C.D. Hersh's Blog, page 35
August 15, 2023
Wednesday Special Spotlight a Family Favorite
This recipe has been in my family since forever. It is a very popular dish for Georgian and Armenian people who absolutely loved their beans. My mother used to make it, but I put a little twist of my own to make it easier. Mom usually soaked dry beans overnight, then cooked them the next day. I use canned beans, and it tastes the same.
The Georgian recipe for mashed beans calls for the finely chopped walnuts. I add them on occasion.
You can eat this dish warm or cold, over bread or crackers like a pate, or just as a side dish.
MASHED BEANS
1 can dark beans
1 can light beans
2 lg. onions, I use plain yellow or Vidalia Oil
Oil of your choice, I use sunflower or avocado oil
1 tsp. khmeli suneli, the traditional Georgian spice, and a MUST*
Salt and pepper to tasteFresh parsley, chopped – optional
Fresh cilantro, chopped – optional½ cup walnuts,chopped fine – optional
Open bean cans, wash the brine off, and soak in cold water for 10-15 min.
Dice onions fine. Pour oil into a medium-sized pot. When the oil shimmers add onion and sauté until they are slightly yellow and tender, but not caramelized.
Stir in beans. Cover the pan with a lid. Cook for 3-5 min on low to medium heat, stir occasionally. When beans are fully cooked, some will crack, remove pan from the heat. Mash beans with a potato or wire masher. The mixture should have some chunks, so be careful not over mash. Let beans cool for a few minutes, then add khmeli suneli, salt, and pepper.
Add parsley, cilantro, and walnuts if you’re using any of them.
*If you can’t find khmeli suneli then use this substitute:
¼ tsp. coriander seeds, ground
¼ tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. dried marjoram
¼ tsp. dried dill
1 pinch dried red chili pepper
A jaded CEO. A fiercely focused ballerina. A love that defies all society’s rules.
SoHo,
1962
JJ Morris, successful CEO, leads a secret double life, playing saxophone to his heart’s
content in his hole-in-the-wall dive bar. Yet he can’t escape the feeling he’s slowly petrifying into just another jaded millionaire.
Then a gorgeous blonde steps into his bar and shakes up his world. Certain this fierce
little swan of a woman is exactly what’s missing in his life, he maps out a plan to wed her by Christmas. With or without his snobby mother’s approval.
Most women would be thrilled to learn that the tall, handsome bar musician is, in fact, a wealthy prince charming. Verochka Osipoff is less than impressed. She’s focused on becoming a prima ballerina, and everything hinges on her next audition. She can’t afford distractions, especially a rich playboy slumming it in SoHo.
Yet the heat of their attraction melts Verochka’s heart like warm chocolate. But JJ’s world is a cold, glittering nest of vipers. And their venom could destroy their love song before the first movement ends.
EXCERPT
The sound of a saxophone halted her steps. That deep, velvety voice grabbed her by her throat, and refused to let go. Holding her breath, mesmerized, Verochka stopped, then pivoted. Where did it come from? Straining her ears, she looked around, searching the almost empty street. Guided by her hearing, she glanced at the closed doors on her right. The Broome Street Bar.
Inside, the sax murmured its enchanting tale, sad, and touching, and heartbreaking.
Mon Dieu! What must one feel to play like that?
Verochka closed her eyes and swayed to the music. Her arms by their own volition lifted and moved in a lazy,
unhurried wave. She visualized the dance in her mind, something slow and sensual. Strange, but she never paid attention to jazz before. Then again, she was never partial to any music except classical.
To her there was nothing and no one compared to Tchaikovsky. But the soulful notes of that sax fascinated her as
much as the famous opening theme from Swan Lake. When the sound trailed off, she felt almost bereft. She craved to hear more. Will the musician play again? Oh, she hopped so. She’d wait for it.
Outside? On the sidewalk at almost ten at night?
Unwise, not to mention quite dangerous. Granted, this spot in SoHo was not prone to crime. But still. A young woman alone was bound to attract some attention. Verochka looked at the closed door of the bar, biting her lip.
To go inside, or continue on her way? The wisest thing to do, of course, was to turn around, and go home, to her tiny apartment. It was late. She must rest before her wake-up call at 5:30 AM. All morning classes of Madame Valeska started at precisely 6 AM, and God forbid if any of the dancers were late even by a minute. The wrath of her teacher definitely equaled to her worldwide fame as a former principal dancer of The Royal Ballet.
Tired after the long day of classes and rehearsals, then cleaning the premises, Verochka barely kept upright. She hated her after- hours janitorial obligations, but promise was a promise. And Verochka Osipoff never broke her word.
No matter how spent she was, each and every evening, after all the dancers went home, and the school was closed, she headed to the closet for a broom and a bucket. At first, she didn’t mind it at all. It was an arrangement made in heaven. An eighteen-year-old orphan from France, determined to reach her dream, Verochka arrived at the doors of the famous New York ballet school with nothing but fifty dollars to her name and a small satchel that belonged to her father.
After her initial shock faded, the formidable Madame Valeska, the owner of the school, ordered Verochka to change into her leotards, and dance.
Her final verdict delivered in a grumbling voice was like a heavenly music to Verochka’s ears.
“You have a potential, Miss Osipoff. I’ll take a chance on you, and let you stay for a probationary period of three months. After that, we’ll see.”
Verochka’s elation was huge, but temporary. The school was obscenely expensive. No way she was able to afford the tuition. There was a stipend, but applying for it took only God knew how long, with no guarantee that it will be granted in the end.
On top of it, she was a foreigner, all alone in the strange country, and barely able to speak English.
Madame Valeska, quickly assessing the situation— more accurately, feeling sorry for her— offered Verochka a deal: the education in exchange for cleaning services. A tiny room in the attic as a temporary place to live was added to that offer. To Verochka, it was like a Christmas gift she could never have dreamt about.
Overwhelmed, moved to tears, Verochka grabbed the opportunity with both hands. After a while, she got her stipend for the gifted and unprivileged students, thanks to Madame Valeska’s help, and was able to cover most of her tuition.
The convenience of living on the premises saved her the expense of a rent, and occasional participation in corps de ballet’s performances made everything else manageable. She didn’t need a lot of food, as her extremely strict diet fell mostly into yogurt and fruit category. As to clothes— she learned at her dancing parents knee the skill to mend tears and repair pointe shoes.
Two years later, Verochka was still living in the attic, and still mopped the floors, and cleaned the premises. But it didn’t matter. Her main goal to become a prima ballerina of The Royal Ballet took the precedence over everything else.
Ambitious? Maybe. But, as her father always said, you must dream big. Otherwise, what was the point? So, she dreamed big, and worked like a woman possessed in order to reach that dream. She was content, and happy, and along the way, fell in love with New York, her new home. Her only home. She learned English, and became quite fluent in it, even though her accent stubbornly refused to be erased.
Of course, she missed
France, and Paris, and small street cafes, and long strolls along the Seine. Oh,
the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sprinkled with powdered sugar beignets!
Sometimes, she could smell them in her dreams.
But most of all, she missed her parents. She was sure they were looking at her from heaven, smiling, proud of her accomplishments.
Her occasional nostalgia was usually sweet, and short, like a children’s lullaby.
But not tonight.
After finishing her duties, Verochka was ambushed by a sadness so huge, she almost doubled down with it. Suffocated in the large empty building that housed the ballet school, she was lonely, isolated, until she couldn’t bear another minute longer locked inside. Hence, her impromptu evening walk that brought her in the middle of SoHo, to the Broome Street Bar.
The plaintive sounds of sax reached her ears again.
Oh, yes, please.
Listening to those seductive low rumbles, she wondered about the player.
Who was he? Or was it a she? Why was that melody so sad, so sorrowful?
Available at BOOKStoREAD, AMAZON, and GOOGLE PLAY BOOKS.
Stella May is the penname for Marina Sardarova who has a fascinating history you should read on her website.
Stella writes fantasy romance as well as time travel romance. She is the author of ‘Till Time Do Us Part, Book 1 in her Upon a Time series, and the stand-alone book Rhapsody in Dreams. Love and family are two cornerstones of her stories and life. Stella’s books are available in e-book and paperback through all major vendors.
When not writing, Stella enjoys classical music, reading, and long walks along the ocean with her husband. She lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Leo of 25 years and their son George. They are her two best friends and are all partners in their family business.Follow Stella on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
August 14, 2023
Tell Again Tuesday Writing Old School
MY 2023 ANALOG TOOLBOXBy Meredith Bond
When we talk about analog tools, we can mean anything from the pen you write with and the paper you write on to worksheets, notecards, and physical bulletin boards. I like to think it means . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:August 10, 2023
Friday Feature Spot “Telling” in Your WIP
We’ve all heard the admonition “Show, don’t tell.” When we show we are producing better writing that will capture our readers. Showing, instead of telling, lets editors and agents see you are not an amateur.
In spite of hearing the phrase over and over, many writers don’t know how to recognize “telling” writing. Writing that tells analyzes, generalizes, editorializes and summarizes instead of making the writing interactive and sensory for the reader. Naturally, there will be some generalizations and summarization in your writing, but you need to make sure these elements are in the minority, not the majority of your book. You need to show what’s happening so the reader can create in her own mind the picture you, the writer, want to share.
To locate telling writing look for:• Passive sentences. Often passive sentences, especially those with the word was in them, are a tip-off you might be telling instead of showing. The sentence Sally was angry, is telling.Sally’s lips drew down into a thin, taut line, her jaw working side to side,
shows us Sally’s anger. We can deduce from the picture that is painted how Sally feels because we know that look.• Passages that have very little sensory information. You can tell us the woman smelled good, was sexy, and she knew it, or you can show it by sayingJohn turned to watch her as she strolled between the restaurant tables, her hips swaying like a belly dancer in slow motion. As she neared she tossed her hair behind her shoulder, casting the scent of violets and vanilla in waves toward him. The fragrance made him salivate. Her perfectly manicured nails trailed along his shoulder as she passed by. He shuddered under her touch and she smiled as he looked up at her.
Here we know what the woman smells like, how she walks, how John reacts to her and how she reacts to him. Much stronger than just saying she was sexy.• “LY” adverbs. ‘LY” adverbs rob sentences of conciseness and force, making your writing weak. Which sounds stronger? The man yelled loudly orThe man roared, the sound drowning out the radio.
The dog’s tail wagged happily orThe dog’s tail wagged in time to his barks as he bounded around the room.
The taxi drove very slowly down the street, orThe taxi crept at a snail’s pace down the street.
Get the picture? By adding active verbs, sensory information and using fewer “LY” adverbs, you are showing the reader a snapshot of what’s happening.
Here are a few telling phrases. Choose one, or two if you’re ambitious, and see if you can come up with a better picture.
• disgruntled employee• old paper• fanatical nun• skinny lunatic• frazzled motherShare in the comments what you’ve come up with so everyone can see what you created.
Here is a little about our shapeshifter series that is to be five books with the first four already out on Amazon.
TITLE: The Turning Stone Chronicles
GENRE: Urban fantasy, Paranormal, Romance
HEAT LEVEL: Sensual
Three ancient Celtic families. A magical Bloodstone that enables the wearers to shape shift. A charge to use the stone’s power to benefit mankind, and a battle, that is going on even today, to control the world. Can the Secret Society of shape shifters called the Turning Stone Society heal itself and bring peace to our world?
Find out in The Series The Turning Stone Chronicles
Book one of the chronicles titled “The Promised One” available on Amazon
In the wrong hands, the Turning Stone ring is a powerful weapon for evil. So, when homicide detective Alexi Jordan discovers her secret society mentor has been murdered and his magic ring stolen, she is forced to use her shape-shifting powers to catch the killer. By doing so, she risks the two most important things in her life—her badge and the man she loves.
Rhys Temple always knew his fiery cop partner and would-be-girlfriend, Alexi Jordan, had a few secrets. He considers that part of her charm. But when she changes into a man, he doesn’t find that as charming. He’ll keep her secret to keep her safe, but he’s not certain he can keep up a relationship—professional or personal.
Danny Shaw needs cash for the elaborate wedding his fiancée has planned, so he goes on a mugging spree. But when he kills a member of the secret society of Turning Stones and steals a magic ring that gives him the power to shape shift, Shaw gets more than he bargained for.
Book two of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Blood Brothers” available on Amazon.
When Delaney Ramsey is enlisted to help train two of the most powerful shape shifters the Turning Stone Society has seen in thousands of years, she suspects one of them is responsible for the disappearance of her daughter. To complicate matters, the man has a secret that could destroy them all. Bound by honor to protect the suspect, Delaney must prove his guilt without losing her life to his terrible powers or revealing to the police captain she’s falling for that she’s a shape shifter with more than one agenda.
The minute Captain Williams lays eyes on Delaney Ramsey, he knows she’s trouble. Uncooperative, secretive, and sexy, he can’t get her out of his mind. When he discovers she has a personal agenda for sifting through all the criminal records in his precinct, and secretly investigating his best detective, he can’t let her out of his sight. He must find out what she’s looking for before she does something illegal. If she steps over the line, he’s not certain he can look the other way for the sake of love.
Book three of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “Son of the Moonless Night” currently available on Amazon.
Owen Todd Jordan Riley has a secret. He’s a shape shifter who has been hunting and killing his own kind. To him the only good shifter is a dead shifter. Revenge for the death of a friend motivates him, and nothing stands in his way . . . except Katrina Romanovski, the woman he is falling in love with.
Deputy coroner Katrina Romanovski has a secret, too. She hunts and kills paranormal beings like Owen. At least she did. When she rescues Owen from an attack by a werebear she is thrust back into the world she thought she’d left. Determined to find out what Owen knows about the bear, she begins a relationship meant to collect information. What she gets is something quite different love with a man she suspects of murder. Can she reconcile his deception and murderous revenge spree and find a way to redeem him? Or will she condemn him for the same things she has done and walk away from love?
Book four of The Turning Stone Chronicles titled “The Mercenary & the Shifters” available on Amazon.
A desperate call from an ex-military buddy lands a mercenary soldier in the middle of a double kidnapping, caught in an ancient shape shifter war, and ensnared between two female shape shifters after the same thing … him.
You can also find our books on our book page, under the menu at the top of the page or on our Amazon Author Page
August 8, 2023
Wednesday Special Spotlight Heavenly Honey Bun Cake
Some recipes take me back to a time when life was simpler—a.k.a. living with my parents, eating their food, and not having to any pay bills or a mortgage. As the name suggests, this cake tastes exactly like the honey bun I used to buy during my high school days. Trust me, just one mouthful of this sugary bliss propels you back to those days where all your happy memories and good times of the past, still exist.
A warning to the wise: it’s quite a sweet cake and not for those who are watching their waistlines, so wait until after you’ve blown your New Year’s Resolutions to try this delish dish. I’ve found this is the perfect cake to serve during holidays, celebrations, or perhaps as an indulgent dessert at your monthly book club.
Heavenly Honey Bun Cake
1 package of yellow cake mix (432 g or 18.25 ounce)
¾ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (250 g or 8 ounce) container of sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C).
In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and sour cream. Stir by hand approximately 50 strokes, or until most large lumps are gone. Pour half of the batter into an ungreased 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, sprinkle over the batter.
Spoon the remaining batter into the cake pan. Be sure to cover the brown sugar and cinnamon well. Twirl the cake with a butter knife or icing knife until it looks like a honey bun or whatever design you want to make.
Bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Frosting
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread across the cake while fairly hot. Serve warm.
Tastes wonderful if served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
While you’re waiting for the cake to bake, take a seat in your favorite comfy chair and crack open one of my books. 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, I guarantee either series will take you on a journey far away from thoughts of paying bills or putting in a load of laundry.
Here’s a glimpse into one of the books from Mysterious Tales from Fairy Falls, my teen psychic 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.
Sharon Ledwith is the author of the middle-grade/YA time travel series, THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS, and the teen psychic mystery series, MYSTERIOUS TALES FROM FAIRY FALLS. When not writing, researching, or revising, she enjoys reading, exercising, anything arcane, and an occasional dram of scotch. Sharon lives a serene, yet busy life in a southern tourist region of Ontario, Canada, with her hubby, one spoiled yellow Labrador and a moody calico cat.
Learn more about Sharon Ledwith on her website and blog. Stay connected on Facebook and Twitter, Google+, Goodreads, and Smashwords. Look up her Amazon Author page for a list of current books. Be sure to check out THE LAST TIMEKEEPERS TIME TRAVEL SERIES Facebook page.
August 7, 2023
Tell Again Tuesday Novel Writing
When You Have a Story to TellBy Joanne Guidoccio
In a recent post on the Writer Unboxed blog, award-winning author Kathleen McCleary shared advice about novel writing. Here’s an excerpt from that post:
Here’s what I do know about how long it takes to write a novel: . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:August 3, 2023
Friday Feature CHEERS!
Photo by Taylor Grote on UnsplashEmma Lane’s Every Event Punch
1 pitcher unsweetened iced tea
1 cup pineapple juice
¼ cup maraschino cherry juice
6 cherries, pitted and sliced
1 medium-sized chunk of pineapple
1 orange slice
sprig of spearmint
1 cup ginger ale
Pour tea into a large serving bowl. Add all the ingredients, except ginger ale, to the tea and stir gently. Allow the blend to sit in the refrigerator for several hours.
When you are ready to serve, pour ginger ale over the tea. Fill glasses with ice cubes and top with the tea blend.
Serves four. Having a larger crowd? Simply double or triple the recipe.
Here’s a teaser from one of Emma’s Regency books.
What happens when a strong heroine meets an arrogant, but handsome hero? Sparks fly. It’s a Regency Romance Romp!
Miss Amabel Hawkins acknowledges her unusual upbringing, but she thinks James Langley, the Duke of Westerton, might be a tad unbalanced when he protests her efforts to right his badly managed properties. The duke, who has been away on the king’s business, demonstrates no respect for the beautiful but managing Miss Hawkins. Amabel has taken refuge at Westerton, fleeing from a forced marriage to a man who claims to be her relative in order to gain control of her young brother’s estate.
The Duke arrives home to find his estate under the firm control of a beautiful but managing female. His suspicions are fueled by his recent task of spy-hunting and he wonders if Amabel Hawkins is just who she seems. While a dastardly spy lurks, a wicked man poses as her cousin threatening to take over the guardianship of her young brother. Amabel might be falling in love, but she knows for certain the duke would never approve of a meddlesome woman, and she decides to flee his estate. Will the duke finally realize the true value of the woman he loves or will his prejudice ruin his chances forever?
Amazon Buy LinkAnd a little from her cozy mystery.
Detective Kevin Fowler is baffled by the wall of silence that greets him from the relatives of two septuagenarians whose bodies are discovered in a country cemetery called Blake Hill. Even more upsetting is the unusual rash of vandalism reported nightly by the citizens in his peaceful community. Have the teenagers declared an uprising? Night patrols reveal a totally unexpected and shocking situation. When a poignant secret is revealed, Beverly Hampton weeps over the sadness of a long ago tragedy, but soon wedding bells are heard for the home town princess and the popular detective. At the local diner the alluring fragrance of fresh-baked, cinnamon sticky buns continues to reign over the peaceful citizens of Hubbard, New York.
Amazon Buy Link
Emma Lane enjoys leaving her garden for a few hours to dip into the romance genre Regency era of history. Join her for a glimpse of a half selkie fairy as she teases a powerful duke and fights the curse of a lowly, evil warlock. Other Regency romances are available on Amazon and Wild Rose Press. As Janis Lane she writes a series of Cozy Mysteries for Soul Mate Publishing.
Look for information about writing and plants on her new website. Leave a comment or a gardening question and put a smile on Emma’s face.
August 1, 2023
Wednesday Special Spotlight A LESSON IN FLOUNDER PUBERTY
I grew up watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom, a TV show that explored the animal world. (And now you know how old I am.) I mention this because I continue to be amazed by the strangeness and beauty of the animal world. Take the peacock flounder for example, one of my all-time favorite creatures to meet when I’m scuba diving.
Peacock flounder are lovely creatures that work very hard at growing up.
As cooks might know, flounders are flat fish with eyes that tend to point in different directions. But did you ever wonder how they became flat? It might surprise you to know that flounders are born just like most other fish, but when they hit fishy puberty, they flop over on one side. This can be rather problematic at first, since that means one of their poor little eyes is now facing down. But no worries. The brilliant flounder can make its bottom eye crawl around its head where it ends up next to the other eye. As I mentioned earlier, the eye positioning is not perfect, which gives the wee guy a bit of an off-kilter look. Still, they adjust and eventually the teenage flounder starts swimming sideways.
Why, you ask? It’s an evolutionary thing. Flounder figured out that it’s easier to hide from predators if they can lie flat on the bottom of the sea. Blending in is important in their watery world, which brings me back to the peacock flounder. These guys have magnificent turquoise spots and purple edges when they’re swimming, but as soon as they alight on something, they change color to blend in, just like their land cousin the chameleon. Isn’t that cool?
Magically, the peacock flounder can turn colors instantly to blend in with its surroundings.
I often thought of the flounder in my high school classroom, where the changes associated with human puberty sometimes popped up in conversation. I realized it was a tough time in the lives of the young people I taught, something we adults understand as we all somehow survived that often tumultuous life change.
Whenever students seemed overwhelmed, I would tell them the story of flounder puberty. I hoped it might make them understand that things could be worse. I mean, imagine if your eye had to crawl to the other side of your head.
Often, the tale elicited a shocked silence, as they tried to wrap their heads around a sideways-swimming fish with a migrating eye. While I thought it was a perfect teachable moment, I sensed the kids just thought me strange.
But we teachers hold on to the hope that maybe, someday, our charges will understand our reasoning, an a-ha moment that will make them remember what we said and why.
Please allow me to offer you a glimpse at my latest women’s fiction novel for you reading pleasure.
The past and present collide when a tenacious reporter seeks information on an eleventh century magician…and uncovers more than she bargained for.
In 1939, archaeologists uncovered a tomb at the Northern Arizona site called Ridge Ruin. The man, bedecked in fine turquoise jewelry and intricate beadwork, was surrounded by wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands. The Hopi workers stepped back from the grave, knowing what the Moochiwimi sticks meant. This man, buried nine-hundred years earlier, was a magician.
Former television journalist Kate Butler hangs on to her investigative reporting career by writing freelance magazine articles. Her research on The Magician shows he bore some European facial characteristics and physical qualities that made him different from the people who buried him. Her quest to discover The Magician’s origin carries her back to a time when the high desert world was shattered by the birth of a volcano and into the present-day dangers of archaeological looting where black market sales of antiquities can lead to murder.
AMAZON BUY LINK
Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces.
When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.
Learn more about Anne Montgomery on her website and Wikipedia. Stay connected on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
July 31, 2023
Tell Again Tuesday A picture is worth how much?
Writing Tools: ContractsBy Susan Hanniford Crowley
I’m going to start with a rather humorous contract. Remember wording is everything. Back in 1996, my family went to Scotland. My oldest daughter Cera was particularly interested in Loch Ness. My dad made an agreement with . . .
For the rest of the blog go to:July 27, 2023
Friday Feature COOK UP SOMETHING DELICIOUS
HALLULAH! Cast-iron cooking is back on the burner of the world’s kitchens, its barbeque pits, and its campsite fires—and nothing fries up more delectably in the iconic cooker than green apples, or apples of any color, and even peaches.
Dating back to the 18th century, apple and peach orchards have been a constant feature of farm-life of my American ancestors, and of my European forebears, I imagine. Apples picked right off the tree or hauled topside from underground cellars and fried up in an iron skillet, a vessel that was passed down from mother to daughter, has been a staple of my family through those generations and to the present. Store-bought fruit will do, too, of course.
Down-Home Fried Apples & Peaches
½ cup butter6 medium unpeeled firm apples, sliced
4 very soft unpeeled peaches, sliced
¾ cup cane, coconut, or brown sugar
¾ tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
¼ cup apple juice, 100% juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Over low heat, melt butter in a large cast-iron or heavy ovenproof skillet. Add apples and ½ cup sugar. Mix well, cover, and cook 20 minutes or until apples are fork tender. Stir frequently.
(Add optional cinnamon), remaining sugar, apple juice, vanilla extract, and peach slices. Cover and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat.
Serve with iron-skillet gravy and country biscuits at main meals, or with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
The following is an excerpt of GUARDIANS AND OTHER ANGELS, my book of historical fiction blended with my family’s actual story. The selection depicts an amusing, true incident involving apples and my mother Roma before she was my mother. A delicious recipe for fried apples and peaches rounds out this posting. Enjoy!
One of the most enchanting features of the farm was its peach and apple orchard. Disregarding the fact that green apples gave Roma the “runs,” and convincing herself that she would get away with it that time, in a fit of gluttony, she set about one hot summer morning to stuff her belly full of the sweet green teasers. Predictably, later in the day, she found herself in dire need of visiting the “path” as this family called their outhouse, whereupon she sat, for long intervals of time, for several visits in a row.
This was back in the day before fluffy white “Charmin” or any other machine-perforated-roll-perfectly-into-your-hand toilet paper came on the scene; these were the days when pages from magazines, newspapers, and the Sears & Roebuck catalog were special favorites for cleaning the backside. And when paper products ran out, corncobs would do.
This day, Sears & Roebuck were on duty, and Roma, having gone through a good portion of the catalog, pulled up her underpants, and confident her ordeal was finally behind her, pun intended, proceeded to walk to the back door of the house, the door opening onto the kitchen. She lighted into her piled-up kitchen chores, working away uninterrupted for an hour or more, enjoying that peculiar euphoria that comes to one with the release of all the toxins in one’s body, when she realized that the house was unusually quiet, a phenomenon never occurring in that filled-to-human-capacity household. Taking a mere glancing note of it, she continued to sweep away, when out of the distance she thought she heard what sounded like a snicker. She hesitated for a moment, listened, but when all was quiet again, she fell back into the rhythm of her swishing broom. But suddenly, there it was again – a snicker, then two, then three. She realized she had company in the room. She turned to look, and there they all were, all nine members of her family, snickering and pointing at her backside. Horrified, she realized what was the matter, and twisting her head to get a gander at her backside.
Like a dog chasing its own tail, Roma took off spinning around and around in the middle of the kitchen, howling like a dog, and flapping her hand at the offending article protruding from her underpants. In her haste to vacate the outhouse, the tail of her dress had caught in the waistband of her bloomers, and with it, a page from the Sears & Roebuck catalog also had fastened itself there, the page waving like a flag flapping in the breeze and ironically hailing its vivid advertisement of women underpanties.
Available in paperback and eBook on Amazon
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 hold of her.
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.
July 25, 2023
Wednesday Special Spotlight A WRITER’S ALPHABET
Over the years we have learned a great deal about writing and what it takes to survive in this business. Today we would like to share those ABC’s with you.
Affirmation – As writers we get a lot of rejection. It helps if we have some affirmation. So, the next time you get a good comment from a critique partner, an editor, or even your child who says “You’re a good writer, Mommy,” tuck it away in a special file. Then when you feel like chucking the computer out the window and giving up on writing, pull out those affirmations and tell yourself, “ I can do this. I am a Writer!”
Brainstorming – Brainstorm without putting checks on your imagination. Don’t be afraid to think of the most outrageous ideas when you’re brainstorming. “What if” may be the best tool a writer has to stimulate his imagination.
Creativity – Never let anyone say you don’t have creativity. The very fact that you want to write shows you have creativity. Just keep thinking about your story, asking “What if”, and letting all your skills and thoughts take you into the world where your characters live. Eventually, you’ll find, or create, what you need.
Discipline – Every writer needs it; most of us do not have it. The discipline to sit down in front of the computer every day, even when you don’t feel like it, will get you through the rough parts of your stories.
Edit – ISSAC B. SINGER said, “The wastepaper basket is the writer’s best friend.”
Think of yourself as a writer first and an editor second. Write, rewrite and rewrite some more. Never, ever, send that first draft to an editor.
Fodder – Everything you see and hear and everyone you meet is fodder for a writer. Writers have great excuses for eavesdropping on the world. Ideas, character sketches, names, plot twists¾you name it and you can find inspiration for it among your family, friends and the guy sitting next to you in McDonalds. Don’t let them know what you’re up to, however. If they recognize themselves in your next story they may never speak again when you’re around.
Grammar – Webster defines grammar as “a study of what is to be preferred and what is to be avoided in inflection and in syntax.” When you present your manuscript make sure the grammar is correct. Don’t depend solely on your computer grammar check; its suggestions are not always right. Instead, invest in a good English or grammar handbook and use it. The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual has a nice section on grammar and punctuation that I use all the time. If you have trouble with grammar find a friend or an adult enrichment class that can help you brush up on your grammar. You don’t have to be able to diagram a sentence, but you do have to be able to put it together correctly. That goes for punctuation too.
Hope – Hope should spring eternal in the hearts of writers. As long as you have something circulating among editors you should always have hope. Never give up, not even when you have enough rejection letters to wallpaper your office.
Ideas – There are no bad ideas. Even the worst idea can provide a springboard for something better. Keep all your ideas in a file so you can pull them out whenever you have a dry spell. You’ll be surprised what new, and better, ideas might spring from an idea you considered trashing.
Journaling – Journaling is a great way to keep your writing flowing, especially on those days when you can’t, or don’t, get to the computer. Write at night, in the morning, in the bathroom, or any place where you and your journal can go. Put down your emotions, your thoughts, impressions, snatches of conversations, or visual images. All these things can be story sparkers or sensory descriptions you might be able to use in some other writing.
Know How – Like every profession, writing is a job that takes skill. You can’t be an electrician or a plumber without learning the ropes¾the skills and the tricks of the trade. That’s true in writing too. To become a success as a writer you have to study your craft, learn the best way to write an article, a scene, a chapter, a book. You have to know how to structure your plots and characters, and you have to become knowledgeable about the business. Learn all you can about writing and the writing business so you can succeed.
Laughter – Keep a sense of humor about yourself and your writing. There will be plenty of times that you will get your feelings hurt as a writer¾someone won’t like your baby, a critique will rub you the wrong way, an editor might ask for umpteen revisions. If you can face life, and writing, with humor you’ll be able to get through most anything¾and even have some good story material in the process.
Marketing – If you want to sell, then know your market. Don’t waste your time, and an editor’s time, by sending manuscripts that aren’t suitable for the publication.
Networking – Do it! Network with anyone in the writing business that you can. Editors are besieged with unsolicited manuscripts. Any time they can connect a face, organization, or conference to you, you are one step ahead of the game. Take every opportunity to meet, talk with and mingle with editors. Don’t forget networking with other writers too. You can’t know all there is to know about the publishing world and what is going on. Take advantage of any information other writers have to offer. Getting published is not always about talent. Sometimes it’s also about being in the right place, or submitting to the right place at the right time.
Organization – If you can’t find the computer, your copious notes, or the paper and pencil under the clutter in your office, then you can’t write. The more organized you are the less time you’ll spend hunting and the more time you’ll have for writing.
Perspiration – Don’t wait for the Muse. Writing is one-percent inspiration and 99-percent perspiration. If you wait for inspiration, you might as well be taking a nap while you’re sitting in front of you computer.
Query Letter – Queries can be more intimidating and frustrating than writing the whole darn book. I know plenty of writers who dread the “Query Letter.” The query is an editor’s first glimpse of you and your story. Consider it an important, but necessary, evil of your craft, and learn to conquer it. The Writer’s Market has great examples of how to write a good query.
Reading – “A room without books is like a body without a soul.” Cicero
A writer who doesn’t read will soon find himself out of touch with the very world for which he is writing. Read, read, and read everything that you can. Fiction, non-fiction, newspapers, magazines, cookbooks, cereal boxes, dictionaries, children’s literature, and certainly read in whatever genre in which you want to write.
Solitude – The life of a writer is a solitary one. “Family, friends, and society are the natural enemies of a writer. He must be alone, uninterrupted and slightly savage if he is to sustain and complete an undertaking.” LAWRENCE CLARK POWELL Learn when, and how, to shut the door and lock out the world. Find the time and the place that works best for you.
Tenacity – “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” RICHARD BACH
Dr. Seuss had his first book rejected 64 times and was ready to toss it in the trash. A friend convinced him to try just one more publisher¾the rest is history. Seuss could have remained an amateur if he had given up. Don’t give up. You might miss your chance at a bestseller.
Universality – Want to sell? Then make sure your stories and articles have a universal appeal. There is nothing new under the sun, just a different way to tell it. Stories with universal appeal never go out of style.
Virgin Reader – Every writer needs one of these. We get so close to our “babies” that we can’t see their flaws. But, believe me, an editor will. So, find someone you trust to give you fair, constructive criticism¾someone with a fresh set of eyes to look at your writing¾and let them be a Virgin.
Write – “Planning to write is not writing. Outlining a book is not writing. Researching is not writing. Talking to people about what you’re doing, none of that is writing. Writing is writing.” E. L. DOCTROW
‘Nuff said.
Xercise – (Yes, I know it’s not spelled that way) Writing takes a lot of mental power but doesn’t exercise the other body muscle groups (except the fingers). So, to keep yourself healthy¾and maybe even sneak in some writer avoidance time – take time to exercise. You’ll come back to the keyboard refreshed and awake. A bonus – getting the endorphins revved can even kick your brain into gear and help you solve whatever writing problem you’ve been facing.
Ying and Yang—A writer needs balance, in his life and on the page. Too much time alone with the book isn’t a good thing. Neither are pages of narrative or back story with no dialogue or action. Find that happy medium in your life and your literary pursuits.
Zeal – “Writing is a dog’s life, but the only life worth living.” GUSTAVE FLAUBERT
If a writer’s “dog’s life” isn’t what you want, then you had just as well close your notebook, break your pencil in half, and find something else to do with your life. Zeal, passion and a love of your work will keep your writing fresh and alive. If you don’t like what you are doing you probably will not succeed at it.
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