Niecey Roy's Blog, page 19
January 22, 2013
Calisa Rhose — an Author Spotlight!!!
Niecey Roy — hey everyone! I’m hosting Calisa Rhose today on my blog with an author spotlight. Calisa’s new novel, Home , is out and available so make sure to check out the excerpt at the end of her post!
Calisa Rhose: Osiyo~
It’s been a year since Home released from The Wild Rose Press. Wow…a year! I thought I’d share some exciting updates that have come about over the past thirteen months. HOME and other books in the Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll series have debuted, with more coming out all the time.
How did this Scrimshaw Doll series happen?
It all began in Spring 2010, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. One author, an editor for TWRP, asked the Oklahoma RWA group (OKRWA) if anyone would be willing to write in a series to submit to her publisher.
That was the birth of the Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll series from The Wild Rose Press.
You may wonder why all the authors are from Oklahoma, why there aren’t authors from anywhere else? Well, the fact is, this project was created as it is to showcase our state’s writing talents to the world in a single combined effort.
Each book written would include the doll with carvings on its made-of-bone body. Each would be between 10,000 and 60,000 words and each would (hopefully) fit in a different subgenre The Wild Rose Press has to offer its readers. And most important, every book has to be the original work of an Oklahoma author.
I have to say our RWA chapter is chock full of talent! From historical to contemporary to paranormal, WE ROCK! Keep a close watch The Wild Rose Press as more of these stories are brought to you one by one.
And something exciting- The Tales of the Scrimshaw Doll now has a place where you can check in for updates, interactive blog posts–you never know who will be talking each Wednesday!– new books and awesome covers created by the fabulous artists of TWRP!
I hope you’ll check the site out, learn about the books and the authors writing them. We’d love to hear what you think so feel free to reach out to any of the authors through the CONTACT button at the top of the page, and read ABOUT the series in the about page.
Currently there are eleven or twelve books in various stages of production, from edits to published–three or more are scheduled for release in 2013–and several more in the writing, pre-submission stages!
My followers and friends know I write contemporary. It’s my comfort zone. My passion for cowboys is widely-known. 
But for this event, and I don’t know why, the Vietnam era called to me. I have a respect for that time and the trials the world suffered, the losses the United States withstood, and still endure through the final ramifications from the war referred to as “a police movement.”
I was a little tyke in those days so I don’t remember the impact of the moment it happened. But born in the middle of it may be why I feel a heartfelt need to learn, and subsequently, to write about love during that period when romance seemed forgotten. Hope took the back burner and so much was left behind. I was very happy to see on the news last year that one New England state finally, and properly, welcomed its Vietnam vets home in a matter befitting those wonderful heroes. Most of whom probably suffered more trials than many of us can or will ever comprehend!
But there were great victories at that same time; Elvis Presley, the Beatles and, my heroine’s favorite, The Chiffons, and let’s not forget the era of hot cars. All these and more persevered, rose out of the smoke and strived for decades to follow.
That hope is what brings my hero Sam Callahan and my heroine, Poppy Tippen together. She refuses to let “that damn war” ruin her chance at the only man she’s ever loved. A man that same war destroyed, before spitting him back out into her lap and at the feet of a town that had always been home; but now makes Sam an unwelcome outcast. Poppy has the chance to show Sam where HOME really is, if only he’d open his eyes.
My story of hope and love in a time when the world had little of either is my way of sharing what home means to me. I hope you will love HOME as much as I do.
BLURB:
What could a gypsy and a Vietnam veteran have in common?
Silvertown’s outcast, Poppy Tippen, has loved football hero Sam “The Force” Callahan forever. But he never seemed to know she was alive. Now he’s home from the war and she suddenly finds herself comforting him from the demons of “that damn war.” Is his attention merely an escape from the haunting nightmares? Or does she hold the interest of the only man she’s ever truly loved?
Sam Callahan’s only solace from the war nightmares wrecking his life comes in the unlikely form of a gypsy girl with stigmas of her own. He’s known Poppy his entire life, but there’s something different about her now. Something special he desperately wants to hold on to. Can he convince her she’s the only thing he needs to put the past behind him?
EXCERPT:
Over the next week he actively avoided his mother as he raked and watered the lawn. He’d found out the gardener had left when his mother stopped paying him, not that Sam blamed the guy. So, he would try to do what he could to fix the old place up again. Somehow, like himself, he doubted the place he’d called home would ever fully recover the ravages of wartime. It gave him something useful to get through the days before he creeped out at night.
“Sammie, we need to talk.”
He dropped his head and counted briefly before facing his mother. “Good morning, Ma.”
“Have you talked to that woman?”
No nonsense, that was Ma. He dragged in a heavy breath to stifle a groan. “What woman would that be?”
“Don’t play games with me, Sam. You know full well I’m talking about that gypsy woman who owns the doll store. Did you tell her you want the doll back?” His mother threw hands to hips. He waited five ticks. Yep, there it was. Her left foot began flapping like a fish out of water to make known her full ire at him. He almost grinned.
As he stared at her tapping foot, Sam realized he’d actually missed that trait in his mother while he’d been gone. But she wasn’t interested in reflections of days past. “No. I’m not going to get the doll. It’s better off gone if it causes you so much distress. Just forget it and let it be, Ma.”
“Forget it? Haven’t you heard what I’ve been telling you? It will only cause more problems the longer that woman has it!” She was almost yelling and Sam cringed inwardly with a glance around. She ought to keep her voice down or—
Or, what? Did he expect the VC to pop out of the surrounding sticks that had once been shrubbery admired by the whole town? Yes. He did. Damn it all. Why was it so hard for him to let go of the war he was no longer a part of? He shuffled his loafer-clad feet and sighed heavily. “What’s so special about that doll that you won’t let it go?”
His mother looked away from him as though she had a secret and twisted her hands around her ever-present hankie. “It’s bad, evil.”
“Then, why on earth would you want it back? Good riddance, I’d say.”
“No!” She backed up a step and looked up at him, lips painted the same bright red, and he vaguely wondered if she’d worn it so long it had become permanent, a tattoo. A bright red tattoo. Blood red… “It was a gift from my cousin, Helen, when I visited her in California, before she died. I already told you that. But, it’s cursed! I can’t risk anyone else suffering because of that—that thing!”
Blood red… Sam shook the image off and looked over his mother’s head toward the street.
Of all the times to wander in, he didn’t need Poppy showing up right then, while his mother was on her insane rampage about a doll.
A doll that Poppy’s mother had bought fair and square, according to Ma. Now it was a cursed doll? She’d said something about that last time she mentioned the damn thing. He was suddenly afraid his mother was losing her mind. “Son of a bitch.”
“Watch your mouth, young man. I won’t have that kind of language used in this house. Your father—God rest his soul—didn’t use that filth, and I won’t have my only son speak it.” She sounded so normal, suddenly.
“Sorry, Ma. I need to go…somewhere, for a while.”
“Get the doll.” Her voice poured from that red mouth like a warning.
He leaned the rake he’d been using before the interruption against the wood shed and tossed a wave over his head to his mother as he strode for the driveway, and Poppy. Suddenly, it took all his will not to break out in a run and just keep going. Never to stop until he was far, far away from this new nightmare his mother had introduced to him. Blood red, blood. Red, blood, red, blood, red blood.
Sam didn’t stop when he reached Poppy, but grabbed her hand and swung her around with him—took her away before his mother realized who she was. He especially didn’t need her to see the doll shop owner’s daughter.
He picked up his already fast pace until he felt a jerk against his hand and slowed down. He didn’t want to talk. Not yet. Walk. Keep walking…fast.
“Whoa, soldier boy!” She yanked him to a stop. For a little thing, she was stronger than he’d have thought. “What’s with you? If I wanted to race I’d be a horse.”
Blood red. No talking. Walk. Her hand still in his, he gave a rough tug
****************************
Get your copy of HOME at The Wild Rose Press Barnes & Nobles and Amazon
Small-town country girl Calisa Rhose has been writing since she was a teen in Oklahoma.
It wasn’t until 2005, while living in California, that she realized if “they” can do it there’s no reason why she couldn’t write and get published, too. That realization began her journey into the world of publishing. After a cross-country move with her husband and their three grown daughters (plus families) back to her home state, Calisa dove into her writing. She joined RWA and the local chapter OKRWA. Since that day she has been more determined than ever to see her name in lights. She intends to nurture others and continue to grow as an author.
She’d love to hear from her readers at calisa.rhose@gmail.com and you can visit Calisa at
www.calisarhose.wordpress.com Find out about her books on the Bookshelf page.
Twitter, GoodReads and Facebook
Calisa: Thanks for hosting me this week, Niecey, I’ve enjoyed your lovely blog so much. Ok peeps, Home is set in a lovely August Indian summer, please share your favorite season in a comment for a chance to win a copy of Home!
Niecey: It was my pleasure to have you, Calisa! Again, leave a comment for a chance to win Home!
January 19, 2013
An interview with Georgie Lee, author of Studio Relations
Niecey: Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Georgie Lee, author of Studio Relations. Here goes!
Georgie Lee
Georgie: I grew up writing many different things including poetry, short stories and screenplays. I’m a lifelong history buff, voracious reader, writer and a movie lover. I especially enjoy classic films because they have such witty dialogue. My professional writing career began at a small cable TV station in San Diego where I wrote marketing videos and public service announcements. I dreamed of being a screenwriter so I moved to Los Angeles and earned my MA in screenwriting. I never conquered Hollywood, but I’d always enjoyed reading romance novels, so one day I started writing one. It was a Regency romance and it went on to become Lady’s Wager, my first published novel. It took me about a year to write Lady’s Wager and the first draft wasn’t exactly perfect. I learned a lot by rewriting that story.
Tell me about your latest book.
Georgie: My current release, Studio Relationsis a love story set in the golden age of Hollywood. Vivien Howard hasn’t forgiven Weston Holmes for almost derailing her career five years ago. Female directors in 1930s Hollywood are few and far between, and a man who coasts by on his good looks and family connections can’t possibly appreciate what it took for her to get to where she is. But when the studio head puts Weston in charge of overseeing Vivien’s ambitious Civil War film, she realizes she has a choice: make nice with her charismatic new boss or watch a replacement director destroy her dream.
Weston Holmes doesn’t know much about making movies, but he knows plenty about money. And thanks to the Depression, ticket sales are dangerously low. The studio can’t afford a flop—or bad press, which is exactly what threatens to unfold when an innocent encounter between Weston and Vivien is misconstrued by the gossip rags. The only solution? A marriage of convenience that will force the bickering duo into an unlikely alliance—and guide them to their own happy Hollywood ending.
What inspired this story?
Georgie: My love of classic films and Gone with the Wind helped inspire this book. I knew from my film studies background that there were a few female directors working in Hollywood during the 1930s. While the major studios did employ women behind the scenes, women usually worked in publicity, writing or the costume shop. It was the rare female who stepped behind the camera, and she faced a number of obstacles, from demanding studio bosses to disapproving women’s groups. Also, the 1930s saw a great deal of change in Hollywood from the conversion to talkies to the introduction of the Hays Code, which dictated what could and could not appear on screen. Outside the studio gates, the Great Depression was raging and Europe was heading toward World War II. There was a lot of conflict both on the soundstage and off for me to play with. I touch on all these subjects in Studio Relations, but especially what it was like for a woman to work in a man’s world in 1935 Hollywood.
In Studio Relations, I also pay homage to my favorite film Gone with the Wind, by making the film Vivien directs a Civil War movie. I drew on my knowledge of Gone with the Wind’s production to help me make the scenes dealing with the production of Vivien’s film seem authentic to the time period. It was fun to pull from both my knowledge of classic Hollywood and Gone with the Wind to help make Studio Relations an engaging story.
What books have most influenced you most?
Georgie: There are so many great books which have influenced me but the first was Watership Down. It was the first adult book I read and I loved it so much that I read it more than once. I enjoy post-apocalyptic stories and this one has such great characters and such a different kind of post-apocalyptic sense about it that I was drawn in and it has never let go.
Who are some of your favorite authors?
Georgie: I admire so many great authors, but some of my favorites are classics. I love Oscar Wilde for sharp witty dialogue, W. Somerset Maugham for great insight into characters and D.H. Lawrence for well developed internal monologue.
Any tips you’d like to offer new writers?
Georgie: Keep trying and don’t give up. There were many years where I was writing and nothing was being published and then all of a sudden, one day, all the hard work began to pay off. It’s a long term career so you can’t let setbacks make you give up.
BIO:
A dedicated history and film buff, Georgie Lee loves combining her passion for Hollywood, history and storytelling through romantic fiction. She began writing professionally at a small TV station in San Diego before moving to Los Angeles to work in the interesting but strange world of the entertainment industry.
Her traditional Regency, Lady’s Wager and her contemporary novella Rock ‘n’ Roll Reunion are both available from Ellora’s Cave Blush. Labor Relations, a contemporary romance of Hollywood is currently available from Montlake Romance. Mask of the Gladiator, a novella of ancient Rome is now available from Carina Press.
When not writing, Georgie enjoys reading non-fiction history and watching any movie with a costume and an accent. Please visit www.georgie-lee.com for more information about Georgie and her novels.
BOOK BLURB
Studio Relations
By Georgie Lee
Vivien Howard hasn’t forgiven Weston Holmes for almost derailing her career five years ago. Female directors in 1930s Hollywood are few and far between, and a man who coasts by on his good looks and family connections can’t possibly appreciate what it took for her to get to where she is. But when the studio head puts Weston in charge of overseeing Vivien’s ambitious Civil War film, she realizes she has a choice: make nice with her charismatic new boss or watch a replacement director destroy her dream.
Weston Holmes doesn’t know much about making movies, but he knows plenty about money. And thanks to the Depression, ticket sales are dangerously low. The studio can’t afford a flop—or bad press, which is exactly what threatens to unfold when an innocent encounter between Weston and Vivien is misconstrued by the gossip rags. The only solution? A marriage of convenience that will force the bickering duo into an unlikely alliance—and guide them to their own happy Hollywood ending.
LINKS:
Buy link for Studio Relations –
Website: www.georgie-lee.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/georgie.lee.96
Twitter: @GeorgieLeeBooks
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2985551.Georgie_Lee
EXCERPT
Studio Relations by Georgie Lee
Available from Montlake Romance
Hollywood 1935
Vivien Howard marched into Earl Holmes’s office and threw the script on his desk. “Storm of the South. This is it. This is the picture I want to direct next.”
Earl picked up the script and flipped through it, unfazed. “The Civil War? It’s been done, and badly.”
“Not the way I’m going to do it.”
“I read the script a couple of months back. It’s a war movie. A woman can’t direct a war movie.” He tossed the script onto his large mahogany desk and leaned back in his leather chair, his hands clasped over his round belly, his graying eyebrows knitted as his eyes bored into her. Earl’s imposing attitude would have cowed a lesser director, but Vivien had played this game too many times with the old studio head to be scared off now.
“It’s a love story set during a war.”
“The Civil War.”
“I know exactly how I’m going to shoot it.” She sat down on Earl’s plush leather sofa, pushing back her shoulder- length curly brown hair. She crossed her legs, thankful Miss Hepburn’s popularity had made wearing trousers respectable. Even if the Women’s Decency League proclaimed pants the ruin of womankind, Vivien preferred them to skirts and always made sure they were femininely tailored to complement her dark hair and eyes. Being one of only a few female directors in Hollywood, she played a man’s game, but she was always careful to remain a lady. Her career depended on this tightrope walk.
Earl leaned back in his chair and studied her. She knew he was intrigued, but she also knew he hated to let directors think they were getting their way, even if they were.
“The boys in New York won’t like the idea of a woman directing a war movie,” he replied, selecting a cigar from the humidor on his desk.
“If you pitch it right, they’ll love this project.”
“But I’ve got to love it first.” He clipped off the end of the cigar and placed it between his lips. Vivien picked up the large silver lighter from his desk, popped open the cap, sparked the flame, and held it out to him across the desk.
“You love the money my films make. You also love how good my successful films make you look to the boys in New York.”
Earl leaned forward and lit his cigar, then sat back in his chair, slowly drawing in the smoke. Vivien knew she had him. She smiled, waiting for him to make the next move.
“Who’d you have in mind for the lead?” he asked.
“Peter Davies. He’s perfect.”
“He’s a supporting actor. You need a leading man with box office draw, someone like Gary Roth.”
Vivien perched on the edge of his desk. “Peter has leading man potential. All he needs is the right role, and this is it. ”
“And the fact that you two are dating?”
“Has nothing to do with it.” Vivien was on shaky ground, and she knew it.
“The boys in New York are going to insist on a big star, especially when they get wind that I’m letting you direct a war movie,” Earl protested.
Vivien fixed him with a serious look. “It’s a love story, and you know it. It’s also the best script to come across my desk in years, and I’m the best director to do it.”
“We still need a star to headline it.”
“And we’ll have one when I cast the female lead.”
Earl chewed on the end of his cigar, eyeing her. “Fine. You can do it. Start tomorrow.”
“I’ll start today.” Vivien jumped to her feet. She’d been planning the film on the sly for weeks and relished the chance to finally work on it out in the open.
Earl shook his head, snatching the black phone off the receiver. “I don’t let any of my stars push me around half as much as you do.”
Vivien smiled over her shoulder as she made her way to the door. “That’s because no one makes as much money for you as I do.”
“Don’t make me regret this, Vivien,” Earl called out after her.
“You won’t, I promise.” She winked, then slipped out the door.
Thank you again, Georgie, for allowing me to interview you today! Can’t wait to read your book. To purchase Studio Relations, please click HERE or on the title itself.
I’ll be back with another Author Spotlight in February. Check out my News & Appearances page to see what blogs I’ll be making a guest appearance at 
Niecey Roy
Fender Bender Blues, a romantic comedy
January 2013 exclusive Amazon digital release
Coming May 3, 2013 everywhere
published by Wild Rose Press
nieceyroy@gmail.com
http://www.nieceyroy.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NieceyRoyRomanceAuthor
https://twitter.com/#!/NieceyRoy
January 18, 2013
Be Still My Lover’s Heart — with Lisa Hannah Wells
Niecey: How thrilled am I to have Lisa Hannah Wells on my blog today??? Super duper thrilled! First off, she’s a fellow Rose, an author with my publisher, The Wild Rose Press. Second, she writes Sci-Fi!!! Many of you probably don’t know this about me, but I have always been a Sci-Fi junkie! I love to read Sci-Fi and watch Sci-Fi movies and shows. Kind of addicted (ssssshhhhh!!!) She’s visiting today to talk about her book, Be Still My Lover’s Heart.
Lisa: First, I’d like to thank Niecey for having me as a guest on her blog. I really appreciate it and am glad to be here.
Ethereal beauty Shea, a Lieutenant in a Universal military, has spent the last four years protecting Colony supply freighters on a small space station. If not for her partner and the hopes of a better assignment, the loss of her husband and a devastating illness would leave her little desire to live.
That is until she meets Tempest, an alien whose species is rumored to be the origin of the vampires, a man who makes her feel alive in ways she’s never felt before.
Tempest has prayed to the Divine One for countless years for his bondmate. Shea is his long-awaited answer and so much more. One night will not be enough for a man who has waited a lifetime, but he is determined to make Shea his forever.
With a madman out to destroy them and certain death nipping at their heels, will Tempest and Shea outwit Remi and survive to share a future together, or die protecting all they hold dear?
QUESTIONS?
1) Where did you get the idea for writing this book?
I decided to enter a contest that called for a Space Opera short story for an anthology on another publisher’s website. I had never written one before, but really got caught up in it. They never even read it, so I took it and began to expand on it. The characters took on a life of their own and it became a book that I would want to read. I had no idea at the time that it would become a series, but many of my books tend to go that way.
2) What makes the characters in this book stand out?
The human characters aren’t that different than others today, except that they are raised in space and life is different there. They still have the same problems, emotions, anxieties and shortcomings. But, my Vatamps, or Memory Makers as they are called are truly unique. They are an old race, and because of some customs are rumored to be the origin of vampires. However, their race was nearly wiped out and few are left to carry on. The soul-mate theory is very much a driving force in this series and yet has a different take to it. The Vatamps are called Memory Makers because they are able to call on the memories of all the ancestors that have gone before them to help them solve difficult situations and/or to rebuild and move on with life.
3) How many books are planned in this series and do we see some of the same characters again?
There are five books in this series. Yes, you do see some of the same characters again with a few following throughout to the end of the series. In this particular series, I have a very unique way to wrap it all up. While each book stands on its own, the series still goes together much the same way as a puzzle with a satisfying twist at the end.
4) Is Science Fiction your preferred genre or do you write other things?
Actually, I began with Epic Fantasy series when I was much younger, then morphed over into the paranormal side of Romance, my favorite. I love to write cross-genre in nearly all subcategories of romance and also in YA romance, Fantasy, Science Fiction and still with Epic Fantasy series.
5) Do you have a special cozy place to write?
Usually on the loveseat surrounded by my three cats, the windows open for a cooling breeze.
AVAILABLE NOW
click the links below
Amazon Barnes&Noble Bookstrand
Niecey: Thank you again for visiting, Lisa! And thanks everyone for stopping by. Please, please come again
Niecey Roy
Coming May 3, 2013 – Fender Bender Blues, a romantic comedy
Published by Wild Rose Press
nieceyroy@gmail.com
http://www.nieceyroy.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NieceyRoy
https://twitter.com/#!/NieceyRoy
January 17, 2013
Mongolian Beef — cooking with steak during the winter
Grilled steak is probably one of my favorite foods. There’s nothing better than a summer evening, a couple of steaks on the grill, a cold beer in my hand while the rice steams or the potatoes bake in the kitchen. Aaaahhhh, how I miss summer!!! I’m one of those people who prefer to do everything barefoot and preferrably in shorts, and that includes cooking and eating
During the winter, though, it’s too damn cold to cook outside. I live in Nebraska and the winters are frigid and sometimes unbearable. As I look out my window, there’s drifts of snow here and there that still haven’t melted, blech! It’s not pretty snow, either. Not that first dusting of the year when snow is a bit exciting. This is dirty snow, mostly pushed up in piles by snow plows. Where the snow has melted, the dead grass peaks through. I can’t wait for spring!
So, when the temps and weather conditions force me inside for a long five to six months over the winter, I look for ways to make steak indoors. Most times when I get the craving for Chinese food, I reach for my phone and hit speed dial. (Um, yes, I do have my favorite Chinese restaurant on speed dial—don’t judge me, ha!) But I really love to cook, and if I have the time, I’d rather make it myself at home. Also, I’m one of those people who is always imagining someone has sneezed in the food I’m about to consume and, well, that’s just gross. Eeeekkkkk!!!
finished product — Mongolian Beef. Isn’t it pretty???
Today, I’m going to share with you a recipe for Mongolian Beef. I’ve seen a lot of different recipes online, and most are either too sweet, too salty with soy sauce, or they’re okay, but they forgot the mushrooms…and I need me some mushrooms in my Mongolian Beef!
MONGOLIAN BEEF
1 lb beef sirloin steak, sliced very thin.
(I find it’s easiest to slice from a slightly frozen state)
1 bunch green onion, chop the green onion just where it starts to turn white, keep
the bottom white onion piece, but chop off the root.
2 tbsp minced garlic clove
1 tbsp minced ginger (use only fresh ginger!!!)
3/4 c. soy sauce
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 c. water
1 8 oz pkg sliced mushrooms
Cornstarch
Vegetable oil
In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of vegetable oil. Let it warm up, then add the garlic and ginger and sauté just until the garlic becomes dark. Do not burn! Add the soy sauce, add water, and the brown sugar, mix it all together. Turn up the heat to a medium-high Bring the sauce to a boil and let it boil for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and let it cook for another five minutes. Set aside.
Add about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup vegetable oil to a large frying pan with at least 2-inch high sides. Heat on high for about 3 to 5 minutes. While it’s heating, sprinkle the sliced steak with cornstarch on both sides. I just toss it in a bowl. I don’t really try to heavily coat it, just a sprinkle is all. Once the oil is heated, fry the steak on both sides. You’re looking for a crispy brown. I’d prefer to drop my steak in a large deep fryer for a couple of minutes, like they do in a Chinese restaurant, but I don’t have one of those big fryers. I just fry the steak in batches, setting the fried pieces on a plate with paper towel to soak up the excess oil.
Once this is done, I put the sauce pan back on the burner over medium-high heat to get it boiling again. I drop the browned, hopefully a bit crispy, steak into the boiling sauce. Boil it for about five minutes so that the sauce thickens. Add the green onion (green and white pieces) at the very last, letting it soften up just before serving.
Serve over white steamed rice.
Like I said, I’ve tried many different recipes. I prefer my Mongolian Beef a little less sweet and a bit more savory. I also don’t mind eating spicy food (love it, actually!) so if I want spicy, I just add a bit of red pepper flake to the sauce, just before adding the steak.
Stop back and see me soon! I’ll probably share my Bistek recipe (Filipino-style pan-fried steak and onions), yum!!! Stay warm!
Niecey Roy
Coming May 3, 2013 – Fender Bender Blues, a romantic comedy
Published by Wild Rose Press
nieceyroy@gmail.com
http://www.nieceyroy.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NieceyRoy
https://twitter.com/#!/NieceyRoy
January 16, 2013
Filipino Papaya Chicken — a spin on my mom’s version
For as long as I can remember, my mom’s cooking has been one of those things I crave and salivate over when I can’t have it. She lives over two thousand miles away so visits come once a year, sometimes every couple of years. Not nearly enough when I need what I consider my comfort food—my mom’s Filipino dish
es.
Our visits are always a big deal. We spend the entire time cooking. I cook her favorite American dishes and she cooks my favorite Asian dishes. The house fills up with the most amazing scents of meats, broths, jasmine rice steamed with a piece of lemon grass tied into a large knot. Here’s a pic of lemon grass so you know what to look for at the Asian store. You’ll need it for the Papaya chicken as well.
I wish this thing had smell-a-vision!!!
I don’t think it’s much different in other cultures, but when Filipinos get together it’s a big deal. Even a small gathering of three turns into a mouthwatering event. I know that my love for cooking has stemmed from having a Polish grandmother who could cook anything with meat and potatoes, and from my mom whose greatest pleasure is to feed her kids and her friends the foods she grew up eating in the Philippines and in Hawaii. I think there’s a certain kind of pride and enjoyment in creating something people can’t seem to get enough of, even if it means everyone present eats so much that they’re miserable for a few hours just until the next meal is started.
Niecey’s Papaya Chicken
I’m going to share with you one of my favorite Filipino dishes called Papaya Chicken. Now, when my mom makes it everything is from scratch. She uses a whole chicken which she cuts up herself. She makes her own chicken broth. I live a really busy life and so I’ve created some shortcuts that I’m perfectly fine admitting to and using when I make Papaya Chicken. My version is amazing, it tastes great, but it’s not my mom’s Papaya Chicken. If you try my version and never have the privilege of eating my mom’s version, you’ll never know what you’re missing because you’ll love my version so much. Whew, that was a mouthful!
PAPAYA CHICKEN RECIPE
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large thick slices
(I use slices, but you can cube them as well)
1 large papaya, peeled and cut into chunks
OR 3 large chayote, peeled and cut into chunks (my mom has used this before and I actually love the taste of this Mexican squash in place of papaya! If you can’t get papaya for some reason, it’s a great replacement and it really tastes amazing)
1 bag or bunch spinach, large not baby spinach
(you can use water cress leaves as well, which I cannot get here in Nebraska)
2 inches ginger, peeled and cut into large slices
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stick lemon grass, peel top layer, then bend and tie in knot
2 large bay leaves
1 medium onion, chopped large
3 cans of chicken broth (low sodium)
1 can water (use chicken broth can)
Salt to taste
1/2 tbsp pepper
1-1/2 to tbsp vegetable oil
First, pour vegetable oil in stock pot on stove, heat on medium, adding the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook on medium heat until the garlic starts to brown. Don’t let it burn! Then add the chicken pieces, and lightly salt, sprinkle on pepper. Cook until just slightly turning brown. Be careful to watch the garlic, if the garlic is getting too brown, this is when you will add the chicken broth and water. Add the bay leaves and the lemon grass tied in a knot. Heat to boiling and then turn down to a simmer for 45 minutes. Taste broth and season with salt and pepper as needed. (I find that at this point I never have to add additional salt or pepper)
Add the papaya and simmer for another 30 minutes. Make sure the papaya is cooked until just soft, but NOT mushy. Add the spinach on top, gently pushing down into the broth. This only needs about ten minutes to soften up and then you can gently stir the softened spinach into the soup.
Serve over steamed rice and use dipping sauce.
Filipino dipping sauce
1 to 1-1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 lemon or juice of 1 to 2 kalamansi
(I prefer kalamansi, but again, something I cannot find in Nebraska)
1/2 tsp minced jalapeno, no seeds (only if you want spicy sauce)
Mix all in a small, shallow dipping bowl, taste test (adding more or less of any of the above as needed).
I hope you all enjoyed this post! If you’ve never had Papaya Chicken before, you should make this. It’s simple, and healthy and it’s delicious! And feel free to follow my blog . I won’t complain if you do, I promise
Niecey Roy
Coming May 3, 2013 – Fender Bender Blues, a romantic comedy
published by Wild Rose Press
nieceyroy@gmail.com
http://www.nieceyroy.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NieceyRoyRomanceAuthor
https://twitter.com/#!/NieceyRoy
January 14, 2013
Vonnie Davis guest blogging today!!! Author of Mona Lisa’s Room
How are those New Year Resolutions coming along? I prefer to call mine goals and I have two for 2013: to grow and shrink. I want to grow as a writer, overcome some pesky weaknesses in my prose. And since I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been, I need to shrink. Blood tests show I’m pre-diabetic. I tried convincing Calvin and the doctor I’d caught it off my diabetic husband like one would with a bad case of the sniffles. I insisted it had nothing to do with my love of candy, pie and pasta. Calvin wasn’t having any of it. Neither was the doctor.
Vonnie Davis
Drats.
And it was such a lovely excuse, too.
Dropping this weight isn’t going to be as much fun as it was to put on, let me tell you. I’ll need to change some habits. Like reaching for a carrot instead of a cookie. Oh, gawd, that hardly seems normal, does it?
Change is often painful, isn’t it?
I loved my kids’ teen years. They were so much fun. We laughed and talked and worked toward their achieving their goals. So when they moved out to go to college, I was left without their energy. My life turned bland. I was single by then and not at all happy about being alone for the first time in my life. I wasn’t handling the change in my motherhood status at all well. So, I enrolled in college, too. Not theirs, of course. Although my oldest son did transfer to my campus for his final semester so he could say he went to college with his mom.
Ten years later I met and married Calvin. At his encouragement, I was able to retire early. Retirement. I’d dreamt of it. But staying home wasn’t as much fun as I’d expected. Not once did I imagine I miss the social interaction with my friends at work. All I’d been thinking was no more getting up early, tugging on pantyhose and listening to snarky bosses all day. Even a good change can cause its own kind of stress.
My heroine in Mona Lisa’s Room is going through some changes in her life, too. Alyson is recently divorced having found her husband in their shower with another man. Years of being ignored by her spouse has her doubting her femininity, so she’s trying to make some changes. Some small. Some big. She has her hair lightened, corrective surgery on her eyes so she can see without glasses and a tiny butterfly tattoo placed on her upper thigh. Then, at the insistence of her sister Gwen, she takes the trip she’s always dreamed of: she goes to Paris to celebrate her fortieth birthday.
(Insert cover here) The back cover blurb for this romantic suspense is in the form of an email.
Gwen,
You won’t believe this email. I’m sitting in a French safe house, eating caviar and drinking champagne with handsome government agent, Niko Reynard. He’s wearing nothing but silk pajama bottoms and mega doses of sex appeal. I’m in big trouble, little sister. He’s kissed me several times and given me a foot massage that nearly caused spontaneous combustion. I’m feeling strangely virginal compared to the sexual prowess this thirty-year-old man exudes.
When I came to Paris for a bit of adventure, I never imagined I’d foil a bombing attempt, karate-kick two men, and run from terrorists while wearing a new pair of stilettos. I’ve met a German musician, a gay poet from Australia, and the most delightful older French woman.
Don’t worry. I’m safe–the jury’s still out on yummy Niko, though. The more champagne I drink, the less reserved I feel. What an unforgettable fortieth birthday!
Alyson
The excerpt I’ve brought along today takes place in a Parisian shoe store. Niko is trying to get Alyson to blend in with other Parisian women as they hide from a terrorist group.
meet Niko and Alyson — Mona Lisa’s Room
EXCERPT:
Niko perched on the stool at Alyson’s feet, opened the first box and deftly flicked back the tissue paper on a pair of black kidskin pumps with skinny gold looking heels. “It’s rumored Da Vinci invented the high heel.” He removed her flip flops and placed her bare foot on his thigh. Warmth from his muscled leg flowed up hers, causing her foot to give an involuntary wiggle.
His gaze lifted to hers and locked. Slowly he slid his hand from her heel up her leg to cup her calf. Thank God she shaved her legs that morning. “Stop.” The rawness of her voice surprised her. His touch made her very aware of her body, and her body was very aware of him. She couldn’t count the years since she was touched in such a manner—if ever.
Still, it was nice to know she could respond to a man’s touch. Thanks to her ex-husband’s avoidance, she thought herself sexually dead, certainly sexually unappealing.
“High heels do wonders for a woman’s figure, Aly. They make the legs look long and shapely, lift the bottom and make the hips sway.” His hands moved in a descriptive manner while he talked. “They make a woman look sexy and confident. Men’s eyes naturally pivot to a woman in stilettos.” Niko shrugged. “We can’t help it. We are men, after all. Weakened by women.”
Alyson stared at him. Men made weak by women? She’d never heard such talk, especially from a male, a very virile male if looks meant anything. He was gorgeous, arrogant as all get out, but gorgeous just the same.
Niko slipped the shoes onto her feet, stood and extended his hand. “Stand. See how you like the feel.” His gaze focused on hers again and for a second or two, when she looked into his eyes, her world stopped.
She vetoed the four-inch stilettos Niko favored in five painful, toe-pinching steps. Good Lord, a girl could get nosebleeds in those things.
Ten minutes later, Alyson wobbled in front of the cashier ready to pay for the black
kidskin three-inch Pradas she wore. As soon as she saw the bow at the back of the heel, she fell in love with the shoes. Gwen called her a “bow freak.” When Niko reached for his wallet, she elbowed him. “Look, as long as they take Visa, I’ll pay for my own shoes.”
“Please, allow me.”
“Absolutely not. I planned on having an expensive birthday meal at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant tomorrow. With all that’s happened today, that plan is ruined, too. So I’m rationalizing since I won’t be paying for my birthday meal, I can pay this ungodly amount for the shoes.”
Niko placed his hand over hers. “I don’t mind. Let me treat you since I goaded you into buying them.”
“Really, that’s not necessary. Even my husband…er…ex-husband never bought me things. I’ve always paid my own way.”
He leaned an elbow on the glass counter and looked at her. “You’re kidding me. He never bought you little surprises? Little treats? A woman like you should be spoiled, treasured—” his voice lowered as he slowly trailed a finger up her arm “—loved often and well.” Merciful heavens, he was trying to seduce her in a shoe store. Gwen would squeal in delight when she told her about this.
“Down, buster. American women are different than French women. We’re not so easily seduced by glib words or smooth moves.”
His eyebrow arched and his demeanor turned insolent. “You think I’m trying to seduce you?”
Typical male. He touched her almost nonstop since they stepped into Minelli’s. Now that she called him on it, he wanted to deny everything. “I think you’re toying with me, seeing if you can make an old, lonely American woman quiver at your feet.”
“First of all, you’re not old. Second, if you’re lonely, that’s your fault. Third, if I wanted to make you quiver—” he leaned in, his lips against her ear “—I damn well could.”
WATCH A TRAILER for Mona Lisa’s Room!!! Just click HERE
BUY LINKS:
purchase the E-BOOK at The Wild Rose Press by clicking HERE
purchase the PAPERBACK at The Wild Rose Press by clicking HERE
purchase the E-BOOK at Amazon by clicking HERE
purchase the PAPERBACK at Amazon by clicking HERE
VISIT VONNIE DAVIS AT:
Click HERE to visit Vonnie’s website
Click HERE to visit Vonnie’s blog
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR STOPPING BY!!!
Niecey Roy
Coming May 3, 2013 – Fender Bender Blues, a romantic comedy
Published by Wild Rose Press
nieceyroy@gmail.com
http://www.nieceyroy.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NieceyRoy
https://twitter.com/#!/NieceyRoy
January 11, 2013
A Second Chance At Forever: Interview with author JM Stewart
Niecey: I’m so excited to have you on my blog today, JM! Especially when I know how busy you are since your novel, A Second Chance At Forever 
, was released just yesterday!
JM: Thanks for having me, Niecey!
Niecey: What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories?
JM: I hope they enjoy it. I hope they can’t put it down, that it keeps them up at night, but you know, deep down, what I really hope, is that I touch them. That I’ve created a character they can’t forget.
Niecey: Do you have a favorite food?
JM: Teriyaki! My husband got me into this, because someone at work got him into it. These places are popping up all over the place out here. Have you ever had it? It’s teriyaki marinated meat (I prefer chicken) that’s grilled. They slice it up and serve it with white rice and a plain salad with the most delicious dressing (I have GOT to figure out what this dressing is!). I can’t get enough of this stuff. It’s fun to go around to the different restaurants. Their versions of the teriyaki sauce are all slightly different.
Niecey: What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
JM: I’ve been asked this question before, but I’ve learned something lately. I’m learning that my voice and my style are unique. Some love it, some don’t. But it’s me. I can’t write like anybody else and I can’t change it, and believe me, I’ve tried (and failed). So, I’ve decided to own it. That seems such a simple concept, I know, but for me, it was a huge moment. In a flooded market where everybody is trying to be the next Jennifer Probst, this is a tough one. I’ve seen rejection so much I often sit down and cry. I finally realized, I can’t be like them. I can only be me, good, bad or ugly. It was such a freeing lesson and I have a very special lady to thank for helping me get there. Miss Vonnie Davis. I’m telling you, that lady can give a pep talk. 
So that’s my advice to aspiring and/or new writers. Develop your voice. Your style. And this is easy to do—just write. Write from the heart. Your voice comes with time, with practice. The more books you write, the more your voice and your natural style will begin to shine. Then own it. It’s what makes you different from everybody else.
Niecey: What do you like about the heroine of A Second Chance At Forever the most?
JM: I like that Angela’s smart. She’s a geek. She’s also got a lot of heart. She takes care of the people she loves, does nice things for people just because.
Niecey: Who is your favorite supporting character of A Second Chance At Forever, and why?
JM: That would be Angela’s brother, Brock. He just cracks me up. He’s a goofball. One of those great big loveable guys who doesn’t take life too seriously. But like Angela, he’s got heart. He’s a family guy.
Niecey: Do your characters love the direction you take for them or do they have other ideas?
JM: My characters love the direction I take for them, because they’re the ones who choose where the story goes. I’m a pantser—I sit down with a vague idea and a couple of characters and I write. That often means the story takes turns I don’t often count on, because my characters invariably end up taking over my story. Because that’s what they are—their stories. Not mine. I just write them down. And so they remind me. Quite often. lol
A Second Chance At Forever, Blurb:
Recently divorced and working two jobs, Angela Lewis has no room in her life for love. Yet when her childhood crush finds her at the nightclub where she works as the sexy stripper, Candy Cane, and expresses his interest, Angela can’t resist. She only wants one night to live the fantasy her alter ego provides.
Alex McKinley is still trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered life, and one night with Candy is exactly what he needs. He gets more than he bargained for, however, when he discovers she’s the little sister of his best friend. Suddenly little Angie’s all grown up and driving him crazy.
The more time he spends with Angela, the more Alex finds himself falling for the woman she’s become. She makes him want to live again. But can he convince her to take a chance on him?
A Second Chance At Forever, Excerpt:
“When is your birthday, Alex?”
The minute the words left her mouth she wanted to suck them back. When Alex’s gaze snapped to hers, heat blazed up her neck and into her cheeks. The question gave her away, revealed her thoughts as surely as if she’d spoken them out loud. In front of her family, no less. Oh, her, and her big mouth….
To make matters worse, desire and recognition flared in Alex’s eyes, the memory rising between them.
A night neither one of them could forget. She remembered only too well him telling her exactly that.
“Two weeks,” he said.
“Got any plans?” she asked, to cover the need that sparked in her belly. Like an ember stoked into a tiny flame. One that if given the right amount of fuel could consume her.
Alex didn’t respond the way she’d anticipated, however. The expression drained from his face, his features going stony. Tension rose tight and prickly in the air around them.
Brock looked up from the grill.
Alex shook his head and rose from his seat, his jaw tight, a stiff set to his shoulders that had unease settling in her stomach. “No.” Then he turned to Brock. “Beer in the fridge?”
Brock nodded. Without so much as a glance in her direction, Alex moved around her, stepping through the sliding glass doors into the darkness of the house.
Angela turned to Brock, fear and confusion pounding in her breast. “I said something wrong.”
Her brother shook his head. “It’s his story. He should be the one to tell you.”
She nodded, then turned to stare at the doorway Alex had just disappeared through. She swallowed hard and followed after him.
Author bio:
J.M. writes what she likes to call sweet and spicy contemporary romance. She’s a stay-at-home mom who lives in Seattle, Washington, 
with her husband, two boys and their two very spoiled puppies. She’s been devouring romances for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her passion.
Website: http://authorjmstewart.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/JMStewartWriter
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-JM-Stewart/129990420383155
Blog: http://jm-stewart.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3159044.J_M_Stewart
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/authorjmstewart/
Buy A Second Chance At Forever from:
The Wild Rose Press: http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=5088
Also, I hope it’s okay to mention, but I have a blog tour set up, hosted by Goddess Fish, that starts next week, on the 14th. I think there’s seven stops total, including a couple of reviews. I’ll be giving away a $10 Amazon gift card, to one commenter, tour wide. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The dates are listed on my blog. I hope everybody will follow along and stop by to say hello.
Thanks again for having me, Niecey. It’s been a joy to be here!
Thanks for visiting!
Niecey Roy
Coming May 3, 2013 - Fender Bender Blues, a romantic comedy
published by Wild Rose Press
nieceyroy@gmail.com
http://www.nieceyroy.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NieceyRoyRomanceAuthor
https://twitter.com/#!/NieceyRoy
January 4, 2013
And He Cooks Too…with Barbara Barrett
Hi everyone! I’m so excited to welcome Barbara Barrett to my blog. Below, she’s wishing you an amazing new year, sharing a blurb from her contemporary romance (And He Cooks Too is FREE on Amazon right now!!!), and she’s even got an author bio for you to check out!
Barbara…
This isn’t your typical beginning-of-the-year “let’s focus on goals for this new year” blog. No suggestions here for what goals to set, how to set them, how many, etc. Nope. Would, if I could. Here’s why I can’t and why, when considered, that’s not such a bad thing.
Tests, term papers, and project deadlines have always turned me into the classic Type A personality – focused, anxious, unable to enjoy anything else until finished. Once finished, I relax and come up for air only to discover the same world still revolves around me, only I am different, because I no longer feel overburdened. But this luscious calm soon slides into amorphous apprehension as the “what next” feeling settles in.
I’m experiencing a similar unease at the moment. I’ve been working for some time on the latest revision to my current manuscript and just recently finished the last chapter. Suddenly, the energy, the drive, the focus – gone. Okay, significantly reduced.
So here we are just starting 2013, the time when many of us tend to plan for the year ahead and set goals, and I’m not centered. Not exactly drifting, but not quite ready to dig in and move ahead.
A less adjusted person might panic, bemoan their fate. Me? I’m back to the tried and true remedy I perfected back in high school and college with those tests, term papers and projects: stay busy. I used to clean my dorm room, do laundry and write letters. These days I organize. So far, I’ve cleaned off my desk top, filed away papers, and located my marriage certificate, which I stuck in drawer a few years back after I got my new driver license. I’ve also enjoyed my own personal movie marathon, since so many great films tend to be released this time of year.
In other words, I’m not letting this particular period of writing inactivity get to me. Two months down the road might be a different story, but for now, I’ve learned that every so often the brain needs to take time off. Chill. Refresh. So that’s what I’m letting it do. And I’m not feeling guilty about it or attempting to jumpstart an engine that isn’t ready to turn yet.
The brain may be resting, but it’s also absorbing external information while recharging. New thoughts are latching onto old ideas and germinating. Surely new goals won’t be far behind. What better way to have enjoyed the holidays?
So here’s to all of you. Take a few minutes to breathe and enjoy the season, even if that goal list has yet to materialize. Wishing you and your brain a productive and reenergized new year.
And He Cooks Too [Book blurb] Free on Amazon right now!!!
Three men, three lies. One thought it was for her own good, one did it for his own good, and the third nearly destroyed her career. Blacklisted by the city’s finest restaurants, Chef Reese Dunbar must now put the resuscitation of her battered reputation in the hands of yet another man. The television experience Nick Coltrane’s cooking show offers is her best option for restoring her name and becoming the Big Apple’s super chef. But after giving her body and heart to him, her trust is put to the test when she discovers that Nick has lied about the real reason he brought her on board, and worse yet, Nick can’t cook.
Author Bio:
Barbara Barrett spent her professional career as a human resources analyst for Iowa state government, and that training has stayed with her in her writing of contemporary romance fiction. The theme of her writing, “Romance at Work,” reflects her fascination with the jobs people do and infiltrates her plots almost to the point of becoming secondary characters.
A member of Romance Writers of America and several of its affiliate chapters, she was first “published” in sixth grade when a fictional account of a trip to France appeared in her hometown newspaper, the Burlington Hawk-Eye. Years later, she was fortunate enough to visit the subject of her essay, although in it she never envisioned that she would trip on a curb near the Arc d’Triomphe and have to limp her way through the Louvre.
Now retired, Barbara spends her winters basking in the Florida sunshine and returns to her home state of Iowa in the summer to “stay cool.” She is married to the man she met in dormitory advisor training her senior year of college. They have two grown children and six grandchildren. When she’s not writing, she’s busy lunching with friends or playing Mah Jongg.
Niecey…
Thanks everyone for stopping by. And thanks again, Barbara, for being a guest on my blog Don’t forget to visit Barbara and check out her website at http://www.barbarabarrettbooks.com. And remember, And He Cooks Too is FREE at Amazon today!!! You can also follow Barbara on twitter at https://twitter.com/bbarrettbooks.
Niecey Roy
Coming May 3, 2013 - Fender Bender Blues, a romantic comedy
published by Wild Rose Press
nieceyroy@gmail.com
http://www.nieceyroy.com/
http://www.facebook.com/NieceyRoyRomanceAuthor
https://twitter.com/#!/NieceyRoy
December 12, 2012
By: Look! I’ve been tagged! « Donna Sturgeon
[...] you’re it! Author Niecey Roy ‘got me’ with a new version of the game. The requirement is to copy several paragraphs from [...]
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