh Bridge for their last view of Venice.
                                                        

Casanova was the most famous prisoner to escape from the Venetian prison. However, the stories vary depending on who told them.

Pirate Ship AdventureOur last evening in Venice, left us with another jaw dropping experience. We dined, danced, and sailed around the island on a pirate ship. Our masks from earlier in the day were waiting for us with bubble wrap and paper.

Farewell Venice.

   Off to London.

Ciao Bellas,
Zelda

And Then There was Venice

We arrived in Venice after a ride on a hi speed bullet train designed by Ferrari and seats crafted by Tod's Leather.



 



After a group photo, it was off to the gondolas and a walking tour of Venice.
                  


The Grand Canal was exceptionally crowded this weekend due to the Festival of Redemption from the plague. Between 1575 and 1577 the plague killed 1/3 of the population of Venice. In 1576, the Doge vowed to build a church to help end the plague, promising to make a procession to the church on the 3rd week of July. We were lucky to be staying on the island where this church stills stands.




That evening the waterfront was lined with tables moved out of restaurants and the residents kitchens and dinning rooms. It was one gigantic block party.







There wasn't a dinner reservation anywhere. But with a pinch of Disney pixie dust, Landon our wonderful guide got us a water view table at one of our hotel's completely booked restaurants. We had little time to change and had to be seated by 6pm. The view, the food, and the service were worth the rush. It worked out fine for our hot and tired family. It was 93 when we arrived in Venice.











The day ended with a 2 hour fireworks display.
Seeing the city light up from the fireworks was amazing.


And that was just our 1st day in Venice. 
Ciao Bellas,Zelda

On The Road to Florence - Secret Passages, Hidden Rooms, and a Toilet Paper Thief

We started our day trip to Florence with a pit stop. Buses must have a permit before entering Florence. There we met the neighborhood gypsy.  She arrives bright and early to remove the toilet paper and paper towels from the bathrooms. Positioning herself between the two toilets she sells it back to unsuspecting tourists. Fortunately, our Disney guides were on to her and came ready with the essentials.
We soon forgot the thief and moved on to Michelangelo's David. Thanks again to the magic of Disney we didn't have to join the long lines. I would advice pre-purchasing your tickets in the summer months. Inside, our local guide had us viewing David from all angles. From the right he appears relaxed, but on the left his muscles are tense and ready for battle. 

Hidden Passages
 After lunch on our own we joined our group for a private tour of Palazzo Vecchio. We walked through halls decorated by Michelangelo, Botticelli, and Vasari and discovered hidden hallways and secret exits.
 
Hidden Rooms With Hidden Treasures
 

Shopping  Florence has its share of high end shops, but I prefer the other end of the shopping spectrum. At the  San Lorenzo Street Market, haggling is accepted. There are the usual stands selling T-shirts and souvenirs. There are also lots of good deals on high quality leather.  
Enjoying a frozen gelato after our afternoon of shopping.

Back at the Piazza Santa Croce to join our group and share our shopping experiences. 





There's still Venice. 
Ciao Bellas, Zelda

A Family Farm in Tuscany

The Pasta Making BeginsWe arrived at the family farm, Fattoria Poggio                              Alloro where we were introduced to our                    
pasta chef and guide, Sarah. She's extremely
proud of her father's hard work and success in building this farm. 



Two handfuls of white flour, two handfuls of semolina flour and one or two eggs slowly mixed into the ring of flour and we were ready to roll out the pasta dough. I will never use a pasta machine again. With the right tools we were soon making an assortment of shapes. By the end of the morning, everyone was an expert pasta chef.







Our Disney guides had some fun with the leftover flour and eggs.

 Before lunch we took a walking tour of the farm. We met the moo cows, learned about the vineyards and wine production. Everything the family produces is grown on this farm. The beautiful rose bushes at the edge of the rows of grapes have a purpose. If they get infected with some kind of bug, it's a warning and they can act to protect the rows of vines.



Wine Tasting, Olive Oil Making, and Lunch
   The saffron pasta with peas and zucchini
was one of my favorite dishes on this trip. No, this is not the pasta we made. That was feed to the animals.
The recipe for this delicious dish is in Sarah's cookbook which I ordered when I got home. Some of the adventurers bought it at the farm, but like I said before, there's only so much you can carry back. I did buy a small package of saffron.




Rest and a SwimBack to the hotel for a rest and swim before a medieval dinner and entertainment high on the historic town of Certaldo.

 
The meal started with a sample of olives, cheese, battered basil and battered zucchini leaves. The basil leaves were unique and amazing. I'll try to make them, but have my doubts that I'll succeed in capturing the flavor and crispy consistency.


Once again, another wonderful day had us in awe of of our Disney guides. There's more to come - on to Florence and Venice.

Ciao Bellas,
Zelda