H.B. Pattskyn's Blog, page 21

Reviews

So, my new book came out a week or so ago, and so far I've gotten some super awesome reviews--including some wonderfully thoughtful (as in well thought out) ones. Which makes me happy.

But it also leaves me feeling like I can never measure up to my own "bar". So I'm having a hard time writing.

But when I get lousy reviews, it's depressing. And I have a hard time writing.

So basically, there is absolutely NO winning.

The truth is that I've been having a *very* hard time finishing anything. We had a bit of "exploding life" this summer, but that has mostly blown over and things are settling back to what passes for normal around here...but still, it's like I can't concentrate. Or I'll write a few pages and LOVE it...then write a few more and want to scrap the whole project.

It may be that the subject matter is difficult. Both of my (way overdue) WIPs deal with pretty big subjects, HIV (Pasha and Daniel/aka Hanging by the Moment), and coming of age/coming out (my YA novel). So, okay, by this time next week, I should seriously be done with Pasha and Daniel (I should have been done months ago, but that's another story). It's so close I can almost taste it...but that's the one that I write a few pages and love it, then write a few more and want to scrap the whole thing. Hopefully in the end it will be worth some very real blood, sweat, and lots of tears. I guess I just need to knuckle down and WRITE.

Which is why today's post is going to be scary short.  ;-)

But... before I dash off: scroll down. I'm trying something new. A Saturday post that's just for fun. So far, it seems to be getting pageviews, so maybe it's not a bad idea. Last Saturday, I talked about one of my favorite shows, and let me tell you, I am GEEKED for the rest of it (Logo is showing back episodes of The Misfits).

Don't forget that I'm touring SE MI all month with the ghost book--but would love to see ANY of my readers :)  And don't forget that I'm doing a blog hop and giving away a copy of Bound in a couple of weeks.

Forgive me for not posting a recipe if I promise to give you on on Saturday?

Okay, four minutes 'til midnight! Time to get this posted and head off to bed. On top of everything else, I've still got yesterday's migraine niggling and now I'm getting a scritchy throat. Sigh.

Let's end on a positive note:


Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Another overhaul?

Quick announcement: Dreamspinner Press Customer Appreciation Sale
20% off all ebooks, audio books, and in stock paperbacks (and have I mentioned the first 20 people who order paperback copies of Bound from Dreamspinner get an autographed copy? And not just Bound, that goes for all new releases.)  DSP runs sales periodically--it's a great time to stock up. If you want to make sure and keep abreast of cool stuff like that, subscribe to their awesome newsletter.  I was a DSP customer long before getting published...they never once spammed me! 

Okay, so...
Another overhaul?

Not exactly. The topic of blogging (and blog traffic) has come up on a couple of the lists I'm on and it's got me thinking about the way I blog; the fact that the two guest bloggers I've had and my posting about Covered in Light have drawn almost as many hits as the blog hops I've done says something to. I'm just not sure what. See, when I started out, I blogged about any ol' thing and I thought it made my blog feel a little schizophrenic. But maybe I was wrong? Maybe people really care about what I think about Life, the Universe or anything? Or maybe variety really is just the spice of life.
I still really enjoy writing about writing and living the creative life (although lately I've been in a horrible slump. I know exactly what's causing the stress but there's not a whole lot to be done and that, of course, is adding stress. Sigh. Viscous cycle. I'm hoping that something will give soon, but some things are all about timing... but that's another story for another day. Or maybe not.)
So, the point is that I'm thinking it might be fun to spice things up a bit and try for two blog posts a week, my regular Wednesday blog where I'll host guests, blather on about writing, include a yummy recipe (or at least something interesting!) and a second post on Saturday where I'll talk about something fun. Or at least something I think is fun.

Kicking things off.... I was so totally blown away by Thursday's episode (on Logo, here in the US) of   The Misfits (series/season 2; episode 3, original air date 18 November, 2010--it's the one where Nathan comes onto Simon, but that isn't what's got me feeling so utterly blown over. For those who don't follow the show, neither Simon nor Nathan is gay, so it wasn't some cool m/m moment. What happens is that another guy uses his power to make Nathan momentarily infatuated with Simon basically because he's an asshole...oh wait, am I describing Nathan or the other guy? Let's face it, Nathan can be grating, but he has had some major redeeming moments, so I don't hate him, but it'll be interesting to see what happens later on in the show. I read that the actor who plays Nathan left after series three. I think I'll miss him, but the show will carry on; honestly there are characters I would miss more and not because of this week's Big Reveal. Looking objectively, I can see where they were setting up the identity of the Guy in Black, but I still wouldn't have predicted that. I figured the Guy in Black might be from the future, he knew way too much, but I thought for sure it was Curtis). 
I started watching The Misfits on the Internet last year and was hooked immediately. This is what would really happen if people started developing superpowers. It wouldn't just be the best and the brightest, the smartest, the most noble--or the most evil. A lot over very ordinary people would be affected, too, and most wouldn't have a clue about what to do with their new gifts. How would it really feel to suddenly be able to read your boyfriend's mind? Bliss? Or breakup? 
There's a question. If you could have any superpower (but only one, this isn't an RPG where God--or at least your Game Master--can be bribed with chocolate and Mountain Dew) what would it be? (Go ahead, leave a comment!)
I'd like to be able to fly (although it would be a challenge, I'm a sort of terrified of heights!) It's not just the cool flying dreams I have once in a while, if I could fly, I'd finally be able to get things down off the top shelf without having to call for my husband or my daughter! I could just levitate up.... yes, I know I could do that with super stretch power too, but somehow that one just creeps me right out.

Telekinesis would be kinda cool too. Imagine not having to get up to snag the remote up off the other sofa, or to grab the phone from the other room. With tk you could sit right where you were and just grab the required items with your mind. And I guess it would work for getting stuff off the top shelf...but at the end of the day, I'd still pick flying. Maybe it is those cool flying dreams after all... 
More on The Misfits:
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Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Chris T. Kat

I'm very pleased to have Chris T. Kat with me here today!

.........................................Hello, my name is Chris T. Kat. I'm a new m/m author, published with Dreamspinner Press. I'm very happy to have the opportunity to do a guest post at Helen's blog—thank you, Helen!
So far I have published the novella Seizing It and a short story, called “Cuddling Up” in Dreamspinner's Animal Magnetism anthology. On September 26th my new story Silver Lining will be released. It belongs to Dreamspinner's Bittersweet Dreams line.
What is a Bittersweet Dream?“A Bittersweet Dreams title: It's an unfortunate truth: love doesn't always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.”
The thing is—I'm a fluff writer, an absolute and total fluff writer. Touching, kissing, cuddling, to name just a few things, are integral parts of my stories. I like them to be lighthearted, sweet and hope for the story to evoke a smile and positive feelings within the readers. I, myself, often avoid books without happy endings because when I read I want to escape reality, lose myself in a fictional wonderland where no matter what, everything gets straightened out and everyone lives happily ever after.
Why did I end up writing a Bittersweet Dream nonetheless?Truth to be told: I have no idea. Even during my time writing fan fiction I only wrote a couple of stories without happy endings. But: the idea for Silver Lining jumped me, dug its teeth into me and wouldn't let go. I had the whole story in my head, jotted it down on paper so I wouldn't forget anything but at the time couldn't start on it because I needed to finish another manuscript. I thought (hoped even) the pressing urge to write Silver Lining would vanish or at least lessen. As you already deduced, it didn't.
As soon as I had the time I sat down and wrote the story. It just poured out of me. I felt for my main characters, Riley and Scott, even made myself blink against tears as I typed up the end. Silver Lining exhausted me but I couldn't stop writing it. As much as the writing process hurt me, it also felt incredibly liberating.
Silver Lining simply needed to be told. I still feel bad for Riley and Scott but the ending also seems right to me. I sincerely hope that readers will give this story a chance and see the deep bond and love between Riley and Scott.

Author Page: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=605Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/christi_kat

Thanks again, Chris!  It was great to have you here today.
Recipe:
Alfredo Sauce... guaranteed to put inches on your waistline, but oh So worth it!
Home made Alfredo sauce is one of the easiest things in the world to make; I got the recipe from one of my old bosses, an amazing chef from Sicily.
You can make as much or as little as you like, all you need to do is combine equal parts ricotta cheese and heavy whipping cream (half and half may be substituted) and half as much grated Romano or parmigiana (fresh, NOT that stuff in the green can!)
So for example, if you're using 8 oz cream and 8 oz ricotta, you'd use 4 oz grated Romano/parm. (It's not an absolute exact science--you can you 3 oz or you can use 6 oz). 
I figure in one clove of garlic for every 4 oz of final product. (8 + 8 + 4 = 12.... so 3, maybe 4 cloves of garlic. Unless you're my husband. Then you double that. I *don't* recommend it for the rest of audience however).
The best thing to do with the garlic is roast it with a little olive oil, like we talked about a while back. 
On VERY low heat, bring the cream up to just BELOW a simmer -- do not let this stuff boil. Whisk in the ricotta, mixing thoroughly. You can add a little rosemary as well (maybe a quarter to a half a teaspoon), and a little basil.  (I once found something called "Tuscan herbs", basically Italian herbs: oregano, basil, and thyme--with Rosemary added. It made a GREAT Alfredo). 
Slowly stir in the grated parm/Romano. You'll want to add a little at a time, let it melt, add in some more... by now you should be experts at cheese sauce :D
Go ahead and turn off the heat. Once your garlic is soft, give it a good mash; add it (along with the olive oil) to the pot.
The very best way is to make it the night before to let the flavors marry.
There you go; I can just about guarantee family and friends will be impressed  ;-)






Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Yikes, it's here!

Bound: Forget Me Knot comes out today!  I've been so caught up trying to finish my WIP and getting rolling on book signings for Ghosthunting Michigan that I almost missed my own release date!  Thank goodness for Jaime Samms and Michael Rupured who reminded me that I owed them blog posts and was due to be a guest on their blogs this week!

Michael has me up for today and Jaime will have me up in a couple of days... on Michael's blog, I'm talking about making the transition from fanfiction to published fiction, and on Jaime's I have an unusual sort of "excerpt" from Bound. See, all of Bound is told from Jason's POV, which really isn't very fair to Henry, so for Jaime, I wrote the first scene from Henry's POV, because, seriously, he's the Dom, he should be the dominant voice, right? You'd think....but the story ended up being Jason's journey.

Thanks again to Bob for the AMAZING cover art!Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Covered in Light

Tali Spencer made a great comment on yesterday's post, and it made me go digging even harder to find this (I'd wanted to post it on yesterday's comments, but couldn't find it online).

It boils down to perspective: cultural, religious, personal. I think it's really easy to forget that not everybody thinks the way "we" do (we meaning typical Western men and women).
By Malcolm Evans, cartoonist for the New Zealand Harold
See more of his work hereHelen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Covered in Light

Chances are, you haven't heard of Covered in Light. If I didn't have a very dear friend who chooses to cover, I wouldn't have either. A couple of years ago when my friend, a strong, beautiful, proud Pagan woman told me she was going to start the practice of hair/head covering, I'll admit I was momentarily taken aback. (Maybe I should mention that she's also Irish by decent, so I couldn't peg it as a cultural thing any more than an obviously religious thing). 
As a typical American--probably a typical Western woman, I had lots of preconceived notions about covering, no few of them coming from my own Russian background (in the Russian Orthodox tradition, women are expected to cover their heads, at least in church, as a sign of piousness--please do *not* ask me to expound on my feelings, they're not very nice. It always struck me as a sexist practice, something to further separate women from me, to make us somehow lesser--we had to cover. I never did--none of the younger women did). But I digress... or maybe not. As Westerners, we hear the word covering, or see a woman with her head covered and we tend to jump to conclusions. They aren't always quite the worst; we might assume a bad hair day or think hair loss... but when we see certain types of hair covering, we think "oppression". We think about Middle Eastern women, Amish women. We often assume that women in these cultures have "no choice" and that no woman given a choice would EVER choose to cover.
But here was my beautiful, strong, proud Pagan friend making just that choice without any pressure from friends or family. 
She told me about it over the phone, or maybe via chat, I don't recall, but I know she couldn't see my momentary askance expression and being a good friend who wanted to support another person's choice, I didn't say anything negative (I don't think I actually said anything) or ask any of the dozen intrusive questions going through my head. 
The next time we saw each other face to face, there my friend was with her long blond hair covered, bu a beautiful silk/cotton wrap--I'm almost positive it was bright turquoise. Okay, so it definitely wasn't what I'd imagined. I still didn't ask why an Irish Pagan was covering, but I did discover that it's not just something little old Russian women, Amish, and Middle Eastern women do. Jewish women cover (which I guess I should have known, I'm reasonably familiar with Jewish culture, but I never stopped to think about it, probably because Jewish men have as many traditions involving head and shoulder coverings). Women who cover don't just wear black (although some do). Head covering can be outwardly beautiful as well as spiritually significant. 
This might be good place to insert that I did once work with a lovely young Middle Eastern woman who explained that she grew up over here, although her mother had immigrated from over there (I honestly don't remember which country); my former co-worker said she was given a choice as a child, to cover or not when she came of age, and after some thought she decided to cover. She also said that when she had children, she planned to give her daughters the same choice. I think about her once in a while--she was in school for fashion design, and a beautiful example of someone living true to her culture but also being exactly who she wanted to be. 
It was also this same store where I had my first encounter with bigotry against women who cover. One day (as there were on many occasions, actually) a group of heavily covered Middle Eastern women in the store shopping. I thought nothing of it. I'd found the women who came in covered to be soft spoken and polite and seriously that's all I ever care about when dealing with customers. But then this other woman--American, I presume (she certainly looked and sounded like a typical American housewife) came up to me and informed me that what those women were doing was illegal.
Yes, I gave her the hairy eyebrow.
She went on to say that people weren't allowed to come into a store with their faces covered like that, what if they wanted to rob the place or something. 
Blink.
Well, wasn't I going to call the police??
No. I most certainly was not. 
She left in a huff. 
At the time, I found it both sad and amusing....but now I have a friend who covers. She doesn't cover her face, but women who cover their hair *do* attract attention, and not all of it positive. 
So what is Covered in Light? It's a special day (September 21) organized by a group of Pagan women to support those who cover by choice. Here's their Facebook Page.
And yes, I'll be covering tomorrow in support of my friend, my former coworker, and anyone else who makes the choice to cover. 



Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Welcome Guest Blogger: Zahra Owens!

I'm beyond thrilled to have another guest on this week (who has literally saved my bacon by guest blogging for me since I am SOOOO far behind it isn't funny!)

Please welcome the lovely and talented Zahra Owens whose book The Hand-me-down has been on my ever-growing list of books-to-read-REAL-soon since I first saw the cover on the Dreamspinner Press website a couple of weeks ago--I was intrigued by the title, so  I clicked on the title for more information and immediately put it on the list of things I want to read in the very near future.  ;-)

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Hi Helen and thank you for allowing me a little space on your blog!

I was reading your post on POV and writing an entire story from one protagonist’s POV and I had to smile.
All my cowboy novels switch POV with (almost) every chapter, telling the reader the story through the eyes of one, then the other character. I love figuring out where to break the chapter and what parts of the story are best told from whose POV. It’s a series, so because I didn’t want to break style, they’re all written that way.
Needless to say when my latest plot popped its head up, I knew I had to write it differently.
The Hand-me-down is entirely told from one POV: that of Jeremy “Jez” Robinson, headhunter and workaholic extraordinaire. He’s a man working a high-powered job and he jets around the world for a living. He’s forced to slow down when an Icelandic volcano erupts and strands him in sunny Barcelona. To pass the time he looks up an old friend of his: Nick Stone. Within 24 hours of arriving at Nick’s Barcelona villa, he is introduced to Nick’s painfully shy boyfriend Jamie, who can’t talk to strangers, and told Nick is dying and is looking for someone to take care of Jamie after his death. All through the book we only see and feel what Jez goes through. We experience his doubts about what Nick is asking of him, his terror when he realized the responsibility that is thrust upon him, and the feelings the rather enticing Jamie invokes in him, while at the same time these feelings make Jez feel guilty because his friend, and Jamie’s lover of eight years, is dying.
The only way we can learn about Nick’s motivations and Jamie’s feelings is through what Jez sees and feels. It’s an interesting exercise in writing (and, as a writer, I do love a challenge!) and for me, it gives me the chance to crawl a little deeper under the skin of my character. It also gives me the opportunity to show something I feel we see too little of in books: the fact that people draw the wrong conclusions and live by those conclusions until they are persuaded they were wrong and then need to adjust their sights. If you’re writing in one POV this also means the reader will have to follow the one character’s “truth” until they are thrown a curveball because the one character learns something new that changes his idea of the whole matter.
In The Hand-me-down, because of his selective mutism, Jez doesn’t see Jamie as an intelligent, consenting adult until Jamie makes it absolutely clear to him that he is. Before uttering his first word in Jez’s presence. Jez also puts Nick on a pedestal and has a hard time seeing him topple off it. I’m not going to spoil it for you, but I had fun writing that!
Bring a box of tissues, though. I do like a good tearjerker!
The Hand-me-down is available in paperback and eBook from Dreampinner Press starting Sept. 14th.
You can find me @ www.zahraowens.com

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Thanks again, Zahra, for joining me (and saving my behind!)
To everyone, I promise to get back up on top of things in the coming week. 
Next week I'll be giving a warm welcome to guest Chris T. Kat .

Today's recipe is written with my friend Tia Fielding in mind; we were chatting via email (seeing as I live in Michigan, and she lives in Finland) and she mentioned broccoli soup. Yum! And what could be simpler? (Okay, I was skimming recipes online, because I don't cook with exact measurements, and I wanted to get some idea of correct measurements...and let me tell ya, MY broccoli soup is SO much easier than ANY of the recipes I found online!  Yikes. Give this a try and see what you think)

The only special equipment you *might* need is a food processor--but it isn't necessary, it's just nice if you like a super creamy soup.

A whisk is also really helpful for melting the cheese. I don't know what I ever did before I bought my first whisk! No kitchen should be without one!

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
2 good sized heads of broccoli
6 to 8 slices American cheese (this is about the ONLY time you'll see me putting that in a recipe, but it melts so much nicer than cheddar) -- and of course you can use more or less depending on how cheesy you like your soup
1 cup of whipping cream or half and half
3 cups of milk (whole makes a heavier soup, 2% makes a less guilty meal  ;-)
4 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons corn starch
Salt to taste
Cheddar to garnish (optional)
enough water to steam the broccoli

And obviously a big enough pot to cook it all in!

Okay, here's a real trick for broccoli. The stems are the BEST part; they are so sweet and yummy...don't believe me? Peel 'em, THEN cook them and try it sometime. It's the skin that's bitter. The "meat" is delicious.

So, begin by peeling the broccoli. I don't obsess about getting it all off for my broccoli soup, but I try to get rid of as much skin as possible. Then chunk up the broccoli and cook until tender (I learned the hard way that it's best to cook it BEFORE turning it into soup).

If you have a food processor, toss the cooked broccoli in and process it to desired consistency.  Some days I make super smooth soup, other days I process about half of it to baby-food consistency and leave the rest in nice sized chunks. It depends on my mood.

Set the broccoli aside for a minute. Back at the pan, slowly melt the American (i.e. processed) cheese into 2 cups of milk on very LOW heat. Melt the cheese in one slice at a time, whisking it until it's melted before adding more--otherwise you'll have a gloppy mess.

Take the last cup of milk and whisk the flour and corn starch into the last cup of milk (cold) and pour it slowly in, whisking; keep on stirring/whisking until the milk/cheese mixture thickens. I usually add my broccoli back in at this point, bring it up to temperature (just a little below a simmer), salt to taste, and add the cream in at the very last. You can add more milk if you need/want to make it a little thinner.

That's it. Serve garnished with cheddar (or cheddar / jack mix) and curl up with a good book!


Note:
I once experimented with adding garlic and onion, as most recipes call for. The results weren't desirable (at least to me). To each their own, I suppose. I like broccoli soup really simple, broccoli, milk/cream, and cheese.






Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Michael Rupured

Today, I'm very pleased to have guest blogger and fellow author Michael Rupured, whose book Until Thanksgiving is due out later this year or very early next year from Dreamspinner Press (look for it December/January).  
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My first stab at writing a book was a memoir. Yes, my life is that interesting—at least, I’ve always thought so. The research I had to do wasn’t all that difficult. The journals I’ve kept since 1979 came in handy. Informal interviews with family members filled in most the gaps.
The 110,000-word tome covers my life from conception to just a few years ago. It suffers from a horrible lack of focus, has more characters than War and Peace, and is all tell with no show. After I’m famous I’ll do a major rewrite and maybe break it up into a trilogy. But for now it’s just fine simmering over on my back burner.
My first novel, Until Thanksgiving, takes place in Lexington, Kentucky and Washington, DC in the latter half of 1997. I really did move from Lexington to DC in July 1997. Most of the locations are places I frequented during the eighteen months I lived in our nation’s capital.
You could say the time I lived in DC was all research for the book. Too bad it’s too late to amend my tax returns. Beyond that, the research for my very first work of fiction revolved around how to write a novel.
The critique group I joined taught me almost everything I know. Every other Saturday for coming up on two years, we spend three or four hours discussing how to improve each other’s work.  When I didn’t know what they were talking about—which happened a lot when I first started coming—I hit the Internet to read more. I learned a lot from the books they suggested reading, too.
When I finished the manuscript I returned to the Internet to research my publishing options. Wow—so many choices. I ruled out an agent and self-publishing, seeing them as opposite ends of the same continuum. Reducing a million publishers that fell between those two extremes down to my top five or ten choices took forever.
Was it worth all the effort? The results speak for themselves. I got a contract for my first novel in the first round of submissions. Until Thanksgiving is scheduled for release in December or January by Dreamspinner Press. I haven’t stopped grinning since I got the advance check. You could crack an egg on my cheek muscles.
A sentence in Until Thanksgiving inspired a prequel I’m working on now called After Christmas Eve. The story begins on December 24, 1966 and is set in Washington. The basic outline popped into my head one afternoon.
That I had selected to write about a time and a place about which I knew absolutely nothing scared the hell out of me. I didn’t know if I was up to the task. In truth, I still don’t know, but I decided to give it my best shot.
Before I wrote a word I called my friend Maurice. He’s gay, grew up in Washington, and knew he was gay in the sixties. He remembers dressing up in a coat and tie to go out and being careful not to stand out from the crowd in any way. There were no gay bars, but there were places where gay men were known to go. Police raids were common, so he always knew where all the exits were and was ready to run should the need arise.
My mind reeled with possibilities! Maurice gave me the names of a few places he remembered, which I promptly Googled. I stumbled across the transcript of a panel discussion about the origins of the gay rights movement in DC that included several of the men and women who launched the movement. The panel discussion turned up still more people and places to Google. 
Next thing you know, I had a backdrop for my story. Continued Google searches turned up real events that I wove into the narrative. I learned there was no Metro system, that a record-breaking snow fell in DC the day my novel opens, and that the Chevrolet Impala was the top-selling car—interesting details that were easy to incorporate into the story.
The history drove the story. It’s just so very interesting. I came out in 1979. Things had already changed quite a lot from those pre-Stonewall days. They’ve changed even more since I came out. I wouldn’t have appreciated how far we’ve come without the research I’ve had to do for this novel.
But first things first. Until Thanksgiving hasn’t come out yet. I don’t have a cover or an exact release date yet, but here’s the blurb I used in my query:
Gay and pushing forty, Josh Freeman knows his best years are behind him. After his partner of seventeen years has an affair with a younger man, Josh buries himself in a pile of take-out boxes, empty bottles, half-smoked joints, and self-pity. His best friend, Linda does what friends do—gently kicks his ass and encourages him to give the job he’s been offered in Washington D.C. a try—at least until Thanksgiving.
Thad Parker, a DC-based relocation expert, rarely dates and has never fallen for anyone. But when he meets Josh Freeman and shakes his hand, a spark hits him like a lightning strike. When Josh takes an active interest in someone else, Thad decides to wait.
While he waits, misunderstandings about Thad’s relationship with his older roommate, a reckless encounter with a serial killer, and a brush with death conspire against Josh and Thad’s chance at happiness.
Thank you, Helen, for this opportunity to meet your fans. I’ll let you know when I have a cover, the official blurb, and a release date. Until then, I invite your readers to follow me through the process of getting my first novel published.
My blog (http://rupured.com)Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichaelRupured)Twitter (https://twitter.com/CrotchetyMan)
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In honor of Until Thanksgiving and because we're creeping up on Turkey Day here in the U.S. faster than I really want to think about, here's a recipe that is sure to impress the relatives, although it is NOT dieter friendly! (Still, gotta splurge once in a while, huh?)
Helen's Mashed Potatoes 
Special equipment:one of these babies (IMHO, this is the best shape)

I like to start with yellow skin potatoes. If you're having the whole crew in for dinner, and depending on how many are potato-crazy like my kin, and how many side dishes you're making, you're going to want to start with about a pound of potatoes. That isn't as many as you think--but leftovers can always be re-heated the next day or turned into perogis! 
Additionally, you'll need:
Garlic (three or four big cloves per pound of potatoes--or more if you're like us and love garlic)1/2 stick of butter (per pound of potatoes)1 egg yolk (per pound of potatoes)1 teaspoon dill weed (per pound of potatoes)1/4 cup whipping cream (per pound of potatoes)     I did warn you that this wasn't a diet recipe!!A pinch of salt and WHITE pepper. Do NOT use black pepper. Honest. Trust me. You don't want black flecks in your mashed potatoes.1 Tablespoon of olive oil (to roast the garlic, so more or less depending on how much garlic you've got)
Tin foilPot for boiling potatoesSharp knife (French preferred)Colander 
First step your garlic cleaned (pealed); I like to give it a good smash with the flat of my french knife and then peal off the skin. Pop the garlic into a square of tin foil and pour on a little olive oil. Seal it in well--the idea is to make a tin foil pouch--and put it in a hot oven (about 350 degrees) for a thirty to forty minutes.
Next step, the potatoes: I leave the skins on and just give them a good scrub. Now, yellow skins come in all sizes and you're going to get all different sizes in the bag. I usually save the tiny ones for roasting whole. If you end up with really big spuds, you'll want to cut them into halves and quarters--the idea is for all the pieces to be roughly the same size, so they'll all be done at the same time. Remember, you've got plenty of time, it takes a while for that garlic to roast.
When the potatoes are soft (a knife or fork slides easily into them) drain the water (i.e. dump your spuds into a colander over the sink). Return them immediately to the pan and start mashing with potato masher. As soon as they're mashed up and still steamy hot, add your egg yolk. You want it to basically coddle, but not cook. Next, add in your butter, dill, cream, and last but not least mash in those roasted garlic cloves, olive oil and all. (I use olive oil because it withstands the heat of the oven MUCH better than butter). 
And yes, of course you can add more butter if you like--or leave it to your guests to add butter at the table.  
I usually transfer my potatoes into a casserole (oven safe) dish and put them in the oven to keep warm while I get the rest of dinner on the table--if you brush the top with a little butter, you'll get a nice crispy crust that's really yummy!! (You might need to switch the oven to broil and obviously leave the taters uncovered--but keep an eye on them! Golden brown can turn singey in a heartbeat!)
Enjoy and thanks again to Michael for being here today!!





Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Point of View

Point of View, or POV, is something I'm thinking about today (today being almost a week ago, I'm really trying hard to get blog posts written ahead of time so I'm not scrambling at the last minute!)

Anyway, I'm going through my very last round of edits on Bound, and that got me to thinking about POV. See, Bound is told entirely from Jason's POV (he's the 22 year old submissive, aka that cute guy wearing the collar). It's kind of ironic, too, because my WIP is also told exclusively from one character's POV--the irony is that half the reason I love writing romance so much is that it's expected that you'll give the reader both (or more if it's menage) the MC's POVs. It doesn't have to be that way, but alternating POV for romance is pretty much the "norm", even though alternating POV has fallen wildly out of favor in other genres. I have no idea why. I love getting into all of my characters heads (and technically I do, it's just what I show you that comes across on the page).

Some interesting things happen when you start limiting POV, especially since I tend to favor "close third person" or "free indirect style" / "free indirect speech" (same thing, different name depending on your source). Basically it means I'm telling the story almost as if I'm the character; if he doesn't see it, feel it, touch it, think it, I don't put it on the page. Sometimes that makes for awkward passages, as the MC can only guess what other people are thinking--and sometimes I let a few slightly more omniscient things creep in for the sake of my sanity (and clarity of writing), but it really forces a writer to think about "what does my character perceive" here? How observant is he? And, is he being lied to?

Bound begins with Jason seeing a gray leather collar across the dealers' room at sci fi con and going over to have a look, even though the dealers' room isn't open yet; he's only allowed in because he's working set-up. That "gopher badge" will get you into places ;-)  From there, Jason goes back to his room, where he's thinking about his "on-again-off-again" boyfriend of the last five years, Terry; Jason and Terry are definitely "off-again", since Terry stood Jason up two weeks ago.

All readers ever learn about the incident is what Terry told Jason, that Terry "forgot" about their date. Later, Jason's alleged best friend Kendra tells Jason to listen to let Terry explain and apologize (and to accept the apology) because "you and Terry are so good together."

Why would someone's best friend say "you're so good together" of an on-again-off-again relationship? The reader never finds out, but clearly Jason and Kendra see Jason and Terry's relationship very, VERY differently.

Kendra is looking through the lens of her experiences, experiences the reader never sees, never even hears about because Jason isn't very pleased with Kendra at the moment (ergo, he's not predisposed to be sympathetic to her point of view). Now, I could tell you what Kenda's deal is; I could even tell you where Terry was the night he claims he forgot about his date with Jason. But that's not the point. The point is that when we're dealing with (either as readers or writers) close third person, we need to remember that we're dealing with "unreliable witnesses" (because all witnesses are unreliable). On top of that, Jason only sees as much of his world as anyone would see of theirs--he doesn't know where Terry was and he doesn't know why Kendra is pushing him to accept Terry's lame-ass apology (see, there? That's a great example of free indirect style aka close third person. "Lame-ass apology"--Terry's apology is fact, "lame-ass" is Jason's perception.)

It is exactly this unreliability that makes free indirect style so appealing to me as a writer. I get to taunt you with clues but keep (or reveal) my secrets later on.

If you'd like to read more, check just look to your right and maybe scroll up a tick 'til you see that big contest announcement! (Or, you know, you can just buy a copy when it comes out in few weeks!)

A couple of quick announcements:
Next week I'll be featuring Guest Blogger and fellow DSP author Michael Rupured.

His novel,  Until Thanksgiving  is due out from Dreamspinner Press in either December or January. It sounds like an awesome read; I think we've all been where MC Josh Freeman has been at least once in our lives: heartbroken, lonely, and drowning in self-pity... which is why today's recipe (see just a little further down) is all about comfort food.

"Josh Freeman believes his life is over. A middle aged gay man in the college town of Lexington, Kentucky, his best years were behind him. When his partner of seventeen years leaves him for a younger man, Josh buries himself under a pile of take-out boxes, empty bottles, half-smoked joints, and self-pity. His best friend Linda does what best friends do: gently kicks his ass and encourages him to give the job he's been offered in Washington D.C. a try--at least until Thanksgiving."


Recipe
Sweet and Savory Pork Chops with Apples

Special equipment:
coffee grinder (although you can get away without one)

Ingredients:

Pork Chops (1 per person--two if your guests have big appetites)Apples (1 per person--although you could easily cut that down to 1/2 an apple per person)
my personal preference is gala apples, but any sweet, crisp apple will work. even a slightly tarter apply will be just fineApprox. 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds per applea sprinkle of sugar (regular white granular sugar is perfect for this)--something like a half teaspoon or so per apple; this is one of those things I just sprinkle on rather than measuring exactly.1/4 teaspoon garlic per pork chopapprox. 4 oz almond meal per pork chop (you can buy almond meal with the flours in your local healthfood store, or in convenient little bags in the baking aisle in the grocery store; there it's called crushed almonds, and the consistency isn't QUITE the same, but if you only need a few ounces, it's perfect!)
Almost any ground nut can be substituted--pick your favorite nut and experiment! approx. 1 Tablespoon of flour per pork chopa dash of salt and pepper (more or less to taste)a teaspoon or so of olive oil (a little more if you're doing more than two chops)Okay, got all that?You're going to need a skillet, togs/fork, and a hearty apatite!
Lightly oil a skillet and set it on the stove to heat; you're looking for a nice medium hot pan.Mix almond meal, garlic, salt, and flour on a plate and lightly coat your chop/s. Drop the cops gently into the pan and let them brown; then flip and brown the other side.Cover the pan and lower the flame/temp; let the chops cook on low heat until done (depending on thickness, I let mine cook for a good 10 to 15 minutes, keeping an eye on them and flipping occasionally). (I like a good thick chop, if you're working with a thinner chop or a pork steak, it'll take less time to cook). While they're cooking, slice your apple/s. I like to do cross sections. I don't bother pealing (I'm lazy), but I do cut out the core. Here's where that special equipment comes in. Fennel and apples are an amazing combination, especially when pork is involved. But I really hate biting into fennel seeds. I would much rather grind them up into powder. There's no harm in not, but it's a nice option. Once that's done, lay the apples out on a plate (don't forget to keep an eye on your chops!!) and sprinkle them with sugar and fennel. As soon as the chops are nearly done, add the apples to the pan. They shouldn't stay in for more than a couple of minutes, just enough to warm them up, but the idea is to avoid mush! (Which is another reason to begin with crisp apples, rather than something like a delicious apple). Once the apples are warmed up and have a little color on each side, remove the apples and the pork from the pan to a plate and serve up hot!And since I know of at least one person who checks in fairly regularly who doesn't eat pork, yes, this will work quite well with chicken  ;-)  I'd recommend starting with boneless and skinless; you might need a hint more oil to keep them from sticking/burning and of course, alter the cook time accordingly. 
I was completely taken by surprise the first time I ate a sweet and savory combination like this, but the sweetness of the apple, sugar, and fennel play off beautifully with the savory garlic and of course the little hint of salt. (If you're working with a tart apple, you may want a hint more sugar). Both pork and chicken lend themselves well to this sort of dish.
Enjoy!
 





Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author

Special Announcement / Contest!

I was just taking a break from writing (something I do *way* too much of...the taking a break part), and skimming through my email, I discovered that:

September 1st, DSP authors are going to be featured on Love Romance Cafe (from 4-11 Eastern Standard Time)September 2nd, historical romance is going to be featured on Love Romance Cafe
Now, you have to be a member of the group (it's a Yahoo! egroup) in order to join in the conversation... but you don't have to be a member of the group to take part in the contest that I decided to offer up at the very last minute for the occasion  ;-)

In honor of Sept. 2 being all about historicals, I'm offering up one copy of my first novel, Heart's Home  (a Victorian era urban fantasy) to one winner (chosen at random) who leaves a comment below...but... you have to tell me what your favorite period in history is. You don't have to tell me why (although I'd love to know), and it doesn't have to be a period of history you'd like to live in, just the period you find most interesting.



I also hope you'll take a few minutes to poke around my website and maybe decide to subscribe and/or check back regularly (I update on Wednesdays with a post about something either writing or m/m related and always include a yummy recipe, from my own kitchen!) You might also notice a free read up at the top, called Encantado. (Oh look, she made it easy and put a link right in the text!)Plus, see see that big spiffy button to your right, up near the top?! During the entire month of September, I'll be collecting names through Good Reads to give away TWO copies of my second novel, Bound: Forget Me Knot, which is due out on Sept. 24th. 


Helen Pattskyn, Fantasy Artist, Gay Romance Author