Sharon Ledwith's Blog, page 33

Time to Play the Game and Pop the Caramel Corn with Fantasy Author Chris Pavesic...

Is there anything better than homemade sweet and salty caramel corn? Not only does it taste delicious, the aroma that fills the air when you are cooking it is heavenly.

Baked Caramel Corn

Nonstick cooking spray
24 cups air popped popcorn
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup light or dark corn syrup
1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Coat bottom and sides of large roasting pan with nonstick spray. Place popped popcorn in roasting pan.

In saucepan, slowly melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla. 

Gradually pour over popped popcorn, mixing well. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven, and cool completely. Break apart and store in tightly covered container.

While you enjoy your treat why not read a good book? May I suggest one of the books from my LitRPG series The Revelation Chronicles?

In Starter Zone Cami kept herself and her younger sister Alby alive in a post-apocalyptic world, facing starvation, violence, and death on a daily basis. Caught by the military and forcefully inscribed, Cami manages to scam the system and they enter the Realms, a Virtual Reality world, as privileged Players rather than slaves. They experience a world of safety, plenty, and magical adventure.

In the Traveler's Zone magic, combat, gear scores, quests, and dungeons are all puzzles to be solved as Cami continues her epic quest to navigate the Realms and build a better life for her family. But an intrusion from her old life threatens everything she has gained and imperils the entire virtual world. 

Time to play the game.

Above the tree line floats an airship close to three hundred feet long with a slightly rounded wooden hull. Ropes attach the lower portion of the ship to an inflated balloon-like aspect, bright white in color with an identification symbol, a red bird with white-tipped feathers extended in flight, inside a round yellow circle in the center of the canvas. The deck is manned with archers and swordsmen. There are two sets of fore and aft catapults.

What I don’t see are cannons or any other type of a gun large enough to account for the sound of the explosion.

The ship pivots in the air, coming around to point directly at what looks like an oncoming flock of five large birds. Or creatures. They are too big and too strange looking to be birds. They drift closer, flapping their wings.

A moment passes before I realize that they are not creatures either. They are some sort of gliders. A person hangs below each set of the feathered wings, which flap and move with mechanical precision in a sky washed out by the morning sun.

The archers nock their arrows and aim at the flock.

The gliders draw in their wings and dive toward the deck, covering the distance in a few heartbeats. Most of the arrows fly uselessly past the attack force and fall like black rain from the sky. The archers aimed and released the volley too late.

The forward catapult releases a torrent of small rocks at the lead glider. It is a scatter-shot approach that proves effective. There are so many missiles that it is impossible to dodge them all. But at the moment the stones strike, the other four let loose with fireballs. Spheres of crackling flame spring from their hands, glowing faintly at first and then with increasing brightness. The balls of fire shoot from their hands like bullets from a gun and fly toward the ship, exploding. Pieces bounce off the hull and fall to the ground, throwing hissing, burning globs of magic-fueled fire in all directions, setting everything they touch aflame.

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Want to learn more about The Revelation Chronicles? Click HERE for updates on this and the other series by Chris. Watch the video on YouTube .

Chris Pavesic is a fantasy author who lives in the Midwestern United States and loves Kona coffee, steampunk, fairy tales, and all types of speculative fiction. Between writing projects, Chris can most often be found reading, gaming, gardening, working on an endless list of DIY household projects, or hanging out with friends. 

Learn more about Chris on her website and blog.

Stay connected on Facebook , Twitter , and her Amazon Author Page .

Rock Victoria Day with Your Family Fairy Falls-Style...

Are you ready to rock this Canadian holiday? I've always looked forward to the first long weekend heralding the upcoming summer season. Loved all the firework displays put on by the surrounding small tourist towns while we lived in cottage country. Hated those dreaded blackflies. One thing we became accustomed to was the rain that usually accompanied this particular weekend. It was usually 50-50 weather, getting rain on Saturday or Sunday, or both. Victoria Day Monday could be a mixed bag, as cottagers and campers would pack up and head home after opening their cottages or trailers. Ah, those good old days!

So that said, I'd thought I'd help out all my fellow Canadians who decide to brave this unpredictable long weekend with a quick and easy soup recipe, that will allow you more time to spend with your family...or fix those nasty problems around the cottage or trailer that seemed to have cropped up over the winter.

Who doesn’t love a hearty bowl of soup, especially on those cold or rainy nights? Makes for a wonderful meal at the cottage when unexpected guests pop in, or in the comfort of your home if it’s just you and your significant other. Easy to prepare, this delightful Italian cuisine takes about an hour to prep and cook. Perfect for a weekend lunch, and plenty of leftovers for the week, serve with half a baguette, sliced and buttered, and ready to dip! Bon Appetit!

Stick-to-your-Ribs Minestrone Soup

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
⅓ lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces (about 1½ cups)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
¾ tsp. salt freshly ground pepper to taste
1 28-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-ounce can low-sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup elbow pasta
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

HEAT olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add celery and carrot, and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

STIR in beans, dried oregano and basil, salt, and pepper; cook 3 more minutes. Stir in diced and crushed tomatoes and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in kidney beans and pasta. Cook until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and top with the Parmesan and chopped basil.

While you’re waiting for the minestrone soup to digest why not put your feet up and relax on the dock or couch with a good book? May I suggest a visit to Fairy Falls , or if you’re feeling really adventurous, a trip back in time with The Last Timekeepers ? Whichever you choose, either series will transport you to another time and place, leaving the busyness of life far behind.

Here's a glimpse into one of the books from Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, my teen psychic cottage country mystery series.

The only witness left to testify against an unsolved crime in Fairy Falls isn’t a person…

City born and bred, Hart Stewart possesses the gift of psychometry—the psychic ability to discover facts about an event or person by touching inanimate objects associated with them. Since his mother’s death, seventeen-year-old Hart has endured homelessness, and has learned ways to keep his illiteracy under wraps. He eventually learns of a great-aunt living in Fairy Falls, and decides to leave the only life he’s ever known for an uncertain future.

Diana MacGregor lives in Fairy Falls. Her mother was a victim of a senseless murder. Only Diana’s unanswered questions and her grief keeps her going, until Hart finds her mother’s lost ring and becomes a witness to her murder.

Through Hart’s psychic power, Diana gains hope for justice. Their investigation leads them into the corrupt world threatening Fairy Falls. To secure the town’s future, Hart and Diana must join forces to uncover the shocking truth, or they risk losing the true essence of Fairy Falls forever.
Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls Teen Psychic Cottage Country Mystery Series: Lost and Found, Book One Buy Links:MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE׀ Blackflies and Blueberries, Book Two Buy Links:
MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING ׀ AMAZON ׀ BARNES & NOBLE׀

New Release: WYRD'S END, Book 3 in The Elwardain Chronicles by Carol Browne...

WYRD'S END, Book III in The Elwardain Chronicles series written by gifted epic fantasy author Carol Browne, is now live! The books in this trilogy are packed with action and adventure. Be sure to get your copies today!

Determined to spare Godwin the violent death shown to her in dreams, Elgiva uses the portal to cross over into his dimension.

Meanwhile, members of Godwin’s tribe seek sanctuary at the settlement. What has caused them to flee for their lives? 

Disguises must be lifted and secrets revealed and wyrd will unfold as it should.

But time is running out…

For it is winter and the darkness is coming;

A darkness with teeth and claws.

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Amazon US - Amazon UK

Born in Stafford in the UK, Carol Browne was raised in Crewe, Cheshire, which she thinks of as her home town. Interested in reading and writing at an early age, Carol pursued her passions at Nottingham University and was awarded an honours degree in English Language and Literature. Now living and working in the Cambridgeshire countryside, Carol usually writes fiction but has also taken a plunge into non-fiction with Being Krystyna. This story of a Holocaust survivor has been well received.

Stay connected with Carol on her website and blog , Facebook , and Twitter .

Recipe and Read of the Month by Alicia Joseph...

This vegan recipe is also a fave for my meat-eating friends and family. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Vegan Baked Beans

1 cup brown lentils
½ cup red lentils
1 carrot, chopped fine
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
½ med. red onion, chopped fine
1 bell pepper, chopped fine, color doesn’t matter
3 cups water + 6 tbsp. water
3 tbsp. flaxseed meal (linseed), chia seeds work too
1½ cups oats
1 tbsp. dried chopped onion
½ tbsp. garlic powder
1 cup ketchup

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

Mix both lentils, carrot, celery, onion, and pepper together in a saucepan. Stir in 3 cups water and boil until has evaporated. Be sure to stir often.

IN a separate dish, mix flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of water. Let it stand to thicken. This is your egg replacement.

WHEN lentils and vegetables are cooked, slowly pour in oats. Break oats up as much as you can. Stir in lentils so it's a nice thick consistency. Next add flax mixture, onion, and garlic. Mix well.

POUR contents evenly into a loaf pan. Bake 15 minutes. Pour ketchup over the top and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Here is a glimpse into one of my books. I hope you enjoy it.

  “When a train runs over a penny, the penny changes form, but it can still be a penny if I want it to be. Or, I can make it be something else.”

Lyssa and her best friend Abbey discover a hideout near the train tracks and spend the summer before sixth grade hanging out and finding freedom from issues at home. Their childhood innocence shatters when the hideout becomes the scene of a tragic death.

As they’re about to graduate from high school, Abbey’s family life spirals out of control while Lyssa is feeling guilty for deceiving Abbey about her sexuality.

After another tragic loss, Lyssa finds out that a penny on the track is sometimes a huge price to pay for the truth.



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Alicia Joseph grew up in Westchester, Illinois. She has many works-in-progress that she hopes to finish soon.

Life permitting. When she is not writing, Alicia enjoys volunteering with animals, rooting for her favorite sports teams, and playing “awesome aunt” to her nine nieces and nephews.

Learn more about Alicia Joseph on her blog . Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter .

An Author’s Legacy…

Besides being ‘Luke Skywalker Day’—May the fourth be with you—it also marks the ninth anniversary of this blog: Sharon Ledwith: I came. I saw. I wrote. I started blogging—not really knowing anything other than reading Blogging for Dummies—on May 4th, 2011, before I even had a publishing contract. If you build it, they will come, right? Funnily enough, the contract came four months after I began blogging. It truly feels like a blur now, and I’ve learned so much since that inaugural date. That said, when I was trying to come up with a post to mark my blogversary (is that a word?), I found an article in our local paper that piqued my interest enough to pass on the wisdom I gleaned from it.
The headline read ‘MAGICAL MEMORIES’, with the subhead, ‘Disney letter among artifacts for Capitol Theatre’s 100th anniversary’. The article goes on to explain that, in 1938 Walt Disney himself sent a letter to the Windsor Daily Star, thanking it for helping promote a screening of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Capitol. The article goes on to quote, “Disney is a thing unto itself. That fact that the person who was the head of the Disney empire took time to write a letter to the Windsor Star—Windsor Daily Star at that time—to thank them for their assistance in promoting a Disney film, it’s amazing. Incredible, actually.”
I couldn’t agree more.
The letter goes on to mention the newspaper’s “splendid cooperation” in spreading the word about the movie’s run at the Capitol. Disney continues to write, “May I take this opportunity to thank your staff and especially your artists for their many kindnesses?” Wow, just wow! The letter was ended with Disney’s handwritten signature in large, swooping letters.
Can you imagine that kind of correspondence happening in this day and age? Imagine say, trying to get through to George Lucas if you were showing a Star Wars film. Um, no. Wouldn’t happen. And neither would George sit down and write a personal letter, and send it to you. It just goes to show you Disney’s considerate gesture speaks to a very different time in our world. Kind of makes me sad, in a way.
Then, I thought about what kind of legacy authors can leave behind in this ever-changing, post COVID 19 world. How a small gesture like Disney’s would make a difference in a reader’s life? Kindness and manners still matter in my mind, and never go out of style. There’s a handful of authors I know who do go out of their way to thank others who help promote them, give them a shout out on social media, or read their books and leave reviews. Most good business owners show gratitude to their customers in one way or another. Why not authors? After all, we are the owners of our stories, and publish them out into the world (or cyber-world) to sell to prospective readers.
Which leads me to the point of this post. A small kindness or act goes a long way with people. Sending a thank you card or donating your book to a school you did an author visit at, or adding value to a reader’s day by answering their email or social media message. It’s a little boost that will go a long way in a person’s heart, and probably make their day brighter. So take a page out of Walt Disney’s business book, and take time to connect with and grow your audience. It’s a great investment in your future author-self. Never forget, the world needs YOU!
BTW— For May-June my publisher, MIRROR WORLD PUBLISHING isgoing to promote a giveaway for new readers to try Mirror World books for the first time. The code is FREEBOOK and it can be used once per email address for a free ebook to try one of our books for free. Please click HERE to go to their online store. Happy reading!
Now that you’ve helped celebrate nine years blogging with me, let’s time travel a hundred years from now. What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind as an author? How would you want readers to remember you? Would love to read your comments! Cheers, be well, and thank you for reading my blog.

4 Refreshingly Healthy Lemon Water Recipes and a New YA Paranormal Read by Leigh Goff...

These 4 Lemon Detox Water Recipes make it easy to increase your water intake, lose weight, and support your immune system. They take only minutes to make and taste amazing! Look and feel great by adding detox water to your routine. The recipes come from Joyful Healthy Eats . Be sure to go to the website. Enjoy!

Lemon Mint Water
• 3–4 slices of lemon
• 3 sprigs of mint
• 8 oz. of purified water

Add fresh lemons slices, mint, and water to a large glass. Muddle the mint a little if you’d like to really taste the flavor. Chill and drink.

Image courtesy of  Distillata Healthy Living Lemon Blueberry Water
• 3–4 slices of lemon
• 10 fresh blueberries
• 8 oz. purified water

Add fresh lemons slices, blueberries, and water to a large glass. Chill and drink.

Cucumber Lemon Water
• 3–4 slices of lemon
• 4 slices of cucumber
• 8 oz. purified water

Add fresh lemons slices, cucumber, and water to a large glass. Chill and drink.

Lemon Ginger Water
• 3–4 slices of lemon
• 3 slices of fresh ginger root (1/4″ slices with skin on)
• 8 oz. purified water

Add fresh lemons slices, ginger slices, and water to a large glass. Chill and drink.

Please allow me to share a sneak peek of my Coming Soon Southern Gothic book while you enjoy your refreshing drink.

Koush Hollow: Where bayou magic abounds and all that glitters…is deadly.

After her father’s untimely death, Jenna Ashby moves to Koush Hollow, a bayou town outside of New Orleans, dreading life with her wealthy mother.

As the sixteen-year-old eco-warrior is introduced to the Diamonds & Pearls, her mother’s exclusive social club, she comes to the troubling realization that secrets are a way of life in Koush Hollow.

How do the Diamonds & Pearls look so young, where does their money come from, and why is life along the bayou disappearing?

As Jenna is drawn into their seductive world, her curiosity and concerns beg her to uncover the truth. However, in this town where mysticism abounds and secrets are deadly, the truth is not what Jenna could have ever imagined.

Preorder at The Parliament House

Leigh Goff writes young adult fiction. She is a graduate from the University of Maryland and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).

Born and raised on the East Coast, she now lives in Maryland where she enjoys the area's great history and culture.

Her third young adult novel, Koush Hollow, a Southern gothic set in New Orleans, will release on September 1, 2020 from The Parliament House.

Learn more about Leigh Goff on her website and blog . Stay connected on Facebook , Instagram , Pinterest , and Goodreads .

Book Tour: The Haunting Near Battlefield Ridge by Rita Monette...

Welcome to the 1-week book tour for The Haunting Near Battlefield Ridge!!

“I never believed in ghosts… until I met Oggie.”

About the Book:

Nikki Landry and her friends discover strange white smudges in photos Patti’s grandmother had snapped at an old gravesite. No one can explain what they are.
Did Nikki’s little brother mark them up with a piece of chalk? Did a low-lying fog move in just as she snapped the photos? Could it be just a smear on the camera lens?
Spikes insists it’s a ghost.
Then Mrs. LeBlanc remembers a legend her grandfather told her of a spirit that haunts the small family cemetery located near an old Civil War battle site. 
Will Nikki and her legend busting gang discover it’s just an old tale, or does the ghost really exist? If so, why is he there? What does he want?
Join Nikki and her friends as they go searching for the answers…and the truth behind the Haunting near Battlefield Ridge.
Exclusive Excerpt:
It was Saturday afternoon, and close to the time for the Legend Busters to meet up in our clubhouse.Patti had grabbed a dishtowel full of fresh baked cookies as we left her house and headed to the treehouse.“You go on up,” I said. “I’ll run inside and get us something to drink.”I slammed the screen door as I ran into our small houseboat. Mama faced the kerosene stove as she scrubbed the soot off it.“Nikki, do you have to slam that door every time you come through it?” Mama yelled over her shoulder.“Mama, can I have some iced tea?”“Meeting time, huh?” She pointed to the half-full jug of sweet tea left over from our lunch, a small piece of ice still floating among some lemon slices.“Yes,” I said excitedly and grabbed the jug. Mama always kept a big chunk of ice in the icebox in the corner, but I didn’t ask for any, since the tea was still cool to the touch. Papa didn’t go to town for ice every day, so we had to make it last.“Can I go to the meeting?” my little brother Jesse asked.Jesse knew he wasn’t allowed in my clubhouse, but he always asked, just in case I might change my mind. I knew he snuck up there sometimes when I wasn’t around, because things would be messed up as only a five year old can do.“Nope,” I yelled as I slammed the door behind me with my foot.By the time I got to the top of the ladder, I heard Spikes’ bike coming down the road. He put baseball cards in the spokes to make it louder. Spikes was the most annoying friend I had, but I tolerated him on account of how he was always up for an adventure and wasn’t afraid of anything.I pulled out some canning jars from the chest we kept our stuff in and poured four glasses half full, leaving the jug empty. Patti tore out four sheets of notebook paper and laid ’em on the make-shift wooden table like placemats. Our furniture was hard to keep clean on account of we didn’t have much of a roof. The birds made a mess on it every day. She divided the cookies on top of the sheetsI got our log book out and readied myself to tell the boys about our next mission, as we sipped our iced tea.Spikes made it to the top of the ladder while I watched the bayou for any sign of Tim, who usually came in his pirogue.“What’s up, Tomboy?” Spikes yelled.Spikes always called me that ever since we met on my first day of school in Morgan City. He said it was on account of me climbing trees and not being all girly and stuff. In return, I called him Buzzard. He sorta looked like one with his long neck and big noseI grinned at him.“Okay, you got something up your sleeve, I can tell.” He snickered as he grabbed a glass of tea and took a sip. “Boy, that’s good. It’s hot as all get-out.” He pulled at his damp shirt“We got Grandma to look at those photos,” Patti said, jumping in to the conversation.“Wait until Tim gets here,” I said. “We don’t want to tell the story twice.”“So, there’s a story behind them photos?” Spikes eyed her while he gulped down the rest of his drink. Seeing the large jug was empty, he reached for the last glass.“That’s Tim’s,” I said. “Eat a cookie.”“There sure is,” Patti said.“I knew it!” he shouted, while sticking his hand in the empty jug to pull out a slice of wilted lemon. “It’s a ghost, isn’t it?” He sucked on the piece of yellow peel. “Did she see it? Where was the photo taken? We gotta get on out there as soon as possible.”
Make sure to visit all of the tour hosts and leave comments about the book, read the guest posts, and enter the giveaway!!

https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/2020/04/book-tour-schedule-haunting-near.html

Book Details:
Publisher: Mirror World Publishing; 1 edition
Publisher Website: Mirror World PublishingPublication Date: April 17, 2020ASIN: B085MMZLFF
Purchase Your Copy:
Mirror World Publishing eBook
Mirror World Publishing Paperback
Amazon
Meet the Author:
Behind Every Legend Lies the Truth!

Rita Monette was born and raised in Southwest Louisiana. After retiring from her “real” job as an administrative assistant for the State of Michigan, Rita began doing what she always wanted to do…write and draw. Her stories are set in the beautiful, yet mysterious, bayous and swamps of her home state. The Haunting Near Battlefield Ridge is the fifth book in her Nikki Landry Swamp Legend series. Rita now lives with her husband, four lap dogs, and one lap cat, in the mountains of Tennessee.

Social Media Links:

Website

Facebook

Amazon

Goodreads

Blog

Enter the Giveaway:

Winner's choice of a Kindle copy of one of the books in Rita Monette's Nikki Landry Swamp Legends series. Go to Amazon to learn more about the books in the series
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Best of Times, the Worst of Times by Yasmine Phoenix...

Photo coutesy of Vinay Tadepalli UnsplashFor years I got up, showered, dressed, drove the kids to school, and then joined the masses riding the electric train to Chicago to work. Sweltering summers and below zero wind chill I walked to my office. Of course, I enjoyed city events during lunch time being in downtown Chicago was great. Then at the end of the day reverse commute back on the train, pick up kids, and then home to cook dinner. Friday was family pizza night.
Now I work from home, I don’t have to get all dressed up and drive in the insane Atlantic traffic. And my kids are grown. I’m also an author so sometimes I go to a local café or Starbucks. It’s an opportunity to get out of my four walls and interact on a somewhat personal level with people. In other words, listen in on random conversations.
Technology. ‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.’ to paraphrase Captain Kirk in Star Trek, Wrath of Khan who stole it from Charles Dickens. Writers are introverts and today’s technology is for us the best of times and the worst of times. We don’t have to leave our homes – almost ever. Everything we need is an App away from our finger. We can live our total existence – At. Home.
Want to move? You can sell your home online, buy another one online, and have a service pack and deliver your possessions to the new home. Online, folks.
We write, research, submit, publish, and promote our books from our desks. Gone are the days of submitting via snail mail, traipsing to the post office to mail synopsis, first three chapters, and query. We submit everything online.
It gets even better. Think about everything you can do from the comfort of your home, your bed, your car. Shopping malls are having a difficult time competing with online shopping and many stores are closing. When in Chicago, I go to Water Tower, sit, drink Starbucks, and watch shoppers, mostly young people, tourists, or city residents’ shop. I ride the CTA. Everyone is praying, their heads bowed, nope they’re staring down at their phones. It’s not just the young, older riders are playing games or are on Facebook.
How about attending a basketball or football game? Tickets are sky high, You have to be searched to get in. And it’s damn cold. Why not watch with friends? At. Home. The line to the bathroom is shorter. And of course – order food to be delivered. There’s Apps for that.
Hungry? Grocery shop? I hate walking down every aisle often impulse buying. Now I put together my Kroger grocery list, pay, and schedule a pick up day and time. And I don’t have to get out of my car. Whole Foods, Instacart deliver groceries as well. If I still lived in Chicago, I’d surely take advantage of this in the winter. At. Home.
Order out? Pick up or delivery. Restaurants, including McDonald’s, Taco Bell deliver. And we once believed the drive-thru was awesome. Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, Jenny Craig, online meal services that setup meals according to your dietary requirements and then delivered to your home. Even comes with cooking directions. Kroger and Publix have started meal service programs. Grub Hub, Door Dash are utilized by restaurants to deliver from a variety of restaurants. You can order Chinese, Thai, American, whatever and have it all delivered. Wait sixty minutes for a table? Late from work? Your family’s dinner can be timed to meet you at the front door. At. Home. And once we thought pizza delivery was a big thing.
Need a doctor? You can arrange – with an App a consultation with a physician via your smartphone. Your medication can be delivered. At. Home.
Need a car? In case you want to venture out of your home. There’s an App. When I lived in Chicago, I used Zipcar. I’d set up a location, day and time for a car. Car came with a gas card and a special parking space. I drove the Prius across the street from where I lived. I had a choice of vehicles luxury, compact. I test drove different makes in case I wanted to buy a car. Did you know you can purchase a car online and have it delivered? At. Home.
Don’t need a car? Lyft and Uber. I used both when I first moved to Atlanta because I had no idea where the hell anything was. Still don’t know, but being driven around gave me the opportunity to learn where places were and sightsee at the same time.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Let’s not forget Amazon. Believe me I’ve tried. The bane of my existence and yours too, admit it. I’d probably ball up in a fetal position if it disappeared. From books, to toilet tissue, toys, small appliances, clothing, food, handbags (yeah I know), items you didn’t even know you needed/wanted can be found and delivered – free (Prime) to your front door. I’ve found myself staring at the Amazon delivery app following the delivery route as they make their way to my front door. I think that would be called stalking if I weren’t paying for the goods. It’s amazing how many empty Amazon boxes I see on a weekly basis in the recycle bin. Prime. When I needed a particular type of bandage after my knee surgery, I couldn’t find it at any nearby drug store. I looked it up on Amazon and in two days it was delivered.

When my daughter’s orders are delivered – I’m not saying she shops a lot on Amazon, but she shops a lot on Amazon. At first, I was concerned but I understand why. She’s a busy professional with an active child and little free time. Having it delivered she saves precious time. As a writer the same applies. Need notebooks, goody bags, and of course copies of your book. There’s Amazon self-publishing.

Alexa. She’s in a lot of homes. Yeah, mine too. Echo show. I tolerate her. Don’t trust her. My eight-year-old granddaughter has Alexa and damn if mine doesn’t respond quicker to her. Netflix and Prime Video. Replacing traditional networks. You can subscribe to individual networks. More innovative and interesting series – no commercials. Plus note only can you watch at home – wait for it – also on your phone, iPad, or Tablet.

Hotspots. Remember when we made fun of the name ‘iPad’ when first introduced by Apple? I just binged Good Omens on Prime. I’m a Terry Pratchett fan. Networks run the same programs over and over and over again. Boring. On Prime Video I can watch the entire Farscape and any other beloved series without commercial interruption. At. Home.

Have you experienced or watched someone when the Internet goes down? Panic, heart palpations, loss of appetite, loss of mind. The world coming to an end? You’re trapped in your home, you’re all alone, isolated you’ll never receive another email again – and that’s just the first ten minutes.

Image by Jan Vašek from PixabayPhysical proximity is no longer necessary. We have to make time to be out with friends. The smartphone, smarter than us. Tethered to this little beast that weighs four to six ounces. We text each other even if we’re in the same building. Attending a workshop and a friend is sitting on the other side of the room? Text them. We conduct our lives on the phone and sometimes it plays out like a soap opera with no filter. Who hasn’t heard conversations that belonged behind closed doors? We write on our phones, save the document, send via email, and edit. Or play Candy Crush.

Face it we’re trapped in our homes, and its paradise. Need to clean? Roomba.

Next time you’re out with friends, count how many phones are on the table. One of my Sophisticated Ladies makes me put my phone away when we are together. It must be in my purse. So far, she hasn’t slapped my iWatch on my wrist. I FaceTime my cousin. At. Home. All from our personal space – no pants required.

For my call center job, we have meetings in an online meeting room. Easy way to get one hundred agents from all over the country together. One day we’ll have dinner with friends, each of us in our home, chatting away to holograms of each other. You can hire fitness trainers to come to your home. Or…. I just saw a commercial for a fitness program called Mirror. It’s an interactive exercise program. No more going to the gym when you can work out in front of a six-foot mirror with others, in front of their Mirror, in real time classes or take one of the videotaped classes and then log in and post your results. No social interaction? If your friends have Mirror it’ll be just like going to the gym. Except you’ll be At. Home. In my sci-fi novel, my protagonist tries to avoid her fitness coach who appears in her home via hologram to remind her that she’s missed classes.

The future is now people. Not to be morbid but the old tradition of viewing the deceased in their home could return. Never. Leave. Home.

Like I said, it’s the best of times, we should embrace the goodies, especially now in these scary worst of times. When life is better and the bans are lifted, put on clothes, get out, enjoy the arts, look at real people, eat food in a real restaurant, and enjoy the world. Besides your Amazon order will be waiting when you arrive home.

If fantasy and futuristic romance are your thing then Book Two in my Witches Brew series, a stand alone novel, is a perfect read while you're at home. Here's a peek.

When love stalls, who are you going to call? Red a mystical and magical red dress created to help women discover love and recognize their self-worth.

Delphine Richards is the founder and CEO of Plum Events a successful party planning company in Chicago. The holidays are the busiest and Valentine's Day is the last one of the season. Her employees work hard to create spectacular parties and stay out of Delphine's way. She hates this day for lovers.

Kevin Poe, her fiancé, broke up with her a year ago on Valentine's Day. Since then she's dedicated her life to growing her business. Love won't destroy her again.

Kevin Poe loves Delphine but her constant interference in his teaching career drove a wedge between them. When one of Kevin's students needed him, Delphine neglected to tell him. That was the final straw. If Delphine couldn't stop trying to change him, then they shouldn't be together.

Enter Red, a mystical and magical red dress sent to help Delphine rediscover love and realize she can't control everyone and everything - including herself.

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Yasmine 'Yas' Phoenix was born and raised in Virginia but calls Chicago home. She loves tennis, professional and amateur and plays in local leagues. Her writing block is the four major Grand Slams, Indian Wells, and other tournaments. No, she can't tape then watch. Yas loves to read, especially murder mysteries. She is a Terry Pratchett, Discworld fan, and scans the news for potential plot ideas. Melding romance and paranormal in her stories is her goal. Yas always asks the question, "What if?" She is a sucker for old black and white movies like Casablanca on one hand, and Deadpool on the other. She believes her family is her greatest gift and support.

Learn more about Yasmine Phoenix on her website . Stay connected on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

Save the Life of an Author by Linda Lee Greene...

BOOKWORM  – Watercolor painting by Linda Lee GreeneIt is a fact that “Muse,” that mysterious and severe task-master chains authors to their writing instruments for weeks, or months, and sometimes years at a time. They aren’t allowed to eat, or brush their teeth, or bathe, or sleep. They almost never get to see other human beings. Muse makes them ignore the ring of the doorbell and the phone, and pull the drapes and close the blinds. Nothing, nothing, nothing must get in the way of scratching down those precious lines. At long last the book is done—finished—complete! And authors wait; they wait; they wait for feedback from readers, feedback that is the lifeblood of writers, that keeps them motivated, that keeps them sane, that rescues their self-esteem, and that very well might save their life!
Accumulating reader reviews of books is a huge hurdle for authors, and the truth is that without reviews, books don’t stand a chance of reaching a wide audience, even though they might be very worthwhile reads. Nowadays, by way of cyberspace, something like 4,500 new books per day hit the bookseller market, a large percentage of that number written and self-published by highly talented and fearless authors. The crushing heap of competition they are under demands that many good reviews on Amazon and/or Goodreads is the best, and perhaps, the only way they can crawl out from under the pile and receive the notice they deserve.
A lot of readers would like to post reviews but feel intimidated by the process. You’re in luck. You can write something as simple as “I loved it!” or “This is one of the best books I’ve ever read!” or “I couldn’t put it down!” If you didn’t like the book, explain the reason in the review because that’s information the author needs to be a better writer.
Please support authors by posting reviews of their books, especially at Amazon.com. All you have to do is go to Amazon and type in the name of the book. When the correct page comes up, click onto the space on the right indicating the number of current reviews. The reviews page comes up. You will see a series of five stars on the left side of the page. Click onto the star that corresponds with your rating of the book. The fifth star on the right indicates the highest rating. A dialog box in which to type your review is directly below the stars. And below that, a box shows in which to title your review. When you have done all these things, click “submit” at the bottom of the page. And wallah—you’ve saved the life of a hard-working and lonely author!
My crime thriller novel, A Chance at the Moon is on Amazon . I welcome your review.

Was it chance or destiny’s hand behind a man and a woman’s curious encounter at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas? The cards fold, their hearts open, and a match strikes, flames that sizzle their hearts and souls. Can they have the moon and the stars, too? Or is she too dangerous? Is he? Can their love withstand betrayal? Can it endure murder?

While the cards at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas fail to distract them from their troubled pasts, on the side, the actress and the gambler play a game of ‘will they won’t they’ romance. Meanwhile, an otherworldly hand also has a big stake in the game. Unexpected secrets unfold brimming with dangerous consequences, and finally, a strange brand of salvation.

Amid the seductions of Las Vegas, Nevada and an idyllic coffee plantation on Hawai’i’s Big Island, a sextet of opposites converge within a shared fate: a glamorous movie-star courting distractions from her troubled past; her shell-shocked bodyguards clutching handholds out of their hardscrabble lives; a dropout Hawaiian nuclear physicist gambling his way back home; a Navajo rancher seeking cleansing for harming Mother Earth; and from its lofty perch, the Hawaiian’s guardian spirit conjured as his pet raven, conducting this symphony of soul odysseys.

The Cast of Characters

Actress, Olivia Montoyo Simms escapes the shadow of her mother’s gruesome murder and the relentless demands of Hollywood and loses herself in the cards at Las Vegas casinos. But like hounds on the scent, the scandal tracks her. And true to her history, it shows up in the person of dashing Hawaiian gambler, Koa Kalua’i. Neither of them are strangers at taking risks and too often losing. Will they win in their chance at the moon this time?

In Hawaiian cosmology, Aumakuas are guardian spirits whom many believe to manifest in physical form. Koa Kalua’i knows the tenet to be true, because Raven has not only been his winged-pet since the earliest days of his childhood on his family’s coffee plantation on Hawaii’s Big Island, but also his Aumakua. They make a remarkable pair, dedicated to righting wrongs.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, and orphaned as little kids, twin brothers Nicholas and Tobias Plato grew up tough but tenderhearted, qualities they put to use as actress, Olivia Montoyo Simms’ bodyguards. Who knew that Nicholas would play such a pivotal role in Olivia’s life: her most trusted friend and guardian, and in the end, her savior?

Navajo rancher and computer geek, Sam Whitehorse uncovers a secret, terrorist stockpile of materiel burrowed in the side of one his people’s sacred mountains in Nevada. It is a threat that he and Las Vegas gambler, Koa Kalua’i must expose and eliminate, but potential government involvement in the matter complicates such an offensive. And why does actress, Olivia Montoyo Simms insert herself into the whole affair?

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Multi-award-winning author and artist Linda Lee Greene describes her life as a telescope that when trained on her past reveals how each piece of it, whether good or bad or in-between, was necessary in the unfoldment of her fine art and literary paths.

Greene moved from farm-girl to city-girl; dance instructor to wife, mother, and homemaker; divorcee to single-working-mom and adult-college-student; and interior designer to multi-award-winning artist and author, essayist, and blogger, it was decades of challenging life experiences and debilitating, chronic illness that gave birth to her dormant flair for art and writing. Greene was three days shy of her fifty-seventh birthday when her creative spirit took a strong hold.

She found her way to her lonely easel soon thereafter. Since then Greene has accepted commissions and displayed her artwork in shows and galleries in and around the USA. She is also a member of artist and writer associations.

Visit Linda at her online art gallery and join her on Facebook . Linda loves to hear from readers so feel free to email her. Blog: http://Ingoodcompanyohio.blogspot.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/LindaLeeG... Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/LindaLeeGree... Twitter: https://twitter.com/LLGreeneAuthor Pinterest: https://www.pinterest/LindaLeeGreene/

Blog Post Link: In Good Company: HOW TO SAVE THE LIFE OF AN AUTHOR https://ingoodcompanyohio.blogspot.co...

Our 2020 Lifestyle Reboot…

Being an author has its perks. You can work in whatever clothes (or none) you desire, get up at whatever time you wish, and the travel time from your bedroom to office is practically nil. Unless, of course, you decide to go write at your local coffee shop. However, sitting in a chair for a good portion of the day has its drawbacks. Our bodies were meant to move. Period. So I try to get up every so often, stretch and walk around. I get in a workout early in the morning at least five days a week, and have done so for many years. Yes, some days are harder than others and the recent December holidays added a little more to my frame than I’d like, but it never bothered me much. Until hubby was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at the end of January.
That was our wake-up call.
Enter our lifestyle reboot. Thankfully, we had already started making healthier food choices just after New Year’s Day, using our son’s wedding in May 2020 as our incentive. Trust me, weddings are great motivators! More vegetables (raw and cooked), fruits, whole grains, protein like skinless-boneless chicken breasts, fish (salmon, sole, cod, and haddock) were our go-tos. I used the Mediterranean Diet as the basis for our meals, and created a two week rotating menu to use as a guide, adding different recipes from health-centered websites and cookbooks to keep our meals from getting…well, boring.
We met with a dietitian the beginning of February who helped us understand the Glycemic Index food guide to make better choices when grocery shopping. She also pressed that the portion size is important when you fill your plate. I always told hubby that size mattered! Wink. Exercise was discussed, and she gave us both a thumbs up for being proactive with our morning workouts. Hubby was prescribed a blood glucose monitor, and faithfully checks his blood sugar every day. We are both well on our way to investing in our health and wellbeing in this new decade, and so far, I’m happy to report that as of writing this post (mid-March), hubby has lost almost twenty pounds. I’ve lost almost five pounds, but in truth, was going for losing more inches, and toning those…um sagging bits, which I’m pleased to say have noticeably shrunk. Woohoo!
I’m including a couple of recipes with images from Sloane Taylor’s Date Night Dinners cookbook, because these meals were part of the menu I created in January, and they were just too darned delicious not to share!
Baked Salmon
Non-stick cooking spray3 salmon fillets, no more than 1 inch (2.5cm) thick
¼ cup (30g) brown sugar¼ cup Dijon mustard½ tbsp. (10ml) white wine2 tbsp. (30ml) butter 1 tbsp. pine nuts3 scallions/green onions, sliced, be sure to include much of the green
PREHEAT oven to 425° F (220°C).
SPRAY aluminum foil and lay it on a cookie sheet. Place fish on foil.
COMBINE sugar, mustard, and wine in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
SPREAD mixture evenly over salmon to cover it. Bake 15 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.
MEANWHILE, prepare green onion topping while salmon bakes. Melt butter in small fry pan. Add nuts, they give the dish extra crunch. Stir in onion. Saute until onion is soft and lightly colored. Set aside.
TURN oven to broil. Move fish to 4 inches from heat. Broil 2 minutes or until golden.
ADD a dollop of green onion mixture on top of each salmon steak and serve.
Easy Baked Chicken Breast
Non-stick cooking spray3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless½ cup (60g) mayonnaise5 tsp. (25ml) Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs½ cup (60g) Parmesan cheese, grated
PREHEAT oven to 425°F (220°C).
SPRAY a baking dish lightly with cooking spray. Rinse chicken and pat dry.
MIX mayo and bread crumbs together in a small bowl. Spread onto both sides of chicken.
LAY chicken in prepared dish. Sprinkle the top of coated chicken with Parmesan cheese.
BAKE for 20 minutes or until the juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a sharp knife.
So, that’s just a sampling of what we’ve been eating since the beginning of 2020. What recipe appeals to you? Or would you rather indulge in a vegetarian dish? What have you done to reboot your health in this new decade? Would love to read your comments. Cheers, and thank you for reading my blog.